Chapter 19.36

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS*

Sections:

• 19.36.010 Freeways, expressways and streets - Location and alignment.

• 19.36.020 New streets - Relation to adjoining street system.

• 19.36.030 Street widths and designs.

• 19.36.040 Street gradients.

• 19.36.050 Horizontal curves.

• 19.36.060 Intersections.

• 19.36.070 Corner radius.

• 19.36.080 Cul-de-sac streets.

The subdivider shall, prior to recordation of the final map, sign an agreement to pay the city, as a fee for all map and plan checking and inspection by city in connection with the subdivision, an amount of money, in accordance with the resolution of the city council establishing the fees and charges for this chapter.

(Prior code § 9257; Ords. 20641, 21029, 21045, 21298, 22126.)

The subdivider shall, prior to recordation of the parcel map, sign an agreement to pay the city, as a fee for all map and plan checking and inspection by the city in connection with the subdivision, an amount of money, in accordance with the resolution of the city council establishing fees and charges for this chapter.

(Ords. 20641, 21298, 22126.)

• 19.36.090 Half streets.

• 19.36.110 Roadway structural design - Specifications incorporated by reference.

• 19.36.120 Structural design - Curbs and gutters.

• 19.36.130 Structural design - Sidewalks and driveways.

• 19.36.150 Alley widths.

• 19.36.170 Lot area and width.

• 19.36.180 Lot size less than minimum permitted when.

19.36.200 Lot frontage requirements - Exceptions permitted when.

Prior to recordation, the subdivider shall pay to the city a fee for the clearance review of the parcel map of the subdivision, said fee to be in an amount set forth in the schedule of fees established by resolution of council. (Ords. 20641, 21029, 21045, 21298.)

*State law reference— For statutory provisions on improvement security, see Gov. Code § 66411.

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SUBDIVISIONS

§ 19.36.060

The location and alignment of freeways, expressways and streets shall substantially conform to the approved major thoroughfares plan of the City, and every other approved element of the General Plan of the City. The location and alignment of major, collector and minor streets shall conform to the requirements of the City Engineer. (Prior code § 9258; Ord. 30100.)

New streets in new subdivisions shall be designed to make provisions for the continuation of the existing streets adjacent to such new streets into such new subdivisions and for the proper projection of such new streets over adjacent undeveloped property. Such new streets in new subdivisions shall normally be of a width at least as great as the existing streets adjacent to such new streets. (Prior code § 9270.)

All streets shall, subject to such exceptions as may be contained in this Title, conform to Title 13, Chapter 13.05, right-of-way and Complete Streets requirements.

(Prior code § 9259; Ord. 30100.)

prior to gravity surface flow into adjacent streets. The maximum gradient of all expressways shall be six percent. The maximum gradient of all streets, except expressways, shall conform to the following street gradient design standards. (Prior code § 9260.)

When connecting street centerlines deflect from each other at any one point by more than five degrees, they shall be joined by a horizontal curve tangent to each of such centerlines. The centerline radius of such horizontal curve shall be large enough to allow vehicles using such streets a safe stopping sight distance and as large as is possible consistent with the topography and lot configuration of the subdivision in which such curve is located. Reversing horizontal curves shall be connected by tangents whose lengths shall be sufficient to safely reverse the unbalanced centrifugal force of the vehicle negotiating the reversing horizontal curves. All such horizontal curves shall have the following minimum centerline radii:

The gradients of all streets shall provide adequate surface drainage for the subdivision in which they are located and for areas adjacent thereto. The minimum gradients of streets shall be point four (0.4) percent. Changes in gradients of all such streets greater than one percent shall be attained by the use of a vertical curve. The length of the vertical curve shall be sufficient to allow vehicles using such streets a safe stopping sight distance. In no event shall the gradients of any street create a low point on such street which will cause an area of ponded water greater than point 75 (0.75) feet deep on said street

Street intersections shall be as near right angles as possible. If a reverse curve is necessary at an intersection, the intersection will be designed to have a tangent between the reversing curves continuing through the intersection. If a street cannot be extended through an intersection, the minimum distance between the centerline of such intersection and the centerline of the adjacent intersection shall be 100 20-five feet. For a six-lane street, no curve through an intersection with a major street shall have a centerline radius of less than 1,000 500 feet.

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SAN JOSÉ CODE

§ 19.36.060

For a four-lane street, no curve through an intersection with a major street shall have a centerline radius of less than 1,000 feet. (Prior code § 9263.)

The property line corner radius at the intersection of two streets shall be a minimum of 20-four feet, provided, that the director may require a lesser or greater property line corner radius if the safe, efficient movement of traffic requires such. The property line corner radius at the intersection of a street and alley shall be a minimum of ten feet, provided that the director may require a lesser or greater property line corner radius if the safe, efficient movement of traffic requires such. (Prior code § 9261.)

Cul-de-sac streets shall not be longer than 500 feet, provided that the City Engineer may permit certain cul-de-sac streets in a proposed subdivision to be of greater length if he or she finds that because of the proposed design and/or proposed improvements in such subdivision, such cul-de-sac streets of greater length are adequate in such subdivision. Turning circles at the end of cul-de-sac streets shall have a right-of-way radius of not less than 48 feet and a roadway radius of not less than 30 feet, provided that cul-de-sac streets 400 fifteen (415) feet or less in length may, with approval of the City Fire Chief, have a right-of-way radius of not less than 38 (38) feet, and provided that the rightof-way radius for cul-de-sac streets located in hillside areas shall not be less than 35 (35) feet. All culs-de-sac shall be designed so that the stormwaters deposited on the said cul-de-sac shall flow to the entrance street, provided that the Director may waive this requirement because of the proposed design or topography of the proposed subdivision upon recommendation by the City Engineer that such requirement should be waived. (Prior code § 9264; Ord. 30100.)

The minimum right-of-way for a half street shall be 40 feet wide, together with such additional easements for grading and drainage to make the half street functional. (Prior code § 9271.)

One-way streets, split-level streets, cul-de-sacs, and dead-end streets shall not be used unless the City Engineer finds that their existence is justified by the topography, size, shape or location of the parcel of land to be subdivided. (Prior code § 9269; Ord. 30100.)

The structural design of the roadway of all streets shall conform to the standards of that portion of "The State of California, Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, Planning Manual of Construction, Part 7, Designing," numbering Section 7-600 through and including Section 7-605.5 and entitled "Structural Design of the Roadbed," dated December 11, 1967, which said standards are incorporated herein by reference, a copy of which said standards is on file in the office of the city clerk, available for public inspection, reference to which said copy is hereby made. (Prior code § 9265.)

"Class No. 3 Base Rock" (as that term is defined in the standard specifications of the city) shall be required to be placed under all curbs and gutters in sufficient thickness so that the combined weight of the base rock and the curb and gutter will satisfy the expansion pressure requirements of the basement soil at 300 pounds per square inch exudation, pressure; provided, that in no event shall the total thickness of the base rock and curb and gutter exceed the total thickness of the pavement and base rock required for the roadway portion of the street. (Prior code § 9266.)

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SUBDIVISIONS

§ 19.36.200

A minimum of three inches of "Class No. 3 Aggregate Base," as that term is defined in the standard specifications of the city, shall be placed beneath all sidewalks. A minimum of six inches of "Class No. 3 Base Rock," as that term is defined in the standard specifications of the city, shall be placed beneath all driveways. (Prior code § 9267.)

The minimum right-of-way for an alley in a residential block shall be 20 feet wide. The minimum right-of-way for any alley in a commercial or industrial block shall be 30 feet wide. The minimum right-of-way for an alley in a block with residential and commercial or industrial uses shall be 30 feet wide.

(Prior code § 9272.)

A pedestrian way may be required through the approximate middle of each block exceeding twelve hundred feet in length to provide access to a street for land devoted to any of the following uses: schools, parks, shopping centers and commercial uses. (Prior code § 9273.)

Except as lot areas or widths are set forth in other provisions of Title 19 or 20 of this Code, each lot shall contain a minimum area of not less than six thousand square feet each with an average width of not less than 55 feet.

(Prior code § 9274.)

The director may permit the reduction of the six thousand square foot minimum lot area prescribed in Section 19.36.170 of all or some of the lots in a proposed subdivision if the director shall, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, deem such reduction advisable in view of the character of the

neighborhood in which the subdivision is to be located, the quality or kinds of development to which the area is best adapted, the size, use or physical or other conditions of the property proposed to be subdivided, neighborhood and general planning, or safety and general welfare of the public and of the lot owners in the proposed subdivision, provided that in no event shall any lot contain a minimum area of less than five thousand square feet. The provisions of this section shall not be used to decrease the minimum lot areas designated in Title 20 of this Code or in any sections of this Title 19 other than Section 19.36.170. (Prior code § 9275.)

Except as otherwise provided in this Title 19, all lots shall have direct access to a public street. The director may waive this requirement with respect to certain lots in a proposed subdivision if he finds that, because of the design of and/or improvements in such subdivision, proposed private ways of access from said lots to a public street for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, are adequate for such lots.

(Prior code § 9276.)

Each lot shall have frontage of not less than 55 feet on a street, except:

• A. Lots in subdivisions having an average lot area of less than eight thousand square feet having frontage on the turning circle at the end of cul-de-sac streets 400 fifteen feet in length or less, with a right-way radius of not less than 38 feet approved by the fire chief, or on the return of an elbow created by the employment of the right-of-way widths for "Minor Streets (B)" or "Collector Streets 2 Lanes Undivided (B)" contained in the diagrams for Section 19.36.030 which follow this title, which may have a minimum frontage of 27 feet;

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§ 19.36.200

• B. Lots in subdivisions having an average lot area of eight thousand square feet or more having frontage on the turning circle at the end of cul-de-sac streets 400 fifteen feet in length or less, with a rightway radius of not less than 38 feet, approved by the fire chief, or on the return of an elbow created by the employment of the right-of-way widths for "Minor Streets (B)" or "Collector Streets 2 Lanes Undivided (B)" contained in the diagrams for Section 19.36.030 which follow this title, which may have a minimum frontage of 31 feet;

• C. Lots in subdivisions having an average lot area of less than eight thousand square feet having frontage on the turning circle at the end of cul-de-sac streets or the return of an elbow which may have a minimum frontage of 30 feet;

• D. Lots in subdivisions having an average lot area of eight thousand square feet or more having frontage on the turning circle at the end of cul-de-sac streets or the return of an elbow which may have a minimum lot frontage of 35 feet;

• E. Lots fronting on the convex side of curved streets with a centerline radius of 500 feet or less which may have a minimum frontage of 40 feet;

• F. Lots which may have frontage on an approved street by means of a corridor not less than 20 feet wide and not more than 300 feet long, if the director shall, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, determine such frontage is advisable in view of the size, shape, use or physical or other conditions of the property proposed to be subdivided. Each such lot, exclusive of said corridor, shall be required to meet the minimum square footage required by the applicable zoning district. Not more than two such lots shall be so provided access by any one corridor. When such corridor provides such access to one lot,

such corridor shall be contained within the bounds of, and be a part of, such lot. When such corridor provides such access to more than one lot, one-half of such corridor shall be a part of and contained within the bounds of one of the lots, and one-half of such corridor shall be part of and contained within the bounds of the other lot.

(Prior code § 9277.)

No lots shall be designed with frontage on two streets except:

• A. Lots at street intersections;

• B. Lots in hillside areas where topographical conditions admit of no other form of platting;

• C. Lots abutting expressways and major streets with four moving lanes of traffic if the director shall, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, determine such double frontage is advisable in view of the size, shape, use or physical or other condition of the property proposed to be subdivided.

(Prior code § 9278.)

All lots fronting on a major street and all lots with approved double frontage shall have a minimum depth of 100 20 feet, except where the director finds that because of the design and/or improvements in such subdivision such lots having a lesser depth are satisfactory in such subdivisions. (Prior code § 9279.)

No lot shall have a greater depth than two and one-half times its average width, except when the director, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, shall determine that a greater depth is advisable in view of the size, shape, use or physical or other condition of the property proposed to be subdivided.

(Prior code § 9279a.)

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SUBDIVISIONS

§ 19.38.005

Blocks shall not be longer than eighteen hundred feet between street lines unless the director shall find in any given subdivision that a longer block or blocks will not interfere with the movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. (Prior code § 9280.)

Part 1

DEFINITIONS*

Sections:

19.38.010 Affordability restrictions.

19.38.015 Affordable housing unit.

No subdivisions showing reserve strips controlling the access to streets or showing strips of land which will not prove taxable for public improvements shall be approved, except when the control and disposal of such strips of land are placed within the jurisdiction of the city under conditions meeting the approval of the commission. Lands adjacent to a proposed subdivision shall not be separated from the termination of a dead-end street within said proposed subdivision unless the deadend street terminates in a cul-de-sac or unless the distance between the end of said street and the adjacent land is more than 200 feet. (Prior code § 9281.)

19.38.020 Community park.

19.38.025 Director.

19.38.028 Gross household income.

19.38.030 Joint use agreement.

19.38.035 Low income unit.

19.38.040 Lower income households.

19.38.042 Moderate income unit.

19.38.045 Neighborhood park.

19.38.050 Park facilities.

19.38.055 Parkland agreement.

19.38.060 Parkland fee.

19.38.065 Public agency.

19.38.070 Public agency property.

Where a proposed subdivision is adjacent to a railroad right-of-way, the plan of such subdivision shall be considered in its relation to the probability of a grade separation or a crossing at grade. (Prior code § 9282.)