Santa Ana Municipal Code § 34-62 Lot lines

Each subdivision of land and the map thereof shall be in conformity to the design standards as set out in this article.

(Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

The street and alley arrangement shall be such as the planning director will determine to cause no undue hardship to owners of adjoining property when they subdivide their land, and he shall require that adequate and convenient access be provided to adjoining properties. All streets, as far as practicable, shall 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.

(Code 1952, § 9321; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Whenever a proposed subdivision or other division of land shall include within its boundaries any portion of a street which has been designated on a master plan of streets and highways approved by the city council, such street shall conform in width, alignment and other improvement and design standards as designated on the master plan. If no master plan of streets and highways has been adopted by the city council, the provisions of this section shall apply to any map showing proposed street development as adopted by the city council or to any proceedings affecting the subdivision which may have been initiated by the city council or approved by the council upon initiation by other legally constituted bodies of the city, county or state governments.

(Code 1952, § 9321.1; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

The subdivision shall include within its boundaries, all easements and rights-of-way for which the reversionary interest goes to properties within the subdivision.

(Code 1952, § 9321.2; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Each local street as defined in this chapter shall have a width of not less than sixty feet (60′); provided that where the proposed street is less than four (4) blocks in length or thirteen hundred feet (1300′), whichever is the shorter distance, is in a proposed or existing residential district, and will project by direct alignment into an existing street of lesser width, the planning director may permit a lesser width but not less than fifty-four feet (54′); provided further, a local street in any steep hillside subdivision where topographical features eliminate abutting lots from one side of the street, may have a lesser width but not less than forty feet (40′).

(Code 1952, § 9322; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

When the front of 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 forty feet (40′).

(Code 1952, § 9322.1; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Whenever a turn-around shall be required on a dead-end street, such turn-around shall have a minimum radii for forty-five feet (45′).

(Code 1952, § 9322.2; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Alleys shall be at least twenty feet (20′) in width.

(Code 1952, § 9322.3; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Any land adjacent to a boundary line of a subdivision and not a part of a proposed full width street but intended to be a part of the ultimate width of a highway or street, or any reservation therefor, shall have a width not less than one-half (½) of the full width required for such street by the provisions of this chapter unless special conditions of alignment require a greater or lesser width.

(Code 1952, § 9322.4; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Whenever necessary to give access to a portion of the proposed subdivision or to permit a satisfactory future subdivision of adjoining land, streets may extend to the boundary of the subdivision and the resulting dead-end streets may be approved without turn-around; provided however, the length of such street shall be governed by the provisions of this article pertaining to block length.

(Code 1952, § 9322.5; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Whenever such intent does not contradict the provision of this chapter as it relates to the master plan for streets and highways of the city or the protection of opportunities for reasonable development of surrounding land adjacent to the proposed subdivision, a street which is intended to be kept continuously 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. In any such instance, the final map shall contain a continuing offer of dedication of such private street, available for acceptance by the city engineer at such time as the street shall have ceased to remain so physically closed or posted or shall have been opened to public travel for a period of one year or more. Such private streets shall comply in all respects to requirements as set forth in this chapter, and a plan and profile of such street as required by this chapter must accompany the final map. The side lines of private streets shall be shown in broken lines and the area of said private streets shall be shown as a part of the lots adjacent to said private streets.

(Code 1952, § 9323; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-2482, § 7, 12-3-01)

All private streets within the city must be posted at all times as private streets.

(Code 1952, § 9323.1; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Alleys shall be required where so indicated on any adopted element of the master plan.

(Ord. No. NS-36, 5-5-54; Ord. No. NS-554, § 1, 12-18-61)

Alleys shall be required in the rear of lots fronting directly upon any street designated as a primary street on the streets and highways map of the streets and highways element of the master plan.

(Code 1952, § 9324.1; Ord. No. NS-36, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-554, § 1, 12-18-61)

An alley required by this chapter shall be, upon its improvement, immediately accessible from a public street or a private street constructed to city standard.

(Code 1952, § 9324.2; Ord. No. NS-36, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-554, § 1, 12-18-61)

The city engineer may waive any alley requirements provided for in sections 34-46 through 34-48, if, in the opinion of the city engineer, said requirement is impractical and unreasonable due to such factors as the existing development adjacent to the property being subdivided, flood control channels or ditches, railroad tracks, or topographic conditions such as abrupt changes in the elevation, any one of which precludes the logical and practical extension of such required alley. If the owner proposes that a required alley be waived, said proposal shall be in writing and submitted at the time the preliminary map or tentative tract map is submitted to the planning department for processing and shall stipulate therein the reasons said alley requirement should not be imposed. The planning director shall, in his formal letter to the city engineer, recommend adherence to or the waiving of such required alley.

(Code 1952, § 9324.3; Ord. No. NS-36, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-554, § 1, 12-18-61; Ord. No. NS-2482, § 8, 12-3-01)

Reserved 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 each instance the control and disposal of the land comprising such strips must be placed definitely within the jurisdiction of the city under conditions approved by the city attorney.

(Code 1952, § 9325; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

The sidelines 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 sidelines of lots which are cut by an easement must be arrowed or so shown that the map will indicate clearly, the actual length of the lot lines. The width 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, 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.

(Code 1952, § 9326.1; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Blocks shall not exceed one thousand three hundred feet (1,300′) in length between street lines, except where topographical condition or division of land into acre parcels or larger justify or require a variation from the requirement.

(Code 1952, § 9327; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

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

(Code 1952, § 9327.1; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

A dead-end street on which future extension is not intended or possible, shall not be longer than five hundred feet (500′) from the nearest intersecting street line and in no instance shall serve more than twenty (20) present or potential building sites fronting on the dead-end street.

(Code 1952, § 9327.2; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

The width of each block shall be sufficient for an ultimate layout of two (2) tiers of lots therein of a size required by the provisions of this chapter unless the arrangement of an immediately adjacent approved subdivision, lines of ownership, or topographical conditions make necessary a variation from this requirement.

(Code 1952, § 9327.3; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Every lot must have frontage on a public or private street, except as provided in the subsections below.

(a) When a master site lot containing a postage stamp lot subdivision is proposed, every such postage stamp lot therein shall have frontage on a public or private street or be provided direct access to a public or private street through a recorded map or by a recorded access easement, covenant, or other similar instrument. For the purposes of this subsection, "master site" and "postage stamp lot" shall mean the following:

i. "Master Site" shall mean the land area of a commercial or industrial development project that includes multiple buildings and/or lots but functions as an integrated project.

ii. "Postage Stamp Lot" shall mean lots where the owners of a property own the land but may not own the parking area and other common space.

(b) When a master site lot containing a condominium subdivision is proposed, the master site lot shall have the minimum lot size and street frontage as prescribed by the zoning code.

(c) When no subdivision is proposed at a master site, the master site's lot shall have the minimum lot size and street frontage as prescribed by the zoning code.

(Code 1952, § 9328; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-2982, § 4, 1-21-20)

Editor's note— Ord. No. NS-2111, § 55, adopted Apr. 1, 1991, repealed § 34-57, which pertained to districting for minimum lot sizes and derived from § 9328.1 of the city's 1952 Code as amended by Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, adopted May 3, 1954; Ord. No. NS-1124, § 1, adopted Aug. 21, 1972; and Ord. No. NS-1828, § 1, adopted Mar. 3, 1986.

In order to make possible greater flexibility in the design and arrangement of single-family lots within single-family subdivisions; to provide a potentially more desirable living environment than may be possible through the application of the traditional zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations requirements; to allow developers to use a more creative approach in the development of single-family neighborhoods; to encourage a potentially more desirable and efficient use of open land; and to encourage variety in the physical development pattern of the city, certain exceptions to this chapter may be approved in conjunction with the development of land within the framework of the planned development suffix provided for in chapter 41.

In the event a conditional use permit is approved as provided in section 41-355 for a planned single-family development, the following exceptions to this chapter may be approved:

(1) An exception to the requirement that each residential lot have frontage on a public or private street, provided pedestrian ingress and egress is assured for each residential lot and vehicular ingress and egress is assured for each vehicular parking space, both by the appropriate agency of the city.

(2) An exception to the minimum lot width.

(3) Where more than half the lots in a development do not have frontage on a public or private street, an exception to the minimum six thousand (6,000) square foot lot area, provided there is sufficient area in common greens and recreational open spaces, held in undivided interest by the fee titleholders of the residential units and lots, equivalent to the difference between the size of the lot and six thousand (6,000) square feet, for each residential lot within the planned single-family development tract.

(4) Where more than half the lots in a development have frontage on a public or private street, an exception to the minimum six thousand (6,000) square foot lot area, provided that at least one-fourth (¼) of the difference in area is substituted as provided for in (3) and the equivalent of the remaining difference is available in publicly owned, freely accessible green and recreational open spaces located no more than one-third (⅓) of a mile from each lot in the development.

(5) An exception to the minimum street total right-of-way width prescribed in section 34-38, provided that in no case shall the total right-of-way width be less than forty-six (46) feet.

(Code 1952, § 9328.2; Ord. No. NS-36, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-745, § 2, 8-3-64; Ord. No. NS-893, § 1, 8-21-67)

All land hereafter annexed to the city shall become a part of the most restricted minimum lot area district in the city until otherwise zoned or classified by ordinance of the city.

(Code 1952, § 9328.3; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

No lot shall be divided by a city boundary line, nor any boundary line between registered (Torrens Title) and unregistered land, nor any boundary line between parcels of registered land under separate ownership. Each such boundary line shall be made a lot line.

(Code 1952, § 9328.4; Ord. No. NS-36 § 2, 5-3-54)

Double frontage lots having a depth of less than one hundred fifty (150) feet will not be approved except where topographical conditions permit no other reasonable form of platting. Where land abuts a primary or secondary street, double frontage lots may be permitted when the planning director and the city engineer deem it to be reasonable due to such controlling factors as traffic, safety, appearance and setback.

(Code 1952, § 9328.5; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

The side lines of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at right angles to the street which the lot faces, or radial or approximately radial if the street is curved.

(Code 1952, § 9328.6; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

Any street intersecting any other street shall intersect at an angle as near a right angle as is practicable. In no instance may the angle be less than forty-five (45) degrees. At each intersection of two (2) arterial streets there shall be a street dedication of a twenty-five-foot by twenty-five-foot triangular cutoff at each corner. At all other street intersections there shall be a street dedication of a seventeen-foot by seventeen-foot triangular cutoff at each corner. At intersections of alleys with streets there shall be a street dedication of a ten-foot by ten-foot triangular cutoff at each corner. Streets intersecting at an angle other than ninety (90) degrees shall have sufficient radii or cutoffs to provide the same results as to traffic movement, visibility and design as provided by the foregoing requirements of this section.

(Code 1952, § 9329; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-2187, § 2, 3-15-93)

The center line curve radii on all streets shall conform to accepted engineering standards of design and shall be subject to approval by the city engineer; provided, however, in no instance shall the radius on any street be less than one hundred fifty (150) feet.

(Code 1952, § 9329.1; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

No street shall have a grade of more than six (6) percent, or less than fifteen hundredths of one (0.15) percent unless, because of topographical conditions or other exceptional circumstances the city engineer determines that a grade in excess or less than the above requirements is necessary. Such recommendation by the city engineer must be approved by the city council.

(Code 1952, § 9329.2; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54)

In the case of any subdivision in which the dedication and/or improvement of a new street or extension of a street (but excluding widenings of existing streets) is proposed or required, the proposed name of such street, as designated on the tentative map or otherwise, shall be submitted for approval pursuant to sections 33-5 through 33-8 of this Code. The name of the street as designated on the parcel map or final map shall conform to the name approved pursuant to said sections, notwithstanding any other designation on a previously approved tentative map.

(Code 1952, § 9329.3; Ord. No. NS-36, § 2, 5-3-54; Ord. No. NS-1683, § 5, 6-20-83)

No map shall be approved for any subdivision which, if subdivided, developed, or used in the manner proposed, would result in a violation of Chapter 8 or Chapter 41 of this Code; provided, however, a tentative map may be approved subject to conditions that the subdivider obtain permits, variances, or waivers, or modify the proposed subdivision, as necessary to obtain conformity with the requirements of said chapters.

(Ord. No. NS-1496, § 3, 10-1-79)

No unit of separate or common ownership within a planned development, as defined in Section 11003 of the Business and Professions Code of the State of California, shall be deemed to be a separate lot or parcel for purposes of the design regulations of this article or Chapter 41 of this Code. The entire planned development shall be deemed a single lot or parcel for such purposes.

(Ord. No. NS-1496, § 4, 10-1-79)