The purpose of this chapter is to provide vehicular access to land development in a manner that preserves the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. Access management encompasses the careful planning of the location, design and operation of driveways, median openings, interchanges, and street connections. If access systems are not properly designed, the primary transportation network, including arterials and highways, will be unable to accommodate the access needs of development and retain their primary transportation function.

This chapter is intended to promote safe and efficient travel within the city of Whitewater, WI, by limiting the number of conflict points, providing safe spacing standards between driveways, encouraging shared access between abutting properties, and ensuring safe access by emergency vehicles.

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)

These regulations are adopted under the authority granted by Wisconsin Constitution Article XI, Section 3, and Wisconsin Statutes 62.23 and 66.0101 and amendments thereto.

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)

"Arterial road" or "arterial street" means a high-capacity urban road. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways and between urban centers (see Section 18.04.06 for design standards).

"Frontage street" means a minor street auxiliary to and located on the side of an arterial street for control of access and for service to the abutting development (see Section 18.04.06 for design standards).

"Major collector (street)" is longer in length, have lower connective driveway densities, are spaced at greater intervals, have higher annual average traffic volumes, and may have more travel lanes than their minor collectors (see Section 18.04.06 for design standards).

"Minor collector (street)" is low- to moderate-capacity roads which serve to move traffic from residential areas to major collectors (see Section 18.04.06 for design standards).

"Local streets" or "residential streets": Local streets comprise all facilities not on one of the higher systems. They serve primarily to provide direct access to abutting land and access to the higher order systems. Local streets offer the lowest level of mobility, and service to through-traffic movement on this system is usually discouraged. (see Section 18.04.06 for design standards).

"State roads" fall under the jurisdiction of the Wisconsin D.O.T. (see Section 19.51.190).

"U.S. highway" fall under the jurisdiction of the Wisconsin D.O.T. (see Section 19.51.190).

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)

The requirements of this section shall apply to each access point onto a public street or right-of-way in all developments.

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)

Through the site plan review process (see Chapter 19.63), the neighborhood services department shall review and approve all new and existing access drives on the subject property.

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)

(a)

Number of Access Points.

(1)

Each lot shall have not more than two access points on any street frontage adjacent to any lot. More than two access points shall require a conditional use permit.

(2)

No lot shall be permitted more than one access point on any one street if its frontage on said street is less than one hundred linear feet (as measured along the right-of-way line).

(3)

On arterial streets, and in areas experiencing, or expected to experience, congestion and/or safety problems, access to a lot may be required to be located via an access point located on an adjacent property or another street frontage.

(4)

For residential uses, two access points serving the same street frontage may be approved as a conditional use.

(5)

If the city anticipates that a property may be subdivided and that the subdivision may result in an unacceptable number or arrangement of driveways, or both, the municipality shall require the property owner to enter into an access covenant to restrict future access.

(6)

The city shall restrict access to right-turn-only ingress and egress or to another state-maintained road or local road if safe and efficient movements cannot be accommodated.

(b)

Residential Uses. Residential uses shall not have access points onto a nonresidential collector or arterial street unless such street has the only available frontage.

(c)

Nonresidential Uses. Nonresidential uses shall not have access points onto a residential street unless such street has the only available frontage. A second access point may be granted by a conditional use permit.

(d)

Access Near Street Intersections. At its intersection with the street right-of-way line on an arterial or nonresidential collector street, no access point shall be located closer than one hundred feet from the intersection of any two street rights-of-way unless such street is the only available frontage on the subject property. Nonconforming driveways may be replaced in their current location.

(e)

Distance Between Access Drives. The minimum distance between access drives serving the same property shall be twenty-five feet (edge to edge), as measured at the property line. A distance in excess of twenty-five feet may be required if existing or projected traffic warrant a greater distance.

(f)

Angle of Intersection with Public Right-of-Way. All access drives shall intersect with any public right-of-way at an angle of not less than seventy-five degrees, and shall intersect at an angle of ninety degrees wherever possible.

(g)

Distance from Property Line. The distance from an access drive to the property line of an adjacent property shall not be less than three feet, as measured along the right-of-way line in residential areas (see Section 19.51.040).

(h)

Width of Driveways. All access drives shall have a minimum width of ten feet for driveways and shall not exceed twenty-four feet in width at the street right-of-way line (Section 19.51.040). No such driveway shall exceed thirty-five feet in width at the curbline unless special permission be obtained from the city's common council. (Section 12.16.030).

(i)

Traffic Control. The traffic generated by any use shall be channelized and controlled in a manner which avoids congestion on public streets and other safety hazards. Traffic into and out of all off-street parking, loading, and traffic circulation areas serving six or more parking spaces shall be forward moving, with no backing into streets or pedestrian ways. Traffic control devices shall be required as determined by the City of Whitewater.

(j)

Depiction on Required Site Plan. Any and all proposed access drives on the subject property shall be depicted as to their location and configuration on the site plan required for the development of the subject property. Site plan requirements can be found under Chapter 19.63 Plan Review.

(k)

Paving of Access. All access approach areas located within a street right-of-way shall be paved to the satisfaction of the neighborhood services department with a hard, all-weather surface, and shall be maintained so as to prevent the transport of gravel, dirt, or other eroded material from the subject property into the right-of-way. This requirement must be fulfilled before building occupancy, unless granted a time-specific extension in writing by the neighborhood services department. Requirements for the paving can be found in Chapter 19.51.

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)

Minimum Throat Length. Figure 10-104b shall be used to determine the minimum permitted throat length of access drives serving parking lots as measured from the right-of-way line along the centerline of the access drive. Also referred to as the driveway connection depth, driveway reservoir length, driveway stacking distance, driveway storage length. This regulation may be modified by a conditional use permit during the site review process.

Minimum Throat Length (Figure 10-104b)

(Ord. No. 1929A, § 1, 10-4-2016)