Village of Random Lake Ordinance
CHAPTER 19 - SUBDIVISION CODE

19.08 DESIGN STANDARDS.

(1) STREET ARRANGEMENT. In any new subdivision plat or certified survey map, the street layout shall conform to the arrangement, width and location indicated on the Official Map or General Plan of the Village. In areas for which such plans have not been completed, the street layout shall recognize the functional classification of the various types of streets and shall be developed and located in proper relation to existing and proposed streets, to the topography, to such natural features as streams and tree growth, to public convenience and safety, to the proposed use of the land to be served by such streets and to the most advantageous development of adjoining areas. The subdivision shall be designed so as to provide each lot with satisfactory access to a public street. In addition:

• Arterial Streets.Arterial streets shall be arranged so as to provide ready access to centers of employment, centers of governmental activity, community shopping areas, commu­nity recreation and points beyond the boundaries of the community. They shall also be properly integrated with and related to the existing and proposed system of arterial streets and highways and shall be, insofar as practicable, continuous and in alignment with existing or planned streets with which they are to connect.

 (b) Collector Streets.Collector streets shall be arranged so as to provide ready collection of traffic from resi­dential areas and conveyance of this traffic to the major street and highway system and shall be properly related to the mass transportation system, to special traffic generators such as schools, churches and shopping centers and other concentrations of population and to the major streets to which they connect.

(c) Local Streets.Local streets shall be arranged to conform to the topography, to discourage use by through traffic, to permit the design of efficient storm and sanitary sewerage sys­tems and to require the minimum street area necessary to provide safe and convenient access to abutting property.

(d) Proposed Streets.Proposed streets shall extend to the boundary lines of the tract being subdivided unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions or unless, in the opin­ion of the Village Board, such extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision or for the advantageous development of the adjacent tracts.

(e) Arterial Street and Highway Protection.Whenever the proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to an arterial street or highway, adequate protection of residential properties, limitation of access and separation of through and local traffic shall be provided by reversed frontage with screen planting or an earth berm contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear or side property line, or by the use of frontage streets.

(f) Stream or Lake Shores.Stream or lake shores shall have a minimum of 60 feet of public access platted to the low water mark at intervals of not more than 1/2 mile as required by §236.16(3), Wis. Stats.

(g) Reserve Strips.Reserve strips shall not be pro­vided on any plat to control access to streets or alleys, except where control of such strips is placed with the Village Board under conditions recommended by the Plan Commission.

(h) Alleys.Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial areas for off-street loading and service access if required by the Village Board, but shall not be approved in resi­dential districts. Deadend alleys shall not be approved. Alleys shall not connect to a major thoroughfare.

(i) Street Names. Street names shall not duplicate or be similar to existing street names elsewhere in the Village and environs, and existing street names shall be projected wherever possible.

(2) LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY AND RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY TREAT­MENT. Whenever the proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to a limited access highway or railroad right of way, the design shall provide the following treatment:

(a) When lots within the proposed subdivision back upon the right of way of an existing or proposed limited access highway or a railroad, a planting strip at least 30 feet in depth and/or an earth berm shall be provided adjacent to the highway or rail­road in addition to the normal lot depth. This strip shall be a part of the platted lots, but shall have the following restriction lettered on the face of the plat: "This strip is-reserved for the planting of--trees and-shrubs; the building- of- structures and placement of longitudinal easements for utilities hereon is prohibited."

(b) Commercial and industrial properties shall have provided, on each side of the limited access highway or railroad, streets approximately parallel to and at a suitable distance from such highway or railroad for the appropriate use of the land between such streets and highway or railroad, but not less than 150 feet.

(c) Streets parallel to a limited access highway or railroad right of way, when intersecting a high collector street and highway or collector street which crosses said railroad or highway, shall be located at a minimum distance of 250 feet from said highway or railroad right of way. Such distance, where desirable and practicable, shall be determined with due considera­tion of the minimum distance required for the future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.

• Local streets immediately adjacent and parallel to railroad rights of way shall be avoided and location of local streets immediately adjacent to high collector streets and high­ ways and to railroad rights of way shall be avoided in residential areas.

(3) STREET DESIGN STANDARDS. (a) The minimum right of way and roadway width of all proposed streets and alleys shall be as specified by the General Plan, the General Plan Component or the Official Map of the Village, or if no width is specified therein, the minimum widths shall be as shown in Table 1 below. Cross-sec­tions for freeways, expressways and parkways shall be based upon detailed engineering studies.

TABLE 1

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM CROSS SECTIONS RANDOM LAKE, WISCONSIN

(b) Cul-de-sac streets designed to have one end perma­nently closed shall not exceed 600 feet in length. All cul-de-sac streets designed to have one end permanently closed shall termi­nate in a circular-turnaround having a minimum right of way radius of 60 feet and -a minimum outside curb radius of 50 feet

(c) Unless necessitated by exceptional topography sub­ject to the approval of the Plan Commission, the maximum center line grade of any street or public way shall not exceed the fol­lowing:

1. Arterial Streets. 6%.

2. Collector Streets. 7%.

3. Local Streets, Alleys and Frontage Streets. 10%.

4. Pedestrian Ways. 10%, unless steps of accept­able design are provided.

5. The grade of any street shall in no case exceed 10% or be less than 1/2 of 1%.

 (d) Street grades shall be established wherever practi­cable so as to avoid excessive grading, the promiscuous removal of ground cover and tree growth and general leveling of topography. All changes in street grades shall be connected by vertical curves of a minimum length equivalent in feet to 15 times the algebraic difference in the rates of grade for all major streets, and 1/2 this minimum for all other streets.

(e) When a continuous street center line deflects at any one point by more than 10 degrees, a circular curve shall be introduced having a radius of curvature on said center line of not less than the following:

1. Arterial Streets and Highways. 500 feet.

2. Collector Streets. 300 feet.

3. Local Streets. 100 feet.

A tangent at least 100 feet in length shall be provided between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets.

(f) Where, on the date of enactment of this chapter, an existing dedicated or platted half street is adjacent to the tract being subdivided, the other half of the street shall be dedicated by the subdivider. The platting of half streets is not permitted.

(4) STREET INTERSECTIONS. Streets shall intersect each other at as nearly right angles as topography and other limiting factors of good design permit. In addition:

(a) The number of streets converging at one intersec­tion shall be reduced to a minimum, preferably not more than 2.

(b) The number of intersections along arterial streets and highways shall be held to a minimum. Wherever practicable, the distance between such intersections shall not be less than 1,000 feet.

(c) Intersections on local streets shall be offset at least 125 feet measured from the center lines of the 2 streets.

(d) Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a minimum radius of 20 feet or of a greater radius when required by the Plan Commission, or shall be terminated by a straight line through the points of tangency of an arc having a radius of 15 feet.

(e) Local streets shall not necessarily continue across arterial or collector streets, but if the center lines of such local streets approach the major streets from opposite sides with­in 300 feet of each other, measured along the center line of the arterial or collector street, then the location shall be so adjusted that the adjoinment across the arterial or collector street is continuous, and a jog is avoided.

(5) BLOCKS. The widths, lengths and shapes of blocks shall be suited to the planned use of the land, zoning requirements, need for convenient access, control and safety of street traffic and the limitations and opportunities of topography. In addition:

(a) The length of blocks in residential areas shall not, as a general rule, be less than 400 feet nor more than 1,200 feet in length unless otherwise dictated by exceptional topography or other limiting factors of good design.

(b) Pedestrian ways are generally not desired and should be avoided; however, pedestrian ways of not less than 10 feet in width may be required near the center and entirely across any block over 900 feet in length where deemed essential by the Plan Commission to provide adequate pedestrian circulation or access to schools, parks, shopping centers, churches or transpor­tation facilities.

(c) The width of blocks shall be wide enough to provide for 2 tiers of lots of appropriate depth except where otherwise required to separate residential development from through traffic.  Width of lots or parcels reserved or laid out for commercial or industrial use shall be adequate to provide for off-street service and parking required by the use contemplated and the area zoning restrictions for such use.

• Utility easements. See sub. (8) below.

(6) LOTS. The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be­ appropriate-for the location of the subdivision and for the type of development and use contemplated. The lots should be designed to provide an aesthetically pleasing building site and a proper architectural setting for the building contemplated. In addition:

(a) Side lot lines shall be at approximately right angles to straight street lines or radial to curved street lines on which the lots face. Lot lines shall follow municipal boundary lines rather than cross them.

(b) Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be prohibited except where necessary to provide separation of resi­dential development from through traffic or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation.

(c) Every lot shall front or abut for a distance of at least 80 feet on a public street, but under extenuating circumstances, may be reduced if the lot is 80 feet wide at the front setback.

(d) Area and dimensions of lots shall conform to the requirements of the Zoning Code and, in areas not served by public sewers, shall, in addition, conform to the requirements of Wis. Adm. Code H 65. Whenever a tract is subdivided to large parcels, such parcels shall be arranged and dimensioned as to allow resub­division of any such parcels into normal lots in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(e) Depth of lots shall be a minimum of 100 feet. Excessive depth in relation to width shall be avoided and a pro­portion of 2:1 shall be considered a desirable ratio under normal conditions. Depth of lots or parcels reserved or laid out for commercial or industrial use shall be adequate to provide for off-street service and parking required by the use contemplated.

(f) Width of lots shall conform to the requirements of the Zoning Code.

(g) Corner lots shall have an extra width of 10 feet to permit adequate building setbacks from side streets.

(h) Lands lying between the meander line and the water's edge and any otherwise unplattable lands which lie between a proposed subdivision and the water's edge shall be included as part of lots, outlots or public dedications in any plat abutting a lake or stream.

(7) BUILDING SETBACK LINES. Where not controlled by zoning regulations, building setback lines, appropriate to the location and type of development contemplated, shall be established as may be required by the Village Board.

(8) EASEMENTS_ (a) Electric-and CommunicationFaciliti-es.

1. Adequate easements shall be provided and dedicated on each side of all rear lot lines, and on side lot lines, across lots or along front lot lines where necessary, for the installation of electric and communications facilities. Such easements shall be noted as "Utility Easements" on the final plat or certified survey map. Prior to approval of the final plat or certified survey map, the concurrence of the electric and communications companies serv­ing the area as to the location and width of the utility easements shall be noted on the final plat or certified survey map.

2. Electric and communications facilities are to be installed underground and the utility easements shall be graded to within 6 inches of final grade by the subdivider, prior to the installation of such facilities, and earth fill, piles or mounds of dirt or construction materials shall not be stored on such easement areas.

3. A note shall be placed on the final plat or certified survey map stating that the final grade established by the subdivider on the utility easements shall not be altered by more than 6 inches by the subdivider or his agent, or by subsequent owners of the lots on which such utility easements are located, except with written consent of the utility or utilities involved.

(b) Gas Facilities.Distribution gas mains and appur­tenances, except service laterals, shall be installed in the street right of way, normally in the area between sidewalk and curb. However, the Plan Commission may, at the request of the utility, or where deemed necessary or desirable, require easements of adequate width for the intended purpose along lot lines or across lots for such installations, and such easements shall be noted on the final plat or certified survey map as "Utility Ease­ments."

(c) Drainage Easements.Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway channel or stream, an ade­quate drainageway or easement shall be required subject to the approval of the Director of Public Works; and parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection therewith. Where necessary, storm water drainage shall be maintained by landscaped open channels of adequate size and grade to hydraulically accommo­date maximum potential volumes of flow. These design details are subject to review and approval by the Director of Public Works.