§ 6-3-2. Driveway requirements

(a) General Requirements. The location, design and construction of driveways shall be in accordance with the following:

(1) General Design. Private driveways shall be of such width and so located that all of such driveways and their appurtenances are within the limits of the frontage abutting the street of the property served. Driveways shall not provide direct ingress or egress to or from any street intersection area and shall not encroach upon or occupy areas of the street right-of-way required for effective traffic control or for street signs or signals. A driveway shall be so located and constructed that vehicles approaching or using it shall have adequate sight distance along the street. Driveway approaches shall be at least ten (10) feet apart except by special permission from the Director of Public Works, and driveways shall in all cases be placed wherever possible as not to interfere with utilities in place.

(2) Number. The number of driveways to serve an individual property fronting on a street shall be one (1), except where deemed necessary and feasible by the Common Council for reasonable and adequate service to the property, considering the safety, convenience and utility of the street.

(3) Island Area. The island area in the street right-of-way between successive driveways or adjoining a driveway and between the highway shoulder and right-of-way shall constitute a restricted area and may be filled in and graded only as provided in Subsection (a)(6).

(4) Drainage. The surface of the driveway connecting with street cross sections shall slope downward and away from the highway shoulder a sufficient distance to preclude ordinary surface water drainage flowing onto the street roadbed. No driveway apron shall extend out into the street further than the face of the curb, and under no circumstances shall such driveway apron extend into the gutter area. All driveway entrances and approaches shall be so constructed that they shall not interfere with the drainage of streets, side ditches, or roadside areas or with any existing structure on the right-of-way.

(5) Reconstruction of Sidewalks and Curb and Gutter. When the construction of a driveway requires the removal of a curb or gutter the new connections shall be of equivalent acceptable material and curb returns shall be provided or restored in a neat, workmanlike manner. The driveway surface shall be connected with the highway pavement and the sidewalk, if any, in a neat, workmanlike manner. The driveway construction shall include the replacement of such sidewalk areas which are inadequate or which are or may be damaged by means of vehicle travel across the sidewalk. All driveway entrances and approaches which are constructed across sidewalks shall be paved in accordance with the requirements for sidewalk construction in Section 6-2-2 of this Code insofar as such requirements are applicable, including thickness requirements. Standard thickness of residential driveway approaches will be six (6) inches thick.

(6) Restricted Areas. The restricted area between successive driveways may be filled in and graded only when the following requirements are complied with:

a. The filling or draining shall be to grades approved by the Director of Public Works and, except where highway drainage is by means of curb and gutter, water drainage of the area shall be directed away from the street roadbed in a suitable manner.

b. Culvert extensions under the restricted area shall be of the same size and of equivalent acceptable material as the culvert under the driveway. Intermediate manholes adequate for cleanout purposes may be required where the total culvert length is excessive.

c. Where no street side ditch separates the restricted area from the street roadbed, permanent provision may be required to separate the area from the street roadbed to prevent its use for driveway or parking purposes by construction of a border, curb, rail or posts as may be required by the Director of Public Works.

(7) Relocation of Utilities. Any costs of relocating utilities shall be the responsibility of the property owner with approval of the Director of Public Works necessary before any utility may be relocated and the driveway installed.

(8) Construction Across Sidewalks. All driveway entrances and approaches which are constructed across sidewalks shall be paved in accordance with the requirements for sidewalk construction in Section 6-2-2 of this Code insofar as such requirements are applicable, including thickness requirements.

(9) Surfacing. New driveways shall be hardsurfaced within one (1) year of driveway permit issuance.

(10) Variances. Any of the above requirements may be varied by the Common Council in such instances where the peculiar nature of the property or the design of the street may make the rigid adherence to the above requirements impossible or impractical.

(b) Special Requirements for Commercial and Industrial Driveways. The following regulations are applicable to driveways serving commercial or industrial establishments:

(1) Width of Drive. The maximum permitted width of a commercial or industrial driveway approach shall be thirty-five (35) feet at the curb line, except as increased by permissible radii. In instances where the unique nature of the commercial or industrial activity or the physical characteristics of the land would require a driveway of greater width than herein specified, the Common Council in its discretion may permit a driveway of additional width.

(2) Angular Placement of Driveway. The angle between the center line of the driveway and the curb line shall not be less than 45°.

(3) Island Areas. Where the public sidewalk is adjacent to the curb, an island of a minimum length of six (6) feet measured along the curb line shall be placed between each entrance to a City street. The curb shall be left intact for the length of this island. Where the public sidewalk is remote from the curb, an island of a minimum length of ten (10) feet measured along the right-of-way line shall be maintained along each entrance to the City street. All flares shall be tangent to the curb line. A curb length of not less than three (3) feet shall be left undisturbed adjacent to each property line to serve as an island area in the event an adjoining property owner applies for a driveway permit to serve his/her property.

(c) Special Requirements for Residential Driveways. The following regulations are applicable to driveways serving residential property:

(1) Angular Placement. The center line of the drive may be parallel to the property line of the lot where access is required or at right angles to the curb line.

(2) Width.

a. A single-width driveway running from the street access to a garage or parking pad shall not utilize more than fifteen percent (15%) of any front yard or exceed twenty-four (24) feet in width, except for front yards with a front footage width of less than seventy (70) feet in which case the maximum width for a single driveway shall be eleven (11) feet.

b. A double-width driveway running from the street access to a garage or parking pad shall not utilize more than twenty-seven percent (27%) of any front yard; provided, the maximum width of a driveway shall not exceed twenty-four (24) feet in any case and shall not exceed eighteen (18) feet for front yards with a front footage width of less than seventy (70) feet.

c. A triple-width driveway running from the street access to a garage or parking pad shall not utilize more than thirty-three percent (33%) of any front yard; provided that the maximum width of a driveway shall not exceed thirty (30) feet in any case, and shall not be permitted for front yards with a front footage width of less than one hundred ten (110) feet.

(d) Appeal from Permit Refusal. Any person feeling himself/herself aggrieved by the refusal of the Director of Public Works to issue a permit for a private driveway may appeal such refusal to the Common Council within twenty (20) days after such refusal to issue such permit is made.

(e) Prohibited Driveways.

(1) No person, firm or corporation shall place, construct, locate in, or cause to be placed, constructed or located in, any obstruction or structure within the limits of any public road, highway or street in the City of Greenwood except as permitted by this Section. As used herein the word "structure" includes private driveways, a portion of which extends into any public road, highway or street, and which is in non-conformance with this Chapter.

(2) No driveway shall be closer than thirty-five (35) feet to the extended street line at an intersection. At street intersections a driveway shall not provide direct ingress or egress to or from the street intersection area and shall not occupy areas of the roadway deemed necessary by the City for effective traffic control or for highway signs or signals.

(3) The grade of that portion of any private driveway or pedestrian path located within the limits of any public road, highway or street shall be such as shall meet the grade of the existing public roadway at its edge and not cause an obstruction to the maintenance or clearing of such public roadway.

(4) No driveway apron shall extend out into the street further than the facing of the curb and under no circumstances shall such driveway apron extend into any gutter area. All driveway entrances and approaches shall be constructed as not to interfere with the drainage of streets, side ditches or roadside areas, or with any existing structure on the right-of-way.

(5) No portion of any curb, parapet or retaining wall, rising above the grade of the driveway, erected by the owner of the premises involved shall extend beyond the culvert spanning the water course located in such public way.

(f) Culvert Construction Standards.

(1) Size. Culverts shall be installed prior to construction work being commenced on the property served. No pipe smaller than twelve (12) inches in diameter (or equivalent elliptical or arch pipe) will be allowed. All culverts shall be constructed of galvanized steel or reinforced concrete, and shall be of new manufacture, unless specifically excepted by the Director of Public Works.

(2) Gauge.

a. The minimum wall thickness for the galvanized steel pipe culverts shall be in accordance with the following:

Pipe Diameter	Gauge
15 to 24 inch	16
30 to 36 inch	14
42 to 54 inch	12
60 to 72 inch	10
78 to 84 inch	8

 

b. The class of reinforced concrete pipe shall be in accordance with the following:

Height of Cover (in feet)	Class of Pipe
0-2	IV
2-3	III
3-6	II

 

(3) Drainage. The culverts shall be placed in the ditchline at elevations that will assure proper drainage.

(4) Endwalls. Culverts shall be provided with a concrete or metal apron endwalls as directed by the Director of Public Works.

(5) Backfill Material. Material used for backfill shall be of a quantity acceptable to the Director of Public Works and shall be free from frozen lumps, wood, or other extraneous or perishable materials. The minimum cover, measured from the top of the pipe to the top of the subgrade, shall be six (6) inches.

(6) Erosion Control. Erosion control measures shall be implemented as necessary to control erosion, or as directed by the Director of Public Works.

(7) Distance. The distance between culverts under successive driveways shall not be less than ten (10) feet except as such restricted area is permitted to be filled pursuant to Subsection (a)(6).

(8) Cost. The property owner shall install the culvert and be responsible for the cost thereof. The property owner shall keep his/her culverts unobstructed and clean.

(9) Appeal. Persons may request a variance from the culvert requirements of this Section by filing a written appeals request with the City Clerk-Treasurer, who shall place the matter as an agenda item for the Common Council's next meeting. The Common Council may only waive the requirement for a culvert upon a finding that unique physical characteristics of the location in question render a culvert unnecessary. The Director of Public Works may be asked to render an opinion on the request.