[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Horicon as Title 6, Ch. 3, of the 1997 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Purpose. For the safety of the general public, the City shall determine the location, size, construction and number of access points to public roadways within the City limits through the administration of this chapter by the Director of Public Works-Utilities. It is the City's intent to provide safe access to properties abutting public roadways suitable for the property to be developed to its highest and best use, provided that access is not deficient or dangerous to the general public.
B. 
Permit requirements. Unless otherwise permitted by resolution of the Common Council, upon written application giving the reason therefor, no person shall construct, repair or reconstruct any driveway across or through any sidewalk or curbing without having first obtained a permit from the Director of Public Works-Utilities for which a fee as set by the Common Council shall be charged. Such permit shall be issued upon an application form provided by the City and shall contain such information as the Director of Public Works-Utilities shall deem necessary; issuance shall be conditioned upon complete compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
Street openings. Openings for vehicular ingress and egress shall be at least 10 feet wide at the property line for residential properties and a minimum of 16 feet wide at the property line for all other uses but shall not exceed 24 feet at the property line and 30 feet at the curb opening.
B. 
Location. No driveway shall be closer than 10 feet to an extended street line at an intersection. At street intersections, a driveway shall not provide direct ingress or egress to or from the street intersection area and shall not occupy areas of the roadway deemed necessary by the Director of Public Works-Utilities for effective traffic control or for highway signs or signals. Vehicular entrances and exits to drive-in theaters, banks and restaurants; motels; funeral homes; vehicular sales, service, washing and repair stations; garages; or public parking lots shall be not less than 200 feet from any pedestrian entrance or exit to a school, college, university, church, hospital, park, playground, library, public emergency shelter or other place of public assembly.
C. 
Drainage. No driveway apron shall extend out into the street further than the facing of the curb, and under no circumstances shall such driveway apron extend into any gutter area. All driveway entrances and approaches shall be so constructed as not to interfere with the drainage of streets, side ditches or roadside areas or with any existing structure on the right-of-way. When required by the Common Council or the Public Works Committee thereof so as to provide for adequate surface water drainage along the abutting street, the property owner shall provide any necessary culvert pipe at such owner's expense.
D. 
Gutter reconstruction. When a curb opening is to be made, the City shall direct the removal of the entire curb back. Complete removal of the entire curb and gutter shall be at the cost of the abutting property.
E. 
Number. No more than one driveway entrance per street or alley and approach shall be constructed for any lot or premises except where deemed necessary and feasible without the impairment of safety, convenience and utility of the street by the Common Council or Public Works and Development Committee. Driveway approaches shall be at least 10 feet apart except by special permission from the Common Council or Public Works and Development Committee thereof, and driveways shall in all cases be placed wherever possible as not to interfere with utilities in place. Any costs of relocating utilities shall be the responsibility of the property owner with approval of the Public Works and Development Committee necessary before any utility may be relocated and the driveway installed.
F. 
Construction across sidewalks. All driveway entrances and approaches which are constructed across sidewalks shall be paved in accordance with the requirements for sidewalk construction in § 481-7 of this Code insofar as such requirements are applicable, including thickness requirements in § 481-7G.
Permit applications shall be made at least 24 hours in advance of intended installation but this shall not be deemed to be a limitation of time within which a permit must be granted, and the Director of Public Works-Utilities shall have such time as reasonably necessary for examination and consideration of any application before granting the permit, subject always to specific direction of the Common Council. The Director of Public Works-Utilities may hold the permit application in abeyance, when necessary, pending referral and action by the Common Council or Public Works and Development Committee thereof.
The permittee shall assume all responsibility for any injury or damage to persons or property resulting directly or indirectly during construction or repair of driveway approaches or entrances. When curb or gutter is removed, the new construction shall conform to § 481-7 and be of equivalent acceptable material and curb returns provided or restored in a neat, workmanlike manner. Driveway surfaces shall connect with the street pavement and sidewalk in a neat, workmanlike manner.