This article shall be known as the "Transportation Access Management System."

(Ord. No. 98-04, § 1, 4-6-98)

The Board of County Commissioners makes the following findings:

A.

The Flagler County Comprehensive Plan promotes efficient and effective use of the County's transportation infrastructure.

B.

The Flagler County Comprehensive Plan is aimed at protecting the levels of service on roadways.

C.

The Flagler County Comprehensive Plan promotes an aesthetically well-planned community.

D.

The Flagler County Comprehensive Plan depends on conserving transportation resources.

E.

Transportation access management has been utilized by Flagler County through its various development processes to minimize traffic conflicts, promote safety and maintain the capacity of roadways.

F.

Transportation access management, when effectively done, minimizes the impact of rapid growth, especially along transportation corridors.

G.

Effective transportation access management enhances commercial and residential property values.

H.

Effective transportation access management promotes the general health and welfare of the County.

(Ord. No. 98-04, § 2, 4-6-98)

Specific definitions of certain terms used in this article are:

A.

ADT: The ten-year projected Average Daily Traffic utilizing the roadway.

B.

Acceleration lane: That portion of the roadway adjoining the travel way for the purpose of enabling a vehicle entering a roadway to increase its speed to a rate at which it can safely merge with through traffic.

C.

Access point: The connection of a driveway at the right-of-way line to a roadway.

D.

Deceleration lane: That portion of the roadway adjoining the travel way for the purpose of enabling a vehicle exiting a roadway to decrease its speed to a rate at which it can safely enter an access point.

E.

Design speed: The speed determined for design and correlation of the physical features of a highway that influence vehicle operation. The maximum safe speed that can be maintained over a segment of roadway when conditions are so favorable that the design features of a highway govern.

F.

Divided highway: A roadway on which traffic traveling in opposite directions is separated by a physical barrier consisting of a grassed median, guardrail or some other means of delineating the directional lanes of traffic.

G.

Driveway: Ingress/egress across public right-of-way to private property.

H.

Function classification: The classification assigned to a roadway based on that roadway's function in the overall traffic operations of a particular area.

I.

Green Book: The short term identifying the Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance of Streets and Highways, published by the Florida Department of Transportation.

(Ord. No. 98-04, § 3, 4-6-98)

A.

General.

1.

All access locations shall have adequate sight distance available for the safe execution of entrance, exit and crossing maneuvers.

2.

Location of access points near structures or decision points shall be avoided.

3.

Driveways shall not be placed in proximity to intersections or other points that would tend to produce traffic conflicts.

4.

Spacing of access points shall be adequate to prevent conflict or mutual interference of traffic flow.

5.

Transportation access management improvements shall be designed to minimize the need for future transportation retrofitting, to preserve the designated level of service, and to promote community aesthetics by orienting improvements to maximize natural vistas and minimize sign clutter.

(Ord. No. 98-04, § 4, 4-6-98)

A.

A minimum number of driveways to accommodate access to and from adjacent property will be allowed. The following table shall be used to determine the driveway spacing on roads within the County:

Exceptions from the minimum spacing requirements may be granted by the County Engineer only when one (1) or more of the following conditions exist:

1.

Construction of a driveway in compliance with the spacing requirements would interfere with an in-use utility easement or above-ground utility structure;

2.

Construction of a driveway in compliance with the spacing requirements would destroy or ecologically compromise a wetland protected by the Comprehensive Plan or Land Development Code;

3.

Construction of a driveway in compliance with the spacing requirements would destroy or ecologically compromise a roadside hardwood tree canopy providing aesthetic appeal to the roadway; or

4.

The lot or parcel in question is a legal lot or parcel under the Land Development Code, and the amount of road frontage within the lot or parcel is inadequate based on the location of existing driveways or connections.

The exception shall be granted by the County Engineer based upon the applicant's presentation of written, photographic, survey or mapping information and, if granted, shall be only the minimum exception from the spacing standards necessary. In the event of an exception, the owner is entitled to reasonable access to and from the road system with the minimum number of connections, direct or indirect, necessary to provide safe ingress and egress to the road system based on the standards of this article, projected connection and roadway traffic volumes, and the type and intensity of the land use.

B.

Driveways or minor roadways on opposite sides of undivided roads functionally classified as collector or arterial roads shall either be aligned on the same centerline or offset the distance given in the above table for the posted speed. Requests for more than one (1) driveway will be considered based on the following criteria:

1.

Parcels (frontage length) shall be sufficient length to accommodate the requested driveways within the spacing listed in the above table; or

2.

A single driveway cannot accommodate the entering and exiting traffic without formation of queues of such length as to create a traffic hazard.

(Ord. No. 98-04, § 5, 4-6-98)

A.

General acceleration and/or deceleration lanes are not required for access points serving residences of fewer than ten (10) residential units.

B.

Acceleration lanes shall be the same width as the adjacent travel lane, but shall not be less than eleven (11) feet wide. The paved lane is to extend, at the approved width, for a distance equal to the length of the lane plus the length of the taper. Tapers shall be delineated by use of pavement markings. The length of acceleration lanes and tapers are shown in the following table:

When right-turn peak hour traffic from the driveway exceeds seventy-five (75) vehicles per hour, a right-turn acceleration lane is required that meets the criteria for the appropriate posted speed on that through road.

C.

Deceleration lanes shall be the same width as the adjacent travel lane, but not less than eleven (11) feet wide, for the full length of the deceleration lane and the taper. The taper shall be delineated by roadway markings. The length of deceleration lanes and tapers are shown in the following table:

*Tapers may be shortened on urban streets with reduced operating speeds to a ratio of eight (8) feet longitudinally for each foot of lane width, without reducing the total required length of lane.

D.

Continuous right-turn lanes shall be provided where:

1.

Driveway spacing is at or below the standard driveway spacing; or

2.

On roadways serving commercial development with lot frontages of three hundred (300) feet or less; or

3.

Where the installation of acceleration and deceleration lanes, in accordance with the criteria established in this section, would either overlap or driveway spacing would be such that less than one hundred (100) feet would separate the acceleration lane on one driveway from the deceleration lane on the next driveway.

Continuous right-turn lanes shall be not be less than twelve (12) feet in width and shall be striped and marked as right-turn lanes, even though portions of the lane will serve as an acceleration lane.

E.

Median openings between intersections on divided roadways shall be kept to a minimum; however, the need for such openings to provide for reduction of U-turns at street intersections and to allow left-turn movements from the traveled roadway to driveways where a substantial number of vehicles access a particular development or commercial area is recognized. The following table establishes the minimum spacing of median openings and/or the minimum distances from street intersection to a median crossing for driveway connections:

Left-turn deceleration lanes shall meet the requirements for right-turn deceleration lanes.

(Ord. No. 98-04, § 6, 4-6-98)