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18.30.220 Streets
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A. Generally

1. Applicant to Provide Streets

The developer shall install all streets, including curbing, within the boundaries or adjacent to a subdivision. No grading or other construction shall take place within a street right-of-way until the construction plans have been approved by the City Engineer.

2. Design

All street construction shall conform to the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects and this section.

3. Major Street Map

a. Adoption by the Governing Body

To establish building or setback lines on existing and proposed major streets within the City and prohibiting any new building being located within the building or setback lines, the Governing Body, pursuant to the authority of K.S.A. 12-765, adopted an ordinance establishing building or setback lines on existing and proposed major streets, prohibiting any new building being located within the building or setback lines. This ordinance incorporates by reference the Major Street Map, with its supplementary documents, which sets forth the major street plan for the City and shows, to the extent possible, the location and width of existing or proposed major streets or highways and right-of-way widths. At least three (3) copies of the Major Street Map together with the adopting ordinance are on file and available for inspection in the offices of the City Engineer and the City Clerk.

b. Filing with Records and Tax Administration

A certified copy of the Major Street Map and adopting ordinance shall be filed with the Records and Tax Administration of Johnson County, Kansas.

c. Measurement of Yard and Lot Areas

In measuring any required yard or lot area, those portions of a lot which lie in an established or proposed street right-of-way as defined on the Major Street Map and supplementary documents are not counted as part of any of the required yard or lot area.

d. Adoption of Building and Setback Lines

The building and setback lines for existing and proposed major streets and highways shall be those building and setback lines established by the applicable provisions of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and Olathe Municipal Code.

e. Access Management Plan

All access from driveways, private streets and public streets onto adjacent properties shall conform to and be subject to the Access Management Plan.

f. Amendment

The Major Street Map may be amended by ordinance in accordance with K.S.A. 12-765. The Access Management Plan may be amended by resolution by the Planning Commission and the Governing Body. Building and setback lines may be amended in accordance with the requirement of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and state statutes on zoning and platting.

B. Street Layout

1. Generally

a. Proposed new streets shall be designed and located in relation to existing and planned streets, topographical conditions and natural terrain features such as streams and existing tree growth, to promote public convenience and safety, and in appropriate relation to the proposed uses of land to be served by the streets.

b. All streets shall be properly integrated with the existing and proposed system of collector and arterial streets, and dedicated rights-of-way, as established on the Major Street Map, Transportation Plan, and Access Management Plan and this ordinance, or as directed by the City Engineer.

c. All service, collector and arterial streets shall be properly related to special traffic generators such as industries, business districts, schools, churches and shopping centers, population densities, and the pattern of existing and proposed land uses.

d. In business and industrial developments, the streets and other access ways shall be planned in connection with the grouping of buildings, location of rail facilities, truck loading and maneuvering areas, and walks and parking areas so as to minimize conflict of movement between the various types of traffic, including pedestrian.

e. All streets within subdivisions shall conform to the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

f. A fire apparatus access road shall reach one hundred fifty (150) feet of any portion of an exterior building, as required by the Fire Code and subsection C, below.

g. The final street design and arrangement of the development shall be completed in accordance with the Major Street Map, Transportation Plan, Access Management Plan, Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects and applicable corridor studies and plans.

h. All streets whether platted as public or private shall be built to City standards.

i. All setbacks are measured from the edge of pavement.

2. Connectivity

Street layouts should respond to local conditions such as topography, watercourses, greenways and the existing street systems of neighboring developments. Local street patterns may discourage through traffic, but should also include interconnecting streets with alternative routes throughout the neighborhood to diffuse automobile traffic and shorten walking distances. A well connected street network shall be provided to spread traffic efficiently, and to provide greater opportunities for access and circulation of motor vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle modes of travel.

a. External Connectivity

(1) Where adjoining areas are not subdivided, the arrangement of streets in the subdivision shall provide for the extension of streets into the unsubdivided areas.

(2) Parcels shall be arranged to allow the opening of future streets and logical further subdivision.

(3) Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the tract to be subdivided or developed, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless the Planning Official determines that the extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision or development with the existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.

(4) At least one (1) street shall extend to the boundary line of the tract for each six hundred sixty (660) linear feet of the boundary line with adjoining tracts. This section does not require designated local streets to extend into floodplains, bluffs or other natural features or existing development that does not accommodate the connection.

b. Internal Connectivity

(1) The following terms are defined for purposes of this subsection only:

Street Link

That portion of a Street that lies between 2 nodes.

Node

The intersection of two (2) or more streets, a cul-de-sac head or a dead-end. The following are not considered Nodes:

• An eyebrow. An eyebrow is a semicircular shaped portion of a street that is configured so that a circle with a radius of thirty (30) feet can fit within the confines of the paved portion of the surface.

• The intersection of a local street within the proposed subdivision with an external public street that connects to the proposed subdivision is not considered a node in computing the connectivity ratio.

Pedestrian Connection

A pedestrian accessway or portion of a development’s trail system that:

• Complies with Section 18.30.180.B and C, and

• Connects a dead-end street, cul-de-sac, or T-intersection to another public street or to a commercial or office development that is built, approved, or designated as part of the proposed development. Pedestrian accessways or trails that connect only to parks, greenways or recreational areas are not counted as a pedestrian connection for purposes of calculating the connectivity ratio.

Street

See Section 18.90.020.

(2) Streets within any proposed residential subdivision shall provide a connectivity ratio as provided below. The connectivity ratio is computed by dividing the number of street links and pedestrian connections by the number of nodes within the subdivision.

(3) The Planning Commission may modify the connectivity ratio (see Section 18.30.020.B) by counting a feature as a street link or pedestrian connection or reducing the required ratio if:

(a) Existing topography or natural features make the required number of connections impractical, and

(b) The applicant provides alternative solutions that substantially accomplish the purposes of this section.

Table 18.30.220-1. Connectivity Ratios

Site Design Category

(see Chapter 18.15)

Connectivity Ratio

(minimum)

1 (Conventional Neighborhood)

1.2

2 (Conservation Neighborhood)

Not applicable

3 (Neighborhood Center/Urban Center/TOD/Mixed-Use Residential Neighborhood)

1.6

4-6 (Commercial/Office/Industrial)

Not applicable

(Street standards begin on next page)

C. Street Standards

The minimum right-of-way, horizontal curves, gradients and miscellaneous widths for streets shall be in conformance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects. Horizontal curves and gradients can be varied subject to approval by the City Engineer.

1. Conventional Street Design

Conventional street design standards apply to the following site design composite standards (see Chapter 18.15): 1 (Conventional Neighborhood), and 4-6 (Commercial/Office/Industrial):

a. Additional width is required where needed to comply with the Fire Code, Appendix D, unless the buildings are equipped with an automatic sprinkler system that complies with the Fire Code.

b. The actual right-of-way varies based on the functional classification, and the provision of other elements to support the type and density of adjoining land uses including parallel or angled on-street parking, buffer planting zones with landscape and streetscape materials, pedestrian zones and sidewalk widths, on-street bike facilities, and medians.

c. Minimum right-of-way width for all public streets shall comply with the intersection dimensions adopted as part of the Major Street Map.

d. Curb cuts are not allowed on controlled access routes.

D. Intersections

1. The intersection of more than two (2) streets at one (1) point is prohibited.

2. All intersection geometry and spacing shall be in accordance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

3. “T” intersections (three (3) way) are allowed for all streets. A “T” intersection for arterials and highways requires approval by the City Engineer.

E. Sight Distance

1. Two (2) sight triangles are needed at each quadrant of the intersection of two (2) streets, public or private and commercial entrances in accordance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

2. Sight triangles are used to limit the location of and height of vegetation, structures, fences, walls, and other items at intersections. Any items in the triangle shall be no higher than twenty-four (24) inches, or lower than nine (9) feet above. Power poles, city signs, trees may be acceptable as long as they are less than eighteen (18) inches wide. Items that cause a sight restriction should be removed, or (in the case of vegetation) trimmed.

3. Sight triangles are not to be used for intersection design – intersection sight distance and stopping sight distance shall be in accordance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

4. Exception may be made in the “D” Downtown District, to streets designed under the Compact Street Design option, or to signalized intersections, as approved by the City Engineer.

F. Reverse Curves

Reverse curves shall be in accordance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

G. Cul-de-Sacs

The following criteria apply to cul-de-sac street design:

1. The length of cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed seven hundred fifty (750) feet, measured from the nearside right-of-way line of the intersection street to the center of the cul-de-sac turnaround. Before granting any modification to this provision (see Section 18.30.030), the approving agency shall consult the fire code official.

2. Turnaround right-of-way shall be in accordance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

3. The terminus shall include a paved radius of at least forty-eight (48) feet.

H. Temporary Turnarounds

1. A temporary turnaround shall be constructed in accordance with the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects and the Fire Code, Appendix D. The fire code official or City Engineer may approve a smaller turnaround radius where justified by the existing street geometry, topography, traffic volumes, or similar considerations.

I. Private Streets

1. No plat containing proposed private streets shall be approved by the Planning Commission unless the proposal to utilize private streets has been previously approved by the Governing Body and adequate assurances are provided to maintain the streets.

2. Private streets shall comply with Appendix D of the Fire Code and the Technical Specifications and Design Criteria for Public Improvement Projects.

3. Private streets shall be designated as a separate tract or tracts under common ownership on the plat and inspected by the City.

4. Public access easements shall be dedicated to assure adequate access to all adjacent property owners and the general public being served by the private street for government agencies and public utilities consistent with access provided elsewhere by public streets.

5. All street setbacks are measured from edge of pavement.

J. Driveway Entrances

See Section 18.30.050.

K. Median Strips and Entrance Ways

1. Median strips, which are part of a dedicated public right-of-way, may not be used for any purpose other than by the City or a public utility.

2. A developer or property owner may beautify a median strip with landscaping which conforms with sight distance, and has submitted documentation of the entity which will have permanent responsibility for maintenance and liability of the improvements. Landscaping installed in median strips shall conform with Section 18.30.130.

3. Subdivision entranceways which have a local or collector street intersecting with an arterial street, or a street of higher functional classification, shall be designed at a minimum of sixty (60) and seventy (70) feet in width, respectively, by one hundred forty (140) feet in length. Such entranceway shall accommodate at least one (1) entrance and three (3) exit lanes.

L. Dedication of Right-of-Way for Abutting Streets

1. If a proposed subdivision abuts a public street or a proposed public street as indicated on the plat or the Major Street Map, and adequate right-of-way does not exist for the street or proposed street in accordance with the standards set forth in Chapter 12.04 of the municipal code, and this section, or other right-of-way requirements established by a transportation corridor study, traffic analysis or area plan accepted by the City, the City Engineer shall make an individualized determination of the subdivider’s responsibility to dedicate to the City, without charge, the right-of-way that is necessary to conform to the indicated right-of-way requirements.

2. Any such dedication shall be shown on the preliminary and final plat.

3. Any determination to require dedication of right-of-way shall be based upon the existence of an essential nexus between the dedication requirement and any public purpose sought to be achieved through such requirement, and the existence of rough proportionality between the dedication requirement and the traffic demands or safety concerns created by the development. (Ord. 17-52 §§ 13, 41, 2017)