Seal Beach Municipal Code Ch. 10.40 Streetscape

Streetscapes are the areas between buildings in Seal Beach that are occupied by the public street right-of-way and related street, sidewalk, and landscaping improvements, and any setback and yard areas on private property. The city's streetscapes are among our most important urban design features because their appearance, character, and the impressions they evoke create the public image of the city. That image is significant to how residents and visitors think and feel about Seal Beach.

This chapter provides standards and guidelines for the planning and design of the publicly-owned portions of the streetscape, as well as shared private facilities such as private streets and alleys. Standards and guidelines for the privately-owned portions of the streetscape (setbacks/yards, landscaping and buildings) are addressed in Title 11: Zoning: Part II: Base District Regulations and Part IV: Regulations Applying in Some or All Districts. The standards and guidelines of this chapter establish appropriate requirements for the width and uses of public and private street rights-of-way (for traffic, parking, pedestrians, bicycles, and landscaping).

(Ord. 1567)

The following standards and guidelines apply to the design and construction of public rights-of-way and right-of-way improvements in conjunction with proposed subdivisions, individual lot development where proposed projects are required to provide right-of-way dedications or improvements and public right-of-way improvements designed and constructed by the city.

A. Basic Street Design Standard. Streets shall be safe, comfortable and convenient for all travel modes: cars, pedestrians and bicyclists. New streets shall minimize the width of travel lanes, use landscaping to separate sidewalks from the street curb, define the street edge with frequently spaced street trees, and have pedestrian-scaled street lights. Modifications of existing streets may need to occur over time, as streets are re-built or improved. Street design shall not compromise public safety or emergency vehicle access. Final street design approval shall be by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Street Performance. Streets should not be wider than needed to accommodate demonstrated traffic demand. Each street's design shall be based on its anticipated role within the city and within each neighborhood.

2. Emergency Vehicle Access. All streets shall have an unobstructed path that may include bicycle lanes of sufficient width to provide adequate emergency vehicle access.

3. On-Street Parking. On-street parking should be provided on both sides of all streets except for major arterials, such as Seal Beach Boulevard. On-street parking lanes should be no less than 8 feet in width to provide adequate area for door swings.

4. Bicycle Lanes. On-street bicycle lanes may be provided as determined by the director of public works/city engineer. These lanes shall be built and delineated in compliance with state standards.

5. Typical Street Standards. Final design standards for any street improvements or rehabilitation shall be approved by the director of public works/city engineer. Figure 10.40.010.A: Typical Street Designs, and Table 10.40.010.A: Street Design Standards, set forth the generally applicable design standards for various roadways within the city.

Figure 10.40.010.A Typical Street Designs

Table 10.40.010.A Street Design Standards

B. Intersections. Intersection design shall not compromise public safety or emergency vehicle access. Final intersection design approval shall be by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Additional Lanes. Streets should have turn lanes or more than one travel lane in each direction only if it can be demonstrated, through modeling or other reliable means, that more than temporary congestion is anticipated (Level of Service E or greater). Where a total of 4 or more travel lanes are planned, a minimum 15-foot wide planted median should be provided to reduce visual impacts of the pavement.

2. Curb-to-Curb Distances. Curb-to-curb distances at intersections should be minimized to reduce vehicular speeds and pedestrian crossing distances. At typical intersections, on-street parking should be replaced by corner bulb outs that minimize curb-to-curb distances and slow traffic. (See Figure 10.40.010.B.2: Corner Bulb Outs.)

3. Curb Radii. Curb radii should not exceed the dimensions in Table 10.40.010.B.3: Curb Radii and should include handicap ramps at each corner.

Table 10.40.010.B.3 Curb Radii

4. Crosswalks in the Main Street Specific Plan Area. For the safety of pedestrians and to give special identity to the Main Street area, decorative, load-bearing unit pavers should be considered for crosswalks. Please see Figure 10.40.010.B.4: Crosswalks in the Main Street Specific Plan Area.

C. Driveways and Alleys. Driveway and alley design shall not compromise public safety or emergency vehicle access. Final intersection design approval shall be made by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Driveway Curb Cuts. Driveway curb cuts should be minimized along collector and arterial roadways by providing vehicular access via side streets or access lanes. Where access from side streets or access lanes is not feasible, on-site turnarounds should be provided and curb cuts should serve multiple parcels whenever possible.

2. Alleys. Alleys can foster creativity in the design of both commercial and residential projects, and reflect a historic development pattern within the city. Alleys therefore should be encouraged as an option in new development projects. Alleys are intended for vehicle access, a potential location for utilities, and trash service.

a. Design Standards. Alleys are slow speed, 10 miles per hour, access routes running behind and sometimes between rows of residences or commercial buildings. Alleys typically are 12 to 20 feet in width and can be utilized to provide access to utilities, sanitation, garages, backyards, and secondary access to commercial parking areas. Alleys should clearly be designed as a secondary access way, not a street. Curbs, gutters, mailboxes, sidewalks and streetlights are not allowed on alleys.

(1) Residential Width. For primary access to residential developments an alley width of 12 to 15 feet is appropriate.

(2) Commercial Width. For primary access to commercial developments an alley width of 20 feet is appropriate.

(3) Security Lighting. Security lighting is to be provided by wall-mounted light fixtures. Street lights are not permitted.

(4) Curb Returns. Curb returns shall be provided where an alley intersects a street right-of-way.

(5) Public or Private. Alleys may be public or private. The director of public works/city engineer shall make such determinations.

D. Street Edges. Street edge design shall not compromise public safety or emergency vehicle access. Final street edge design approval shall be made by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Curbs and Gutters. Curbs and gutters shall be provided along all street edges, unless the use of drainage swales is appropriate due to adjacent sensitive natural lands.

2. Drainage Swales. Drainage swales should be sized to adequately convey runoff and stabilized for erosion. Swale banks shall not exceed a 2:1 slope and be planted with appropriate ground-cover. See Title 11: Zoning; Chapter 4.30: Landscaping and Buffer Yards; Section 4.30.050: Invasive Plant Species, for additional planting requirements.

E. Street Lighting. Street lighting design shall not compromise public safety or emergency vehicle access. Final street lighting design approval shall be made by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Street Light Spacing. Street light spacing shall be determined by the appropriate level of light coverage for the area being served by the street.

2. Lighting Standards. Street lighting should be consistent with the small town character of Seal Beach, and should be designed with as much concern for the pedestrian environment as for vehicular environments. The height of new lighting fixtures should not exceed 20 feet.

3. Illumination. Street lights should be designed to direct light to appropriate surfaces and to minimize glare into residences. See Figure 10.40.010.E: Street Lighting Illumination.

Figure 10.40.010.E Street Lighting Illumination

F. Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be provided along all public streets and shall be located within the public right-of-way. Final sidewalk design approval shall be by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Pedestrian Convenience. Pedestrian convenience and safety shall be considered in the design of sidewalks in the public right-of-way. Avoid encroaching light standards, above ground utility boxes, and other impediments where pedestrians are expected to pass. Meanders in sidewalks may be approved to avoid existing trees or changes in topography.

G. Bicycle Routes. Streets that are designated as "Bike Routes" in the general plan should be clearly identified through signs, well marked crosswalks, and travel lanes as appropriate. Bike routes within streets should be built in compliance with State standards. Traffic signal detectors for bicycles should be considered at signalized intersections with high traffic volumes.

H. Street Trees. Street trees shall be provided as required by the director of public works/city engineer.

I. Traffic Calming. The design of an interconnected street network shall include provisions that discourages fast, through-traffic on neighborhood collector and local streets. Traffic calming measures that restrict traffic at the expense of the overall inter-connectedness of the street system is to be avoided. Final traffic calming design approvals shall be by the director of public works/city engineer.

1. Appropriate Street Widths. Street widths should be narrow enough to slow traffic, while accommodating demonstrated traffic demand and providing adequate emergency vehicle accessibility. See Section 10.40.010: Streetscape Standards and Guidelines, above.

2. "T" Intersections. Road alignments are offset at least 150 feet, forcing turning movements. Careful siting can be utilized to create vistas to open spaces and important civic features. See Figure 10.40.010.I.2: "T" Intersection.

3. Median Islands. Median islands can be installed in the center of a street and can serve to narrow and redirect traffic lanes, and provide visual relief with appropriate landscaping.

4. "Bulb Outs" ("Neckdowns") and Textured Crosswalks. These design features can be used singly or in combination. Bulb outs slow traffic and reduce pedestrian crossing distances by narrowing the curb-to-curb dimension of the street, either at intersections or at mid-block pedestrian crossing points. Mid-block pedestrian crossing points are only permitted within the "Main Street Specific Plan" area. Crosswalks can be textured by means of special pavers or other treatments, alerting drivers that the area being traversed has a pedestrian-oriented environment and identity. See Figure 10.40.010.B.2: Corner Bulb Outs, in subsection B of this section.

5. Traffic Circles. Traffic circles are small circular islands placed in the center of an intersection and are typically landscaped. They are normally utilized without stop signs as a means to slow down traffic without requiring vehicles to come to a full stop. See Figure 10.40.010.I.5: Traffic Circles.

(Ord. 1567)