Solano County Municipal Code § 26-72 Lot design

The design of proposed lots is regulated in the following ways in order to obtain the optimal usability of each lot, preserve on- and off-site resources, including existing contours and trees, minimize the potential for adverse impacts on adjacent property, minimize the need for additional infrastructure, and maintain consistency with appropriate General Plan policies and zoning regulations.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

Each sideline of a proposed lot shall be as close to perpendicular to the centerline of the road as is practicable at the point at which the lot sideline terminates.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

All proposed lots shall conform to the minimum lot width requirements of the zone in which the property is located. No lot, other than a flag lot, shall have less than 40 feet of frontage, unless the minimum lot width of the zone is less than 40 feet. No flag lot shall have an access strip less than 30 feet or more than 40 feet in width.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

For all proposed lots, the average lot depth shall not be greater than three times the average lot width unless the Director of Environmental Management, upon information presented by the applicant, determines that a greater depth is justified. The applicant shall use the following criteria to justify the modification of this requirement.

(a) Potential Amount of Grading - The amount and impact of on-site grading may be less with the provision of a greater lot depth.

(b) Usable Lot Area - The steepness of the topography of proposed lots, the configuration of the parent parcel, and the location of on-site natural features may necessitate a greater depth to provide usable lot areas.

(c) Flood Hazards - On-site and off-site flood hazards such as streams, tributaries and inundation areas subject to 100-year flood may create a need for a greater depth to provide usable lot areas and buildable sites.

(d) Sun and Wind Orientation - A greater lot depth may be necessary to provide for passive and active solar heating and natural cooling opportunities.

(e) Other - Other criteria relevant to unique or uncommon physical features of the property may necessitate a greater depth to provide usable lot areas and buildable sites or to mitigate adverse environmental effects.

All proposed lots, except lots to be dedicated or offered for dedication or reserved by recorded restrictions for flood control, natural resource preservation, common open space or other similar purpose, shall conform to the minimum lot area requirements of the General Plan Designation and Zoning District in which the property is located. In determining whether a proposed lot conforms to such minimum area requirements, only the net area of the lot shall be considered unless the General Plan or Zoning ordinance provides otherwise.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

All proposed lots shall have legal access to public rights-of-way or approved private roads. Road layout shall be designed to provide for future access to, and not impose undue hardship upon, property adjoining the subdivision.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

Each proposed lot shall have at least one buildable area. Within the Watershed and Conservation, Exclusive Agricultural and Rural Residential Zone Districts, the minimum buildable area shall be 4000 square feet unless waived by the Director of Environmental Management. Buildable areas are not required for:

(a) Those parcels dedicated or offered for dedication to the County or some other public entity or reserved by recorded restrictions for flood control purposes, natural resource preservation, common open space, environmental subdivision, or other similar purposes; and

(b) Those lots created for such purposes as landfills, mining operations, or other similar, long-term uses which do not normally require a permanent, on-site, primary structure and which lots are or will be subject to a discretionary permit issued by the County regulating their proposed use.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

Each proposed lot shall, at all designated buildable areas and at all existing buildings, comply with all setback requirements of the zone. Whenever a subdivision results in a lot for which the only means of access is by way of an easement, that easement shall be considered as a public road or street for purposes of determining setbacks for all lots over which the easement passes.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

The design of a subdivision shall provide, to the extent feasible, for future passive or natural heating and cooling opportunities in the subdivision.

(a) Examples of passive or natural heating opportunities in subdivision design include design of a lot size and configuration to permit orientation of a structure in an east-west alignment for southern exposure and solar easements.

(b) Examples of passive or natural cooling opportunities in subdivision design include design of lot size and configuration to permit orientation of a structure to take advantage of shade or prevailing breezes.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

Each proposed lot which is subject, in whole or in part, to a contract entered into pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Chapter 7, commencing with Section 51200 of Part 1, of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code) shall be consistent with the policy and uniform regulations governing administration of agricultural preserves in Solano County.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)