§ 114-91. Streets.

(a)

Generally. The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all subdivision streets shall conform to the general city plan and shall be considered in their relation to existing and planned streets, to topographical conditions, and to public convenience and safety, and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.

(b)

Continuation of existing streets. Where such is not shown in the general city plan, 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 approved or adopted by the planning and zoning commission to meet a particular situation where topographical or other conditions made continuance or conformance to existing streets impracticable.

(c)

Prevention of through traffic. Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.

(d)

Dual access. Subdivisions, whether public or private and containing 16 lots or more, shall be designed to provide two means of ingress and egress to the development, one of which may be limited to use by emergency vehicles only. Should the "emergency vehicle only" access be utilized, it shall be placed in a conspicuous, easily recognizable and accessible location with a direct connection to an existing maintained street. The "emergency vehicle only" access shall be shown on the plat or site plan as road right-of-way meeting the minimum width requirements as stipulated in this section of the Code with a 24-foot wide stabilized, grassed driving surface with signage at both ends identifying the right-of-way as "access for emergency vehicles only" and a paved driveway apron two feet wide and 24 feet long on the adjacent roadway. The right-of-way may be fenced or gated with a "crash gate".

(e)

Subdivisions abutting or containing arterial streets. Where a subdivision abuts on or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the city council may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage with screen planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with rear service alleys, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic. Where screen planting is approved, such screen shall be composed of cold-resistant shrubs, shall be the type of shrub that presents a solid screen at the base unless liner plants are used, and shall be composed of shrubs at least three feet in height at time of planting.

(f)

Subdivisions abutting or containing railroad right-of-way or limited access highway. Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way, the city council may require a marginal access street approximately parallel to and on each side of such right-of-way, at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land, as for park purposes in residential districts, or for commercial or industrial purposes in appropriate districts. Distances involving rights-of-way shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.

(g)

Reserve strips. Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where their control is definitely placed in the city under conditions recommended by the planning and zoning commission and approved by city council.

(h)

Centerline offsets. Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than 200 feet shall be avoided, except where topographic situations make this provision impractical.

(i)

Tangent between curves. A tangent at least 250 feet long shall be introduced between curves on arterial and collector streets. Minimum centerline curve radius shall be based on design speed.

(j)

Deflecting street lines. When connecting street lines deflect from each other at any one point by more than ten degrees, they shall be connected by a curve with a radius adequate to insure proper sight distance for minor streets, collector streets, and arterial streets. Minimum horizontal centerline curve radii shall be based on the Florida Department of Transportation Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highways (Green Book), current edition.

(k)

Angle of intersection. Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect any other street at less than a 60-degree angle.

(l)

Rounding of corners at intersections. Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a minimum radius of 25 feet, or a greater radius if so required by city council based upon a recommendation of the city engineer. City council may permit comparable cutoffs or chords (corner clips) in place of rounded corners.

(m)

Private streets. There shall be no private streets or easements for street use platted in any subdivision without the approval of city council.

(n)

Right-of-way widths and sight distances.

(1)

Street right-of-way widths and sight distances shall be as follows unless otherwise indicated or required by law:

STREET TYPE	MINIMUM ROW (ft)	SIGHT DISTANCE (ft)
Major arterial thoroughfare	150	1,600
Secondary arterial thoroughfare or section line road	80	1,100
Collector	60	600
Minor:
With curb & gutter	50	400
Marginal access	50	300

 

(2)

Additional right-of-way may be required to promote public safety and convenience, or to ensure adequate access, circulation and parking in high-density residential areas, commercial areas, business areas or industrial areas.

(3)

Where a subdivision abuts on or contains an existing street of inadequate right-of-way width, additional right-of-way in conformity with the standards in this subsection shall be required for new subdivisions.

(o)

Half streets. Half or partial streets shall be prohibited. Wherever a half street is adjacent to a tract to be subdivided, the other half of the street shall be improved and platted within such tract.

(p)

Dead-end streets. Dead-end streets, designed to be so permanently, shall be prohibited except when designed as cul-de-sac. Such streets shall not exceed 550 feet in length unless by recommendation of the planning and zoning commission and approval by city council, where due to unusual circumstances a greater length may be deemed necessary. They shall be provided at the closed end with a circular dedicated area with a diameter of not less than 100 feet.

(q)

Street names. Street names shall conform to the street-naming plan of the city under the quadrant grid system.

(r)

Grades. Street grades shall be determined in relation to the drainage installations for the subdivision. Wherever feasible, street grades shall not exceed 12 percent, or be less than 0.5 percent, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer. Vertical centerline curves shall be designed based on the Florida Department of Transportation Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highways (Green Book), current edition.

(Ord. No. 5450, §§ 14—18, 12-13-05; Ord. No. 5570, § 2, 10-10-06)