Note: Prior history: 1953 Code §§ 9211—9218.2; Ords. 355, 433, 516 and 922.
The following shall be the standards of design applicable to any subdivision, street extension or new building site, or any other project that proposes the opening up, design, construction or creation of accessways within the city of Laguna Beach by recorded map, recorded instrument, lease or other agreement contemplated after the effective date of this section, as amended.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Whenever it is proposed to divide or subdivide land abutting an arterial or collector street as designated by resolution of the city council, vehicular access from abutting property shall be restricted or limited by dedication of such vehicular access rights to the city, in accordance with the policies established in the general plan. Such dedication of vehicular access rights to the city shall be designated upon the title sheet of the final tract map.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Collector streets shall be sixty feet wide (minimum right-of-way). The minimum street pavement width for collector streets shall be twenty-four feet for two travel lanes, excluding parking lanes.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Hillside collector streets shall be forty-four feet wide (minimum right-of-way). The minimum pavement width for hillside collector streets shall be twenty-four feet for two travel lanes, excluding parking lanes.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Local streets shall be fifty feet wide (minimum right-of-way). The minimum pavement width shall be twenty feet for two travel lanes, excluding parking lanes.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Turnarounds shall be sixty-two feet diameter (minimum) and fifty-four feet diameter paving (minimum). A hammerhead turnaround may be substituted if designed and constructed to fire department standards.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
A hillside turnaround shall be fifty-eight feet diameter (minimum) and fifty feet diameter paving (minimum). A hammerhead turnaround may be substituted if designed and constructed to fire department standards.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Half-width streets shall not be permitted excepting that, with consent of the planning commission, street improvements may be phased outwards from the centerline.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
The basic travel lane widths set forth herein may be increased as necessary to provide parallel street parking at a rate of not less than one space per fifty feet of frontage per residential lot. On curbed streets, such spaces shall be at least six feet wide where an adjoining walkway exists; all other spaces shall be at least eight feet wide.
The planning commission may, based on the type of land use, terrain constraints, or other considerations, increase the basic requirement as it deems necessary provided, however, that spaces shall not be decreased unless adequate and accessible provisions are made for a like quantity and quality of parking.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
In all cases, greater right-of-way or pavement width, or both, may be required where found necessary by the planning commission in the interest of public safety and welfare.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Design of collector streets or local streets where parkways, grade separations, or other obstructions, or where exceptional terrain conditions prevail shall receive special attention, including mitigation techniques or conditions of approval as necessary to implement these regulations and the provisions of the general plan.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
A street terminating within the boundaries of a proposed subdivision, the future extension of which is proposed and/or shown to be feasible shall not come within the meaning of a deadend street but shall be established at a width and gradient, within the limits prescribed by this code, in a manner that protects such future extension. Such street shall be terminated by a turnaround.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
The maximum length of a deadend street shall not serve more than twenty-four building sites, shall not exceed seven hundred fifty feet in length and shall be terminated by a turnaround.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
An adequate setback from the edge of pavement shall be provided for street furniture, including hydrants, light standards and other above-ground obstructions. Such facilities shall not interfere with any walkway, and shall be set back a minimum distance of six feet from the edge of pavement or curb face.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
(a) 
Minimum. Minimum grades for new streets and street extensions shall be not less than one-half of one percent.
(b) 
Ten to Twelve Percent Grades. Grades for new streets and street extensions between ten percent and twelve percent will be approved only for such distances as topographical conditions make a lesser grade impractical.
(c) 
Variance. Grades for new streets or street extensions exceeding twelve percent, but not in excess of fourteen percent, are allowed only upon the approval of a variance in accordance with Section 25.05.025 of this title.
(d) 
Maximum Grades. Grades exceeding fourteen percent are prohibited for new streets and street extensions.
(e) 
Transitions. Grade breaks shall be transitioned by vertical curves in accordance with accepted and prevailing engineering practice.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991; Ord. 1454 § 2, 2005)
Curved streets in nonhillside street locations shall have a centerline radius of three hundred feet or greater, and eighty feet or greater in hillside locations.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Street intersection corners shall have a minimum twenty-five foot curb radius with the property line designed so as not to reduce the parkway widths.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
(a) 
Need for Alleys in Business Districts. Improved alleys twenty feet wide shall be provided at the rear of all lots in all business districts unless adequate parking is provided with access through any parking area for service purposes.
(b) 
Alley Intersections—Radius of Corner Cutbacks. All alley intersections shall have corner cutbacks of not less than a fifteen foot radius.
(c) 
Relationship of Alleys to Use. Alleys in the rear of business, industrial or income property shall be at right angles to the intersecting street and shall be designed and located according to the specific plan for the development of the particular use involved.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
The maximum length of a common access driveway will be one hundred fifty feet and such access driveways will be permitted only where it can be conclusively demonstrated to the satisfaction of the planning commission that a street of greater width is impractical and that such a driveway will not be detrimental to public safety or the general welfare.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Walkways shall have a minimum width of five feet and shall be improved to city specifications. Sidewalk requirements shall be based upon the specific needs of the area to be served.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
(a) 
Along Rear and Side Lot Lines. Easements or rights-of-way shall be provided for sewers, utilities and storm drains five feet in width along all rear and side lot lines of all lots or such lots as the council may in its discretion require.
(b) 
In Alley Instead of Along Rear Lot Line. Where alleys are provided at the rear of lots, said easements and rights-of-way running along the rear line of said lots may be in the alley and not in the lots.
(c) 
Reservations of Right to Build Over Easements. As to any such easements the subdivider may, with the consent of the council, and by reservation designated upon the title sheet of the final map, reserve the right to construct and maintain permanent buildings, structures and improvements over and across such easements and rights-of-way in any commercial or industrial zone. Such reservations, when located within the required setback of any residential or other zone, shall be confined to surface rights only for minor structures such as fencing, walkways, landscaping and flatwork. Substantial construction such as pools, buildings and patio covers shall not be permitted within such reserved areas.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
The minimum size of lots shall conform to the requirements of Title 25 provided, that in determining such compliance, each building site has sufficient dimensions to encompass an imaginary rectangle the width and depth of which is equivalent to the minimum standards of the zone.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Monuments shall be placed at all boundary corners and at such block corners, angle points, points of curves and intermediate points as shall be required by the city engineer, or as dictated by accepted professional surveying practice.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
(a) 
Facility to Retrace Work. In general, sufficient permanent monuments shall be set so that any other surveyor or engineer may retrace the work.
(b) 
Specifications—Permanent Monuments. Nothing less substantial than a one inch (inside dimension) pipe, two feet long set entirely in the ground filled and surrounded with concrete in which is placed a copper or brass nail and disc bearing the surveyor's or engineer's number, shall be considered as a permanent monument.
(c) 
Lot Corners. Monument size for lot corners shall be not less substantial than one-inch pipe.
(d) 
Discretion of City Engineer. Where the use of iron pipe as above specified is deemed to be impractical, the city engineer shall determine the type of monument to be used in lieu thereof.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
All building setback lines and all yards shall be as required by the zoning regulations. Setback lines in park areas shall be established so as to control recreational use and building locations as determined necessary by the planning commission.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
No portion of any property shown on the latest county assessor's tax roll as a unit or contiguous units shall be excluded from within the boundaries of a subdivision or division of land but may be designated a "remainder" in accordance with prevailing provisions of state law.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
(a) 
The subdivider shall improve or agree to improve all streets, arterial streets, ways, public ways and easements shown upon said final map, including streets specifically reserved for the private and exclusive use of lot owners in the subdivision, their licensees, visitors, tenants and servants, and the improvement of, or agreement to improve, such streets, arterial streets, ways, public ways and easements shall be a condition precedent to the approval of the final map. Where such streets, arterial streets, ways, public ways and easements are offered for depiction or conveyed to the city for public use, then the improvement of, or agreement to improve, the same shall also be a condition precedent to the acceptance to such offer of a dedication or conveyance.
(b) 
Such improvements may include, but not be limited to, the construction of street subgrade and surfacing, drainage devices, sanitary sewers, domestic water supply facilities, other underground utilities, curbing, gutters and sidewalks, and any other improvements, facilities and appurtenances, residents and tenants.
(c) 
Provisions shall also be made for the posting, striping and enforcement, in the case of private streets, of all traffic control devices including parking restrictions where only the minimum travel lane width is provided.
(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1991)
Building sites created through a subdivision or street extension review and approval process shall be provided by roads with direct access (see Section 25.53.004). Secondary emergency access when required or proposed shall be provided by roads with direct access.
(Ord. 1417 § 3, 2002)