§ 142-20. Streets., Article V. Improvements, Chapter 142. Subdivision of Land, Part II. General Legislation, Code of Ordinances, Shenandoah County

Alignment and layout.

(1)

The arrangement of streets in new subdivisions shall make provision for the continuation of existing streets in adjoining areas. The street arrangement must be such as to cause no unnecessary hardship to owners of adjoining property when they plat their own land and seek to provide for convenient access to it.

(2)

Where, in the opinion of the agent, it is desirable to provide for street access to adjoining property, proposed streets shall be extended by dedication to the boundary line of such property.

(3)

Half streets along the boundary of land proposed for subdivision will not be permitted. Whenever possible, streets should intersect at right angles.

Service drives.

(1)

Whenever a proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to a public highway, provision may be required for a service drive or marginal street approximately parallel to such right-of-way at a distance suitable for an appropriate use of the land between such highway and the proposed subdivision. Such distances shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for ingress and egress to the main thoroughfare.

(2)

The right-of-way of any public highway or street projected across any railroad or public highway shall be of adequate width to provide for the cuts and fills required for any separation of grades.

Approach angle. Streets shall approach other streets at an angle of not less than 80º unless the agent, upon recommendation of the highway engineer, shall approve a lesser angle of approach for reasons of contour, terrain or matching of existing patterns.

Minimum width. The minimum width of proposed streets, measured from lot line to lot line, shall be shown as required by the Virginia Department of Transportation Subdivision Street Requirements.

Construction requirements. Except as otherwise provided for herein, all subdivision streets and roads shall be constructed in accordance with the Virginia Department of Transportation Subdivision Street Requirements. Subject streets shall be dedicated for inclusion into the state secondary road system.

[Amended 12-14-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-14]

Culs-de-sac. Generally, culs-de-sac, designed to have one end permanently closed, shall be no longer than 1,500 feet to the beginning of the turnaround. Each cul-de-sac must be terminated by a turnaround, the design of which shall be as approved by the highway engineer.

Alleys. Alleys should be avoided whenever possible. Dead-end alleys, if unavoidable, shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities, as determined by the agent.

Reserve strips. Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited.

Lot access.

[Amended 12-14-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-14]

(1)

Except as provided herein, all lots shall front on and have direct access to a public street that is included in the Virginia State Secondary System or is to be constructed to meet Virginia Department of Transportation Subdivision Street Requirements for inclusion in the Secondary System according to an approved subdivision plat. All lots created after the date of this amendment shall meet the minimum frontage requirement for the zone, as measured from the front setback line from the public road. Spur lots are not permitted.

Editor's Note: August 12, 1997.

(2)

Exceptions to the above requirement are as follows:

(a)

Lots of record as of the date of this amendment (August 12, 1997) that are served by an existing private street or private access easement may continue to be served by that private street or easement.

(b)

Lots created after the date of this amendment may front on and have direct access to a private access easement, provided that the following standards are met:

[1]

The private access easement may serve no more than two lots. If an existing private street or access easement, already serves two or more lots, no additional building lots may be served by that street or easement.

[2]

The number of private access easements that are allowed is as follows:

	Size of Lot of Record (acres)	Number of Private Access Easements Allowed
	2.755 to 24	1
	25 to 49	2
	50 to 99	3
	100 to 149	4
	150 or more	5

[3]

Private access easements shall have a minimum right-of-way or access easement width of 40 feet.

[4]

Each private access easement shall connect directly to a public street.

[5]

The maximum length of the private access easement shall be 1,500 feet.

[6]

The minimum travelway width shall be 12 feet.

[7]

Minimum two-foot-wide graded shoulders shall be provided on both sides of the travelway.

[8]

Side ditches, relief ditches and culverts shall be provided at appropriate locations to accommodate pre- and post-construction drainage.

[9]

Utility easements not less than 15 feet in width shall be provided adjacent to both sides of the private access easement.

[10]

Adjacent parallel private access easements shall not be permitted.

[11]

A "turnaround" of a hammerhead design, or other design deemed appropriate by the agent, must be provided at the end of any access easement of equal to or greater than 150 feet in length.

[12]

Private access easements shall be identified on the plat and in the deeds for the lots, and all plats and deeds shall contain the following statement:

ATTENTION: The access serving this lot (these lots) is private, and its maintenance, including snow removal, is NOT a public responsibility. It shall not be eligible for acceptance into state secondary system for maintenance until such time as it is constructed and otherwise complies with all requirements of the Virginia Department of Transportation for the addition of subdivision streets current at the time of such request. Any costs required to cause this street to become eligible for addition to the state system shall be met from funds other than those administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation or by Shenandoah County.

(c)

Lots created for an open space cluster subdivision in the C-1 or A-1 Districts after the date of this amendment may front on and have direct access to a rural private street, provided that the following standards are met:

[1]

The private street may serve no more than 25 total lots. All such lots must be created in accord with the Zoning Ordinance requirements set forth in Chapter 165.

[2]

Private rural streets shall have a minimum right-of-way (access easement width) of 50 feet.

[3]

The maximum length of a private rural street shall be 3,125 feet.

[4]

The minimum travelway width shall be 14 feet.

[5]

Minimum three-foot-wide graded shoulders shall be provided on both sides of the travelway. For road sections with grades of 6% or greater, shoulders shall be treated with a prime and double seal, to prevent excessive shoulder erosion.

[6]

Side ditches, relief ditches and culverts shall be provided at appropriate locations to accommodate pre- and post-construction drainage.

[7]

Utility easements not less than 15 feet in width shall be provided adjacent to both sides of the required right of way.

[8]

Adjacent parallel private access easements shall not be permitted.

[9]

Maximum grade is 12%, but may be increased to 15% for short distances upon approval of the agent.

[10]

For streets serving 10 or fewer lots, the minimum pavement section shall consist of a two-inch thick bituminous surface course on a six-inch thick aggregate base course, on a properly compacted subgrade, sufficient to support the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) H-20 live load. For streets serving more than 10 lots, the minimum pavement section shall consist of two-inch-thick bituminous surface course on an eight-inch-thick aggregate base course, on a properly compacted subgrade, sufficient to support an AASHTO H-20 live load. Priming with asphalt material at an application rate meeting VDOT specifications is required on an aggregate base course if the total asphalt thickness is less than four inches. The aggregate base layer shall extend to the face of each ditch for the purpose of day lighting drainage.

[11]

Language shall be incorporated into the deed and/or plat that states: "The streets in this subdivision do not meet the standards necessary for inclusion in the system of state highways and will not be maintained by the Department of Transportation or the county and are not eligible for rural addition funds or any other funds appropriated by the General Assembly and allocated by the Commonwealth Transportation Board."

[12]

A "turnaround" of a hammerhead design, or other design deemed appropriate by the agent, must be provided at the end of any private road equal to or greater than 150 feet in length.

[13]

Private subdivision street connections to state-maintained highways must meet VDOT requirements.

Street names and addresses. Proposed streets in the subdivision shall be named in accordance with Chapter 138, Street Names and Building Numbers, of the Code of Shenandoah County. Prior to recordation of the final plat, the subdivider shall pay a street establishment and addressing fee, which shall cover the cost of entering the street and lot addresses into the County map address computer files.

Identification signs. Street identification signs of a design specified in Chapter 138, Street Names and Building Numbers, of the Code of Shenandoah County shall be installed by the developer at all intersections at his expense.