Sec. 3. Standards of design.
(a) Street alignment; half streets; service drives.
(1) Provision shall be made, wherever possible, for the
continuation of principal existing or platted streets into adjoining
areas.
(2) Residential streets shall be designed to discourage
through traffic, but off-set or jog streets shall be avoided.
(3) The angle of intersection between streets shall be
as close to a right angle as possible.
(4) Streets of less than full right-of-way shall not be
permitted, however, where half streets exist on adjoining
property the remaining right-of-way requirement shall be
platted.
(5) Wherever a subdivision adjoins a major street, the
planning commission may require that access to private property
be provided from service drives.
(b) Street and alley widths; turn-arounds for dead-end
streets; reserve strips restricting access.
(1) The widths for major streets shall conform to the
widths designated on the major street plan.
(2) The widths for minor or residential streets shall be
not less than fifty-six (56) feet.
(3) Culs-de-sac or dead-end streets shall provide a terminal
turn-around having a radius of not less than fifty (50)
feet. Culs-de-sac should not exceed seven hundred (700) feet
in length exclusive of the turn-around.
(4) Streets that terminate temporarily, and thereby take
on the character of a dead-end street, shall be provided with a
temporary terminal turn-around having a radius of not less
than fifty (50) feet.
(5) Alleys not less than twenty (20) feet in width shall
be provided in the rear of all commercial and industrial districts
unless other provisions are made for parking and service.
Alleys shall not be permitted in residential districts. No
dead-end alleys shall be permitted.
(6) Reserve strips restricting access to streets or alleys
will not be permitted.
(c) Street grades. Maximum street grades permitted shall
be ten per cent; however, grades in excess of eight per cent
should be avoided.
(d) Easements for utilities or drainage. Easements of not
less than six (6) feet in width shall be provided on each side
of all rear lot lines and along side lot lines where necessary
for utility installation and maintenance. Easements of greater
width may be required for drainage purposes, or for the location
of main utility lines.
(e) Blocks. (1) No residential block shall be longer than
fifteen hundred (1500) feet.
(2) The greater dimensions of blocks adjoining a major
street shall, wherever possible, be parallel to such major
street.
(f) Lots.
(1) All lots shall have adequate access to an approved
street and shall contain a satisfactory building site.
(2) Side lines of lots shall be perpendicular to straight
street lines and radial to curved street lines unless a variation
to this regulation will provide a better street or lot layout.
(3) Double frontage or reverse frontage lots shall be
avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential
development from major thoroughfares or to overcome
disadvantages of topography.
(4) Residential lots shall provide a minimum lot area not
less than the requirement of zoning regulations applying to
the area being subdivided; provided, that the minimum requirements
of section 3(f) (5) shall be complied with.
(5) The minimum lot area shall conform to the following
requirements:
(i) Residential lots served by sanitary sewers and
public water supply shall provide a minimum lot area not
less than the requirements of Appendix II of the Code of the
City of Charlottesville; provided, however, that a lot on which
will be constructed a single-family attached dwelling as defined
in section 2(15) of Appendix II of the Code of the City
of Charlottesville shall have a minimum width of thirty-two
and one-half (32½) feet measured at the building line; except,
that corner lots for such single-family attached dwellings
shall provide a minimum width of forty-two and one-half
(42½) feet; further provided that lots for town house
developments shall conform to article VI, section 19 of Appendix
II of the Code of the City of Charlottesville.
(ii) Residential lots served by either sanitary sewers
or public water supply, but not both, shall provide a minimum
width of eighty (80) feet and a minimum area of
twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) feet.
(iii) Residential lots not served by a public sanitary
sewerage system and a public water supply shall provide a
minimum width of one hundred (100) feet and a minimum
area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.
(iv) In case of unsual soil condition or other physical
factor which may impair the health and safety of the neighborhood,
upon recommendation of the city or county health
officer, the city planning commission may increase the lot
area requirements specified under (5)(ii) and (5)(iii).
(v) Unless a sanitary sewerage system is available
which has been approved by the joint health department the
subdivider shall present to the city planning commission
satisfactory proof that such percolation tests as are required
by the joint health department have been made in accordance
with the standard procedure recommended by the Virginia
state health department, and that the minimum number of
square feet of area which shall be required for absorption of
effluent from the septic tank system for each individual lot
shall be based either on the results of a percolation test or
inspection of the soil condition by a sanitarian of the joint
health department.
(g) Building lines. Where the subdivided area is not under
zoning control and is to be used for residential purposes, the
subdivider shall establish building lines in accordance with the
character of the development, but in no case, shall the front
building line be less than thirty (30) feet from the right of
way of the street or thoroughfare upon which the lot fronts.
Restrictions requiring buildings to be set back of such building
lines shall be shown on the plat.
(h) Parks, schools and other public land. In subdividing
property, consideration should be given to suitable sites for
parks, schools and other areas for public use as contained in
the comprehensive city plan. Such planned location for parks,
schools or other public land should be indicated on the preliminary
plat in order that it may be determined if, when and
in what manner such areas will be dedicated to, reserved for
or acquired by the appropriate governing body for that use.
This regulation shall not be construed to preclude the dedication
of property for public use not included in the comprehensive
city plan provided such property is acceptable to
the city or county for dedication and maintenance.
(i) Easements along streams. Whenever any stream or
important surface drainage course is located in the area being
subdivided, provision shall be made for an adequate easement
along each side of the stream or drainage course for the purpose
of widening, deepening, relocating, improving, or protecting
the stream for drainage purposes. Such easements shall
not be considered part of a required street width.
(j) Land inadequately drained or subject to flooding. The
right is reserved to disapprove any subdivision which is subject
to periodic flooding, or which is inadequately drained.
(1-21-58, § 35-3; 6-2-58; 2-19-62; 4-16-62; 7-20-70; 1-16-73.)
