Chapter 5 Form District Regulations Part 8 Street and Roadside Design Standards Page 1 of 2

5.8.1 Streets and Sidewalk Standards

The following standards are applicable to all form districts. In addition, standards specific to a given form district may apply (listed in 5.8.1 C).

Streets/Alleys – Developments that create public and private streets or alleys shall connect with and provide for the future extension of the community’s street network.
1. Alleys – Existing back and side alleys shall be retained and used for public access into the development as an alternative means of vehicular, pedestrian and service access. Underused alleys or those in disrepair, as determined by the Director of Works, shall be repaired in conjunction with new development as a means of encouraging future use. Within traditional form districts, cases where no alley currently exists, the possibility of acquiring the needed land to create an alley should be explored. The Works Director or designee will determine which improvements are needed.
Sidewalks - All developments shall provide sidewalks in the abutting right-of-way to serve the development site (same side of street). Sidewalks shall be provided along all road frontages in accordance with Section 6.2.6. The minimum sidewalk width shall be four (4) feet for local level roads, and five (5) feet for collector and arterial level roadways. The Director of Works may require greater width or, for infill sidewalks connecting existing sidewalks of lesser width, may approve a sidewalk of lesser width upon finding that divergence from the five (5) foot standard is consistent with public safety. If sidewalks are present in the public right-of-way fronting adjacent lots, the location and alignment of the new sidewalk shall connect directly with this existing network.
1. Sidewalks shall be designed in such a manner that a walkway at least 4 feet wide or other dimension as approved by the Director of Works is left unobstructed.
2. Where the sidewalk along a public street is interrupted by a curb cut, the walkway across the driveway shall be delineated, to enhance pedestrian safety. The walkway may be delineated by striping or by use of contrasting pavement materials that meet ADA standards.
Form District Specific Requirements
1. Downtown Form District Sidewalks
  
  Sidewalks – Sidewalks shall be provided as Part of all developments, as follows:
  
  Sidewalks shall be constructed from the back of curb to the existing or newly created street wall.
  1. New sidewalks shall be extended to the adjacent lot lines. In the case of a corner lot, sidewalks shall be extended to the adjacent lot along each block face.
  2. Sidewalks shall be at least 84” wide measured from the face of curb to the building façade, shall include a pedestrian zone and a streetscape zone, and may include a storefront zone
    1. Pedestrian zone. The pedestrian zone is that portion of the sidewalk that is maintained free of any obstructions to allow for the passage of pedestrians. The pedestrian zone shall be at least 48 inches wide and shall not be shared with the streetscape or storefront zones. If the width of the pedestrian zone is less than five feet wide for more than 50 linear feet, passing spaces must be provided at intervals of no less than 200 feet apart and must provide an area of at least five feet by five feet to allow two wheelchairs to pass each other.
    2. Streetscape Zone – That portion of the sidewalk located between the curb line and the Pedestrian Zone in which the following elements are located, following authorization by the Public Works Department:
      - Street trees/grates, planting strips, raised planters
      - Street light standards
      - Street signs/pedestrian wayfinding signs
      - Transit stops
      - Media boxes
      - Postal/freight collection boxes
      - Parking meters
      - Utility boxes/public phones/ fire protection
      - Seating (with/without tables)
      - Trash receptacles
      - Public art/water feature
      - Bike racks
      The Streetscape Zone shall be at least 48” wide when trees are included.
    3. Storefront Zone – That portion of the sidewalk located between the pedestrian zone and the building facade in which the following elements are permitted, following authorization by the Public Works Department:
      - Seating (with/without tables)
      - Bollards
      - Recessed lighting for the building facade
      - Bike racks
      - Valet or hostess station/canopies
      - Temporary sale/display of merchandise
      - Moveable sandwich boards
      - Postal/freight collection boxes
      - Planters
  3. Sidewalks may be reduced to a minimum width of 5 feet when not immediately adjacent to a building (e.g., River Road) or 6 feet when adjacent to an alley and not providing primary access to a building.
    
    Overhead pedestrian walkways or pedways detract from a healthy, active street environment and are strongly discouraged.
  4. Special sidewalk pavement treatments shall only be permitted when Part of a streetscape plan for the full block face or, where interrupted by an alley, from street corner to the alley as approved by the Director of Works.
  5. Pedestrian walkways
    
    Overhead walkways or pedways that cross a public street or alley are only permitted following review and approval by the Planning Commission. All overhead walkways or pedways must provide public access at grade. No overhead walkway or pedway shall be permitted over public streets with a right-of-way greater than or equal to 50 feet within a designated Preservation District.
  6. If the width of the pedestrian zone of a sidewalk is less than five feet wide for more than a short distance, passing spaces must be provided at intervals of no less than 200 feet apart and must provide an area of at least five feet by five feet to allow two wheelchairs to pass each other.
Sidewalks in Traditional Marketplace Corridor Form District
1. Sidewalks
  1. All developments shall provide sidewalks constructed from the back of curb to the existing line of the right-of-way abutting the development site. New sidewalks shall be extended to the adjacent lot lines. In the case of a corner lot, sidewalks shall be extended to the adjacent lot along each block face.
  2. The width of the sidewalk shall be consistent with the prevailing pattern within the corridor. If there is not a prevailing pattern, the minimum sidewalk width shall be six feet and minimum of twelve feet is required in areas where there will be café seating or merchandise display.
  3. Sidewalks shall include a pedestrian zone and a streetscape zone, and may include a storefront zone as described in C.1.b, i, ii , iii above.

5.8.2 Greenway/Trail System

Where the property being developed is depicted in a legislatively adopted greenway/trail plan as the recommended location of a community access greenway/trail, an easement or other provisions for public access through the site shall be provided in accordance with the standards found in Chapter 10 Part 5. If the greenway/trail already has been constructed on the abutting property or if the proposed development falls under the category 3 threshold within the applicable form district, the greenway/trail shall be extended through the subject site at time of development of the site.

5.8.3 Streetscape

Suburban Form Districts

Planning and installation of improvements shall be coordinated to ensure a consistent streetscape treatment within the corridor. 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:

NOTE: Street trees (if mandatory or voluntary) receive a 25% bonus credit toward the tree canopy requirement; refer to 10.1.5.D.
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.
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).
3. Verge/ Planting Strips
  
  A verge or planting strip shall be provided between the edge of roadway curb and the edge of the sidewalk. Ground cover or low growing vegetation (Less than 2 feet in height at maturity) shall be established within the verge. The width of the verge shall be determined by the Director of Works. Where adequate right-of-way is available, the following widths are recommended:
  1. Arterial – minimum 15 feet wide
  2. Collector – minimum 10 feet wide
  3. Local Road – minimum 6 feet wide; for cul-de-sacs, 3 feet wide
4. Underground utilities – Proposed developments that create new streets shall place utility lines underground. Compatible lines (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.
5. 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.