The provisions of this chapter shall be the minimum requirements for streets and intersections. If any other public agency having jurisdiction, including the County Road Commission, shall adopt any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation imposing additional, different, or more rigorous requirements, then the provisions of such statute, ordinance, rule or regulations shall govern.
The streets within a plat shall be designed and laid out as is hereinafter provided.
A.
Dedication. All arterial streets shall be dedicated to public use. All non-arterial streets shall be dedicated to public use unless the proprietor presents valid and sufficient reasons to justify a private road, such as maintenance, traffic control or privacy, and unless there are no detrimental effects with respect to access to adjoining lands.
B.
Street location and arrangements. If a Capital Improvements Program has been adopted, subdivision streets shall conform with the Capital Improvements Program.
C.
Minor streets. Minor streets shall be laid out to conform as much as possible to the topography, to discourage use by through traffic, to permit efficient drainage and utility systems, and to require the minimum number of streets necessary to provide convenient and safe access to property.
D.
Street continuation and extension. Streets shall be arranged to provide for the continuation of existing streets from adjoining areas into new subdivisions, using the same dimensions as the existing streets. An exception to this requirement may be granted by the City Commission on recommendation from the Planning Commission.
E.
Stub streets. Subject to § 355-23B hereinafter, where adjoining lands are not subdivided, streets in the proposed plat shall be extended to the boundary line of the proposed plat to make provision for the future projection of such streets on to adjoining lands.
F.
Relation to topography. Streets shall be arranged in proper relation to the plat topography so as to result in usable lots, safe streets, and reasonable gradients.
G.
Alleys. Alleys shall not be permitted in areas of detached single- or two-family residences. Alleys shall be provided for multiple dwellings or commercial subdivision unless other adequate provision is made for service access, off-street loading, and parking. Dead-end alleys are prohibited.
H.
Marginal access streets. Where a subdivision abuts or contains an arterial street, the City Commission, after receipt of a recommendation from the Planning Commission, may require:
I.
Cul-de-sac streets. The maximum length for a residential cul-de-sac street shall be 500 feet. The maximum length for other cul-de-sac streets may exceed 500 feet, subject to review by and approval of the City Commission.
J.
Half streets. Half streets are prohibited unless the City Commission, on recommendation from the Planning Commission, determines usual circumstances make half streets essential to the reasonable development of a tract in conformance with this chapter, and unless satisfactory assurance for dedication of the remaining part of the street is provided. Whenever a tract to be subdivided borders on an existing half or partial street, the other part of the street shall be dedicated within such tract in accordance with the applicable requirements.
K.
Railroad, highway, expressway right-of-way. Should a proposed subdivision border on or contain a railroad, expressway or other limited access highway right-of-way, the City Commission may require the location of streets approximately parallel to and on each side of such right-of-way at distances suitable for the development of an appropriate use of the intervening land, such as for parks in residential districts. Such distances shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for approach grades to future grade separation.
L.
Existing street frontage. Whenever the area to be subdivided is to utilize existing street frontage, such street shall be suitably improved.
M.
Access streets. A subdivision or an extension of an existing subdivision shall be platted so as to provide sufficient access streets.
N.
On-street parking. On-street parking of vehicles will generally be prohibited on both sides of arterial and collector street types and on at least one side of all minor street types.
O.
Conformance with Land Use Plan. The proposed subdivision shall conform to the various elements of the Land Use Plan and shall be considered in relation to the existing and planned arterial and collector streets, and such parts shall be platted and the location and width indicated on such plan.
The streets within a plat shall be specified and constructed as hereinafter provided.
A.
Street right-of-way and pavement widths. Street right-of-way and pavement widths shall conform to the following standards.
Street Type | Right-of-Way Width | Pavement Width |
|---|---|---|
Freeway | 100 feet | 44 feet |
Expressway | 100 feet | 44 feet |
Parkway | As determined by the City Commission | |
Arterial street | 66 feet | 32 feet |
Collector street | 66 feet | 26 feet |
Cul-de-sac, industrial | 75 feet (radius) | 63 feet (radius) |
Cul-de-sac, residential | 60 feet (radius) | 38 feet (radius) |
Marginal access street | 66 feet | 26 feet |
Minor street | 66 feet | 26 feet |
B.
Street gradients. A street grade shall not exceed 6% on either a minor street or a collector street. No street grade shall be less than 0.5%.
C.
Street alignment.
(1)
Horizontal alignment. When street lines deflect from each other by more than 10° in alignment, the center lines shall be connected by a curve with a minimum radius of 500 feet for arterial streets, 300 feet for collector streets and 100 feet for minor streets. Between reverse curves, there shall be a minimum tangent distance on minor streets of 100 feet, and on collector and arterial streets, 200 feet.
(2)
Vertical curves. Vertical curves shall be provided where the grade break exceeds 0.5% for collector streets and 1% for minor streets.
(3)
Site distances. The minimum length of vertical sight distance shall be 500 feet, measured from 3.50 feet eye height and height of object at 0.5 feet. Minimum horizontal sight distance shall be 300 feet for arterial streets and 100 feet for minor streets, except where speed limits or other conditions may dictate greater lengths.
(4)
Pavement center line. The center line of pavement shall coincide with the center line of the right-of-way, except for irregular right-of-way widths approved by the City Commission.
A.
Street names.
(1)
Street names shall not duplicate any existing street name in a contiguous city, village or township, except where a new street is a continuation of an existing street. Street names that may be spelled differently but sound the same are also prohibited.
(2)
All new streets shall be named as follows:
(a)
Streets with predominant north-south directions shall be named "Avenue" or "Road"; streets with predominant east-west directions shall be named "Street" or "Highway"; meandering streets shall be named "Circle," "Drive," "Lane," "Path" or "Trail"; and culs-de-sac shall be named "Court," "Way" or "Place".
B.
Signs. Street name signs shall be placed at all street intersections. Other signs such as no parking signs, stop or yield signs, speed limit signs, and warning signs will be required in conformance with the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Appropriate pavement markings shall also be provided. All signs and traffic control devices shall be indicated on the street layout plan.
All intersections within a plat shall be designed, laid out, specified and constructed as is hereinafter provided.
A.
Angle of intersection. Streets shall intersect at 90° or as closely thereto as practical, and in no case shall the angle of intersection be less than 80°.
B.
Sight triangles. The minimum sight distance at all minor street intersections shall permit vehicles to be visible to the driver of another vehicle when each is 125 feet from the center of the intersection.
C.
Number of streets. No more than two streets shall cross at any one intersection.
D.
"T" intersections. "T" type intersections shall be used if practical where minor streets intersect.
E.
Center line offsets. Slight jogs at intersections shall be eliminated where practical. Where such jogs cannot be practicably avoided, street center lines shall be offset by a distance of 125 feet or more.
F.
Vertical alignment of intersection. A nearly flat grade with appropriate drainage slopes is required within intersections. This flat section shall be carried back at least 50 feet each way from the intersection. An allowance of 2% maximum intersection grade in rolling and 4% maximum intersection grade in hilly terrain shall be permitted.
G.
Width of intersections. Curved minor streets, when intersecting an arterial or collector street, shall do so with a center line tangent length of at least 50 feet, measured from the arterial or collector street right-of-way line. Where a minor street intersects an arterial or collector street, the minor street shall be widened as may be required to provide for turning movements. A widening may be required on arterial or collector streets between approaches if the distance between intersecting minor streets is less than 250 feet. A widening of the arterial or collector street will be required on the opposite side if the conditions so indicate.
All streets within a plat shall consist of the following materials as is hereinafter provided.
A.
Surface and subbase materials. Minimum cross section for minor streets shall be six inches of aggregate base material with bituminous surface of at least 2 1/2 inches placed in two lifts. Subgrade shall be adequately drained. A suitable granular subbase shall be provided. Bituminous materials shall meet the requirements of the City. Arterial streets and streets in the proximity of industrial developments will be subject to higher strength requirements, as conditions may dictate, and as approved by the City Commission.
B.
Curb and gutter. Minor and marginal access streets shall have a two-foot-wide bituminous wedge curb to facilitate drainage. All other streets shall have concrete curb and gutter. Minimum curb radius shall be 25 feet for minor intersections (i.e., the intersection of minor streets) and 30 feet at intersections involving arterial or collector streets.
All pedestrianways within a plat shall be designed, laid out, specified and constructed as is hereinafter provided.
A.
Crosswalkways. Rights-of-way for pedestrian crosswalkways in the middle of long blocks shall be provided where necessary to obtain convenient pedestrian circulation to schools, parks or shopping areas. The right-of-way shall be at least 12 feet wide and extend through the entire block, and shall be in the nature of an easement for this purpose.
B.
Sidewalks. Sufficient rights-of-way shall be provided so that sidewalks may be installed on both sides of all streets.
(1)
When required. Sidewalks shall be required when the City Commission decides they are necessary to facilitate safe and convenient travel from a pedestrian generator such as an existing or proposed school, park, institution, work place, neighborhood commercial area, or developed residential neighborhood.
(2)
Sidewalk thickness. Concrete sidewalks shall be not less than four feet in width and not less than four inches in thickness and not less than six inches in thickness at driveways. The location for sidewalks shall be in the right-of-way one foot from the right-of-way line.
Easements shall be provided within a plat as is hereafter provided.
A.
Location of utility easements. Location of utility line easements shall be provided along the rear of side lot lines as necessary for utility lines. Easements shall give access to every lot, park or public grounds. Such easements shall be a total of not less than 12 feet wide, six feet from each parcel.
B.
Notification of utilities. Recommendations on the proposed layout of telephone and electric company easements shall be sought from all the utility companies serving the area. The proprietor shall submit copies of the approved preliminary plat to all appropriate utilities.
C.
Easements for streetlight dropouts. Easements three feet in width shall be provided where needed along side lot lines so as to provide for streetlight dropouts. Prior to the approval of the final plat for a proposed subdivision, a statement shall be obtained from the appropriate utility indicating that easements have been provided along specific lots. A notation shall be made on the final plat, indicating the following: "The side lot lines between lots . . . (indicate lot numbers) . . . are subject to streetlight dropout rights granted to the . . . (utility) . . . company."
D.
Drainageway. The subdivider shall provide drainageway easements as required by the rules of the County Drain Commissioner.
The blocks within a plat shall be designed and laid out as is hereafter provided.
A.
Arrangements. A block shall be so designed as to provide two tiers of lots, except where lots back onto an arterial street, natural feature or subdivision boundary.
B.
Minimum length. Blocks shall not be less than 500 feet long from center of street to center of street.
C.
Maximum length. The maximum length allowed for a residential block shall be 1,400 feet long from center of street to center of street. An exception to this limitation may be granted by the City Commission on recommendation from the Planning Commission.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
All lots within a plat shall be designed and laid out as is hereafter provided.
A.
Conform to zoning. The lot width, depth, and area shall not be less than required by Chapter 450, Zoning, for the zone in which the plat is located, except where outlots are provided for some permitted purpose.
B.
Lot lines. Side lot lines shall be as close to right angles to straight streets and radial to curved streets as practical.
C.
Width related to length. The depth of a lot shall not exceed three times the width as measured at the building line. An exception to this limitation may be granted by the City Commission on recommendation from the Planning Commission.
D.
Corner lots. Corner lots shall have an extra 20 feet of width to permit appropriate building setback from and orientation to both streets. Lots abutting a pedestrian mid-block crosswalk shall be treated as corner lots.
E.
Uninhabitable areas. Lands zoned floodplain under Chapter 450, Zoning, or otherwise deemed by the City Commission, on recommendation from the Planning Commission, to be uninhabitable, shall not be platted for residential purposes, or for any use that may increase the danger to health, life, or property or increase the flood hazard. Such land within a subdivision shall be set aside for other uses, such as parks or other open space.
F.
Outlot. Any restrictions on the use of outlots shall be submitted to the City Commission for review and approval and shall be recorded at the time that the plat is recorded.
G.
Back-up lots. Lots shall back into such features as freeways, arterial streets, shopping centers, or industrial properties, except where there is a marginal access street, or unless a secondary access is provided. Such lots shall contain a landscaped easement along the rear at least 20 feet wide to restrict access to the arterial street, to minimize noise and to protect outdoor living areas. Lots extending through a block and having frontage on two local streets are prohibited.
H.
Future arrangements. Where parcels of land are subdivided into unusually large lots (such as when large lots are required for septic tank operations), the parcels shall be divided, where feasible, so as to allow for resubdividing of the lots into smaller lots in a logical fashion. Lot arrangements shall allow for the ultimate extension of adjacent streets through the middle of wide blocks. Whenever such future resubdividing or lot splitting is contemplated, the plan thereof shall be approved by the Planning Commission before application is made to the City Commission as provided in § 355-22I hereinafter.
I.
Lot division.
(1)
Prohibition of division. No lot, outlot or other parcel of land located in a recorded plat shall be further partitioned or divided unless such partition or division is first approved by the City Commission. No lot, outlot or other parcel of land located in a recorded plat shall be further partitioned or divided into more than four parts.
(2)
Application for permission. Any proprietor who desires to partition or divide a lot, outlot or other parcel of land located in a recorded plat shall first make application to the City Commission in writing on such application form or forms as shall be provided by the City. Such application shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall include a detailed statement of the reasons for the requested partition or division and a sketch map or maps prepared in scale showing the proposed division or partition and all adjoining lots, streets and parcels of land.
(3)
Building permit. No building permit shall be issued to any proprietor or their agent or any other person, firm, association, or corporation with reference to the lot, outlot or other parcel of land which is to be divided unless the partition or division shall first have been approved by the City Commission.
(4)
Division resulting in smaller area. A division or partition of a lot, outlot or other parcel of land which is not served by public sewer and public water systems and which results in the creation of a parcel or parcels containing a smaller area or width than is required by the Land Division Act may be approved by the City Commission, in its discretion, provided the parcel or parcels created by such division or partition which are smaller than said area and width requirements are contiguous with other lots or parcels owned by the proprietor which, when added to the parcels created by such division or partition, will comply with the area and width requirements of the Land Division Act. If approval of any such division or partition is granted pursuant to this subsection, then the parcel established by the division or partition and the contiguous lot or parcel of land required to meet said area and width requirements shall be considered as one building lot and parcel for all purposes and the owner shall, if required, sign an agreement in recordable form to this effect.
(5)
Conditions. In granting its approval for any such requested division or partition, the City Commission may condition its approval with such reasonable conditions as shall be deemed desirable by the City Commission and which are in accordance with the purposes of the Land Division Act, as stated in its preamble.
J.
Division of unplatted parcel. The division of an unplatted parcel of land into two, three or four lots involving the dedication of a new street shall require the approval of the City Commission prior to taking such action. All such applications shall be made in writing and shall be accompanied by a drawing of the proposed division. No building or occupancy permit shall be issued in such cases until the City Commission has approved the division of such land.
Planting, reserve strips, public sites and open spaces shall be provided within the plat as is hereinafter provided.
A.
Planting strips. The City may require planting strips to be placed next to incompatible features such as highways, railroads, commercial uses, or industrial uses to screen the view from residential properties. Such screens shall be a minimum of 20 feet wide, and shall not be a part of the normal roadway right-of-way or utility easement.
B.
Reserve strips. A privately held reserve strip controlling access to streets is prohibited. The City may require a one-foot reserve to be placed at the end of "stub" or "dead-end" streets which terminate at subdivision boundaries and between half streets. These reserves shall be deeded in fee simple to the City for future street purposes.
C.
Public uses. Where a proposed park, playground, school or other public use shown on the Land Use Plan is located in whole or in part within a plat, a suitable area for this purpose may be dedicated to the public or reserved for public purchase.
D.
Natural features. Existing natural features which add value to residential development and enhance the attractiveness of the community (such as trees, watercourses, historic spots, and similar irreplaceable assets) shall be preserved, insofar as possible, in the design of the subdivision.
Large scale developments shall be planned, developed and completed as is provided hereinafter.
A.
Modification. This chapter may be modified in accordance with Article VI, Variances, in the case of subdivision large enough to constitute a complete community or neighborhood, consistent with the Land Use Plan, which provides and dedicates adequate public open space and improvements of the circulation, recreation, education, light, air, and service needs of the tract when fully developed and populated.
B.
Neighborhood characteristics. A community or neighborhood under this section shall generally be consistent with the Land Use Plan and shall contain 500 living units or more, shall contain or be bounded by major streets or natural physical barriers as necessary, and shall contain reserved areas of sufficient size to serve its population, for schools, playgrounds, parks, and other public facilities. Such reserves may be dedicated.
Commercial and industrial plats specifically for commercial or industrial development, including shopping districts, wholesaling areas, and planned industrial districts, may be governed by modified design standards in accordance with Article VI, Variances. In all cases, however, adequate provision shall be made for off-street parking and loading areas as well as for traffic circulation.