Printable PageChapter 5 Form District Regulations Part 8 Street and Roadside Design Standards Page 2 of 2

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  1. Traditional Form Districts (excluding Downtown Form District)

    Planning and installation of improvements shall be coordinated to ensure a consistent streetscape treatment within the traditional neighborhood. Improvements shall be installed on the same side of the street as and directly abutting the proposed development, depending on the type and intensity of development as follows:
    Verge - A strip or border with grass or landscaping that separates the sidewalk from the street.
    1. Street Trees
      1. Street trees shall be provided along the residentially zoned frontage of roadways classified as collector or arterial level streets. One street tree shall be planted per 50 feet of frontage, and planting shall meet the requirements of Section 10.2.8 and Chapter 10 Part 4. Street trees planted along any roadway shall be credited toward applicable tree canopy requirements.
        1. If an established verge or planting strip exists in the street right-of-way fronting adjacent lots, new street trees shall be planted within the existing verge. If a new street is being created, a verge that is at least five feet wide is required.
        2. For non-residential and mixed use developments or where heavy pedestrian traffic make a verge impractical, trees may be placed within a paved area that allows a minimum opening of 4 feet by 4 feet per tree and a minimum soil volume below the paved surface of 3.5 cubic yards per tree.
      2. Non-Residentially Zoned Developments

        Street trees planted in accordance with Section 10.2.8 shall be credited toward applicable tree canopy standards (Chapter 10 Part 1).
    2. Streetscape Master Plans. If an adopted streetscape master plan exists for the corridor within which a development is proposed, streetscape improvements shall be installed in accordance with the approved master plan.
    3. Underground utilities. Proposed developments that create new streets shall place utility lines underground. Compatible lines (e.g., electric, phone, cable) shall be placed in a common trench. In the alternative, overhead utility lines placed along the rear property lines of parcels along new streets are permitted.
  2. Downtown Form District
    1. Streetscape standards have been established to create an attractive and animated sidewalk environment and to permit safe and efficient pedestrian movement. Planning and installation of improvements shall be coordinated to ensure a well-designed and unified streetscape treatment within the Downtown Form District. Streetscape elements provided as Part of the development shall conform to those specified in the master plan along those corridors for which a plan has been adopted. All other streetscape elements shall conform to the following standards:
      1. Street Trees
        1. Street trees shall be selected and placed with the approval of the Works Department urban forestry staff. If the sidewalk width, utility locations or similar conditions make it impractical to install street trees, the Director of Works may waive the requirement for street tree planting or unobstructed sidewalk width.
        2. Street trees shall be planted in accordance with Chapter 10 Part 4 (Tree Canopy and Landscaping - Implementation Standards) of the Land Development Code. Where required, tree grates or raised planters shall be provided with a minimum area of 4’ x 4’ per tree and a minimum soil volume below the paved surface of 3.5 cubic yards per tr
      2. Planting Zones

        If an established verge exists in the street right-of-way fronting adjacent lots, the verge shall be continued along the frontage of the proposed development. Planting strips that interfere with existing underground utilities, vaults or other existing structures shall require approval from the Director of Works.
      3. Street Furnishings – The design of street furnishings including benches, news racks, postal/shipping drop-off boxes, telephone booths, and trash receptacles, etc., shall conform to Works Department standards.
        1. Street furnishings are not permitted at any location where the sidewalk is less than 84” wide and the pedestrian zone is less than 48” wide.
        2. Street furnishings shall be located at least 12” from the face of curb.
        3. Media Items– Media items shall include postal/shipping drop-off boxes, information kiosks, and telephone booths. Media items cannot be chained or affixed to public fixtures, except those specifically designed and designated to accommodate them.
      4. Lighting – Street lighting for public streets shall conform to Works Department standards.
      5. Underground Utilities – Underground utilities shall be provided for all development proposed within the Downtown Form District. Utility boxes shall be placed underground, along alleys, or shall be designed in a manner approved by the Director of Works.
Grid Street Pattern: a street system that creates similar size blocks and four-way intersections. Grid street pattern is common in older neighborhoods and traditional development forms. A standard grid pattern is characterized by straight streets, 90 degree intersections and rectangular blocks. In a modified grid, a connected system of curvilinear streets may replace the more formal grid pattern, to insure compatibility with adjacent development and to address physical features of the site.

5.8.4 Street Design

  1. Traditional Form Districts – Residential Development Only
    1. Street design and right-of-way requirements shall be consistent with the standards for Traditional Neighborhoods located in Chapter 6 Part 2 of this Development Code, with the following additional requirements:
      1. Connection with existing street network. Developments shall utilize and connect with existing street networks where available. Where an existing or planned network of streets does not exist, a standard or modified grid street pattern shall be provided.
      2. Alleys. Vehicles shall have access through existing alleys. Underutilized alleys, or those in disrepair, shall be repaired in conjunction with new development for the length of the development site’s frontage on the alley as a means of encouraging future use unless the Public Works and Planning Directors jointly determine this is infeasible
      3. Cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sacs may be permitted only where special circumstances preclude through street connection. Such circumstances include:
        1. Where natural features exist that are not practical to traverse (e.g., wetlands, steep slopes) or are not desirable to remove (e.g., wooded areas).
        2. Where connection to the next street is blocked by existing permanent structures, an existing or proposed expressway or limited access highway, or protected open space area.
        3. If a cul-de-sac is permitted, it shall contain a planting island at its terminus with an outside edge of pavement radius of at least 40 feet.
      4. Preferred Street Designs

        The following alternative street designs are preferred to cul-de-sacs and shall be permitted where appropriate to supplement the more formal grid pattern according to the following standards
        1. Eyebrow. An eyebrow is a semicircular shaped road with a central planting island extended from the local road and provides a through connection to the local road.

          Each eyebrow shall be surrounded by streets on all sides, shall be generally configured as a semi-circle, and shall be configured so that a circle with a radius of 30 feet can fit within the confines of the eyebrow. The central space within the eyebrow shall be planted with natural vegetation such as trees, shrubs, and/or groundcover to absorb stormwater runoff.
        2. Loop Lane. A loop lane is a continuous road (minimum pavement width of 18 feet and 30 feet right-of-way) with two access points from an adjacent road, separated by a central open space/planting island.

          Loop lanes shall have a minimum 50 foot outside edge of pavement turning radius and a minimum 25 foot wide central planting island. The island shall be a landscaped open space.
        3. Pedestrian Court. See B.1.b iii. below.



      5. Alternate Street Designs. Alternative street designs not included above may be appropriate if a) consistent with the pattern of development in adjacent traditional neighborhoods, b) due to unique physical or environmental features, or c) due to innovative housing designs. Alternate street designs shall meet applicable AASHTO standards for pavement widths and turning radii.
  2. Suburban Form Districts – Residential Development Only
    1. Street design and right-of-way requirements shall be consistent with the standards for Neighborhoods located in Chapter 6 of this Development Code, with the following additional requirements:
      1. Cul-de-sacs – Cul-de-sacs are permitted if less than 1,500 feet in length, measured from the nearest intersecting street (eyebrows and loop lanes do not qualify as streets for measurement purposes). Longer cul-de-sacs may be permitted if the Planning Commission finds that one of the following special circumstances applies:
        1. Where natural features exist that are not practical to traverse (e.g., wetlands, steep slopes) or are not desirable to remove (e.g., wooded areas); or
        2. Where connection to the next street is blocked by existing permanent structures, an existing or proposed expressway or limited access highway, or protected open space area.
      2. Alternative Street Designs

        The following alternative street designs are preferred to cul-de-sacs and shall be permitted in all residential developments according to the following standards:
        1. Eyebrow – a semicircular shaped road with a central island extended from the local road that provides a through connection to the local road.

          Each eyebrow shall be surrounded by streets on all sides, shall be generally configured as a semi-circle, and shall be configured so that a circle with a radius of 30 feet can fit within the confines of the eyebrow. The central space within the eyebrow shall be a landscaped open space.
        2. Loop Lane – a continuous road (minimum pavement width of 18 feet and 30 feet of right-of-way) with two access points from an adjacent road, separated by a central open space/planting island.

          Loop lanes shall have a minimum 50 foot outside edge of pavement and a minimum 30 foot wide central planting island. The island shall be a landscaped open space.
        3. Pedestrian Court – houses face a central open space with walkways; vehicular access to building sites is provided by alleys or service drives only. Pedestrian courts shall not exceed 200 feet in length, measured from the nearest intersecting street, alley or service drive open to vehicular traffic.

          All residential structures on a pedestrian court shall face a landscaped common open space at least 20 feet wide, in addition to the front yard required in Table 5.3.1. The yard abutting the pedestrian court shall be considered the front yard. Street trees shall be planted in accordance with Section 10.2.8.
        4. Alternate street designs not included above may be appropriate if a) consistent with the pattern of development inadjacent neighborhood, b) due to unique physical orenvironmental features, or c) due to innovative housing designs.
           
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