§ 6.1.4. Driveways and points of access.

(A)

Principles of design.

(1)

General application. Regulation of the configuration of driveways and limitations on the points of access from private property onto street systems are necessary to provide for safe and efficient control of vehicular movement.

(B)

Access requirements and restrictions. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(1)

All buildings and structures shall be on a lot that takes access from a paved street, alley, or road. All buildings and structures shall be located on lots in such a manner as to provide for safe and convenient access for servicing, fire protection, and required off-street parking. Driveways and points of access are further governed by Section 6.1.4. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(2)

Where commercially zoned property is adjacent to, but separated by a street from single family zoned property, the commercially zoned property shall not use such separating street as access unless no other means of ingress and egress to the commercially zoned property exists. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(3)

All improved lots shall have frontage on a paved private or public street. All access to improved lots shall be from a paved private or public street, road or alley. If paved access is not available the development must provide continuous paved access from the site to the nearest paved street, road or alley. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(4)

All streets and alleys shall be defined by being a dedicated right-of-way (for public streets) or as a tract of land (private streets). [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(C)

Design requirements. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(1)

Minimum width. A two-way driveway shall normally have a width of 24 feet. In instances where there are no points of conflict in the immediate vicinity of the driveway and the internal circulation system, the width may be approved at a minimum width of 20 feet. One-way points of ingress and egress shall have a width of 12 feet. These minimum provisions do not apply to detached single family development.

(2)

Maximum width. Exceptions to the normal 24 feet width may be granted for:

(a)

Points of ingress and egress to gasoline stations up to a maximum width of 36 feet;

(b)

Controlled access points into a shopping center may have a width greater than 24 feet when such width is necessary to handle the volume of traffic at the point of access; The need for such width shall be demonstrated through a traffic study;

(c)

Points of egress for Fire Stations and similar facilities which require ample maneuvering area.

Note: The above regulation prohibits "curb-cuts" greater than 24 feet and will, thus, not accommodate the practice of vehicles backing from the parking area of duplexes into adjacent streets, except from a 24 feet wide driveway. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(3)

Number, location, spacing, and stacking. The following spacing requirements shall be observed in the location and spacing of driveways.

(a)

Number. There shall be no more than two points of access into a non-residential development along any street unless the need for additional access is proven by a traffic study and the additional points of access are specifically granted through the site plan review process. [Amd. Ord. 08-10 4/20/10]

(b)

Location.

1.

No driveway shall be located within 25 feet of the extension of ultimate right-of-way lines at any intersection.

2.

No driveway shall be located within five feet of a property line except on the zero lot line side of a zero lot line development lot. [Amd. Ord. 08-10 4/20/10]

3.

Driveways at gasoline stations or convenience food stores shall not be within 15 feet of an interior property line.

4.

Access roads and driveways which access parking lot with more than 100 spaces shall be located so as to be directly across from or off-set by a minimum distance of 50 feet from existing driveways located on parcels or lots across a common street, unless cross access is prohibited by a median.

(c)

Spacing. A minimum distance of 25 feet shall be maintained between driveways located on the same parcel or lot.

(d)

Stacking. See Section 4.6.9(D)(3)(c). [Amd. Ord. 22-92 6/16/92]

(4)

Sight distance.

(a)

Sight distance pursuant to Section 4.6.14 shall be provided at the intersection of driveways and streets.

(5)

A nonpublic (private) access easement upon one Lot or Parcel which provides ingress and egress for one adjoining single family Lot (or Parcel) of Record, and similar uses, is excluded from the provisions of this Subsection (C).

(6)

Exemption of backing into alleys. The design requirements of this subsection (C) do not apply to situations where vehicles are allowed to back directly into adjacent alleys. All other subsections shall apply including A, B, and D. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(D)

Construction requirements. [Amd. Ord. 12-99 3/16/99]

(1)

Driveways may be constructed of concrete or asphalt. In addition, the City Engineer may approve an alternative surface type including, but not limited to, stamped concrete which creates a noticeable pattern in the finished product. When the alternative surface is loose rock (i.e. Chatahoochee) and there is a sidewalk in front of the property, the loose rock shall be limited to the private property side of the sidewalk (no loose stone in the right-of-way). If the City has to perform maintenance within the rights-of-way, any displaced stamped concrete will be replaced with a smooth, non-colored, non-stamped finish. At the discretion of the City Engineer, the stamped surface may be replaced with a similar stamped surface if the additional cost (over and above smooth, non-colored, non-stamped finish) is borne by the abutting property owner. Alternative surfaces other than stamped concrete will be replaced with material at the discretion of the City Engineer. [Amd. Ord. 5-98 1/20/98]

(2)

Driveways shall include that portion of the street located between the travelway (traffic lanes) and private property and said area shall be paved or improved with an alternative surface as approved by the City Engineer.

(3)

If an alternative driveway surface other than concrete is selected, the subbase is to comply with standards outlined in LDR Section 6.1.2 (C). [Amd. Ord. 5-98 1/20/98]

(4)

Maintenance of concrete, asphalt or alternative surface driveways constructed within the right-of-way is the responsibility of the abutting property owner. [Amd. Ord. 5-98 1/20/98]

(5)

All property owners, including but not limited to, duplexes, multi-family and commercial, but, excluding single family homes, that are not in compliance with Section 6.1.4, prior to the adoption of this ordinance, shall be required to come into compliance with Section 6.1.4 within three years of the adoption of this Ordinance. Persons that received a variance exempting the property from this requirement or approval from the City Engineer allowing another type of surface prior to the effective date of this ordinance are not required to comply with the provisions of this ordinance. [Amd. Ord. 29-01 5/1/01]