Subdivision Ordinance - Design Standards

Sec.90-9.1: Conformance to Ottawa Land Use Plan

The subdivision of land including the arrangements, character, extent, width, grade and location of all highways, streets, alleys, cross-walks, easements, sites for parks, playgrounds and schools, or other land to be dedicated for public use shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Ottawa, approved by the Plan Commission and adopted by the City Council and other responsible governmental bodies of the City of Ottawa.

Sec. 90-9.2: Streets

A. All streets shall be considered in their relationship to existing and planned streets, to topographical conditions, to public convenience and safety and in their relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.

B. Where such is not shown on the Comprehensive Plan, the arrangement of streets in a subdivision shall provide for a minimum of two (2) points of ingress and egress either:

1. Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets in surrounding area; or

2. Conform to a plan for the area or neighborhood approved or adopted by the Plan Commission to meet a particular situation where topographical or other conditions make continuance or conformance to existing streets impracticable.

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

D. Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed highway or major thoroughfare, as shown on the Land Use Plan, the Plan Commission may require marginal access streets; double frontage with screen planting contained in a non-access reservation at least ten (10) feet wide, along the rear property line; deep lots with rear service alleys, or other such treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.

E. Where a subdivision borders on, or contains, a railroad or highway, the Plan Commission may require a street approximately parallel to, and on each side of, such railroad or highway, at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land, 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.

F. Reserve strips, also known as spite strips; controlling access to public utilities, streets, or alleys shall be prohibited.

G. All street intersections and confluences should encourage safe traffic flow.

H. Street jog or offset intersections on streets laid out in a straight line shall have centerlines off set by a minimum distance of 300 feet (300') on State Highways, secondary thoroughfares and collector streets, and 150 feet (150’) on minor streets.

I. When connecting street lines deflect from each other at any one point by more than ten (10) degrees, they shall be connected by a curve with a radius adequate to insure clear sight distances (see Geometric Design)

J. Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right-angles and no streets shall intersect any other street at less than sixty (60) degrees.

K. Where a subdivision abuts an existing or proposed street that lacks the full improvements including but not limited to curb and gutter, sidewalk and storm sewers, street trees, and similar improvements; those street improvements shall be included in the project to the extent or limit of the property to be developed with sufficient pavement transitions to for the smooth flow of traffic.

L. Dead-end streets (cul-de-sac), designed to be so permanently, shall not be longer than eight hundred (800) feet in from the intersection of the origin to the center of the circle, and shall be provided with a paved turn-a- round having an outside pavement diameter of at least ninety three feet (90') and a street property line diameter of at least one hundred and twenty (120) feet.

M. No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with names of existing streets. Existing street names shall be projected wherever possible. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the City Council.

N. Minimum Distance from major intersection to first internal intersection shall not be less than 100 feet.

Sec. 90-9.3 MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR STREETS

A. General. All streets shall be designed in accordance with the “Illinois Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Local Roads and Streets Administrative Policies”, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, “A Policy on the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets”, and the City of Ottawa’s Subdivision Standards and Specifications.

B. Pavement Design. All pavements shall be designed in accordance with previously referenced standards and manuals. The design thickness shall be dependent on the soil support value and the projected traffic factor. However, in no case shall the pavement design be less than that indicated in the “City of Ottawa Subdivision Standards and Specifications.”

A pavement design shall be submitted for each subdivision, which consists of:

1. A soil analysis (minimum IBR = 3 or Eri = 3 ksi);

2. Staged construction - construction traffic on binder course and aggregate base course or aggregate subbase, bituminous base course and binder course and fifteen year (15) life for completed pavement with remaining life of existing pavement considered;

3. Trip generation and projections based on Institute of Transportation Engineer’s procedures or other methods accepted by the City and;

4. Illinois Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Local Roads and Streets Administrative Policies Procedures

C. Geometric Design

Street	Traffic	Right-of-Way	Parking	Pavement Width (Feet)	# of Lanes	Design Speed (MPH)	Posted Speed (MPH)
Local	<2000	66	One or Both Sides	28	2	35	25
Minor Collector	2000- 5000	80	Both Sides	39	3	35	25
Major Collector	5000- 14,000	100	None	36	3	45	35
Minor Arterial	14,000-24,000	120	None	60	5	55	45
Major Arterial	24,000- 56,000	150	None	72	6	65	55
Multi- Family	<2000	80	Both Sides	39	2	35	25
Business Industrial Office	<5000	80	None	36	3	35	25

	Crown	Minimum Slope (%)	Maximum Slope (%)	Radius at Street Intersection (Feet)
Local	2%	8%	0.5	25
Minor Collector	2%	6%	0.5	30
Major Collector	2%	5%	0.5	35
Minor Arterial	2%	5%	0.5	WB-65 Design Vehicle
Major Arterial	2%	5%	0.5	WB-65 Design Vehicle
Business Industrial Office	2%	4%	0.5	WB-65 Design Vehicle

Street	Length of Vertical Curve	Radius of Horizontal Curve	Sight Distance (Feet)
Local			200
Minor Collector	(See AASHTO)		300
Major Collector			400
Minor Arterial	(See AASHTO)		500
Major Arterial			600
Business Industrial Office			600

D. Major residential streets as identified by the City shall be designed to a pavement width of 28 feet.

E. Streets shall be related appropriately to the topography and all streets shall be arranged so as to obtain building sites above the grades of the streets. Grades of streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography. A combination of steep grade curves shall be avoided.

F. Bikepaths shall be designed in accordance with AASHTO’s Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, latest edition.

Sec. 90-9.4: Alleys

A. In commercial, business and industrial districts, definite and assured provisions shall be made for service access such as off-street loading, unloading, and parking consistent and adequate for the uses proposed. If, in the opinion of the Plan Commission such facilities are not adequate, the Plan Commission may permit or require the dedication and improvement of a public alley.

B. The width of an alley, where permitted or required, shall be a minimum of twenty (20) feet.

C. Alley intersections and sharp changes in alley alignment shall be avoided.

D. Dead-end alleys shall be avoided where possible, but if unavoidable they shall be provided with adequate turn-around facilities at the dead-end, as determined by the Plan Commission.

Sec. 90-9.5: Easements:

A. Public utility and/or drainage easements shall be provided along the rear and side of each lot.

B. The easements shall be laid out so that proper continuity is provided from lot to lot.

C. When possible telephone, cable, electrical, gas and other utilities shall be placed underground in the rear of each lot within the easements. Lot line placement for services.

D. Obstructions shall not be placed over grantees facilities or in, upon or over, the property which will interfere with the proposed use of the easement without the prior written consent of the grantee

E. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, overland release route, drainage way, channel or stream, there shall be provided a storm water easement or drainage right of way conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse, and such further width or construction, or both, as will be adequate for the purpose.

G. Utility easements shall not be less than ten feet (10') in width.

Sec. 90-9.6: Blocks

A. The lengths, widths, and shapes of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:

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

2. Zoning requirements as to lot sizes and dimensions.

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

B.. Block lengths shall not exceed fifteen hundred (1,500) feet and should not be less than three hundred (300) feet.

C. Pedestrian crosswalks not less than ten (10) feet wide shall be included at all intersections with collector streets, minor arterials and other principal arterials for pedestrian circulation or access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation and other community facilities.

D. Block or portions thereof intended for commercial or industrial use shall be designated as such, and the plan shall show adequate off-street areas to provide for parking, loading docks and other such facilities.

Sec. 90-9.7: Lots

A. The lot size, width, depth, shape and orientation shall be appropriate for or the location of the subdivision and for the type of development and use contemplated.

B. Lot dimensions and areas shall conform to the requirements of the Ottawa Zoning Ordinance whichever is applicable.

C. Lots abutting a water course, drainage way, channel or stream shall have a minimum width or depth as required to provide an adequate building site and to afford the minimum useable area required in this Ordinance or the Ottawa Zoning Ordinance for front, side and rear yards.

D. All lots shall abut on a publicly dedicated street.

E. Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from highways or primary thoroughfares as to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation. A planting screen outlot of at least twenty (20’) feet and across which there shall be no right of vehicular access, shall be provided along the rear lot lines of lots abutting such highways and major thoroughfares. In no event shall swimming pools, tennis courts, sports fields, fences or other such uses be permitted in the outlot or easement.

F. Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines.

Sec. 90-9.8: Building Setback Lines

Building setback lines in residential areas of new subdivisions shall conform to the front yard provisions of the Ottawa Zoning Ordinance.

Sec. 90-9.9 Driveways

A. All driveways and parking areas shall be paved with Bituminous concrete or Portland cement concrete. Driveway aprons within the public street right-of –way shall be made of portland cement concrete and not asphalt or gravel.

B. Parking facilities where permitted shall not intrude onto the municipal sidewalks or parkways.

C. Residential parking facilities where permitted shall not be located within five (5) feet of any property line.

D. Driveway widths in residential districts shall be limited to a maximum width of 20 feet at the curb line.