The large-lot rural type development is a development pattern characterized by one (1) acre or larger lots developed for single family residential usage. These types of developments are frequently marketed as residential estates or ranchettes. These developments emphasize very low residential density and the preservation of a natural and open environment. Individuals choosing to reside in these developments do so with a clear acceptance and understanding that they are seeking a non-urban environment and therefore, anticipate a much lower basis of infrastructure support. These developments have relatively low volumes of vehicular traffic, limited utility demands for water and waste water service and are usually provided with waste water service through on site disposal facilities. These developments also possess large open areas capable of assisting in storm water management through ground absorption.
The design standards for urban subdivisions, coupled with the public works improvements standards and the water and waste water extension policy, contain adequate description and explanation of the development standards applicable to urban type subdivisions. The purpose of this section is to define the level of standards and development requirements applicable to large-lot rural type developments. Unless herein addressed, the standards and requirements for large-lot rural type developments shall be the same as for urban subdivisions.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
Lots in large lot rural type developments shall be arranged and designed in accordance with Subdivision Ordinance rules and regulations and shall be approved by the City Engineer.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
Lot sizes in large-lot rural type developments shall be a minimum of one (1) acre. The Preliminary Plat shall be accompanied by a study and report reflecting the technical information to insure good and adequate on-site waste water disposal. Such study and report must be approved and recommended by the City Engineer.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
Within the City of Haslet or its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, the developer shall pay a construction inspection fee in the amount of four percent (4%) of the developer’s share of the cost of public improvements. The fee shall be paid to the City prior to the start of construction.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
A. 
STREETS
Streets in new large-lot rural type developments shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following:
1. 
Pavement depth and design shall be required in accordance with City of Haslet’s adopted Standards and approved by the City Engineer.
2. 
Streets shall be of reinforced concrete with or without reinforced concrete curbs at a minimum roadway width of twenty-four (24) feet.
3. 
Sufficient right-of-way and/or easement shall be dedicated to encompass the pavement width and the appropriate drainage facilities to accommodate the storm water runoff resulting from a 100-year storm for a fully developed watershed, including any other appropriate utilities, as required and shall not be less than sixty (60) feet in width.
B. 
CONSTRUCTION
The following requirements shall apply to the construction of streets in new large-lot rural type developments:
City design standards for construction shall govern projects. The City will provide construction inspection, except for the setting of line and grade stakes for streets on all projects regardless of size. The setting of line and grade stakes for streets shall be the responsibility of the developer except that the City reserves the right to pre-qualify persons and/or firms that are hired to provide this surveying and to check the accuracy of the surveying and the conformance of the stakes to the approved plans.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
A. 
DESIGN
Design standards for construction of storm drainage facilities for new large-lot rural type developments shall be as follows:
1. 
Streets shall be designed to accommodate storm water runoff resulting from a design storm of 100-year frequency event within a fully developed watershed.
The 100-year storm runoff from a fully developed watershed shall be contained within the available right-of-way and/or drainage easement(s). The capacity of the street and right-of-way and/or easement must be designed for a capacity which will safely accommodate the 100 year design storm for a fully developed watershed for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The maximum width of a borrow ditch shall be thirty feet (30') beginning at the shoulder of pavement and the maximum depth shall be four feet (4') below the crown of the road.
Maximum side slopes allowed are 6:1 immediately adjacent to the road and 4:1 on the side slope away from the road.
2. 
Collector streets shall be designed to allow at least one 12' wide lane to be open to traffic and free of storm water (using the 5-year storm) at all times. Arterial streets if located in rural developments shall be developed to full City standards, as their presence will change the character of the development. Arterial streets must be designed to allow at least one 12' wide lane to be open to traffic in each direction and free of storm water (using the 5-year storm) at all times. Arterial streets bordering a development shall be provided for in accordance with standard City policy.
3. 
Culverts and bridges shall be designed for a design storm frequency of 100 years for a fully developed watershed. Bridges shall require a one-foot freeboard between the low point of the bridge and the 100 year water surface elevation for a fully developed watershed. Where the drainage facility crossing a street is an open channel or natural creek, a culvert or a bridge, as determined by the City Engineer to be the most desirable, shall be constructed. Low water crossings shall not be allowed. Where a culvert is determined to be the most effective option, the headwater shall be a minimum of one (1) foot below the adjacent top of curb. Backwater zones shall be plotted as floodplain easements. Construction materials shall meet full City standards, e.g., corrugated metal pipes (CMP’s) shall not be allowed.
4. 
The design of open channels shall comply with the Drainage Policy.
B. 
CONSTRUCTION
1. 
City design standards shall govern on all projects in large-lot rural type developments.
2. 
The City will provide construction inspection, except for the setting of line and grade stakes for streets and storm drains on all projects regardless of size. The setting of line and grade stakes for streets and storm drains shall be the responsibility of the developer except that the City reserves the right to pre-qualify persons and/or firms that are hired to provide this surveying and to check the accuracy of the surveying and the conformance of the stakes to the approved plans.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
Street lighting shall be required at the intersection of all public streets in large-lot rural type developments. All lighting shall conform to all applicable City policies, and shall be approved by the City Engineer. All easements necessary for street light installation and maintenance shall be shown on both the preliminary and final plats.
Before final acceptance of streets, alleys, sewers and other utilities, street light locations and installations shall be coordinated by the developer with the appropriate power companies and the City. It shall be the subdivider’s responsibility to install street lights with metal poles. The developer shall pay for the electricity until building permits are issued for eighty percent (80%) of the lots, after which the City shall pay for the electricity.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
Residential drive approaches in large-lot rural type developments shall be designed in accordance with the City adopted Standards and approved by the City Engineer, except as noted below.
Twenty-four inch (24") minimum reinforced concrete pipe(s) (R.C.P.) with sloping head walls (4:1) where speed limits are less than 45 MPH and (6:1) greater than 45 MPH shall be used for all driveway crossings. The minimum grade for the borrow ditch and pipe shall be that required to produce a minimum velocity of two feet per second (fps) for a 5 year storm but not less than 0.6 percent (0.6%) grade. The developer’s engineer shall provide culvert sizing information for each lot where culverts may exceed 24 (twenty-four) inches.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)
A. 
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
In large lot rural type developments the Commission, at its discretion, may permit the use of alternate systems for the provision of water and waste water disposal services. Any property owner or developer who desires to utilize a water or waste water system not in full conformance with City standards for water and sewer systems in an urban subdivision shall prepare a report including a written description of the proposed alternate system and how the system will meet the requirements of the appropriate state agency. The County Health Department must approve all on site waste water disposal systems. If a community water system is proposed, the City Engineer and TNRCC must approve the system.
Any property owner or developer who desires to utilize a water or waste water system not in full conformance with the City standards for water and waste water systems in an urban subdivision shall prepare a written description of the proposed alternate system and submit said proposal to the City staff for a full review after obtaining approval from the appropriate state or county agency as follows:
1. 
Water Well/Distribution/Water Storage Capacity. Water wells, distribution, and water storage capacity shall meet the State Fire Insurance Commission’s minimum requirements for fire protection.
2. 
State Standards. The water/sewer systems must meet State requirements for design, materials, and construction when the City standards do not apply.
B. 
ALTERNATIVE ON-SITE WASTE WATER SYSTEM
The City staff will review the proposed alternative system or systems and prepare a recommendation on the proposal and forward it to the Commission for consideration in conjunction with the preliminary plat of the proposed large-lot rural type development. The application for large lot rural type developments, which proposes on-site sewer systems, shall be accompanied by a signed statement from an engineer registered as a professional engineer in the State of Texas and a statement from the Tarrant County Health Department that the land in question has been examined and the land has sufficient absorption qualities to support such on-site sewer systems. In evaluating the alternative system the Plan Commission considers the following factors:
1. 
The size of the individual lots or tracts.
2. 
The character of development projected for the area.
3. 
The soil structure of the area in which the development will take place.
4. 
The geologic substrata in the area in which the development will take place.
5. 
The presence or absence of ground water or aquifers for recharge zones in the area in which the development will take place.
6. 
The presence of wells, stock tanks or raw water holding facilities in the immediate area of the proposed development or in its logical and immediate surface runoff drainage basin.
7. 
The type and character of developments immediately surrounding the site of the proposed large lot rural type development.
8. 
The type of alternate system proposed and its design and operating characteristics including:
a. 
The difficulty in designing the specific alternate system for each lot or tract.
b. 
The cost of developing the operative design.
c. 
The cost of installing the alternate system.
d. 
The cost of operating the alternate system on a month-by-month and year-by-year basis.
e. 
The average design life of the alternate system.
f. 
The historic operating life of the proposed alternate system.
g. 
The amount and character of on going maintenance required to ensure that the alternate system continues to perform in a satisfactory manner.
h. 
Experience reports and case history on similar systems utilized under comparable circumstances.
i. 
Reports on system suitability received from health and environmental agencies or organizations charged with evaluating and approving water and waste water systems in the area.
9. 
The Commission shall also be entitled to consider the effect that the utilization of alternate systems would have on the overall utility extension plan of the City of Haslet for the development of public works and utility infrastructure within the corporate limits of the City and the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of the City.
10. 
In large-lot rural type developments where such alternate water and/or sewer systems have been approved, at such time as City water or sewer facilities become available to the lot, the owner of the lot must abandon the alternate system and make connection to the City facility within one year of the availability of the connection to the city system. Such connection must be made at the expense of the lot owner. Subdivisions that have Final Plat approval at the time of the passage of this ordinance are exempt from this paragraph.
(Ordinance 0903-04 adopted 9/27/04)