Ventura Municipal Code Ch. 26.200 Design Criteria and Improvement Standards

Each subdivision or land division and the improvement plans thereof shall be so designed that they substantially conform to the general plan and with all applicable design standards and conditions, the city’s grading ordinance, and the provisions of this chapter. (Code 1971, § 8231)

All streets shall have a minimum width of 52 feet and roadway width of 36 feet. Lesser width may be permitted by the city engineer, in accordance with the city’s hillside policy, if the street is located in a “hillside area,” or where other conditions make greater width impractical.

Subdivision streets which are indicated as arterial or collector streets on the select system map and/or the general plan shall substantially conform to the locations so designated thereon for such streets. (Code 1971, § 8231.1)

Grades of all streets shall be as flat as consistent with adequate surface drainage requirements and the proper development of the abutting property. The minimum grade permitted shall be four-tenths of one percent, except in extremely flat areas where a flatter grade may be used if approved by the city engineer. The maximum grade permitted for arterials shall be six percent, for collectors 10 percent, and for local streets 15 percent. Variations from these requirements may be granted in “hillside areas” in accordance with the hillside development policy upon the approval of the city engineer.

Changes in grade greater than five-tenths of one percent shall be connected by vertical curves and shall conform to standards of sight distance and riding qualities established by the city engineer. (Code 1971, § 8231.2)

The centerline radius of curves shall conform with the following minimum lengths:

Arterial streets – 1,000 feet.

Collector streets – 500 feet.

Local streets – 250 feet.

Variations from these requirements may be allowed upon approval by the city engineer. In “hillside areas,” horizontal curves shall conform to the special standards of the hillside development policy.

All reversing curves shall be connected by tangents of length approved by the city engineer. (Code 1971, § 8231.3)

Streets shall intersect as near to perpendicular as possible and the angle of intersection shall not be less than 70 degrees. If either or both of the intersecting streets are curved, the centerline of said streets shall become tangent through the intersection starting from at least the beginning of the corner return. Unless otherwise approved by the city engineer, the center lines of any two streets entering upon opposite sides of an intersection shall meet at a point or shall be separated by not less than 200 feet. Multiple intersections of more than four approaches shall not be permitted. (Code 1971, § 8231.4)

Alleys shall not be less than 20 feet in width. Alleys serving industrial zones shall be 30 feet wide, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer. All dead-end alleys shall be provided with adequate turning areas. Whenever practical, alleys shall be required at the rear of all residential lots which front on limited access streets. Alleys may also be required at the rear of lots used for commercial purposes or for multiple residential use. Where two alleys intersect, a triangular corner cut-off or radius shall be provided in a manner acceptable to the city engineer. (Code 1971, § 8231.5)

At all block corners the property line shall be rounded. On all arterial and collector streets, the property line corners shall have a 25-foot radius curve and on all other streets, a 15-foot radius curve. In industrial zones, property line corner returns shall have a minimum radius of 25 feet. (Code 1971, § 8231.6)

Where cul-de-sac streets are approved, they shall be terminated by a turning area within a minimum property line radius of 50 feet and they shall not exceed 400 feet in length, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer. (Code 1971, § 8231.7)

Easements for public utilities, cable television, water system, sanitary sewer, street lights, storm drains or flood control channels, and slope rights shall be provided by the developer whenever determined necessary by the city engineer. This section does not preclude a public utility from obtaining its own easements. (Code 1971, § 8231.8)

Blocks shall not exceed 1,700 feet in length, except where topographical conditions or existing street patterns, as determined by the city engineer, require longer or shorter blocks. (Code 1971, § 8231.9)

All streets proposed, which are the continuation of or approximate continuation of existing streets, shall be given the same names as the existing streets. The names of all other proposed streets within the city shall be selected from the list of street names established by the planning commission. (Code 1971, § 8231.10)

Every lot shall have a minimum width and area to comply with the requirements specified in this code. In the determination of lot depths consideration shall be given to surrounding conditions, existing adjacent development and good design standards. In determining the permissible lot size area, all public utility transmission line easements and storm drain and sanitary sewer easements, which cause restrictions to the use of the lot area, shall be required to be excluded even though such easements are included in the lot design. (Code 1971, § 8231.11)

The side lines of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at right angles to the street which the lot faces, or radial, or approximately radial if the street is curved. However, deviation from this standard may be permitted for hillside development or in other special circumstances. (Code 1971, § 8231.12)

Storm drains shall be designed to conform with standards approved by the city engineer and shall be required when the calculated runoff from a storm of 10-year frequency will flow in the streets at a depth greater than to the top of the curb. The general standards for storm drain design shall include, but not be limited to, the following requirements:

A. In areas without sumps, storm drains shall be designed to remove all runoff from a 10-year frequency.

B. In sump areas, storm drains shall be designed to remove all runoff from a storm of a 50-year frequency. In cases of question, the city engineer shall determine if a sump condition exists.

C. Storm drains shall be of sufficient size in all cases to prevent flooding of building sites during a storm of a 50-year frequency.

D. For streets in hillside areas and for streets where the grade exceeds 10 percent, the maximum depth of water during a 50-year frequency storm shall be curb height.

E. The design of subdivisions, or land divisions, adjacent to water courses which are included in the comprehensive plan of the Ventura County flood control district shall be subject to the approval and conditions of the district with respect to flood hazard. (Code 1971, § 8231.13)

All public streets, alleys and pedestrian ways shall be lighted in a manner acceptable to the city engineer. An electric energy fee based on the estimated cost of electricity for the lighting for the period from the date when the lights are energized, until the following July 1st shall be paid to the city by the developer. (Code 1971, § 8231.14)

The street and alley design shall be such as to cause no undue hardship to adjoining property. An adequate and convenient access to adjoining property for use in later development shall also be required. (Code 1971, § 8231.15)

Utility lines, including, but not limited to, those required for gas, electric, communication, cable television service, and street lighting necessary for the general use of the lot owners in the subdivision, or land division, shall be installed and guaranteed to be installed.

All such utility lines, including service connections and appurtenant equipment with the exception of telephone access points, shall be placed underground; provided, however, that appurtenant equipment such as transformers may be placed above ground in areas where groundwater will cause an adverse effect, when approved by the city engineer. Both transformers and access points must be placed so as to safeguard the public against any hazard created by said equipment, and to preserve good neighborhood appearance. This requirement does not apply to utility transmission 33 kV or greater and/or toll lines which will not be used for the benefit of property within a subdivision or land division. The requirement may also be waived by the city engineer wherever, due to adverse conditions, it would cause undue hardship.

All utilities to be installed shall be placed within the street, alley or walkway dedication or in easements obtained by the utility company adjacent thereto as approved by the city engineer. The city engineer may allow deviations from this requirement when compliance is deemed impractical, or where any conflicting paramount laws would allow such deviation.

The subdivider shall make all necessary arrangements for underground installations and for relocation of existing facilities with the utility companies involved. The subdivider shall allow cable television service to be installed underground by the cable television franchisee for the area, at the expense of the cable television company, and in that connection, shall allow the company to utilize the open trench, if any, at the time other utilities are being installed. (Code 1971, § 8231.16)

All wells shall be abandoned by sealing in a manner satisfactory to the city engineer. The locations of such wells shall be delineated on the final map or parcel map and well logs, if available, shall be submitted with the map. (Code 1971, § 8231.17)

A. Requirements. Payment of fees for purposes of defraying the actual or estimated cost of constructing bridges or major thoroughfares may be required as a condition of approval of a final subdivision map or as a condition of issuing a building permit, subject to the following conditions:

1. The planned bridges or major thoroughfares shall be consistent with the adopted circulation element of the city’s general plan and/or the comprehensive plan for flood control channels as applicable.

2. A public hearing shall be held by the city council for each area benefited by the planned bridges or major thoroughfares. Notice shall be given pursuant to Section 65905 of the Government Code. In addition to the requirements of Section 65905 of the Government Code, such notice shall contain preliminary information relating to the boundaries of the area of benefit, estimated cost and the method of fee apportionment. The area of benefit may include land or improvements in addition to the land or improvements which are the subject of the subdivision map or building permit application considered at such proceedings.

3. At the public hearing, the boundaries of the area of benefit, the costs whether actual or estimated, and a fair method of allocation of costs to the area of benefit and of fee apportionment shall be established. The method of fee apportionment, in the case of major thoroughfares, shall not provide for higher fees for land which abuts the proposed improvement except where the abutting property is provided direct usable access to the major thoroughfares. A description of the boundaries of the area of benefit, the costs, whether actual or estimated, and the method of fee apportionment established at the hearing shall be incorporated in a resolution of the governing body, a certified copy of which shall be recorded by the city clerk with the recorder of the county in which the area of benefit is located. Such apportioned fees shall be applicable to all property within the area of benefit and shall be payable as a condition of approval of a final subdivision map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for such property or portions thereof. Where the area of benefit includes lands not subject to the payment of fees pursuant to this section, the city council, or its designated agent, shall make provisions for payment of the share of improvement costs apportioned to such lands from other sources.

4. Payment of fees shall not be required unless the major thoroughfare is in addition to, or a reconstruction of, major thoroughfares servicing the area at the time of the adoption of the boundaries of the area of benefit.

5. Payment of fees shall not be required unless the planned bridge facility is an original bridge serving the area or an addition to any existing bridge facility serving the area at the time of the adoption of the boundaries of the area of benefit. Such fees shall not be expended to reimburse the cost of existing bridge facility construction.

6. If written protests are filed with the city clerk on or before the date of the public hearing by the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited by the improvement, and sufficient protests are not withdrawn so as to reduce the area represented to less than one-half of that to be benefited, then the proposed proceeding shall be abandoned and city council shall not, for one year from the filing of that written protest, commence or carry on any proceedings for the same improvement or acquisition under the provisions of this section.

Nothing in this section shall preclude the processing and recordation of subdivision maps in accordance with other provisions if benefit area proceedings are abandoned.

Any protests may be withdrawn by the owner making the same in writing, at any time prior to the conclusion of a public hearing held pursuant to this section.

If any majority protest is directed against only a portion of the improvement, then all further proceedings under the provisions of this chapter to construct that portion of the improvement so protested against shall be barred for a period of one year, but the city council shall not be barred from commencing new proceedings not including any part of the improvement or acquisition so protested against. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the city council, within such one-year period, from commencing and carrying on new proceedings for the construction of a portion of the improvement so protested against, if it finds, by the affirmative vote of six of its members, that the owners of the majority of the property within the area of benefit are in favor of going forward with such portion of the improvement or acquisition.

B. Administration of Fees. Required fees shall be deposited in a planned bridge facility or major thoroughfare fund. A separate fund shall be established for each planned bridge facility or major thoroughfare project. If the benefit area is one in which more than one bridge is required to be constructed, a fund may be established covering all of the bridge projects in the benefit area. Moneys in such fund shall be expended solely for the construction or reimbursement for construction of the improvement serving the area to be benefited and from which the fees comprising the fund were collected, or to reimburse the city for the cost of constructing the improvement. The city may accept consideration in lieu of the payment of fees. Further, the city may advance money from its general fund or road fund to pay the cost of constructing the improvements and may reimburse the general fund or road fund for such advances from planned bridge facility or major thoroughfares funds established to finance the construction of such improvements. The city may incur interest-bearing indebtedness for the construction of bridge facilities or major thoroughfares; provided, that the sole security for repayment of such indebtedness shall be moneys in planned bridge facility or major thoroughfares funds. The term “construction” as used in this section includes design, acquisition of right-of-way, administration of construction contracts and actual construction.

C. Previous Benefit Areas. Any benefit area previously established by the city in substantial compliance with the terms of this section shall be deemed to have been established in accordance with this section without the necessity of any new or additional hearing or proceedings. (Code 1971, § 8231.18)