§ 5.3.1. General
A.
If a curb inlet is present there shall be ten (10) feet between the inlet opening and the edge of a driveway curb return.
B.
Access to alleys requires approval by the Directors of the Public Works Department and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department. Access to and from unimproved alleys is discouraged.
C.
The angle of driveway approach shall be approximately 90 degrees for two (2) way driveways, 45-90 degrees for one (1) way driveways.
D.
Unless approved by the Directors of the Public Works Department and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department, one-way driveways shall be prohibited on two-way undivided streets. In addition, one-way driveways are limited to developments where two-way access is unfeasible because of special design considerations, such as severe site constraints, the need for circular drop-offs or other circumstances where one-way circulation may be preferred to two-way access. Examples of such developments include public and private schools, day care uses, car wash facilities and existing developments or small sites where two-way circulation is impractical (see Figure 9-9 in Appendix H of this manual for design criteria of semicircular drop-offs). Where one-way access is proposed, developments shall be designed to promote one-way, on-site circulation in support of the one-way drives. Circular drop-offs and one-way driveways shall be designed to prevent conflicts with traffic access, parking and on-site circulation. Priority, however, shall be directed towards reducing the number of driveway approaches along Principal Roadways and Arterial streets to limit conflict points and enhance traffic flows along such roadways. All one-way driveways separated by more than 15 feet (measured from edge to edge) must be signed for one-way operation.
E.
Areas used as motor vehicle service stations or parking lots shall have a six (6) inch raised curb along the entire street frontage except at the driveway approaches and access sidewalks.
F.
Where Type I driveways are not appropriate, head-in, back-out parking is generally prohibited on all streets and alleys. Such a condition requires the approval of the Director of the Public Works Department. Other alternatives, however, should be encouraged when possible.
G.
All driveways must be constructed within the street frontage of the subject property, as determined by extending the side property lines to the curb line. Neither the driveway nor the curb returns shall overlap adjacent property frontage without written approval from the adjacent property owner.
H.
Common driveways may be approved provided that a permanent written access easement is obtained. The developer must include a plat note and provide dedication documents indicating that maintenance of the joint use driveway shall be the responsibility of the lot owners served by the joint use driveway. If more than three (3) residences are to be served by a single joint use driveway, the following requirements apply:
1.
The developer must post fiscal surety for the construction of the joint use driveway prior to plat approval and must construct the driveway during the construction of the streets within the same subdivision, or within the term of the fiscal instrument if no public or private streets are to be constructed within the subdivision. The driveway construction shall be subject to City inspection and obtain City approval before fiscal will be released.
2.
The developer must construct a driveway, designed by a professional engineer, to have an all-weather surface and a pavement structure meeting at least private street standards. The driveway must be designed to have no more than 9 inches of water overtopping the driveway during the one-hundred year storm event as defined in Sec. 25-7-5 of the City Code.
The
developer must construct a turnaround meeting City of Austin Fire Criteria at the end of the driveway, or no further than 200 feet from the end of the driveway.
3.
The developer must obtain a written signature from the area fire service providers acknowledging their approval of the proposed joint use driveway.
4.
The joint use access easement will be required to be dedicated as a public utility easement and may be required to be dedicated as a drainage easement, unless otherwise approved by the Director. In those cases where the joint use access easement is to be combined as a public utility and drainage easement, the access agreement for the driveway must include a clause indicating that the driveway may be used by public service personnel and equipment for servicing public utilities.
5.
If the developer does not use a restrictive covenant to require homeowners to park all vehicles off the joint use driveway surface, then the joint use driveway surface must be at least 24 feet wide. Otherwise, the driveway surface may be no less than 20 feet wide.
6.
The developer must erect signs indicating "private driveway" at the driveway entrance and include a plat note indicating that maintenance of the driveway will not be the responsibility of the City.
I.
Driveways may not exceed 70 percent of roadway frontage.
J.
Type I driveways are to be located no closer to the corner of intersecting rights of way than 60 percent of parcel frontage or 50 feet, whichever is less. All other driveways are to be located no closer to the corner of intersecting rights of way than 60 percent of parcel frontage or 100 feet; whichever is less. Also, driveways shall not be constructed within the curb return of a street intersection.
K.
All Type II and III driveways on undivided arterial streets shall be designed to align with opposing streets or driveways or be offset by a minimum of 120 feet (measured from edge to edge). All Type II and III driveways on undivided collector streets shall be designed to align with opposing streets or driveways or be offset by a minimum of 80 feet (measured from edge to edge). All Type II and III driveways on divided streets shall be designed to align with median breaks or be offset by a minimum of 100 feet (measured from the nose of the median to the nearest edge of the driveway). Alignment of driveways with opposing streets is discouraged for signalized intersections unless approved by the Directors of the Public Works Department and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department. When such a design is approved, the driveway approach may be constructed without an apron and the maximum driveway widths in Table 5-2 may be increased to match the cross-section of the opposing street.
L.
Premises used as a motor or drive through bank or parking garage may have driveway approaches as approved by the Directors of the Public Works Department and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department. Said approaches shall be utilized for drive-in facilities and shall not be utilized for angle or head-in parking.
M.
It is desirable to minimize the number of driveways on an arterial street in order to reduce the number of conflict points and facilitate traffic flow. The dimension in Table 5-2 for spacing between driveways should be increased whenever possible so that the number of driveways can be reduced. It is recognized, however, that certain existing tracts may not be able to fully comply with these standards due to limited frontage or other constraints. When compliance with criteria stated in Table 5-2 is precluded due to the location of driveways on adjoining properties, attempts should be made to obtain alternative access where feasible, including joint access driveways, access easements to adjoining properties or access to intersecting streets.
N.
The throat lengths in Table 5-2 may be reduced, if approved by the Watershed Protection and Development Review Department and the Directors of the Public Works Department and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department, after considering the following factors:
1.
Physical constraints on the site, such as existing structures;
2.
The impact upon on-site circulation;
3.
Shallow lot depths or unusual lot configurations;
4.
Existing or potential traffic movements which are unsafe or which have an adverse effect on traffic operations;
5.
Traffic volumes and classification on the driveway and the intersecting street;
6.
Alternatives to the proposed design;
7.
Other information presented by the applicant; and
8.
For existing sites, the extent of redevelopment proposed.
Throat lengths in excess of those shown in Table 5-2 may be required by the Directors of the Public Works Department and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department if justified by the findings of a traffic impact analysis or queuing study.
O.
Right-turn deceleration lanes should be considered on approach to driveways when criteria indicated in Figure 5-3 in Appendix H of this manual is met.
P.
Driveway Grade Breaks.
The following has been adapted from the ITE report, Guidelines for Driveway Designs and Locations. Figure 5-4 in Appendix H of this manual reflects acceptable driveway profile intended to limit abrupt changes in grades. These standards should eliminate the need for extremely low speeds and provide adequate vehicle clearance. The value of G1 is limited by shoulder slope or by the presence of a sidewalk within the right of way, but should not exceed ten (10) percent. If this grade exceeds ten (10) percent, then the tangent length shall be a minimum of 50 feet. The value of G2 for commercial and industrial driveways should be limited to six (6) percent and limited to ten (10) percent for multi-family driveways.
Where a driveway crosses or adjoins a sidewalk, walkway, or an accessible path of travel (as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990) the driveway grade shall be a maximum of two (2) percent, over a minimum throat length of three (3) feet contiguous with the sidewalk, thereby effectively matching the cross slope of the sidewalk or accessible path of travel across the full width of the driveway.
Q.
Channelized islands for limited movement driveways conforming to Figure 5-6 in Appendix H of this manual may be utilized, provided that the applicant establishes a maintenance agreement with the City.
Where a sidewalk, walkway, or an accessible path of travel, (as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990) crosses a limited movement driveway island, a minimum four (4) foot wide sidewalk, across the island to provide a continuous, uninterrupted detectable warnings at the boundaries between the sidewalks and the driveways. Comply with applicable requirements of the Sidewalks and Curb Ramps Section 4 of the City of Austin. Transportation Design Criteria Manual.
R.
As provided in Section 25-6-321 of the Land Development Code, existing driveways may be required to conform with the standards in this manual, including driveway closing, sidewalk and curb construction where appropriate, as a condition of the approval of any application for zoning, rezoning, or site plan, approval. In implementing any change in existing driveways, the Director of Public Works Department shall consider the recommendation of the Watershed Protection and Development Review Department.
S.
Refer to Section 4.2.3 and 4.2.5 of the Administrative Criteria Manual for the application of driveway standards to developed properties and properties with an approved site plan which are subject to right-of-way condemnation.
T.
Where divided driveways are proposed, on-site circulation must be designed to minimize driver confusion and reinforce the one-way traffic flow on either side of the driveway median.