All streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bridges, culverts, enclosed storm sewers, open drainage ditches and drainage structures, water and sanitary sewer lines, and other public improvements and utilities (collectively referred to in this section as "improvements") necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the city are required to be installed or constructed within a subdivision or plat, and shall be installed and constructed in accordance with the city's standards and specifications currently in effect at the time the plat is filed. Specifications for improvements shall be as reasonably determined by the director of the Capital Improvement Program ("CIP") department or designee.

Prior to the construction of the improvements listed in subsection (a) above, the person or entity constructing the improvements shall:

Outside city. All streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bridges, culverts, enclosed storm sewers, open drainage ditches and drainage structures and other public improvements required to be installed or constructed within a subdivision or plat outside the city but within five (5) miles of the corporate limits of the city shall be installed and constructed in accordance with the standards and specifications therefor adopted by the city or the commissioner's court of the county, whichever may have jurisdiction over the specific matter.

In a situation where a plat is required, until said plat has been approved and the applicant or owner has constructed the streets, curbs, gutters, paving, sidewalks, utilities and drainage facilities therein, in the manner provided in this chapter and other applicable ordinances of the city, and said facilities have been accepted by the city engineer, it shall be unlawful for any official of the city to serve or connect any public utilities owned, controlled or distributed by the city to any land, or any part thereof, covered by a plat, or to the owners or purchasers of the land, or any part thereof.

Until all the streets, utility and drainage facilities are constructed, in the manner provided in this chapter and other applicable ordinances of the city, and have been accepted by the city engineer, building permits shall be withheld, except when the following conditions are met:

Foundation permits may be issued for lots prior to completion of street, utility, and drainage facilities, provided that approved road access is available to the subject lots.

Undergrounding utilities.

Residential plats shall be designed to create desirable neighborhoods with peace, quiet, safety and beauty wherein high residential values may be maintained over a long period of time.

Commercial or industrial plats shall be designed to create safe, accessible and useful business and manufacturing districts which present a minimum of disturbance and annoyance to residential properties and to the traffic flow on major streets and highways. Plat design should place emphasis upon utility and spaciousness, allowing for automobile parking and for the movement of heavy vehicles, and the retention of natural features, and the inclusion of landscaping.

Every plat including within its boundaries property within an area of special flood hazard under Land Development Code Chapter 47 (Flood Damage Prevention) shall be designed in accordance with the standards established in said ordinance and shall include on the face of the plat any base flood elevation established thereunder and any floodway or other easements necessary thereunder.

The city manager, within the purview of such authority as established by city charter and ordinances of the City of Irving, may adopt, issuance or approve rules and regulations concerning technical procedures, requirements, and standards as deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

All subdivisions shall conform to the master plans and design criteria of the city.

Each lot within a subdivision shall abut upon a dedicated public street.

Block lengths shall be determined primarily by the requirements of adequate vehicular and pedestrian circulation into, out and through such new subdivision.

Residential blocks shall not be longer than sixteen hundred (1,600) feet or shorter than six hundred (600) feet measured along the centerline of the block between cross streets, except blocks that front a street or rear upon a major street, freeway, expressway, railroad, creek, river, public school site or park. A variance from the requirement of block length may be granted in cases of unusual topography or shape of the plat boundary.

In general, the side lot lines shall be approximately at right angles to straight street lines or radial to curved street lines. Lots with double frontage shall be avoided except where lots rear upon a major street, freeway or expressway, or except where, in the opinion of the city engineer, a variation of this rule will provide a better street and lot layout.

Front building lines conforming with the zoning regulations of the city or with any land use plan for the metropolitan area adopted by the city council or other building lines as required by the department of community development shall be shown on all lots.

This subsection (a) applies to any property in the city zoned for any type of single-family use.

All corner lots shall be at least seventy-five (75) feet wide, except corner lots adjacent to a segment of a side street upon which no property fronts; such segment is defined as that portion of a street between one (1) street intersection and the next intersection. Property zoned S-P-1, S-P-2, or Planned Unit Development with an approved development plan may be platted with corner lots laid out in accordance with the provisions of the approved site plan or development plan.

It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of the city to maintain the streets in any subdivision, and the city shall not accept or maintain such streets, until such streets have been surfaced, curbed and guttered, and the required utilities and drainage facilities have been installed in accordance with the standards and specifications of the city prescribed in this chapter and other applicable ordinances of the city, and such improvements have been accepted by the city, with such acceptance evidenced by written certificate of the city engineer.

Disapproval of a plat shall be deemed a refusal by the city to accept the offered dedication shown thereon.

Under the constitution and laws of the State of Texas and the provisions of this ordinance, the zoning power of the city is hereby exercised for the purpose of promoting the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the general public under a comprehensive plan designed to lessen congestion in the streets, to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers, to promote the health and general welfare of the general public, to provide adequate light and air, to prevent the overcrowding of land, to avoid undue concentration of population and to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public improvements, and the city council finds that transportation, water, sewerage, drainage and public utility facilities are not adequate to lessen congestion in the streets, to secure safety from fire and panic, to prevent insanitary conditions, to provide adequate light and air, to prevent the overcrowding of land, to avoid undue concentration of population, to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, drainage, sewerage and other public requirements in the area zoned herein should any portion of said area be developed for residential or professional or commercial or industrial or agricultural or amusement or airport purposes and uses or a combination of any of said purposes and uses and the city shall regulate the use of all of the property rezoned herein in order to lessen the congestion in the streets, to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers, to promote the health and general welfare of the general public, to provide adequate light and air, to prevent the overcrowding of land, to avoid undue concentration of population and to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, drainage, sewerage and other public requirements and in so regulating the use of said property does hereby require that prior to the issuance of a building permit and certificate of occupancy that the primary means of access shall have a minimum right-of-way width along the entire frontage of the property in accordance with the master street plan of the City of Irving; and further, if property should be a corner lot, said property shall have access to both streets having a minimum right-of-way width prior to issuance of a building permit and certificate of occupancy in accordance with the master street plan of the City of Irving (corner lots shall be considered to front on each street for purposes of determining minimum right-of-way). Before the issuance of a building permit and certificate of occupancy, the owner shall cause to exist right-of-way for drainage, sewerage, water and utility as the director of public works shall determine to be reasonable and necessary to facilitate adequate provision for water, sewerage, drainage and utilities.

Nothing in the above provisions shall be interpreted as requiring the dedication of property.

In order to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers and to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, drainage, public utilities and prevent insanitary conditions, prior to the issuance of a building permit, the department of public works shall determine whether or not the owner of land zoned herein must file a plat showing existing and proposed watercourses, drainage, drainage ditches, widths and dimensions of proposed street or streets, alleys, easements, drainage facilities, lot lines, building setback lines, topographical information with contours at an interval of one foot referred to city data with reference to bench marks where available, which contours shall fall within one-third of a contour interval of their true location although contour intervals of five (5) feet may be allowed if the terrain is steep enough to warrant these intervals as well as other information reasonably required by the department of public works to determine the safety and effect of the proposed development and construction on the citizens of the City of Irving. No building permit shall be issued until the department of public works has either approved said plat or determined a plat is not required.

Notwithstanding any provisions above, a property shall not be required to be platted or replatted as a result of right-of-way acquisition by a governmental agency, as defined in Unified Development Code section 7.9, which would not otherwise be required to plat or replat.

New streets, whether public or private, shall be named so as to provide continuity of names with existing streets.

New streets, whether public or private, shall be named so as to not conflict with identical or similar names of existing streets, whether public or private in other parts of the city.

Names of all public or private streets are subject to approval by the city.

Street right-of-way widths and roadway cross-section design shall be in conformity with the requirements of the Comprehensive Plan Master Thoroughfare Plan as adopted by the city council.

Subdivisions need not follow a gridiron pattern. Courts, dead-end streets or other arrangements may be provided if proper access is given to all lots from a public or private dedicated street or court. All dead-end streets shall terminate in a cul-de-sac having a minimum radius as designated in the City of Irving's adopted Master Thoroughfare Plan.

Reserve strips controlling access to public streets shall be prohibited except where such control is definitely placed under the jurisdiction of the city.

When land proposed to be subdivided or platted is partially or totally bounded on one (1) or more sides by a street having a width less than that specified in this section, such land shall be laid out so as to provide the specified street widths. One-half of the additional right-of-way required shall be provided by the owner of the property on each side of the existing street.

A half street along adjoining property which has not been subdivided may be shown on the preliminary plat of an entire subdivision, but no lots abutting upon such half street shall be included in the final plat of such subdivision as approved.

Visibility requirements as specified by the city shall be required.

Regardless of whether the property has been previously platted, the building permit applicant will be responsible for the installation of sidewalks.

Sidewalks shall be constructed across the entire width of each lot upon which a new house or building is to be constructed in the city on the inside lots, and in front of and along each street abutting the lot upon which a new house or building is to be constructed in the city.

Such required construction of sidewalks shall be conditions precedent to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or final building inspection. Such requirement shall also apply to substantial improvement of any house or building where the value of the improvements exceeds fifty-one (51) percent of the current value. The city shall withhold utilities from the house or building involved until such sidewalks have been constructed. Sidewalks shall be placed on a grade and at a location determined and approved by the department of public works of the city and shall meet the specifications as set forth by such department.

When the owner or developer of a subdivision or lot installs a wall or fence between the development and an adjoining street, then such construction is considered to be improvements to lot and the installation of sidewalks are required with this wall or fence.

When sidewalks have been previously installed, the building permit applicant will be responsible for all repairs and damage regardless of whether such damage was associated with the construction of the building. No certificates of occupancy will be issued and no final building inspection will be approved until such time as repairs have been made.

When a building permit is issued adjacent to a street that does not have a curb and gutter, the requirement for the installation of a sidewalk may be waived by the city engineer where the installation conflicts with the right-of-way or drainage features.

Sidewalks shall be placed on a grade and a location determined and approved by the department of public works.

Request by individual property owner to construct. Any individual property owner may request permission of the city to place a sidewalk in front or along the side of his home or place of business, and after the request has been so made, the city shall furnish to the property owner, if it is possible to do so on an individual basis as regards all the facts pertaining to the street or part of the street in question, the location and specifications which the city will require as regards the installation of the sidewalk without charge to the property owner. If, as above stated, it is possible for the city to determine the location and specifications for the sidewalk, the property owner may install the sidewalk at his own expense.

Wherever possible, no trees shall be destroyed in order to effect the installation of any sidewalks in the city, but that the installation of the same shall be placed in such a manner as to go around the locations where trees exist.

A private street is the principal access easement between a public street and a platted lot which does not abut a public street. Such private street is not dedicated to the public and is not publicly maintained. The term "private street" shall include both the pavement and the easement area for such private street, but shall not include alleys whether publicly or privately maintained.

If the city council shall allow a subdivision of land into lots which do not abut public streets, such subdivision shall provide access for each such lot to and from a public street by means of a private street shown on the plat.

The specifications for private streets, including construction standards, widths, all geometric standards, grades and alignments, shall be the same as required for public streets. The width of the easement required for private streets shall be the same as required for the right-of-way of a public street of a similar projected carrying capacity.

Prior to recommendation of approval of the final plat by the department of public works, the subdivider shall provide construction plans of the proposed private streets which meet the same standards required for public streets. In addition, the construction of the private streets shall be inspected by the city and inspection fees shall be paid to the city just as if said private streets where public streets.

Utilities to any part of the subdivision shall not be connected unless and until the requirements of section 5.1.4(a-c) of this chapter are met, and the city engineer has issued a certification of compliance of proper construction of the private streets.

The area included within private street easements shall not be counted toward the minimum lot size requirements of the zoning ordinance.

All private street easements shall be treated as public street rights-of-way for purposes of determining the building setback required from such private street easements, as well as determining lot frontage.

Private streets shall be labeled as such on the plat, and such plat shall provide access easements over the private streets to the owners and residents served by said private streets. In addition, such plat shall provide access easements over the private streets to governmental service vehicles including, but not limited to law enforcement, fire, ambulance, sanitation, building inspection and health. The plat shall provide for perpetual maintenance of the private street by restrictive covenants which may not be altered without the approval of the city. The maintenance of private streets shall not be the responsibility of the City of Irving.

On the plat shall be language whereby the owners of lots served by private streets agree to release, indemnify, defend and hold harmless any governmental entity for damages to the private street occasioned by the reasonable use of the private street by the governmental entity, and for damages arising from the condition of said private street.

Except where alleys are provided, easements for public utilities shall be provided and dedicated to the public on each side of all rear lot lines and side lot lines where necessary for public use.

All easements shall have a total width of not less than ten (10) feet, and where two (2) lots have a common lot line, except where warranted by unusual conditions, one-half of the required width of an easement shall be upon each lot.

Easements of greater width may be required along or across lots where necessary for the extension of main sanitary sewers or other utilities or where both water and sanitary sewer lines are located in the same easement.

Easements for public utilities as required by the city shall be provided for and dedicated in the front of lots adjacent to street rights-of-way.