§ 8-03. Streets.

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, or the director's authorized representative, 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.

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 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, 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 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 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, 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.

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. 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; Ord. No. 7501-18)

Cross reference— Streets and sidewalks, Ch. 38.

(Ord. No. 5635-01; Ord. No. 6430-07; Ord. No. 7501-18)

Cross reference

Streets and sidewalks, Ch. 38.