Solvang Municipal Code Ch. 6 Subdivision Standards and Principles

In the subdivision of land lying wholly or partly within the city, the following regulations shall apply, and no tentative or final subdivision map shall be approved by the advisory agency until and unless such map or maps indicate a full compliance with the requirements of this chapter.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

A. Block Lengths. Blocks shall not exceed 1,500 feet between street lines except where topographic conditions require longer blocks.

B. Block Widths. Blocks should be of sufficient width to permit the platting of two tiers of lots of normal depth. No block shall be less than 200 feet wide.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

A. Lot Area.

1. No residential lot shall be created which contains less than 7,000 square feet of area exclusive of street right-of-way, except as provided in this title.

2. In any area zoned to require a development plan, no change in the size, shape or area of the original parcel shall be approved by lot split, subdivision or otherwise, except in substantial conformity with an approved development plan and with the size, shape and area of the parcels shown on the development plan. As an alternative to filing a development plan, approval may be given when all parcels conform substantially to the size, shape and area requirements of the most restrictive abutting zone district unless otherwise provided in the applicable zoning regulations.

3. In determining the minimum lot area of lots less than 10,000 square feet in size, public utilities transmitting line easements may be required to be excluded from the minimum lot area, required by the zoning ordinance, or this title but may be included in the lot design.

B. Lot Width. No residential lot shall be created which has an average width of less than 65 feet except as otherwise provided by open space requirements of the zoning ordinance. All corner lots shall have an average width of at least 75 feet.

C. Lot Depth. No lot shall be created the rear line of which is less than 100 feet from the front line of the lot, except that one side line may be less than 100 feet in length if it terminates at a corner curve or cul-de-sac turnaround curve. In the case of through lots or corner lots, at least one lot line must be parallel to and not less than 100 feet distant from the street on which the lot fronts. The rear line of a lot shall be considered as any lot line other than a front line which does not intersect the right-of-way line of the street on which the lot fronts.

D. Lot Lines. The side lines of all lots shall be approximately at right angles to the street on which the lot faces, or approximately radial if the street is curved. Lot lines which cross any city boundary shall not be approved.

E. Corner Radius. Property lines of corner lots shall be rounded at the street corner by a radius of not less than 15 feet. Corner business lots shall have an angular cut-off measuring not less than 15 feet along each street from the corner.

F. Modify in Planned Development and Open Space Subdivisions. The regulations of this section may be modified by the advisory agency in the case of a subdivision being developed pursuant to a development plan or open space provisions in accord with zoning regulations. The advisory agency shall prescribe conditions deemed necessary to the public interest.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

A. Classification of Streets.

1. Alley. An alley is a secondary means of access usually lying along the rear of lots or property, the front of which abuts on and has primary access from a street.

2. Arterial Road. An arterial road is a street so designated by a general or specific plan adopted by the city council, or any street which by reason of its through-route characteristics or uses of land served now carried, or is expected to carry in the next 20 years, more than 10,000 vehicles per day.

3. Boundary Street. A boundary street is a street lying along a subdivision boundary.

4. Collector Street. A collector street is a primary residential street designed to connect streets of a higher classification (carrying more traffic) designed to have a minimum interference of traffic from driveways.

5. Commercial Street. A commercial street is a street which is to provide access to abutting property zoned for commercial purposes.

6. Expressway. An expressway is a divided arterial highway for through traffic which may provide at grade crossings or may have partial control of access.

7. Freeway. A freeway is a divided arterial highway for through traffic having full control of access with no at grade crossings.

8. Frontage Road. A frontage road is a road which is auxiliary to and located adjacent to a freeway, or other highway, and which may provide service to abutting property on only one side of the road and with controlled access to the adjacent major route. A frontage road may be of any classification.

9. Hillside Residential Street. A hillside residential street is a street used as a residential, residential cul-de-sac, or residential loop street with special design features deemed appropriate by the road commissioner on the basis of slope and terrain. In general, this shall include areas where the natural cross-slope to be graded for the street exceeds 15%.

10. Industrial Street. An industrial street is a street which is to provide access to abutting industrial lots and which at present or in the future will not serve as an arterial road or major road.

11. Major Road. A major road is a street so designated by a general or specific plan adopted by the city council, or any street which by reason of its route characteristics or uses of land served now carries, or is expected to carry in the next 20 years, more than 5,000 but less than 10,000 vehicles per day.

12. Primary Residential Street. A primary residential street is a street other than an arterial road or major road which:

a. Is so designated by a general or specific plan adopted by the city council; or

b. Is expected to collect and carry a traffic volume of from 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day within the next 20 years; or

c. Constitutes a principal entrance to a residential subdivision of more than 75 dwelling units and is not expected to serve in the future as a major road or collector street; or

d. Serves residential development having a density in excess of 4.5 dwelling units per gross acre.

13. Residential Cul-de-Sac Street. A residential cul-de-sac street is a dead-end residential street which is designated to provide access to a limited number of abutting dwelling units and which cannot be extended to serve a greater number of dwelling units.

14. Residential Loop Street. A residential loop street is a local purpose street which is to provide access to a limited number of abutting dwelling units, and which begins on and terminates at the same cross street, or on two streets if both are secondary residential streets.

15. Rural Residential Street. A rural residential street is a street which is abutted by residential lots zoned for a density of less than 2.5 dwelling units per gross acre and is designed to carry a traffic volume not to exceed 1,000 vehicles per day for at least 20 years.

16. Secondary Residential Street. A secondary residential street is a street which provides access to residential lots and is expected to carry a traffic volume of less than 1,000 vehicles per day.

17. Split-Level Street. A split-level street is a street of any classification having the improvements and capacity provided in a normal street of the same classification but with each direction of traffic at different elevations separated by a median strip.

B. Relationships.

1. General Plan. The street and highway arrangement of every subdivision shall not conflict with the circulation element of the general plan with respect to the placement of such streets, highways or ways as may be shown thereon.

2. Topography. Topographic conditions shall determine the general pattern of blocks, and natural contours shall control the placement and alignment of streets, highways and ways.

3. Adjoining and Adjacent Street System. Streets may be required to be laid out so as to directly continue the center lines of the principal existing streets or highways in adjacent or adjoining subdivided areas. In general, such streets shall have a width at least as great as the existing streets.

C. Street Names. The names of new streets shall be subject to the approval of the advisory agency and shall not duplicate existing street names where confusion is likely to result.

D. Dead-End Streets. Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall run through to the boundary of the property and the resulting dead-end streets may be approved without a turnaround.

E. Road Standards. In addition to the foregoing, road standards and principles shall be as prescribed by resolution of the city council. In cases where the city engineer deems that circumstances warrant, minor deviations may be permitted from any of the foregoing requirements or any other requirements adopted by the city council pursuant to the terms of this chapter relating to road standards and specifications.

F. Alleyways. The advisory agency may require that alleys be provided at the rear of commercial or multiple-family parcels.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

Easements for public utility purposes shall be provided at the location and of a width approved by the serving utilities and the advisory agency.

Rights-of-way as required by the advisory agency for access shall be provided along all natural watercourses where access is necessary for flood control maintenance and improvement and for other public purposes. Depending on topography, such rights-of-way shall be required to include the natural channel plus a strip of land 20 feet wide on the flat land along the edge of channels which do not exceed 25 feet in width. Such rights-of-way shall include strips of land 20 feet wide on both sides of all natural channels wider than 25 feet. These requirements may be modified or deleted for good cause shown.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

Narrow parcels or reserve strips controlling access to streets or highways from adjoining property will not be approved unless the control or disposal of such land is placed under the jurisdiction of the city council under conditions satisfactory to the city council and the advisory agency.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

In subdividing property, due consideration shall be given to the dedication or reservation of parkways, landscaped rights-of-way and open spaces, of suitable sites for parks, playgrounds and schools, and the establishing of other open area for public use. The location of these features shall conform as nearly as possible to any adopted general plan of the city.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

Fire hydrants may be required where recommended by the city fire chief and failure to provide for them may be cause for denial for the subdivision or lot split.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

A. Location of Facilities. At the time the subdivider presents a final map to the city council there shall be presented certificates executed respectively by the various public utility companies authorized to serve in the area of the subdivision, certifying that satisfactory provisions have been made with each of such public utility companies as to location of their facilities and that satisfactory easements where required by such companies have been executed and delivered to the certifying companies for recording. Easements for public utility companies shall be designated on the final map as easements for public utilities.

B. Water Supply and Sewer Requirements. The intent of this subsection is to ensure that there will be adequate water supply and sanitary methods provided for the disposal of sewage which will not pollute water supplies, bathing and swimming areas, nor permit sewage to come out of the surface land nor create erosion or earth subsidence or slippage problems and in general to prevent hazards to health and safety. All subdivisions must apply for and obtain permission to hook up to the city's sewer system.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

Where necessary to obtain adequate drainage from a lot, setback distances may be required to be increased. Wherever feasible, lot drainage shall be to the street.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

In all subdivisions, due regard shall be given to the preservation of all natural features such as large trees, natural groves, watercourses, scenic points, historic spots and similar community assets which will add attractiveness and value to the property if preserved.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986)

A. Proposed Change to Uses Not Permitted by Zoning. Whenever property is proposed to be subdivided for a use or purpose different from that permitted by the applicable zoning regulations, or which is in conflict with the general plan, a formal request for rezoning of the subject property to appropriate zone districts, and where deemed appropriate by the Community Development Director, a formal request for amendment of the general plan shall be filed concurrently with the filing of the tentative subdivision map. No tentative subdivision map shall be approved unless and until appropriate changes in zoning regulations to permit the proposed use and purposes of such subdivision have first been recommended and acted upon by the advisory agency in the first instance and by the City Council where its action is needed.

B. Modifications. The advisory agency may authorize modifications from these regulations when in its opinion better design will result. The advisory agency shall prescribe conditions deemed necessary to the public interest and which have a direct relation to the granting of the modification.

(Ord. 86-37, 1986; Ord. 22-0355 § 147; Ord. 26-0393, 4/13/2026)