§ 42-5. Minimum design standards for preliminary and final plats.

(a)

Preservation of significant features. Subdivision design shall be sensitive to the protection and preservation of existing site features, natural and manmade. To the maximum extent possible, subdivisions shall be to preserve structures and sites of historic or cultural significance and to protect habitats of rare or unusual plants or wildlife. Every effort shall be made to minimize grading and removal of dunes and to preserve vegetative strips along the beach front. All applicable regulations regarding protection of sand dunes shall be obeyed.

(b)

Neighborhood compatibility. New subdivisions shall be planned to complement or enhance the character of the neighboring areas.

(c)

Consistency with public plans and policies. Subdivision of land shall be consistent with adopted public plans and policies for the area in which it is located. This includes general policy regarding development objectives for the area as reflected in both comprehensive and small area plans, as well as specific policy or plans for public facilities such as streets and thoroughfares, parks and open space, schools, and other similar facilities.

(d)

Public facility sites. When a proposed site for any public facility, including but not limited to schools, parks, open space/greenways, or other public use sites, as shown on an adopted plan, falls within a proposed subdivision, the site shall be temporarily set aside and/or reserved in accordance with section 42-7(d). Reservations of public facility sites and lands shall be followed.

(e)

Naming of subdivisions. The name of a subdivision shall not duplicate nor closely approximate the name of an existing subdivision within the village.

(f)

Street standards. The proposed street layout shall be coordinated with the existing street system of the surrounding area and shall conform to official plans for major and minor thoroughfares and collector streets, with respect to location, alignment, cross section, etc. Street design shall satisfy the minimum requirements of the village. The following street standards may be modified or varied by the approving transportation agency to accommodate unique subdivision conditions. In addition to the standards set forth herein, the minimum street requirements in section 42-9 shall apply.

(1)

Right-of-way widths. A proposed street right-of-way must be of sufficient width to accommodate the required cross section. However, in no case shall the proposed right-of-way be less than the standards listed below unless the approval authority determines that special circumstances exist which make the dedication or reservation of the full right-of-way unnecessary or impractical.

Street Type	Right-of-Way Width (feet)	Surface
Local	75	Paved 30 feet
Residential	60	Paved 25 feet
Private	40	20 feet (limestone)

 

These standards represent the normally required rights-of-way. Additional rights-of-way may be necessary in the area of interchanges, medians, intersections, or areas where horizontal or vertical alignments must be improved and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

(2)

Owner responsibility to pay all cost. The owner shall be responsible for and pay all costs for the design and construction of all streets within this development. The developer shall build these streets in accordance with the village standards.

(3)

Private streets and roads. Permanent private access easements, streets, and roads shall be permitted in small residential and nonresidential subdivisions serving no more than eight lots. Such facilities shall be designed and constructed to the village private street/road requirements with respect to traffic capacity, safety, and longterm access and maintenance. Roads intended for future acceptance by the village as public roads shall be designed and constructed to the village standards.

(4)

Grades. Proposed streets shall be designed to produce street gradients which provide for safety, proper drainage, and usable lots and to fit the natural contours of the land in order to minimize earthmoving.

(5)

Curves. Horizontal and vertical curves and roadway alignment shall be governed by anticipated street classification, traffic volume, design speed, sight distances, and other relevant standards.

(6)

Intersections.

a.

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

b.

Adequate sight distances shall be provided at all intersections between streets and at driveway intersections with streets.

c.

Property lines at corners of all intersecting streets shall, as a minimum, be established as the hypotenuse of a triangle with each leg having a length of at least 20 feet along both street rights-of-way.

(7)

Cul-de-sac. Cul-de-sac streets shall not be used to avoid needed street connections, existing or potential. Such streets shall not be longer than 800 feet and shall be terminated by a circular right-of-way having a minimum diameter of 100 feet or an approved alternative turnaround.

(8)

Reserve strips controlling access. The reservation of private property strips controlling access to public ways shall not be permitted.

(9)

Frontage roads/marginal access streets. Where a subdivision abuts or contains a controlled or limited access street or thoroughfare, whether existing or proposed, a marginal access street or frontage road may be required.

(10)

Street names. Street names shall not duplicate nor closely approximate existing street names within the Freeport "911" emergency area. Extensions of existing named streets shall bear the existing street name. (A complete list of previously used names shall be maintained by the village, as well as suggested appropriate names.) Proposed names must be submitted by application and approved by the city council.

(g)

Block layout. The length, width, and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to: provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of use contemplated; needs for vehicular, transit, and pedestrian circulation, control, and safety; and constraints of topography and existing land use patterns and facilities.

(1)

Block lengths. Blocks shall not normally exceed 1,000 feet in length.

(2)

Block widths. Blocks widths shall be sufficient to allow two tiers of lots except where single tiers of lots will facilitate nonresidential developments, or the separation of residential and nonresidential developments, or the separation of residential development from through traffic.

(h)

Alleys. Alleys may be required by regulations or code along the rear lot line of commercial or industrial property, along the rear lot line of lots fronting on thoroughfares, or where the lots are less than 50 feet wide. Alley widths shall be determined by their proposed use.

(i)

Easements; utility, storm drainage, stream buffers and others. Utility easements for water, sanitary sewer, electricity, gas and communications improvements shall be provided in the location and to the width as required by the utility. Where economically feasible electricity and communications lines should be placed underground. Easements for storm drainage improvements and stream buffers shall be provided as required by the village policies and regulations. Easements for other purposes, including but not limited to trails and greenways, scenic views, historic preservation, and unique natural sites, shall be designed for reservation or dedication as appropriate. All plats shall exhibit standard easement notes stating the type and purpose of the easement along with a list of prohibited uses/activities within the easement.

(j)

Lot layout.

(1)

Lots appropriate for the natural features and suitability of the site. The size, width, depth, shape, and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for the natural features and land suitability of the site, the zoning of the property, and the type of development proposed. Where double or reverse frontage (through) lots are proposed, special treatment (landscaping/fencing/berms) shall be used and maintained to prevent adverse impact.

(2)

Lots that abut a street. Every buildable lot shall abut either a public street or an approved private street.

(3)

Side lot lines. Side lot lines shall generally be perpendicular or radial to street lines.

(4)

Lots facing each other. Wherever feasible, each lot should face the front of a similar lot across the street. In general, an arrangement placing facing lots at right angles to each other should be avoided.

(5)

Minimum lot size. Minimum lot size in a subdivision shall be 6,000 square feet. Minimum width of a lot shall be 50 feet.

(k)

Stormwater drainage. Drainage adequate to accommodate a ten-year or greater storm shall be provided, generally following the existing natural drainage systems. Piping and modification of streams and other natural watercourses should be minimized and will be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine if it is necessary and environmentally sound. Systems shall be designed to minimize flooding, protect downstream properties, and preserve water quality.

(l)

Water and sewer systems. Proposed additions to public systems shall be coordinated with the existing systems and shall satisfy the standards of the utility providing the services. Where not otherwise prohibited by local regulation, community systems, or systems designed to serve more than one user independent of public systems, shall satisfy the standards of the applicable county or state agency responsible for approval.

(Ord. No. 98-10, § 5, 6-9-1998)