The City Council finds that definitive purpose for all improvements that would be applicable to every proposed subdivision on a completely equitable basis is impractical to establish. The City Council must therefore rest certain discretionary powers with individual experts to deal with particular situations. Each subdivision shall be considered in relation to the General Plan and its elements, and any specific plan affecting the general area where the property of the proposed subdivision is located. The encompassing purpose of this article is to insure that any and all physical improvements to land, approved or conditionally approved for subdivision, achieve the following objectives:
(a) 
Provide for the health, welfare and safety requirements of the future inhabitants of the subdivision;
(b) 
Insure, within reason, that both the immediate and future utility, drainage, traffic, and sanitary needs are provided for, or can be accommodated with minimal disruption to the future inhabitants;
(c) 
To insure that adjacent properties, developed or undeveloped, are considered and achieve immediate and future compatibility with the improvements, designed for the subdivision;
(d) 
Insure that the construction of all improvements will result in minimal disruption to the land from its natural state;
(e) 
Insure that all improvements are accomplished at no expense to the Town, and that all improvements are designed in such a manner as to require minimal expenditures for their maintenance;
(f) 
Insure, through good survey practices, that all lands, with and without improvements within the subdivision are accurately divided and identified as to prevent any boundary and/or ownership discrepancies within the subdivision;
(g) 
Insure that the transition from raw land to a subdivision, to improved rural neighborhoods, is well interrelated and accommodations in the improvements are made to accomplish same;
(h) 
Insure through the utilization of current technology that all improvements are visually unobtrusive and in keeping with the rural qualities of the Town.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
A subdivider shall cause plans, profiles, and calculations where applicable, for all improvements to be prepared by a registered civil engineer, in accord with the design and improvement standards of this chapter, which plans and profiles shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the City Engineer prior to the commencement of improvement work and prior to filing of the final subdivision map or parcel map. All improvements shall be constructed and completed under the inspection of the City Engineer or authorized representative. Without limiting the foregoing, said plans shall include typical cross-sections and proposed finished grades of all streets, together with a profile showing the relation between finished grade and existing ground elevations, and the lengths, sizes, grades and types of all pipes, culverts and other structures.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
All applicable improvements shall be accomplished in accordance with the standards set forth in the following reports, unless otherwise modified and/or approved by the City Engineer:
(a) 
Master Plan for Storm Water Drainage, Town of Los Altos Hills, and amendments;
(b) 
Drainage Manual—Department of Public Works, County of Santa Clara, and amendments;
(c) 
Town of Los Altos Hills Standards for Subdivision Improvements;
(d) 
American Association of State Highway Officials Loading Designation H-20-44, Bridges and Culverts;
(e) 
Town of Los Altos Hills Pathway Construction Standards;
(f) 
Town of Los Altos Hills Standard Details;
(g) 
Town of Los Altos Hills General Construction Notes;
(h) 
Town of Los Altos Hills Sanitary Sewer Construction Notes;
(i) 
Green Infrastructure Plan.
Copies of each of the above reports and standards are on file and can be examined by the public in the office of the City Engineer.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
The subdivider shall be required to accomplish all improvements within the subdivision at their own expense unless otherwise specified by this article. Said improvements shall be provided for by separate agreement satisfactory to the City Attorney in conformance with Article 13 of this chapter, and other applicable laws and provisions.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
All public utility systems and service facilities therefore, including, without limitation, all electrical and telephone distribution or transmission facilities, and also all telephone and all television distribution or transmission facilities installed in and for the purpose of providing service within the subdivision, shall be located and installed underground and insofar as practical, shall be located in the rights-of-way of public streets, with a junction box for each lot or parcel of the subdivision designed to carry service drops underground to each serviced building or structure. The subdivider shall make any necessary cost and other arrangements with each of the public utility companies involved for the installation of underground facilities and for the relocation of existing overhead facilities on the tract, and in conformance with the respective operating company's rules and regulations then on file with and approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Excepted from the above are the following:
(a) 
Transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes, meter cabinets, and concealed ducts may be situated above ground if they are used solely for the purpose of providing service within the subdivision and are solely in connections with the underground transmission or distribution lines;
(b) 
Poles supporting electricity transmission lines and the electricity transmission lines supported by such poles may be situated above the surface of the ground if the voltage carried by such lines is 12 kilovolts or more, and such lines are not connected to any distribution line situated within the subdivision and do not in any way serve any part of the subdivision.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
Responsibility for storm drainage improvements shall be as follows:
(a) 
Every subdivider shall install all drainage facilities required to properly drain his or her own subdivision, including, without limitation, curbs, gutters, catch basins, collector pipes and open channels, detention basins and the incremental capacity for channels crossing the subdivision required to accommodate waters arriving within the subdivision. Drainage facilities shall be designed to allow for percolation of storm water runoff in compliance with the Town's storm water and green infrastructure goals.
(b) 
Every subdivider shall install drainage facilities within his or her subdivision to accommodate out-of-tract drainage flowing across the subdivided property, sized for the ultimate development of all lands above the subdivided property. The City Engineer shall review all the data supplied by the subdivider's engineer for the determination of the design capacities and improvement type.
(c) 
The buried conduit system shall consist of mains of not less than 15 inches diameter together with such manholes, catch basins, laterals and other structures, and at such grades as required by the City Engineer to conform to good drainage requirements for the area and topography of the subdivision to prevent standing or flooding waters within and outside of the subdivision boundaries.
(d) 
The subdivider shall comply with Provision C.3 of the Town's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.
(e) 
The subdivider shall comply with all conditions of the Santa Clara Valley Water District as may be imposed for any permit legally granted by such district in order to discharge said waters into a watercourse.
(f) 
The subdivider shall install oversized drains and related facilities when, in the opinion of the City Council and upon recommendation of the City Engineer, they are necessary for immediate or future benefit and utilization of lands not contained in the subdivision. In such instance, the Town may enter into an agreement with the subdivider to collect the excess of costs of the oversize or additional facilities from all persons in the future using the same for the benefit of property not in the subdivision, and to pay such collections of excess costs to the subdivider as received. Such agreement may provide for a time limit beyond which no such collection shall be made for said oversize drainage facilities, but in no event less than 10 years.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
When sanitary sewers are to be installed by the subdivider, the plans and the installation and the construction work shall be in accordance with the current standards and requirements of the Town and the city maintaining the sewers. The general location, depth and type of sanitary sewer facilities shall be shown on the street improvements plans. The sewer plans shall be approved by the City Engineer prior to the recording of the final map or parcel map. The construction inspection shall be performed by City Engineer or an authorized representative.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
Every lot or parcel in a subdivision shall be provided with sanitary sewers connected to a public sanitary sewer system. Where public sanitary sewers are available, laterals shall be provided to each lot in a manner acceptable to the City Engineer, so as to prevent the disruption or accelerated deterioration to other improvements. Where public sanitary sewers are not available to the subdivision, individual sewage disposal facilities may be utilized if every lot is of such area, configuration, topography and the soil conditions are such as to permit the construction of safe and adequate individual sewage disposal facilities. When individual sewage disposal facilities are required, the Santa Clara County Health Officer shall make his or her recommendations, in accordance with Chapter 4, Title 6, of this Code.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
Emergency and potable water improvements shall be constructed, show, and completed as follows:
(a) 
The subdivider shall construct a complete water system, including mains, valves, fittings, blowoffs, fire hydrants and other appurtenances and structures, adequate to provide water supply for fire protection. Said system shall conform with the standards established by the Board of Fire Underwriters of the Pacific. Grades and location shall be approved by the City Engineer. The location of fire hydrants shall be as determined by the Fire Official of the Los Altos Hills County Fire Protection District.
(b) 
Utilizing the aforementioned system or via the use of an alternately approved system, every lot or parcel in a subdivision shall be supplied water for domestic purposes from a water agency as approved by the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health. The subdivider shall furnish evidence of agreements showing availability of the public water system to serve the subdivision.
(c) 
The complete water system and any fire protection facilities required shall be shown on the street improvement plans or on separate plans.
(d) 
The water and fire protection systems as required shall be completed prior to the occupancy of any dwelling or home on any parcel or lot within the subdivision.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
All abandoned wells shall be destroyed and/or sealed in a manner and in accordance with the current standards of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
Road improvements shall be as follows:
(a) 
Every subdivider shall construct all roadways within dedicated or private easements (excluding joint or shared driveways) as shown on the final map, in conformance with the applicable standards of Section 9-1.1103, with the following exceptions: Split-level, one-way streets, one-way loop streets, and divided or stepped streets, as approved under Article 7 of this chapter, shall have a minimum paved width of 12 feet plus appurtenances and required pullout areas.
(b) 
The subdivider shall cause an "S" mark to be stamped on the curb face, or within the swale concrete gutter, over the location of each sewer lateral stub which serves the adjacent parcel(s).
(c) 
The subdivider shall cause a "W" mark to be stamped on the curb face, or within the swale concrete gutter, over the location of each water service stub which serves the adjacent parcel(s).
(d) 
Whenever all or any portion of the subdivision borders or fronts on an existing subdivision street improved or about to be improved by another subdivider subject to a reimbursement agreement, the latter subdivider shall be required to pay the amount of the reimbursement to the Town for the account of the former.
(e) 
Whenever the City Engineer determines that any public roadway, or any part thereof which borders on any part of a subdivision need not be immediately improved to Town standards at the time the subdivider constructs the other improvements of the subdivision, the subdivider may be required to accomplish one or both of the following:
(1) 
Pay moneys in lieu of installing the improvements immediately as established by resolution; and in addition may be required to
(2) 
Install temporary improvements to the satisfaction of the City Engineer.
In the event both the above are required, the subdivider shall deposit with the Town the cash difference between the estimated cost of Town standard improvements and the cost of temporary improvements. The in lieu payment, whether offset or not by temporary improvements, shall be deposited with the Town prior to the acceptance of the final map.
(f) 
The subdivider shall install at all street intersections, signposts and street name signs conforming to Town standards; and regulatory and warning signs conforming to the latest California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as adopted by the California State Department of Transportation.
(g) 
Where dead-end streets are approved, standard street barricades shall be constructed by the subdivider at the ends thereof. In addition, where in the opinion of the Planning Commission, they may recommend and the City Council approve, said streets shall not be extended within two years from the estimated completion of the improvements, the subdivider may be required to plant and landscape the one-foot strip granted to the Town in accordance with subsection (f) of Section 9-1.704 as part of the street improvement.
(h) 
Erosion control plantings and associated irrigation systems in the subdivision or within the right-of-way shown on the subdivision map may be required by the City Council as a condition of approval of the tentative map. Such plantings and facilities, when so required, shall be shown on the street improvement plans or on separate landscape plans. The work shall be included in the security of street improvements. If the subdivider elects to delay the planting of trees, erosion planting and watering facilities, the subdivider shall be required to file a separate security.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
Every subdivider shall dedicate pathway easements, pay pathway fees, and/or construct paths to Town standards when such dedications, payments, and/or construction requirements are a condition of approval of the tentative subdivision or parcel map, consistent with the Pathway Element of the General Plan and the Master Pathway Plan. Any lot in the subdivision that does not contain a path shall be assessed a pathway fee, the amount of which shall be fixed by Council resolution. Funds collected shall be deposited in the Town's Pathway Fund.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018; § 1, Ord. 584, eff. November 16, 2019)
(a) 
In addition to the specific improvements contained in this article, the City Council, upon staff recommendation(s), may require special improvements in order to carry out the purpose of this chapter. Said improvements shall be required as dictated by the unique circumstances of each case.
(b) 
Modifications. If, during the course of construction of improvements, the public interests require a modification of or departure from the Town standards or improvements plans, the City Engineer shall, with the consent of the subdivider and approval of the City Council, have the authority to require such modification or departure and may specify the manner in which they shall be made.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
In addition to the several more specific improvements set forth in this article, the subdivider may be required to install improvements for the benefit of the subdivision with supplemental size, capacity or number so as to benefit property not within the subdivision and to dedicate or offer to dedicate such additional improvements for public use. In the event of the imposition of such a condition, the Town shall enter into an agreement with the subdivider to reimburse him or her for that portion of the cost of such improvements equal to the difference between the amount it would have cost to install such improvements to serve the subdivision only, and the actual cost of such improvements. Said reimbursement agreements may be provided for by any one or more of the methods as set forth in Government Code Section 66487(a), (b) and (c), to provide funding for the reimbursement for said excess costs, and in the event a local benefit district be established in accord with Government Code Section 66487(c) for the levy and collection of charges from benefited property, prior to the establishing of the boundaries of such area, there shall first be held a public hearing by the City Council noticed in accord with Government Code Section 66451.3 as well as written notice by regular mail to be given to the subdivider and to all persons owning property within the proposed area of benefit, as shown on the latest equalized assessment roll, all to which notices shall be at least 10 days prior to the date established for said hearing, and at said hearing the City Council shall be required to find that the fee or charge for the area of benefit or local benefit district be reasonably related to the cost of such supplemental improvements and to the actual ultimate beneficiaries thereof.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)
Surveys shall be as follows:
(a) 
Surveys, Procedures and Practice.
(1) 
The procedure and practice of all survey work done on any division of land for preparation of a final map shall conform to the standards and details as set forth in Chapter 15, Division 3, Business and Professions Code, Land Surveyor's Act. The allowable error of closure on any portion of a final map shall be one in ten thousand (1/10,000 = 0.0001).
(2) 
If the Public Works Department of the County of Santa Clara or the City Engineer has established the centerline of any street in or adjoining a division of land, the final map shall show such centerline, together with reference to a field book or map showing such centerline and the monuments which determine its position. If determined by ties, that fact shall be stated upon the final map.
(b) 
Boundary. Each final map shall show durable monuments found or set at or near each boundary corner and at intermediate points, approximately 600 feet apart, or at a lesser distance as may be made necessary by topography to insure accuracy in the establishment of any point or line without unreasonable difficulty. The precise position and character of each monument shall be shown on such maps. Such durable monuments shall be not less substantial than an iron pipe of a two inch outside diameter, not less than two and one-half (2.5) feet in length, with plug, tack, and tag set at least two feet into the ground. For the purpose of this chapter a lead and tack set in permanent concrete or masonry shall be considered as a durable monument. The approximate elevation of the top of each such monument with respect to the surface of the ground shall be shown on the map.
(c) 
Street Centerline. Centerline monuments set in monument boxes, as detailed in the Town standards, shall be set to mark intersections of roads or streets, intersections of streets with the tract boundary and the beginning and end of curves or other intermediate points.
(d) 
Notes to be furnished:
(1) 
For each centerline intersection monument set, the engineer or surveyor under whose supervision the survey has been made, shall furnish to the City Engineer a set of survey notes, showing clearly the ties between such monuments and a sufficient number (normally four) of durable distinctive reference points or monuments. Such reference points or monuments shall be leads and tacks or such substitute therefor as appears to be not more likely to be disturbed.
(2) 
Such set of notes shall be of such quality, form and completeness and shall be on paper of such quality and size as may be necessary to be filed as standard office records in the office of the City Engineer. All such notes shall be indexed and filed by the City Engineer as a part of the permanent public records of the City.
(e) 
Identification Marks. All monuments set as required in this section shall be permanently and visibly marked and tagged with the registration or license number of the engineer or surveyor under whose supervision the survey was made.
(f) 
Deferment. All boundary and centerline monuments shall be set prior to recordation of the final map or parcel map unless extensive grading operations or improvement work makes it impractical to set the monuments. In the event any or all of the boundary monuments required are to be set subsequent to the recordation of the final map or parcel map, the civil engineer or land surveyor making the survey shall furnish evidence to the City Engineer prior to or at the time of submittal of the final map or parcel map to substantiate his or her reasons for deferring the setting of permanent monuments until after recordation of the final map. If the setting of boundary and centerline monuments is deferred, field notes showing the boundary and centerline survey shall be presented to the City Engineer at the time the final map or parcel map for checking. The final or parcel map shall show which monuments are in place and which are to be set. Prior to approval of the final map by the City Council, the subdivider shall submit a written agreement in which he or she agrees that the monuments to be deferred shall be set within a specified time, and that the notes required in subsection (d) of this section will be furnished within a specified time.
(g) 
Inspection and Approval. All monuments of all types shall be subject to inspection and approval of the City Engineer in conjunction with his or her checking of the final map and inspection and approval of all deferred monuments to be set as required.
(§ 1, Ord. 572, eff. February 18, 2018)