§ IV. Design standards.

A.

Streets.

1.

The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all streets shall conform, when reasonable, to the master plan and shall be considered in their relation to existing and planned streets, to topographic conditions, to public convenience and safety, and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses of land to be served by such streets.

2.

Where such is not shown in the master plan, the arrangements of streets in a subdivision shall either:

(a)

Provide for continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets in surrounding areas; or,

(b)

Conform to a plan for a neighborhood approved by or adopted by the planning commission to meet a particular situation where topographical or other conditions make continuance of conformance to existing streets impracticable.

3.

Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.

4.

Where a subdivision abuts or contains existing or proposed arterial streets, the planning commission may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage with screen planting contained in a non-access reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with rear service alleys, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.

5.

Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way, the planning commission may require a street approximately parallel to it and to use the intervening land on both sides as for park purposes in residential districts, or for commercial or industrial purposes in appropriate districts. Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.

6.

Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than 125 feet shall be avoided.

7.

Street intersections shall be as nearly at right angles as practicable.

8.

Street rights-of-way and pavement widths shall be as shown in the master street plan, and where not shown therein shall be no less than as follows:

Street Type	Right-of-way (in Feet)	Number of Lanes		Street Width Back of Curb to Back of Curb
		Parking	Travel
Arterial	80 Min.	-0-	4—12 ft.	49 ft.
*Collector	60 Min.	2-8 ft.	2—12 ft.	41 ft.
*Minor Collector	54 Min.	2-8 ft.	2—9 ft.	35 ft.
*Minor	40 Min.	2-7.6 ft.	1—12 ft.	28 ft.

 

*Note: All existing street sections under construction at the time of the adoption of these regulations shall be extended to a logical point of transition and shall be subject to approval by the city engineer.

9.

Half streets shall be prohibited.

10.

Dead-end streets may be platted where the planning commission deems desirable and where the land adjoins property not subdivided, in which case the streets shall be carried to the boundaries thereof with a turn-around as required for future street extension.

11.

Dead-end streets, designed to be so permanently, shall not be longer than 600 feet and shall be provided at the closed end with a turn-around having an outside roadway diameter of at least 80 feet, and a street right-of-way diameter of at least 100 feet.

12.

No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the planning commission.

13.

Street grades, wherever feasible, shall not exceed the following grades with the allowance for reasonable vertical curves:

Street Type	Present Grade (in Percent)
Arterial	6
Collector	8
Minor	10

 

14.

No street grade shall be less than one-half percent.

B.

Easements.

1.

Easements as required shall be provided.

2.

Where a subdivision is traversed by a water course, drainage way, natural channel, or stream, there shall be an easement conforming substantially to the limits of such water course, plus additional width as necessary to accommodate future construction and maintenance as recommended by the city engineer.

C.

Blocks.

1.

The length, widths, and shapes of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:

(a)

Provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of building use contemplated.

(b)

Zoning requirements as to lot size and dimensions.

(c)

Needs of convenient access, circulation, control and safety of street traffic.

(d)

Limitations and opportunities of topography.

2.

The maximum block length shall be 1,800 feet, and the desirable maximum length is 1,200 feet.

3.

Pedestrian walkways or cross walks, not less than seven feet wide, all of which shall be paved with concrete, may be required where deemed essential to provide circulation or access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation, and other community facilities. Such walkways shall be dedicated to the City or County of Montgomery, Alabama, for public use.

4.

When feasible, all trees of major growth in the subdivision shall be preserved.

D.

Lots.

1.

The lot size, width, depth, shape and orientation, and the minimum building setback lines shall be appropriate for the location of the subdivision and for the type of development and use contemplated.

2.

Minimum lot sizes shall at least conform to the minimum requirements of the zoning ordinance. In areas without sanitary sewers, the minimum lot shall be determined in accordance with subdivision criteria of the health department as reflected by percolation tests. Lots for commercial or industrial use shall be of sufficient size to permit off-street parking of motor vehicles incidental to the proposed use, as well as necessary off-street loading and unloading of trucks.

3.

Corner lots for residential use shall have an extra width to permit appropriate building set-back from both streets.

4.

Each lot shall front upon a public street.

5.

Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries, or to overcome specific disadvantages to topography and orientation. A planting screen reservation of at least ten feet, across which there shall be no right of access, shall be provided along the line of lots abutting such a traffic artery or other disadvantageous use.

6.

Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines. This requirement does not apply to mobile dwelling subdivisions.

E.

Public sites and open spaces.

1.

Where a site for a public school building is deemed suitable by the planning commission and the proper school authority in a subdivision, such site shall be reserved for public usage. The subdivider shall allow a period of 45 days from the date of submittal of the preliminary plat, during which time the proper school authority is required to make known the intention of acquiring the said site. If such notification is affirmative, the planning commission shall then set the period of time upon consulting the subdivider and the school authority for such acquisition.

2.

Dedication to public use: There shall be no reserve strips.

F.

General suitability.

1.

The planning commission shall not approve the subdivision if it is determined that in the best interest of the public the site is not suitable for development purposes of the kind proposed.

2.

Land subject to flooding and land deemed to be topographically unsuitable shall not be platted for residential occupancy; nor for such other uses as may increase danger to health, life, or property; or aggravate erosion of flood hazard.