The purpose of these subdivision requirements is:

A.

To establish reasonable design standards for subdivision of land.

B.

To establish an adequate street system, a means of water supply, sewage disposal and other utilities, surface drainage and stormwater control, and other services related to the use of subdivided land.

C.

To protect and provide for the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the City of Shreveport.

D.

To provide for the conservation design of subdivisions to promote the following purposes:

1.

To conserve open space and sensitive natural features.

2.

To preserve and restore natural areas and provide for their long-term ecologic management.

3.

To preserve the hydrologic condition and infiltrative capability of the soil by minimizing mass grading and impervious surfaces.

4.

To protect the quality of surface water and groundwater.

Land proposed for subdivision must be served adequately by essential public facilities and services. Land will not be approved for subdivision unless and until public facilities exist or provision has been made for water facilities, wastewater facilities, drainage facilities, and transportation facilities necessary to serve the proposed development, whether such facilities are located within the land being platted or outside of the site. The size, depth, location, etc. of such facilities must be adequate for future expansion to service the area beyond the proposed development. The subdivider is responsible for all such costs. For the purposes of this section and this Code, the term "subdivider" includes any subsequent property owners and/or developers who assume the development of the land that has been subdivided in the case where the original applicant who subdivides the property sells the land following development.

A.

Conformance to Plans

Proposed land division and public improvements must be consistent with the Master Plan and any applicable public facilities and capital improvements plans.

B.

Water

All platted lots must be connected to a public water system or properly permitted to ensure water for health purposes.

C.

Wastewater

All platted lots must be served by public sewer system or an alternate approved means of wastewater collection and treatment.

D.

Streets

All streets must provide a safe, convenient and functional system for vehicular and pedestrian circulation. All streets must be appropriate for the traffic characteristics and impacts of the proposed development. All rights-of-way must meet the right-of-way standards of Article 12.

E.

Drainage

Drainage improvements must accommodate potential runoff from upstream drainage areas and designed to prevent overloading the capacity of the downstream drainage system. This may require the phasing of development, the use of control methods such as retention, detention, or pumping systems, and/or the construction of off-site drainage improvements to mitigate the impacts of the proposed development. All developments must meet the stormwater management requirements of Article 11 and innovative stormwater management methods are encouraged.

F.

Phasing

Phasing of development or improvements may be required as part of subdivision approval to maintain current levels of service for existing public services and facilities or for other reasons based upon protecting the health, safety, and welfare of residents.

A.

Lot width and area, and all setback lines, must conform to all requirements of the zoning district standards of this Code, with the following exceptions:

1.

Where no public or community sanitary sewers exist, the minimum area of residential lots must meet the requirements of the State Board of Health and the Caddo-Shreveport Health Unit, unless a larger area is required by the zoning district.

2.

The subdivision is a conservation design development subject to the regulations of conservation design.

B.

All lots must front directly upon and take access from a public or private road.

C.

Every lot created by subdivision must be substantially similar in shape to those lots on the same block, unless the contours of an adjacent street or previously established lot render such shape impractical. Every lot or parcel of land that is subdivided must contain a relatively straight boundary line between each lot. Side lot lines must be approximately at right angles or radial to the street line.

D.

Through lots must be avoided, except where essential to provide separation of residential development from major thoroughfares or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation.

A.

Servitudes must be provided for utility services and drainage including, but not limited to, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water, gas, telecommunication, cable television, and electric. The location of a utility servitude is determined by developer and/or the appropriate utility company. These servitudes must be marked on the plat.

B.

Servitudes are reserved for the performance of municipal and governmental services, including water, storm, and sanitary sewer service and maintenance, and to those utility companies that operate within the City of Shreveport.

C.

The City and utility companies have the perpetual right, privilege, and authority to construct, reconstruct, repair, inspect, maintain, and operate the variety of utility transmission and distribution systems within such servitudes, together with right of access across the property for necessary personnel and equipment to do work.

D.

Principal buildings, overhangs, accessory structures, and temporary structures or obstructions are prohibited within the servitude. For quasi-permanent structures, fences, plantings, and temporary obstructions see below.

E.

Quasi-permanent structures may be constructed in the required servitude only if:

a.

Location of the quasi-permanent structure is reviewed and approved by MPC staff.

b.

Any damage incurred by the structure during maintenance or improvement of the facility is the responsibility of the property owner.

F.

The property owner may place fences, plantings, or temporary obstructions in the public servitudes if, upon request, the fences, plantings or temporary obstructions will be removed by the property owner. If the property owner fails to remove the obstructions, the appropriate authority using the utilities servitude may remove them and upon removal, the property owner is not entitled to damages and may not recover any cost of replacing the objects removed from the servitude.

(Ord. No. 95, 2021, § 13, 7-13-21)

All rights-of-way must meet the right-of-way standards of Article 12.

A.

In the case of public roads, the plat must indicate that the City of Shreveport, as applicable, will take responsibility for maintaining the public road after final acceptance. In the case of a private road, the plat must state that the City will not accept any private road in the future. Within the City of Shreveport, curb and gutter are required as part of right-of-way design.

B.

The subdivider must furnish and erect all necessary traffic control and directional signs, including street signs, as designated by the City Traffic Engineer. All signs must be of a type approved by the City Traffic Engineer.

C.

Shoulders are required along all streets not provided with curbs and gutters. Green infrastructure design is encouraged for shoulders. Curbs and shoulders must be designed to meet the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards.

D.

All street construction within the City of Shreveport must meet the standards of Chapter 78, Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places, of the Shreveport Code of Ordinances.

E.

The following must be complied with during construction:

1.

During construction of streets with curb and gutter, the subdivider is prohibited from partially installing pavement below the gutter elevation during construction operations. The subdivider is required to maintain positive drainage throughout construction and install pavement up to the finished gutter elevation on a temporary basis. A temporary cross slope of less than 2% is allowed during construction operations to match the gutter elevation. At the conclusion of construction, the subdivider must remove the appropriate thickness of the pavement surface in order to establish the final approved cross section of the roadway.

2.

The subdivider is responsible for maintaining and repairing all roads in the subdivision until the roads are accepted by the City of Shreveport.

3.

Subdivision roads will not be accepted by the City of Shreveport until all construction detailed in the plans is completed. It is the responsibility of the subdivider to consult with the of Engineering and Environmental Services before the work has begun to afford the Department of Engineering and Environmental Services an opportunity to inspect the work as construction progresses.

(Ord. No. 95, 2021, § 14, 7-13-21)

A.

A public sanitary sewer is required for all subdivisions within the City of Shreveport.

B.

The location of sanitary sewers must be approved by the Director of Water and Sewerage and the City Engineer. They should be located within the right-of-way. Sanitary sewers must not be located within seven feet of the edge of pavement.

C.

Where sanitary sewer is provided, sewer service lines must be installed to serve all lots within the subdivision at the time they are constructed. Sewer service lines must extend to the lot line and the preferred location is the low side of the lot.

D.

In the City of Shreveport, the design and construction of sanitary sewers must conform to the Water and Wastewater Design Standards, Standard Specifications for Infrastructure Improvements and Chapter 94 of the Code of Ordinances.

E.

In the City of Shreveport, gravity sewer facilities must be constructed where physically practicable. Lift stations require approval of the Director of Water and Sewer.

(Ord. No. 95, 2021, § 15, 7-13-21)

A.

Where a connection to a public water system is present at the boundary of the subdivision, water distribution facilities, including fire hydrants, must be installed to serve all properties within the subdivision in addition to any additional requirements for public sewer in state law.

B.

Where a connection to a public water system is present, it must be extended for and throughout the entire subdivision in such a manner that each lot within a subdivision is serviced by means of a connection to the water system within its own frontage.

C.

In the City of Shreveport, the design and construction of public water systems must conform to the Water and Wastewater Design Standards, Standard Specifications for Infrastructure Improvements and Chapter 94 of the Code of Ordinances.

A.

Utility services should be clustered within a single servitude when practical. Prior to the installation of such utilities, drawings must be submitted to the Executive Director of the MPC. Private utilities are prohibited for being placed within five horizontal feet from City water or sewer utilities. Utility services should be in designated servitudes when practical.

B.

The developer must provide underground utilities unless specific site conditions make the installation of underground utilities impractical.

(Ord. No. 95, 2021, § 16, 7-13-21)

A.

All developments must meet the stormwater management requirements of Article 11.

B.

A drainage study is required identifying the lot number and drainage pipe size.

C.

Storm drainage improvements consisting of storm sewers and/or open channels must adequately drain the area being developed and also all of that area which naturally drains through the area being developed. The design of drainage improvements must be coordinated with present and probable future improvements so as to form part of an integrated system. Appropriate grading may be required. In the City of Shreveport, drainage infrastructure must consist of pipe systems. If a pipe system is not physically possible, an exception can be made.

D.

Drainage servitudes must have a minimum width of 20 feet and must be sodded or seeded at the developer's expense. This requirement is waived when stormwater management methods are used.

E.

Where the character or topography of the land in a subdivision is such that it is impossible or impractical to place streets so that they carry off the surface water, the appropriate servitudes along lot lines must be provided and improved, where necessary, to carry off surface water in storm sewers. This should only be for regional drainage. The City of Shreveport does not maintain lot to lot drainage.

F.

All publicly dedicated drainage servitudes must be approved by the City Engineer.

(Ord. No. 95, 2021, § 17, 7-13-21)

This Section provides regulations for the construction and maintenance of sidewalks on private property throughout the City for the safety and convenience of pedestrians. If any conflicts arise between this Section and the Shreveport Code of Ordinances, the Shreveport UDC shall control.

A.

Design Standards and Specifications

a.

All sidewalks shall be constructed or reconstructed in accordance with this Section for width, location, construction material, finish, appearance and structural quality, as well as the design standards and specifications set forth in the most current City of Shreveport standard details for concrete sidewalks.

i.

Sidewalks shall be constructed of concrete unless otherwise approved by the Executive Director.

ii.

Sidewalks shall be five feet in width, and located adjacent and parallel to the property line with a minimum unpaved parkway width of six feet.

1.

If the adjacent lots have an existing sidewalk at least four feet wide, then the required sidewalk for any new development or redevelopment may match the existing properties.

2.

If the adjacent lots have an existing sidewalk that is less than four feet wide, then the required sidewalk shall be five feet in width.

iii.

Sidewalks adjacent to the curb shall be six feet in width.

iv.

The parkway width is the distance from the back of curb to the leading edge of the sidewalk.

v.

Sidewalks shall be designed to support the weight of vehicles at all driveway crossings.

vi.

Wherever sidewalks are constructed, the remaining parkway width, whether between the curb and sidewalk or sidewalk and property line, shall remain unpaved.

vii.

"Meandering" sidewalks are permitted but shall be no closer than four feet from the back of the curb at the nearest point.

viii.

If any connection opportunities exist, sidewalk must be connected.

b.

All greenways built in accordance with this Code shall be constructed to industry standards and specifications.

c.

All sidewalks and greenways shall conform to the most recent published version of the Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) or ADA Standards, as appropriate.

d.

The site grading plan for the subdivision shall be designed to allow for the driveway transition from the street to the sidewalk, the design of the sidewalk, and the driveway transition from the sidewalk to the parking area/garage for the house.

B.

New Subdivisions

a.

For all new residential and nonresidential subdivisions, continuous sidewalks shall be required on both sides of all rights-of-way, per this Section and Article 12.3 (Sidewalk Design Standards).

b.

Sidewalk plans shall be required for any new subdivision and shall be submitted during the platting process and shall contain the following information:

i.

Location of sidewalks, landings, and curb ramps.

ii.

Design specifications and details.

iii.

Identify the party responsible for the construction of the sidewalks.

c.

Sidewalk plans will be reviewed during the subdivision process and approved by the Metropolitan Planning Commission or Executive Director, as applicable.

d.

The developer, home builder or property owner shall be responsible for constructing the sidewalk in accordance with the sidewalk plan during the construction of a house on a lot, or any amenity area.

e.

Due to the potential damage sidewalks can incur during the construction of homes and other buildings, sidewalks should not be installed until building work has been completed on individual properties. Exceptions may be made for streets that are without direct property access.

C.

New Construction Not Related to a New Subdivision

a.

All new construction not specifically addressed in the section shall provide sidewalks along all adjacent streets regardless of street classification, which shall be reviewed during the site plan review process.

b.

Sidewalks must connect building entrances with parking areas and with public sidewalks along adjacent streets.

c.

When the development is single-family residential, and in an existing subdivision, the requirement for sidewalks will be determined as follows:

i.

If sidewalks already exist on more than 40% of the street block frontage, then a new sidewalk will be required.

ii.

If no sidewalks exist on that particular street, and no connections can be made, then sidewalks will not be required.

d.

Implementation and construction costs of all sidewalks in newly developing areas shall be paid for by the developer, builder or property owner. The City of Shreveport shall not be liable for any sidewalk implementation or construction costs for projects located on private property.

e.

All required sidewalks shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

D.

Redevelopment

a.

Redevelopment is defined as any proposed expansion, addition, or major facade change to an existing building, structure, site, parking lot or parking facility, and shall include but not be limited to the following:

i.

An existing principal structure is demolished and a new structure is constructed.

ii.

A new principal structure is constructed.

iii.

The existing principal structure is increased in total building footprint by 25% or more.

iv.

An existing parking lot of 20 or more spaces is fully reconstructed, or an existing parking lot area is expanded by 50%.

b.

When the development is single-family residential, and in an existing subdivision, the requirement for sidewalks will be determined as follows:

i.

If sidewalks already exist on more than 40% of the street block frontage, then a new sidewalk will be required.

ii.

If no sidewalks exist on that particular street, and no connections can be made, then sidewalks will not be required.

c.

Implementation and construction costs of all sidewalks on redeveloped sites shall be paid for by the developer, builder or property owner. The City of Shreveport shall not be liable for any sidewalk implementation or construction costs for redevelopment projects located on private property.

d.

All required sidewalks shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

E.

Existing Substandard Sidewalks

a.

In cases where sidewalks are already present on property being developed or redeveloped, or there are sidewalks in the right-of-way immediately adjacent along the frontage of the property being developed or redeveloped, but their width or condition renders them substandard, they shall be reconstructed by the developer, builder or property owner following the guidelines of this Section and Article 12.3 (Sidewalk Design Standards).

b.

Examples of conditions rendering sidewalks unsafe shall include but not be limited to:

i.

Uneven sidewalks

ii.

Broken concrete

iii.

Overgrown weeds

c.

Where sidewalk repair or replacement is impractical due to physical conditions or lack of right-of-way, the Director of Public Works may elect to remove the sidewalk and return the property to grass.

F.

New Public Facilities

Sidewalks shall be constructed along all public streets adjacent to new public facilities, including but not limited to parks, libraries, and recreation centers. Facilities not intended for public access are exempt from this requirement.

G.

New Public Schools

Sidewalks shall be constructed along all public streets adjacent to new public schools located within City limits. Sidewalks shall connect via a pedestrian circulation system to all public entrances to the school and to all outdoor amenities on the school grounds, including but not limited to playgrounds, ball fields, tracks and courts.

H.

Paved Greenways as an Alternative to Sidewalks

The Metropolitan Planning Commission may approve a paved greenway trail or network of paved greenway trails as an alternative to part or all of the sidewalks required by this Code within a new subdivision, if the greenway meets all of the following requirements:

a.

Typical 10 feet of paved width, within a typical 30-foot-wide servitude, or as approved by the Metropolitan Planning Commission.

b.

Provides the same or greater connectivity to individual parcels within the development and to external streets as the sidewalk system would.

(Ord. No. 2, 2020, § 6(Exh. D), 1-28-20)