Tehachapi Municipal Code Ch. 17.28 Design Standards

Each subdivision and the map thereof shall conform to adopted city standards and to those contained in this chapter.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. The map shall show the sidelines of each street, the total width of each street, the width of the portion being dedicated, and the widths of existing dedications.

B. The widths and locations of adjacent streets and other public properties shall be shown.

C. If any street in the subdivision is a continuation, or approximately a continuation of an existing street, the conformity or the amount of nonconformity of such a street to such existing street shall be accurately shown.

D. Whenever the county surveyor or the city engineer has established the centerline of a street or alley, the data shall be shown on the final map.

E. All streets, as far as practicable, may be required to be in alignment with existing adjacent streets or their property projections and shall be in general conformity with the most advantageous development of the area affected by such subdivision.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

Each major arterial and major collector shall conform in width and alignment to those designated in the circulation element of the general plan.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

Each local collector street and all other streets in any subdivision, except major streets, shall have rights-of-way and paved widths of not less than those specified in city standards.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory future subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall extend to the boundary of the subdivided property and the resulting dead-end streets may be approved without turnarounds.

B. In all other cases, turnarounds having minimum rights-of-way radii of fifty feet, with curb radii of forty-five feet, shall be provided except where extraordinary conditions make a strict enforcement of this rule impracticable.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Any land intended to be a part of the ultimate width of a major highway, or any reservation thereof, lying along and adjacent to any boundary of the subdivision, shall have such a width as will conform to the lines shown on the circulation element of the general plan and adopted city standards.

B. Subject to all of the provisions of this title, any land intended to be a part of the ultimate width of a highway or street, other than any such major or secondary highway, or any reservation therefor, lying along and adjacent to any such boundary shall have a width not less than one-half of the full width required for any such highway or street by the provisions of subsection A of this section unless special conditions of alignment require some other width, except when the street has been determined to be a local street in which case the street shall have a right-of-way width of not less than sixty feet with a roadway of not less than forty feet.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. With approval of the advisory agency, any street, highway or way which is intended to be kept closed to public travel and posted as a private street shall be shown as a private street on the map. Such private street shall be permitted only on conditions which guarantee reasonable maintenance thereof in accordance with Section 17.36.020.

B. A plan and profile of any such street as required by Section 17.32.060 must accompany said final tract or parcel map. Private streets shall be shown on the maps as separate lots or parcels.

C. Where the subdivider files a final tract map or final parcel map, private streets may, with the approval of the city engineer, deviate from the requirement prescribed by this title for public streets.

D. All private streets within the city must be posted as private streets by the subdivider. Each such street shall be named and names shall be subject to planning commission approval.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Any highway or street intersecting any other highway or street shall intersect at an angle as near a right angle as is practicable.

B. At street intersections which include major highways, intersecting at an angle of approximately ninety degrees, the block corner shall be rounded at the property line by a radius of not less than thirty feet.

C. At intersections of other streets, the radius shall not be less than twenty feet.

D. An optional method of a diagonal cutoff may be used; provided, that the dimensions thereof do not reduce the visibility, sidewalk width or curb radius obtained by the methods specified above.

E. The curb radius may be required to conform to the radius of existing corners at the same intersection where such radius is greater than twenty feet.

F. Streets intersecting at an angle other than ninety degrees shall have sufficient radius or cut-off to provide the same results as to traffic movement, visibility and design as provided by the foregoing requirements of this section.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

The centerline curve radii on all streets and highways shall conform to city standards of design and shall be subject to approval by the city engineer.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

Street and highway grades shall conform to city standards.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Alleys twenty feet in width, or other adequate off-street loading facilities, may be required by the city engineer in the rear of all lots used or intended to be used for commercial, industrial and high density residential purposes.

B. The city engineer shall determine the corner cutoff required wherever an alley intersects a street. Where two alleys intersect, a corner cutoff of not less than ten feet measured from the point of intersection along the sideline of the alley shall be required.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

The street and alley arrangement shall be such as the advisory agency, in the exercise of its sound discretion, may determine will cause no undue hardship to owners of adjoining property when they subdivide their land, and adequate and convenient access to adjoining property shall be required.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

Each street or way which is to be dedicated, which is a continuation of, or approximately the continuation of, any existing dedicated street or way shall be shown on the tentative map and shall be given the same name as such existing street or way. The proposed name of each other street or way shown on the tentative map shall be submitted to the advisory agency for its approval, and if such name is not a duplication of or so nearly the same as to cause confusion with the name of any existing street or way located in the city, or in close proximity thereto, and if such name is appropriate for a street name, such name shall be approved. When any such street or way forms a portion of any proposed street or way ordered by the city council to be surveyed, opened, widened or improved, and in such order a name therefor is assigned or designated, the name of such street or way shown on the map shall be the same as the name contained in said order.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Normally, utility distribution lines shall be placed underground within the public right-of-way. On all public streets less than sixty feet in width, the advisory agency may require additional utility easements adjacent to the outside of the public right-of-way line. Normally, a six-foot by six-foot public utility easement for equipment enclosure shall be required adjacent to each lot sideline and street right-of-way line intersection, excepting corner lots.

B. The sidelines of all easements shall be shown by fine dotted lines. If any easement already of record cannot be definitely located, a statement of its existence, nature, and recorded reference must appear on the title sheet. Distances and bearing on the sidelines of lots which are cut by an easement must be arrowed or so shown that the map will indicate clearly the actual lengths of the lot lines. The widths of all easements and sufficient ties thereto definitely to locate the same with respect to the subdivision must be shown. All easements must be clearly labeled and identified; if an easement shown on the map is already of record, its recorded reference must be given. If an easement is being dedicated by the map, it shall be set out in the owner's certificate of dedication. All notes and figures pertaining to easements shall be considerably smaller and lighter than those relating to the subdivision itself.

C. The city may require the subdivider to remove any trees or brush lying within an easement or right-of-way. The subdivider shall be required to remove or trim trees or brush lying within the easements or rights-of-way over which utilities are to be constructed, when such trees or brush interfere with the construction of such utility lines, and in a manner satisfactory to the utilities concerned.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. The term "obstruction" as used in this section means any obstruction of whatever kind or nature and shall include, but not be limited to, structures, power poles, telephone or telegraphic poles and appurtenances, pipelines, conduits and canals. Obstructions shall be relocated and/or removed as provided below. This shall include, but is not limited to, the quitclaim or subordination of rights to the city by all interest and easement holders having the right to place facilities or otherwise obstruct the free use of the road right-of-way or alternative arrangement acceptable to the city engineer. Where major facilities exist, a common use agreement may be allowed when determined appropriate by the city engineer.

1. All obstructions shall be removed from the streets, roadways or rights-of-way dedicated in the final map of a subdivision or which are deeded to the city in connection therewith which, in the determination of the city engineer, interfere with the use thereof or constitute a dangerous or hazardous condition to the traveling public.

2. All obstructions shall be removed which are located within existing county, state, or city streets or roadways lying immediately adjacent to streets, roadways or rights-of-way which are dedicated in the final subdivision map or which are deeded by the subdivider to the city in connection therewith and which obstructions, in the determination of the city engineer, interfere with the use of said existing county, state or city streets or roadways, or constitute a dangerous or hazardous condition to the traveling public.

3. Said obstructions shall be relocated without expense to the city to such locations as shall be specified by the city engineer on or in the approved plans and profiles for the subdivision.

4. It shall be the responsibility of the subdivider to contact the utility companies or other owners of said obstructions to advise them of proposed improvements, and make direct arrangements for the relocation of and compensation for the cost of relocating any conflicting obstructions. Evidence of such completed arrangements shall be presented by the subdivider to the city engineer prior to the final approval of the subdivision plans by the city.

B. Final acceptance of the tract shall be contingent upon the subdivider providing within and/or outside the tract, drainage disposal facilities, methods or easements as required to receive or dispose of stormwater. Said facilities, methods, or easements shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer. Unless diversion of water is required to conform to a comprehensive drainage plan, offsite water shall be allowed to flow through the tract and shall be received and discharged at the locations which existed prior to development and as nearly as possible in the manner which existed prior to development.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Block Lengths. Blocks shall not exceed one thousand feet in length between street lines, except where approved by the advisory agency.

B. Block Width. Except as otherwise approved by the advisory agency, the width of each block shall be sufficient for an ultimate layout of two tiers of lots therein of a size required by the provisions of this title.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Lot Sizes. All residential lots shall have a minimum average street frontage of seventy feet and a net area of eight thousand square feet.

If, in the opinion of the advisory agency, lots of lesser area or lesser width will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements of the other owners of property, it may vary said requirements and, in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this title, may approve lots of lesser area which shall be subject to approval of a modification therefor under Section 17.12.100.

B. Lot Depth. The minimum depth for residential lots shall be sufficient to permit full conformity with the yard and setback requirements of Title 18; provided, however, lesser depths may be approved by the advisory agency subject to approval by the advisory agency and as provided under Title 18.

C. Lot Lines. The sidelines of all lots, so far as practicable, shall be at right angles to the street which the lot faces, or radial or approximately radial if the street is curved.

D. Divided Lots. No lot shall be divided by a city boundary line, nor any boundary line between registered (Torrens Title) and unregistered land, nor any boundary line between parcels of registered land under separate ownership. Each such boundary line shall be made a lot line.

E. Double Frontage Lots. Double frontage lots having a depth less than two hundred forty feet will not be approved except where, as determined by the advisory agency, topographical conditions permit no other reasonable form of platting, or where land abuts a major street and the advisory agency deems it to be reasonable due to such controlling factors as traffic, safety, appearance and setback. Each such lot shall have a six-foot high masonry wall, (the height shall be measured from whichever side of the wall the adjacent grade is higher) with landscaping (on the exterior side) installed by the subdivider adjacent to the rear property line or, where the wall and landscaping are to be maintained by a homeowners' association or maintenance district, on an adjacent common lot or within the street right-of-way. Conceptual wall and landscaping plans shall be reviewed and approved by the advisory agency prior to filing of any final tract or final parcel map.

F. Lot Numbers. Lot numbers shall begin with the numeral "1" and shall continue consecutively throughout the tract, with no omissions or duplications, and no block number shall be used. Letters may be used to designate non-buildable lots.

G. Lot Dimensions. Dimensions of all lot lines shall be shown. No ditto marks shall be used on any final tract or final parcel map. All maps shall show the area of each irregular (nonrectangular) lot.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

Reserve strips controlling the access to streets or other public rights-of-way from adjoining property will not be approved unless such strips are necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights and the control and disposal of the land comprising such strips are placed definitely within the jurisdiction of the city under conditions approved by the advisory agency.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)

A. Each lot or parcel of subdivision shall be provided with approved vehicular access improved to city standards to a street or highway improved and maintained by a public agency or connecting thereto directly or indirectly by means of access which has been approved by the advisory agency. Such access may be established by recordation of a covenant of easement in accordance with Section 65870 of the Government Code and may be released by direction of the Planning Commission, following a public hearing thereon, after the applicant seeking release has paid the fee therefor set by city council resolution.

B. Access shall conform to the applicable provisions of Chapter 17.40.

(Ord. 90-13-575 § 1(part), 1990)