Pacifica Municipal Code Art. 9 Standards

All required improvements, both on and off-site, shall be constructed according to approved standards. The standards shall apply to the design and construction of all public and private facilities in the City.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85. eff. December 25, 1985)

Street improvements shall conform with the pattern of thoroughfares designated in the General Plan and zoning provisions and to any future right-of-way established by the Planning Commission and approved by the Council.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

All streets and thoroughfares shall be designed to the minimum standards provided by the City's Administrative Policy establishing such standards, except where it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Planning Commission that the topography, probable future traffic, or other circumstances unquestionably justify a lesser standard. Higher standards may be required where it is found to be necessary, especially in commercial areas, or where probable traffic conditions warrant such standards. Such Administrative Policy and any amendments thereto are hereby adopted by this reference as though fully set forth in this section.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985, as amended by § 2, Ord. 458-86, eff. March 26, 1986)

Grades curves, and sight distances shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer to ensure proper drainage and/or safety for vehicles and pedestrians. The following principles and minimum standards shall be observed:

(a) Grades of streets shall not be less than five-tenths (.5%) percent nor greater than fifteen (15%) percent.

(b) At street intersections property lines at each block shall be rounded by an arc, the radius of which shall not be less than twenty (20′) feet.

(c) The radii of curvature shall not normally be less than 500 feet on the center line of thoroughfares, nor normally be less than 300 feet on the center line of collector or minor residential streets.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

The following principles and standards shall apply to the design and installation of curbs, sidewalks, and pedestrian ways:

(a) Vertical curbs and gutters shall be required in all subdivisions.

(b) Sidewalks shall be required on both sides of the street in any subdivision or portion thereof.

(c) The requirement for sidewalks may be omitted if recommended by the Planning Commission and approved by the Council.

(d) When required for access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation facilities, other community facilities, or for unusually long blocks, the Planning Commission may require pedestrian ways not less than ten (10′) feet in width. Such pedestrian ways shall be provided with pavement of suitable width.

(e) For lots containing any heritage trees and trees with a trunk diameter of four (4″) inches or greater, the location of proposed curb cuts for driveways shall be shown to ensure the least destruction of such trees.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

Cul-de-sacs shall have a minimum right-of-way width of fifty (50′) feet and a minimum pavement width of thirty four (34′) feet and shall terminate in a circular turnaround with a minimum right-of-way diameter of eighty (80′) feet and minimum pavement diameter of sixty-six (66′) feet. A cul-de-sac shall not have a greater length than 500 feet.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

Alleys shall not be encouraged in residential subdivisions but may be permitted in nonresidential subdivisions.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

Street trees shall be provided by the subdivider in all subdivisions. Street trees shall be selected, installed, and maintained in accordance with the Standard Engineering Specifications. Street trees shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) standard gallon size trees with two (2) trees per subdivider lot. A portion of the required street trees may be planted in locations other than along street frontages as approved by the Planning Commission.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

The subdivision shall be so designed as to preserve the greatest amount of existing on-site vegetation including heritage trees and trees with a trunk diameter of four (4″) inches or greater and other natural ground cover. Trees removed shall be replaced in like kind and size or equivalent substitution as approved by the Planning Commission.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

(a) Utility easements not less than fifteen (15′) feet in width shall be provided within the subdivision, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, except between structures where the easement shall be a minimum of ten (10′) feet.

(b) A five (5′) foot easement shall be dedicated outside and adjacent to all street rights-of-way if required for utilities.

(c) The subdivider shall provide the City with all prior rights to all dedications of public land and public utility easements.

(d) Modifications of the easement width requirements may be granted only when approved by both the City Engineer and the public utilities concerned.

(§ 7, Ord. 456-85, eff. December 25, 1985)

The size, shape, and orientation of lots shall be appropriate to the location of the proposed subdivision and to the type of development contemplated. The following principles and standards shall be observed when applicable:

(a) The minimum area and dimensions of all lots shall conform to the requirements of the zoning provisions for the district in which the subdivision is located.

(b) No lot shall have a frontage less than fifty (50′) feet; provided, however, the Planning Commission may approve a frontage of less than fifty (50′) feet on lots on cul-de-sacs and on flag lots.

(§ 3, Ord. 458-86, eff. March 26, 1986)

(a) General Plan guideline objectives. The adopted General Plan endorses a set of objectives for the future development of the hillside areas of the City. The adoption of precise or specific standards for density, grading, street standards, and the provision of open space was deferred pending further study which was underway at the time the provisions of this chapter were adopted. The major objectives for hillside development as set forth in the adopted General Plan are as follows:

(1) To maximize choices in the types of environments and encourage variety in the development pattern of the hillsides;

(2) To preserve, enhance, and promote the appearance and resources of the hillside areas;

(3) To provide density and land use incentives to ensure the best possible development in the hillside areas;

(4) To encourage the best development of building sites respecting the natural terrain;

(5) To preserve and enhance the beauty of the landscape;

(6) To prohibit, insofar as is feasible and reasonable, the padding or terracing of building sites in the hills;

(7) To provide a safe means of ingress and egress while minimizing the scarring effect of hillside streets; and

(8) To encourage a more diverse housing mix.

(b) Criteria for the use of the General Plan guideline objectives. If a subdivider, by written affirmation, desires to develop under the guideline objectives set forth in subsection (a) of this section, he shall use the provisions for the Planned Development District set forth in Article 22 of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of this Code.

(c) Criteria for nonuse of the General Plan guideline objectives. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City and the purpose of this subsection to protect property values, preserve natural beauty, and promote the public welfare by regulating the size of lots and the amount of hillside grading according to the natural cross slope of the ground before grading as set forth in this subsection. If a subdivider does not desire to use the guideline objectives set forth in subsection (a) of this section, the following criteria shall be used as the basis for development:

(1) Table 4 set forth in this subsection shall be used to determine the minimum lot size and the maximum amount of grading which shall be permitted on land to be subdivided.

(2) Where a subdivider, by written affirmation of such intent, elects to enhance the appearance, beautification, and/or recreation potential of his proposed subdivision by including permanent areas of open space, which shall be held by the City in fee title, easement, or other instrument acceptable to the City, he may be permitted to reduce the lot sizes in his proposed subdivision provided the amount of open space offered for dedication to the City shall be equal to the sum of the difference between the size of the lots requested and the size of the lots required by said Table 4 and provided, further, that all proposed lots shall conform to the zoning provisions.

Table 4 Lot Size Prior to Grading

In using this table:

(a) Interpolation shall be used.

(b) Minimum lot frontage may be reduced by one-third (⅓) where such frontage abuts the outside of a sharp curve.

(c) "Average cross slope" shall mean the average percentage of the grade within each topographically similar area to be subdivided, measured at right angles to the contours.

(§ 4, Ord. 458-86, eff. March 26, 1986)