Town of Grand Chute, WI Article III Design Standards

§ 475-20 Location of site.

A. General plan. The location and design of all divisions of land must conform to any applicable Comprehensive Plan.

B. Zoning. The use of land in all divisions of land must conform to any applicable municipal, Town or county zoning ordinances; however, larger lots and setbacks may be required where conditions warrant.

C. Objectionable areas. Land subject to hazards of life, health, or property as may arise from fire, floods, disease, noise, or falling aircraft or considered to be uninhabitable for other reasons may not be subdivided for building purposes unless the hazard has been eliminated or the plans show adequate safeguards correcting the hazards have been approved by the Town.

D. Nearby development. All divisions of land shall be coordinated with existing nearby development or neighborhoods so that the area as a whole shall be developed harmoniously.

§ 475-21 Design of site.

A. Natural features.

(1) Preservation. In all divisions of land, care shall be taken to preserve all natural and historic features which will add attractiveness and value to the remainder of the land being divided (i.e., trees, watercourses, views, and historic structures).

(2) Hillside development. Where a division of land is on a site that has a slope of more than 12%, the Plan Commission may require larger lot sizes than are zoned and may reduce setback requirements upon proper appeal.

(3) Water frontage and surface drainage.

(a) The damming, filling or relocating or otherwise interfering with the natural flow of surface water along any surface water drainage channel or natural watercourse shall not be permitted except with approval of the Plan Commission or any other affected agency. Building setback lines shall be established no less than 75 feet from the high-water line of any stream, lake or water body to prevent construction of any structure other than a dam, bridge, boathouse, retaining wall, bulkhead or revetments in the setback area.

(b) See Outagamie County Shoreland Ordinance requirements for lot size, setbacks, well location, location of on-site absorption systems, etc.

(4) Planting screens. The Town shall require planting or buffering easements, extra lot depth or width alongside heavily traveled highways where lots are backed into the roadway; along zoning district lines; as buffer strips separating residential zoning districts from commercial or industrial land uses; as buffer zones along railroad rights-of-way; or for any such use as may be deemed appropriate and consistent with the total development of the community.

B. Street arrangement.

(1) Location principles. The streets shall be properly located and designed with regard to:

(a) Existing and planned streets.

(b) Topographic conditions.

(c) Public convenience and safety, including facilitating fire protection and pedestrian traffic.

(d) The proposed uses of land to be served by the streets.

(e) Anticipated traffic volumes.

(f) Further subdivision possibilities with suitable access to abutting properties.

(g) Any other principles as may be deemed significant to protect the public interest by the Town.

(2) Coordination of existing street pattern. The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade, location and engineering specifications of all streets shall conform to the standards of this chapter, adopted municipal or county plans and any official highway maps. If there is Comprehensive Plan or Official Map, the arrangement of streets in a division of land shall provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing streets into surrounding areas, subject to topographic conditions, public convenience, safety, and proposed uses of land to be served. Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way, the Commission may require a street approximately parallel with and on each side of such right-of-way at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land. Such distances shall also be determined with regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.

(3) Subdivision abutting arterials.

(a) Where a proposed subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed street right-of-way as designed on the Official Map of the Town, or as may be determined by the Commission, adequate protection of existing or proposed development, limitation of access and separation of through and local traffic shall be handled as follows:

[1] Reverse frontage with screen planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property line;

[2] By frontage streets; or

[3] By having development front on a perpendicular street to the primary right-of-way.

(b) When lots within the proposed subdivision back upon the right-of-way of an existing or proposed limited access highway or a railroad, a planting easement at least 15 feet in width shall be provided adjacent to normal lot depth. This easement shall be a part of the platted lots but shall have the following restriction lettered on the face of the plat: "This strip reserved for the planting of trees and shrubs, the building of structures hereon prohibited."

(c) Streets parallel to a limited access highway or railroad right-of-way, when intersecting a major street and highway, said intersection shall be located a minimum distance of 250 feet from said limited access highway or railroad right-of-way. Such minimum distance shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for the future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.

(4) Street design.

(a) Arterial street. An arterial street provides for movement of through traffic from one area of the community to another.

(b) Collector street. A collector street carries traffic between minor streets and arterial streets and also provides access to abutting properties.

(c) Minor street. A minor street primarily provides access to abutting properties. It does not serve through traffic and does not intersect with arterial streets.

(d) Cul-de-sac. Culs-de-sac designed as permanent installations should not be longer than 1,000 feet, except where topographical and site conditions warrant an extension, and will be subject to the approval of the Commission. The closed end shall have a turnaround with an outside roadway diameter of at least 96 feet and a street property line diameter of 120 feet for a residential area and a diameter of 135 feet with an outside roadway diameter of 105 feet in a commercial area. (Refer to the 2009 International Fire Code and evaluate with the Community Development Department.)[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(e) Alley. Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial districts, except that the Commission may waive this requirement where other definite and assured provision is made for service access, such as off-street loading and parking, adequate for the uses proposed. Alleys shall be prohibited in residential areas unless necessary because of topography or other exceptional circumstances. The width of the alleys shall not be less than 30 feet. 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.

(f) Half streets. Half streets shall not be permitted except:

[1] To complete a street, the other half of which is already dedicated and accepted; or

[2] To conform to the major thoroughfare plan or an Official Map.

(g) Reserve strips. Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where the control is definitely placed with the Town under conditions approved by the Plan Commission.

(5) Intersections.

(a) Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect at right angles.

(b) Intersection approach areas should not exceed a grade of 2% on all approaching streets for a distance of 50 feet from the intersecting points of the right-of-way lines.

(c) The minimum turning radius at an intersection shall not be less than 25 feet.

(d) Proper sight line easements, referred to as vision triangle areas, shall be maintained at all street intersections; measured along the intersecting right-of-way lines, there shall be a clear sight triangle easement with two sides as follows: state and federal highways, as defined by the WDOT Facilities Development Manual; arterial streets, 60 feet; collector streets, 60 feet; and minor streets, 25 feet. No visual obstructions, such as but not limited to structures, parking, fencing or vegetation, shall be permitted in any district between the heights of 2 1/2 feet and 10 feet above the mean edge of pavement grade within the limits of this area. See the illustration.

[Amended 3-5-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-06]

(e) The distance between intersections of minor or collector streets with arterials should not be less than 800 feet, and they shall be in alignment with existing and planned streets entering the arterial from the opposite side, unless approved by the Town Board. In no case shall intersection center lines be offset less than 125 feet.

(6) Street grades.

(a) Streets shall have a minimum center-line grade of 0.5% and shall not exceed grades specified as follows; these figures can be adjusted where deemed necessary by the Town:

[1] Arterial and collector streets: 6% maximum.

[2] Minor street: 10% maximum.

(b) All changes in street grades shall be connected by vertical curves of minimum length equivalent in feet to 15 times the algebraic difference in the rates of grade for major streets and 1/2 this minimum for all other streets.

(7) Width. All street rights-of-way shall be the width specified by local ordinance. Where no local or county ordinance applies, the provisions of § 236.15(2), Wis. Stats., shall apply and the Commission shall impose minimum standards as established by § 82.50, Wis. Stats., for improvements on Town roads.

(8) Curves. A tangent at least 100 feet long shall be introduced between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets and a fifty-foot tangent on minor streets. The minimum radii or curvature on the center line shall be 300 feet minimum radius for arterial streets, 200 feet minimum radius for collector streets, and 100 feet minimum radius for minor streets.

C. Easements. Easements across lots or centered on rear or side lot lines shall be designed for utilities where necessary and shall be at least 15 feet wide. Electric and telephone lines shall be planned along rear lot lines wherever possible. The Plan Commission shall determine the feasibility of burying utility lines. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel, or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way not less than 30 feet in width, conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourses. Parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection therewith.

D. Storm drainage. Storm sewers, culverts and related facilities shall be designed to permit the unimpeded flow of natural watercourses, ensure the drainage of all low points along the line of streets, and provide positive drainage away from on-site sewage disposal facilities. Storm drainage facilities must be designed not only to handle the anticipated peak discharge from the property being subdivided but also the anticipated increase in runoff that will occur when all the property at a higher elevation in the same drainage basin is fully developed. Where adequate existing storm sewers are readily accessible, the subdivider shall connect his stormwater facilities to these existing sewers. In the design of storm drainage facilities, special consideration shall be given to preventing excess runoff onto adjacent property. Where a storm drainage outlet will abut another property, sufficient and adequate engineering safeguards shall be designed in the plat to prevent damage to adjoining property. Sloped drainage channels must be protected against erosion.

(1) Stormwater retention.

(a) Purposes. The intent of this section is to protect property and structures from damage caused by increased surface water runoff due to commercial, industrial and residential development.

(b) Standards. Surface water runoff after development shall not exceed the peak rate/volume of flow at predevelopment conditions. The twenty-five-year frequency storm shall be the basis to determine both preconstruction and post-construction surface water runoff.

(c) Plan. A stormwater retention plan shall be submitted with the preliminary plat. The plan shall be designed, stamped and signed by a registered professional engineer. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

[1] Soil types, infiltration characteristics of the soil, amount of available detention area, type of vegetative cover, amount of impervious cover and time response to runoff.

[2] The plan shall be compatible with natural drainageways and existing man-made drainageways and easements.

[3] The plan shall identify bridges, regional drainage patterns, water boundaries, pipes, culverts, catch basins, waterways, ditches, and detention and retention basins and indicate respective size, dimensions and grades of each.

[4] All drainageways and associated structures shall lie within maintenance easements and such easements shall be shown on the final plat.

[5] The direction of surface water flow shall be shown by arrows.

[6] The plan shall be designed in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture Technical Release No. 55, Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds.

[7] The plan shall be accompanied by calculations showing preconstruction and post-construction surface water runoff.

[8] A statement shall be included indicating how runoff resulting from construction will affect downstream areas and adjacent property owners.

[9] The statement shall indicate methods that will be used to protect downstream areas and adjacent property owners from damage caused by increased surface water runoff.

[10] A covenant shall be recorded with the final plat or shall be placed on the final plat. The covenant shall state that:

[a] Maintenance of all drainageways and associated structures within the subdivision or serving the subdivision is the sole responsibility of the property owners of the subdivision, unless noted on the plan.

[b] Upon failure of the property owners to perform maintenance of the drainageways and associated structures; the Township retains the right to perform maintenance and/or repairs. The payment of said maintenance and/or repairs shall be equally assessed among the property owners of the subdivision with a drainage covenant.

(2) Surface water drainage restrictions. No drainageway contained within a drainage easement shall be disturbed, except as provided in Subsection A(3), in accordance with the following:

(a) No artificial obstruction may be constructed, planted or maintained within any man-made or natural drainageway so that such obstruction impedes the natural flow of water and/or diminishes the natural esthetic quality of the drainageway.

(b) Lot boundaries shall be made to coincide with new and/or preexisting man-made and natural drainageways to avoid the creation of lots that can be built upon by altering such drainageways.

(c) Exceptions. Surface water shall not be regarded as unduly retained or diverted if:

[1] The retention or diversion results from a technique, practice or device deliberately installed as part of an approved sedimentation or stormwater runoff control plan.

[2] The retention or diversion is not substantially different in location or degree than that experienced by the development site in its predevelopment stage, unless such a retention presents a danger to health or safety.

[3] The retention or diversion results from the actions of natural obstructions, whereby maintenance shall be performed by the property owners as described in Subsection D(1)(c)[10].

[4] The retention or diversion has been allowed or required by the Plan Commission or the Town Board and noted on the approved drainage plan.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

E. Sanitary sewers. In areas that have a sanitary sewer system on or near the proposed subdivision, the Town Sanitary District shall determine the feasibility of service and the requirements to be followed by the subdivider. In areas that are not to be served by a sewer system, on-site subsurface sewage disposal systems shall be permitted only where soil tests and feasibility reports are satisfactory as regulated by the Wisconsin Statutes.

F. Water facilities. Where there is an existing public water supply system on or near the subdivision, the Town Sanitary District shall determine the feasibility of connection to this system. Where there is a community water supply system, connection must be approved by the engineer of the water utility company holding the franchise covering the land to be subdivided and by the Wisconsin State Department of Safety and Professional Services. Where there is no existing public water supply and no community water supply, individual water supply systems will be permitted in accordance with minimum standards approved by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and Department of Natural Resources. See Ch. NR 812, Wis. Adm. Code.[3]

[3] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

G. Blocks. The lengths, widths and shapes of blocks shall be determined by provisions for building sites suitable to meet the needs of the type of use contemplated; Zoning Ordinance requirements pertaining to lot size and dimensions; need for convenient access, circulation, control and safety of street traffic; and limitations and opportunities of topography. Block lengths shall normally not exceed 1,800 feet or be less than 1,000 feet in length. Pedestrian easements or dedications not less than 10 feet wide shall be required where deemed necessary to provide access to playgrounds, schools, shopping centers, or other community facilities.

H. Lots and building location. The lot size, width, depth, shape, orientation and minimum building lines shall be appropriate for the location of the subdivision and for the type of development and use proposed. Lot dimensions shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 535, Zoning, or as may be determined by soil capability ratings and by the County Shoreland Ordinance. Corner lots shall have increased width to permit adequate setback from both streets. Every lot in a subdivision shall abut on a public street for at least 33 feet. Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles to the street lines. Double frontage shall be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries or to overcome particular topographic and orientation disadvantages.

(1) Access. Every lot shall front or abut on a public street and have direct vehicular access to that public street for a distance of at least 33 feet. Direct vehicular access does not include the use of easements.

(2) Depth. Lots shall be designed with a suitable proportion between width and depth. Neither long, narrow or wide, shallow lots are normally desirable. The use of "flag" lots (as illustrated below) shall be prohibited, except to overcome specific topographic or environmental restrictions. Depth shall not exceed 2.5 times the width nor shall it be less than 120 feet. Flag lot examples:

I. Filling. Where any land is to be filled more than six inches above an adjacent property, a grading plan must be approved by the Plan Commission.

J. Street names. No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the name of an existing street within the same community. Streets that are extensions, or obviously are in alignment with existing named streets, must bear the names of those streets. Street names must be approved by the Town and county.

K. Commercial and industrial areas. The land division shall be designed with consideration of site conditions to permit the best possible layout to serve the public; to permit good traffic circulation and the parking of cars; to make delivery and pickup efficient; to design individual units so that they blend with the whole; to provide for the most efficient arrangement of space for present use and future expansion; and to provide adequate and safe space for worker and customer access and parking. A development plan of this nature shall be accompanied by a plan indicating general landscape treatment intended.

§ 475-22 New roads.

Requirements for new roads and subdivision improvements contained in Chapter 468, Streets and Sidewalks, also apply where applicable to requirements under this chapter.