Division 17.300. Development Requirements
Chapter 17.301
ACCESS AND CIRCULATION
Sections:
17.301.020 Vehicular access and circulation.
17.301.030 Pedestrian access and circulation.
17.301.010 Purpose.
This chapter contains standards for vehicular access and circulation, and pedestrian access and circulation. Street improvement requirements are contained in Chapter 17.305 DMC, Public Improvements and Utilities. [Ord. 521-2013 § 3 (Exh. A)].
17.301.020 Vehicular access and circulation.
A. Intent and Purpose. This section is intended to promote transportation safety and adequate levels of transportation service.
B. Applicability. This section applies to new development and changes in land use necessitating new or expanded street access, including land divisions.
C. Access Permit Required. Access to a public street (e.g., a new driveway opening or highway approach) requires permit approval by the applicable roadway authority (city, county, or ODOT). The city planning official reviews permit requests for access to city streets through a Type I procedure where no discretion is involved. Other permit requests may be reviewed by the city planning official through a Type II procedure, or by the planning commission through a Type III procedure, where discretion is involved, where a traffic impact analysis is required, or where the access permit is contingent upon a land use approval.
D. Conditions of Approval. Where an existing or proposed driveway approach does not meet a roadway authority’s standards, the roadway authority may require the closing or consolidation of existing such access, recording of reciprocal access easements (i.e., for shared driveways), development of a frontage street, installation of traffic control devices, and/or other mitigation as a condition of granting development approval, to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the street and highway system.
E. Driveway Approaches. All driveway approaches (connections to a public right-of-way) shall conform to all of the following design standards:
1. Vehicle access onto higher classification streets (e.g., collector and arterial streets) shall be minimized; where technically feasible and appropriate, access shall be taken first from a lower classification street.
2. Driveways shall be designed and located to provide exiting vehicles with an unobstructed view of oncoming vehicles and pedestrians, in conformance with applicable sight distance and vision clearance requirements.
3. Construction of driveway accesses along acceleration or deceleration lanes or tapered (reduced width) portions of a roadway should be avoided due to the potential for vehicular conflicts.
4. Driveways shall be located to allow for safe maneuvering in and around loading areas.
5. Driveways shall have a paved or approved all-weather surface that meets minimum dimensions and appropriate signage designating any restrictions on access (e.g., one-way, exit-only, etc.). Driveway width shall provide for required emergency vehicle access and truck/trailer turning radius, as applicable.
6. Where sidewalks or walkways occur adjacent to the roadway, driveway aprons shall be constructed of concrete and shall be installed between the street right-of-way and the private drive. The roadway authority may require driveway aprons in areas without sidewalks or walkways, as needed, to protect the adjacent roadway pavement.
7. Access locations and turning movements at driveway approaches may be restricted to ensure safe roadway operations.
F. Approach Spacing. Distances that shall separate driveway, intersection, and alley access to streets are established according to street classification in the Dundee transportation system plan.
The city engineer, with approval of the roadway authority, may adjust the access spacing standards as necessary to address project or location specific issues such as topographic conditions, property configurations, or preservation of significant natural features. In such cases, the roadway authority may require additional mitigation to ensure adequate traffic operation and safety. Refer to Chapter 17.305 DMC for other applicable street standards and guidelines.
G. Driveway Development Standards. The following development and maintenance standards apply to all driveways:
1. Protection of Public Ways. During site development and construction, where applicable, unimproved driveways and access roads shall be graveled or otherwise protected to prevent soil compaction, erosion, and tracking of mud onto adjacent paved streets.
2. Driveway Surface. Driveways, parking areas, aisles, and turnarounds shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, or other durable paving material approved by the city engineer. All paving, where it meets the public right-of-way, shall be subject to review and approval by the city engineer.
3. Surface Water Management. Development that increases impervious surface area shall provide for surface water management, pursuant to DMC 17.305.050.
4. Residential Approach. All residential driveways shall have a minimum 10-foot paved approach from the curb line.
5. Nonresidential Approach. Multiple use, commercial use, institutional use, and industrial use driveways shall be paved.
H. Joint Use Driveways. Where necessary to maintain an adequate level of transportation service or traffic safety with planned future development, the review authority may require joint use driveways. Joint use driveways (i.e., driveways providing access to more than one lot) are appropriate for developments adjacent to one another where access onto the street system is limited. In such cases, driveways shall be stubbed to property lines, allowing extension and improvement of joint use of driveways with future development.
1. Joint Use Access Easement and Maintenance Agreement. Where the review authority requires a joint use driveway, the property owners shall record an easement with the deed allowing joint use of/cross access between adjacent properties served by the subject driveway. In addition the property owners shall record a joint maintenance agreement with the deed defining maintenance responsibilities of property owners. The city of Dundee shall not be responsible for maintaining the driveway.
I. Circulation and Connectivity. New developments shall be required to provide a circulation system that accommodates vehicular and pedestrian traffic, as follows:
1. In new subdivisions, except as restricted on arterial streets, a street or driveway intersection providing multi-modal connectivity and circulation for pedestrians, bicyclists, and automobiles shall occur not less than once for every 600 linear feet of street frontage, measured from street right-of-way line to street right-of-way line.
2. Where it is not practicable to provide a street connection at least every 600 feet, due to topography, existing development patterns, or similar constraints (e.g., railroad, slopes greater than 10 percent, wetland), the city shall approve a pedestrian access way with a public access easement through the subject lot or tract. See DMC 17.301.030 for pedestrian access way standards.
3. Vehicle circulation systems shall comply with applicable building codes and requirements for emergency vehicle apparatus.
4. The city may waive a street or access way connection requirement, where it would violate provisions of a lease, easement, covenant, restriction or other legal agreement existing as of May 1, 1995, that precludes said street or access way connection.
J. Private Access Easements. Where a private access easement is permitted to serve as the required frontage for a lot created through a land division, it shall conform to all of the following standards:
1. Partition access easements shall only be allowed where the applicable criteria of Chapter 17.403 DMC are satisfied. The easement shall comply with the following standards:
a. Minimum easement width: 25 feet.
b. Minimum paved width: 20 feet.
c. Maximum length: 250 feet.
d. Not more than three dwelling units shall use the same access easement.
e. The city may require curbing and connection to a city-approved storm drainage system, or on-site storm water retention facilities.
2. A turnaround shall be required for any access easement that has only one outlet and which is in excess of 150 feet long or as required by the Uniform Fire Code. Turnarounds shall be circular with a minimum paved radius of 35 feet.
3. Private access easements shall conform to design standards for emergency apparatus vehicles, consistent with applicable Fire Code requirements.
4. Private access easements shall comply with applicable public works design standards.
K. Private Streets. Private streets shall be developed in accordance with DMC 17.305.030, and are only permitted under the following circumstances:
1. Residential lots or parcels, excluding townhouse developments and planned unit developments, may be accessed via a private street when the review authority finds that public street access is infeasible due to lot shape, terrain, or location of existing structures, and is not necessary to provide for the future development of adjacent properties.
2. Internal local streets or drives to lots or parcels in townhouse developments or planned unit developments may be private.
3. Internal local streets or drives to access commercial or industrial uses located in a campus or park-like development may be private.
L. Vertical Clearances. Except as otherwise required by applicable building codes, driveways, private streets, aisles, turnaround areas and ramps shall have a minimum vertical clearance of 13 feet six inches for their entire length and width.
M. Corner Vision Clearance. Vision clearance at intersections shall conform to DMC 17.301.040 or the requirements of the roadway authority, whichever is more restrictive. [Ord. 542-2015 § 3 (Exh. B); Ord. 521-2013 § 3 (Exh. A)].
17.301.030 Pedestrian access and circulation.
A. Intent and Purpose. This section implements the transportation policies of the city of Dundee. It is intended to provide for safe and convenient pedestrian access and circulation.
B. Applicability. This section applies to projects requiring site development review pursuant to Chapter 17.402 DMC.
C. Site Layout and Design. To provide safe, direct, and convenient pedestrian circulation, developments shall contain pedestrian walkways as follows:
1. Continuous Walkway System. The pedestrian walkway system shall extend throughout the development site and connect to adjacent sidewalks, if any, to adjacent existing or planned transit stops, and to all future phases of development, as applicable.
2. Safe, Direct, and Convenient. Walkways within developments shall provide safe, reasonably direct, and convenient connections between primary building entrances and all adjacent parking areas, recreational areas/playgrounds, and public rights-of-way based on the following definitions:
a. “Direct” means a route that does not deviate unnecessarily from a straight line or a route that does not involve a significant amount of out-of-direction travel.
b. “Safe and convenient” means the route is reasonably free from hazards and provides a smooth and consistent surface and direct route of travel between destinations. The city may require landscape buffering between walkways and adjacent parking lots or driveways.
c. “Primary entrance” means the main public entrance to the building. In the case where no public entrance exists, street connections shall be provided to the main employee entrance, as applicable.
3. Walkway Construction. Walkway surfaces may be concrete, asphalt, brick/masonry pavers, or other city-approved durable surface (including permeable surfaces), and shall be five feet in width, except where the city determines that a larger or smaller dimension is warranted due to expected usage.
4. Accessible Routes. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible walkways may be required, per applicable building codes.
D. Pedestrian Access Way. Where a pedestrian access way is required in lieu of a standard street connection, pursuant to DMC 17.301.020(I) or Chapter 17.403 DMC (Land Divisions and Property Line Adjustments), the access way shall consist of a 10-foot minimum width concrete or asphalt surface within a 20-foot public right-of-way tract or public access easement. The city may adjust the widths and construction specifications as necessary based on expected usage, including the need for emergency vehicle access.
1. Cul-de-sac Access Way. An access way required to connect a cul-de-sac to another street, pursuant to DMC 17.305.030(J), shall be at least five feet wide within a 10-foot right-of-way tract or easement. The city may adjust the dimensions and specifications as needed. [Ord. 542-2015 § 3 (Exh. B); Ord. 534-2014 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 521-2013 § 3 (Exh. A)].
17.301.040 Vision clearance.
A. Intent and Purpose. This section implements the transportation policies of the city of Dundee. It is intended to provide for transportation safety at street intersections, including driveway approaches.
B. Applicability. This section applies to all uses of real property at all times.
C. Clear Vision Area. Except as provided by subsection (D) of this section, every clear vision area shall be maintained at each access to a public street and on each corner of property at the intersection of two streets or a street and a railroad, pursuant to subsections (C)(1) through (4) of this section:
1. No fence, wall, hedge, sign, or other planting or structure that would impede visibility between the heights of two feet and eight feet shall be established in the clear vision area. Measurements shall be made from the top of the curb or, where no curb exists, from grade.
2. Except as provided for single use residential driveways under subsection (C)(3) of this section, a clear vision area shall consist of a triangular area, two sides of which are right-of-way lines or a right-of-way line and access easement line. Where the lot lines have rounded corners, the right-of-way lines are extended in a straight line to a point of intersection and so measured. The third side of the triangle shall be a line connecting the non-intersecting ends of the other two lines.
3. For single use residential driveways, the clear vision area shall consist of a triangular area, two sides of which are the curb line and the edge of the driveway. Where no curbs exist, the future location of the curb, based on future full street improvements, shall be used.
4. The following standards establish the required clear vision areas:
|
Type of Intersection |
Measurement Along Each Lot Line or Drive Edge* |
|---|---|
|
Controlled Intersection (stop sign or signal) |
20 feet |
|
Uncontrolled Intersection (60' right-of-way or more) |
30 feet |
|
Uncontrolled Intersection (less than 60' right-of-way) |
40 feet |
|
Commercial and Industrial District Driveways |
20 feet |
|
Residential District Driveways |
10 feet |
|
Alley (less than 25 feet wide) |
20 feet |
*Where there is an intersection of two or more streets of different right-of-way width, distance shall be measured along each respective lot line and shall conform to the minimum distances specified for each type street.
D. Exceptions. The following are allowed to be placed within a clear vision area notwithstanding the standards of subsection (C) of this section, provided they do not conflict with traffic safety or operations:
1. A public utility pole.
2. Telephone switch boxes, provided they are less than 10 inches wide at the widest dimension.
3. A tree trimmed (to the trunk) to a line at least eight feet above the grade of the intersection.
4. Plant species of open growth habit that are not planted in the form of a hedge and which are so planted and trimmed as to leave at all seasons a clear and unobstructed cross-view.
5. A supporting member or appurtenance to a permanent building lawfully existing.
6. An official traffic control device, including a warning sign or signal.
7. A place where the natural contour of the ground is such that there can be no cross-visibility at the intersection.
8. The post section of a pole sign when there are no more than two posts and any post is less than eight inches in diameter. [Ord. 521-2013 § 3 (Exh. A)].