The purpose of this chapter is to ensure that developments provide safe and efficient access and circulation, for pedestrians and vehicles. Section 16.120.020 provides standards for vehicular access and circulation. Section 16.120.030 provides standards for pedestrian access and circulation. Planning and design standards for improvements to public and private transportation facilities and utilities are provided in Chapter 16.136.
A.
Intent
and Purpose.
1.
The intent of this section is to manage vehicle access to development
through a connected street system, while preserving the flow of traffic
in terms of safety, roadway capacity, and efficiency. Access shall
be managed to maintain adequate performance standards and to maintain
the functional classification of roadways as required by the Warrenton
Comprehensive Plan and Transportation System Plan. Major roadways,
including highways, arterials, and collectors, serve as the primary
system for moving people and goods. Access management is a primary
concern on these roads. Local streets and alleys provide access to
individual properties. If vehicular access and circulation are not
properly designed, these roadways will be unable to accommodate the
needs of development and serve their transportation function. This
section attempts to balance the right of reasonable access to private
property with the right of the citizens of the City and the State
of Oregon to safe and efficient travel. It also requires all developments
to construct planned streets (arterials and collectors) and to extend
local streets.
2.
To achieve this policy intent, state and local roadways have been
categorized in the Transportation System Plan by function. Regulations
have been applied to these roadways for the purpose of reducing traffic
accidents, personal injury, and property damage attributable to access
systems, and to thereby improve the safety and operation of the roadway
network. This will protect the substantial public investment in the
existing transportation system and reduce the need for expensive remedial
measures. These regulations also further the orderly layout and use
of land, protect community character, and conserve natural resources
by promoting well designed road and access systems and discouraging
the unplanned subdivision and development of land.
B.
Applicability. This chapter shall apply to all transportation facilities and improvements (e.g., public and private streets, driveways, multi-use paths, etc.) within the City and to all properties that abut these facilities. Additional standards can be found in Chapter 16.136, Public Facilities Standards.
C.
Access
Permit Required. Access to a street requires an access permit in accordance
with the following procedures:
1.
Permits for access to state highways shall be subject to review and
approval by Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), except when
ODOT has delegated this responsibility to the City or Clatsop County.
In that case, the City or County shall determine whether access is
granted based on its adopted standards.
2.
Permits for access to county highways shall be subject to review
and approval by Clatsop County, except where the County has delegated
this responsibility to the City, in which case the City shall determine
whether access is granted based on adopted City standards.
D.
Traffic Study Requirements. The City or other agency with access jurisdiction may require a traffic study prepared by a qualified professional to determine access, circulation and other transportation requirements. (See also Chapter 16.136, Public Facilities Standards, and Chapter 16.256, Traffic Impact Study.)
E.
Conditions
of Approval. The City or other agency with access permit jurisdiction
may require the closing or consolidation of existing curb cuts or
other vehicle access points, recording of reciprocal access easements
(i.e., for shared driveways), development of a frontage street, installation
of traffic control devices, and/or other mitigation as a condition
of granting an access permit, to ensure the safe and efficient operation
of the street and highway system. Access to and from off-street parking
areas (other than driveways that serve single-family, two-family,
or three-family dwellings) shall not permit backing onto a public
street.
F.
Access
Options. When vehicle access is required for development (i.e., for
off-street parking, delivery, service, drive-through facilities, etc.),
access shall be provided by one of the following methods (a minimum
of 10 feet per lane is required). These methods are "options" to the
developer/subdivider, unless one method is specifically required under
Division 2, or through conditions required by the hearings body.
1.
Option 1. Access is from an existing or proposed alley or mid-block
lane. If a property has access to an alley or lane, direct access
to a public street is not permitted.
2.
Option 2. Access is from a private street or driveway connected to
an adjoining property that has direct access to a public street (i.e.,
"shared driveway"). A public access easement covering the driveway
shall be recorded in this case to assure access to the closest public
street for all users of the private street/drive.
3.
Option 3. Access is from a public street adjacent to the development parcel. If practicable, the owner/developer may be required to close or consolidate an existing access point as a condition of approving a new access. Street accesses shall comply with the access spacing standards in subsection G of this section, and require an access permit in accordance with subsection C of this section.
4.
Subdivisions and Partitions Fronting Onto an Arterial Street. Land
divisions fronting onto a City arterial street shall be required to
provide alley or secondary (local or collector) streets for access
to individual lots. When alleys or secondary streets cannot be constructed
due to topographic or other physical constraints, access may be provided
by consolidating driveways for clusters of two or more lots (e.g.,
includes flag lots and mid-block lanes). Land divisions fronting onto
state highways are expected to meet state access management and mobility
standards.
5.
Double-Frontage Lots. When a lot has frontage onto two or more streets,
access shall be provided first from the street with the lowest classification.
For example, access shall be provided from a local street before a
collector or arterial street. Except for corner lots, the creation
of new double-frontage lots shall be prohibited in all residential
districts, unless topographic or physical constraints require the
formation of such lots. When double-frontage lots are permitted in
a residential district, a landscape buffer with trees and/or shrubs
and groundcover not less than 10 feet wide shall be provided between
the back yard fence/wall and the sidewalk or street; maintenance shall
be assured by the owner (i.e., through homeowner's association, etc.).
6.
Important Cross-References to Other Code Sections. Divisions 2 and 3 may require buildings placed at or near the front property line and driveways and parking areas oriented to the side or rear yard. The City may require the dedication of public right-of-way and construction of a street (e.g., frontage road, alley or other street) when the development impact is proportionate to the need for such a street, and the street is identified by the Comprehensive Plan or Transportation System Plan. (Please refer to Chapter 16.136, Public Facilities Standards.)
G.
Access
Spacing. Driveway accesses shall be separated from other driveways
and street intersections in accordance with the following standards
and procedures:
1.
Local Streets. A minimum of 25 feet separation (as measured from
the sides of the driveway/street) shall be required on local streets
(i.e., streets not designated as collectors or arterials) for all
single-family detached dwellings, except as provided in paragraph
3 of this subsection. A minimum of 20 feet separation shall be required
on local streets for all single-family attached dwellings, duplexes,
and triplexes, except as provided in paragraph 3 of this subsection.
2.
Arterial and Collector Streets. Unless directed otherwise by this
Development Code or by the Warrenton Comprehensive Plan/TSP, access
spacing on City collector and arterial streets and at controlled intersections
(i.e., with four-way stop sign or traffic signal) in the City of Warrenton
shall be determined based on the policies and standards contained
in the Warrenton Transportation System Plan, Manual for Uniform Traffic
Control Devices, or other applicable documents adopted by the City.
3.
Special Provisions for All Streets. Direct street access may be restricted for some land uses, in conformance with the provisions of Division 2, Land Use Districts. For example, access consolidation, shared access, and/or access separation greater than that specified by paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection, may be required by the City, County or ODOT for the purpose of protecting the function, safety and operation of the street for all users. (See subsection I of this section.) Where no other alternatives exist, the permitting agency may allow construction of an access connection along the property line farthest from an intersection. In such cases, directional connections (i.e., right in/out, right in only, or right out only) may be required.
4.
Corner Clearance. The distance from a street intersection to a driveway
or other street access shall meet or exceed the minimum spacing requirements
for the street classification in the Warrenton TSP.
H.
Number of Access Points. For single-family (detached and attached), two-family, and three-family housing types, one street access point is permitted per dwelling unit, when alley access or shared driveways cannot otherwise be provided; except that one additional access point may be permitted for one-family, two-family and three-family housing types on corner lots (i.e., no more than one access per street), subject to the access spacing standards in subsection G of this section. The number of street access points for multiple family, commercial, industrial, and public/institutional developments shall be minimized to protect the function, safety and operation of the street(s) and sidewalk(s) for all users. Shared access may be required, in conformance with subsection I of this section, in order to maintain the required access spacing, and minimize the number of access points.
I.
Shared
Driveways. The number of driveway and private street intersections
with public streets shall be minimized by the use of shared driveways
with adjoining lots where feasible. The City shall require shared
driveways as a condition of land division, development review, or
site design review, as applicable, for traffic safety and access management
purposes in accordance with the following standards:
1.
Shared driveways and frontage streets may be required to consolidate
access onto a collector or arterial street. When shared driveways
or frontage streets are required, they shall be stubbed to adjacent
developable parcels to indicate future extension. "Stub" means that
a driveway or street temporarily ends at the property line, but may
be extended in the future as the adjacent parcel develops. "Developable"
means that a parcel is either vacant or it is likely to receive additional
development (i.e., due to infill or redevelopment potential).
3.
Exception. Shared driveways are not required when existing development
patterns or physical constraints (e.g., topography, parcel configuration,
and similar conditions) prevent consolidation of access points to
public streets.
4.
Cross Access. Cross access is encouraged, and may be required, between
contiguous sites in commercial (C-1, C-MU, C-2 & R-C) and industrial
(I-1 & I-2) districts and for multifamily housing developments
in the High Density Residential District in order to provide more
direct circulation between sites and uses for pedestrians, bicyclists,
and drivers.
J.
Street
Connectivity and Formation of Blocks Required. In order to promote
efficient vehicular and pedestrian circulation throughout the City,
land divisions and large site developments shall produce complete
blocks bounded by a connecting network of public and/or private streets,
in accordance with the following standards:
1.
Block Length and Perimeter. The maximum block length shall not exceed
600 feet between street corner lines in Residential and C-1 zones,
400 feet in the C-MU zone, and 1,000 feet in other zones unless it
is adjacent to an arterial street or unless the topography or the
location of adjoining streets justifies an exception. The minimum
length of blocks along an arterial in zones other than Residential,
C-1, and C-MU is 1,800 feet. A block shall have sufficient width to
provide for two tiers of building sites unless topography or location
of adjoining streets justifies an exception.
2.
Street Standards. Public and private streets shall conform to the standards of Chapter 16.136, Public Facilities Standards; Section 16.120.030, Pedestrian Circulation; applicable Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) design standards; City construction standards for streets; and other applicable Development Code sections.
3.
Exception. Exceptions to the above standards may be granted when blocks are divided by one or more pathway(s), in conformance with the provisions of Section 16.120.030. Pathways shall be located to minimize out-of-direction travel by pedestrians and may be designed to accommodate bicycles.
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Figure 16.120.020.J Street Connectivity and Formation
of Blocks
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 Figure 16.120.020.K
Examples of Acceptable Driveway Openings Next to Sidewalks/Pathways
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K.
Driveway
Openings and Widths. Driveway openings (or curb cuts) shall be the
minimum width necessary to provide the required number of vehicle
travel lanes (10 feet for each travel lane). The following standards
(i.e., as measured where the front property line meets the sidewalk
or right-of-way) are required to provide adequate site access, minimize
surface water runoff, and avoid conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians:
1.
Single-family, two-family, and three-family uses shall have a minimum
driveway width of 10 feet, and a maximum width of 24 feet, except
that one recreational vehicle pad driveway may be provided in addition
to the standard driveway for lots containing at least 5,000 square
feet of area.
2.
Multiple-family uses with between four and seven dwelling units shall
have a minimum driveway width of 20 feet, and a maximum width of 24
feet.
3.
Multiple-family uses with eight or more dwelling units shall have
a minimum driveway width of 24 feet, and a maximum width of 30 feet.
These dimensions may be increased if the Community Development Director,
City-appointed engineer, or Planning Commission determines that more
than two lanes are required based on the number of trips generated
or the need for turning lanes.
4.
Access widths for all other uses shall be based on 10 feet of width for every travel lane, except that driveways providing direct access to parking spaces shall conform to the parking area standards in Chapter 16.128.
5.
Setback Required. A minimum five-foot setback from the edge of driveway
to any property line is required. The setback area shall be kept free
of impervious surfaces at all times and shall be vegetated to minimize
surface water runoff to adjoining properties. These requirements may
be increased if the Community Development Director, building official,
City-appointed engineer, or Planning Commission determines that topography,
soil conditions, or other circumstances dictate the need for additional
protection measures.
6.
Driveway Aprons. Driveway aprons shall meet City construction standards
and be installed between the street right-of-way and the private drive,
as shown in Figure 16.120.020.K. Driveway aprons shall conform to
ADA standards for sidewalks and pathways, which require a continuous
route of travel that is a minimum of three feet in width, with a cross
slope not exceeding two percent.
7.
Driveway Approaches. Driveway approaches should be designed and located
to provide an existing vehicle with an unobstructed view. Construction
of driveways along acceleration or deceleration lanes or tapers should
be avoided due to potential for vehicle conflicts.
8.
Loading Area Design. The design of driveways and on-site maneuvering
and loading areas for commercial and industrial developments shall
consider the anticipated storage length for entering and exiting vehicles,
in order to prevent vehicles from backing into the flow of traffic
on the public street or causing unsafe conflicts with on-site circulation.
L.
Fire
Access and Circulation. The City of Warrenton adopts the Uniform Fire
Code, as amended, including administrative sections and all appendices
and all the State of Oregon revisions. All development in the City
of Warrenton is required to meet these minimum adopted standards.
1.
Required Access. A fire equipment access drive that meets City construction
standards shall be provided for any portion of an exterior wall of
the first story of a building that is located more than 150 feet from
an improved public street or approved fire equipment access drive.
Plans for fire apparatus access roads shall be submitted to the Warrenton
Fire Department and Warrenton City-appointed engineer for review and
approval prior to issuance of building permits, grading permits, or
start of construction. When fire apparatus access road(s) are required,
the road(s) shall be installed and made serviceable prior to and during
time of construction. Fire department access roads shall be provided
and maintained in accordance with the fire department access requirements
of the Uniform Fire Code, as amended.
2.
Dimensions. Fire apparatus roads shall have an unobstructed width
of not less than 20 feet and unobstructed vertical clearance of not
less than 13 feet 6 inches. Fire apparatus roads shall be designed
and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and
shall be provided with a surface so as to provide all-weather driving
capabilities.
3.
Turnaround Required. Dead-end fire apparatus roads in excess of 150
feet shall be provided with approved provisions for the turning around
of fire apparatus. See Table 16.136.010 for minimum standards.
4.
Grade. The gradient for a fire apparatus access road shall not exceed
12% except that isolated segments no longer than 250 feet may have
grades up to 15% upon approval by the Warrenton Fire Chief. Non-fire
apparatus access roads (driveways and private streets) shall maintain
a maximum grade of 15% unless otherwise approved by the Warrenton
City-appointed engineer. See Table 16.136.010 for other applicable
standards.
M.
Vertical
Clearances. Driveways, private streets, aisles, turn-around areas
and ramps shall have a minimum vertical clearance of 13 feet 6 inches
for their entire length and width.
N.
Vision Clearance. No signs, structures or vegetation in excess of three feet in height shall be placed in vision clearance areas, as shown in Figure 16.120.020.N. The minimum vision clearance area may be increased by the Community Development Director, City-appointed engineer, or Planning Commission upon finding that more sight distance is required (i.e., due to traffic speeds, roadway alignment, etc.). See also Chapter 16.132 for additional requirements.
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Figure 16.120.020.N Vision Clearance Area
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O.
Construction.
The following development and maintenance standards shall apply to
all driveways, parking areas, and private streets in the City of Warrenton:
1.
Surface Options. All driveways, parking areas, aisles, and turn-a-rounds
in the City of Warrenton shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, or
other comparable surfacing. A durable non-paving material may be used
for driveways and private streets that serve three or fewer residential
dwelling units and in other instances where the need to reduce surface
water runoff and protect water quality can be demonstrated through
adequate findings of fact submitted by the applicant and/or property
owner as part of the development proposal. All paving and non-paving
surfaces shall meet City construction standards and shall be subject
to review and approval by the Community Development Director, City-appointed
engineer, and/or Planning Commission.
2.
Surface Water Management. All driveways, parking areas, aisles and
turn-a-rounds shall have onsite collection or infiltration of surface
waters to eliminate sheet flow of such waters onto public rights-of-way
and abutting property. Surface water facility plans shall be prepared
by a qualified person and constructed in conformance with City standards.
Such plans shall attempt to follow the principle that water falling
on a given site should be absorbed or retained on-site to the extent
that the quantity and rate of water leaving the site after the development
would not be significantly different than if the site had remained
undeveloped.
3.
Driveway Aprons. When driveway approaches or "aprons" are required
to connect driveways to the public right-of-way, they shall be paved
with concrete surfacing and meet City construction standards.
(Ord. 1225 § 5, 2019)
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Figure 16.120.030.A Pedestrian Pathway System for Multifamily
Housing Development (Typical)
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A.
Pedestrian
Access and Circulation. To ensure safe, direct and convenient pedestrian
circulation, all developments, except single-family detached housing,
duplexes, or triplexes on individual lots, shall provide a continuous
pedestrian and/or multi-use pathway system. (Pathways only provide
for pedestrian circulation. Multi-use pathways accommodate pedestrians
and bicycles.) The system of pathways shall be designed based on the
standards in paragraphs 1 through 3 of this subsection:
1.
Continuous Pathways. The pathway system shall extend throughout the development site, and connect to all future phases of development, adjacent trails, public parks and open space areas whenever possible. The developer may also be required to connect or stub pathway(s) to adjacent streets and private property, in accordance with the provisions of Section 16.120.020, Vehicular Access and Circulation, and Chapter 16.136, Public Facilities Standards.
2.
Reasonably Direct.
Safe and Convenient.
For commercial, industrial, mixed use, public, and institutional
buildings, the "primary entrance"
For residential buildings the "primary entrance"
Safe, Direct, and Convenient Pathways. Pathways within developments
shall provide safe, reasonably direct and convenient connections between
primary building entrances and all adjacent streets and existing or
planned transit stops, based on the following definitions:
A route that does not deviate unnecessarily from a straight
line or a route that does not involve a significant amount of out-of-direction
travel for likely users.
Bicycle and pedestrian routes that are reasonably free from
hazards and provide a reasonably direct route of travel between destinations.
is the main public entrance to the building. In the case
where no public entrance exists, street connections shall be provided
to the main employee entrance.
is the front door (i.e., facing the street). For multifamily
buildings in which each unit does not have its own exterior entrance,
the "primary entrance" may be a lobby, courtyard or breezeway which
serves as a common entrance for more than one dwelling.
3.
Connections Within Development. For all developments subject to site
design review, pathways shall connect all building entrances to one
another. In addition, pathways shall connect all parking areas, storage
areas, recreational facilities and common areas (as applicable), and
adjacent developments to the site, as applicable.
4.
Street Connectivity. Pathways (for pedestrians and bicycles) shall be provided at or near mid-block where the block length exceeds the length required by Section 16.120.020. Pathways shall also be provided where cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets are planned, to connect the ends of the streets together, to other streets, and/or to other developments, as applicable. Pathways used to comply with these standards shall conform to all of the following criteria:
a.
Multi-use pathways (i.e., for pedestrians and bicyclists) are no
less than six feet wide.
b.
If the streets within the subdivision or neighborhood are lighted,
the pathways shall also be lighted.
c.
Stairs or switchback paths using a narrower right-of-way/easement
may be required in lieu of a multi-use pathway where grades are steep.
d.
The City may require landscaping within the pathway easement/right-of-way
for screening and the privacy of adjoining properties.
e.
The Planning Commission or Community Development Director may determine,
based upon facts in the record, that a pathway is impracticable due
to: physical or topographic conditions (e.g., freeways, railroads,
extremely steep slopes, sensitive lands, and similar physical constraints);
buildings or other existing development on adjacent properties that
physically prevent a connection now or in the future, considering
the potential for redevelopment; and sites where the provisions of
recorded leases, easements, covenants, restrictions, or other agreements
recorded as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this
chapter prohibit the pathway connection.
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Figure 16.120.030.B Pathway Standards (Typical)
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B.
Design
and Construction. Pathways shall conform to all of the standards in
paragraphs 1 through 5 of this subsection:
1.
Vehicle/Pathway Separation. Where pathways are parallel and adjacent
to a driveway or street (public or private), they shall be raised
six inches and curbed, or separated from the driveway/street by a
five-foot minimum strip with bollards, a landscape berm, or other
physical barrier. If a raised path is used, the ends of the raised
portions must be equipped with curb ramps.
2.
Housing/Pathway Separation. Pedestrian pathways shall be separated a minimum of five feet from all residential living areas on the ground floor, except at building entrances. Separation is measured as measured from the pathway edge to the closest dwelling unit. The separation area shall be landscaped in conformance with the provisions of Chapter 16.128. No pathway/building separation is required for commercial, industrial, public, or institutional uses.
3.
Crosswalks. Where pathways cross a parking area, driveway, or street
("crosswalk"), they shall be clearly marked with contrasting paving
materials, humps/raised crossings, or painted striping. An example
of contrasting paving material is the use of a concrete crosswalk
through an asphalt driveway. If painted striping is used, it shall
consist of thermoplastic striping or similar type of durable application.
4.
Pathway Surface. Pathway surfaces shall be concrete, asphalt, brick/masonry pavers, or other durable surface, at least six feet wide, and shall conform to ADA requirements. Multi-use paths (i.e., for bicycles and pedestrians) shall be the same materials, at least six feet wide. (See also Chapter 16.136, Public Facilities Standards, for public multi-use pathway standards.)
5.
Accessible Routes. Pathways shall comply with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, which requires accessible routes of travel.
(Ord. 1225 § 5, 2019)
