Chapter 19.12

STREETSCAPE

Sections:

• 19.12.010 Purpose of chapter.

• 19.12.020 Streetscape standards and guidelines.

• 19.12.030 Fire apparatus access road standards.

• 19.12.040 Private road and driveway standards.

Streetscapes are the areas between buildings in Sonoma 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. Sonoma’s streetscapes are among the most important urban design features of Sonoma, because their

The Sonoma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025.

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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 the city.

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 Division III, Project Design. 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. 2003-02 § 3, 2003).

The following standards and guidelines apply to the design and construction of public rights-of-way and right-ofway 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.

The Sonoma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025.

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(Ord. 2003-02 § 3, 2003).

The Sonoma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025.

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A. General. Approved fire apparatus access roads shall be provided for every structure or portion of a structure hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction, unless exempted by the fire code official. The fire apparatus access road shall comply with the requirements of the California Fire Code as adopted and amended by the city of Sonoma and shall extend to within 150 feet of all portions of the structure and all portions of the exterior walls of the first story of the structure as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the structure. The fire code official is authorized to provide approvals required by this section.

B. Width. The width of fire apparatus access roads is based on a number of factors to include but not limited to: occupancy classification, number of parcels served, size of parcels served, total length of the roadway, and the total number of structures and dwelling units served by the access road. Each instance will require the approval of the fire code official. Additional recommendations and/or requirements may be made upon review of more detailed plans and site inspections. General width requirements include:

1. Single-Family Dwellings and Duplexes.

a. Fire apparatus access roads serving no more than three parcels, containing no more than one single-family dwelling or duplex per parcel and any number of accessory dwelling units, shall be constructed to provide a minimum of one 12-foot-wide traffic lane.

b. Fire apparatus access roads serving four or more parcels containing no more than the allowable accessory structures inclusive of dwelling units shall be constructed to provide a minimum unobstructed width of 20 feet.

2. Nonresidential Uses and Multifamily Dwellings. Parcels serving nonresidential uses and multifamily dwellings shall be provided with a fire apparatus access road that shall be constructed to provide a minimum unobstructed width of 20 feet.

3. Structures three or more stories or structures 30 feet in height must comply with the California Fire Code Appendix D as adopted and amended by the city of Sonoma and may require wider fire apparatus access roads.

• C. Vertical Clearance for Vegetation and Physical Obstructions.

  1. Vegetation Clearance. All vegetation including trees, bushes, and shrubs shall be maintained to provide a minimum unobstructed vertical clearance of 15 feet and shall be maintained above all portions of the required fire apparatus access road including required turnouts and turnarounds.

  2. Physical Obstructions. Eaves, balconies, carports, garages, and other structures located above a fire apparatus access road must have an unobstructed vertical clearance height of 13 feet six inches.

• D. Turnouts/Turnarounds.

  1. Turnouts. All required fire apparatus access roads less than 20 feet in width and exceeding 150 feet in length shall have a turnout constructed at approximately the midpoint of the fire apparatus access road. Any

The Sonoma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025.

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fire apparatus access roads exceeding 800 feet in length shall have turnouts constructed approximately every 400 feet along the entire length of the fire apparatus access roads. Fire apparatus access roads required to have a turnout shall have a turnout that is a minimum of 22 feet wide, including the fire apparatus access road and the turnout, and 30 feet long with a minimum taper of 25 feet on each end. The length of the turnout shall be measured along the fire apparatus access road’s centerline and shall not be located on the inside of horizontal curves without approval from the fire code official.

2. Turnarounds. All required fire apparatus access roads exceeding 150 feet in length shall have a turnaround constructed within 50 feet of the structure served by the fire apparatus access road. Any fire apparatus access road longer than 1,320 feet shall have additional turnarounds located at intervals no less than 1,320 feet unless approved by the fire code official. Parking shall not be allowed in the approved turnaround locations.

• a. Turnaround Dimensions for 12-Foot-Wide Fire Apparatus Access Roads. Any fire apparatus access road required to have a turnaround may have either a hammerhead/T, a stub-out, or terminus bulb. All turnarounds shall have a minimum turning radius of 40 feet, bulbs shall be 40 feet from the center point of the bulb, hammerhead/T and stub-out shall have entry and exit curves of no less than a 40-foot radius. If a hammerhead/T is used, the top of the “T” shall be a minimum of 60 feet in length. If a stub is used, then the length of the turnaround shall be 40 feet, as measured from the fire apparatus access road edge. The minimum width of either a hammerhead/T or a stub-out shall be equivalent to the fire apparatus access road entering the turnaround.

• b. Turnaround Dimensions for 20-Feet-Wide or Greater Fire Apparatus Access Roads. Any fire apparatus access road turnaround shall comply with the current California Fire Code as adopted and amended by the city of Sonoma. (Ord. 02-2023 § 1(A), 2023).

Private roads and driveways providing site access shall be from an improved street, alley, or other public and/or private right-of-way, and shall be designed, constructed, and maintained as follows:

• A. Number of Driveways.

1. Parcels Two Acres or Less. Only one driveway is allowed unless the city engineer determines that more than one driveway is required to accommodate traffic volumes on specific projects. Whenever a property has access to more than one street, access shall be limited to the lowest volume street, where the impact of a new access will be minimized, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer.

2. Parcels Greater Than Two Acres. Up to two driveways shall be allowed unless the city engineer determines that more than two driveways are required to accommodate traffic volumes on specific projects. Additional driveways shall not be allowed if it is determined to be detrimental to traffic flow on the adjacent street(s). Whenever a property has access to more than one street, access shall be limited to the lowest volume street, where the impact of a new access will be minimized, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer.

The Sonoma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025.

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B. Distance From Street Corners. Driveways to parking areas, except single-family residential drives, shall be located a minimum of 150 feet from the nearest intersection, as measured from the centerline of the driveway to the centerline of the nearest travel lane of the intersecting street. For parcels with frontages less than 150 feet, the minimum distance shall be 100 feet unless a lesser distance is approved by the city engineer.

• C. Driveway Spacing. Driveways shall be separated along the street frontage as follows:

  1. Single-Family and Duplex Residential Development. Driveway approaches on separate parcels shall be separated by at least six feet, unless a shared, single driveway is approved by the city engineer. The six-foot separation does not include the transition or wing sections on each side of the driveway; and

  2. Multifamily and Nonresidential Development. Where two or more driveways serve the same or adjacent multifamily or nonresidential development, the centerlines of the driveway approaches shall be separated by a minimum of 50 feet. Exceptions to this standard shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer.

D. Clearance From Obstruction. The nearest edge of a driveway apron or curb return shall be at least five feet from the nearest property line, centerline of a fire hydrant, utility pole, traffic signal, light standards, or other similar facilities.

E. Width.

1. All driveways shall be constructed to provide a minimum of one 12-foot-wide and maximum of 14-footwide traffic lane. Driveways shall serve no more than three parcels, containing no more than one single-family dwelling or duplex per parcel and any number of accessory dwelling units.

2. Private roads shall serve four parcels or more. Private roads serving five dwellings or less are permitted to have a minimum unobstructed width of 20 feet. Private roads serving six dwelling units or more shall have a minimum width of 24 feet.

3. No parking is allowed within the minimum width of private roads or driveways.

F. Hard Surface Behind Driveway Approach or Public Sidewalk. To help prevent dirt, mud, gravel and other debris from tracking onto public streets, all driveways, roads, roadways, parking areas and other areas designed for vehicular use shall be constructed with a hard, all-weather surface such as brick, concrete pavers, stone pavers, cement concrete, asphalt concrete or other similar hard surface acceptable to the city engineer for not less than 20 feet behind the public sidewalk or driveway approach, whichever results in the greater distance. This requirement may be waived by the city engineer for tree protection or other environmental considerations. (Ord. 02-2023 § 1(A), 2023).