The quality of design of the urban area is dependent on the quality of design of the individual subdivisions that compose it. Good community design requires the coordination of the efforts of each subdivider and developer of land within the urban area. Therefore, the design of each subdivision shall be prepared in accordance with the principles established by the Noble General Plan for land use, circulation, community facilities and public utility services and in accordance with the following general principles:

1.

It is intended that the Noble urban area shall be designed as a group of integrated residential neighborhoods and appropriate commercial, industrial and public facilities. The neighborhood, as a planning unit, is intended as an area principally for residential use, and of size that can be served by one elementary school. Space for religious, recreational, educational and shopping facilities to serve the residents of the neighborhood should be provided and designed as an integral part of each neighborhood;

2.

The size of lots and blocks and other areas for residential, commercial, industrial and public uses should be designed to provide adequate light, air, open space, landscaping with living plants and off-street parking and loading facilities;

3.

The arrangement of lots and blocks and the street system should be designed to make the most advantageous use of topography and natural physical features. Tree mosses and large individual trees should be preserved. The system of sidewalks, bicycle paths and roadways and the lot layout should be designed to take advantage of the visual qualities of the area;

4.

Circulation within the urban area should be provided in accordance with the following design principles:

a.

Major streets should be located on the perimeter of the residential neighborhood;

b.

Minor streets should be designed to provide access to each parcel of land under separate ownership and to sub-areas of apartment complexes within residential district in a manner that will discourage use by through traffic. They should be planned so that future expansion will not require the conversion of minor streets to major streets;

c.

Commercial or industrial subdivisions should have access to a major street by means of a street system designed for such use, but they should not have access to residential streets in such a manner that encourages or promotes the movement of foreign traffic through residential neighborhoods;

d.

Collector streets should be designed to provide a direct route from other minor streets to the major street and expressway system and to provide access to public facilities within the neighborhood; however, collector streets should not be aligned in a manner that will encourage their use by through traffic;

e.

Ingress and egress to single family residential properties should be provided only on minor streets;

f.

Pedestrian ways should be separated from roadways used by vehicular traffic. Sidewalks should be designed to provide all residential building sites with direct access to all neighborhood facilities, including the elementary school, parks and playgrounds, churches and shopping centers; and

g.

Bicycle lanes and bicycle paths should be separated from vehicular and pedestrian traffic and should be designed to provide access to major focal points within and beyond the neighborhood; and

5.

Minimum standards for development are contained in this code (including this chapter). However, the Noble General Plat expresses policies designed to achieve optimum quality of development in the urban and suburban areas. If only the minimum standards are followed, as expressed by the various Planning and Zoning Codes regulating land development, a standardization of minimum development will occur. This will produce a monotonous urban setting. Subdivision design should be of a quality to carry out the purpose and spirit of the policies expressed in the Noble General Plan and in this chapter rather than be limited to the minimum standards required herein.

A.

Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial districts, except that this requirement may be waived where, in the opinion of a majority of the memberships of the Planning Commission, other definite and assured provision is made for utility easements, emergency access and service access, such as off-street loading, unloading and parking consistent with and adequate for the uses proposed.

B.

Alleys serving commercial and industrial areas shall not be less than thirty (30) feet in width.

C.

Alleys are not required for residential areas, but when provided shall not be less than twenty (20) feet in width.

D.

Alley intersections and sharp changes in alignment shall be avoided, but where necessary corners shall be cut off sufficiently to permit safe vehicular movement.

E.

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 either the Fire Chief or City Administrator.

In the development of land in the urban area, whether according to traditional patterns or under a variation of Planned Unit Development, adequate consideration shall be given to fire, sanitation and police protection. Pursuant to this end, the following guidelines are mandatory:

1.

No dwelling unit site shall be located more than four hundred (400) feet, measured from the extremity of the site, from an accessible street improved to City standards;

2.

Each dwelling unit shall have an entry located not more than one hundred and fifty (150) feet from a parking lot, private drive or public street, accessible and usable for emergency vehicles; and

3.

All building facades shall be serviced by fire hydrants installed in accord with the standards and specifications of the code of the City and so located such that totality of each facade can be serviced by not more than three hundred (300) feet of fire hose laid down by a fire vehicle.

A.

The lengths, widths and shapes of blocks shall be determined with due regard to the following:

1.

Provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of use contemplated;

2.

Zoning requirements applicable to lot sizes and dimensions;

3.

Needs for convenient access, circulation, control and safety of street traffic; and

4.

Limitations and opportunities of topography.

B.

Blocks for residential use shall not be longer than fifteen hundred (1,500) feet, measured along the centerline of the block. When a block exceeds seven hundred (700) feet in length, the Planning Commission may require a dedicated easement not less than five (5) feet in width and a paved crosswalk not less than five (5) feet in width with a forty-eight (48) inch high chain link fence on both sides.

C.

Blocks used for residential purposes should be of sufficient width to allow for two (2) tiers of lots of appropriate depth, except in those cases where one tier of lots rears into a railroad, a major street as defined herein or a different use area.

D.

Blocks intended for business and industrial use should be of a width and depth suitable for the intended use, with due allowance for off-street parking and loading facilities and such blocks shall abut a street dedicated to the public on at least one side.

A.

Front yard building lines and exterior side yard building lines shall be provided in accordance with the front yards and exterior side yards established for the various districts in this code.

B.

Restrictions requiring buildings to be located within the building lines shown on the plat shall be set forth on the plat.

A.

The subdivider shall dedicate to the public appropriate easements to the end that each and every lot, piece or parcel of land within a subdivision shall have access to all available essential public utilities.

B.

Where alleys are not provided, easements not less than ten (10) feet wide shall be provided along the rear of each lot and along side lot lines, where necessary, for use by public and private utilities. Aerial easements and easements of greater width for either the extension of main storm and sanitary sewers and other utilities or the accommodation of utilities in unique situations such as, but not limited to, lots rearing into unplatted land may be required where it is deemed necessary on advice for the City Administrator, City Engineer or City inspector.

C.

Where a subdivision is traversed by a water course, drainage channel or stream, there shall be provided a right-of-way and access thereto for drainage and public parks and public utility purposes in accord with the code of the City.

D.

Pipe lines carrying petroleum products shall be located in a dedicated easement of not less than fifty (50) feet in width. The required width of a dedicated easement may be greater than fifty (50) feet on the advice of the City Administrator.

E.

In all subdivisions located in the agricultural districts and in the residential estate districts, utility easements having a minimum width of twenty (20) feet shall be provided adjacent to and outside of the designated right-of-way of all dedicated and private streets.

A.

Residential lots for single family detached dwelling units and duplexes shall be not less than fifty-five (55) feet in width at the front building line and shall abut a street a distance of not less than thirty-five (35) feet.

B.

Residential lots for multifamily development shall abut a public street for a distance of not less than fifteen percent (15%) of the sum of the perimeter dimensions of the lot; provided, however, that for lots located at the terminal end of the cul-de-sac this requirement may be reduced to ten percent (10%) of the sum of the perimeter dimensions of such lots.

C.

Side lot lines shall be approximately at right angles to straight street lines or radial to curved street lines.

D.

The depth of residential lots, other than townhouse lots, shall not be less than one hundred nine (109) feet.

E.

The area of residential lots shall not be less than that which is required by this code.

F.

Double frontage and reverse frontage lots should be avoided except where they are needed to provide for the separation of residential development from major streets or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation. A planting screen easement of at least ten (10) feet shall be provided along the portion of the lots abutting such a major street or other uses where screening is required. There shall be no right of access across a planting screen easement, except where sidewalks and/or bicycle paths are deemed appropriate.

G.

For corner lots, but not including those in midblock siding on crosswalk rights-of-way, a twenty-five (25) foot cutback with chord shall be required; provided, however, if in the opinion of the Planning Commission there is an existing or potential future need, a larger cut-back not to exceed forty (40) feet may be required. On lots reserved to business use, the cut-back shall not be less than twenty-five (25) feet.

H.

Corner lots, including those in midblock siding on a crosswalk right-of-way and butt or key lots for residential use shall be at least ten (10) feet wider than interior lots.

I.

Lots are not required for subdivisions for commercial and industrial use where a block is to be developed and retained under a single ownership. When provided, lots should be of appropriate size and arrangement to provide for adequate off-street parking and loading facilities based on the intended use and such lots shall abut a public street, frontage or otherwise, on a minimum of one side.

J.

All proposed plats for the development of R-1-D (Single Family Residential) Zoning Districts filed with the City of Noble after August 16, 2010, shall designate on the face of said proposed plat a minimum of 25% of the total platted residential lots to require the construction of dwellings with a minimum of 1500 square feet of living area, exclusive of garages or detached structures.

(Ord. No. 496, § 2, 8-16-2010)

Whenever a subdivision is developed as a neighborhood unit, as defined in the Noble General Plan, wherein adequate park or playground area is provided, through traffic is adequately cared for and the majority of the minor streets are of the cul-de-sac and loop type, or whenever a Planned Unit Development or Special Planned Unit Development, as defined in this code for residential, commercial or industrial use is proposed, the Planning Commission may vary the requirements of this chapter in accordance with this code in order to allow the subdivider more freedom in the arrangement of streets and lots, but at the some time protect the convenience, health, safety and welfare of the future residents of the development as well as the character of the surrounding property and the general welfare of the future residents of the development as well as the character of the surrounding property and the general welfare of the entire community. In no case however, shall the proposed design violate the requirements of this code which regulates planned unit development, and in no instance shall this be construed in such a manner as to circumvent the requirement for adequate streets, easements, alleys and other essential requirements of urban development.

Public parks, playgrounds, school sites and other public areas and open spaces and public rights-of-way thereon shall be provided in accordance with the requirements and standards set forth in the Noble General Plan and in the policies and Planning and Zoning Codes relating thereto. Parkland or fees in lieu of park land is required in accordance with the sections of this code relating to park land.

It is the intent of this section that all lots and blocks provided in a subdivision abut on a street adequate to accommodate all traffic generated in a reasonable and safe manner. The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all streets shall conform to all of the elements of the Noble General Plan and the regulations relating thereto and they shall be designed in accordance with the following provisions:

1.

Each subdivision shall provide for the continuation of all major streets and highways;

2.

Residential development adjacent to a major street designated on the adopted Noble General Plan or Major Streets and Highways Plan shall comply with the following:

a.

Only backing or siding residential lots shall be used adjacent to the above-described highways unless a frontage road is provided for local access purposes. This shall not apply to any residential lots two (2) acres or more in size;

b.

Steel mesh fencing at least four (4) feet high with permanent evergreen plant screening, or an opaque fence as approved by the Planning Commission, shall be installed by the developer within the required screening easement at the right-of-way lines behind or at the side of residential lots and shall be maintained by the developer for two (2) years from the date if installation. When planted, the evergreen plants shall be at least three (3) feet high. Any plants which are not in good condition at any time within the two (2) year period, shall be replaced by the subdivider;

c.

There shall be no openings for vehicular access onto the above-described traffic ways except at street intersections, bicycle path intersections and at approved openings to commercial areas;

d.

Collector and minor streets shall not open onto a major street except at an average interval of not less than one-quarter (1/4) mile measured from the centerlines; and

e.

In any area where lots back onto a major street or onto any section line rood, no curb cuts, gates in fences or openings of any other kind shall be made or permitted from such backing lots onto the traffic-ways at any time;

3.

Commercial and industrial subdivisions shall provide access from each parcel to a major street by means of a street system designed for such use, but they shall not have access to residential streets in a manner that encourages or promotes the movement of foreign traffic through residential neighborhoods;

4.

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

5.

Collector streets shall be used in the subdivision wherever traffic is being collected from minor streets to provide access to a major street or community facility. Any street shall be deemed a collector street when it serves more than fifty (50) dwelling units;

6.

Ingress and egress to multifamily areas having fifty (50) or more units shall be provided only on collector streets of frontage roads of appropriate design;

7.

Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way, a street approximately parallel to and on each side of such right-of-way at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land may be required. Such distances also shall be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separation structures;

8.

Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where their control is placed with the City under conditions approved by the Planning Commission;

9.

A tentative plan of a proposed future street system shall be shown on the preliminary plat;

10.

When a tract is subdivided into larger than normal building lots or parcels, such lots or parcels shall be so arranged as to permit the logical location and opening of future streets and appropriate re-subdivision, with provision for adequate utility easements and connections for such re-subdivision;

11.

A street crossing another street should continue on the same alignment; however, if it does not, then the off-set shall not be less than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet measured from the street centerlines;

12.

Street right-of-way widths shall be in accordance with the Noble Major Streets and Highways Plan and the code of the City;

13.

The grades and the horizontal and vertical alignment for all streets shall be in accord with the code of the City;

14.

Streets designed for local service only, such as cul-de-sac and loop streets, shall be used to the maximum feasible extent in the subdivision. Streets adjacent to (or separated therefrom only by a single row of lots) public use areas shall be connected thereto with appropriate sidewalks and bicycle paths in dedicated easements;

15.

A cul-de-sac shall not exceed five hundred (500) feet in length, measured from the centerline of the intersecting street to the center of the turnaround, and if more than one hundred fifty (150) feet in length shall be provided with a circular turnaround having a radius of not less than fifty (50) feet at the property line and not less than thirty-eight (38) feet at the face in front of the curb;

16.

Half streets shall be prohibited, except where essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conformity with the other requirements of this chapter; and provided that it is found in the public interest to obtain the dedication of the other half of the street easement when the adjoining property is subdivided. Wherever a half street is adjacent to a tract to be subdivided and under the ownership of the subdivider with remaining half of the street shall be platted within such tract;

17.

The arrangement of streets shall be such as to cause no undue hardship either on a subdivider or in the subdividing of adjacent properties. The dedication of street rights-of-way to facilitate the development of adjoining properties may be required.

18.

No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Street names and house numbers shall be subject to approval of the City Manager;

19.

Vehicular entrances to commercially or industrially zoned or used areas shall be no closer to the intersection of adjacent streets and roads than one hundred (100) feet measured along the curb from the outside limits of the curb line extended to the closest edge of the drive; and

20.

Vehicular entrances to and exits from shopping centers shall be at least three hundred fifty (350) feet apart centerline to centerline on the some rood; provided, however, that an entrance and an exit within twenty (20) feet of each other, at the property line, shall be interpreted to be a single point of access.