150.1.

Suitability of land. Land subject to flooding, improper drainage, or erosion, or which is for topographical, geological or other reasons unsuitable for residential use, shall not be platted for residential use or for other uses that will continue to increase the danger to health, safety, or property destruction, unless the hazards can be and are corrected.

150.2.

Name of subdivision. The name of the subdivision must have the approval of the City Council. The name shall not duplicate nor closely approximate the name of any existing subdivision.

150.3.

Access. Access to every subdivision shall be provided over a public street.

150.4.

Through traffic. Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.

150.5.

Conformance to adopted major thoroughfare and other plans.

All street and other features of the major thoroughfare plan of the City of Buena Vista, Georgia, shall be platted by the subdivider in the location and to the dimension indicated on the major street plan adopted by the City Council.

When features of other plans adopted by the City Council (such as schools or other public building sites, parks, or other land for public use) are located in whole or in part in a land subdivision, such features shall be either dedicated or reserved by the subdivider for acquisition within a reasonable time by the appropriate public agency.

151.1.

Continuation of existing streets. Existing streets shall be continued at the same or greater width, but in no case less than the required width.

151.2.

Connections with future subdivisions. Streets shall be reserved at strategic locations to provide for future access to adjoining properties which may be subdivided in the future. Each street connection shall intersect property lines at a 90-degree angle.

151.3.

Street names. Street names shall require the approval of the City Council. Streets that are obviously in alignment with streets already in existence and already named shall be given the name of the existing streets. Names of new streets shall not duplicate or closely approximate those existing streets.

151.4.

Street jogs. Street jogs with centerline offsets less than 125 feet shall not be permitted.

151.5.

Cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets shall be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having a property line radius of at least 50 feet with an outside pavement radius of at least 40 feet.

151.6.

Development along major streets, limited-access highways or railroad rights-of-way. Where a subdivision abuts or contains an expressway, freeway, arterial or collector street, or a railroad right-of-way, the City Council may require a street approximately parallel to and on each side of such right-of-way either as a marginal access street or at a distance suitable for an appropriate use of intervening land, with a non-access reservation suitably planned. Due regard should be given requirements for approach grades and future grade separations in determining distances. Lots shall have no access to expressways, freeways, or arterial streets, but only to an accessible street in which case the City Council may require double frontage lots.

151.7.

Half streets. Half streets shall be prohibited except where essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conformity with the other requirements of these regulations, and where the City Council finds it will be practical to require the dedication of the other half when the adjoining property is subdivided, the other half of the street shall be platted within such tract.

151.8.

Alleys. The requirements for providing alleys within a subdivision are as follows:

151.8.1.

Alleys shall be provided in multifamily, commercial, and industrial districts, except where other definite and assured provision is made for service access such as off-street parking, loading and unloading consistent with and adequate for the uses proposed.

151.8.2.

Alleys shall not be provided in one- and two-family residential developments unless the subdivider provides evidence satisfactory to the City Council of the need for alleys.

151.8.3.

Alley intersections and sharp changes in alignment shall be avoided, but, where necessary, corners shall provide sufficient radius to permit safe vehicular movements.

151.8.4.

Dead-end alleys shall be avoided where possible, but, if unavoidable, shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities at the dead-end as determined by the City Council.

151.9.

Reserve strips and easements.

151.9.1.

Reserve strips controlling the access to streets shall be prohibited except where this control is definitely placed in the hands of the City Council under conditions approved by the City Council. The City Council may restrict access to expressways, freeways, arterial and collector streets by requiring all lots to face and have access to only minor streets.

151.9.2.

Easements having a minimum width of ten feet and located along the side or rear lot lines shall be provided, as is necessary, for utility lines and underground mains and cables. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater or drainage right-of-way of adequate width. Parallel streets may be required by the City Council therewith.

152.1.

The minimum street right-of-way widths shall be as follows:

(1)

Freeways and expressways: 150 feet.

(2)

Arterial streets: 100 feet.

(3)

Collector streets: 80 feet.

(4)

Minor commercial and industrial streets: 60 feet.

(5)

Minor residential streets: 60 feet.

(6)

Dead-end streets (cul-de-sacs): 50 feet.

(7)

Marginal access streets: 50 feet.

(8)

Alleys: 20 feet.

152.2

The City Council may require a larger right-of-way than those listed in section 152.1.

153.1.

Street intersections. Street intersections shall be as nearly at right angles as possible with no street intersection being at any angle of less than 75 degrees.

153.2.

Right-of-way radius. The streets right-of-way radius at street intersections shall be at least 20 feet. Where the angle of street intersection is less than 90 degrees, the City Council may require a longer radius.

153.3.

Additional width on existing streets. Subdivisions that adjoin existing streets shall dedicate additional rights-of-way, if needed, to meet the minimum street width requirements set forth in section A-152.

153.3.1.

The entire right-of-way shall be provided where any part of the subdivision is on both sides of the existing streets.

153.3.2.

When the subdivision is located on only one side of an existing street, one-half of the required right-of-way, measured from the centerline of the existing roadway, shall be provided.

154.1.

Design lengths and widths. Block lengths and widths shall be determined based on the following requirements:

154.1.1.

Blocks shall not be greater than 2,200 feet nor less than 400 feet in length.

154.1.2.

Blocks shall be wide enough to provide two tiers of lots of minimum depth, except where abutting upon major streets, limited-access highways or railroads, or where other situations make this requirement impractical, in which case the City Council may approve a single tier of lots of minimum depth.

154.1.3.

Blocks shall have pedestrian walkways not less than ten feet wide, where deemed essential, to provide circulation, or access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation and other community facilities.

154.2.

Lot sizes. Lot dimensions shall conform to the requirements set forth in the zoning districts in which the land to be subdivided is located. Residential corner lots shall have adequate width to permit appropriate building setback from and orientation to both abutting streets.

154.3.

Building lines. A building line meeting the front and side yard setback requirements of the zoning district in which the subdivision is located shall be established on all lots.

154.4.

Lots abutting dedicated streets. Each lot shall abut a dedicated street.

154.5.

Double frontage lots. Double frontage lots should be avoided except where essential to provide separations of residential development from traffic arterials or to overcome specific disadvantage of topography and orientation. A planting screen easement of at least ten feet, and across which there shall be no right of access, shall be provided along the line of lots abutting such a traffic artery of other disadvantage use.

155.1.

Modifications of the provisions set forth in the subdivision regulations may be authorized by the City Council in specific cases when, in its opinion, undue hardship may result from strict compliance; provided only such determination shall be based fundamentally on the fact that unusual topographical and other exceptional conditions requiring such modifications will not adversely affect the general public or nullify the intent of these regulations; provided further that any such modifications granted by the City Council shall be made in writing to the subdivider and also made a part of the City Council's records and the plat.

155.2.

Application for any modifications must be filed in writing with necessary supporting documents with the reasons and facts supporting the application.

156.1.

Application procedure.

156.1.1.

Stormwater management plans shall be submitted to the Building Department or City Engineer for approval. These plans shall comply with the requirements set forth in section 156.2 below.

156.1.2.

The City Engineer and/or Zoning Enforcement Officer may require that the plans be certified by a state-registered civil engineer to ensure compliance with all regulations.

156.2.

Standards for stormwater management.

156.2.1.

A combination of storage and controlled release of stormwater runoff shall be required when the proposed development shall increase the peak rate of runoff by more than one percent for a ten-year frequency storm;

156.2.2.

Should the peak rate of stormwater runoff from the site exceed the permitted peak release rate, then on-site retention or detention shall be required. All retention or detention facilities shall be designed for all intensities up to and including the 100-year frequency for all duration of rainfall. All stormwater management facilities shall comply with the provisions of the Buena Vista Stormwater Ordinance. The peak runoff from the site after the development shall not be greater than the permitted peak release rate; and

156.2.3.

The live retention or detention storage to be provided shall be calculated on the basis of the 100-year frequency rainfall, as published by the National Weather Service for the affected site. The retention or detention volume required shall be that necessary to handle the runoff of the 100-year rainfall for any and all duration from the proposed development, less than that volume discharged during the same duration at the approved release rate as specified above.

156.3.

Permit. A stormwater management plan approved by the City Engineer and/or Zoning Enforcement Officer shall constitute a permit that will satisfy the requirements of this section.