City of Sunnyvale, CA DESIGN STANDARDS

All streets and highways shall be so designed insofar as is possible to have positive surface drainage. No overflow of stormwater due to failure of the storm drainage system shall cause water to rise above the top of the curb and flow between lots except in open paved drainage easements approved by the director of public works.

The stormwater drainage underground system shall include the storm drain, manholes, catch basins and laterals and other structures as required. At intersections, where an underground drainage system exists or is planned, catch basins and laterals shall be used in lieu of cross gutters. The drainage system shall be adequate to drain the area in the proposed subdivision and any contiguous area which has been or may be developed.

The director of public works shall prescribe the drainage structures and/or conduits to be installed and such structures and/or conduits shall be placed to grades and be of a design and size approved by the director of public works; provided, however, that no stormwater drain or drainage conduit shall be less than twelve inches in diameter.

Fences along lot lines adjacent to proposed or existing surfacewater drainage channels shall be constructed in conformance with plans approved by the director of public works.

Open overflow drainage easements shall be provided when, in the opinion of the director of public works, such easements are required for the proper use and drainage of streets, highways and/or for reasonable public safety.

The subdivider shall dedicate rights-of-way for drainage channels as follows:

All rights-of-way for channels of less than twenty-five feet in width;

Twenty-five feet of right-of-way for channels with a width of between twenty-five and fifty feet;

One-half of the total required right-of-way for channels over fifty feet in width.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.070 Driveway approaches.

Standard width driveway approaches shall be limited as set forth in Table 18.12.070 and shall be subject to the additional regulations set forth therein.

A driveway approach must not be constructed within a corner vision triangle as described in Section 19.34.060 (Vision triangles).

Table 18.12.070
Purpose for which lot is intended to be developed	Width of lot at property line adjacent to public right-of-way	Type of lot	Number of standard width driveway approaches permitted
(a) Single dwelling unit	Less than 82 feet	All but corner lots	Not more than 1
(b) Single dwelling unit	82 feet or more	All but corner lots	Not more than 2
(c) Single dwelling unit	All	Corner lot	Not more than 2
(1) Two driveway approaches may be installed on the same street only if the width of the corner lot between the lot line and the beginning of the corner vision triangle is at least 78 feet.
(d) Two dwelling units	All	All	Not more than 2
(e) Three or more dwelling units	All	All	As approved by the director of public works
(1) Approaches shall not exceed standard city width as established by standard detail.
(2) Approaches shall not occupy more than 24% of the property line adjacent to a public right-of-way, except that one minimum width single or double driveway may be approved by the director of public works, regardless of the percentage of frontage occupied.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1; Ord. 2981-12 § 4)

§ 18.12.080 Easements and rights-of-way.

The subdivider shall provide necessary easements and rights-of-way for all public improvements required or permitted; except as otherwise specifically provided. Such easements and rights-of-way shall be of sufficient size and adequate location to meet the requirements of public and private utilities serving the proposed subdivision.

The director of public works may require the subdivider to remove any trees or brush lying within an easement or right-of-way. The subdivider shall be required to remove or trim trees or brush lying within any easement or right-of-way over which utility lines are to be constructed when such trees or brush interfere with the construction of such lines.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.090 Building elevation.

No building shall be constructed with a floor elevation less than four and one-half feet above mean sea level; provided, however, that when the floor elevation of any building is less than nine feet above mean sea level, all waste from sanitary facilities installed at an elevation of less than nine feet above mean sea level shall flow by gravity to an approved sump and then be lifted to an elevation which will allow gravity flow of at least two feet per second to the sanitary sewer system by a pump capable of pumping against the hydraulic head resulting from the difference in elevation between the sump and nine feet above mean sea level.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.100 Masonry wall and landscaping.

A decorative masonry wall shall be constructed on dedicated land immediately adjacent to residential subdivisions fronting on a major thoroughfare, street or highway as to any lot as to which access is from another street. Such wall shall be six feet in height measured by the highest adjoining finished grade as approved by the director of community development. The area between required walls and street or sidewalk pavement shall be landscaped in conformance with applicable standards. An alternate type of wall or fence may be approved pursuant to the zoning ordinance.

Plans and specifications for required walls or fences and landscaping shall be submitted to and approved by the director of community development; provided that installation of street trees shall be approved by the director of parks and recreation.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.110 Grading.

Flattening of grade and removal of top soil shall be held to the minimum required to properly develop a subdivision.

No cut or fill slopes shall encroach on any street right-of-way within the subdivision.

No existing slope or proposed cut slope shall be steeper than one and one-half horizontal to one vertical, except as hereinafter provided.

No fill slopes, existing or proposed, shall be steeper than two horizontal to one vertical, except as hereinafter provided.

When it is determined by the director of public works or director of community development that the actual or proposed grading for the subdivision will create a nuisance or hazard to other properties, public way, or public facilities due to erosion from storm runoff or rainfall no grading shall commence or continue without specific consent in writing from the director of public works or the director of community development.

Grading shall be done so as to protect any trees or vegetation required to remain on the property being graded.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.120 Lots.

The side line of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at a right angle to the street upon which the lot has its principal frontage.

No lot shall be divided by a city boundary line, nor any boundary line between parcels of land under separate ownership. It is not the intent of this section to prohibit the creation of residual parcels of land as the result of curvilinear street patterns.

Interior lots (as defined in Section 19.04.300) for single-family or two-family dwellings shall not be approved except: (1) along streets with, or which are planned to have, six or more moving lanes of traffic; or (2) where the lot is more than two hundred feet deep; or (3) where, in the opinion of the director of public works, topographical conditions permit no other reasonable form of platting.

Areas of two or less acres, bounded on two or more sides by the subdivision shall have full street improvements installed as part of the subdivision improvements. If it is necessary for the city to exercise its power of eminent domain to accomplish this, the subdivider shall pay or reimburse the city for all costs incurred in relation thereto.

The size of lots shall conform to the basic minimum area and frontage requirements of the zoning ordinance, as it now exists or may hereafter be amended.

When the rear of any lots border any major or primary street, highway or parkway, the subdivider shall be required to execute and deliver to the city an instrument, deemed sufficient by the city attorney, prohibiting the right of ingress and egress to the rear of such lots across the existing and proposed right-of-way line of such streets or highways.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.130 Monuments.

Permanent monuments of a type to be approved by the city engineer shall be set at each corner and angle point in the exterior boundaries of the subdivision except where such monuments already exist in their proper positions. Monuments shall be set in standard city monument boxes and shall be set on street centerlines (or offsets) at all street intersections, beginnings and ends of curves, angle points, or as otherwise directed by the city engineer. A three-fourths-inch iron pipe monument two feet long shall also be set six inches below finished grade at each lot corner unless otherwise specified by the city engineer. All monuments shall be set before acceptance of improvements by the city council. Any monument required by this chapter that is disturbed or destroyed shall be replaced by the developer before acceptance of improvements.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1; Ord. 2806-06 § 1)

§ 18.12.140 Reserve strips.

Reserve strips controlling access to streets and other facilities shall be prohibited.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1; Ord. 2414-92 § 1)

§ 18.12.150 Sanitary sewage system.

Sanitary sewer facilities connecting with the existing city system shall be installed to serve each lot. Sanitary sewer facilities shall include manholes, flushing inlets (when allowed by the director of public works), sewage pump stations and appurtenances and costs to place pump in operation where required, sewer mains, wyes in the sewer main for laterals, laterals and a cleanout in each lateral.

The system shall be adequate to serve the area in the proposed subdivision, and main sewers shall have a capacity adequate to serve any contiguous area which has been or may be developed. The director of public works shall prescribe the sewer main sizes; provided, however, that no sewer main size prescribed shall be less than eight inches in nominal diameter.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.160 Sidewalks.

All subdivisions shall have sidewalks.

Where required, sidewalks shall be installed to grade on all streets and shall be constructed monolithically with the curb and gutter and parallel with the street right-of-way line, or at a location approved by the director of public works.

Sidewalks, when required, shall be constructed to a minimum width of five feet in all subdivisions, and may be required at a greater width in multi-family or commercial zoning districts. Where sidewalks are otherwise required in accordance with Chapter 19.38, the director of public works shall have the discretion of requiring less than standard sidewalk width where topographic difficulties or lack of space would reasonably prohibit the installation of a standard width sidewalk.

Where sidewalks are required, the director of public works shall have the discretion of determining that a sidewalk or a portion of a sidewalk not be installed if topographic difficulties or lack of space would reasonably prohibit the installation of a sidewalk.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1; Ord. 2336-90 § 1; Ord. 2414-92 § 1; Ord. 2988-12 § 13)

§ 18.12.170 Streets.

General Design Objectives—Subdivision Street System. The subdivision street system shall be designed in accordance with the following objectives:

To conform to the general street plan designated in the general plan and/or any official plan line of streets;

To conform, as far as practicable, to the alignment of existing adjacent streets or their proper projections;

To discourage through traffic within the subdivision, except:

For the creation, extension or continuation of major streets or secondary distributors as designated by said general plan or master plan, or

Where deemed necessary to adequately move traffic within the planning area;

(4)

To avoid undue hardship to owners of adjoining property for future subdivision; and

(5)

To provide adequate and convenient access to adjoining property.

Boundary Line and Half-Streets—Widths.

Widths of boundary line and half-streets and/or any reservation therefor, lying along and adjacent to any boundary of the subdivision shall conform to said master plan or the general plan or to official plan lines approved by the city council.

If such official plan lines have not been established, then any such street shall have one-half of width indicated for such streets in said general plan or master plan.

It is the policy of the city to discourage half-streets. Half-streets shall not be approved unless proposals therefor show conditions and circumstances which make the creation of a full street, in the opinion of the director of public works, unreasonable.

Cul-de-Sac Streets. Cul-de-sac streets shall meet the following standards:

Turn-Around. Minimum right-of-way radius: forty-three feet — residential; sixty-one feet — industrial.

Turn-Around. Minimum roadway radius: thirty-two feet — residential; fifty feet — industrial.

Maximum Length. Intersection with centerline of non-cul-de-sac street to center of turn-around: four hundred feet, unless it can be satisfactorily demonstrated that:

A longer cul-de-sac is essential for the property to be developed for the use as designated for it in the zoning ordinance; or

Any other method of subdividing the property would create block lengths of less than eight hundred feet.

Extension of streets to boundary of property.

Subdivision streets shall be extended to the boundary of the property as to provide access to and permit subdivision of adjoining land for uses specific in the general plan.

The resulting dead-end streets may be approved without turn-arounds.

Dead-end streets entirely within a subdivision shall have a turn-around.

(4)

Dead-end streets along the side of a subdivision may be required to provide one-half of a turn-around.

Frontage Roads.

Commercial Subdivisions.

Frontage roads may be required adjacent to streets with a right-of-way of one hundred twenty feet or greater.

Minimum right-of-way: forty-four feet.

Minimum paved way width: thirty-two feet.

Residential Subdivisions.

Frontage roads will not normally be approved.

Minimum right-of-way: forty-four feet.

Minimum paved way width: thirty-two feet.

Industrial Subdivisions.

Frontage roads may be required adjacent to streets with a right-of-way of one hundred twenty feet or greater.

Minimum right-of-way: forty-six feet.

Minimum paved way width: thirty-four feet.

(4)

Minimum Length.

New frontage roads shall be capable of being extended to a minimum length of six hundred feet, except as provided in subsection (e)(4)(B).

Shorter frontage roads may be created if it can be satisfactorily demonstrated to the director of public works that the frontage road is the only means of developing the property for the use designated for it in the zoning ordinance.

(5)

Means of Access to Major Street.

Means of access between a frontage road and a major street shall be limited to a minimum distance of six hundred feet, except where existing street entrances to the major road are less than six hundred feet apart. In such cases, the existing streets shall be the only access from the frontage road to the major street.

Temporary means of access between a frontage road and a major street may be permitted until the frontage road is developed in accordance with city plans, or approved subdivision plans, or other proper access is provided.

Minimum Street Right-of-Way—Paved Width.

Industrial Streets.

Minimum right-of-way: sixty-six feet.

Minimum paved way width: forty-four feet.

Local Residential and Commercial Streets.

Minimum right-of-way: sixty-two feet.

Minimum paved way width: forty feet.

Exception. Local streets designed to serve a maximum potential residential development of fifty dwelling units: minimum right-of-way: fifty-eight feet; minimum paved way width: thirty-six feet.

(g)

Street Grades.

Major or primary streets: six percent maximum.

Local streets: eight percent maximum.

Exception. The director of public works may approve a steeper grade when, in his or her opinion, topographical conditions make compliance with such standard grades unreasonable.

(h)

Centerline Curve Radii. Centerline curve radii on all streets shall conform to accepted engineering design standards. Such radii shall be subject to approval by the director of public works.

(i)

Angle of Intersection of Streets.

The angle of intersection between two streets shall be as near a right angle (ninety degrees) as practicable.

All angles of intersection shall be between sixty degrees and ninety degrees.

(j)

Property Line Return Radii. The property line return radius of intersecting streets at the property line shall be as follows:

First Street	Second Street	Minimum property line return radius
(1) Street with less than 4 moving lanes of traffic	a. Street with less than 4 moving lanes of traffic	20 feet
	b. Street with, or planned to have, 4 moving lanes of traffic	30 feet
	c. Street with, or planned to have, more than 4 moving laves of traffic	40 feet
(2) Street with, or planned to have, 4 moving lanes of traffic	Street with, or planned to have, 4 moving lanes of traffic	40 feet
(3) Street with, or planned to have, more than 4 moving lanes of traffic	Street with, or planned to have, more than 4 moving lanes of traffic	50 feet

Required Property Line Return Radii
Total Number of Through Moving Lanes on One Street
Total number of through moving lanes on the other street		2	3	4	5	6
	2	20 ft.	20 ft.	30 ft.	40 ft.	40 ft.
	3	20 ft.	20 ft.	30 ft.	40 ft.	40 ft.
	4	30 ft.	30 ft.	40 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.
	5	40 ft.	40 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.
	6	40 ft.	40 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.	50 ft.

(k)

Distance Between Streets Intersecting Common Street.

Streets intersecting a common street from opposite sides shall intersect the common street either:

Opposite each other; or

At least two hundred fifty feet apart.

A street opening offset of less than two hundred fifty feet may be approved by the director of public works when it is demonstrated that it is the only method of developing the property for the use for which it is zoned.

(l)

Street Improvements Across Rights-of-Way of Other Agencies.

Street improvements across railroad or utility rights-of-way or improvements, or across drainage channels, drainage channel right-of-way, and/or proposed drainage channels included in an approved city storm drainage master plan shall be provided by the subdivider when necessary for proper traffic access to or circulation within the proposed subdivision.

Such improvements shall be provided at no expense to the city.

The subdivider shall prepare all documents necessary for application to the California Public Utilities Commission for the establishment and improvement of railroad or other utility crossings, and shall be responsible for obtaining necessary approval or consent from the agencies exercising jurisdiction over drainage channels, state and county freeways, highways and expressways.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.180 Street lights.

Street lighting systems shall have electroliers with continuous underground circuits.

Subdivision lighting standards shall conform to the recommended practices of "American National Practice for Roadway Lighting" and the roadway and area classifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and as approved by the director of public works.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.190 Street names.

All street names shall be shown on the final map or parcel map. All streets, both public and private, shall be named by the director of community development.

The words "avenue," "boulevard," "drive," "place," "way" or other designation of such street shall be designated by the director of community development and shall be spelled out in full.

Each private street shall be designated on the tentative map, final map, or parcel map as "terrace."

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1; Ord. 2414-92 § 1)

§ 18.12.200 Street name and traffic control signs.

The subdivider shall furnish and install all street name signs and traffic control signs prescribed by the director of public works.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.210 Street trees.

The number of trees and types of trees to be installed shall be determined by the director of parks and recreation. Street tree fees shall be paid pursuant to resolution adopted by the city council.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1)

§ 18.12.220 Underground utilities.

All public utilities shall be installed in accordance with the requirements found in Chapter 19.38.

(Ord. 2194-86 § 1; Ord. 2988-12 § 14)

§ 18.12.230 Water distribution and fire protection system.

The water distribution and fire protection system shall include mains, valves, fittings, blowoffs, fire hydrants, services and other appurtenances. The system shall be adequate to serve the area in the proposed subdivision and main capacity shall be adequate to serve any contiguous area which has been or may be developed.