[Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
Land, which the City Plan and Zoning Commission finds to be unsuitable for subdividing due to flooding or bad drainage, or topographic features likely to be harmful to the safety, welfare, and general health of future residents, shall not be subdivided until the objectionable features have been eliminated, or until adequate safeguards against such hazards are provided. In applicable cases, plats shall be reviewed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and their findings and recommendations incorporated in the approval of such plats.
[Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
Whenever the area is divided into lots containing one to three acres inclusive, and there are indications that such lots will eventually be resubdivided into smaller building lots, consideration shall be given to the street and lot arrangement of the original subdivision so as to allow for the opening of major streets and the ultimate extension of adjacent minor streets which will permit a logical arrangement of smaller lots.
B. 
All streets and other public spaces and easements shall conform to the master comprehensive plan for the City, both as to appropriate location and as to width and size.
[Ord. 2004-320 § 1; Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
The arrangement of street rights-of-way in new subdivisions shall make provisions for the extension of the existing system of street rights-of-way (or their proper projection where adjacent property is not subdivided) insofar as they may be necessary for public requirements. The street and alley right-of-way arrangements shall also be such as to cause no hardship to owners of adjacent property when they plat their own land and seek to provide for convenient access to it. Whenever a street or alley right-of-way abuts the tract to be subdivided, the plat shall include the additional right-of-way which is necessary to make the width of the entire right-of-way conform to the requirements of this section. The width of rights-of-way shall be no less than the width required by this section except where:
1. 
The owner of the abutting property agrees to dedicate sufficient right-of-way to make a full-width right-of-way and the subdivider agrees to construct a full-width street or alley on said right-of-way; or
2. 
The City owns the abutting property and agrees to the use of it for right-of-way purposes and the subdivider agrees to construct a full-width street or alley on said right-of-way.
B. 
The width of right-of-way for streets shall not be less than the following:
Street Type
Right-of-way Width
(feet)
Paving Width Back of Curb to Back of Curb
(feet)
Major arterial
90
56
Minor arterial
80
49
Major collector
70
41
Minor collector
55
35
Local residential
50
27
Cul-de-sac
50
27
Exception: The City Council may determine a different minimum street standard within a planned unit development, conservation subdivision-planned unit development and/or traditional neighborhood development district based upon the applicable land use, number of lots served and traffic pattern within the development.
C. 
Cul-de-sac turnarounds shall be provided at the end of all permanently closed streets. No cul-de-sac shall exceed 600 feet in length as measured from the center line of the intersecting street to the termination of the right-of-way. All culs-de-sac shall have a minimum right-of-way radius of 50 feet and a minimum paving radius of 40.5 feet. Exception: The City Council may determine a different street turnaround standard within a planned unit development based upon the application land use and the number of lots served.
D. 
Streets should intersect at 90° angles whenever possible; however, no street shall intersect at an angle less than 80° or greater than 100°.
E. 
Where any streets intersect, a radius of not less than 15 feet shall connect the right-of-way lines and a radius of not less than 20 feet shall connect the paving lines.
F. 
Offset streets are to be avoided; however, where they are necessary, a minimum horizontal distance of 150 feet is to be maintained between the center lines of the offset streets.
G. 
Streets shall be constructed to have a longitudinal grade of at least 0.5% and not greater than 6% for major arterial, minor arterial and major collector streets or 10% for minor collector, local/residential and cul-de-sac streets.
[Ord. 2004-320 § 2; Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial districts only where other definite and assured provisions for service access are not made.
B. 
Commercial and industrial alleys shall be at least 20 feet in width.
[Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
Utility easements of not less than 15 feet shall be provided along rear lot lines and along side lot lines where needed. Easements of greater width may be required where needed.
Easements shall be at final grade before any utilities are provided for the property and the subdivider, contractor, or builder shall keep all easements free of any excavation dirt, construction material, or any other obstacles during construction.
B. 
Whenever any stream or important surface watercourse is located in an area that is being subdivided, the subdivider shall at his own expense make adequate provision so that it will properly carry the surface water and shall also provide and dedicate to the City an easement along each side of the stream, which easement shall be for the purpose of widening, improving, or protecting the stream and for recreational use. The width of such easement shall be adequate to carry the 100-year storm, but not be less than 20 feet.
[Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
No block shall be longer than 1,000 feet between intersecting streets, except where existing conditions such as topography justify a variation from this requirement. It may be required that a ten-foot walkway easement be provided in the center of extremely long blocks where access is needed to certain facilities such as a park or school.
[12-4-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-530; Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
All side lines of lots shall be at right angles to straight street lines, or radial to curved street lines, unless a variation to this rule will give a better street and lot plan.
B. 
All lots platted in a subdivision shall have frontage on a platted street or officially approved private street unless the lot arrangement has been approved by the City Council upon recommendation by the City Plan and Zoning Commission.
C. 
The minimum dimensions for lots shall be no less than what is required by the zoning district in which the property is located.
D. 
Corner lots shall have extra width sufficient to permit required building setback lines on both front and side streets.
E. 
Should a subdivision be on or overlap the City limits, it shall be platted so the City limit boundary shall be along a street center line or shall be a lot line. In no case shall a lot be platted so as to be bisected by the City limit boundary line.
[Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
The commission shall have the right to require that certain minimum regulations regarding the type and character of development be incorporated in the deed restrictions. Such regulations shall be intended to protect the character and value of the surrounding development and shall also tend to secure the most appropriate character of development in the property which is subdivided.
B. 
Due consideration shall be given by the subdivider and plan commission to the dedication or reservation of suitable sites for schools, parks, and other public uses.
[Ord. 2001-477 § 2]
A. 
Street trees shall be planted along both sides of all streets within the subdivision and on the side of the streets which abut the subdivision with the exception of cul-de-sac turnarounds in order to lessen air pollution; to reduce noise, heat and glare; to promote the natural percolation of stormwater; to emphasize the importance of trees as a visual buffer; to beautify and maintain the ambience of the community; and to enhance and preserve the property values of the City's private property and residential neighborhoods.
1. 
All such trees shall be planted by the forestry department of leisure facilities and services of the City of Davenport utilizing the reforestation fee required in Section 16.20.040G of this chapter, paid by the developer, with the final plat. Plantings shall be installed as per the tree planting specifications of the City of Davenport at such time as the construction of structures, sidewalks, roads, driveways and the installation of utilities make tree planting practical. The developer shall bear no responsibility for tree planting or replacing trees that do not survive.
2. 
The City forester shall have the power to waive the planting of street trees when, in his/her opinion, street trees would be impractical or undesirable. Any such waiver shall be in writing. In such cases, any fee shall be waived or returned to the developer to the extent the fee is not utilized within the platted subdivision.
[Ord. 92-529 § 1 (part)]
A. 
All utilities provided as new installations to any area subdivided for residential and commercial purposes shall be provided underground, except those utility services which are listed under subsection B of this section as exceptions. All utilities provided as new installations to any areas subdivided for industrial purposes shall be installed underground within any portion of the subdivision lying within 100 feet of a residentially zoned and developed area that is already served by underground utilities, except those utility services which are listed under subsection B of this section as exceptions. The subdivider shall be responsible for making the necessary arrangements with appropriate utility companies for the proper installation of underground utilities in accordance with the utility company's rules and regulations.
B. 
The following instances, with the conditions listed for each of them, may be considered exceptions to this chapter:
1. 
Principal electric distribution feeder circuits shall not be required to be installed underground.
2. 
Any service which is considered by the utility company to be unfeasible for undergrounding, due to high voltage, or inordinately high and unjustified cost, can be provided overhead, upon approval by the City Council.
3. 
In the instance that topographic or soil conditions cause the cost of undergrounding to be extremely and unjustifiably high, these services can be provided overhead, upon the approval of the City Council; however, utility companies may provide services aerially on a temporary basis until approval of the City Council is acquired for installation of permanent underground facilities, but said utility companies shall file with the building inspection department notice both of the installation of temporary services and their termination.
4. 
In the instance that subdivision is developed adjacent to or abutting an existing development, and in such a way as the new development would normally share the primary feeder lines that have already been installed, and when those feeder lines have been installed overhead, the new development can use those feeder lines which do exist, providing that the service lines to the structures in the new development are installed underground, and providing that all additional necessary feeders are installed underground or in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
5. 
Developments having preliminary plat approval prior to the effective date of this chapter, will not be subject to the requirements of this chapter.
C. 
The following specific facilities shall not be subject to the requirements of this chapter:
1. 
Poles used exclusively for police and fire alarm boxes, or any similar municipal equipment installed under the supervision of and to the satisfaction of the City Council;
2. 
Poles used exclusively for street lighting;
3. 
When authorized by the City Council, poles and overhead lines and associated overhead structures crossing or entering any portion of a district from which overhead wires have been prohibited and originating in an area in which these structures are allowed;
4. 
Overhead lines attached to the exterior of a building by means of a bracket or similar device and extending from one location on the building to another location on the same building, or to an adjacent building without crossing any public street or way;
5. 
Radio antennas and associated structures and equipment used for furnishing communications service;
6. 
Service terminals, and necessary pad-mounted electric equipment installed above ground used to distribute communication and electric services in underground systems.
D. 
All underground electric distribution circuits installed by the utility company for the purpose of distributing electrical current within the City shall be installed in accordance with the Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Electric Supply and Communication Lines, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards.