§ 16.24

A.

Lots. Minimum lot area and width for commercial subdivisions is five thousand square feet area and fifty feet width, provided that the planning commission may reduce the lot sizes not more than fifty percent when the total lot size and land used for parking and landscaping in undivided interest equals the required lot size.

B.

Street Design. Street design shall be as set out in Section 16.24.070 for commercial areas.

C.

Improvements. All improvements shall be as set out in Section 16.24.080.

D.

Other Regulations. All other regulations set out in this title shall be complied with in the development of commercial subdivisions.

(Prior code Appx. B § 6)

16.24.040 - Residential subdivisions.

A.

Lots.

1.

Minimum lot area and width for residential subdivisions shall be six thousand square feet area and sixty feet width, unless greater lot area and width is stipulated in the zoning ordinance for the area to be subdivided. Lot size may be reduced through the use of Section 16.24.060.

2.

Width at front property line may be reduced to thirty-five feet where the frontage abuts the outside of any sharp curve and to twenty feet on panhandle development where not more than one lot is served by the panhandle. "Sharp curve" means centerline radius of less than one hundred feet.

B.

Contouring. Mass recontouring may be allowed when approved by the planning commission, provided that such contouring shall be planted or reforested to approval of the planning commission.

C.

Improvements. All design and improvements shall be as set forth in Sections 16.24.050 through 16.24.080.

D.

Other Regulations. All other regulations set out in this title shall be complied with in the development of residential subdivisions.

(Prior code Appx. B § 7)

A.

Blocks. Blocks shall not be longer than one thousand two hundred feet between intersecting street lines, except on arterial streets and expressways where longer blocks may be required. Lots with frontage on more than one street will not be permitted, except corner lots, unless topographic conditions warrant and then only upon approval of the planning commission and when access rights are released on one street. A one-foot nonaccess strip, in addition to other easements, shall be dedicated to the city for the installation of a permanent wall or fence when required by the planning commission.

B.

Walkways. Improved walkways not less than ten feet in width may be required through blocks more than nine hundred feet in length and through other blocks where necessary to provide access to schools, parks and scenic easements.

C.

Utility Easements. Easements not less than five feet wide shall be required on each side of all lots and ten feet wide at the rear of all lots where necessary for poles, wires, drainage and water mains, or other utilities. The city engineer may allow reduction of the width when in his opinion, and in the opinion of the serving utility, a lesser width is justified. All pole lines shall be located in the rear except when otherwise approved by the planning commission.

D.

Watercourses. Watercourses shall be shown as easements, and storm drains shall be placed in easements when public right-of-way is not available or adequate. The planning commission or city engineer may require watercourses to be placed entirely in underground conduits or adequately fenced or otherwise improved.

E.

Monuments. Durable metal monuments consisting of iron pipes approved by the city engineer shall be installed or referenced to the following locations:

1.

Boundary corners;

2.

At intervals of not more than five hundred feet along boundary lines;

3.

At the beginning and ending of property line curves or P.I. at discretion of city engineer;

Lot corners, and in addition, a lead and tack shall be set in the sidewalk on the prolongation of the side lot lines.

Standard monuments shall be placed along the centerlines of public streets and alleys as follows: All intersections, all P.I.'s or beginning and ending of curves.

F.

Access. All lots shall abut on a street unless approved as a "deep lot" subdivision by the planning commission, under policies adopted by the planning commission.

G.

Setbacks. Building setbacks shall be required at least as great as the applicable zoning requirements.

H.

Lot Configuration. The size and shape of lots shall conform to any zoning regulations affecting the land to be subdivided. In no case shall the lot depth be greater than three times the average width.

I.

Roads and Streets.

1.

Existing streets shall be continued as required by the planning commission.

2.

Street stubs shall be required adjacent to unsubdivided property where, in the opinion of the planning commission, they are necessary. A satisfactory temporary turnaround may be required.

3.

Streets shall intersect at as near right angles as is practicable. Radius of curvature, where the property lines intersect, shall be a minimum of ten feet, except at arterial street and expressways, where it shall be twenty feet.

4.

"T" or three-way intersections are preferable to four-way intersections. The centerlines of opposing streets intersecting a common street shall be offset not less than two hundred feet.

5.

Reserve strips, where required to control access over certain lot lines or over the ends of street stubs, shall be dedicated to the city.

6.

Alleys shall be constructed in industrial, commercial and in multiple-family areas where necessary to control access to expressways and arterial streets.

7.

Cul-de-sac streets shall have the following limiting dimensions:

a.

Forty feet minimum radius to curb, at turnaround;

b.

Fifty feet minimum radius to property line at turnaround.

c.

Five hundred feet maximum length, from intersecting street line to bulb radius point. Longer cul-de-sac may be allowed to serve twelve or less lots.

8.

Names for proposed new streets shall be assigned by the planning department and shown on the tentative map, following review and approval of all such names by the city council.

9.

Streets, rights-of-way and easements in any subdivision shall be offered for dedication. The city may, at its option, accept or reject any such offer.

10.

Streets shall conform, as to alignment and width, to the official circulation element of the general plan, provided that the following are the minimum standards:

11.

Where a subdivision abuts or contains any existing or proposed state highway or freeway, arterial street or railroad right-of-way, the planning commission shall require marginal access streets, reverse frontage with

screen planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with rear service alleys, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.

12.

Streets within a new subdivision shall connect to a city street, county-maintained road, or state highway. Where an off-site connection is necessary to provide access to such street, road or highway, the subdivider shall acquire the right-of-way and construct the improvements required.

(Ord. 570 § 1, 2000; prior code Appx. B § 8)

16.24.060 - Optional design and improvement standards.

Where a subdivider by written affirmation signifies his intent to enhance the livability and appearance of his proposed subdivision by using new concepts in the arrangement of lots, circulation pattern to serve such lots, and by providing permanent open space within the neighborhoods in the proposed subdivision, and by providing appropriate means of access to blocks, schools, shopping centers and other uses, he may use the following procedure:

A.

Improved Design Based on Density Control and Better Community Environment. The standards set out in this chapter may be varied only when gross density of an area is not increased, and where the design has the approval of the planning commission, and where in the opinion of the planning commission (or, on appeal, the city council) the deviation will:

1.

Produce a more desirable and livable community than the minimum requirements in this chapter;

2.

Create better community environment through dedication of public areas, or setting out permanent scenic easements or open spaces, rearrangement of lot sizes, reforestation of barren areas;

3.

Reduce the danger of erosion;

4.

Reduce the area and unsightliness of cut-and-fill banks.

B.

As an incentive to creating better overall communities, the planning commission may authorize reduction in lot size but with no increase in density in the overall development. The planning commission may authorize similar deviations from other standards in this chapter, where the deviations are for the purposes outlined in this subsection.

C.

Before any deviation based on improved design is authorized it shall be passed by not less than a twothirds vote of the total membership of the planning commission, upon a finding that the variation as authorized will result in a community which is a substantial improvement over the community which could have been developed by following the requirements set out in Sections 16.24.020 through 16.24.050.

(Prior code Appx. B § 9)

16.24.070 - Specific street design and improvements.

Street design shall conform to the engineering standards of the city.

(Prior code Appx. B § 10)

A.

On-Site Improvements. All improvements shall conform to the city's "standard details and specifications," as adopted by the city council. Any deviation shall be only with the written approval of the planning commission. Permits shall be obtained from the city engineer, where required, before any construction is started. Improvements to be installed by each subdivider shall include the following:

1.

Curb, gutter, sidewalk and walkways (or parking bays where required);

2.

Water lines, gas, electric and other utility services to serve each lot and stubbed to property line;

3.

Fire hydrants;

4.

Sanitary sewers and laterals to serve each lot and stubbed to property line prior to paving;

5.

Storm sewers, drains and channel improvements;

6.

Slope planting silt basins or other forms of erosion control;

7.

Paved streets;

Ornamental street lights;

9.

Street trees, not less than one tree per lot; average spacing forty feet on center;

10.

Street signs, at locations approved by the city engineer;

11.

Stop signs where street intersects with an arterial or expressway;

12.

Other traffic-control signs as required by the city engineer;

13.

Utility lines, including but not limited to electric, communications, street lighting and cable television, shall be placed underground in accordance with the utility rules of the California Public Utilities Commission. In cases where the utility rules do not require undergrounding, the planning commission may do so unless information is furnished to the planning commission to enable them to find that such undergrounding is unreasonable because of terrain, soil conditions or geological problems. The subdivider is responsible for complying with the requirements of this section, and he shall make the necessary arrangements with the utility companies for the installation of such facilities. Transmission lines may be placed underground at the option of the developer or utility and concurrence of the county planning commission. For the purposes of this section, 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. No waiver of underground facilities shall be granted in any underground district previously established. Any waiver granted by the California Public Utilities Commission or the planning commission shall be to streamline construction only and not the conventional overhead lines;

14.

School sites: Where any subdivider proposes a development or completion of a development of one or more subdivisions on any parcel or contiguous parcels within one or more school districts, the planning commission may require the subdivider to dedicate to the school district such land as the governing body deems necessary for the purpose of constructing thereon schools necessary to assure the residents of the subdivision adequate elementary school facilities. This requirement is applicable only to a subdivider and his successors who have owned the land being subdivided for less than ten years prior to the filing of the tentative maps in accordance with this title. The requirement of dedication shall automatically terminate unless the school district enters into a binding commitment with the subdivider to accept the dedication within thirty days after the requirement is imposed by the city. The required dedication may be made at any time before, currently with or up to sixty days after filing the final map of any portion of the subdivision. The

school district shall, in the event that it accepts the dedication, repay to the land subdivider or his successors the original cost to the subdivider of the dedicated land, plus a sum equal to the total of the following amounts:

a.

The cost of any improvements to the dedicated land since acquisition by the subdivider;

b.

The taxes assessed against the dedicated land from the date demand for dedication is made;

c.

Any other costs incurred by the subdivider in maintenance of such dedicated land, including interest costs incurred on any loan covering such land.

B.

Off-site Improvements. The following off-site improvements may be required:

1.

The development of a domestic water supply, including storage facilities, or financial contributions for the improvement of any existing source of supply and the construction of transmission lines from that supply to the proposed development;

2.

The development of sewage disposal facilities or financial contributions for the improvement of any existing source of supply and the construction of transmission lines from that supply to the proposed development;

3.

When flood zones are established by the city council, the subdivider shall pay the fee set out for the particular zone in which the subject land lies;

4.

Properly graded, drained and paved access roads;

5.

The extension of other utilities;

6.

In addition, there may be imposed, as a condition of subdivision approval, a requirement 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 improvements be dedicated to the public. In the event of the installation of such improvements, the city shall enter into an

e may be imposed, as a condition of subdivision approval, a requirement 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 improvements be dedicated to the public. In the event of the installation of such improvements, the city shall enter into an

agreement with the subdivider to reimburse the subdivider for that portion of the cost of such improvements equal to the difference between the amount it would have cost the subdivider to serve the subdivision only and the actual cost of such improvements. In order to pay the costs as required by such reimbursement agreement, the city may obtain funding by means of any or all of the methods provided for in Section 66487 of the Government Code, or it may use any other city funds which may be available for that purpose.

C.

Plans and Inspection. In addition to all other requirements in this section:

1.

Improvement work, including grading, shall not be commenced until improvement plans for such work have been submitted to and approved by the city engineer.

2.

All improvements shall be constructed under the inspection of, and to the satisfaction of, the city engineer.

3.

Cost of inspection shall be borne by the subdivider.

(Ord. 530 § 2 (Exbt. A), 1993; prior code Appx. B § 11)

A.

It is realized that there are certain parcels of land of such dimension, subject to such title restrictions, so affected by physical conditions and/or devoted to such use that it is impossible for the subdivider to conform to all of the requirements of this title when subdividing property.

B.

The planning commission (or on appeal the city council) may grant variances from the requirements of this title when all the following conditions are found to apply:

1.

That any variance granted is subject to such conditions as will assure that the adjustment thereby authorized will not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the same vicinity;

2.

That because of special circumstances applicable to the subject property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict literal application of this title is found to deprive subject property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity;

That under the circumstances of this particular case the variance, rather than the sections at issue in this title, actually carries out the spirit and intent of this title.

(Prior code Appx. B § 12)

Chapter 16.28 - ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTY

Sections: