10-25D-4: LAYOUT OF LOTS:
A. Lot Arrangement: The arrangement of lots shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other conditions, in securing building permits to build on all lots in compliance with the zoning ordinance and in providing safe driveway access in accordance with city requirements to buildings on such lots from an approved street.
B. Lot Dimensions: Lot dimensions shall comply with the minimum standards of the zoning ordinance. In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles to street lines (or radial to curving street lines) unless a variation from this rule will give a better street or lot plan. Dimensions of corner lots shall be large enough to allow for erection of buildings, observing the minimum front yard setback from both streets, and providing safe access. Depth and width of properties reserved or laid out for business, commercial or industrial purposes shall be adequate to provide for the access, off-street parking and loading facilities required for the type of use and development contemplated, as established in the zoning ordinance.
C. Double Frontage Lots and Access to Lots:
1. Double frontage lots shall be avoided where feasible. However, double frontage lots may be necessary to provide separation of residential development from arterials and major collectors or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation.
2. Residential lots shall not derive access from an arterial street. Access may be limited on major collector streets for safety reasons as determined by the city engineer or designee. In cases where driveway access from such streets may be necessary for several adjoining lots, the city engineer or designee may require that such lots be served by a shared access drive in order to limit possible traffic hazards on such street. The city engineer or designee may also require that access be designed and arranged so as to avoid requiring vehicles to back into traffic. This may include such items as increased building setbacks, increased lot width, shared access, U-shaped driveways, etc.
3. Where double frontage lots are platted, a six-foot-four-inch (6'4") high solid masonry wall shall be constructed along the public road for a privacy and noise screen. All walls shall comply with the standards set forth in chapter 18 of this title. The city may approve modifications to the masonry wall to allow for architectural elements such as wrought iron within sections of the wall. The privacy wall shall be set back from the sidewalk a minimum of ten feet (10') in order to provide access to and utilization of the utility easement and a landscape area for the planting of shrubs and trees. Where the developer provides both public right-of-way and a deceleration/acceleration lane as required by the city, the utility-landscape strip may be reduced to five feet (5') for the length of the deceleration/acceleration lane. Along arterial streets, the land use authority may require a planter area greater than ten feet (10') in width. In addition, in order to provide proper intersection and driveway sight distance, it will be necessary in some cases to set the wall back a distance greater than ten feet (10') from the sidewalk. Where the developer or property owner dedicates the landscape and utility area described herein to the city, the developer will receive an area credit for the perimeter lots adjacent to the dedicated landscape and utility area equal to the amount of the dedicated area. Such area credit will be applied to the adjacent lots for the purpose of complying with the minimum lot size requirements.
4. The developer shall plant trees along the street frontage in conformance with the city’s community forestry program. Trees shall be planted so as not to obstruct visibility at drives and intersections, nor obstruct traffic control devices.
5. For planned developments or other residential developments where a homeowners’ association exists, the homeowners’ association shall provide irrigation and maintenance for the landscape strip on the street side of the wall.
6. If a residential development creates double frontage lots the city shall require a homeowners’ association to be created for ownership and maintenance of landscaping and irrigation on the street side of the wall, unless an alternate maintenance agreement has been approved by the city.
7. In some cases where no homeowners’ association exists, the city may choose to provide maintenance for landscaping within the right-of-way for streets of eighty feet (80') or more; provided, the landscaping and irrigation system has been installed to city standards.
8. The privacy wall and landscaping area shall be completed prior to occupancy of any homes in the subdivision, or, where unusual circumstances exist which prevent such completion, a guarantee shall be posted as detailed in section 10-25D-5, in the form of cash or an irrevocable letter of credit.
D. Flag Lots: After determination by the commission that standard lots are not feasible, the commission may, in order to encourage more efficient use of land, allow flag lots to be developed subject to the following conditions:
1. The property cannot be subdivided with typical public street frontage either at the present or in the foreseeable future.
2. The staff portion of said lot shall front on a dedicated public street. The minimum width of the staff shall be twenty-five feet (25').
3. No building or construction, except for driveways, shall be allowed on the staff portion of said lot.
4. All lot size and setback requirements shall be the same as may be required by the zone in which the lot is located. The staff portion of the lot shall not be used to calculate the minimum lot size. Setbacks shall be shown on the preliminary plat and approved by the land use authority.
5. No more than two (2) flag lots or four (4) dwelling units may be served by one (1) twenty-five-foot (25') wide staff.
6. Each flag lot shall be specifically approved by the land use authority. (Ord. 2019-10-002, 10-10-2019; amd. Ord. 2024-006, 1-18-2024)