Nevada City Municipal Code Art. X Design Standards

A. The size, design, grade, location and configuration of lots within a proposed subdivision, and the improvements required in connection therewith, shall be consistent with the density and uses authorized for the area by the general plan, any applicable specific plan and the zoning regulations, whichever is the most restrictive.

B. The density, timing or sequence of development may be restricted by considerations of safety, traffic access or circulation, the slope of the natural terrain, the physical suitability of the site and the availability of public utilities.

C. No subdivision shall create lots which are impractical for improvement or use due to steepness of the terrain, location of watercourses, size, shape, inadequate frontage or access, inadequate building area, or other physical condition.

(Ord. 369 § 5-01, 1975)

A. Each minor street providing access to lots within a subdivision shall connect directly or through one or more minor streets to a collector street or major street, and the route of access to a collector or major street shall be adequate to accommodate safely the kind and volume of traffic generated by the land uses which are thus served.

B. In determining the adequacy of a route of access, consideration shall be given to the deployment of fire equipment or other services under emergency conditions.

(Ord. 369 § 5-02, 1975)

Streets shall be laid out to conform to the alignment of existing streets in adjoining subdivisions and to the logical continuation of existing streets where the adjoining land is not subdivided. The realignment of streets to accommodate the use or development of adjoining property, and the installation of streets or deadend street extensions to facilitate the subdivision of adjoining property, may be required. Permanently deadended streets (except cul-de-sacs) are prohibited. When a street is temporarily deadended, a barricade or temporary turning area may be required.

(Ord. 369 § 5-03, 1975)

Where property is subdivided into lots substantially larger than the minimum size required for the zoning district in which the subdivision is located, streets and lots shall be laid out so as to permit future resubdivision in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 369 § 5-04, 1975)

All streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and in no case shall the angle of intersection be less than sixty degrees. Street alignment shall provide for streets entering opposite each other to have their centerlines directly opposite. Where this is not possible, street jogs shall have a minimum centerline offset of one hundred fifty feet. No jogs shall break the continuity of a major or collector street. Block corners shall be rounded by a minimum radius curve of twenty feet at property lines.

(Ord. 369 § 5-05, 1975)

A. Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged. Curvilinear streets shall be encouraged.

B. A cul-de-sac street shall not exceed five hundred feet in length. Cul-de-sacs shall have a minimum right-of-way radius of forty feet measured from the centerline of the right-of-way.

C. Street rights-of-way shall be a minimum of fifty feet. Additional right-of-way may be required in order to provide for necessary slope easements or to accommodate traffic or parking on major streets.

D. Grades on streets shall not be less than 0.25 percent. Grades shall not exceed ten percent, except that grades up to fifteen percent may be allowed where required by physical conditions and approved by the city engineer. Intersecting grades of different slopes shall be connected by properly designed vertical curves. Adequate sight distances shall be provided on all vertical and horizontal curves in keeping with the safe design speed for the kind and volume of traffic which will be using the street.

E. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the city council upon the recommendation of the planning commission.

(Ord. 369 §§ 5-06 — 5-10, 1975)

Alleys may be required at the rear of property designated for multiple-family residential, commercial or industrial use. Alleys shall not be permitted in a single-family development except as may be permitted or required at the rear of single-family attached (townhouse) dwellings or at the rear of single-family detached dwellings which front upon major streets.

(Ord. 369 § 5-11, 1975)

Improved pedestrianways not less than ten feet in width may be required where needed for traffic safety, or for access to schools, playgrounds, shopping facilities or other community facilities.

(Ord. 369 § 5-12, 1975)

Suitable trails and paths for hiking, bicycle and equestrian use shall be provided in locations established by the general plan or any specific plan pertaining to such uses.

(Ord. 369 § 5-13, 1975)

A. Utility easements shall be ten feet in width, except that where required on side lot lines or across the rear of double tier lots they shall be five feet in width.

B. The alignment of all easements shall conform with the requirements of the utility company or other supplier of the service, including the city.

C. All utility lines, including electrical, gas, telephone, cable television and street lighting service lines, shall be placed underground; provided, however, that appurtenant equipment such as transformers, terminal boxes and meter cabinets may be placed above ground when in the opinion of the city engineer it would be impracticable, under the circumstances of the particular case, to place them underground; and provided, further, that the undergrounding of utilities may be waived by the city council upon a showing of exceptional circumstances warranting such waiver.

(Ord. 369 § 5-14, 1975)

A. Easements for storm and floodwater drainage, where necessary, shall be offered for dedication, and shall conform substantially with any natural watercourse that traverses the subdivision. All lots shall be graded to provide adequate drainage. Provision shall be made for proper erosion control, Including the prevention of damage to off-site property by sedimentation or otherwise.

B. Easements for open space, public access, an other purposes shall be provided at such locations and in such widths as are necessary to accomplish the objectives, policies, general land uses and programs of the general plan and any applicable specific plan, and the requirements of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 369 §§ 5-15, 5-16, 1975)

Except as provided in Section 16.04.700 of this chapter, all proposed lots or parcels in a subdivision shall comply with the minimum area and dimensions required by the zoning regulations for the district in which the land is located, and in no case shall any lot or parcel be smaller than the minimum size recommended by the health officer in order to protect the public health and safety. In addition, all lots shall meet the following requirements:

A. Each lot shall have frontage on a public street in conformity with the zoning regulations, or shall have other approved access.

B. The rear lot line shall be at least one hundred feet from the right-of-way line of the street or road on which the lot fronts.

C. The side lot lines shall normally be at right angles or radial to street or road lines.

D. Double frontage lots, except corner lots, of less than two hundred feet in depth will not be approved except where necessary because of topographic conditions, or where access to one of the streets or roads is prohibited.

E. Flag lots shall be permitted only where required by topographic conditions, or where there is no reasonable alternative design for the development of the interior portions of excessively deep parcels.

(Ord. 369 § 5-17, 1975)

When a conditional use permit is granted for a planned unit development and such development is subdivided, exceptions to the foregoing lot standards may be approved, as follows:

A. Exceptions to the requirements as to lot area and dimensions may be permitted when:

1. An open space or recreational area is provided for the use of the residents of the development; and

2. The total land area of the development divided by the total number of dwelling units provides an average building site per dwelling unit equal to or more than that required by the applicable zoning regulations. For this purpose, the "total land area of the development" includes the land area of the open spaces, private driveways and walkways, and recreational area, but shall not include any land areas being set aside for streets or roads.

B. Exceptions to the requirement that lots shall abut on a public street or private road easement may be permitted when:

1. Adequate access from a street or road to each dwelling unit is provided for pedestrians and emergency vehicles; and

2. Adequate provision is made for automobile parking in accordance with the zoning regulations.

(Ord. 369 § 5-18, 1975)

All areas designated as open space or for park or recreational use shall, unless contained within the various lots of the subdivision and maintained by the owners of such lots, be designated either as a separate parcel or parcels and dedicated to the city for park and recreational purposes, or as a separate parcel or parcels and maintained as common open space within an approved planned unit development.

(Ord. 369 § 5-19, 1975)

No lot shall be divided by a city or county boundary line.

(Ord. 369 § 5-20, 1975)

Remnants of property which do not conform to lot requirements, or are not needed for a public or private utility or for approved access, shall not be created in a subdivision.

(Ord. 369 § 5-21, 1975)