Salinas Municipal Code § 31-903 Design

The subdivider shall construct all required improvements both on-site and off-site according to approved standards and applicable mitigation measures identified in the subdivision's approved CEQA documentation. No final map or parcel map shall be presented to the city council or city engineer for approval until the subdivider either completes the required improvements, or enters into an agreement with the city agreeing to complete the work pursuant to Article 10 of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

(a) As conditions of approval of a tentative map, the improvements set forth below shall be the minimum required of all subdivisions.

(b) Consistent with Section 66411.1 of the Subdivision Map Act, the required improvements for a division of land which is not a subdivision of five or more lots, shall be limited to the dedication of rights-of-way, easements, and the construction of reasonable off-site and on-site improvements for the parcels being created, as further described in Section 31-603.1.4, conditions of approval.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

The frontage of each lot shall be improved to its ultimate adopted street section, including, but not limited to, street structural section, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveway approaches, pedestrian access ramps, streetlights, street trees, and transitions. Dedication of full width of streets and twenty feet of street paving is required by City Council Resolution 12963, Establishing policy regarding the provision of public facilities for new development, as amended from time to time by subsequent resolution.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

As a condition of approval of a tentative map or parcel map, the city may require improvements to public bikeways, greenways, parkways, promenades, scenic or open space easements, and trails. All such improvements shall conform with the requirements set forth under the general plan, any applicable specific plan, or other adopted city plans or standards; and to the extent feasible and appropriate shall be landscaped in a manner approved by the city engineer and city planner.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Stormwater runoff from the subdivision shall be managed in accordance with the city's NPDES permit requirements and related standards, in addition to all applicable city development standards. If allowed by the city's NPDES permit requirements and approved by the city due to the inability to comply with a decentralized low impact development approach, stormwater basins may be designed to incorporate sports field facilities consistent with the city's adopted park and sports facility standards. Stormwater basins that are not developed as sport field facilities shall be designed and landscaped to appear as a natural or other aesthetically interesting feature as approved by the city engineer and city planner. Fencing shall be generally avoided in conjunction with such basins, except where the city engineer determines it is necessary to restrict access due to concerns regarding public health and safety or to provide security for facilities appurtenant to the basin. The fencing shall be of a type consistent with the zoning district in which it is located. Steel picket fencing or a city-approved equivalent/alternate shall be utilized for all zoning districts except industrial zoning districts where chain link fencing or a city-approved equivalent/alternate may be utilized. Stormwater facilities shall be maintained and repaired by the subdivider or in the alternative, dedicated to the city subject to the city's acceptance of such dedication. If dedicated and accepted by the city, a funding source shall be in place to reimburse the city for inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement costs of the basin. The city shall approve the amount of funding and form of the funding source prior to dedication to the city.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Each unit or lot within the subdivision shall be served by a public sanitary sewer collection system. No privy, vault, septic tank, cesspool, or similar on-site treatment facility shall be permitted, except as may be allowed by municipal code Chapter 36.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Each unit or lot within the subdivision shall be served by an approved domestic water system.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Each unit or lot within the subdivision shall be served by gas (if required), electric, and appropriate communications facilities.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

(a) Subdivisions of five or more parcels. All utilities within the subdivision and along peripheral streets shall be placed underground except those facilities exempted by public utilities commission regulations. Undergrounding shall be required for overhead lines on either side of the peripheral street.

(b) Subdivisions of four or fewer parcels. All utilities within the subdivision shall be placed underground except those facilities exempted by public utilities commission regulations. The subdivider shall be required to underground overhead utility lines along peripheral streets adjacent to the subdivisions. If the city engineer finds that undergrounding of such utilities is likely to occur within the ten-year period following approval of the parcel map, the subdivider shall be required as a condition of parcel map approval to pay a fee in-lieu of undergrounding such utilities on the opposite side of the peripheral street. The amount of the fee shall be determined by the city engineer (based on utility company cost estimates) and shall be one-half the normal cost of undergrounding of existing utilities along streets. Payment of the in-lieu fee shall be made a condition of approval of the parcel map.

(c) In-lieu fees shall be deposited in a special undergrounding account to be used as approved by the city for future undergrounding of utilities throughout the city; provided, however, that in-lieu fees collected as a condition of approval of subdivisions of four or fewer parcels shall be used only for the undergrounding of utilities along streets peripheral to the subdivision from which the fees were collected.

(d) If the in-lieu fee is not used to underground utilities along peripheral streets within the ten-year period, the subdivider who paid the fee may, within the eleventh year following approval of the parcel map, request that the in-lieu fee be refunded, and the city shall do so with interest at the then legal rate. If no demand for refund is made by the end of the eleventh year, the fee shall be placed in the city's general undergrounding account for use anywhere that the city deems appropriate.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

In accordance with Section 66485 of the Subdivision Map Act, the subdivider may be required to install improvements for the benefit of the subdivision which may be of supplemental size, capacity, number or length for the benefit of property not within the subdivision, and that these improvements be dedicated to the public. When such supplemental size, capacity, number, or length is provided, the city shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 66486 and 66487 of the Subdivision Map Act, enter into an agreement with the subdivider to reimburse the subdivider for the difference between the amount it would have cost the subdivider to install such improvements to serve the subdivision only and the actual cost of such improvements, including interest.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

The design and layout of all required improvements both on- and off-site, private and public, shall conform to generally acceptable engineering standards as specified in the city standard specifications, design standards, and standard plans in Appendix A and to the standards approved by the city engineer.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Except where modified in accord with Section 31-315, exceptions to subdivision ordinance requirements, each subdivision and the map thereof shall be in conformity with the standards as set forth or referred to in this article.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

The subdivision design shall conform to all applicable development design standards in the general plan and any applicable specific plan, the zoning code, and all other standards adopted by the city. These standards include, but are not limited to, arterials, collectors, and any future street rights-of-way approved by the city. Any such arterials, collectors, or other rights-of-way, within or adjacent to the subdivision, shall be included on all maps submitted to the city.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

All subdivisions shall result in the creation of lots which are developable and capable of being built upon and are in accordance with the applicable zoning district standards. No subdivision shall create lots which are impractical for improvement or development due to steepness of terrain, location of watercourses, or other natural physical conditions.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

(a) All subdivisions, lots, or parcels created shall abut or have approved access to a public street improved to city standards. Private streets shall not normally be permitted. However, if the city council, for tentative maps, or the city planner with the concurrence of the city engineer, for parcel maps, determines that the most logical development of the land requires that lots be created with access to private streets, such a development may be approved. If private streets are proposed, the subdivider shall submit, as part of an application for a tentative map or parcel map, a development plan showing the alignment, width, grade, and material specifications of any proposed private street; the topography and means of access to each lot; and the drainage and sewerage of the lots served by such private street. Construction of the private street, as may be approved by the city engineer, shall be completed prior to occupancy of the lots. The subdivider shall be required to provide a permanent maintenance agreement or means of ensuring long-term maintenance thereof (e.g. maintenance district, owners' association, C, C and R's) for the maintenance of such private streets.

(b) Street layouts shall be designed to provide for future access to, and not impose undue hardship upon, property adjoining the subdivision.

(c) Reserve strips, or nonaccess strips at the end of streets or at the boundaries of subdivisions, shall be dedicated to the city when required by the city engineer.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

All streets and arterials, except in specific plan areas, shall be platted according to the following minimum standards and/or the current "City of Salinas Standard Specifications, Design Standards, and Standard Plans" (Appendix A). Variations to widths may be required by the city engineer where streets are to serve commercial property, provide greenways/parkways, or where probable traffic conditions warrant such increased widths.

Applicable Standards (except within specific plan areas)

*Note: Landscaping easements required for parkway landscaping. Minimum twenty feet landscape easement (parkway) requirement on each side of arterial or minor arterial street. Landscape easement shall be in addition to minimum R-O-W requirements. Twenty feet of additional right-of-way can be dedicated in lieu of an easement, as approved by the city engineer.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Streets and arterials located in specific plan areas shall have standards for roadways subject to approval by the city engineer.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Street design shall emphasize complete, green streets that accommodate all transportation modes, are sustainable, and meet city NPDES permit requirements. The street pattern in the subdivision shall be in general conformity with a plan for the most advantageous development of adjoining areas and the entire neighborhood or district. The following principles shall be observed:

(a) Streets shall be continuous and in alignment with existing, planned, or platted streets with which they are to connect. The centerlines of streets not in alignment shall be offset at least one hundred fifty feet.

(b) Streets (especially in a specific plan area) shall be designed in a grid pattern to the extent feasible.

(c) Streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the land to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless, in the opinion of the city engineer, such extension is not necessary for the coordination of the subdivision with the existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.

(d) In the case of stub-end streets extending to the boundary of the property, a one-foot nonaccess strip shall be provided at the end of such stub-end street. This strip shall be shown on the final map or parcel map. Where required by the city engineer and fire chief, a temporary turnaround or a temporary connection to another street shall be provided by the subdivider.

(e) Streets shall intersect one another as nearly at right angles as topography and other limiting factors of good design permit.

(f) Excessively long straight residential streets with no traffic calming measures shall be avoided. Local residential streets shall be designed for volumes of eight hundred vehicles or less per day and residential collector streets for volumes of less than three thousand vehicles per day.

(g) Local streets will form an interconnected network, including automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian routes, that provide direct connections to local destinations. Local streets will provide for both intra and inter- neighborhood connections and thus knit neighborhoods together, not form barriers between them. Gated entryways in new developments or neighborhoods will not be allowed.

(h) Local and connector streets should be considered to be both public ways and neighborhood amenities. They shall have continuous sidewalks and large species of street trees on both sides. Individual residential dwelling units shall provide entries, gates, porches, or other inviting features that face local streets to help create a sense of community, improve safety, and reflect traditional neighborhood design (TND) principles. In the limited circumstances where cul-de-sac streets are appropriate due to natural or other mitigating site factors as determined by the city engineer, the cul-de-sac shall be open at the end to create pedestrian and bicycle access.

(i) Natural features including creeks, significant trees, sloping topography, and wetlands shall be protected, where reasonably feasible and accentuated through sensitive site planning, landscaping, building placement, and other measures to ensure that these features are assets benefiting the entire community. Dwelling units shall not back up to or prohibit access to these natural features; however, cul-de-sac streets may extend to the natural features provided the cul-de-sac is open at the end and provides access to trails and/or activity areas.

(j) Streets carrying nonresidential traffic, especially truck traffic, shall not normally be extended to the boundaries of adjacent existing or potential residential areas, or connected to streets intended for predominantly residential traffic.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Subdivision design adjacent to arterials shall be as specified in the general plan. The following policies and standards shall be observed:

(a) Street designs shall have the purpose of making adjacent lots, if intended for residential use, desirable for such use by cushioning the impact of heavy traffic and minimizing interference with traffic on such arterials.

(b) The number of intersecting streets and encroachments along arterials shall be held to a minimum. Wherever practicable, such intersections shall be set apart not less than one thousand feet on center and serve fifty or more housing units.

(c) Frontage roads, if required, shall conform to the standards specified in Section 31-903.5, streets and arterials—minimum standards, and shall be separated from the arterial by a strip of parkway normally not less than ten feet in width.

Frontage\roads shall enter arterials by means of bulb-type intersections capable of stacking at least two cars between the frontage road and the arterial, i.e. forty foot separation.

(d) Where frontage roads are not required, residential lots adjacent to the arterial normally will be required to be served by a minor residential street paralleling the arterial at a generous lot depth, or a series of loop streets extending towards such arterials from a collector street some five hundred feet from the arterial street.

(e) When any lot borders any arterial, the subdivider shall be required to provide a nonaccess strip, and may, in addition, be required to execute and deliver to the city an instrument, deemed sufficient by the city attorney, prohibiting the right of ingress and egress from the arterial to such lot. In such cases a wall, fence, or other means approved by the city engineer shall be required within the right-of-way of properties adjacent to the arterial. The design of these improvements shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer.

(f) Driveways serving small parcels should be combined, and adequate distances between driveways and intersections shall be maintained to permit safe merging.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Grades, curves, and sight distances shall be subject to approval by the city engineer, to ensure proper drainage and safety for vehicles and pedestrians. The following policies and minimum standards shall be observed:

(a) Grades of streets shall be as approved by the city engineer and designed per city standards.

(b) At street intersections, property line corners shall be rounded by an arc, the radius of which shall be ten feet minimum or as directed by the city engineer.

(c) The radii of curvature shall not normally be less than six hundred feet on the centerline of arterials, or less than two hundred feet on the centerline of collector or minor residential streets, or as otherwise approved by the city engineer.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

The following policies and standards shall apply to the design and installation of curbs and walkways:

(a) Curbs and gutters shall be required in all subdivisions, unless otherwise approved by city engineer to meet SWDS and NPDES regulations.

(b) Sidewalks shall be required on both sides of the street (excluding alleys). A walkway that meets applicable accessibility requirements in an adjoining greenway or parkway may substitute for the required sidewalk so long as the walkway meets the requirements of Section 31-902.2, bikeways, parkways, and trails, and is ADA-compliant.

(c) When required for access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation facilities, and other community facilities, the city engineer may require walkways in excess of six feet in width.

(d) Sidewalks shall be located within the street right-of-way in accordance with the city's standard plans. Locations, widths and grades shall be approved by the city engineer.

For purposes of this section, walkways are prepared exterior routes designed to provide ADA-compliant pedestrian accessibility. Walkways are general pedestrian routes, including plazas and courts. Sidewalks are walkways that parallel a vehicular roadway. This includes paths and trails that connect neighborhoods with each other and with community destinations such as schools, retails uses and other services.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Street trees shall be selected, installed, and maintained by the city in accordance with the city's master street tree plan and/or required by the city's urban forester.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Utility easements, not less than six feet in overall width, shall be provided within the subdivision where required for public utility purposes. Modification of the easement width requirement may be granted only when approved by both the city engineer and the public utility or utilities concerned. Utility structures will be permitted aboveground only when underground construction is determined infeasible by the city engineer and approved by the city engineer and city planner. Whenever feasible and appropriate, utility easements required under this section shall be designed and landscaped as a natural feature, as approved by the city engineer and city planner.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Blocks shall generally have sufficient width for an ultimate layout of two tiers of lots of the size required by this chapter, zoning code, or specific plan, unless the surrounding layout, presence of environmental or topographical constraints, or lines of ownership justify or require a variation from this requirement.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

Blocks shall not normally exceed the following length between streets:

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

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 policies and standards shall be observed:

(a) The minimum area and dimensions of all lots shall conform to the requirements of the zoning code, any applicable specific plan, and the general plan.

(b) Lot design shall promote and incorporate new urbanism design principles as provided in the zoning code, any applicable specific plan, and the general plan.

(c) New residential subdivisions shall generally be designed with as many lot sizes (and housing types) as feasible, in the interest of offering a greater number of choices across the broad range of housing prices. Several lot sizes are encouraged within each block to provide variety and texture within the block, as well as throughout the neighborhood. Clustering a large group of similar lot sizes (with a single housing type) in several large blocks or neighborhood shall be avoided. (See diagram below.)

(d) The side lines of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at right angles to the street upon which the lot faces, or approximately radial to the center of curvature if such street is curved. Side lines of lots shall be approximately radial to the center of curvature of a cul-de-sac on which the lot faces.

(e) Lots shall not be divided by a city boundary line.

(f) Remnants of property shall not be left in the subdivision, which do not conform to the lot requirements for the applicable zoning district or are not required for a private or public utility purpose.

(g) To promote pedestrian-oriented residential developments and to provide "eyes on the street" in accordance with crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles, lots shall be designed so that backyard fences/walls will not be located along local or collector/connector streets except where required for noise attenuation.

(h) Every effort shall be made to protect adjacent residential areas from potential nuisances from any proposed industrial or commercial subdivision, including the provision of extra depth in parcels backing up to existing or potential residential development and provisions for a permanently landscaped buffer strip and masonry wall.

(i) All lots shall have permanent vehicular access, represented by document recorded in the county recorder's office, to or frontage on a dedicated street. Said access to be of such width, condition and location as the planning commission or city council as the case may be shall approve and of such from as the city attorney shall approve. Access easements over adjacent legal lots to serve lots to serve individual properties should be avoided.

[Figure]

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)

The design of a subdivision for which a tentative map is required shall provide, to the extent feasible, for future passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities in the subdivision as described in Section 66473.1 of the Subdivision Map Act, the zoning code, and other policies and standards adopted by the city.

(Ord. No. 2585 (NCS), § 1, 12-13-2016)