Village of Darien, WI Chapter 16.36 Streets and Sidewalks

§ 16.36.010 Streets.

All streets must meet the design standards in Table 1: Minimum Roadway Design Standards, set out at the end of this section,[1] as well as the requirements below:

A. Additional Right-of-Way on Existing Streets. Developments that adjoin existing streets which have rights-of-way less than the minimum standard than the roadway as classified in the master plan and/or official map shall dedicate additional right-of-way to meet those minimum standards.

B. Temporary Roadway Termination. Where a street is terminated temporarily at the edge of a development and the street is longer than 240 feet or two lot widths, a temporary turnaround shall be provided by one of the following methods:

1. If the adjacent land is owned by the subdivider, a temporary turn-around can be provided through a restriction (temporary easement) on the land. Such a turn-around shall be constructed to Village standards.

2. The subdivider may provide the required turn-around on one of the last lots fronting on the temporary dead-end street through the use of a temporary easement running to the Village. Such a turn-around shall be constructed to Village standards.

C. Reserve Strips. There shall be no reserve strips controlling access to streets except where control of such strips is placed in the Village under conditions recommended by the Plan Commission and approved by the Village Board.

D. Half Streets. Where an existing dedicated or platted half street is adjacent to a tract being subdivided, the other half of the street shall be dedicated by the subdivider. In new plats, the creation of half streets is prohibited.

E. Street Jogs. Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than 150 feet shall not be allowed. On collectors and arterials, offsets of less than 600 feet shall not be allowed.

F. Intersections.

1. No more than two streets shall intersect at one point.

2. Such intersection shall be laid out so that the angle of intersection is as nearly as possible a right angle.

3. No street shall intersect another street at less than a 75° angle.

4. Intersections along arterial streets shall be held to a minimum, and whenever feasible, the minimum distance between intersections shall be 1200 feet.

G. Restriction of Access (Protection of Arterial Streets and Highways). Whenever a proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to an arterial street or highway, adequate protection of residential property, limitation of access and the separation of through and local traffic shall be provided by:

1. Reversed frontage with screen planting contained in a non-access reservation along the rear property line; or

2. Marginal access street (frontage road).

H. Street Names. A proposed street which is in alignment with or joins an existing and named street shall bear the name of the existing street. In no other case shall the proposed name of the street duplicate the name of an existing street within the Darien fire district. The use of the suffix "street," "avenue," "boulevard," "drive," "place," or "court" or similar description shall not be distinction sufficient to constitute compliance with this subsection.

I. Alleys. Alleys shall not be allowed in residential districts, except as approved as part of a planned unit development. In commercial, office and industrial districts, alleys or other definite and assured provisions shall be made for off-street parking, loading and service access consistent with and adequate for the uses proposed but not inconsistent with the operation and use of the abutting street. No dead-end alleys shall be allowed, nor shall any alley have its point of connection on an arterial street.

J. Cul-de-Sac Streets. No more than 10% of the lots within a final plat may abut a cul-de-sac except where necessary to provide a development solution (as determined by the Village Engineer) to a portion of the subject property otherwise under developable due to surrounding existing development or natural feature such as flood plain, wetland or steep slope. All cul-de-sac streets shall terminate in a circular turn-around meeting the dimension standards in Table 1: Minimum Roadway Design Standards.

K. Parkways, Greenways and Environmental Corridors. When parkways, greenways, and environmental corridors are to be provided within the proposed plat or certified survey, and they are not officially mapped in enough detail to determine exact dimensions, their width shall be determined by the Village Engineer.

L. Grades. The maximum street grades shall be those in Table 1: Minimum Roadway Design Standards. Pedestrian ways shall have a maximum grade of 8%. Changes in street grades shall provide such sight distances as the Village Engineer determines are required. Street grades shall be established to avoid, wherever possible, excessive grading, removal of ground cover and trees and leveling of the topography.

M. Pedestrian Ways and Bikeways. In the design of the plat, the developer shall make provisions for pedestrian ways and bikeways for transport and recreation as required by the Plan Commission on recommendation of the park and recreation committee. Where it is deemed necessary by the public works committee, and in conformance with the provisions of Section 16.32.050(C), walks and paths away from streets in common areas shall be lighted for safety and to permit visual surveillance in accordance with Section 16.36.030.

N. Street Grading. With the submittal of the preliminary plat, the subdivider shall furnish standard drawings which indicate the existing and proposed grades of streets shown on the plat. After completion of design engineering work on the streets and approval of street grades by the Village Engineer and the approval of erosion control measures by the Village Engineer, the subdivider shall grade as required within the right-of-way of the streets proposed to be dedicated, including the vision clearance triangle on corner lots as required in the zoning code. In cases where an existing street right-of-way is made a part of the plat or abuts the plat, the subdivider shall grade that portion of the right-of-way between the existing pavement and the property line. The bed for the roadways in the street rights-of-way shall be graded to subgrade elevation. The Village Engineer shall approve all grading within rights-of-way and such grading shall extend for a sufficient distance beyond the right-of-way to insure that the established grade will be preserved. The grading of rights-of-way for principal and primary arterials shall only be required where necessary to provide access to the streets or lots in the plat. Lots, where they abut principal and primary arterials, shall be graded to proposed street grade or to a grade approved by the Village Engineer prior to sale. See Subsection P of this section regarding rural cross sections and Section 16.32.130 regarding erosion control.

O. Street Construction. After sanitary sewer and water utilities have been installed, and after storm sewer trunk lines, manholes and catch basins have been installed, the subdivider shall construct and dedicate as part of the subdivision, streets and sidewalks including those adjacent to platted lots in existing street rights-of-way abutting the plat, curbs and gutters, local storm sewer inlets, leads, manholes, catch basins and lines as deemed necessary by the Village Engineer and required by the Village Board. The subdivider shall surface roadways to the widths prescribed by the Village Engineer. Construction shall be to Village standard specifications for street improvements. All required installations of sanitary sewer, water main, storm water facilities, bikeways, gravel, binder course of asphalt pavement, curb and gutter, and related improvements shall be made by the subdivider prior to the issuance of occupancy permits. The final lift of asphalt may be installed in the construction season following these improvements to permit settling associated with the winter freeze-thaw cycle at the discretion of the Village Board. The fees for the final lift of asphalt shall be deposited in an escrow account equivalent to 125% of the cost of a valid contract to execute the paving prior to issuance of any occupancy permits. Street and sidewalk construction must comply with Village standard specifications and be inspected by the Village Engineer. Sidewalk is to be installed as per the requirements in Section 16.36.020(C). The maintenance responsibility for pedestrian ways and bikeways that are not located in the public street right-of-way shall go to abutting property owners in the same manner as those in the public right-of-way.

P. Rural Cross Sections. Rural cross section streets may be permitted with special permission from the Village Board under the following circumstances and conditions of development:

1. Rural cross sections may be requested for plats containing 10 or more acres of lots which are a minimum of 30,000 square feet in area;

2. Where rural cross sections are used, the developer shall submit and the Village Engineer shall approve detailed grading plans for the swale network. The swale system shall be installed at time of street work (See Subsection O of this section) and shall be designed as a component of the storm water management plan; and

3. A culvert installation permit and detailed lot grading permit shall be granted by the Village Engineer prior to any disturbance of the site associated with grading, excavation, or culvert installation. The developer shall secure a performance bond of $1,500 plus 25% to ensure appropriate culvert installation and shall pay an administrative and inspection fee of $250 prior to the granting of a culvert installation permit.

Q. Requirement for Oversizing. The developer shall be required by the Village to install oversized streets to serve the project and other nearby development. The developer is eligible to recapture the cost of such over sizing per Section 16.08.020(F).

[1] Editor's Note: Table 1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.

§ 16.36.020 Sidewalks.

[Prior code § 18.11(18)]

A. Sidewalks shall be required along both sides of all streets except for the bulb portion of cul-de-sacs. The Plan Commission shall have the option of recommending to not require the construction of sidewalks within street rights-of-way, but only in cases where it determines, after consultation with the Village Engineer, that sidewalks are not necessary because of alternative pedestrian facilities on the same side of the street (such as developer-installed eight-foot wide asphalt pedestrian and bicycle paths), or because of a cul-de-sac street pattern. Consideration shall also be given to the pattern of development of adjoining lands and to the possibility of damage to trees.

B. Dedicated sidewalks, pedestrian ways and bikeways shall be improved by the subdivider to a grade, width, and surfacing approved by the Village Engineer based on the location and the amount and character of use. The subdivider shall be only responsible for the cost of such improvements that are internal to the development. The subdivider shall submit standard drawings indicating the existing and the proposed grades of all such improvements.

C. Sidewalks shall be installed at the time of curb installation and before the issuance of any building permits within the platted development phase.

§ 16.36.030 Street lighting.

[Prior code § 18.11(19)]

The developer shall pay to the Village the costs for installing street lights. Street lighting must meet the Village's standard specifications, however, ornamental lighting unique to the development may be approved by the public works committee. Payment for street lights shall be made prior to the issuance of building permits. In areas where underground electric facilities are installed, wiring for street lighting shall also be underground. The subdivider shall provide street, pedestrianway and bikeway lighting systems within the area being developed, upon consultation with the appropriate electric utility and as approved by the public works committee. All street lighting will be installed by the electric utility serving the Village.

§ 16.36.040 Street signs.

[Prior code § 18.11(20)]

The developer shall pay to the Village the costs for installing all street name signs, temporary street dead-end barricades and signs, all no parking signs, all traffic control signs and pavement markings as required by Village standards, prior to acceptance of the subdivision or submit a fee deposit in lieu, per Village direction.

§ 16.36.050 Street trees.

[Prior code § 18.11(21)]

Prior to approval of the final plat, the developer shall submit a tree and shrub planting plan for street terraces, parkways, boulevards, cul-de-sacs, dedicated off-road pedestrian and bikeways approved by the Village in conformance with this code and the stated policies of the park and recreation committee. One street tree shall be planted on each lot at the time, in the location, and in the manner determined by the Village Engineer, with the cost of the street terrace plantings to be borne by the subdivider or developer. The fees for such planting shall be deposited with the Village in an escrow account equivalent to 125% of the cost of a valid contract to execute the planting plan prior to approval of the final plat or made part of the subdivision agreements provided for herein.

§ 16.36.060 Buffer strips.

[Prior code § 18.11(22)]

Where a plat, CSM, or planned development project contains a buffer strip required by this title, the developer shall, prior to recording of a final plat or CSM, or prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for a development project, install plantings in conformance with this code or shall file with the Clerk a contract, guaranteed by bond in an amount determined by the engineer, in which the developer agrees to provide such plantings. The plantings shall be trees and shrubs of the varieties required and of sufficient density to accomplish visual screening.