City of Tahlequah, OK Subdivision Design Standards

[Ord. 1020-2003, 10-10-2003; Ord. 1150-2009, 9-21-2009; repealed by Ord. 1150-2009, 9-21-2009]

Streets:

The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade, names, and location of all streets shall conform to the master plan and shall be considered in their relation to existing and planned streets, to topographical conditions, to public convenience and safety, and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets. Where not shown on the comprehensive plan, the arrangement and other design standards of the street shall conform to the provisions found herein.

Commercial and industrial developments exceeding five acres in size shall be required to design and construct a minimum three lane intersection with all arterial streets adjacent to the subdivision. The design of three lane intersections with arterial streets shall have the collector or minor street to be constructed with a four foot to ten-foot wide median, so located as to provide for two outbound lanes and one inbound lane. One outbound lane shall be marked for right turn traffic and one outbound lane shall be marked for left turn or through traffic. Appropriate instructional signs, painting of the street lanes, or other appropriate markings should designate the authorized traffic movement for each lane. Appropriate right of way shall be provided through dedication of the streets so designed as to accommodate sidewalks, landscaping, utilities, stormwater controls, and other accessory uses, as may be necessary at each location. The final design of such an intersection shall be approved through the subdivision plat review process.

Naming Streets: The arrangement for streets and new subdivisions shall make provisions for the continuation of the existing and adjoining areas, and street names shall not duplicate or closely approximate existing street names except where the new streets are extensions of existing streets. All streets shall be platted in such a manner that all resulting lots will conform to the zoning code of the City. House numbers shall be assigned in accordance with the house numbering system now in effect in the City. All north and south thoroughfares shall be designated "avenues." All east and west thoroughfares shall be designated "streets" and street name signs shall be placed at all street intersections within or abutting the subdivision. The developer will coordinate placement of signs with the City maintenance department and incur such cost of placement in accordance with City regulations.

Abutting Unsubdivided Land: Where adjoining areas are not subdivided, and belong to the same owner with the possibility of future platting of the adjoining area, the arrangement of streets and new subdivisions may be carried to the boundary of the tract proposed to be subdivided, and provisions made for a temporary right of way for a turnaround of a size acceptable to the City. Barricades shall be installed at dead end streets. The City of Tahlequah subdivision regulations shall govern alignments, grades, drainage, and other appropriate design criteria of all streets within and bordering new subdivisions where applicable.

Abutting Highway: Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing highway, the commission may require access roads and service lanes as may be necessary to afford separation of through and local traffic.

Half Streets Prohibited: Half streets shall be prohibited, except where essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conformity of other requirements of these regulations, and where the planning commission finds it will be practical to require the dedication of the other half when the adjoining property is subdivided. Whenever a half street is adjacent to a tract to be subdivided, the other half of the street shall be platted within said tract.

Access to Streets and Cross Ditches: The owner shall provide access to all proposed streets, including necessary crossings of ditches and creeks, in a standard method approved by the City.

Hardship to Owners of Adjoining Property Avoided: The street arrangements shall not be such as to cause hardship to owners of adjoining property in platting their own land and providing convenient access to it.

Reverse Curves: A tangent at least 50 feet long shall be introduced between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets.

Subdivision of Tracts in Larger than Ordinary Building Lots: Where a tract is subdivided into larger parcels than ordinary building lots, such parcel shall be arranged so as to allow the opening of future streets and logical further subdivision.

Private Streets: Private streets shall not be approved except when required by state law, or in connection with a planned unit development having appropriate controls. Public improvements shall never be approved for any private street.

Street Interval: In general, provisions should be made for a collector street at intervals not exceeding 1/2 mile.

Curbs, Gutters, and Drainage: Curbs, gutters, drainage and drainage structures shall be provided in accordance with the standard specifications of the City. Such construction shall be subject to inspection and approval of the City or its designee.

Lighting: The owner will coordinate with TPWA to provide streetlights at each street intersections, and in other areas as may be deemed necessary for public safety throughout the subdivision.

Sidewalks: The developer shall establish restrictive covenants providing for construction of sidewalks. Such covenants shall provide that sidewalks be located 24 inches behind the curb back, or 84 inches behind curb back, at option of developer. All sidewalk locations must be uniform within the same subdivision at either all at 24 inches behind curb back or 84 inches behind curb back.

Such restrictive covenants shall state as follows:

During the time of construction of any residence, and prior to completion of a residence, each owner shall have professionally constructed a concrete sidewalk which is 60 inches in width with a minimum depth of four inches.

Regardless of covenants containing sidewalk requirement, it shall be the responsibility of the owner of every lot to have a sidewalk constructed no later than two years after time which the lot qualifies for a building permit.

Concrete sidewalks shall be constructed along every lot within a subdivision shown on the plat in accordance with applicable standard specifications of the City; as may be required by the City, that concrete sidewalks be constructed alongside of arterial streets, collector streets and frontage roads opposite from the highway; provided further that sidewalks shall not be required on the interior of industrial subdivisions, unless the planning commission or the City council determines that there is a need for such sidewalks for pedestrian movement to a residential subdivision or to a school site. After final acceptance by the City of the sidewalks, the maintenance thereof shall become the responsibility of the abutting property owners.

Flood Areas: An "area subject to periodic flooding" is defined as land which is subject to the 100-year flood as established by the latest available information. Whenever a subdivision is proposed to be located in such an area, the City council may approve the plat, provided the owner binds himself legally to make such improvements as, in the judgment of the City council, will render the subdivision substantially safe and otherwise acceptable for the intended use. In this case, the owner may be required to post with the City council a surety performance bond, running to the City of Tahlequah, or other security acceptable to the City council, sufficient to cover the costs of such improvements as estimated by the City officials having jurisdiction. The City council may approve the plat, provided further that the owner shall include in the restrictive covenants a statement that owners of land which is adjacent to drainage easements shall be responsible for the maintenance of the easements in an open condition, and free of structures which would impede the flow of water across the easement.

Buffer of Highways and Arterials: In platting lands abutting federal or state highways, or arterial streets, every effort shall be made to reduce the adverse impact of heavy or high speed traffic on such lands, especially where used for residential purposes; to minimize interference with through traffic operations; and to reduce vehicular and pedestrian accident hazards. To accomplish these purposes, lots abutting such thoroughfares should be platted at generous depth, and vehicular access to such lots shall be provided by means of minor streets, alleys in the rear, or access streets immediately alongside the trafficway; or the frontage of such lots shall be reversed and the lots may be fronted on a minor street paralleling the thoroughfare at a distance of appropriate lot depth, with all private driveways connecting to such minor street; or a collector street may be located to parallel to such thoroughfare at a distance not less than 100 feet nor more than 1,000 feet, and loop streets or culs-de-sac may be extended from such collector street toward the thoroughfare, the ends of which will give the access to the lots abutting the thoroughfare immediately along the rear or side lot lines.

Collector Streets: Collector streets shall be so located as to provide for smooth traffic flow within the areas served, but in such a way as to discourage through traffic. Collector streets should normally be continuous for distances of not more than one mile, and offsets which are likely to induce continuing of traffic flow beyond that distance shall be avoided.

Blocks: Blocks shall have sufficient depth to provide for two tiers of lots of appropriate depth, except in the case of reverse frontages.

Each lot shall be provided with access to a public street or highway to assure convenient ingress and egress to and from such lot, and to provide adequately for the layout of utilities, garbage and waste removal, fire and police protection and other services, and to protect and further the public health and safety generally. Subdivisions intended for commercial or industrial occupancy shall have residential street or residential collector street under any circumstances, except in the case of appropriately separated planned retail centers.

For the purpose of assuring traffic safety and efficient traffic operations on the thoroughfare system and the county highway system, nonaccess provisions shall be made to the satisfaction of the City along all collector and arterial streets. A description of such nonaccess provisions shall be affixed to the final plat.

The number of intersecting streets along arterial streets and highways shall be held to a minimum. Blocks along such arterials and highways shall generally not be less than 1,200 feet in length.

Street Jogs: Street jogs with the centerline offsets of less than 125 feet for minor streets or less than 150 feet for collector streets shall be avoided.

Cul-De-Sac Streets: Culs-de-sac, designed to be permanent, are discouraged if longer than 550 feet and shall be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having an outside right of way diameter of at least 100 feet and a paved radius of not less than 40 feet; provided that the planning commission may expressly grant permission for the developers to design for the construction of longer culs-de-sac.

Minor Streets: Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.

Street Widths: Street right of way widths shall not be less than as follows:

Street Type	Width (feet)
Intersection of 2 arterials (for a distance of 500 feet in each direction from the center of the intersection)	140
Arterial - primary	120
Arterial - secondary	100
Collector - industrial or commercial	80
Collector - residential	60
Minor - large lot subdivision	60
Minor	60
Alley	20

Intersections: The intersection of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided, except where it is impractical to secure a proper street system otherwise. Streets shall intersect one another at an angle as near to a right angle as possible, and no intersections of streets at angles less than 45° shall be approved. "T" intersections (three-way) are encouraged for all streets except arterials and highways. Property line corners at intersections involving arterial streets shall be clipped by an angle of 45° at a distance of at least 25 feet. All intersections shall be constructed in accordance with design standards shown in Section 12-480, figure 7.2 of this chapter.

(Reserved)

Included in "Streets": Streets shall include earthwork, treated subgrade, if required, wearing surface, concrete curbs and gutters, proper backfill, and proper storm drains and inlets, and striping as may be required for optimum vehicular and pedestrian traffic safety.

Building and Structure Setbacks from All High Pressure Pipelines: All residences, buildings, and other habitable structures shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet away from all high pressure pipelines, which pipelines are under the regulatory jurisdiction of the United States department of transportation.

AA.

Street Cuts: Street cuts are prohibited for a period of five years after streets are constructed, unless the City determines that such street cut is necessary through emergency action.