9.1.1. New subdivisions. In order that the various purposes of this chapter may be accomplished, all subdivisions hereafter established shall be developed and improved in accordance with the minimum design standards set forth in this article. Final approval shall not be given a subdivision until all appropriate design standards have been met and until all appropriate required improvements have either been installed or an appropriate bond or certified check has been posted to secure the installation of such improvements. No subdivision shall be accepted for review under these regulations which does not conform with this UDC.

9.1.2. Recorded but unopened. Parcels recorded prior to the effective date of these regulations which abut an unopened street shall not be developed until such street or portion thereof has been opened and paved according to this UDC.

9.1.3. Re-subdivision of lots within a recorded single-family subdivision. Lots within a recorded subdivision for single-family detached units designed to be developed as a unified whole shall not be further subdivided if such resubdivision would create lots of such size or shape which would alter or change the character of the recorded single-family subdivision in terms of adversely impacting the visual quality or consistency of the established development pattern or adversely affecting property values or quality of life for residents and owners of lots within such recorded single-family subdivision.

9.1.4. Water main design and construction standards. All developments shall comply with the minimum standards in the City of Social Circle Water Main Design and Construction Standards, as applicable and amended.

9.1.5. Street grades and design speeds.

A.

Minimum grade for all local and collector streets shall be one and one-half percent.

B.

Minimum grade of less than one and one-half percent on a local street may be approved by the city, based on adequate engineering designs, where at least one and one-half percent cannot reasonably be achieved due to topographical limitations imposed by the land. In such cases, a record drawing and such computations as necessary shall be provided after construction to establish that the street will drain in accordance with this UDC. Street sections where unacceptable pooling, excessive spread at catch basins, or other hazardous conditions occur shall be reconstructed or otherwise improved to eliminate such conditions.

C.

Maximum grade on any cul-de-sac turnaround shall be six percent.

9.1.6. Curbs and gutters.

A.

Curb and gutter required. All new streets shall be provided with curb and gutter. All gutters shall drain smoothly with no areas of ponding.

B.

Curbing. Curbing shall meet the following requirements:

1.

Concrete shall be Class "A" (as defined by Georgia Department of Transportation) and have a minimum strength of 3,000 PSI at 28 days.

2.

Typical minimum section shall be 6" × 24" × 12".

3.

Roll curbing may be permitted subject to approval of the community development director.

C.

Construction methods. Curb and gutter shall be set true to line and grade, horizontal be field staked, and finished to the section shown on the plans. The grade of the new gutter shall be placed one inch above the pavement grade in areas where drainage will not be adversely affected.

1.

Line and grade shall be field staked for grades less than two percent and grades over 12 percent, and within 100 feet in both directions from all low points.

2.

One-half inch expansion joints or pre-molded bituminous expansion joint material shall be provided at all structures and radius points and at intervals not to exceed 250 feet in the remainder of the curb and gutter.

3.

Inferior workmanship or unprofessional construction methods resulting in unacceptable curb and gutter will be cause for rejection of the finished work.

4.

Disturbed areas along all curbing shall be backfilled, stabilized, and grassed.

9.1.7. Street construction standards.

A.

Unless otherwise specifically set forth herein, all of the materials, methods of construction, and workmanship for the work covered in reference to street construction shall conform to the latest specifications of the Georgia Department of Transportation.

B.

Subgrade preparation for all streets. Subgrade preparation shall be in accordance with Georgia Department of Transportation specifications.

C.

Removal of unsuitable material. If any sections of the subgrade are composed of topsoil, organic, or other unsuitable or unstable material, such material shall be removed and replaced with suitable material and then thoroughly compacted as specified for fill or stabilized.

D.

Compaction. Fill shall be placed in uniform, horizontal layers not more than eight-inch thick (loose measurement). Moisture content shall be adjusted as necessary to compact material to 95 percent of maximum dry density except for the top 12 inches which shall be compacted to 98 percent of maximum dry density.

E.

Brought to line and grade. After the earthwork has been completed, all storm drainage, water, and sanitary sewer utilities have been installed within the right-of-way as appropriate, and the backfill in all such ditches thoroughly compacted, the subgrade shall be brought to the lines, grades, and typical roadway section shown on the plans.

F.

Utility trenches to be compacted. All utility crossings within the right-of-way must be installed prior to subgrade approval. All manhole covers must be flush with top of intermediate course if there is a delay in applying the final surface course for new roadway pavement. Manhole covers will be required to be adjusted flush when final surface course is installed. Utility trenches cut in the subgrade shall be backfilled as specified herein.

Compaction tests at the rate of one per 150 feet of trench shall be provided to verify compaction.

G.

Roll testing required. The subgrade must pass roll testing prior to placement of the base material. The roll test of the subgrade and base material shall be observed and approved by the community development director prior to paving.

H.

Temporary traffic surface. When the street is to be used for construction traffic before the paving work is completed, a layer of stone (except crusher run) shall be laid as a traffic surface. This material shall not be used as a part of the base material. It may be worked into the subgrade, or it shall be removed before the base course is set up for paving.

I.

Provisions to drain low points. Provisions shall be made to drain low points in the road construction when the final paving is delayed. A break in the berm section is required when the curbing has not been constructed. Drainage under the curb to side slopes after installation is required, using minimum four-inch diameter pipe sections. Vegetated or stabilized swales should be considered for managing road construction runoff.

J.

Construction standards for local and minor collector streets.

1.

The base course of all new and improved streets shall consist of at least six inches of graded aggregate base. After being thoroughly compacted and brought to proper section, an intermediate course of two inches of 19 mm Superpave shall be applied.

2.

The final asphaltic surface course of one inch of 9.5 mm Superpave Type II shall be applied.

3.

If a delay in paving is anticipated, then the base course shall be primed the same day it is compacted and cured in accordance to Georgia DOT standards.

K.

Construction standards for major thoroughfares.

1.

Arterials pavement section:

a.

Ten inches GAB.

b.

Four inches of 25mm Superpave.

c.

Two inches of 19mm Superpave.

d.

One and one-half inches of 9.5mm Type II Superpave (volumes less than 10,000 ADT); or

e.

One and one-half inches of 12.5mm Superpave (volumes greater than 10,000 ADT).

2.

Collectors pavement section:

a.

Ten inches GAB.

b.

Four inches of 19mm Superpave.

c.

One and one-half inches of 9.5mm Type II Superpave (volumes less than 10,000 ADT); or

d.

One and one-half inches of 12.5mm Superpave (volumes greater than 10,000 ADT).

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)

9.2.1. Requirements for new and redeveloped streets.

A.

Standards.

1.

All new and redeveloped streets constructed in the city shall be designed at least to the standards contained in this UDC.

2.

All improvements shall be constructed and dedicated by the developer.

3.

Single-family residential street construction timing. New and redeveloped streets shall not be topped with final asphaltic surface course until such a time that more than 85 percent of the residential lots have received a certificate of occupancy. Notwithstanding, streets shall be topped before 95 percent of the residential lots are issued a certificate of occupancy.

4.

Curb cuts may not exceed 24 feet in width.

5.

Proposed street layouts shall interconnect within a development and with adjoining development as often as possible.

6.

Public or private streets longer than 150 feet shall be connected to a continuous street network. Culs-de-sac or hammerheads shall be allowed only where topographical and/or lot line configurations offer no practical alternatives for connections or through traffic. Maximum cul-de-sac length is 250 feet in length from the nearest intersection with a street providing through access (not a cul-de-sac). Minimum radius for culs-de-sac shall be 40 feet from back of curb, except for industrial or warehouse areas, where the minimum radius shall be 50 feet from back of curb. The minimum radius of the right-of-way for culs-de-sac shall be 10 feet greater than the radius from back of curb.

7.

The following street specifications are provided for non-state-maintained public roads within the municipal limits of the city. In addition to the specifications, all the following designs shall provide a 90-foot minimum tangent between reverse curves on all streets.

8.

Minimum curb and street radius. The lot-line radius at intersecting streets shall be not less than 20 feet. The centerline radius of all curvilinear streets shall be not less than 75 feet.

Table 9.2.1. Street Specifications for Non-State Maintained Roads

B.

Private streets.

1.

Private streets permitted. Private streets are prohibited except where necessary and subject to approval by the community development director. The community development director may impose conditions on the approval of private streets to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the general public and to mitigate potential problems with private streets.

2.

The subdivider/developer shall establish a mandatory property owners association, with bylaws and/or covenants which shall include the following:

a.

Mandatory membership of all purchasers of lots therein and their successors.

b.

Responsibility for maintenance, insurance, and taxes.

c.

Equitable sharing of the cost of maintenance.

d.

Authority to place liens on the real property of members who fail to pay their dues or assessments.

3.

No final plat or development permit involving any private streets shall be approved unless said final plat or development permit conforms to the requirements of this section.

4.

Easements for private streets.

a.

Easements for private streets shall be designated on final plats as general purpose public access and utility easements, along with the name of said private street. Said easement shall at minimum be of the same width as that required for the right-of-way of a public street most closely resembling the proposed private street, except that private streets used exclusively for single-family attached dwellings shall be constructed on an easement with a minimum width of 40 feet.

b.

Easements for private streets shall not be included in any calculation of minimum lot size or density limitations established by this UDC.

c.

In the cases of private streets where roadway improvements are required, the general purpose public access and utility easement for a private street shall be drawn as its own discrete parcel to be dedicated to a mandatory private homeowners association (i.e., not shown to be a part of any lot).

5.

Maintenance.

a.

The city shall not maintain, repair, resurface, rebuild, or otherwise improve streets, signs, drainage improvements, or any other appurtenances within general purpose public access and utility easements established for private streets.

b.

Permanent repairs to the streets shall be made by the homeowners associations or other entity having maintenance responsibility for the development. Driveways and sidewalks will be repaved, sodded or landscape areas will be graded, smoothed, reseeded or resodded, where appropriate.

c.

A private maintenance covenant recorded with the clerk of the superior court shall be required for any private street and other improvements within general purpose public access and utility easements established for private streets. The covenant shall set out the distribution of expenses, remedies for noncompliance with the terms of the agreement, rights to the use of easements, and other pertinent considerations.

6.

Specifications for final plats involving private streets. No final plat involving a private street shall be approved by the department for recording unless and until it shall contain the following on the face of the plat:

a.

Deed book and page reference to the recorded covenant required, as listed above.

b.

"The City of Social Circle has no responsibility to build, improve, maintain, or otherwise service the private streets, drainage improvements, and other appurtenances contained within the general public purpose access and utility easement or easements for private streets shown on this plat."

c.

Grant of easement. The general purpose public access and utility easement(s) shown on this plat for private street(s) is hereby granted and said grant of rights shall be liberally construed to provide all necessary authority to the city, county, and to public or private utility companies serving the subdivision, for the installation and maintenance of utilities, including, but not limited to, electric lines, gas lines, telephone lines, water lines, sewer lines, cable television lines, and fiber optic cables, together with the right to trim interfering trees and brush, together with a perpetual right of ingress and egress for installation, maintenance, and replacement of such lines.

d.

Compliance with all bonds and phasing of improvements shall be required for private streets as if it was to be publicly dedicated, unless a specific provision is determined not to be applicable by the community development director.

9.2.2. Street intersections.

A.

Angle of intersection. Intersections shall generally be at right angles and shall not be at an angle of less than 85 degrees unless approved by the city, nor less than 80 degrees unless the intersection is signalized in which case the angle of the intersection may be reduced subject to the review and approval of the community development director.

B.

Maximum grade. Street intersections should be designed with a flat grade wherever possible, but in no case should the grade exceed two percent in normal situations (or four percent in topographical hardship situations on local streets).

C.

Islands. Islands in street intersections shall conform to the design requirements of the standard drawings. In no case shall anything in an island extend more than three feet above the street grade within the right-of-way, except traffic regulatory devices and other infrastructure erected or approved by the city. No island shall be approved which contains less than 100 square feet.

9.2.3. Sidewalk construction standards.

A.

General.

1.

Sidewalks shall form a logical, safe and convenient system for pedestrian or bike access to all dwelling units and other buildings, properties, and facilities.

2.

Sidewalks shall be so located and safeguarded as to minimize contacts with automotive traffic.

3.

Sidewalks that are appropriately located, designed and constructed may be combined with other easements and used by emergency and service vehicles, but shall not be used by other automotive traffic.

4.

Sidewalks shall be located along both sides of all streets and shall provide a minimum width of five feet clear zone.

5.

Minimum standards required by this chapter are improved by the developer along the full length of the subject property frontage for existing streets and along the full extent for any new streets created.

B.

Sidewalk construction standards. When required by this UDC, sidewalks and curb ramps shall be constructed in all new development or redevelopment along all abutting or internal streets, existing or new, private or public.

1.

Sidewalk installation and timing. Required sidewalks shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy/completion, unless a bond is secured in accordance with article 14, guarantees and sureties.

2.

Sidewalk site preparation and material standards.

a.

Cross slope. Sidewalks shall be constructed with a cross slope of 0.25 inch per foot. Sidewalks shall maintain this cross slope at driveway crossings or transition the sidewalk to a driveway with ramps and detectable warnings.

b.

Material. Class "B" (as defined by Georgia Department of Transportation) with a minimum strength of 2,200 PSI at 28 days.

c.

Final stabilization. Disturbed areas resulting from sidewalk construction shall be backfilled, stabilized, and grassed or landscaped.

3.

Sidewalk curb ramp construction standards. Intersection radius curb ramps shall be provided at street intersections. Straight ramps may be provided at intersections of curbed driveways and at streets without sidewalks.

4.

Damage repair. Damage to sidewalks and ramps caused by construction or development activity shall be repaired at no cost to the city.

9.2.4. Traffic control devices.

A.

Traffic control signs. The installation of street signs, traffic control signs, and devices such as striping and signalization, shall be coordinated with the community development director, and provided through payment of fees to the appropriate agency.

B.

Street name signs. Street name signs shall have a green background with white legends mounted on channelized posts. Alternate post material shall be subject to the review and approval of the community development director.

C.

Traffic signals and signs. All traffic signals and signs shall conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (no decorative traffic control devices will be allowed).

9.2.5. Traffic calming devices.

A.

Traffic calming devices shall be compatible with standards outlined in the Georgia Department of Transportation.

B.

Subdivision streets shall be designed in accordance with the above so as to encourage and maintain maximum operating speeds of no more than 25 mph. The maximum length of roadway section between speed control points shall be 500 feet.

C.

The traffic-calming plan is subject to review and approval by the community development director.

9.2.6. Storm drainage design. The following specifications shall apply to all storm drainage:

A.

No main line storm pipe shall be less than 15 inches diameter; (roof laterals and landscape drainage are exempted from this requirement);

B.

No pipe shall have a slope greater than 12 percent;

C.

If a drop in a structure is greater than five feet, a reinforced base shall be provided for that structure;

D.

No corrugated metal pipe (CMP) shall be used in any publicly maintained road right-of-way;

E.

No outfall pipe shall have a slope greater than one percent. Maximum allowable velocity for storm sewer exit pipe is ten feet per second when flowing full or half-full, based on Manning's Formula. Energy dissipater is required for exit velocity in excess of five feet per second;

F.

Open channel design must show the grade of the flow line of the channel and include a typical ditch section that provides a non-erodible velocity at design flows. Channel slopes less than one percent may be grassed; for channel shapes greater than 12 but less than three percent, the designer shall demonstrate calculated velocity at or less than five feet per second including a channel lining for design to accommodate the design philosophy; channel slopes over three percent shall be approved by the city;

G.

Crown elevations must be matched at each junction structure or the upstream crown must be higher than the downstream crown.

9.2.7. Transitional requirements. All streets established shall comply with the following general provisions:

A.

Permanent dead-end streets. Dead-end streets, designed to be such permanently, shall be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having an outside roadway diameter of not less than 80 feet, and a right-of-way diameter of not less than 100 feet.

B.

Temporary dead-end streets. Temporary dead-end streets which extend for a distance greater than 150 feet shall be provided with a temporary turnaround having a diameter of 80 feet. Said temporary turnaround shall be so constructed as to assure a surface resistant to erosion and so drained as to prevent damage to abutting properties. Temporary dead-end streets of 150 feet or less shall be provided with an earth barrier, fence, or similar physical barricade at the dead end. Provisions shall be made for the future extension of the streets and reversion of the excess right-of-way to the adjoining properties.

C.

Half streets. Half streets shall not be permitted within a subdivision.

D.

Additional paved surface width. Any proposed development that includes a platted street containing a driving surface width of less than that required or deficient based on construction, material, or facility standards (e.g.: a lack of sidewalks) by this UDC shall provide for the improvement of said street so that the minimum standards required by this chapter are improved by the developer along the full length of the subject property frontage. If the proposed subdivision abuts only one side of said street, then a minimum of one-half of the required extra surface shall be provided by the developer.

E.

Subdivisions on only one side of existing street. A proposed major subdivision which abuts only one side of an existing street shall be required to pay one-half the cost of meeting the design specifications for such street, provided that the cost of such improvements shall be shared by the owners of property lying across said street on the same basis as if said street were to be paved under the necessity paving provisions of the city.

F.

Street access to adjoining property. Whenever the community development director finds that street access to adjoining property is needed, a street right-of-way shall be extended to the boundary of such property, and such right-of-way shall be dedicated to the public as an unopened street. When such unopened street is required for access to property, then the developer of the property for which access is required shall be responsible for opening and improving the unopened street.

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)

9.3.1. All lots which shall hereafter comply with this section.

A.

Street access. Each lot shall abut on a publicly dedicated street or a publicly approved street. All such streets shall conform to the design requirements of this chapter.

B.

Provided that the community development director may approve a plat, lots which abut an approved private street under the following conditions shall be in accordance with subsection 9.2.1:

1.

A private street is contained within a common area and serves each lot within the subdivision.

2.

The layout and design of the vehicular access and circulation plan, including off-street parking, has been reviewed and approved by the community development director and determined to provide access to each lot within the subdivision.

3.

The city shall be held harmless for maintenance and liability for any private areas of the subdivision, and such shall be so stated on the plat with the following notation: "The maintenance of all private and common areas of this subdivision, including, but not limited to, drives, streets and parking, shall be provided by and shall be the responsibility of the owners of lots within the subdivision and shall not become a responsibility of the City of Social Circle. The City shall be held harmless from any liability associated with the establishment and maintenance of such common areas."

4.

A legal instrument is submitted along with the plat for recording stating the mechanism for insuring maintenance of the private common areas, including any covenants, deed restrictions or other provisions proposed for the subdivision.

5.

Where the community development director finds that other measures are necessary to protect the public interest or the interest of potential purchasers of lots within the subdivision, then the community development director requires such other measures as a condition of plat approval.

C.

Lot lines. Side lot lines shall be as nearly as practical at right angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines.

D.

Corner lots. Corner lots for residential uses shall be provided with sufficient width and depth to permit the establishment of appropriate building setback lines from both streets. A minimum 20-foot radius shall be provided at the corner next to the intersection.

E.

Double-frontage lots. Double-frontage lots shall only be permitted where it shall be found necessary to separate a development from major arterials or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation. Vehicular access is prohibited from the more major street frontage.

F.

Flag lots. Flag lots shall be prohibited.

G.

Spite strips. Spite strips shall be prohibited.

H.

Minimum lot elevation. No lot shall be approved that does not contain a suitable building site of sufficient elevation to permit construction utilizing a lowest floor elevation of at least the level of the 100-year flood. The entire lot shall be properly drained. Special emphasis will be placed on requirements as given in the city's flood damage prevention ordinance.

I.

City limits and lot lines. Lots shall not be divided by corporate boundary lines except where unavoidable.

J.

Lot width and lot area requirements. Lots hereafter established within subdivisions shall conform to the lot area and lot width requirements set forth in this UDC.

K.

Common lots. Substandard lots may be created for the purposes of siting common amenities like pools, clubhouses, greenspaces, detention ponds, etc., provided appropriate access easements are properly recorded to facilitate ongoing maintenance and operations of the facilities. In no case shall a common amenity share a lot with an individual single-family residential lot.

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)

A.

All blocks hereafter established within a subdivision shall conform to the following design standards.

B.

Block lengths. In order that there may be convenient access between various parts of a subdivision and between the subdivision and surrounding areas and in order to help prevent traffic congestion and traffic hazards, the length of blocks hereafter established shall not exceed 800 feet. The width of any residential block shall be sufficient to allow two tiers of lots of appropriate depth; provided, however, that this shall not prevent the inclusion within any subdivision plan of blocks of greater width or of irregular outline, including superblocks which may contain, at or near their centers, public or joint use areas such as parks and playgrounds. Said interior parks shall be covered by adequate maintenance agreements, if not dedicated and accepted for public maintenance.

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)

A.

The following kinds of easements shall be required within subdivisions:

1.

Utility easements. Public utility easements shall be provided where necessary. Such easements shall be not less than 15 feet in width and shall be centered on side or rear property lines when necessary. Temporary construction easements as required by standard engineering practices shall be provided. Where public utility easement rights-of-way are planned adjacent to the subdivision tract boundary, they shall be platted within said subdivision. In the event it becomes necessary to install or to make repairs to utilities in said easements, it shall be the property owner's responsibility to bear the cost of removing any building, structure or improvement of any kind or description which said property owner shall have built upon said easement, and this condition shall be included in the restrictive covenant and deed of transfer.

2.

Drainage easements. All drainage easements shall conform to the stormwater management guideline for private development activities.

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)

The subdivider shall provide stone or concrete monuments four inches in diameter or square, 30 inches long, with a flat top, which shall be set at each street corner, and at all points where the street lines intersect the exterior boundaries of the subdivision, and at angle points and points of curvature in each street. The top of the monument shall contain a metal pin or be scored with an indented cross to properly identify the location. The subdivider shall also provide all interior lot corners of subdivisions with concrete monuments, iron pins, or iron pipes. Iron pipes shall be at least one-half inch in diameter and 24 inches in length.

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)

9.7.1. Deferral and fee in lieu of improvements. The community development director may grant a deferral and/or allow payment of a fee in lieu of improvements for some or all of the street and streetscape-related improvements required pursuant to this chapter, provided that dedication of necessary right-of-way may not be deferred or satisfied through payment of a fee in lieu.

A.

The community development director's decision regarding deferral or payment of a fee in lieu shall take into account the best interest of the city and, among other considerations, the following criteria:

1.

Proximity to similar improvements or lack thereof, within the roadway corridor;

2.

Continuity of infrastructure improvements within the public right-of-way;

3.

Pending projects programmed within the corridor that may impact the street frontage of the subject property;

4.

Safety considerations;

5.

Traffic volumes and travel patterns;

6.

Storm drainage needs;

7.

Any input received from city departments and service providers.

B.

For those improvements either deferred or for which a fee in lieu is paid, the city shall require that the applicant do one or more of the following:

1.

Execute and record an agreement to defer completion of the required improvements by the applicant until such time as the city determines the improvements are needed; or

2.

Pay a fee in lieu of improvements based on the city's estimated costs to complete the required improvements; or

3.

Execute a combination of a deferral and payment of a fee in lieu of improvements, provided that the applicant's combined obligation does not exceed the extent of the total requirements for such improvements.

C.

For those improvements that are deferred, the design and construction standards in effect at the time improvements are made shall apply.

(Ord. No. 2023-3, § 1(Exh. A), 6-20-2023)