Article IV. General Requirements And Design Standards  

ARTICLE IV. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN STANDARDS

A. Streets.

(1) The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all streets shall conform to the City of Vernon master thoroughfare plan and shall be considered in the relation to existing and planned streets, to topographical conditions, to public safety and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.

(2) When such street is not on the master thoroughfare plan, the arrangement of streets in a subdivision shall either:

a. Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing streets in surrounding areas; or

b. Conform to a plan for the neighborhood approved or adopted by the commission to meet a particular situation where a topographical or other condition made continuance or conformity to existing streets impracticable.

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

(4) Where a subdivision abuts or contain an existing or proposed arterial street, the commission may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage, deep lots with rear service alleys, or such treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection to residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.

(5) Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where their control is definitely placed in the city under conditions approved by the commission.

(6) Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than one hundred and twenty-five (125) feet shall be avoided.

(7) Arterial street intersections shall be at 90-degree angles. Other street intersections shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect at less than 60 degrees.

(8) Street right-of-way widths shall be as shown on the major thoroughfare plan of the City of Vernon, Texas and where not shown therein shall be in accordance with the developed standards adopted for the various types of streets, major thoroughfare, secondary thoroughfare, minor residential streets, and minor street in apartment, commercial, or industrial areas. Street right-of-way widths shall be as shown on the major thoroughfare plan and where not shown therein shall be not less than as follows:

a. Major thoroughfares: 80 feet.

b. Secondary thoroughfares: 60 feet.

c. Minor residential street: 50 feet.

d. Access or service road: 40 feet.

e. Minor street in apartment, commercial or industrial area: 60 feet.

(9) Half streets shall be prohibited, except when essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conforming with the other requirements of these regulations, and where the commission finds it will be practical to require the dedication of the other one-half when the adjoining property is subdivided. Whenever a partial street exists along a common property line, the other portion of the street shall be dedicated. Where part of a street is being dedicated along a common property line and the ultimate planned width is fifty (50) feet, the first dedication will be thirty (30) feet; where the ultimate planned width is sixty (60) feet, the first dedication will be thirty-five (35) feet.

(10) A cul-de-sac shall not be longer than six hundred (600) feet and at the closed end shall have a turn-around provided for, having an outside roadway diameter of a least eighty (80) feet and a street property line diameter of at least one hundred (100) feet.

(11) New streets of like alignment shall bear the names of existing streets and shall be dedicated at equal or greater widths than the existing streets. No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the commission.

(12) All new streets dedicated within a subdivision shall be improved in accordance with specifications of the City of Vernon.

(13) It is the policy of the City of Vernon that the subdivider and/or developer of a subdivision which either requires the dedication of a new street or which subdivision will have lots fronting on an unimproved dedicated street, will at their own expense pay for and install all weather, hard surface streets with curb and gutter to city specifications.

In the event, an existing hard surface street is damaged whether for the purpose of making sewer, water or other utility connection or for any other reason the subdivider and/or developer shall be responsible for repairing the existing hard surface street until dedication and/or acceptance of plat.

Any variation from the above policy, recommended by the planning and zoning commission, shall require city commission approval. it shall be the responsibility of the city manager prior to acceptance of legal title to any dedicated street and prior to the filing of any plat to determine if there is a variation from the above policy. If there is a variation, he shall place it on the City of Vernon City Commission agenda for review by the city commission. (Amended by Ord. [No.] 1079, 2-19-1985)

B. Alleys.

(1) Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial districts, except that the commission may waive this requirement where other definite and assured provision is made for service access, such as off-street loading, unloading and parking consistent with and adequate for the use proposed. Service alleys in commercial and industrial districts shall be a minimum twenty-five (25) feet in width.

(2) In residential districts, alleys shall be provided parallel, or approximately parallel, to the frontage of the street. Alleys in residential districts shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) feet in width.

(3) Alleys shall be required in all new developments and replatting of old additions unless expressly waived by the commission because of drainage or topographical features or existing conditions which may preclude the use of an alley in a particular location.

(4) Where the deflection of alley alignment exceeds 30 degrees, a cutback of a minimum fifteen (15) feet or of such greater distance to provide safe vehicular movement shall be established on the inside property line and the paving of the alley shall be cut back in the same manner.

(5) Dead-end alleys shall be avoided where possible, but if unavoidable, shall be provided with adequate turn-around facilities at the dead-end as determined by the commission.

C. Easements.

(1) Easements across lots or centered on rear or side lot lines shall be provided for utilities where necessary and shall be of such widths as may be reasonably necessary for the utility or utilities using same.

(2) Where a subdivision is traversed by a water course, drainage way, channel or street, there shall be provided a storm easement or drainage right-of-way conforming substantially with such course and of such additional width as may be designated by the city's chief administrative officer, that will be reasonably adequate for the purpose. Parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection with this.

(3) The lot area shall be computed exclusive of all easements, alleys and streets.

D. Blocks.

(1) The length, width and shapes of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:

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

b. Zoning requirements as to lot sizes and dimensions.

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

(2) In general, intersecting streets, determining the blocks, lengths and widths shall be provided at such intervals as to serve cross traffic adequately, and to meet existing streets or customary subdivision practices. Where no existing subdivision controls, the block lengths shall not exceed one thousand six hundred (1,600) feet and shall generally be one thousand (1,000) feet to one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet in length. Where no existing subdivision controls, the block lengths shall not be less than five hundred (500) feet; however, in cases where physical barriers or property ownership creates conditions where it is appropriate that these standards be varied, the length may be increased or decreased to meet the existing conditions having due regard for connecting streets, circulation of traffic and public safety.

(3) Where blocks in the vicinity of a school, park or shopping center are platted one thousand (1,000) feet or longer, the commission may require a walkway near the middle of the block or at a street that terminates between the streets at the ends of the block. The walkway shall not be less than four (4) feet or more than eight (8) feet in width, shall have a four (4) foot concrete walk through the block from sidewalk to sidewalk, or to rear property line if no street. Where no existing subdivision controls, the block width or depth shall be platted to give lots with a depth to width ratio of generally not more than two and one-half (2½) to one (1) and in no case more than four (4) to one (1), and the platting shall be such that the block width or depth generally shall not exceed three hundred fifty (350) feet nor be less than two hundred fifteen (215) feet. When possible, the block width and length shall be such to allow two tiers of lots back to back to an alley.

(4) Pedestrian walks not less than four (4) feet wide shall be provided around the perimeter of all blocks.

E. Lots.

(1) Lots shall conform to the minimum requirements of the established zoning district.

(2) Each lot shall face on a public street.

(3) Where corner lots are key lots, that is where lots face the frontage street and also other lots face the side street, the corner lot shall have a front building line on both streets.

(4) Key lots or irregular shaped lots shall have sufficient width at the building line to meet frontage requirements of the appropriate zoning district. Also, the rear width shall be sufficient to provide access for all utilities including garbage collection, but not less than ten (10) feet.

(5) No lot shall be platted less than one hundred (100) feet in depth except in cases where an irregular shaped tract is platted into lots and a remnant piece of property is of sufficient area to plat one or more lots, the commission may waive the depth requirement to prevent a hardship on the developer or subdivider.

(6) Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines.

(7) Double frontage and reverse frontage lots should be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries or to overcome specific disadvantage of topography and orientation. Where lots have double frontage, a front building line shall be established for each street.

(8) It shall be lawful to increase the size of lots from that originally platted, provided, however, that there is no remaining portion of a lot or lots smaller than the original lot and provided further that final plat is submitted in accordance with the requirements of a final plat as contained hereinabove; provided that Art. 974a of Texas Revised Civil Statutes [Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 974a] is complied with.

(9) In areas where city sewer is not immediately available, a lot shall be platted of such area as to meet the minimum requirements of the City of Vernon pertaining to septic tank operation.

(10) No lot shall be replatted to reduce the size of the lots originally platted by a common dedicator, unless the consent of all the property owners in the same addition has been obtained. Such required consent may be implied where another lot or lots in the addition as recorded have already been subdivided and built upon in the manner prescribed above.

(11) When an applicant exhibits a duly executed and recorded deed covering a lot having dimensions of fifty (50) feet by one hundred twenty (120) feet or more which has been sold by metes and bounds prior to the passage of the zoning ordinance, and such lot is being assessed for city taxes and conforms to the established lot pattern and zoning classification in the block where located, then a building permit may be issued provided the requested use of such property conforms to the permanent zoning of the property covered by the application.

(12) Subdivision plats for housing projects, apartment areas, shopping centers and industrial districts will not be required except in cases where dedications for streets, street widening, alleys or easements are required. Site plans shall be filed with the City of Vernon for approval by the commission as required by the zoning ordinance.

F. Building lines.

Building lines shall be shown on the final plat on all lots intended for business and residential use and shall provide the minimum setback as required by the zoning ordinance.

(Ord. No. 1079, 2-19-1985)