In order to provide developers and designers with direction regarding the creation of quality and well coordinated subdivisions within the City of Euless, these design guidelines have been developed. The quality of design of the urban area is dependent on the design quality of the individual subdivision that compose it. Good community design requires the coordination of the efforts of each subdivider and developer of land within the urban area. Therefore, the design of each subdivision shall be prepared in accordance with the following provisions.
(1)
The neighborhood unit.
It is intended that the urban area shall be designed as a group of integrated residential neighborhoods with appropriate activity centers and corridors and industrial areas. The following design principles are central to the neighborhood unit concept.
a.
Perimeter arterials.
Neighborhoods are well defined when arterial streets can be routed around the perimeter of the neighborhood.
b.
Collector streets.
Collector streets should disperse local traffic to arterial streets without bisecting the neighborhood. Collector streets should be designed so as to discourage their use as crosstown, arterial streets.
c.
Pedestrianoriented.
Children can walk to school and play areas through pedestrian ways or open space corridors separated from streets and the hazards of moving automobiles.
d.
Residential or local streets.
Residential streets should provide good access to residential units but should be planned so that they will not be used as through-traffic routes. Culs-de-sac and curved street layouts should be used to promote low traffic volumes and preservation of residential character.
e.
Schools and parks.
The elementary school and neighborhood park and playground should be located in the center of the residential area while major streets are routed along the perimeter. Each family should be within one-half mile of the neighborhood center.
f.
Neighborhood retail.
The neighborhood shopping center is located on arterial streets. This gives good access both from within and outside of the neighborhood. Residents of other areas can reach the shopping center without traveling through the neighborhood.
(2)
Physical conditions.
The arrangement of lots and blocks and the street system should be designated to make the most advantageous use of topography and natural physical features. Tree masses and large individual trees should be preserved. The system of streets and sidewalks, and the layout and arrangement of blocks and lots should be deigned to take advantage of the natural and scenic qualities of the area. Land which the city council finds to be unsuitable for subdivision or development due to flooding, improper drainage, adverse earth formations, utility or pipeline easements or other features which will reasonably be harmful to the safety, health, and general welfare of the present or future inhabitants of the subdivision or its surroundings, shall not be subdivided or developed unless adequate methods are formulated by the developer and approved by the city that will solve the problems created by the unsuitable land conditions.
(3)
Coordination requirements.
The following design requirements ensure that the proposed subdivision is coordinated with its immediate neighbors with respect to land use, street connections, utilities, drainage facilities, and the possible dedication of parks and open spaces.
a.
Larger than normal building lots.
When a tract is subdivided into larger than normal building lots, such lots shall be so arranged as to permit the logical location and opening of future streets and possible resubdivision of lots with provision for adequate utility easements and connections.
b.
Plat of partial property.
When the plat to be submitted includes only part of the contiguous property owned or intended for development by the subdivider, a tentative plan of a proposed future street system for the unsubdivided portion shall be prepared and submitted by the subdivider.
c.
Extension of utilities.
The subdivision plat shall provide for the logical extension of abutting and proposed utilities and drainage easements and improvements in order to provide for system continuity and to promote future development of adjacent areas.
(Ordinance 1133, § 1(10-100), 3-22-94)