Chapter 17.18 GENERAL DESIGN STANDARDS FOR ALL LAND SUBDIVISIONS

All divisions of land shall comply with all ordinances of the town of Eatonville, the development and construction standards of the town of Eatonville, laws of the state of Washington, and standards for public works construction set forth or referenced in the town standards and/or ordinances. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.020 Future subdivision and access.

All land divisions shall be designed to accommodate the future land divisions of adjoining lands by providing for adequate future access and utility service. Pedestrian and bicycle access to schools, parks, shorelines, recreation areas and open space shall be provided by walkway where street access is unsafe or inadequate. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.030 Blocks – Nonresidential zone dimensions.

Blocks in nonresidential zones shall be dimensioned to accommodate the intended purpose of the land use. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.040 Minimum lot size.

Lots or tracts shall be not less than the minimum size required in the zoning district unless dedicated or restricted by covenant for open space, park, recreational or other community or public use or unless lot size averaging or planned development criteria and/or procedures are used. (Ord. 2000-05 § 3, 2000; Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.050 Lot size averaging.

The size of lots in land divisions may be reduced below the minimum lot size of the zone district provided:

A. The mean average lot size shall not be less than that required in the zone district. In computing the average lot size:

1. No lot shall be credited with more than 1.1 times the minimum lot size.

2. No lot shall be less than 0.95 times the minimum lot size.

3. No credit shall be granted for any lot areas subject to an existing or proposed access, stormwater management, surface drainage, or other easement or restriction substantially reducing the usability of the ground surface. Underground utility easement areas may be included in lot size average calculations.

4. No credit shall be granted for any “flagpole” or “panhandle” areas.

B. No less than four-fifths (80 percent) of the proposed lots shall have lot areas equal to or larger than the minimum lot size.

C. No corner lot shall have an area less than the minimum lot size.

D. If the land division is submitted in phases/divisions of development, each phase/division submitted for approval shall meet all provisions of this section. (Ord. 2000-05 § 4, 2000; Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.060 Residential lot building sites.

Each residential lot in low-density residential zones shall have a building site within it no less than 1,600 square feet in area within which a suitable building can be built and served by utilities and vehicular access unless dedicated or restricted by covenant for open space, park, recreation or other public use. The building site area herein required shall not include any very severe development limitation areas. Such building sites with limited use shall be indicated on the face of the preliminary land division. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.070 Clearing and grading.

Proposed clearing and grading should be minimized if possible by the use of shared-access driveways and careful location of streets and building sites. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.080 Wetlands and drainage.

Wetlands and natural drainageways shall be subject to review under the Wetlands and Critical/Sensitive Area Ordinance. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.090 Hazards.

Where land division and development of land may pose a hazard to the land division and nearby properties because of steep slopes, unstable soils, excessive stormwater runoff or soil erosion, seismic areas and similar hazards set forth in the Critical/Sensitive Area Ordinance, the land divider shall have the burden of presenting evidence satisfactory to the town for hazard mitigation per the Critical/Sensitive Area Ordinance. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.100 Streets.

A. All streets shall be in accordance with this section and the Road and Storm Standards for the town of Eatonville which is on file at the Town Hall. The size of streets and their associated rights-of-way shall be as shown on the street/road standards for the class of street which is appropriate to serve the land division and anticipated community traffic, existing and potential as set forth in the Eatonville Road and Storm Standards. In areas where the division is adjacent to an existing street right-of-way, dedications shall be made to the existing street centerline in order to make the street right-of-way comply with the town standards.

B. In addition, streets must meet the following:

1. Relation to Adjoining Street Systems. The layout of streets shall provide for the continuation of streets existing in adjoining property. The layout shall also provide for future projection of streets;

2. Intersections. Street intersections shall be as nearly at right angles as is practicable;

3. Jogs at Intersections. Streets jogs with centerline offset of less than 125 feet for access streets and 200 feet for arterials shall be avoided unless practical alternatives are not available;

4. Dead-End Streets. For any street temporarily dedicated, the developer shall provide a temporary turnaround facility as approved by the director;

5. Width. Street right-of-way widths shall meet the following minimum standards:

a. Major arterial streets: eight feet,

b. Secondary arterial streets: 60 feet,

c. Collector arterial streets: 60 feet,

d. Access streets: 60 feet,

e. Cul-de-sac streets: 50 feet.

C. A street lying along the boundary of a subdivision may be dedicated one-half width when the adjoining property is unsubdivided; and, whenever there exists a dedicated half-street of an adjoining plat, the other half shall be dedicated on the proposed plat to make the street complete. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.110 Driving surface and rights-of-way.

All roads shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the adopted Eatonville Road and Storm Drainage Standards for the town of Eatonville in effect at the date of acceptance of the land division. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.120 Cul-de-sacs.

A. Cul-de-sacs shall have an improved turnaround with a minimum outside radius of 38 feet.

B. A “T” or “Y” or “hammerhead” configuration may be approved for private roads instead of a turning circle, if warranted by special conditions and approved by the public works director.

C. Cul-de-sacs generally should not exceed 1,000 feet in length.

D. Parking is prohibited in a cul-de-sac turnaround and shall be posted. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.130 Street signs.

Street signs shall be installed by the subdivider as specified by the public works director and in accordance with the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.135 Mailboxes.

Ganged mailbox structures or support structures shall be installed by the subdivider in accordance with the requirements of EMC 18.08.165. (Ord. 98-07 § 3, 1998).

17.18.140 Topography.

All streets should be designed to conform as much as possible to the topography of the site, in order to reduce street grades and minimize the need for cuts and fills. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.150 Maximum street grades.

Maximum street grades shall be in accordance with the adopted Eatonville Road and Storm Standards for the town of Eatonville. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.160 Street names.

All streets shall be named or numbered as specified by the town. The land divider is encouraged to submit requested street names to the town for its consideration. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.170 Lot width, lot access and flag lots.

A. Lots in land divisions shall have no less than the full required minimum lot width as measured at the minimum front yard depth, except for approved flag lots.

B. Each lot shall have a minimum of 20 feet of unobstructed access to a street.

C. “Flag” or “panhandle” lots may be platted under the following conditions:

1. Irregularities in overall tract boundaries, site topography, utility access, or other features make “full frontage” lots impracticable.

2. The access strip or easement between street right-of-way and full-width lot shall be no longer than 100 feet.

3. No more than five percent of the lots in a land division may be platted as flag lots, except that land divisions of less than 20 lots may include one flag lot is no alternative is practicable.

4. “Flagpole” or “access panhandle” area shall not be credited in calculation of minimum lot area. (Ord. 2000-05 § 5, 2000; Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.180 Private streets.

Private streets shall be constructed to meet or exceed the design standards established on the road standards for the town. Public access to developments or parts of developments containing private streets shall not be limited by the use of gates or other measures except when such limitation is approved by the town as a part of the consideration of the related preliminary land division approval or by approval in writing by the public works director. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.182 Design speed.

The following speeds shall be used for design of streets, depending on available right-of-way, terrain, adjacent development and other controls:

Local streets 25 mph minimum 30 mph desirable

Collector streets 30 mph minimum 35 mph desirable

Arterial To be decided upon by public works director

(Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.184 Alignment.

Street curves should be designed in accordance with the town of Eatonville Road and Storm Standards. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.186 Clearance to obstructions.

On all streets a clearance of at least two feet shall be provided between the face or curb or edge of shoulder and obstructions, such as utility poles, lighting poles and fire hydrants. Preferably, these obstructions shall be located at or near the right-of-way line and outside of the sidewalk. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.188 Traffic-control devices.

The design and placement of all traffic-control devices shall be in accordance with the current edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, as prepared by the Department of Transportation. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.190 Underground utilities.

Electrical power, telephone, cable television, fiberoptics and other transmission lines shall be installed underground on new subdivisions and plats without alleys. Subdivisions and plats with alleys may be served overhead from the alley. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.200 Subdivisions adjoining different use districts.

A. Where residential plats or subdivisions adjoin a use district other than residential, the lots abutting such district shall, where possible, orient their rear lot lines to the district boundary.

B. When a business, commercial or manufacturing plat or subdivision adjoins a district authorizing residential uses, the commercial lots abutting residential district boundaries shall orient their rear lot lines to that boundary, if possible and primary access shall not be permitted through such residential district if at all possible. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.210 Alleys.

Dedication of alleys may be required to provide secondary access where deemed necessary. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.220 Blocks – Length, width and walkways.

A. Length. Length of blocks shall be consistent with the topography and the needs for convenient access, circulation, control, and safety of street traffic and type of land use proposed. Block lengths shall generally not exceed 1,000 feet or be less than 440 feet.

B. Width. Except for multiple-frontage parcels, the width of blocks shall ordinarily be sufficient to allow for two tiers of lots of depths consistent with the type of land use proposed and zoning district involved.

C. Pedestrian Walkways. A pedestrian walkway right-of-way not less than 10 feet wide may be required approximately at the midpoint of any block exceeding 600 feet in length, or in any block of lesser length where such a pedestrian walkway is required by the director or town council to provide circulation or access. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.230 Easements.

Easements may be required for the installation, maintenance and operation of utilities. Easements may be required along the lines of or across lots where necessary for the extension of existing or planned utilities. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.240 Lots.

Lot width, area, size and shape shall conform to the applicable provisions of the town of Eatonville zoning code. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.250 Construction prerequisites.

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, having made a preliminary plat or subdivision of land containing five or more lots, plats or tracts, or having made a short plat or subdivision containing a dedication of any part thereof as a public street or highway, to sell the subdivision or plat, or any part thereof, until approval of the final plat by the town council or notification to the buyer that the improvements as required for the subdivision are not complete and must be completed and approved by the town council prior to the completion of the sale. In the event of a sale of the entire subdivision, prior to that sale the new purchaser must agree in writing certified to the town to complete the required improvements of the subdivision in the time required. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.260 Provision for future subdivision.

If a tract is subdivided into parcels such parcels shall be arranged to allow the opening of future streets and logical future subdivision in order that developable land beyond the subdivision is not isolated. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.270 Reserve strips.

There shall be no reservation of strips of land that prevent or limit access to land dedicated or intended to be dedicated to public use. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.280 Buffer planting strips and fences.

Where a residential subdivision adjoins a railroad right-of-way, an industrial area, a business area of other land use which would have a depreciating effect on the residential use of the property, a buffer planting strip up to 15 feet in width and suitably planted to form a screen and/or fence may be required by the planning commission or public works director. The inside buffer planting strip line will be used for purposes of measuring setbacks. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.290 Yard encroachments.

No portion of a building, be it foundation, chimney, steps, deck, bay window or other permanent protuberance, may encroach into a required yard; provided, however, that eaves may project up to two feet into any required yard so long as no eave is closer than six feet to a property line forming part of a side yard. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.300 Sidewalks.

Concrete sidewalks shall be installed by the developer on both sides of the street. Sidewalks shall be located on the public right-of-way contiguous to the property line or in other locations to the property line as approved by the public works director. The minimum sidewalk widths shall be in accordance with the town of Eatonville Road and Storm Standards. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).

17.18.310 Inspection and fees.

The public works department shall be responsible for reviewing all engineering drawings and for the supervision, inspection and acceptance of all subdivision improvements and shall make a charge therefor to the subdivider in the amount of the hourly cost to the town, if the application fee does not cover the town’s cost. The hourly cost shall include wages and the town’s cost for fringe benefits calculated on an hourly basis. (Ord. 92-9 § 3, 1992).