§ 14-1-70. Overview of street design standards

(a) Compliance with Statutes. In laying out a subdivision, the owner shall conform to the provisions of Wis. Stats. ch. 236, and all applicable City of Greenwood regulations. In all cases where the requirements of this Chapter are different from the requirements of Wis. Stats. ch. 236, the more restrictive provision shall apply.

(b) Dedication. The subdivider shall dedicate land and improve streets as provided in this Chapter and Section 14-1-53. Streets shall be located with due regard for topographical conditions, natural features, existing and proposed streets, utilities and land uses and public convenience and safety. Streets shall conform to official maps adopted by the Common Council. The subdivision, certified survey parcel or land division shall be so designed as to provide each lot with satisfactory access to a public street or road.

(c) Compliance with Comprehensive Plan and Ordinances.

(1) The arrangement, character, features, and layout of land divisions in the City of Greenwood shall be designed to comply with the standards of this Chapter, the Comprehensive Plan, the Official Map, and/or any comprehensive utility plans or other planning documents which may pertain to the standards of design for land divisions and which have been adopted by the Common Council. Where no such planning documents have been adopted, subdivisions shall be designed according to engineering and planning standards approved by the City Engineer and applied so as to properly relate the proposed development with adjacent development, the topography, natural features, public safety and convenience, and the most advantageous development of undeveloped adjacent lands. The absence of a street being shown on the official map, streets shall be provided in locations determined necessary by the City Engineer and to the right-of-way widths required in this Article for the classification of street required.

(2) The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade, and location of all streets shall conform to City master plans, the Official Map, and to this Chapter, and other City planning documents and shall be considered in their relation to: existing and planned streets, reasonable circulation of traffic, topographical conditions, run-off of storm water, public convenience and safety, and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.

(3) The arrangement of streets in new subdivisions shall make provision for the appropriate continuation at the same or greater width of the existing streets in adjoining areas.

(d) Areas Not Covered by Official Map or Plan. In areas not covered by an Official Map or a City Comprehensive Plan, the layout of streets shall conform to the plan for the most advantageous development of adjoining areas of the neighborhood. Streets shall be designed and located in relation to existing and officially planned streets, topography and natural terrain, streams and lakes and existing tree growth, public convenience and safety and in their appropriate relation to the proposed use of the land to be served by such streets.

(e) Proposed Streets. Proposed streets shall extend to the boundary lines of the tract being subdivided unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions or unless, in the opinion of the Common Council, such extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision or land division or for the advantageous development of the adjacent tracts.

(f) Streets Classifications. Streets shall be required and classified by the City Engineer in accordance with the City's Comprehensive Plan and where not identified in said plan, in accordance with sound engineering standards, into the classifications indicated below:

(1) Arterial Streets. Arterial streets shall be arranged so as to provide ready access to centers of employment, centers of governmental activity, community shopping areas, community recreation, and points beyond the boundaries of the community. They shall also be properly integrated with and related to the existing and proposed system of major streets and highways and shall be, insofar as practicable, continuous and in alignment with existing or planned streets with which they are to connect.

(2) Collector Streets. Collector streets shall be arranged so as to provide ready collection of traffic from individual areas and conveyance of this traffic to the major street and highway system and shall be properly related to special traffic generators such as schools, churches and shopping centers and other concentrations of population and to the major streets into which they connect.

(3) Local/Minor Streets. Local streets shall be arranged to conform to the topography, to discourage use by through traffic, to permit the design of efficient storm and sanitary sewerage systems, and to require the minimum street area necessary to provide safe and convenient access to abutting property.

(4) Alleys. Alleys shall be located at rear property lines, shall discourage through traffic, shall serve less than fifty (50) vehicles/day, shall be intended to provide access to off-street loading and service areas and not primary access to parcels.

(g) Reserve Strips. Reserve strips shall not be provided on any plat to control access to streets or alleys, except where control of such strips is placed with the City under conditions approved by the Common Council.

(h) Alleys.

(1) Commercial and Industrial. Alleys may be provided in commercial and industrial districts. The width of the right-of-way for residential alleys shall be not less than twenty-four (24) feet and the width of the right-of-way for commercial and industrial alleys shall be not less than thirty-two (32) feet. Alleys shall be constructed according to base and surfacing requirements for streets.

(2) Residential. Alleys shall not be approved in residential areas unless necessary because of topography or other exceptional circumstances.

(3) Dead End. Dead-end alleys are prohibited except under very unusual circumstances, and crooked and "T" alleys shall be discouraged.

(4) Temporary Dead-End Streets. Temporary dead-end streets shall not be over six hundred (600) feet in total length, shall provide for an eventual intersection spacing meeting the requirements of this Chapter and shall provide for temporary cul-de-sacs or turnarounds as approved by the City Engineer. Temporary termination of streets intended to be extended at a later date shall be accomplished with a temporary cul-de-sac in accordance with the standards set forth above, or by construction of a temporary "T" intersection thirty-three (33) feet in width and thirty-three (33) feet in length abutting the right-of-way lines of the access street on each side.

(i) Permanent Dead-End Streets; Cul-De-Sac Streets. Permanent dead-end streets or cul-de-sacs shall not be longer than six hundred (600) feet in length. All urban cul-de-sac streets designed to have one end permanently closed shall terminate in a tear-drop turn-around having a minimum right-of-way radius of sixty (60) feet and a minimum outside curb radius of forty-eight (48) feet.

(j) Continuation. Streets shall be laid out to provide for possible continuation wherever topographic and other physical conditions permit. The use of cul-de-sacs shall be held to a minimum and permanently dead ended streets shall be prohibited. Provisions shall be made so that all proposed streets shall have a direct connection with, or be continuous and in line with, existing, planned or platted streets with which they are to connect. Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the tract to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless in the opinion of the Common Council, upon the recommendation of the Plan Commission, such extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision with existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.

(k) Minor Streets. Minor streets shall be so laid out so as to discourage their use by through traffic.

(l) Frontage Roads. Where a land division abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial highway, or railroad right-of-way, the subdivider shall provide a frontage road, platted access restriction along the property contiguous to such highway, or such other treatment as may be determined necessary by the City Engineer to ensure safe, efficient traffic flow and adequate protection of residential properties.

(m) Private Streets. Private streets shall not be approved nor shall public improvements be approved for any private street; all streets shall be dedicated for public use.

(n) Visibility. Streets shall afford maximum visibility and safety for motorist, bicycle, and pedestrian use and shall intersect at right angles, where practicable. A minimum sight distance with clear visibility, measured along the centerline, shall be provided of at least five hundred (500) feet on major thoroughfares, two hundred (200) feet on collector-distributor streets, and one hundred fifty (150) feet on all other streets.

(o) Tangents. A tangent at least one hundred (100) feet long shall be required between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets.

(p) Half Streets. Half streets shall not be platted unless necessary to provide the full width of an existing street platted to half width. All newly platted streets shall be platted to the required full width. Where a half street exists adjacent to a proposed land division, the subdivider shall endeavor to acquire and dedicate the remaining half street.

(q) Intersections.

(1) Angle of Intersect. Streets shall intersect each other at as nearly right angles as topography and other limiting factors of good design permit. The curved street shall intersect another street with not less than forty (40) feet of tangent right-of-way between the end of curvature and the right-of-way of the street being intersected.

(2) Number of Streets Converging. The number of streets converging at one (1) intersection shall be reduced to a minimum, preferably not more than two (2). Intersections of local streets shall be at least one hundred twenty-five (125) feet from each other.

(3) Number of Intersections — Arterial Streets. The number of intersections along arterial streets shall be held to a minimum. Wherever practicable, the distance between such intersections shall be not less than one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet, unless otherwise determined by the City Engineer to provide better safety.

(4) Local Street Spacing. Local streets and frontage roads intersecting with other local streets shall be spaced no closer than three hundred (300) feet between centerline and spaced no closer than eight hundred (800) feet between centerline on collector streets, unless otherwise approved by the Plan Commission.

(5) Property Lines at Street Intersections. Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a minimum radius of fifteen (15) feet, except that with all intersections with arterial and collector streets the radius shall be increased to twenty-five (25) feet or of a greater radius when required by the City Engineer.

(6) Local Streets. Local streets shall not necessarily continue across arterial or collector streets, but if the centerline of such local streets approach the major streets from opposite sides within one hundred fifty (150) feet of each other, measured along the centerline of the arterial or collector streets, then the location shall be so adjusted that the adjoinment across the major or collector street is continuous and a jog is avoided.

(7) Additional Sight Easements. At any intersection determined by the City Engineer, restricted development easements or additional street right-of-way shall be platted to provide for adequate sight distances in every direction of travel. At a minimum, the subdivider shall grade, clear or otherwise provide for an unobstructed sight triangle at all intersections incorporating the area within a triangle formed by the intersection of the street right-of-way lines and a point on each right-of-way line being not less than twenty-five (25) feet from the intersection point.

(r) Street Names.

(1) Duplication of existing street names by similar word, spelling, or sound shall not be permitted.

(2) Where a street maintains the same general direction except for curvilinear changes for short distances, the same name shall continue for the entire length of the street. House numbering difficulties shall be considered the determining factor in considering whether a change of name is necessary due to curvilinear changes.

(3) A street name shall be changed when required to conform to the proposed or existing house numbering base.

(4) A name which is assigned to a street which is not presently a through street, due to intervening land over which the street extension is planned, shall be continued for the separate portions of the planned through street.

(5) The following designations shall be used only in the situations indicated:

a. "Boulevard." A street with a divided pavement, either existing or planned. If the divided pavement ends but the street continues, the same street name and suffix shall continue.

b. "Lane." To be limited to a street, one (1) block long, not ending in a cul-de-sac.

c. "Circle." To be limited to a cul-de-sac of nine (9) lots or more.

d. "Court." To be limited to a cul-de-sac of eight (8) lots or less.

e. "Parkway." To be limited to a street abutting a park or greenway or creek.

(6) The maximum number of street names at one (1) intersection shall be three (3).

(7) Street names shall be assigned to avoid intersections which have the same exact street names.

(8) The name of any projection of a street shall remain unchanged even if the projection terminates in a cul-de-sac.

(9) The changing of a street name that does not duplicate an existing street name shall only be approved where such change will eliminate conflicts with other provisions of this Subsection.

(10) Service roads and highways served by them shall have the same street name and designation.

(11) Approval of street names on a preliminary plat will not reserve the names nor shall the City be required to accept such names at the time of final platting.

(12) A minimum number of letters is desirable in a street name. The maximum number of letters, not including the prefix or suffix, shall not exceed twelve (12).

(s) Limited Access Highway and Railroad Right-of-way Treatment. Whenever the proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to a limited access highway, arterial street or railroad right-of-way, the design shall provide the following treatment:

(1) Subdivision Lots. When lots within the proposed subdivision back upon the right-of-way of an existing or proposed limited access highway or a railroad, a planting strip at least twenty (20) feet in depth shall be provided adjacent to the highway or railroad in addition to the normal lot depth. This strip shall be part of the platted lots but shall have the following restriction lettered on the face of the plat: "This strip reserved for the planting of trees and shrubs, the building of structures hereon prohibited."

(2) Commercial and Industrial Districts. Commercial and industrial districts shall have provided, on each side of the limited access highway, arterial street or railroad, streets approximately parallel to and at a suitable distance from such highway or railroad for the appropriate use of the land between such streets and highway or railroad, but not less than one hundred fifty (150) feet.

(3) Streets Parallel to a Limited Access Highway. Streets parallel to a limited access highway or railroad right-of-way, when intersecting a major street and highway or collector street which crosses said railroad or highway, shall be located at a minimum distance of two hundred fifty (250) feet from said highway or railroad right-of-way. Such distance, where desirable and practicable, shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for the future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.

(4) Minor Streets. Minor streets immediately adjacent and parallel to railroad rights-of-way shall be avoided, and location of minor streets immediately adjacent to arterial streets and highways and to railroad rights-of-way shall be avoided in residential areas.

(t) Stream or Lake Shores. Stream or lake shores shall have a minimum of sixty (60) feet of public access platted to the low water mark at intervals of not more than one-half (½) mile as required by Wis. Stats. § 236.16(3).

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(u) Street and Pedestrian Way Design Standards. The minimum right-of-way and roadway width of all proposed streets shall be as specified by the comprehensive plan, comprehensive plan component, official map, neighborhood development study, or jurisdictional highway system plan, or if no width is specified therein, the minimum widths shall be as shown as follows. Street sections are for standard arterial streets only. Cross-sections for freeways, expressways and parkways should be based upon detailed engineering studies.

(1) Street Cross Sections — Urban Streets.

Type of Street or Public Way	Minimum Right-of-Way to be Dedicated	Minimum Dimensions
Arterial Streets (four-lane)	120 feet	*Dual 36-foot pavement (face of curb to face of curb)
		*24-foot median
		*7-foot tree banks (curb lawn)
		*4-foot sidewalks
		*1-foot outside sidewalks
Arterial Streets (two-lane)	80 feet	*48-foot pavement (face of curb to face of curb)
		*11-foot tree banks (curb lawn)
		*4-foot sidewalks
		*1-foot outside sidewalks
Collector Streets	80 feet	*48-foot pavement (face of curb to face of curb)
		*11-foot tree banks (curb lawn)
		*4-foot sidewalks
		*1-foot outside sidewalks
Minor Streets	66 feet	*36-foot pavement (face of curb to face of curb)
		*7-foot tree banks (curb lawn)
		*4-foot sidewalks
		*1-foot outside sidewalks
Minimum Cul-de-Sac	60 foot radius	*48-foot radius pavement
		*7-foot tree banks (curb lawn)
		*4-foot sidewalks
		*1-foot outside sidewalks
Cul-de-Sac Barrel	60 feet	*32-foot pavement (face to curb to face of curb)
		*9-foot tree banks (curb lawn)
		*4-foot sidewalks
		*1-foot outside sidewalks

 

(2) Street Cross Sections — Rural Streets.

Type of Street or Public Way	Minimum Right-of-Way to be Dedicated	Minimum Dimensions
Arterial Streets (four-lane)	130 feet	*Dual 24-foot pavement
		*18-foot median
		*10-foot outside shoulders
		*6-foot inside shoulder
		*16-foot roadside ditches
Arterial Streets (two-lane)	100 feet	*24-foot pavement
		*10-foot shoulders
		*28-foot roadside ditches
Collector Streets	None	None
Minor Streets	66 feet	*22-foot pavement
		*6-foot shoulders
		*16-foot roadside ditches
Minimum Cul-de-Sac	66-foot radius	*45-foot radius pavement
		*5-foot shoulders
		*16-foot roadside ditches
Cul-de-Sac Barrel	66 feet	*22-foot pavement
		*6-foot shoulders
		*16-foot roadside ditches

 

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(3) Street Grades.

a. Arterial streets: Six percent (6%).

b. Collector streets: Eight percent (8%).

c. Minor streets, alleys, frontage streets: Twelve percent (12%).

d. Pedestrian ways: Twelve percent (12%) unless steps or stairs of acceptable design are provided.

e. The grade of any street shall in no case exceed twelve percent (12%) or be less than one-half of one percent (0.5%).

(4) Radii of Curvature. When a continuous street centerline deflects at any one point by more than ten degrees (10°), a circular curve shall be introduced having a radius of curvature on said centerline of not less than the following:

a. Arterial street and highways: Five hundred (500) feet.

b. Collector streets: Three hundred (300) feet.

c. Minor Streets: One hundred fifty (150) feet.

Street grades shall be established wherever practicable so as to avoid excessive grading, the promiscuous removal of ground cover and tree growth, and general leveling of the topography. All changes in street grades shall be connected by vertical curves of a minimum length equivalent in feet to fifteen (15) times the algebraic difference in the rates of grade for arterial streets, and one-half (½) this minimum for all other streets.