Chapter 17.30
DESIGN STANDARDS
Sections:
17.30.010 Lot size and frontage.
17.30.020 Street location and arrangement.
17.30.040 Street and alley standards.
17.30.060 Utility improvements.
17.30.010 Lot size and frontage.
The following lot sizes and frontage shall be used as minimums in the design of newly platted lots in subdivisions:
|
Zone |
Lot Size |
Lot Frontage |
|---|---|---|
|
General Commercial |
Minimum of 12,000 sq. ft. |
Minimum of 100 feet |
|
Historical Commercial |
None |
None |
|
Historical Residential |
None |
80 feet |
|
Single-Family Residential |
1 acre |
100 feet |
|
Residential/Agricultural |
3 acres |
200 feet |
|
Rural Farm |
5 acres |
225 feet |
|
Planned Unit Development |
None |
[Ord. 2001-09 § 2; Ord. 89-01; prior code § 11-5-6.A]
17.30.020 Street location and arrangement.
A. The character, extent, width, and location of all streets shall conform to the master plan and policies of the town and shall be consistent and appropriate in their relationship to existing and planned streets, topographic conditions, public convenience, safety, and the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.
B. Where an arterial or collector street is not shown in the master plan and there is not an adopted future street line, the arrangement of streets in a subdivision shall either:
1. Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets in surrounding areas; or
2. Conform to a plan for the neighborhood properly approved by the town to meet a particular situation where topographic or other conditions make continuance or conformance to existing streets impractical. [Ord. 89-01; prior code § 11-5-6.B]
17.30.030 Alley location.
A. Alleys shall not be provided where other provision is made for service access such as off-street loading, refuse collection, and parking consistent with and adequate for the uses proposed. If alleys are provided, they shall be paved by the developer in accordance with town specifications.
B. In the General Commercial, the C zone, alleys shall be provided where the subdivision contains more than three contiguous lots. The alleys shall comply with the development standards as set forth in MTC 18.45.040(D)(4). [Ord. 2001-09 § 2; Ord. 89-01; prior code § 11-5-6.C]
17.30.040 Street and alley standards.
A. When rights-of-way for public streets and alleys are needed, they shall be provided in accordance with the standards and requirements described as follows:
1. Major thoroughfare: 120 feet.
2. Secondary thoroughfare: 80 feet.
3. Collector street: 66 feet.
4. Minor residential street: 55 feet.
5. Cul-de-sac: 50-foot radius.
6. Frontage road: 66 feet.
7. Alley: a minimum width of 20 feet.
Streets which terminate in a cul-de-sac shall be no longer than 500 feet.
B. Bike paths and trails, on subsections (A)(1) through (3) of this section, shall be a follows:
1. Right-of-way, minimum: 10 feet.
2. Pavement width: 8 feet.
C. Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than 125 feet shall not be permitted.
D. Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect any major or secondary thoroughfare or arterial street at less than 75 degrees and no collector or minor street at less than 60 degrees.
E. Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a radius of 10 feet, or a greater radius where the planning and zoning commission will deem it, whenever necessary to permit the construction of a curb (having a 15-foot radius) without curtailing the sidewalk at a street corner to less than normal width.
F. Street names shall be used which will not duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Where a proposed street is to be a continuation of an existing street, the proposed street shall have the name of the existing street. The use of the suffix “street,” “avenue,” “boulevard,” “drive,” “lane,” “place,” or “court” shall not be a distinction sufficient to avoid confusion; therefore duplicates with different suffixes shall not be used.
G. Street names in Historical Residential and Historical Commercial zones shall have Hispanic names. The town encourages the use of Hispanic street names throughout Mesilla.
H. All streets within the subdivision shall be provided with traffic and street signs by the subdivider in accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
I. The road cross-section of all subdivisions shall comply with the following standards:
|
Average Daily Traffic |
Standard Cross-section |
|---|---|
|
0 – 150 |
30-foot roadway width plus curb and gutter |
|
150 – 300 |
32-foot roadway plus curb and gutter with sidewalk |
|
300 – 500 |
34-foot roadway width plus curb and gutter with sidewalk |
|
In excess of 500 |
36-foot roadway width plus curb and gutter with sidewalk |
The above standards are subject to the following conditions and adjustments:
1. Roll over curb may be used depending on the necessary application as determined by the planning, zoning and historical appropriateness commission. The area between the curbs shall be surfaced with concrete or asphalt meeting the standard specifications of the town.
2. For average daily traffic flows up to 300, the curb and gutter may be omitted at the discretion of the planning, zoning and historical appropriateness commission, provided:
a. The drainage pattern as proposed is not dependent on the curb and gutter.
b. All ponding areas, whether on private or public right-of-way, are constructed at the time the subdivision roads are built.
3. If in an area requiring both curb and gutter with sidewalk, the curb and gutter is omitted, the sidewalk shall be retained. The top of the sidewalk shall be set flush with the surface of the adjacent roadway.
4. For the purpose of determining section requirements, the highest average daily traffic projection shall govern all streets within the subdivision.
J. All work in public ways shall meet or exceed town specifications. [Ord. 2001-09 § 2; Ord. 89-01; prior code § 11-5-6.D]
17.30.050 Road requirements.
A. Unless otherwise stipulated by the town of Mesilla, all materials incorporated within and work performed in the construction of streets shall meet the requirements of the appropriate portions of the most recent versions of the New Mexico State Highway Department Standard Specifications and/or Detail Specifications sections or the City of Las Cruces Standard Specifications for road construction, whichever are more stringent. Sections not listed shall not relieve the subdivider from complying with standards of a recognized authority approved by the Mesilla board of trustees.
B. The subdivider shall be required to prove that materials supplied and items constructed meet these regulations. Certifications and test results shall verify such factors including but not limited to asphalt grades, aggregate gradations, mix design, application rates, and compaction percentages.
C. The town of Mesilla reserves the right to require materials that will enhance economics and facilitate operations associated with long-term maintenance efforts. Materials that meet New Mexico state and the above referenced standards without having town of Mesilla approval for utilization within a particular street section might not be acceptable per se.
D. In new subdivisions, the town of Mesilla will require maximum safety and efficiency of traffic flow by minimizing the number of automobile access points along arterials or collectors. Lots with private drives fronting on arterials or collectors are discouraged. In no case shall an access road in a newly platted subdivision be permitted which is closer than 300 feet from the intersection of two arterial streets, an arterial and collector street or two collector streets.
E. Accompanying the preliminary plat, a road construction plan shall be submitted. It will be of similar size and format to the preliminary plat and shall be a reproducible drawing. It shall give the following information:
1. Name and width of each street and associated right-of-way.
2. Centerlines of street right-of-way with dimensions between intersections centerlines or tract boundary lines.
3. Locations, dimensions, and purposes of any easements.
4. Longitudinal and transverse slopes.
5. Typical sections including width, thickness, material composition, and compaction requirements of all courses.
6. Material specifics, invert elevations, sizes, slopes, and drainage channel requirements of all drainage structures.
7. Identification, location, and miscellaneous particulars of all utilities to be located within the rights-of-way.
8. Obstruction clearing widths.
9. Existing and proposed contours.
10. Adequate curve data to allow construction as intended.
11. Survey markers and ties.
12. Professional engineer stamp will be required on road plans.
The review of the preliminary plat shall include a review of the road construction plan and related information.
F. Preliminary Road Acceptance. Preliminary acceptance is an initial approval of the roads by the town. It shall follow an official inspection and written report of findings by the town’s engineer. Accompanying the subdivider’s written request for such an inspection shall be an updated version of the road construction plan. It shall contain a statement from the subdivider’s engineer that the information contained thereon is as constructed. Such inspection and report shall verify and certify that the dedicated roads have been constructed according to and meet design standards of this chapter.
G. Final Road Acceptance. The subdivider shall maintain the accepted roads in good repair for a test wear period of 24 months from the date the roads pass preliminary acceptance. During such time, the town shall advise the subdivider to take those actions necessary to keep the roads in the same general condition that they were in for the preliminary inspection. If in the opinion of the town, the subdivider does not adequately maintain the roads or if unusual or excessive reconstruction or maintenance obligations seem evident, the town reserves the right to extend the test wear period. [Ord. 89-01; prior code § 11-5-6.E]
17.30.060 Utility improvements.
A. The subdivider shall be responsible for costs of installing water, gas, and sewer lines, if provided, of adequate size to serve the development, but in no case shall there be less than a six-inch water line, an eight-inch sewer line, and a two-inch gas line.
B. All utility improvements shall meet or exceed town specifications. The subdivider of a subdivision within the town limits shall make necessary arrangements to serve each lot with adequate water of the town of Mesilla water system where feasible. Sources and availability of water supply shall be provided when water services cannot be obtained through the Mesilla water system. Any individual or private system installed within the town limit shall be required to be compatible with the Mesilla water system.
C. The subdivider of subdivisions within the town limits shall be responsible for the installation of fire hydrants. Locations shall be approved by the Mesilla fire department and the planning commission.
D. Subdivisions within the corporate limits of the town shall have sewer lines connected to the sanitary sewer system of the town where feasible. Sewer lines shall be accessible to each lot within the subdivision when available. Proposed method of sewage disposal shall be provided when sewer services cannot be obtained through the Mesilla sewage system. Said sewers shall be constructed in accordance with standards established by the town of Mesilla and shall be subject to its approval.
E. Where lots cannot be connected with a public sewer system, provisions must be made for sanitary sewerage. The subdivision plat shall include deed restrictions requiring that all such disposal systems shall be constructed in accordance with Environmental Improvement Division standards. Location of septic tanks should take into consideration possibilities of future connections to a community sewer system.
F. Mesilla will not approve density development greater than one unit per acre an in area which is flood prone or has a high water table unless it is connected to the town’s sewage collection system.
G. Where land subdivided within the corporate limits of the town cannot be served with water and/or sewer utilities, the subdivider shall be required to disclose this fact in writing and submit it to lot buyers with the warranty deed.
H. A storm drainage system adequate to serve the needs of the proposed new streets and the entire subdivision will be required in new subdivisions. Where an adequate public storm sewer main is available at the platted subdivision boundary, the subdivider shall construct a storm drainage system and connect with such storm sewer main of adequate size. Drainage improvements shall maintain any natural watercourse insofar as practical and shall prevent the collection of water in any low spot unless it is to be specified as a ponding area in the drainage plan.
I. The developer shall be required to install underground utilities in all new development. New installations of overhead utility poles and lines will not be permitted. The use of existing overhead utility poles is permitted.
J. Subdivisions shall base all required utility lines on the maximum population density allowed by the zoning district in which the subdivision is located.
K. The subdivider shall be responsible for all the costs associated with the extending of utilities roadways or other necessary infrastructure from existing improved development to the site proposed for development according to Mesilla’s capital improvement plan. [Ord. 89-01; prior code § 11-5-6.F]