Sec. 8-04. - Building setback lines.
Sec. 8-06. - Easements along streams.
Sec. 8-07. - Land inadequately drained.
Sec. 8-08. - Underground utilities.
8-01.1.
Shape. The lot arrangement, design and shape shall be such that lots will provide satisfactory and desirable sites for buildings, and be properly related to topography, and conform to requirements of this ordinance. Lots shall not contain peculiarly shaped elongations solely to provide necessary square footage of area which would be unusable for normal purposes.
8-01.2.
Size. The minimum lot size shall conform to the requirements of the zoning ordinance of the City of Newport News [Appendix A].
8-01.3.
Location. Each lot shall have the required frontage as required by the city zoning ordinance [Appendix A] on a street dedicated by the subdivision plat or on an existing publicly dedicated paved street, or on a paved street which has become public by right of use. Except for proposed, or relocations of, arterial streets when the right-of-way of existing streets are not of the required width, the subdivider shall be required to dedicate that portion of any right-of-way necessary to make said street comply with the minimum width fixed for same, measured from the existing center line.
8-01.4.
Side lines. Side lines of lots shall be approximately at right angles or radial to the street line, to include cul-de-sacs, where practical. In any case, where a side line is not radial, it shall be denoted as such on the plat.
8-01.5.
Remnants. All remnants of lots below minimum size left over after subdividing of a tract must be added to adjacent lots, or otherwise disposed of rather than allowed to remain as unusable parcels.
8-01.6.
Reserved tracts. The owners of a subdivision may designate parcels of land for the common use of the owners of property within the subdivision for recreational use or permanently reserved open spaces, provided:
(1)
The amount designated is sufficient in size, suitably located, has adequate access and is served with adequate facilities necessary to serve the recreational purpose intended;
(2)
That no parcel shall be thus designated unless it contains at least the minimum area for a residential lot as established for the zoning district in which such lot is located; and
(3)
That evidence is given that satisfactory arrangements will be made for the perpetual maintenance of such designated parcels to relieve the city of the future maintenance.
8-01.7.
(Reserved).
8-01.8.
Double frontage lots. Double frontage or reverse frontage lots shall not be permitted except where essential to provide separation of residential development from major thoroughfares or to overcome disadvantages of topography or where access to one (1) of the streets is restricted by fencing, planting or other appropriate screening.
8-01.9.
Usable land area. Not less than eighty (80) percent of the minimum lot area required by the zoning ordinance [Appendix A] shall be usable land by reason of elevation above flood level and not less than fifty (50) percent of such required minimum lot area shall be usable by reason of absence of easements or servitudes; provided, however, that all of the minimum area required for the building itself together with its required front, side and rear yard lines shall be usable land.
8-01.10.
Access to major thoroughfares. Residential lots created so as to abut on existing or proposed major thoroughfares and/or rights-of-way for major thoroughfares as designated in the adopted "Major Thoroughfare Plan" shall be planned to front on marginal access or service drives or otherwise planned so as not to provide direct access to the designated major thoroughfare.
8-02.1.
Length. The maximum length of blocks generally shall be twelve hundred (1,200) feet between intersections. However, variations may be permitted by the director of engineering, based on topography and land conditions.
8-02.2.
Width. Blocks shall be wide enough to allow two (2) tiers of lots of minimum depth, except where fronting on major streets, unless prevented by topographical conditions or size of the property, in which case the director of engineering may approve a single tier of lots of minimum depth provided, however, in the Neotraditional Overlay District blocks may vary in accordance with the city approved master plan.
8-02.3.
Orientation. Where a subdivision adjoins a major road, the director of engineering may require that the greater dimensions of the block shall front or back upon such major thoroughfare to avoid unnecessary ingress and egress.
8-02.4.
Business or industrial. Blocks intended for business or industrial use shall be designed specifically for such purposes and shall provide for adequate parking and delivery space in accordance with the provisions of the zoning ordinance of the City of Newport News [Chapter 45], provided, however, in the Neotraditional Overlay District blocks may contain various combinations of commercial uses, including office and retail, and/or residential uses.
(Ord. No. 3454-86; Ord. No. 5635-01)
8-03.1. Design, alignment and layout. The arrangement of streets in new subdivisions shall make provision for the alignment and continuation of existing streets in adjoining areas. The street arrangement must be such as to cause no unnecessary hardship to owners of adjoining property when they plat their own land and seek to provide for convenient access to it. Where, in the opinion of the director of engineering, or his authorized representative's, it is desirable to provide for street access to adjoining property, proposed streets shall be extended by dedication to the boundary line of such property and improved in accordance with the regulations set forth herein for public streets. Streets shall connect with the principal streets in adjoining subdivisions or public ways. Half streets along the boundary of land proposed for subdivision may not be permitted.
At all points of intersection in street lines, a chamfer or curve, whichever is best suited for the conditions, shall be computed and dedicated as a part of the public right-of-way, except that in no case shall the said curve have a radius less than twenty-five (25) feet, at the property line. The minimum dimensions for a chamfer shall be determined by the director of engineering.
The subdivider shall arrange, design and construct streets to conform with the street layout, where applicable, of the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Newport News.
Street construction shall adhere to the requirements of the City Design Criteria Manual, adopted by the city council, provided, however, in the Neotraditional Overlay District, street chamfer or curve radii may vary in accordance with the city approved master plan.
8-03.2. Service drives. Whenever a proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to a limited access highway or expressway, and where the frontage lots in such subdivision are proposed to front on such highway, provisions shall be made for a service drive or marginal street approximately parallel to such right-of-way at a distance suitable for an appropriate use of the land between such highway and the proposed subdivision. Such distance shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for ingress and egress to the main thoroughfare. The right-of-way of any major highway or street projected across any railroad, limited access highway or expressway shall be of adequate width to provide for the cuts or fills required for any future separation of grades.
8-03.3. Approach angle. Subdivision streets should intersect with existing or proposed streets at an angle as close to ninety (90) degrees as practicable, but in no case shall such angle be less than seventy-five (75) degrees, unless the director of engineering shall approve a lesser angle of approach for reasons of contour, terrain or matching of existing patterns.
8-03.4. Minimum widths. With the exception of streets in the Neotraditional Overlay District, the minimum width of proposed streets in subdivisions as measured from lot line to lot line shall be shown on any major thoroughfare plan adopted by the City of Newport News or if not shown on such plan shall be:
a.
Major arterial thoroughfares such as state or federal highways:
6 lane divided .....110 feet
4 lane divided .....90 feet
4 lane undivided .....70 feet
b.
Secondary thoroughfares:
When serving as a collector street from one (1) or more major subdivisions to a major thoroughfare—Not less than seventy (70) feet.
When serving as a collector street within a subdivision—Not less than sixty (60) feet.
c.
Local residential service streets or other minor streets which cannot be extended in the future—Not less than fifty (50) feet.
d.
Cul-de-sac streets which can be extended in the future—Not less than fifty (50) feet.
e.
Cul-de-sac streets which cannot be extended in the future:
When less than nine hundred (900) feet in length and having a maximum projected ultimate average daily traffic volume of three hundred fifty (350) (Institute of Transportation Engineers-Trip Generation)—Not less than forty (40) feet.
When more than nine hundred (900) feet in length or having a projected ultimate average daily traffic volume greater than three hundred fifty (350) (Institute of Transportation Engineers-Trip Generation)—Not less than fifty (50) feet.
f.
Alleys, if permitted—Not less than twenty (20) feet.
8-03.5. Culs-de-sac.
(1)
Defined: Minor terminal streets (culs-de-sac), designed to have one (1) end permanently closed
(2)
Length: Culs-de-sac shall be no longer than six hundred (600) feet to the beginning of the turnaround, unless warranted by unusual conditions deemed acceptable by the director of engineering, and shall be no longer than twelve hundred (1,200) feet under any circumstance.
(3)
Turnaround: Each cul-de-sac must be terminated by a turnaround, not less than one hundred (100) feet in diameter at the property line.
(4)
Temporary condition: A temporary circular turnaround having a diameter of not less than sixty (60) feet with appropriate improvements as approved by the director of engineering shall be provided at the temporary terminus of a street when it is contemplated by the city that the street will be extended in the future. Such temporary turnaround shall be located within the platted street right-of-way, other abutting property of the subdivider or on an easement established by the developer. In the case of easements, appropriate agreements shall be filed with the city setting forth the terms of the easement agreements (and such documents shall be approved as to form by the city attorney).
(5)
Waiver: The requirement for a turnaround may be waived by the director of engineering under the following conditions:
a.
If the affected properties from the intersecting right-of-way to the proposed end of the street are non-single family land uses, the length from near side of the intersecting right-of-way to the proposed end of the street is not greater than five hundred (500) feet, and the total trip generation along the cul-de-sac is projected to be less than five hundred (500) trips per day; or
b.
Alternate turnaround waiver: The alternate turnaround waiver may be granted if the proposed street design includes a permanent alternate turnaround design and construction suitable for WB-50 vehicles. Such alternate turnaround shall be located within the platted street right-of-way or on an easement established by the developer. In the case of easements, appropriate agreements shall be filed with the city setting forth the terms of the easement agreements, including agreements for letters of credit and/or performance bonds to guarantee maintenance.
8-03.6. Alleys. Alleys should be avoided wherever possible. Deadend alleys, if unavoidable, shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities as determined by the director of engineering, provided, however, in the Neotraditional Overlay District alleys shall be permitted in accordance with the city approved master plan. In no case shall the clear space have a minimum width of less than twelve (12) feet.
8-03.7. Private streets. Except in the case of P.R.D.'s and the Neotraditional Overlay District, there shall be no private streets platted in any residential subdivision. Every subdivided property shall be served from a publicly dedicated paved street. There shall be no reserve strips controlling access to streets, except where the control of such strips is definitely placed with the community under conditions approved by the director of engineering.
8-03.8. Names. Proposed streets which are obviously in alignment with other already existing and named streets, shall bear the names of the existing streets. Failing to meet the above stipulations, in no case shall the name of proposed streets duplicate or too closely approximate existing street names, irrespective of the use of the suffix street, avenue, boulevard, drive, way, place, lane or court. Street names shall be indicated on all plats and shall be approved by the director of engineering. No street name shall contain more than ten (10) letters exclusive of such symbols as St., Ave., or other abbreviations. Names of existing streets shall not be changed except by approval of the city council.
8-03.9. Identification signs. Street identification signs will be installed by the city at each intersection at the expense of the subdivider.
(Ord. No. 5635-01; Ord. No. 6430-07)
Cross reference— Streets and sidewalks, Ch. 38.
Sec. 8-04. - Building setback lines.
The subdivider shall establish and show on the final plat building setback lines along all streets abutting lots. Such setback lines shall not be less than required by regulations applicable to street setback lines.
The director of engineering may require that easements for drainage through adjoining property be provided by the subdivider. Easements shall be provided for water, sewer, power lines and other utilities in the subdivision when required by the director of engineering. The minimum width of these required easements shall be fifteen (15) feet unless otherwise modified by the director of engineering.
Sec. 8-06. - Easements along streams.
Where any stream, lake or other surface drainage course is located within the subdivision and such facility is, in the opinion of the director of engineering, part of a public drainage way serving other lands beyond the subdivision, provisions shall be made for an adequate easement of not less than twenty (20) feet along one (1) side of stream or drainage course or along the shoreline of any lake for the purpose of maintenance and protection of the stream or shoreline for drainage purposes. The total easement width shall be in accordance with the provisions of the City of Newport News general sewerage and/or drainage improvement program. Such easements shall not be considered part of a required street width nor will such easements be required for streams, lakes or other surface drainage courses which are proposed for private ownership.
Sec. 8-07. - Land inadequately drained.
No proposed subdivision which is subject to flooding or which is inadequately drained shall be approved unless evidence is shown by engineering procedures for the proper drainage of the affected area to the satisfaction of the director of engineering.
Sec. 8-08. - Underground utilities.
All utility services or extensions of existing utility services, including, but not limited to, all wires, cables, pipes, conduits and appurtenant equipment carrying or used in connection with the furnishing of electricity, telephone, telegraph, cable transmissions, petroleum, gas, steam, water or sewer services or systems, shall be placed below the surface of the ground in accordance with city council adopted ordinances, policies and programs.
(Ord. No. 3263-84)