Article IV. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN STANDARDS  

(A)

Streets.

(1)

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

(2)

When such street is not on the master thoroughfare plan, the arrangement of the streets in a subdivision shall either:

(a)

Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing streets in surrounding areas; or

(b)

Conform to a plan for the neighborhood approved or adopted by the commission to meet a particular situation where topographical or other conditions make continuance of conformity to existing streets impracticable.

(3)

Local streets shall be so laid out such that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.

(4)

Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the commission may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage, deep lots with rear service alleys, screening or such treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection to residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.

(5)

Street jogs with center line offsets of less than 125 feet shall be avoided.

(6)

Street intersections shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect at less than 60 degrees.

(7)

Street right-of-way widths shall be as shown on the master thoroughfare plan and where not shown therein shall be not less than as follows:

(a)

Major thoroughfares—One hundred feet, depending upon the location and the city street plan with which the major thoroughfare is to be connected.

(b)

Divided Secondary thoroughfare—Eighty feet.

(c)

Secondary thoroughfare street—Sixty-four feet.

(d)

Collector street—Sixty feet.

(e)

Local street—Fifty feet.

(f)

Notwithstanding (a) through (e) above, all streets in Neighborhood Office, General Office, Neighborhood Retail, Local Retail-2, General Retail, Light Commercial, Heavy Commercial, Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Mixed Use-1 and Mixed Use-2 districts shall be 60 feet in width. The developer shall pay all costs.

(8)

Half streets shall be prohibited, except when essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conforming with the other requirements of these regulations, and where the commission finds it will not be impractical to require the dedication of the other one-half when the adjoining property is subdivided. Whenever a partial street exists along a common property line, the other portion of the street shall be dedicated. Where part of a street is being dedicated along a common property line and the ultimate planned width is 50 feet, the first dedication will be 30 feet; where the ultimate planned width is 60 feet, the first dedication will be 35 feet.

(9)

A cul-de-sac shall not be longer than 600 feet and at the closed end shall have a turnaround provided for, having an outside roadway diameter of at least 80 feet and a street property line diameter of at least 100 feet.

(10)

New streets of like alignment shall bear the names of existing streets and shall be dedicated at equal or greater widths than the existing streets. No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Street names shall be subject to approval of the commission.

(11)

When new street dedications are required by the city that consists of more than a local street, the city may participate in such street improvement to the extent of 50 percent of the actual cost of the excavating, drainage, and surfacing of the oversize portion of such street.

(B)

Alleys.

(1)

Alleys shall be provided in all subdivisions except that the commission may waive this requirement where other definite and assured provision is made for service access, such as off-street loading, unloading and parking consistent with and adequate for the use proposed. Service alleys in commercial and industrial districts shall be paved with reinforced concrete (4,000 psi, #3 rebar at 18 inch centers or #4 rebar at 24 inch centers) and be a minimum 25 feet in width. The pavement shall be a minimum of eight inches thick. The right-of way for a service alley shall be equal to the width of the paved surface of the service alley as a minimum.

(2)

In residential districts, alleys shall be parallel, or approximately parallel, to the frontage of the street. Alleys in residential districts shall be a minimum of 15 feet in right-of-way width and must be paved with reinforced concrete (4,000 psi, #3 rebar at 18 inch centers or #4 rebar at 24 inch centers), and be ten feet wide. The pavement shall have a flat bottom, with a minimum thickness of five inches at the centerline and eight inches at the outside edge.

(3)

Where the deflection of alley alignment exceeds 30 degrees, additional paving to provide safe vehicular movement shall be established on the inside property line.

(4)

Dead-end alleys shall be avoided where possible, but, if unavoidable, shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities at the dead end as determined by the commission.

(C)

Easements.

(1)

Easements may be required by the director of public works at the rear of lots, running parallel or approximately parallel to the frontage of the street, or elsewhere on the lot as may be appropriate. All easements in residential districts shall be a minimum of 15 feet in width.

(2)

Easements across lots or centered on side lot lines shall be provided for utilities where necessary and shall be of such widths as may be reasonably necessary for the utility or utilities using the same.

(3)

Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainage way, channel or stream, there shall be provided a drainage easement conforming substantially with such course and of such additional width as may be designated by the director of public works, that will be reasonably adequate for the purpose. Parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection with this.

(D)

Blocks.

(1)

The length, width and shapes of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:

(a)

Provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of use contemplated.

(b)

Zoning requirements as to lot sizes and dimensions.

(c)

Needs for convenient access, circulation, control and safety of street traffic.

(2)

In general, intersecting streets and block locations, lengths and widths shall be provided at such intervals as to serve cross traffic adequately, and to meet existing streets or customary subdivision practices. Where no existing subdivision controls, the block lengths shall not exceed 1,600 feet and shall generally be 1,000 feet to 1,200 feet in length. Where no existing subdivision controls, the blocks shall not be less than 500 feet in length; however, in cases where physical barriers or property ownership create conditions where it is appropriate that these standards be varied, the length may be increased or decreased to meet the existing conditions having due regard for connecting streets, circulation of traffic and public safety.

(3)

Where no existing subdivision controls, the block width or depth shall be platted to give lots with a depth to width ratio of generally not more than two and one-half to one and in no case more than four to one, and the platting shall be such that the block width or depth generally shall not exceed 500 feet nor be less than 215 feet. When possible, the block width and length shall be such to allow two tiers of lots back to back to an alley.

(4)

Where blocks in the vicinity of a school, park or shopping center are platted 1,000 feet or longer, the commission may require a walkway near the middle of the block or at a street that terminates between the streets at the ends of the block. The walkway shall not be less than four feet or more than eight feet in width, shall have a four foot concrete walk through the block from sidewalk to sidewalk, or to rear property line if no street.

(5)

Pedestrian sidewalks not less than four feet wide shall be provided around the perimeter of all blocks and shall be installed as the property is improved, and shall be of the width and located as provided in section F of this article; provided, however, sidewalks shall not be required to be installed on substandard streets and roads where the permanent grade has not been fixed at the time said sidewalks are to be installed.

(6)

The city planning and zoning commission may grant a variance to the foregoing sidewalk requirement where the commission finds that there exists one or more of the grounds for a variance as provided for in article X hereof.

(E)

Lots.

(1)

Lots shall conform to the minimum requirements of the established zoning district applicable to the property.

(2)

Each lot shall face on a public street.

(3)

Where corner lots in the block face the frontage street and other lots in the block face a side street, corner lots shall have a minimum front yard on both streets.

(4)

Irregularly shaped lots shall have sufficient width at the building line to meet the frontage requirements of the appropriate zoning district. Also, the rear width shall be sufficient to provide access for all utilities and garbage collection, not less than 25 feet in any case.

(5)

Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where the commission determines that they are essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries or to overcome specified disadvantage of topography and orientation. Where lots have double frontage, at least the minimum front building line required for the zoning district shall be established for each street.

(F)

Sidewalks.

(1)

Concrete sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of the street. They shall have a minimum width of four feet, except as hereafter provided, a minimum depth of four inches, a strength of 3,000 psi, and shall be of the width and located as hereafter provided, to wit:

(2)

Where a sidewalk is to be located adjacent to the curb, or less than two feet from the back of the curb, the sidewalk shall be not less than five feet in width on the following streets, to wit:

Big Stone Gap Road;

East Camp Wisdom Road;

West Camp Wisdom Road;

East Center Street (N./S. Main Street to East Freeman Street);

East Freeman Street (East Freeman Street to East Wheatland Road);

West Center Street (N./S. Cedar Ridge Drive to N./S. Main Street);

East Wheatland Road;

West Wheatland Road;

East Danieldale Road;

West Danieldale Road;

North Clark Road;

South Clark Road;

North Cedar Ridge Drive;

South Cedar Ridge Drive;

North Santa Fe Trail;

South Santa Fe Trail;

North Duncanville Road;

North Main Street;

South Main Street;

Oriole Boulevard (East Camp Wisdom Road to East Center Street);

North Cockrell Hill Road;

South Cockrell Hill Road;

East Red Bird Lane;

West Red Bird Lane (Nonresidential area);

East Wintergreen Road;

West Wintergreen Road.

(3)

Where mailboxes are located within said sidewalk area and adjacent to the street, such sidewalk shall be not less than four feet in width, excluding the area occupied by such mailbox.

(4)

Five foot sidewalks shall be required adjacent to all streets abutting public or private schools.

(5)

Barrier free ramps at intersections shall be provided at each street intersection and at all drive approaches. They shall be constructed with a minimum depth of four inches thick reinforced concrete, with a minimum strength of 3,000 psi. They shall conform to the most recent state and federal standards for accessibility.

(G)

Drive approaches, driveways, and parking spaces.

(1)

Residential drive approaches, driveways, and parking spaces abutting improved streets (curb and gutter) shall be constructed with reinforced concrete, with a minimum of 3,000 psi compressive strength. Concrete residential drive approaches shall be not less than six inches thick, and concrete residential driveways and parking spaces shall be not less than four inches thick. All concrete residential drive approaches, driveways and parking spaces shall be reinforced with No. 3 reinforcing bars at 18 inches on center, each way, or No. 4 reinforcing bars at 24 inches on center, each way.

Residential drive approaches abutting unimproved streets may be constructed with reinforced concrete as described above or constructed with four inches of asphalt.

Residential driveways and parking spaces abutting unimproved streets may be constructed with four inches of reinforced concrete as described above or constructed with four inches of asphalt. On residential driveways and parking spaces (private property), gravel may be substituted up to a maximum of 2½ inches of the 4 inches of asphalt but in no case shall the asphalt be less than 1½ inches thick. Asphalt overlays of existing concrete, asphalt, or gravel driveways that abut unimproved streets are permitted and shall not be less than 1½ inches thick.

For properties that require emergency vehicle access, these minimum requirements may need to be increased and will be determined on a case-by-case basis. All paving on public rights-of-way between the street and right-of-way line, including areas adjacent to unimproved streets for parking purposes, shall be considered as a drive approach, and shall be built to the drive approach standards set forth herein. All residential parking spaces on private property shall be a minimum area of nine feet by 18 feet.

(2)

Nonresidential drive approaches, driveways, driving aisles and parking spaces shall be paved with a reinforced concrete surface, with a minimum of 3,000 psi compressive strength. Concrete nonresidential driveways, drive approaches and driving aisles shall be not less than six inches thick, and nonresidential parking spaces shall be not less than five inches thick. All concrete nonresidential drive approaches, driveways, driving aisles and parking spaces shall be reinforced with No. 3 reinforcing bars at 18 inches on center, each way, or #4 reinforcing bars at 24 inches on center, each way. For properties that require emergency vehicle access, these minimum requirements may need to be increased and will be determined on a case-by-case basis. A nonresidential parking space on private property shall be a minimum area of nine feet by 18 feet for standard 90 degree parking (for other parking space configurations, see appendix A, article XII-D, off-street parking and loading requirements).

(3)

Reserved.

(Ord. No. 803, § 1, 9-15-80; Ord. No. 1045, § 2, 1-6-86; Ord. No. 1109, § 2, 2-16-87; Ord. No. 1949, § 1, 11-1-05; Ord. No. 2010, § 1, 2-6-07; Ord. No. 2273, § 1, 4-5-16; Ord. No. 2332, § 2, 12-19-17)