Chapter 17-3.3 contains standards for vehicular and pedestrian access, circulation, and connectivity. The standards promote safe, reasonably direct, and convenient options for walking and bicycling, while accommodating vehicle access to individual properties, as needed.
(Ord. 2017-08 §1)
Chapter 17-3.3 applies to new development and changes in land use necessitating a new or modified street or highway connection. Except where the standards of a roadway authority other than the City supersede City standards, Chapter 17-3.3 applies to all connections to a street or highway, and to driveways and walkways. The Planning Official, through a Type II procedure, may grant adjustments to Chapter 17-3.3, pursuant to the criteria of Chapter 17-4.7 Adjustments and Variances. For street improvement requirements, refer to Section 17-3.6.020.
(Ord. 2017-08 §1)
A. 
Purpose and Intent. Section 17-3.3.030 implements the street access policies of the City of Molalla Transportation System Plan. It is intended to promote safe vehicle access and egress to properties, while maintaining traffic operations in conformance with adopted standards. "Safety," for the purposes of this chapter, extends to all modes of transportation.
B. 
Permit Required. Vehicular access to a public street (e.g., a new or modified driveway connection to a street or highway) requires an approach permit approved by the applicable roadway authority.
C. 
Traffic Study Requirements. The City, in reviewing a development proposal or other action requiring an approach permit, may require a traffic impact analysis, pursuant to Section 17-3.6.020, to determine compliance with this Code.
D. 
Approach and Driveway Development Standards. Approaches and driveways shall conform to all of the following development standards:
1. 
The number of approaches on higher classification streets (e.g., collector and arterial streets) shall be minimized; where practicable, access shall be taken first from a lower classification street.
2. 
Approaches shall conform to the spacing standards of subsections E and F, below, and shall conform to minimum sight distance and channelization standards of the roadway authority.
3. 
Driveways shall be paved and meet applicable construction standards. Where permeable paving surfaces are allowed or required, such surfaces shall conform to applicable Public Works Design Standards.
4. 
The City Engineer may limit the number or location of connections to a street, or limit directional travel at an approach to one-way, right-turn only, or other restrictions, where the roadway authority requires mitigation to alleviate safety or traffic operations concerns.
5. 
Where the spacing standards of the roadway authority limit the number or location of connections to a street or highway, the City Engineer may require a driveway extend to one or more edges of a parcel and be designed to allow for future extension and inter-parcel circulation as adjacent properties develop. The City Engineer may also require the owner(s) of the subject site to record an access easement for future joint use of the approach and driveway as the adjacent property(ies) develop(s).
6. 
Where applicable codes require emergency vehicle access, approaches and driveways shall be designed and constructed to accommodate emergency vehicle apparatus and shall conform to applicable fire protection requirements. The City Engineer may restrict parking, require signage, or require other public safety improvements pursuant to the recommendations of an emergency service provider.
7. 
As applicable, approaches and driveways shall be designed and constructed to accommodate truck/trailer-turning movements.
8. 
Except where the City Engineer and roadway authority, as applicable, permit an open access with perpendicular or angled parking, driveways shall accommodate all projected vehicular traffic on-site without vehicles stacking or backing up onto a street.
9. 
Driveways shall be designed so that vehicle areas, including, but not limited to, drive-up and drive-through facilities and vehicle storage and service areas, do not obstruct any public right-of-way.
10. 
Approaches and driveways shall not be wider than necessary to safely accommodate projected peak hour trips and turning movements, and shall be designed to minimize crossing distances for pedestrians.
11. 
As it deems necessary for pedestrian safety, the City Engineer, in consultation with the roadway authority, as applicable, may require that traffic-calming features, textured driveway surfaces (e.g., pavers or similar devices), curb extensions, signage or traffic control devices, or other features, be installed on or in the vicinity of a site as a condition of development approval.
12. 
Construction of approaches along acceleration or deceleration lanes, and along tapered (reduced width) portions of a roadway, shall be avoided; except where no reasonable alternative exists and the approach does not create safety or traffic operations concern.
13. 
Approaches and driveways shall be located and designed to allow for safe maneuvering in and around loading areas, while avoiding conflicts with pedestrians, parking, landscaping, and buildings.
14. 
Where sidewalks or walkways occur adjacent to a roadway, driveway aprons constructed of concrete shall be installed between the driveway and roadway edge. The roadway authority may require the driveway apron be installed outside the required sidewalk or walkway surface, consistent with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, and to manage surface water runoff and protect the roadway surface.
15. 
Where an accessible route is required pursuant to ADA, approaches and driveways shall meet accessibility requirements where they coincide with an accessible route.
16. 
The City Engineer may require changes to the proposed configuration and design of an approach, including the number of drive aisles or lanes, surfacing, traffic-calming features, allowable turning movements, and other changes or mitigation, to ensure traffic safety and operations.
17. 
Where a new approach onto a state highway or a change of use adjacent to a state highway requires ODOT approval, the applicant is responsible for obtaining ODOT approval. The City Engineer may approve a development conditionally, requiring the applicant first obtain required ODOT permit(s) before commencing development, in which case the City will work cooperatively with the applicant and ODOT to avoid unnecessary delays.
18. 
Where an approach or driveway crosses a drainage ditch, canal, railroad, or other feature that is under the jurisdiction of another agency, the applicant is responsible for obtaining all required approvals and permits from that agency prior to commencing development.
19. 
Where a proposed driveway crosses a culvert or drainage ditch, the City Engineer may require the developer to install a culvert extending under and beyond the edges of the driveway on both sides of it, pursuant to applicable Public Works Design Standards.
20. 
Except as otherwise required by the applicable roadway authority or waived by the City Engineer temporary driveways providing access to a construction site or staging area shall be paved or graveled to prevent tracking of mud onto adjacent paved streets.
21. 
Development that increases impervious surface area shall conform to the storm drainage and surface water management requirements of Section 17-3.6.050.
E. 
Approach Separation from Street Intersections. Except as provided by subsection H, minimum distances shall be maintained between approaches and street intersections consistent with the current version of the Public Works Design Standards and Transportation System Plan.
F. 
Approach Spacing. Except as provided by subsection H or as required to maintain street operations and safety, the following minimum distances shall be maintained between approaches consistent with the current version of the Public Works Design Standards and Transportation System Plan.
Figure 17-3.3-1 Approach Spacing
G. 
Vision Clearance. No visual obstruction (e.g., sign, structure, solid fence, or shrub vegetation) greater than 2.5 feet in height shall be placed in "vision clearance areas" at street intersections.. The minimum vision clearance area may be modified by the Planning Official through a Type I procedure, upon finding that more or less sight distance is required (i.e., due to traffic speeds, roadway alignment, etc.). Placement of light poles, utility poles, and tree trunks should be avoided within vision clearance areas.
Figure 17-3.3-2 Vision Clearance
H. 
Exceptions and Adjustments. The City Engineer may approve adjustments to the spacing standards of subsections E and F, above, where an existing connection to a City street does not meet the standards of the roadway authority and the proposed development moves in the direction of code compliance. The Planning Official through a Type II procedure may also approve a deviation to the spacing standards on City streets where it finds that mitigation measures, such as consolidated access (removal of one access), joint use driveways (more than one property uses same access), directional limitations (e.g., one-way), turning restrictions (e.g., right-in/right-out only), or other mitigation alleviate all traffic operations and safety concerns.
I. 
Joint Use Access Easement and Maintenance Agreement. Where the City approves a joint use driveway, the property owners shall record an easement with the deed allowing joint use of and cross access between adjacent properties. The owners of the properties agreeing to joint use of the driveway shall record a joint maintenance agreement with the deed, defining maintenance responsibilities of property owners. The applicant shall provide a fully executed copy of the agreement to the City for its records, but the City is not responsible for maintaining the driveway or resolving any dispute between property owners.
(Ord. 2017-08 §1)
A. 
Purpose and Intent. Section 17-3.3.040 implements the pedestrian access and connectivity policies of the City of Molalla Transportation System. It is intended to provide for safe, reasonably direct, and convenient pedestrian access and circulation.
B. 
Standards. Developments shall conform to all of the following standards for pedestrian access and circulation as generally illustrated in Figure 17-3.3-3:
1. 
Continuous Walkway System. A pedestrian walkway system shall extend throughout the development site and connect to adjacent sidewalks, if any, and to all future phases of the development, as applicable.
2. 
Safe, Direct, and Convenient. Walkways within developments shall provide safe, reasonably direct, and convenient connections between primary building entrances and all adjacent parking areas, recreational areas, playgrounds, and public rights-of-way conforming to the following standards:
a. 
The walkway is reasonably direct when it follows a route that does not deviate unnecessarily from a straight line or it does not involve a significant amount of out-of-direction travel.
b. 
The walkway is designed primarily for pedestrian safety and convenience, meaning it is reasonably free from hazards and provides a reasonably smooth and consistent surface and direct route of travel between destinations. The Planning Official may require landscape buffering between walkways and adjacent parking lots or driveways to mitigate safety concerns.
c. 
The walkway network connects to all primary building entrances, consistent with the building design standards of Chapter 17-3.2 and, where required, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
3. 
Vehicle/Walkway Separation. Except as required for crosswalks, per subsection 4, below, where a walkway abuts a driveway or street it shall be raised six inches and curbed along the edge of the driveway or street. Alternatively, the Planning Official may approve a walkway abutting a driveway at the same grade as the driveway if the walkway is physically separated from all vehicle-maneuvering areas. An example of such separation is a row of bollards (designed for use in parking areas) with adequate minimum spacing between them to prevent vehicles from entering the walkway.
4. 
Crosswalks. Where a walkway crosses a parking area or driveway ("crosswalk"), it shall be clearly marked with contrasting paving materials (e.g., pavers, light-color concrete inlay between asphalt, or similar contrasting material). The crosswalk may be part of a speed table to improve driver-visibility of pedestrians. Painted or thermo-plastic striping and similar types of non-permanent applications are discouraged, but may be approved for lesser used crosswalks not exceeding 24 feet in length.
5. 
Walkway Width and Surface. Walkways, including access ways required for subdivisions pursuant to Chapter 17-4.3, shall be constructed of concrete, asphalt, brick or masonry pavers, or other durable surface, as approved by the City Engineer, and not less than six feet wide. Multi-use paths (i.e., designed for shared use by bicyclists and pedestrians) shall be concrete or asphalt and shall conform to the current version of the Public Works Design Standards and Transportation System Plan.
6. 
Walkway Construction (Private). Walkway surfaces may be concrete, asphalt, brick or masonry pavers, or other City-approved durable surface meeting ADA requirements. Walkways shall be not less than six feet in width in commercial and mixed use developments and where access ways are required for subdivisions under Division IV.
7. 
Multi-Use Pathways. Multi-use pathways, where approved, shall be a minimum width and constructed of materials consistent with the current version of the Public Works Design Standards and Transportation System Plan.
Figure 17-3.3-3 Access and Circulation
(Ord. 2017-08 §1)