Chapter 16.12 — DESIGN STANDARDS

Each subdivision and the map thereof shall conform with the standards in the following sections.

(Ord. 4815 Ch. 4 (part), 1967)

The map shall show the side lines of each street, the total width of each street, the width of the portion being dedicated and the widths of existing dedications. The widths and locations of adjacent streets and other public properties shall be shown. If any street in the subdivision is a continuation, or approximately a continuation of an existing street, the conformity or the amount of nonconformity of such street, to such existing street shall be accurately shown. Whenever the county surveyor or the city engineer has established the centerline of a street or alley, the data shall be shown on the final map. All streets, as far as practicable, may be required to be in alignment with existing adjacent streets or their proper projections and shall be in general conformity with the most advantageous development of the area affected by such subdivision.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.00, 1967)

As used in this chapter, and whenever appropriate or necessary, the following terms shall have the following correspondence to terms used in the comprehensive general plan of the city.

A.

"Major highway" means an arterial highway in the comprehensive general plan;

B.

"Secondary street" means a thoroughfare in the comprehensive general plan;

C.

"Important local street" means a collector street in the comprehensive general plan.

(Ord. 6039 § 8, 1983)

Each major or secondary highway shall conform in width and alignment to those designated in the general plan approved by the board of directors or any modification thereof approved by the board and shall conform to any proceedings affecting the subdivision which may have been initiated by the board of directors or approved by the board upon initiation by other legally constituted bodies of the city, county or state.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.01, 1967)

Each local street designated as an important local street in the general plan for the city shall conform to the width and alignment approved by the board of directors or any modification thereof approved by the board; provided, however, an important local street shall have a paved roadway width of not less than 40 feet.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.02, 1967)

Each street extending from 1 major or secondary highway to another and all other streets in such subdivision, except major or secondary streets, shall have a width of not less than 60 feet and a roadway width of not less than 36 feet; provided, that where, in the opinion of the planning commission, the type of adjacent development or other economic factors render it advisable, streets less than 2 blocks in length or 1200 feet, whichever is shorter, in residential districts may have a lesser width but not less than 54 feet and a roadway width of not less than 32 feet; provided, further that local streets in any steep hillside subdivision may have a lesser width but not less than 30 feet in which event the roadway thereof shall be not less than 24 feet wide.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.03, 1967)

Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory future subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall extend to the boundary of the property and the resulting dead end streets may be approved without turnarounds. In all other cases turnarounds having minimum radii of 35 feet, with curb radii of 30 feet, shall be provided except where extraordinary conditions make a strict enforcement of this rule impracticable. Where no more than 14 lots, having not more than 20 single family building sites, front on dead end streets on which turnarounds are required, such streets shall have a width of not less than 40 feet and a roadway width of not less than 30 feet.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.04, 1967)

A.

Any land intended to be a part of the ultimate width of a major or secondary highway, or any reservation therefore, lying along and adjacent to any boundary of the subdivision, shall have such a width as will conform to the lines shown on the general plan, approved by the board of directors or any modification thereof so approved covering the same portion of such subdivision.

B.

Subject to all of the provisions of Section 16.12.050, any land intended to be a part of the ultimate width of a highway or street, other than any such major or secondary highway, or any reservation therefor, lying along and adjacent to any such boundary shall have a width not less than ½ of the full width required for any such highway or street by the provisions of said section unless special conditions of alignment require some other width.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.05, 1967)

A.

With approval of the advisory agency, any street, highway or way which is intended to be kept physically closed to public travel or at all times posted as a private street may be shown as a private street, and then only on conditions which guarantee reasonable maintenance thereof, and in any such case the final map shall contain an offer of dedication of such private street, which may be accepted by the board of directors at such time as the street has ceased to remain so physically closed or posted and has been open to public travel for a period of 1 year or more provided such street complies in all respects to requirements as set forth in Sections 16.12.010 through 16.16.090. A plan and profile of any such street as required by Section 16.16.030 must accompany the final map or parcel map. The side lines of private streets shall be shown in broken lines and the area of the private streets shall be shown as a part of the lots adjacent to the private streets.

B.

Where the subdivider files a final map or parcel map, all private streets shall meet the requirements prescribed by this title for public streets.

C.

All private streets within the city must be posted as private streets.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.06, 1967)

Any highway or street intersecting any other highway or street shall intersect at an angle as near a right angle as is practicable. At street intersections which include major or secondary highways, intersecting at an angle of approximately 90

degrees, the block corner shall be rounded at the property line by a radius of not less than 15 feet. At intersections of other streets the radius shall be not less than 10 feet. An optional method of a diagonal cutoff may be used, provided that the dimensions thereof do not reduce the visibility, sidewalk width or curb radius obtained by the above-specified radii. The curb radius may be required to conform to the radius of existing corners at the same intersection where such radius is greater than 15 feet. Streets intersecting at an angle other than 90 degrees shall have sufficient radius or cutoff to provide the same results as to traffic movement, visibility and design as provided by the foregoing requirements of this section.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.07, 1967)

Any part-width major or secondary highway, or any reservation therefor, lying along and abutting any boundary of a division of land shall have such a width as will conform to the lines shown on the general plan covering the same portion of such division.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.08, 1967)

A.

Wherever any highway within a division of land intersects any railroad interurban, or street car right-of-way, and such highway is shown as a major or secondary highway upon the general plan and provision is made in such plan for the location of a separation of grades at such intersection, the street layout of the division of land shall be such as to conform to the plan of such a separation.

B.

Each lot abutting upon a proposed cut or fill necessary for the approach to such grade separation shall be given suitable access elsewhere.

C.

Wherever it is proposed to divide property abutting an approach to an existing or proposed bridge, the street layout shall adequately provide for such approach and the division shall be arranged so that any lot abutting such approach has suitable access elsewhere.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.09, 1967)

No street or highway shall be approved with a centerline curve radius of less than 100 feet unless sufficient evidence is offered to the advisory agency by the subdivider to show that the 100-foot radius is not practicable. All centerline curve radii on all streets and highways shall conform to accepted engineering standards of design and shall be subject to approval by the city engineer.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.10, 1967)

No street or highway shall have a grade of more than 7 percent unless, because of topographical conditions or other exceptional conditions, the city engineer determines that a grade in excess of 7 percent is necessary. Except as provided in Section 16.12.310, no street shall have a grade in excess of 12 percent in any case.

(Ord. 6039 § 9, 1983: Ord. 4815 § 4.11, 1967)

Alleys at least 20 feet in width, or other adequate off-street loading facilities, shall be required in the rear of all lots used or intended to be used for business purposes. In other cases the provisions for alleys shall be optional with the subdivider, provided that such alleys shall be not less than 20 feet in width. Where 2 alleys intersect, a corner cutoff of not less than 10 feet measured from the point of intersection along the side line of the alley shall be required.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.12, 1967)

The street and alley arrangement shall be such as the advisory agency, in the exercise of its sound discretion, may determine will cause no undue hardship to owners of adjoining property when they subdivide their land and adequate and convenient access to adjoining property shall be required.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.13, 1967)

Each street or way which is to be dedicated, which is a continuation of, or approximately the continuation of, any existing dedicated street or way shall be shown on the tentative map and shall be given the same name as such existing street or way. The proposed name of each other street or way shown on the tentative map shall be submitted to the city engineer for his approval, and if such name is not a duplication of or so nearly the same as to cause confusion with the name of any existing street or way located in the city, or in close proximity thereto, and if such name is appropriate for a street name, such name shall be approved by him. When any such street or way forms a portion of any proposed street or way ordered by the board of directors to be surveyed, opened, widened or improved, and in such order a name therefor is assigned or designated, the name of such street or way shown on the final map shall be the same as the name contained in said order.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.14, 1967)

When any lot borders upon a freeway the subdivider shall dedicate a service road for ingress to and egress from said lot. Service roads shall have a width of not less than 40 feet and a roadway width of not less than 30 feet. Improvements shall be the same as those required for local streets except that sidewalks shall not be required on the side of the service road adjacent to the freeway, when, in the opinion of the city engineer, drainage or movement of pedestrians will not be impaired by such omission.

(Ord. 6039 § 10, 1983: Ord. 4815 § 4.15, 1967)

Wherever the advisory agency has determined that a street is necessary for the future division of property as shown on the tentative map or for adjoining property, but that the present dedication and construction of such street is not warranted, the advisory agency may require that the location, width and extent of such street shall be shown on the final map or parcel map as a future street. No improvements of such future street shall be required of the subdivider.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.16, 1967)

A.

Where the provisions of Section 16.16.020 have been modified and where underground conduit system is not provided by the owner in public streets, easements not less than 5 feet in width shall be provided within the subdivision for public utilities purposes on each side of rear lot lines and along side lot lines where necessary. A 4-foot by 40-foot easement for public utilities may be required at all rear line angle points. Easements for water mains shall be provided as required under Section 16.16.010D. Easements of lesser width may be permitted when approved by the advisory agency and serving utilities.

B.

The side lines of all easements shall be shown by fine dotted lines. If any easement already of record cannot be definitely located, a statement of the existence, the nature thereof and its recorded reference must appear on the title sheet. Distances and bearings on the side lines of lots which are cut by an easement must be arrowed or so shown that the map will indicate clearly the actual lengths of the lot lines. The widths of all easements and sufficient ties thereto definitely to locate the same with respect to the subdivision must be shown. All easements must be clearly labeled and identified; if an easement shown on the map is already of record, its recorded reference must be given. If an easement is being dedicated by the map, it shall be set out in the owner's certificate of dedication. All notes and figures pertaining to easements shall be considerably smaller and lighter than those relating to the subdivision itself.

C.

The city may require the subdivider to remove or trim any trees or brush lying within an easement or right-of-way.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.20, 1967)

A.

Dedications vacated pursuant to Government Code Section 66499.16 shall not be required to have any hearings or approval in addition to those required by the Subdivision Map Act.

B.

In addition to any other charges authorized by law, the applicant for a vacation of a dedication pursuant to Government Code Section 66499.16 shall pay the cost of obtaining a title report for the dedication proposed to be vacated, and the cost of notifying all affected utilities, city departments and other affected entities. The estimated amount of these costs shall be deposited within 14 days of notification to the applicant of the estimated charges.

(Ord. 6039 § 11, 1983)

A.

Each parcel created by any minor land division described by Section 16.40.030A shall be provided with a means of vehicular access as provided by this section. For the purposes of this section, and Section 16.40.040, the term "on-site access" refers to a reservation for vehicular access which is located within the boundaries of a minor land division, and the term "off-site access" refers to a right-of-way for vehicular access which is located outside the boundaries of a minor land division, and is not an improved or maintained public street or highway. A parcel shall be deemed to have approved access when either of the following conditions apply:

The parcel has frontage on an improved or maintained public street or highway or on approved off-site access which connects with a public street or highway;

The parcel has frontage on a reservation for on-site access, as shown on an approved plot plan map, and such reservation connects directly or by means of approved off-site access with an improved or maintained public street or highway.

B.

Reservations for on-site access shall be located so as to provide for the future development of parcels adjacent to them. On-site access reservations shall be 60 feet in width, except that reservations peripheral to the minor land division shall be

30 feet in width, when, in the opinion of the advisory agency, topography permits future widening of the reservation within a contiguous property.

C.

Off-site access is an easement, recorded in the office of the county recorder, having a minimum width of 30 feet on 1 side of a normal section breakdown line or title line or a minimum of 40 feet in other locations and alignment which is defined and is topographically feasible for the passage of vehicles.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.25, 1967)

Where a parcel is first subdivided into small farms or acre tracts, the blocks shall be of such size and shape and be so divided as to provide for the opening of major and secondary highways, and for the extension and opening of main streets and alleys at such intervals as will permit a subsequent division of any parcel into lots of normal size.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.30, 1967)

Blocks shall not exceed 1300 feet in length between street lines, except where topographical conditions or previous surrounding layout require longer blocks, or acre subdivisions justify or require a variation from this requirement.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.40(A), 1967)

The width of each block shall be sufficient for an ultimate layout of 2 tiers of lots therein of a size required by the provisions of this title unless the surrounding layout, lines of ownership or topographical conditions justify or make necessary a variation from this requirement.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.40(B), 1967)

For subdivision purposes, the minimum lot sizes shall be the same as shown for the official zoning plan and code of the city. Subdivisions with lots smaller than those required by the zoning code may be approved by the advisory agency; provided, that in every case the tentative map or parcel map shall be conditioned upon the undersized lot or lots receiving a finally approved variance or the approval of a zone change rendering the lot a legal lot under the zoning code.

(Ord. 6039 § 12, 1983: Ord. 4815 § 4.50(A), 1967)

A.

The advisory agency, in considering the design of a proposed subdivision, shall take into consideration the character of the land and improvements in the neighborhood, the character of the land to be subdivided and the improvements proposed by the subdivider and the general effect upon the neighborhood of the proposed subdivision.

(Ord. 6039 § 13, 1983; Ord. 5091 § 1, 1972; Ord. 4815 § 4.50(B),1967)

In all cases where practicable, the sidelines of lots shall be at an approximate right angle to the street upon which such lots front.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.50(C), 1967)

The alignment of streets shall be such as to provide frontage for lots in the division of land except as provided in Section 16.12.280.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.50(D), 1967)

No lot shall be divided by a city boundary line. Each such boundary line shall be made a lot line.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.50(E), 1967)

Reserve strips controlling the access to streets or other public rights-of-way from adjoining property will not be approved unless such strips are necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights, and in no case except in which the control and disposal of the land comprising such strips are placed definitely within the jurisdiction of the city under conditions approved by the advisory agency.

(Ord. 4815 § 4.60, 1967)

In a subdivision consisting of a condominium project as defined in Section 1350 of the Civil Code, a community apartment project as defined in Section 11004 of the Business and Professions Code, or the conversion of 5 or more existing dwelling units to a stock cooperative project, maps of such subdivisions need not, but may, show the design of the buildings and manner in which the buildings are to be divided. In all other respects all of the provisions of this title shall apply to such a subdivision. In each such subdivision the location of all buildings other than accessory buildings shall be shown on all final maps.

(Ord. 5455 § 3, 1980: Ord. 5173 § 2, 1974: Ord. 4815 § 4.70, 1967)

The following standards shall apply to subdivisions in zone HD, and shall supersede any inconsistent provisions of this title in such areas.

A.

The minimum street width for local and cul-de-sac streets used primarily to serve abutting property shall be 24 feet from the curb facing to curb facing, in a 30-foot right-of way; except that the 30-foot right of way requirement may be waived and a lesser width prescribed by the advisory agency for single-loaded streets or under such other circumstances as the advisory agency finds are necessary to avoid undue hardship on the applicant and in keeping with the purposes of zone HD.

B.

The finished grade of any proposed public or private street shall not exceed 12 percent, except that a grade of up to 18 percent for a limited distance may be allowed upon an express finding by the advisory agency that the modification is necessary to provide access to desirable development sites in difficult terrain where no other reasonable access is possible.

C.

Such modifications shall only be made after a public hearing noticed in the manner provided for exceptions by Title 17 of this code.

D.

Fire hydrants shall be provided at intervals of not less than 300 feet in all newly subdivided areas.

(Ord. 6039 § 27, 1983; Ord. 5471 § 2, 1980)

Pursuant to Government Code Section 66473. 1, all subdivisions shall provide for passive and natural heating and cooling opportunities within the subdivision to the extent feasible. This section shall not apply to condominium conversions meeting the requirements of Chapter 16.46. The zoning administrator shall prepare guidelines for adoption by the board of directors to implement this section. Such guidelines shall be filed with the city clerk after adoption by the board.

(Ord. 6039 § 14, 1983)