§ 25-3-52. SUBDIVISION LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS.

(A)

Street monuments and property markers.

(1)

Property pins or other forms of permanent markers identified in the most recent edition of the Manual of Practice for Land Surveying in Texas, published by the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors, shall be placed by the surveyor at all corners of boundary lines of a subdivision. Pins and markers may not be spaced more than 1,300 feet apart. One corner of the subdivision shall be identified by a concrete monument unless a concrete monument exists on an adjacent platted subdivision within 1,300 feet of the proposed plat.

(2)

If a concrete monument exists on an adjacent platted subdivision within 1,300 feet of the proposed plat, no concrete monuments are required for the proposed plat. In that instance, boundary corners may be set with permanent markers identified in the most recent edition of Manual of Practice for Land Surveying in Texas.

(3)

Intermediate property corners, curve points, and angle points shall be marked by iron stakes.

(B)

Easements for public utilities and enclosed or open drainage ways shall be retained in all subdivisions in the widths and locations deemed necessary by the director. To the extent practicable, the easements for water lines, wastewater lines, and storm sewers shall be located in the street rights-of-way, and the easements for all other utilities shall be located in the alley rights-of-way. All the easements shall be dedicated to public use for the named purpose and shall be aligned to minimize construction cost.

(C)

Utilities shall be located underground unless this requirement is, for good cause, waived by the director, and, if applicable, the director of the Electric Utility Department.

(D)

When the director finds that easements in areas adjoining a proposed subdivision are necessary to provide adequate drainage or to serve the subdivision with utilities, the subdivider shall obtain the easements or make arrangements with the City to obtain them.

(E)

Streets of new subdivisions shall be aligned with existing streets on adjoining property unless the Land Use Commission determines that the Comprehensive Plan, topography, requirements of traffic circulation, or other considerations make it desirable to depart from the alignment.

(F)

Each lot in a subdivision, except a lot that fronts on a plaza and abuts an alley, shall abut a dedicated public street.

(G)

Except in a Neighborhood Edge Area, each lot in a subdivision shall abut an alley unless the director determines that good cause exists to omit an alley or portion of an alley.

(H)

An interconnected network of streets is required unless the director determines that good cause exists to require a different street pattern.

(I)

Streets, alleys, and pedestrian paths shall be designed and constructed in accordance with this chapter, the Traditional Neighborhood District Criteria Manual, the Standards Criteria Manual, and the Standard Specifications Criteria Manual.

(J)

New streets in subdivisions shall be named to provide continuity of name with existing streets and to prevent conflict with identical or similarly spelled or pronounced names in other parts of the city's planning jurisdiction.

(K)

Street intersections, whether public or private streets, shall be designed in accordance with the provisions of the Traditional Neighborhood District Criteria Manual and the Transportation Criteria Manual.

(L)

Dead-end streets are prohibited unless the director determines that the most desirable plan requires laying out a dead-end street. A dead-end street shall terminate in a courtyard designed in accordance with the Traditional Neighborhood District Criteria Manual, unless the director determines that topography, density, adequate circulation, or other unusual conditions require a deviation from the design criteria in the Traditional Neighborhood District Criteria Manual.

(M)

The side lines of lots in subdivisions shall be approximately at right angles to straight street lines or radial to curved street lines. An arrangement placing adjacent lots at right angles to each other shall be avoided.

(N)

Block length may not exceed 600 feet. Block width may not exceed 300 feet. The director may approve a block width of not more than 400 feet or a block length of not more than 1000 feet if required because of topography or existing street layout, but a block longer than 800 feet must be traversed by a pedestrian path near the midpoint.

(O)

Minimum lot size, maximum lot size, and minimum lot width are specified in the site development regulations contained in this chapter for a Neighborhood Center Area, a Mixed Residential Area, a Neighborhood Edge Area, a Workshop Area, and an Employment Center Area. Open space lots must comply with the dimensional requirements of this chapter.

(P)

Townhouse lots may be created where each townhouse lot is to be served by a public sewage system, subject to the following conditions in addition to those applicable to all other subdivisions:

(1)

All common areas shall be clearly identified on the plat and adequate provisions made for maintenance and taxation.

(2)

There may be not less than two and not more than eight units in a townhouse group.

(3)

Not more than one townhouse may be located on a lot.

(4)

A legal opinion by an attorney licensed to practice law in the state, accurately describing and defining the rights and duties of the owners, the legal status of common areas and facilities, and provisions for taxation and maintenance of the common areas, must accompany each subdivision with townhouse lots.

Source: Section 13-9-32; Ord. 990225-70; Ord. 010607-8; Ord. 031211-11.