Chapter 16.16 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Curbs and gutters shall be provided in conformity with the standards prescribed in Section 16.16.300. Where rolled curbs and gutters are used there shall be a transition to a vertical curb at all curb returns at intersections. (Ord. 424 § 400(B), 1967)

16.16.030 Sidewalks.

Sidewalks shall be provided in conformity with the standards prescribed in Section 16.16.300, and shall be constructed contiguous to the curb. (Ord. 424 § 400(C), 1967)

16.16.040 Planting strips.

Any space between the edge of the sidewalk and the right-of-way line, and any space between the pavement of a frontage street and the pavement of the adjacent major street, limited access highway or freeway, shall be reserved for planting and all purposes provided by law within street rights-of-way, subject to control by the city under its ordinances and regulations. (Ord. 424 § 400(D), 1967)

16.16.050 Curves and tangents.

Curved streets shall have center line radii of not less than the minimum standards prescribed in Section 16.16.300. Suitable tangents shall be used between all curves. (Ord. 424 § 400(E), 1967)

16.16.060 Grades.

Grades shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer. (Ord. 424 § 400(F), 1967)

16.16.070 Corners.

At street corners, the radii of right-of-way line connections shall be as follows:

A. At intersections involving one or more major, primary or secondary streets, not less than thirty feet;

B. At intersections involving unusual circumstances, such radii as may be required for the public safety;

C. At all other intersections, not less than twenty feet. (Ord. 424 § 400(G), 1967)

16.16.080 Intersections.

Street intersections shall be as near right angles as practicable and in no case shall the angle of intersection be less than sixty-five degrees. (Ord. 424 § 400(H),1967)

16.16.090 Alignment of streets at intersection.

Streets located on opposite sides of an intersecting street shall have their centerlines directly opposite each other where physically possible, and otherwise the centerlines shall be separated by at least one hundred fifty feet. (Ord. 424 § 400(1), 1967)

16.16.100 Alignment with existing streets.

Subdivision streets which constitute continuations of streets in contiguous territory shall be aligned so that their centerlines coincide where physically possible, and otherwise centerlines shall be continued by suitable curves. (Ord. 424 § 400(J), 1967)

16.16.110 Extension of streets to boundary lines.

A. Streets shall be extended directly to the boundary lines of the subdivision for the purposes of coordination and development of the existing and future street plans with respect to adjacent territory. (Also see Section 16.16.140.)

B. Where a street extends to a boundary line of the subdivision, unless there is an existing right-of-way for its continuation, there shall be provided a reserve strip one foot in width across the full width of the street and contiguous to the boundary line. (Ord. 424 § 400(K), 1967)

16.16.120 Streets located partly within subdivision.

A. Notwithstanding that a portion of any existing or proposed street may lie outside of the subdivision, the council shall have authority to establish the width and alignment of the same.

B. Where a portion of the proposed right-of-way for a street consists of an undedicated remainder outside of the subdivision, a reserve strip one foot in width shall be provided within the subdivision along all parts of such undedicated remainder.

C. The subdivider shall only be required to improve the portion of the street dedicated by him pursuant to this section, not including any such reserve strip.

D. If the centerline of a proposed street right-of-way will lie outside the subdivision, the subdivider shall nevertheless furnish sufficient additional right-of-way by means of a temporary additional easement, so that there shall be a temporary half street which, including the reserve strip, shall be at least half of the width of the ultimate proposed street right-of-way. Such temporary additional easement shall be abandoned for street purposes and revert to the adjoining property when the additional right-of-way outside of the subdivision has been acquired. The council shall have the discretion to permit the postponement of any required improvement within such temporary additional easement by an agreement secured by improvement security mentioned in Section 11612 of the Map Act, but such improvements shall be installed in any case not later than the date of acquisition of the additional right-of-way outside of the subdivision. (Ord. 424 § 400(L), 1967)

16.16.130 Cul-de-sacs.

A. Cul-de-sacs shall terminate in an area bounded by a right-of-way line lying on or outside of a circle with a radius of not less than fifty feet.

B. The length of a cul-de-sac shall not exceed five hundred feet, measured from the center of the circle mentioned in (A) above, to the closest right-of-way line of the connecting street, measured along the centerline of the cul-de-sac.

C. Dead end streets shall not be permitted, except where a street extends to a boundary line and it is determined that such street will be extended beyond the boundary of the subdivision within a reasonable time; in which case a temporary cul-de-sac may be required. (Ord. 424 § 400(M), 1967)

16.16.140 Limiting access to streets.

A. Where the public safety so requires, the council shall have the discretion to limit direct access between a subdivision and any contiguous, primary or major street by requiring interpositions of a limited access strip.

B. Where necessary for the general use of the lot owners in the subdivision or local neighborhood traffic, and for reasons of public safety, the council shall have the discretion to require a frontage street separating the subdivision from a limited access strip as mentioned in (A) above, or from a freeway or limited access highway. (Ord. 424 § 400(N), 1967)

16.16.150 Private streets and easements.

Streets, alleys and easements shown on the subdivision map which have not been dedicated for public use, and streets, alleys and easements so dedicated but not accepted, shall at the option of the subdivider either be improved or the subdivider shall agree to improve the same, in accordance with the standards established by any subdivision ordinance of the city as was applicable at the time of approval of the tentative map by the council, and such improvement or agreement to improve shall be a condition to approval of such final map by the council, and shall be subject to all of the provisions of Section 16.24.130(E), (F) and (G). (Ord. 424 § 400(0), 1967)

16.16.160 Street naming and numbers.

A. House numbers shall conform with Chapter 11.16 or any other official plan of house numbers of the city, or if none exists, then shall conform with the requirements of the council.

B. The naming of streets as shown on any subdivision map are subject to the following criteria:

1. The proponent of the subdivision map shall provide street names with the tentative tract map for approval by the Dinuba planning commission and city council.

2. In determining the appropriateness of any street name, the Dinuba planning commission and city council shall use the following criteria:

a. Street alignment (e.g., streets that align shall maintain the same name);

b. Places/features of the area (e.g., foothill, river, creekside);

c. Subdivision name;

d. Horticultural names (e.g., oak, elm, pine);

e. Persons (e.g., civic leaders, famous area person, national figures);

f. Historical events (e.g., Gettysburg, The Constitution);

g. Cities of significance (e.g., Uruapan, Rome, London).

3. Prior to the use of a person’s name for a street, there shall be a five-year waiting period after a person has left public office and/or a famous area person has received their notoriety.

C. Renaming Existing Streets.

1. Prior to the renaming of any existing streets by any interested party, there shall be conducted two public hearings. One public hearing shall be before the planning commission and the other public hearing before the city council.

2. In order to rename an existing street within the city, abutting the street and the proposed name change must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of those legal owners as shown on the most recent Tulare County assessor’s roll whose property is abutting the street which is subject of the name change.

3. After an existing street name has been changed, there shall be a transition period where the street will be double-signed for a period of time of no less than two years. (Ord. 99-2 § 1, 1999)

16.16.170 Alleys.

A. Alleys shall be required in all subdivisions located in R-3 multiple-family zones, commercial zones, and manufacturing zones, and subdivisions or parts thereof designed for such purposes.

B. In the case of subdivisions located in R-1, R-2, RA zones and subdivisions or parts thereof designed for such purposes, establishment of alleys shall be at the discretion of the council.

C. The subdivider shall improve or agree to improve all alleys; pursuant to the provisions of Section 16.24.130(C), (E), (F) and (G) or Section 16.16.150, as the case may be.

D. Width of alleys shall be not less than twenty feet; provided that in commercial and manufacturing zones, the council shall have the discretion to require a minimum width of up to thirty feet.

E. Where two alleys intersect, there shall be provided on the inside corner thereof, a twenty-five foot radius curve to which the lot lines shall be tangent. (Ord. 424 § 401, 1967)

16.16.180 Lots.

A. The size and shape of lots shall be such as reasonably conform with, or to effect and appropriate transition with respect to, lots in adjoining areas.

B. Through lots shall not be permitted, except where necessary to prevent residential lots from fronting on a major street, limited access highway or a freeway.

C. Side lines of lots shall run at right angles to the street, or at right angles to the tangent of any curved street, upon which the lot faces, as nearly as practicable.

D. No lot shall be divided by the boundary line of a county, city, school district or any other taxing district.

E. All lots shall be adequately graded, sloped and drained so that surface water will be conducted to underground drains or gutters, all of which shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer. (Ord. 93-6 § 1 (part), 1993; Ord. 424 § 402, 1967)

16.16.190 Blocks.

A. Length of Blocks:

1. Blocks shall not be more than nine hundred ninety feet long, except to the extent a block rears upon a freeway or limited access highway or railroad right-of-way;

2. Blocks shall not be less than six hundred sixty feet long, except where shorter blocks are necessary to conform with the location of streets and other parts of the subdivision, such as where the subdivision is of irregular shape or alignment, or is intersected by existing or potential streets so requiring;

3. Blocks longer than six hundred sixty feet, but not longer than nine hundred ninety feet, may be required by the city council for the purpose of reducing the number of intersections with major or primary streets.

B. For the purpose of this section, the term “block” shall be deemed to be all property fronting on one side of a street measured from the points where such street is intersected or intercepted by other streets. (Ord. 424 § 403, 1967)

16.16.200 Railroad grade crossings.

Where the subdivision adjoins a railroad and the location of existing or potential streets is such that there is a possibility of a grade separation, the design of the subdivision may be required to anticipate such possibility. (Ord. 424 § 404, 1967)

16.16.210 Watercourses.

A. In the event a subdivision is traversed by or adjoins a watercourse or stream:

1. An easement shall be provided for the flow of the stream or storm drainage conforming substantially to the lines of such watercourse or stream of sufficient width to carry the reasonably anticipated flow of water and for the maintenance of the banks and watercourse or stream; or

2. Provisions may be made for relocating a stream or watercourse, for which suitable easement shall be provided as aforementioned; and

3. Easements shall be provided for existing and potential structures necessary to control or dispose of water or for crossings; and

4. Watercourses, streams or ditches may be required to be placed in underground pipes, where public safety reasonably so requires.

B. All matters of size and design in cases mentioned in this section shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer. (Ord. 424 § 405, 1967)

16.16.220 Drainage.

A. There shall be provided storm sewers and drainage channels and related structures and improvements for drainage and disposal of surface and storm waters according to local neighborhood requirements.

B. Disposal of surface and storm waters in drainage walls shall not be permitted.

C. All matters of size and design in cases mentioned in this section shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer and supplementary specifications, if any. (Ord. 424 § 406, 1967)

16.16.230 Sanitary sewers.

A. Sewer lines shall be provided and shall connect with existing sewer lines or mains. Connections shall be provided for every lot in the subdivision.

B. Where lines are laid in streets or alleys, laterals for connections with lots shall be extended to the right-of-way lines.

C. The subdivider shall provide all related structures and appurtenant parts necessary for the foregoing purposes.

D. All matters of size and design in cases mentioned in this section shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer and supplementary specifications, if any. (Ord. 424 § 407, 1967)

16.16.240 Water lines and fire hydrants.

A. Water lines shall be provided, and shall connect with existing water lines or mains. Connections shall be provided for every lot in the subdivision.

B. Where lines are laid in streets or alleys, laterals for connections with lots shall be extended to the right-of-way lines.

C. Fire hydrants shall be provided, with suitable connections to water lines or mains, to supply necessary local neighborhood fire protection.

D. The subdivider shall provide all related structures and appurtenant parts necessary for the foregoing purposes.

E. All matters of size and design in cases mentioned in this section shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer and supplementary specifications, if any. (Ord. 424 § 408, 1967)

16.16.250 Utility easements.

A. Easements shall be provided for location of overhead and underground utilities, including but not confined to electrical, communication, sewer, water or gas lines, or drainage facilities.

B. Such easements shall be dedicated to the city. By virtue of such easement and dedication, the city shall have the right to install, operate, maintain and replace within such easements such utilities which the city may from time to time operate, including but not confined to water and sewer lines. Public utility companies now or hereafter holding franchises under federal or state laws or city ordinances to occupy public roads shall also be entitled to use such easements for the installation, operation, maintenance and replacement of their utility lines and mains, without the necessity of any other grant from the city; provided however, that the city shall at all times retain the power to regulate the location or relocation of such installations so that the same will not unreasonably interfere with existing or future utilities of the city or other public utility companies.

C. Such easement shall include the right of reasonable ingress and egress over any lot in the subdivision for the purposes of use, maintenance and control of such easements and the utilities located therein.

D. Such an easement shall be labeled “utility easement,” and when so labeled on a tentative or final map, shall be deemed to refer to the easement herein mentioned, and any offer of dedication appended to such map shall be deemed to include an offer to dedicate the easements mentioned in this section.

E. The size and location of such easements shall comply with the following minimum standards:

1. The rear eight feet of each lot in the subdivision shall be subject to the utility easement, except in cases mentioned in (3) below;

2. At such points as may be determined necessary to provide necessary utility services, such easements shall be provided to the extent of four feet on each side of a side lot line so as to furnish a total easement of eight feet, except in cases mentioned in (3) below;

3. Where lots have a rear line or side line adjacent to property on which no provision is made for the appropriate utility easement mentioned in (1) and (2) above, such utility easements shall be provided ten feet in width along such lines. Where a block is in excess of three hundred thirty feet in length, a utility easement shall be required to intersect the block, unless the council determines that such is not required under the circumstances;

4. At such locations as may be necessary, including areas contiguous to alleys, easements of adequate width must be provided for additional necessary overhang of facilities anchorage, line continuity and ingress and egress. (Ord. 424 § 409, 1967)

16.16.260 Limitations on access.

No reservations controlling or limiting access to public ways shall be permitted, except as in this title provided. (Ord. 424 § 410, 1967)

16.16.270 Street signs.

A. At least one permanent street name sign shall be provided at the intersection of named streets or pedestrian ways.

B. All matters of location and design in cases mentioned in this section shall be subject to the approval of the city engineer and supplementary specifications, if any. (Ord. 424 § 411, 1967)

16.16.280 Commercial and industrial areas.

When property is designated by the general plan or Title 17 as being for commercial or industrial use, the design of the subdivision, and the kinds, nature and extent of the improvements and dedications to be required shall be appropriate to such use. Streets shall be adequate for the traffic to be anticipated for such use, and shall provide direct access from major and secondary streets without traversing minor streets and residential areas. Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be adequate for the uses anticipated for such property. (Ord. 424 § 412, 1967)

16.16.290 Soil problem definitions and action.

A. The following definitions, in addition to those set forth in Section 16.08.010, shall be used in the construction and interpretation of this section:

1. “Soil report” means a preliminary soil analysis and report, as required by Section 17953 of the Health and Safety Code covering in addition all soil fills and any soil problem that might lead to structural defects as herein defined, and which is made by a civil engineer;

2. “Civil engineer” means a civil engineer who is registered by the state;

3. “Soil investigation” means a detailed soil analysis and report, as required by Section 17954 of the Health and Safety Code, which shall recommend corrective action to prevent structural defects as herein defined, and which is made by a civil engineer,

4. “Soil problem” means critically expansive soils, soil fills or other soil problems which might lead to structural defects as herein defined;

5. “Structural defects” means defects or damages caused in any structure or improvement that is required to be, or which may be, made in subdivisions and which shall not be limited to buildings or dwellings unless the context so indicates;

6. “Building department” means the building department of the city, or the officer of the city or other agency charged with enforcement of the building code.

B. A soil report is required with respect to every subdivision, to be furnished by the subdivider, and to be filed with the tentative map.

C. If the city engineer and the building department both determine that due to knowledge that each has, as to the soil qualities of the subdivision, no soil report is necessary, they may waive the report, in which case the report of the city engineer and/or building department stating the soil qualities and any soil problems shall be filed with the tentative map by the subdivider.

D. The city engineer shall have authority to require the subdivider to furnish a soil investigation.

E. If any soil report shows any soil problem, the building department shall require a soil investigation of each lot in the subdivision. Any investigation made under (D) above shall suffice, if sufficiently detailed as to individual lots.

F. If the building department determines that the recommended action shown in any soil investigation is likely to prevent structural defects to each dwelling or building to be constructed, it shall approve such soil investigation, and as a condition to the issuance of the building permit therefor, the approved recommended action shall be incorporated in the construction of each building.

G. If any subdivision or part thereof is, or appears to be, affected by a soil problem, the city engineer shall have authority to require the subdivider to take such corrective action or make such improvements as the city engineer may determine necessary to prevent structural defects. (Ord. 424 § 413 (part), 1967)