The following provisions shall apply to the layout and arrangement of public streets in developments.
A. Street arrangement.
(1) The street system shall be designed to follow existing topography minimizing cut and fill. Streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography. The maximum grade of a street shall be 6%; however, in no case may a street be constructed with grade that, in the professional opinion of the Town Engineer, creates a danger to public safety.
(2) The arrangement of streets shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan or Official Map of the Town of Chesapeake City. For streets not shown, the subdivision should provide for the extension of existing streets.
(3) Whenever a tract to be subdivided adjoins or encompasses any part of a street, road, trail or other public way, so designated in the Comprehensive Plan, such part of that public way shall be platted and dedicated to the Town.
(4) Residential lanes and secondary streets shall be arranged to discourage through traffic.
(5) Residential lanes and streets shall be arranged so as to manage the speed and volume of traffic in residential neighborhoods using traffic calming methods that encourage speeds of 25 miles per hour or less. They include chokers, curb extensions, and lane reducers; islands and medians; traffic circles and roundabouts; texture crosswalks; and curving alignments, short blocks, full and partial closures, diverters, and required turns.
(6) When a major subdivision plat includes only part of the tract owned by the developer or owner of the tract under review, the layout of the proposed streets if applicable for the entire tract shall be submitted for Planning Commission approval concurrent with subdivision plat review.
B. Block dimensions.
(1) No residential lane or secondary or primary residential street shall exceed 500 feet without intersecting another street or lane except as provided below.
(2) The intersections of residential streets and lanes with collector streets, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan, shall occur at safe and convenient locations, preferably at T-intersections, but generally should be spaced at least 1,320 feet apart.
(3) No residential block shall be less than 200 feet in length.
C. Street intersections.
(1) Streets should intersect as nearly as possible at right angles but variations on this are permitted where turning movements are to be restricted as part of a planned street system. No more than two streets should intersect at any one point unless the Town Engineer certifies that such an intersection can be constructed with no extraordinary danger to public safety.
(2) Wherever possible, proposed intersections along one side of a street shall coincide with existing and proposed intersections on the opposite side of such street. In any event, where a center offset (jog) occurs at an intersection, the distance between center lines of the intersection streets shall not be less than 300 feet except where the intersecting streets and the intersected street are secondary residential streets or residential lanes; in such case the distance between center lines of the intersection streets shall not be less than 200 feet.
(3) Except when no other alternative is practicable or legally possible, no two streets may intersect with any other street on the same side at a distance of less than 400 feet measured from center line to center line of the intersecting street. When the intersected street is an arterial, the distance between intersecting streets shall be at least 1,320 feet or otherwise in conformance with the Maryland State Highway Administration criteria. Any site plan or subdivision with proposed access to a state highway must obtain State Highway Administration access permit approval prior to receiving final approval from the Planning Commission.
(4) The maximum grade through an intersection shall be 5%.
D. Circulation.
(1) The street system shall be designed to permit the safe and orderly movement of traffic, to favor accessibility and mobility of pedestrians over that of motor vehicles, to meet the needs of present and future population served, to respect natural features, prominent views and topography, and to have a logical pattern built largely on a rectilinear grid.
(2) Residential streets shall be designed to discourage through traffic except where the residential street may be classified as a collector street.
(3) The street system of a subdivision shall be coordinated and connected with existing, proposed and anticipated streets outside the subdivision or outside the portion of a single tract that is being divided into lots as provided in this section.
(4) Pedestrian accessibility.
(a) Except for lots on streets existing prior to June 1, 2010, every new residential lot created shall be within 600 feet walking distance from a recreational open space.
(b) Except for lots on streets existing prior to June 1, 2010, every new lot shall front onto a sidewalk which shall be a minimum of five feet in width and constructed to the construction specifications of the Town. In new subdivisions, sidewalks shall be installed concurrent with street installation.
(c) In the Village Commercial District, sidewalks in mixed-use or commercial areas shall be a minimum of 10 feet in width.
(d) To the extent practical, any new sidewalk network shall directly connect to the sidewalk network existing and planned at the time the final subdivision plat is submitted for approval.
(e) Whenever the Planning Commission finds a means of pedestrian access is necessary from a subdivision or from any unsubdivided residential development to schools, parks, playgrounds, other streets or pedestrian facilities, or any other center of activity and that such access in not conveniently provided by sidewalks adjacent to the streets, it may require the developer to provide additional sidewalks and/or trails and secure and improve unobstructed easements for pedestrian travel of a minimum of 10 feet in width.
(f) In all unsubdivided developments, sidewalks shall be provided linking together all dwelling units, offices, stores and other activity centers as applicable, including parking lots and recreational areas and facilities.
(5) Bikeways shall be provided along all collector streets designated in the Comprehensive Plan at time of development. The location and alignment shall be determined upon subdivision concept plat review.
E. Street names.
(1) Street names shall be proposed by the developer subject to the approval of the Town and the Cecil County Emergency Services. Proposed streets that are obviously in alignment with existing streets shall be given the same name. Newly created streets shall be given names that neither duplicate nor are phonetically similar to existing streets within the Town and the Fire Company's jurisdiction, regardless of the use of different suffixes.
(2) A variety of suffixes may be approved by the Town such as street, avenue, or boulevard. However, the following street naming suffix criteria shall be followed where they would apply:
(a) Alley, for a street built to the alley typical section provided in this chapter.
(b) Circle, for a short street that returns to itself.
(c) Court or place, for a cul-de-sac or dead-end street.
(d) Lane, for a street built to the residential lane typical section provided in this chapter.
(e) Loop, f a street that begins at the intersection with one street and circles back to end at another intersection with the same street.
F. Utilities.
(1) Utilities installed in the Town shall conform to the design and construction specifications of the Town of Chesapeake City.
(2) Where topography, maintenance and facilities management considerations, or any other considerations are such as to make it impracticable or unfavorable for the Town to have utilities or drainage facilities within a street right-of-way, perpetual unobstructed easements for such utilities shall be provided across property outside the street right-of-way of at least 10 feet in width. Such easements shall be provided prior to final plan or plat approval.
