Watsonville Municipal Code Art. 2 Design Standards

All improvements shall conform to the public improvement standards, standard specifications, designs and details as prepared and approved by the City Engineer, or in the event no official or standard plan, specification, design, detail or regulation has been adopted by the City regarding the installation of a particular improvement, then the improvement shall conform to the plan, specification, design, detail or regulation then set forth by the City Engineer and approved by the City Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

Stormwater runoff from the subdivision shall be managed in accordance with the City’s stormwater management plan and stormwater land development standards, including all other applicable City development standards.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

Blocks shall have sufficient width for an ultimate layout of two rows of lots therein of the size required by the provisions herein and in Title 14, unless the surrounding layout or lines of ownership justify or require a variation from this requirement.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

Blocks shall not exceed six hundred (600') feet in length between street lines except when a longer block length is approved by the City Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The size, shape, and orientation of lots shall be appropriate to the location of the proposed subdivision and to the type of development contemplated. The following policies and standards shall be observed:

(a) The minimum area and dimensions of all lots shall conform to the requirements of Title 14 for the district in which the subdivision is located.

(b) The side lines of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at right angles to the street upon which the lot faces, or approximately radial to the center of curvature if such street is curved. Side lines of lots shall be approximately radial to the center of curvature of a cul-de-sac on which the lot faces. Cul de sac lots shall have a street frontage of no less than thirty (30') feet.

(c) Lots shall have a street frontage as specified in Title 14.

(d) Lots shall have a width as specified in Title 14.

(e) Corner lots for residential use shall be platted wider than interior lots in order to permit conformance with the required street side yard requirements of Title 14.

(f) Remnants of property shall not be left in the subdivision which do not conform with lot requirements or are not required for a private or public utility purpose.

(g) Flag lots may be permitted within residential subdivisions where warranted by unusual size and shape of parcels. The narrow strip of land or flag connecting the main portion of the lot to the street shall be twenty (20') feet or greater in width and shall provide adequate vehicle access and room for turnaround. The area of the flag shall not be counted when determining if the lot area meets the minimum prescribed in the zoning district.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The street pattern in the subdivision shall be in general conformity with a plan for the most advantageous development of adjoining areas and the entire neighborhood or district. The following principles shall be observed:

(a) Where appropriate to the design, proposed streets shall be continuous and in alignment with existing, planned, or platted streets with which they are to connect. The centerlines of streets not in alignment shall be offset at least two hundred fifty (250') feet. Four (4) way intersections shall be held to a minimum consistent with good traffic circulation.

(b) Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the land to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless, in the opinion of the City Engineer, such extension is not necessary for the coordination of the subdivision with the existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.

(c) In the case of stub-end streets extending to the boundary of the property, a one (1') foot nonaccess strip shall be provided at the end of such stub-end street. This strip shall be shown on the final or parcel map and offered for dedication to the City. Where required by the City Engineer, a temporary turnaround or a temporary connection to another street shall be provided by the subdivider.

(d) Proposed streets shall intersect one another as nearly at right angles as topography and other limiting factors of good design permit.

(e) Excessively long straight residential streets shall be discouraged. Local residential streets shall be designed for volumes of five hundred (500) to eight hundred (800) vehicles or less per day and residential collector streets for volumes less than three thousand (3,000) vehicles per day.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The design of a dead end street (cul-de-sac) shall include adequate provisions for drainage and for a turnaround at the end of the street. The turning circle and right of way radii for cul-de-sacs shall conform to the City of Watsonville public improvement standards. Dead end streets (cul-de-sacs) shall not exceed a length of seven hundred (700') feet in residential zoning districts measured from the center of the turning circle to the intersection of the street centerline, unless topography or other special conditions warrant a longer street, and approval of such longer street is granted by the City Engineer and the City Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

Grades, curves, and sight distances shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer, to ensure proper drainage and safety for vehicles and pedestrians. The following policies and minimum standards shall be observed:

(a) Grades of streets shall be as determined by the City Engineer.

(b) At street intersections, the face of curb at a street corner (curb returns) shall be rounded by an arc, the radius of which shall be ten (10') feet for residential subdivisions, larger radii for industrial and commercial subdivisions appropriate for the intended use or as directed by the City Engineer.

(c) The radii of curvature shall not normally be less than four hundred (400') feet on the centerline of arterials, nor less than one hundred (100') feet on the centerline of collector or minor residential streets, or as otherwise approved by the City Engineer.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The following policies and standards shall apply to the design and installation of curbs, sidewalks, and pedestrian ways:

(a) Curbs and gutters shall be required in all subdivisions.

(b) Sidewalks shall be required on both sides of the street for all subdivisions.

(c) When required for access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation facilities, other community facilities, or for unusually long blocks, pedestrian ways normally not less than ten (10') feet in width, provided with pavement not less than six (6') feet in width, may be required.

(d) Sidewalks shall be located within the street right-of-way in accordance with the standard plans adopted therefor.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

All divisions of land shall be designed in such a way as to include improved public rights-of-way for pedestrian and for bicycle movement. Such improved rights-of-way may be required to be separate from streets. The location and improvement of these rights-of-way shall be designed in such a way as to maximize (a) convenience of movement throughout the subdivision, (b) access to community facilities, and (c) safety of persons using said pedestrian ways and bikeways.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

Trees shall be planted along all streets and public ways included within and bordering divisions of land pursuant to the master street tree plan for the City and to the approval of the director of parks and recreation. The said trees shall be maintained by the subdivider or subsequent owners of said lots to which they relate.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

To the maximum extent practical existing trees with trunk calipers of six (6") inches or greater shall be retained by the subdivision design and shall be shown on the tentative map as trees to be preserved. Measures to protect such trees, meeting with the approval of the Community Director, shall be implemented during construction. Any trees designated for preservation and subsequently damaged or removed shall be replaced with the number, type and size as determined by the Community Development Director.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

In addition to compliance with building codes, zoning regulations and other codes or regulations in effect at the time of application, residential condominium design standards shall include the following:

(a) All public streets, driveways, facilities for drainage, and other utilities shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the public improvement standards in order to assure that access for municipal services is unimpeded.

(b) Each individual dwelling unit shall have its own utility service including individual water services and meters to each unit.

(c) The “City of Watsonville Residential Development Standards, Multifamily Condominium and Townhouse Projects” adopted and amended by the City Council from time to time shall serve as additional design standards, including but not limited to site layout, vehicle and pedestrian access, building height, yard area, landscaping, fencing, lighting, fire protection, and auditory privacy.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)