Sierra Madre Municipal Code Ch. 16.32 Dedications, Improvements and Requirements

The standards and requirements, as specified in this chapter and as adopted by resolution of the city council, shall apply to all final tract and parcel maps, parcel map waivers, lot line adjustments, and lot mergers unless exempted from specific dedications, improvements, or requirements by the Subdivision Map Act. Additional requirements may be recommended to the city council by the planning and community preservation department, city engineer, public works department or planning commission.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

(Ord. No. 1466, § 35, 3-28-23)

A. All streets, highways, alleys, ways, easements, rights-of-way and parcels of land shown on the final tract or parcel map and intended for public use shall be offered for dedication for public use by appropriate certificate on the title page unless approved otherwise by the city engineer. All irrevocable offers of dedication shall also be shown by appropriate certificate on the title page.

B. When vehicular access rights from any lot or parcel to any highway or street are restricted, such rights shall be offered for dedication to the city by the appropriate certificate on the title sheet, and a note stating: "VEHICULAR ACCESS RIGHTS DEDICATED TO THE CITY OF SIERRA MADRE" shall be lettered along the highway or street adjacent to the lots or parcels affected on the final map.

C. All streets, highways, alleys, ways, easements, rights-of-way and other public improvements offered for dedication shall be designed, developed, and improved to the standards of the city and to the satisfaction of the city engineer.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

A. Private streets, alleys or ways will be permitted only when the welfare of the occupants of the subdivision will be better served and the public's welfare will not be impaired through the use thereof or the kinds of improvements thereon. Such private street, alley or way shall not be offered for dedication and shall be shown on the final tract or parcel map as parcels lettered alphabetically. All private streets, alleys or ways shall be designed, developed, and improved to the public street standards of the city and to the satisfaction of the city engineer.

B. All such accessways shall be made subject to maintenance agreements, which shall be approved by the city and shall be recorded as to all properties having a maintenance responsibility for the accessway.

C. The city shall not be responsible for the maintenance of private streets, alleys or ways.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

Except as otherwise required by Chapter 15.24 of this code, the city's public street standards shall require at least thirty feet of road easement to accommodate two travel lanes, one parking lane, and a pedestrian walkway. Notwithstanding Sections 16.32.020 and 16.32.030 of this code, the city council may determine, upon approval of a parcel or tentative tract map creating streets, that adjustment of the city's public street standards as to those streets is justified by other benefits to the policies stated in Section 17.52.010 of this code and that such adjustments do not unduly impact circulation and parking.

(Ord. 1229 § 2, 2005)

The city may require the dedication or irrevocable offer of dedication of land for local transit facilities such as bus turnouts, benches, shelters, loading pads and similar items which benefit the residents of the subdivision.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

Any public or private utility easements required by any utility or the city shall be shown on the final tract map or parcel map and shall be dedicated to the appropriate party by separate document.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

A. In the event that a subdivision or any part thereof is traversed by any major watercourse, channel, stream or creek, the subdivider shall dedicate an adequate right-of-way for storm drainage purposes if, in the opinion of the city council, such dedication is necessary. In the event that the natural watercourse does not lie entirely within such dedication, the subdivider may either construct an adequate channel within such dedication or delineate the course of such watercourse upon the final map.

B. If an artificial drainage facility is necessary for the general use of lot owners in the subdivision and for adequate drainage needs, the subdivider shall dedicate on the final map or grant by separate instrument an adequate right-of-way for such drainage channel. If deemed necessary and appropriate by the director of public works, a bond may be accepted to ensure for the future construction of artificial drainage improvements.

C. When the property being subdivided, or any portion thereof is so situated as to be in the path of the natural drainage from adjoining unsubdivided property and no street, alley, or way within the subdivision is planned to provide for the drainage of such adjoining property, the subdivider shall dedicate drainage rights-of-way adequate to provide in the future for the ultimate drainage of the adjoining property.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

The city may require any subdivider who develops or completes the development of a subdivision in the city to dedicate land, pay fees in lieu of, or an appropriate pro rata share to the school district as the city shall deem to be necessary for the purpose of constructing or expanding such elementary school facilities as are necessary to assure residents of the subdivision adequate public school service pursuant to Section 66478 of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

The city may require that areas of real property within the subdivision be reserved for parks, recreational facilities, fire stations, libraries or other public uses subject to the provisions of Section 66479 of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

The city may require that improvements installed by the subdivider for the benefit of the subdivision shall contain supplemental size, capacity, or number for the benefit of property not within the subdivision, and that such improvement be dedicated to the public pursuant to Sections 66485 and 66486 of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

The city may require dedication of improvements, or supplemental-sized improvements, such as rights-of-way, easements, and construction of reasonable off-site improvements for the parcels being created pursuant to the provisions of Section 66411.1 of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

A. Standards for design and improvements of subdivisions shall be in accordance with the applicable sections of the zoning ordinance, the general plan, and specific plans adopted by the city and the requirements established by the city engineer.

B. Improvement plans shall be prepared by a registered civil engineer and shall be completed by the subdivider prior to acceptance of the final map.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

A. Utility lines, including but not limited to electric, communications, street lighting, and cable television, shall be required to be placed underground. Appurtenances and associated equipment such as, but not limited to, surface-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets and concealed ducts in an underground system, may be placed aboveground. The planning commission may recommend to the city council and the city council may waive the requirements of this section if topographical, soil or any other conditions make such underground installation unreasonable or impractical.

B. This section shall not apply to utility lines which do not provide service to the area being subdivided or developed.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

A. Plans for street lights shall be submitted to the city engineer for each tentative map.

B. The minimum improvements which the subdivider will be required to make or enter into an agreement to make in a subdivision prior to the acceptance and approval of the final map by the city council shall be:

1. A utility-owned ornamental street lighting system with underground electrical supply;

2. The utility-owned system shall consist of standard ornamental electroliers customarily furnished by the utility, except that where a utility-owned wood pole exists in a location where street lighting equipment can be attached, it may be used in lieu of the ornamental electrolier;

3. If a utility-owned ornamental system is installed, the subdivider shall be liable for and shall pay charges of such utility attributable to such installation;

4. Installation of street lighting shall be in accordance with plans and specifications of, or approved by the utility-owned system or the city engineer.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

Disposal of sewage in all subdivisions shall be by means of sanitary sewers unless the advisory agency and city council expressly find, at the time of approval of the tentative map, that installation of sanitary sewers is impracticable, and an alternative method of sewage disposal is approved. Unless such finding is made, sanitary sewers shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of the city sanitary and industrial waste regulations.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

The subdivider shall plant trees in the street parkways in all subdivisions, at such locations as are approved by the city engineer. He shall secure approval from the department of public works as to the type or species and location of such trees. At least one tree per lot must be planted; maximum spacing shall be forty feet on center.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)

The property owner/developer shall pay all required property development tax fees as required by the city of Sierra Madre fee schedule as adopted by the city council, on or before the time of issuance of any building permits for construction on the subdivision.

(Ord. 1150 § 2 (part), 1999)