The purpose of this title and any rules, standards and specifications adopted pursuant hereto is to control and regulate the division of land within the city. This chapter is adopted to supplement and implement Title 7, Division 2, of the Government Code of the State of California, also known as the "Subdivision Map Act." This title may be cited as the "Subdivision Ordinance of the City of Palm Springs."
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981)
To be approved, any map of a proposed subdivision and the provisions
for its design and improvement must be found by the planning commission
to be consistent with the approved general plan, standard plans and
specific plans of the city as may be applicable from time to time.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981)
The following standards of design and improvement are hereby
established for subdivisions within the city:
(1)
Streets
shall conform in design, improvement, and width to those streets shown
on the approved general plan, standard plans, and/or any specific
plans adopted pursuant thereto.
(2)
Alleys
shall be avoided where possible, except as otherwise permissible under
this Code. Alleys may be provided in commercial or industrial zones
if other definite and assured provision cannot be made for service
access, such as off-street loading, unloading and parking consistent
with and adequate for the uses proposed. Alleys may be provided in
the R-1-E residential zone, where the alley is designed to provide
access to garage or carport structures at the rear of each residential
lot abutting the alley. If approved, an alley shall:
(3)
Private
streets may be permitted if adequate assurance is provided for continued
physical maintenance and access to the residents and/or owners of
the subdivision. Private streets shall be designed and improved in
accordance with the general plan, standard plans and/or specific plans
pursuant thereto.
(4)
Driveway
means the paved access from public or private streets to an area or
building, reserved for the private use of the owner(s) of the driveway.
Driveway approaches shall be constructed of portland cement concrete.
(5)
Intersecting
street separation shall be no less than one hundred twenty-five feet.
The term "intersecting street separation" means the minimum distance
between centerlines of opposing streets where two streets intersect
a third street from opposite directions.
(6)
Angle
of intersection of all intersecting streets shall be as near to ninety
degrees as possible.
(7)
Property
line returns shall have a minimum radius of twenty feet.
(8)
Centerline
radii shall be as follows, except for hillside streets, which radii
shall be determined by specific plans for individual sites:
|
(A) Major thoroughfares
|
1,000 feet
|
|
(B) Secondary thoroughfare
|
500 feet
|
|
(C) Collector street
|
250 feet
|
|
(D) Minor street
|
100 feet
|
|
(E) Private street
|
50 feet
|
(9)
Sidewalk
design and construction shall be required in accordance with the approved
standard plans, and/or specific plans as approved by the planning
commission.
(10)
Bicycle trails design and construction shall be in accordance with
the approved master plan of bikeways, standard plans, and/or specific
plans pursuant thereto.
(11)
Signs. The placement of street name, regulatory, warning and guide
signs and pavement markings shall be based on CalTrans Traffic Manual
and such additional guidelines as may be adopted by resolution of
the city council.
(12)
Traffic signal design and construction or design and relocation shall
be based on the requirements of Cal-Trans Traffic Manual and such
additional guidelines as may be adopted by resolution of the city
council.
(13)
Street safety lights shall be installed along major and secondary
thoroughfares, and collector streets in accordance with the requirements
of the CalTrans Traffic Manual, city standard plans, city policy,
and the National Standard Practice for Roadway Lighting.
In cases of conflict of standards in (11), (12) and (13) of
this subsection, the city council standard shall govern.
(14)
Street trees may be required by the planning commission.
(15)
Utilities consisting of natural gas, electric power, and telephone distribution lines shall be installed to the property lines of all lots. All existing abutting and transecting thirty-three thousand volt of less of electric lines and all proposed utility lines shall be installed underground pursuant to Article V of Chapter 8.04 of this code, unless waived by the City Engineer. Television cable service shall be provided according to the approved franchise agreement with the city.
(16)
Water service shall be provided for all subdivisions in accordance
with the requirements of the Desert Water Agency and the Fire Protection
Bureau. Fire hydrants and other fire suppression services shall be
installed as required.
(17)
All subdivisions shall be connected to the city sanitary sewer system
by means of installing mains, laterals and appurtenances in accordance
with the master plan of sewers.
(18)
The subdivider shall install storm sewer conduits, structures, and
appurtenances when required, in accordance with the master plan of
flood control and drainage or by city council direction.
(19)
(A)
The design of lots shall be in accordance with the zoning ordinance,
adopted general plans, specific plans and with city policy.
(B)
The subdivision lot design, size, and configuration of structure
orientation, as well as possible sunlight easements, shall be considered
to provide for future passive or natural heating and/or cooling opportunities.
(C)
Lot area and dimensions shall be as required in the zoning ordinance.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981; Ord. 1410 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1979 § 8, 2019; Ord. 2031 § 15, 2020)
(a)
Grading
and control of wind and water erosion shall be in direct accordance
with Chapter 70 of the Uniform Building Code, and this chapter.
(b)
Developers
of subdivisions located in areas subject to wind erosion and blowsand
shall be responsible for compliance with the following:
(1)
Subdivisions should be extensions of existing development rather
than isolated tracts;
(2)
Sides of a proposed subdivision that abut an undeveloped area shall
have installed a minimum six-foot solid masonry wall to protect it
from the prevailing wind;
(3)
A minimum six-foot wooden fence may be substituted for a solid masonry
wall where the required wall ex-tends over a future street opening;
(4)
Project phasing of subdivisions shall be phased whereby the perimeter
streets, walls and required landscaping be installed first (west phase
first);
(5)
Site grading is to be broken down into as many phases as economically
feasible to reduce the exposure of graded soils;
(6)
In severe cases of blowsand, the subdivider may be required to plant,
irrigate and maintain approved planting to the windward of a wall
up to a depth of one hundred and fifty feet as prescribed by a specific
plan;
(7)
Soils disturbed during the development of a subdivision, whether
within or adjacent to, shall be covered with one or more of the following
materials to produce an effective wind erosion control:
(c)
On
each lot of a residential single-family subdivision, where a final
or parcel map is required, a minimum fifteengallon sized tree or equivalent
appropriate landscaping may be required to be planted in the front
setback area and provided with a permanent irrigation system.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981)
For hillside areas, off-site improvements such as street design,
width, radii, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, etc., shall be as required
in the specific plans for each area and the general standards may
be modified to adjust to specific topographic conditions.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981)
Any deviations from the standards of design and improvement as specified in Section 9.60.030 shall be reported to the planning commission by the city staff. These deviations shall be allowed only if approved by the planning commission and appear on an approved specific plan.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981)
(a)
The
director of public works may authorize lot line adjustments wherein
the number of lots is less than or remains the same before and after
the adjustment. This shall be accomplished by submitting in duplicate,
the following documents completed in the manner herein described:
(1)
Completed application, in a form prescribed by the director;
(2)
An eight and one-half by thirteen inch plat, in a form approved by
the city, showing all of the following:
(A)
The lot line to be adjusted, in the existing and proposed positions,
(B)
Bearings and distances to clearly indicate the change in lot configuration(s)
being proposed,
(C)
Effect of the proposed lot line adjustment on any existing structures
or other improvements,
(D)
Location map of all lots affected under the proposed lot line adjustment,
(E)
North arrow and scale prescribed by the city engineer as being of
sufficient size to clearly indicate all that is being proposed;
(b)
The
owner(s) shall show proof of ownership of all affected lots and submit
an affidavit attesting to their consent to the adjustment. The affidavit
shall be in a form approved by the city.
(c)
The
owner(s) shall pay a processing fee for the lot line adjustment application,
which may be set by the city council by resolution.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981; Ord. 1410 § 2, 1992; Ord. 1459 § 1, 1993; Ord. 2031 § 16, 2020)
Applications for lot line adjustments shall be administered
in the following manner:
(1)
One copy each of the forms described in Section 9.60.070 shall be forwarded to the planning department.
(2)
The
director shall either approve or disapprove the application and forward
to the city engineer for completion.
(3)
Any
decision of the director concerning lot line adjustments may be appealed
to the planning commission.
(Ord. 1125 § 2, 1981; Ord. 1410 § 3, 1992; Ord. 2031 § 17, 2020; Ord. 2088, 11/9/2023)
If a lot line adjustment approval is granted, a certificate
of compliance shall be filed with the county recorder, which certificate
shall describe the real properties involved, name the owners thereof,
and state that a lot line adjustment has been granted by action of
the director, giving the date thereof.
(Ord. 1241 § 1, 1985; Ord. 1410 § 4, 1992; Ord. 2031 § 18, 2020)
