§ 66-222. Streets.

Streets shall conform to current county road construction and maintenance specifications. that is, paving to Georgia DOT standards for paving or maintenance of county roads, provided, however, that the board of commissioners may establish reduced standards for construction of collector streets or roads and, specifically, paved access from a subdivision to an existing paved county, state or federal road, as set out in section 66-181, where, in the sole opinion of the board, traffic volumes, the location of the subdivision, or other such considerations, permit a deviation from DOT standards for construction of a county paved road. In such cases, the Board may establish such requirements as it deems necessary and appropriate to protect the citizens of the county.

(1)

Conformity to existing maps or plans. The location and width of all proposed streets shall be in conformity with official plans and maps and with existing amended plans of the planning commission.

(2)

Continuation of adjoining street system. The proposed street layout shall be coordinated with the street system of the surrounding area. Where possible, existing major streets shall be extended.

(3)

Access to adjacent properties. Where it is desirable to provide for street access to adjoining property, proposed streets shall be extended by dedication to the boundary of such property and a temporary turnaround shall be provided. Houses fronting on minor streets shall have access from minor streets only.

(4)

Street names. Proposed streets, which are obviously in alignment with other existing and named streets, shall bear the assigned name of the existing streets. In no case shall the name of the proposed streets duplicate or be phonetically similar to existing street names, regardless of the use of suffix, street, avenue, boulevard, drive, place, court, etc. It shall be unlawful for any person in laying out any new street or road to name such street or road on any plat, by marking or in any deed or instrument, without first getting approval of the county manager or his designee.

(5)

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

(6)

Trees. It is recommended that as many trees as possible remain on the site during the initial clearing and grading and that trees normally remain unless they lie within a planned public right-of-way, within a planned building site or within the necessary paved areas surrounding or adjacent to the primary structure.

(7)

Railroads and highways (freeways, expressways). Railroad rights-of-way and limited access highways where so located as to affect the subdivision of adjoining lands shall be treated as follows:

a.

In residential districts, a buffer strip not less than 25 feet in depth in addition to the normal depth of the lot required in the district shall be provided adjacent to the railroad right-of-way or limited access highways. This strip shall be part of the platted lots and shall be so designated on the plat: "This strip is reserved for the planting of trees and shrubs by the owner. The placement of structures hereon is prohibited."

b.

In districts zoned for business, commercial, or industrial uses, the nearest street extending parallel or approximately parallel to the railroad shall, wherever practicable, be at a sufficient distance therefrom to ensure suitable depth for commercial or industrial sites.

c.

All other streets which are parallel to the railroad, when intersecting a street which crosses the railroad at grade, shall, to the extent practicable, be at a distance of at least 150 feet from the railroad right-of-way. Such distance shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.

(8)

Street jogs. Street jogs with centerline offsets by less than 125 feet shall be prohibited.

(9)

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

(10)

Cul-de-sac. A cul-de-sac shall not extend more than 800 feet in length and shall provide a turnaround having a roadway radius of not less than 55 feet and a right-of-way radius of not less than 75 feet. Temporary dead-end streets shall be provided with a turnaround radius of not less than 30 feet.

(11)

Alleys. Service alleys or drives maybe required in multiple dwelling, commercial, and industrial developments and shall have a minimum surface treatment width of 15 feet, but shall not be provided in one-family and two-family residential developments unless the subdivider provides evidence satisfactory to the planning commission of the need for alleys.

(12)

Street right-of-way widths. All roads must be constructed to any and all adopted county engineering standards. Minimum street right-of-way widths shall be as follows:

a.

Curb and gutter type construction.

			Pavement Width (feet)	Right-of-Way (feet)
(1)	Local street:
		2-lane with parking	32	60
(2)	Collector street:
		2-lane	20	60
		2-lane with left turn lane	40	60
		2-lane with left turn and service lane	40	60
		4-lane	48	80
		4-lane with service lanes	78	90

 

b.

Shoulder-type lane construction.

			Pavement (feet)	Shoulder (feet)	Ditch (feet)	Right-of-way (feet)
(1)	Local:
		2-lane	20	5	13	60
		2-lane cul-de-sac	20	5	10	60
(2)	Collector or arterial:
		2-lane	22	6	13	60
		4-lane	40	10	16	100
		4-lane with left turn lane	50	10	15	100

 

c.

Inverted crown type construction.

			Pavement (feet)	Grass Shoulder
(1)	Local:
		2-lane	20	5-foot Centipede or comparable mat
		2-lane cul-de-sac	20	5-foot Centipede or comparable mat
(2)	Collector or arterial:		Not permitted.

 

Notes:

When inverted crown is used the minimum grade shall not be less than one-half of one percent.

Except for local street, roadway widths shown do not provide for on-street parking; service lanes are intended only for loading and unloading of passengers and goods, and for disabled vehicles and not for the storage of vehicles.

Right-of-way (henceforth referred to as R/W) width listed is for only that portion of the typical section between the limits indicated in diagram. Sloping rights of additional R/W will be required for cut and fill slopes outside these limits; these future slope areas beyond indicated R/W limits should also be kept clear of development until slopes have been constructed.

R/W widths greater than the minimum are encouraged because they make for a safer, more aesthetic and more comfortable facility and permit future roadway widening without disrupting abutting property.

(13)

Sight distance for vertical curves. Where vertical curves are used, the minimum sight distance shall be as follows:

		Design Speed (mph)	Minimum Curve Radii (feet)	Minimum Stopping Sight Distance (feet)
(1)	Local	30	275	300
(2)	Collector	35	350	350
(3)	Arterial	40	500	400

 

(14)

Horizontal curves. Where a deflection angle of more than ten degrees occurs in the alignment of a marginal access or minor street or road, a curve of reasonable radius shall be introduced. A curve shall be introduced at any change in direction of a collector, industrial or commercial service street or major thoroughfare. On major thoroughfares, a centerline radius of curvature shall be determined by the state department of transportation or county engineer. On collector, industrial or commercial service streets, the centerline radius of curvature shall not be less than 150 feet unless the topography of the land to be subdivided makes this impractical.

(15)

Street grades. Grades on major thoroughfares should be established by the state department of transportation or county engineer. Grades on collector streets shall not exceed eight percent unless topographic conditions made this impractical. Grades on minor residential streets shall not exceed 15 percent, unless topographic conditions make this impractical. All streets should have a minimum grade of not less than one-half of one percent.

(16)

Access to arterial roads. When a subdivision is proposed with frontage along an existing arterial road or state numbered highway, every attempt must be made to provide an access road or frontage road for direct access to the proposed lots. The planning commission shall evaluate this requirement in an attempt to reduce the number and frequency of curb cuts along arterial roads and state numbered highways.

(Ord. No. 97-08, § 7.1, 6-10-1997; Ord. of 8-28-2007, § 2)