Chapter 17.28 GENERAL DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS

Blocks shall not be longer than one thousand two hundred feet between intersecting street lines, except on arterial streets and thoroughfares where longer blocks may be required, unless justified because of topographic conditions, and then only upon approval of the planning commission. (Ord. 375 §8.1, 1965).

17.28.020 Pedestrian easements.

Graded pedestrian easements may be required through blocks where necessary to provide access to schools, parks, recreation areas and scenic easements. (Ord. 375 §8.2, 1965).

17.28.030 Utility easements.

Easements not less than five feet wide shall be dedicated on each side of all rear and side lot lines for poles, wires, conduits, drainage, sanitary sewers, gas and water mains, or other utilities. Easements of greater width may be required along lot lines, or across lots, where necessary for the expansion of main sewers and similar utilities. Easements of a lesser width may be allowed (or no easement required) by the county engineer when in his opinion, after review with the public utilities involved, a lesser width is justified. (Ord. 375 §8.301, 1965).

17.28.040 Fire protection equipment access easements.

In areas where, in the opinion of the agency responsible for local fire protection, there will be a fire hazard to the watershed or to any other properties, unobstructed fire protection equipment access easements, not less than fifteen feet wide, shall be provided from the subdivision road to the subdivision boundary. The agency responsible for local fire protection shall recommend to the planning commission regarding the location, design and grading of such easements. The location, design and grading shall be as found necessary by the planning commission. (Ord. 375 §8.302, 1965).

17.28.050 Watercourses and storm drains.

Watercourses shall be shown as easements, and storm drains shall be placed in easements when public right-of-way is not available or adequate. The planning commission, on the recommendation of the county engineer, may require watercourses to be placed entirely in underground conduits or adequately fenced, or otherwise improved. (Ord. 375 §8.303, 1965).

17.28.060 Easements.

Easements established pursuant to this title shall be located along lot lines. Lots shall be designed so that existing easements shall be located along lot lines unless said easements are relocated so that they are along lot lines. Easements for public overhead electric power transmission lines designed to carry twenty-one thousand volts or more are excluded from these requirements. (Ord. 586 §2, 1977: Ord. 573 §6, 1977).

17.28.062 Deduction of certain easements from area of lots.

For the purpose of computing the minimum allowable lot size as set forth in all parts of this code and in the general plan, all areas covered by the following proposed or existing easements in which the public does or may benefit, except for the public easements excluded from the requirements of Section 17.28.060, which public easements are also excluded from the requirements of this section, shall be deducted for said lot’s gross parcel size.

A. In lots of a size of less than five gross acres, the area of said easements in excess of ten feet in width;

B. In lots of a size of five gross acres or more, the area of said easements in excess of ten feet in width if the area covered by the width of said easements in excess of ten feet exceeds ten percent of the gross size of said lot. (Ord. 586 §4, 1977: Ord. 573 §7, 1977).

17.28.064 Required average depth to width ratio of all lots under twenty acres.

The average depth of each lot under twenty acres in size shall be not more than three times the average width. (Ord. 573 §8, 1976).

17.28.070 Metal monuments.

Durable metal monuments approved by the county engineer shall be installed or referenced to the following locations:

A. Boundary corners;

B. At intervals of not more than five hundred feet along boundary lines;

C. At the beginning and ending of property line curves or P.I. at discretion of county engineer;

D. Lot corners, and in addition, set a lead and tack in the sidewalk on the prolongation of the side lot lines. (Ord. 375 §8.5, 1965).

17.28.080 Lots to abut street.

All lots shall abut on a street approved as a deep lot subdivision by the planning commission, under policies adopted by said planning commission. (Ord. 375 §8.6, 1965).

17.28.090 Building setback line.

Unless other setbacks and yards are required by applicable zoning regulations, all lots shall show a building setback line (B.S.B.L.) of not less than twenty-five feet from the front line, and of not less than twelve and one-half feet from the side lot line adjacent to any street or road. (Ord. 375 §8.7, 1965).

17.28.100 Existing streets.

Existing streets shall be continued as required by the planning commission. (Ord. 375 §8.801, 1965).

17.28.110 Street stubs.

Street stubs shall be required to adjacent unsubdivided property where, in the opinion of the planning commission, they are necessary. A satisfactory temporary turn-around may be required. (Ord. 375 §8.802, 1965).

17.28.120 Street intersection.

Streets shall intersect at as near right angles as is practicable. Radius of curvature, where the property lines intersect, shall be a minimum of ten feet, except at arterials and collectors, twenty feet. (Ord. 375 §8.803, 1965).

17.28.130 Three-way intersections.

"T" or three-way intersections are preferable to four-way intersections, but the centerlines of any two streets intersecting a common street shall be separated by not less than two hundred feet. (Ord. 375 §8.804, 1965).

17.28.140 Reserve strips.

Reserve strips, where required to control access over certain lot lines or over the ends of street stubs, shall be dedicated to the county. (Ord. 375 §8.805, 1965).

17.28.150 Alleys.

Alleys with a minimum width of twenty feet shall be required in industrial, commercial and in multiple family areas where necessary to control access to thoroughfares and major streets. (Ord. 375 §8.806, 1965).

17.28.160 Cul-de-sac and dead-end streets.

Cul-de-sac and dead-end streets shall be not longer than one thousand three hundred twenty feet. Each such street shall terminate in a turning area having a radius of not less than forty feet to property lines. Turning areas having a similar radius shall be required at intermediate points on any cul-de-sac or dead-end street having a length in excess of eight hundred feet. The county engineer may approve alternate turnaround designs. (Ord. 375 §8.807, 1965).

17.28.170 Street names.

Names for proposed new streets shall be approved by the planning department and shown on the tentative map. (Ord. 375 §8.808, 1965).

17.28.180 Streets--Conformance to master plan.

Streets shall conform, as to alignment and width to the official master plan for streets and highways of the county. (Ord. 375 §8.809, 1965).

17.28.190 Street connections.

Streets or roads in any proposed subdivision shall connect to a state highway, to a maintained county road, or to a road or right-of-way which meets the standards of this title as to design and improvement. (Ord. 1734 §5, 2014: Ord. 375 §8.810, 1965).

17.28.200 Street dedication--When required.

Streets or roads in any standard subdivision may be offered for dedication or remain as private roads at the option of the subdivider; provided, that where the planning commission finds any such street or road necessary for public use it shall require an offer of dedication, and full improvement as set forth in Chapters 17.40 through 17.48 of this code. (Ord. 375 §8.811, 1965).

17.28.210 Street dedication--Factors to be considered.

In making the finding "for public use" called for in Section 17.28.200, the planning commission may consider any or all of the following factors:

A. The fact that road, or roads, or any combination thereof, affords access to adjacent property which is not a part of the subdivision;

B. The location of the subdivision, the size and number of lots, utilities to be provided, and proposed use of lots;

C. The length of individual streets, and the number of lots abutting each street;

D. The relation of the proposed road pattern to existing road patterns and to the general plan for streets and highways. (Ord. 375 §8.812, 1965).

17.28.220 Private streets.

Streets intended for the exclusive use of lot owners in the subdivision, their licensees, visitors, tenants and servants, may be shown as private streets, provided:

A. Said streets are designed and improved according to the standards of this title;

B. Intent of private use shall be shown by provisions for keeping said streets physically closed to travel by the public at all times, or by adequate posting as a private street. (Ord. 375 §8.813, 1965).

17.28.230 School sites.

In accordance with the applicable provisions of state law, the subdivider may be required to set aside a parcel or parcels for acquisition as a school site or sites. (Ord. 375 §8.9, 1965).

17.28.240 Soil report.

In the case of every standard subdivision, the county engineer shall require a preliminary soil report, from a qualified soils laboratory or soils engineer, as specified in Section 17953 and following of the Health and Safety Code of the state. The report may be waived under the conditions specified in said code.

If required, a soil investigation shall be prepared and approved pursuant to said code. (Ord. 375 §8.10, 1965).

17.28.250 Lot sizes and design requirements.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title, the area, dimensions, and design of lots created by this title shall be in conformance with the area, dimension and design requirements as set forth in all titles of this code and in the applicable sections of the general plan. (Ord. 573 §9, 1976).

17.28.260 Provisions for lots not served by either approved water or sewage systems.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title, any lot which, at the time it is created by subdivision, is not served by either an approved public or mutual water supply system or public sewer system, and is to be developed with an individual water well and an individual septic system or other approved method of sewage disposal on the same lot or parcel, shall be of a size of not less than five gross acres. "Gross acres" means lot size without deduction for easements as set forth in Section 17.28.062. (Ord. 573 §10, 1976).

17.28.270 Division of land subject to Land Conservation Act Contracts.

No decision-making body in the county, which is empowered by law to permit the division of any parcel which is the subject of any Land Conservation Act contract, shall permit the division thereof unless the board of supervisors finds, after recommendation from the agricultural advisory committee and prior to the approval of said subdivision, that every parcel created by said subdivision shall comply with the requirements of Section 19.24.040, subsection "AG," subparagraph 8. (Ord. 596 §1, 1977).

For statutory provisions vesting control over subdivision design and improvement in the governing bodies of counties, see Bus. & Prof. Code §11525.