Division V. Development Standards
Chapter 15.74
STREETS
Sections:
15.74.020 Construction standards and specifications.
15.74.030 Approval of construction drawings required before installation.
15.74.040 Inspection of public improvements required before final permits are issued.
15.74.050 Street classification.
15.74.060 Street in existing plat used as driveway.
15.74.080 General layout of streets, blocks, and lots.
15.74.090 Temporary half streets.
15.74.100 Coordination with surrounding streets.
15.74.110 Relationship of streets to topography.
15.74.120 Cul-de-sacs/turnarounds.
15.74.130 Entrances to streets (driveways).
15.74.140 Street intersections.
15.74.150 Public streets and private roads.
15.74.160 Right-of-way improvements and dedication to precede development or building.
15.74.170 Attention to disabled persons in street and sidewalk construction.
15.74.180 Street names and house numbers.
15.74.210 Vacation of public rights-of-way.
15.74.220 Right-of-way permit required.
15.74.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to define the requirements for street planning and construction to be followed in the development, review, and approval of site plans, subdivisions, short subdivisions, and new development in existing plats. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.020 Construction standards and specifications.
A. Construction and design standards and specifications for streets are contained in the most recent editions of the documents listed below, and all streets must be completed in accordance with these standards (hereafter referred to as “construction standards”).
Documents below are listed in ranked order (i.e., standards in subsection (A)(1) supersede standards in subsection (A)(2)).
1. City of South Bend Standard Plans and Specifications for Public Works Construction;
2. Standard Plans and Specifications for Roads, Bridges, and Municipal Construction;
3. Pacific County Road Standards.
B. Curbs, gutters, and sidewalks may be required in the city’s commercial zone. If required, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks must be constructed according to the construction standards in the documents listed in subsection (A) of this section.
C. If a development accesses an existing street or is proposed at the end of an existing street that is not designed to accommodate the expected increase in traffic caused by the new development, then the developer must improve the existing street leading to the development up to the standards required for the expected increase in traffic (see SBMC 15.74.050(B)). Single-family homes, duplexes, and multifamily dwellings up to four units are exempt from this requirement. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.030 Approval of construction drawings required before installation.
A. The city supervisor must approve construction plans before any right-of-way improvements may be installed.
B. The right-of-way improvement plans must be prepared, stamped, and acknowledged by a licensed engineer on 24-inch by 36-inch size mylar reproducible sheet for approval by the city supervisor before starting construction.
C. The city supervisor may require a survey before construction begins. If a survey is required, a copy of the survey must be given to the city. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.040 Inspection of public improvements required before final permits are issued.
The city supervisor or his representative must inspect all public improvement work before any final land use permit or building permit is issued. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.050 Street classification.
A. If a street is dedicated to public use, the street must be classified as provided in subsection (B) of this section. Classification will be based on the following considerations:
1. The projected volume of traffic to be carried by the street, stated in terms of the number of trips per day;
2. The number of dwelling units to be served by the street may be used as an indicator of the number of trips but is not conclusive;
3. Whenever a subdivision street continues an existing street that used to end outside the subdivision, the classification of the street will be based upon the street in its entirety, both within and outside of the subdivision.
B. The classification of streets must comply with the most current edition of the Pacific County Roads Standards. The following are road or right-of-way classifications based on the anticipated average daily traffic (ADT) 10 years hence:
1. Major collector (ADT 2,000+);
2. Minor collector (ADT 400 – 2,000);
3. Access collector (ADT 0 – 400);
4. Cul-de-sac; and
5. Private road. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.060 Street in existing plat used as driveway.
A. In some existing plats in the city, a street is being used as a driveway because all of the lots created at the time that the area was platted have not yet been built upon.
B. In these situations in existing plats, if a street is used as a driveway, either:
1. The property owner using the street as a driveway must at all times maintain it in accordance with the standards for a temporary half-street, as outlined in SBMC 15.74.090; or
2. The property owner using the street as a driveway must improve it to city street standards and the city will maintain it. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.070 Dedications.
A. Required minimum street right-of-way width is according to construction standards in the documents listed in SBMC 15.74.020(A).
B. Easements must be provided for all public facilities and utilities as required by the city.
C. Additional right-of-way may be required to be dedicated as a condition of development approval. In order to conform to minimum standards where developments abut an existing public road or private right-of-way, dedications may be required for extension of the existing public streets or new streets in order to provide continuity with the circulation system. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.080 General layout of streets, blocks, and lots.
A. All streets must be straight, whenever practicable, to the extent necessary to preserve and continue a grid system.
B. All subdivisions and site plans must provide direct access to at least one existing improved and publicly-dedicated street.
C. Proposed streets should extend to the boundary lines of the proposed subdivision in order to provide for the future development of adjacent tracts, unless prevented by natural or manmade conditions, or unless an extension is determined to be unnecessary or undesirable by the decisionmaking body.
D. Street patterns should be designed to expedite traffic movement, reduce conflicts between various types of land uses (including between automobiles and pedestrians), and coordinate the location of proposed buildings with loading and parking facilities.
E. If possible (considering topography), blocks must have sufficient width to provide for a maximum of two tiers of lots of appropriate depths (according to zoning standards), unless existing conditions make this requirement impractical in the judgment of the decisionmaking body.
F. The maximum length of residential blocks should be 500 feet, and minimum length should be 300 feet, unless existing conditions make this requirement impractical in the judgment of the decisionmaking body.
G. Streets must be laid out so that the lengths, widths, and shapes of blocks adequately address the following:
1. Provision of adequate building sites suitable to the type of use contemplated;
2. The zoning requirements are able to be met on future building permits;
3. The limitations and opportunities of the topography;
4. The needs for convenient access, circulation, control and safety of vehicular and pedestrian traffic are considered.
H. Lots to be created must comply with the following requirements:
1. Every lot must have a minimum frontage of 50 feet on a public or privately dedicated right-of-way;
2. Every lot must have access to allow emergency vehicles to enter and exit, as well as for all those likely to need or desire access to the property in its intended use;
3. Lot lines must be at right angles to street lines or radial to curvilinear streets, unless a variation will result in a better street or lot plan in the opinion of the decisionmaking body;
4. Dimensions of corner lots must be large enough to allow for front yard setbacks off both streets; and
5. Corner lots must be graded to provide sufficient sight clearance at intersections. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.090 Temporary half streets.
Temporary half streets (i.e., streets that have less than the full required right-of-way and pavement width) may be allowed at the discretion of the decisionmaking body under the following conditions:
A. Where the street, when combined with an existing street, a street built simultaneously, or a street anticipated to be built within a reasonable time frame on property adjacent to a subdivision, creates a street that meets the right-of-way and pavement requirements of this chapter;
B. Where no more than five dwelling units will use the half-street;
C. Where a temporary half-street is allowed, the first half of the half-street to be built must be paved, at a minimum, to a width equal to three-quarters of the ultimate paved width;
D. Where a public right-of-way easement has been or is being dedicated to the city over those portions of the adjacent property to be used as a half-street. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.100 Coordination with surrounding streets.
A. The street system of a new subdivision or in an existing plat where new development is proposed must be coordinated with existing, proposed, and anticipated streets outside the subdivision or existing plat (hereafter referred to as “surrounding streets”).
B. Minor collector streets must intersect with surrounding major collector streets at safe and convenient locations.
C. Access collector streets must connect with surrounding streets where necessary:
1. To permit the convenient movement of traffic between residential neighborhoods;
2. To facilitate access to neighborhoods by emergency service vehicles; or
3. For other sufficient reasons, but connections will not be permitted where the effect would be to encourage the use of such streets by substantial through traffic.
D. Whenever connections to anticipated or proposed surrounding streets are required by this section:
1. The street right-of-way must be extended; and
2. The street must be developed to the property line of the subdivided property or existing plat at the point where the connection to the anticipated or proposed street is expected.
E. In addition, the permit-issuing authority may require temporary turnarounds to be constructed at the end of the streets described in subsection (D) of this section, pending their extension when such turnarounds appear necessary to facilitate the flow of traffic or accommodate emergency vehicles.
F. No temporary dead end streets in excess of 600 feet may be created unless no other practicable alternative is available. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.110 Relationship of streets to topography.
A. Streets must be designed to facilitate drainage and stormwater runoff, and street grades must conform as closely as practicable to the original topography.
B. New street construction must comply with Chapter 13.30 SBMC, Land Alteration and Surface Water Control, as it now exists or will later be amended.
C. The maximum grade at any point on a street must not exceed 15 percent unless no other practicable alternative is available. However, in no case may streets be constructed with grades that create a substantial danger to the public safety in the professional opinion of the city supervisor. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.120 Cul-de-sacs/turnarounds.
Cul-de-sacs and turnarounds on both public and private streets must conform to the construction standards listed in the documents in SBMC 15.74.020(A). (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.130 Entrances to streets (driveways).
Driveway standards in new subdivisions and new development in existing plats must conform to the construction standards listed in the documents in SBMC 15.74.020(A). (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.140 Street intersections.
In addition to the intersection standards outlined in the construction standards listed in the documents in SBMC 15.74.020(A), the following standards apply to new subdivisions and new development in existing plats:
A. Streets must intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no two streets may intersect at less than 60 degrees.
B. Not more than two streets may intersect at any one point, unless the city supervisor certifies to the permit-issuing authority that such an intersection can be constructed with no extraordinary danger to public safety.
C. Whenever possible, proposed intersections along one side of a street must coincide with existing or proposed intersections on the opposite side of such street. In any event, where a centerline offset (jog) must occur at an intersection, the distance between centerlines of the intersecting streets must be evaluated and designed according to accepted traffic safety standards. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.150 Public streets and private roads.
A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all lots created after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter must abut a public street at least to the extent necessary to comply with the access requirement set forth in SBMC 15.74.130.
B. For purposes of this subsection, the term “public street” includes a preexisting public street as well as a street created by a subdivider that meets the public street standards of this chapter and is dedicated for public use. The recording of a plat must dedicate the street.
C. Private roads will not be allowed in subdivided developments, except for condominiums or other such situations under unified management. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.160 Right-of-way improvements and dedication to precede development or building.
A. Except as noted under subsection (C) of this section, no land use permit or building permit will be issued by the city unless or until the public rights-of-way upon which the subject property abuts are:
1. Considered fully improved (see subsection (B) of this section) to the standards of the right-of-way classification (as specified in SBMC 15.74.070); and
2. Offered for dedication to the public.
B. The city supervisor will consider subsection (A) of this section fulfilled if the circumstances listed below are met. It will be at the discretion of the city supervisor, based on knowledge of upcoming projects in the vicinity, safety issues, or sound engineering judgment, as to which method will be allowed or not allowed. Improvements will be considered fully installed:
1. Where the rights-of-way are already improved to their classification standards and dedicated to the city;
2. Where the city chooses to purchase rights-of-way and install the improvements. However, under no circumstances is the city obligated to do this;
3. Where the applicant installs the improvements himself at his own cost and offers the rights-of-way to the public;
4. Where the applicant has dedicated the rights-of-way to the public and posted a completion security with the city supervisor in accordance with SBMC 15.02.120. The completion security will guarantee the completion of road and/or drainage improvements that are required;
5. If subsections (B)(1) through (4) of this section are declared unfeasible by the city supervisor, then improvements will be considered fully installed if the applicant has dedicated the rights-of-way to the public and elected to pay to the city an amount equal to the cost of installing the improvements. In such circumstances, the funds would be maintained in an account to be used specifically for improvements on that right-of-way within the general vicinity of the project;
6. A maintenance security may be required if work is not complete at the time of the first sale of property out of the developer’s possession.
C. This section does not apply to:
1. Building permits for additions, alterations, or repairs within any 12-month period which does not increase the gross floor space of an existing building or facility by more than 50 percent; or
2. Building permits for residential garages, carports, or accessory structures not intended as a dwelling unit. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.170 Attention to disabled persons in street and sidewalk construction.
A. Whenever curb and gutter construction is used on public streets (see SBMC 15.74.020(B)) wheelchair ramps for disabled persons must be provided at intersections and other major points of pedestrian flow.
B. Wheelchair ramps and depressed curbs must be constructed in accordance with published standards of the Washington State Building Code addressing accessibility. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.180 Street names and house numbers.
A. Public street names will be assigned by the developer subject to the approval of the permit-issuing authority.
B. Building numbers will be assigned by the city.
C. The city council may name or rename streets by resolution. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.190 Bridges.
Bridges, whether on public roads or private roads, must be designed and constructed to meet minimum requirements set forth in the AASHTO bridge specifications and in accordance with the most current edition of the Pacific County Road Standards. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.200 Utilities.
Utilities to be located within the street right-of-way must be constructed in accordance with current franchise and permit procedures and in compliance with the most current edition of the Pacific County Roads Standards. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.210 Vacation of public rights-of-way.
Applications for vacations of public rights-of-way will be processed in accordance with Chapter 35.79 RCW and Chapter 15.94 SBMC. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).
15.74.220 Right-of-way permit required.
A. Before performing any work within a right-of-way, the person performing the work must complete an “application to perform work on city right-of-way or public places,” which can be obtained from the city supervisor, and receive a right-of-way permit.
B. The city supervisor may condition the permit as necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. (Ord. 1222 § 1, 1997).