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Belfast |
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Code of Ordinances |
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Subpt. B. Land Use Regulations |
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Chapter 98. Technical Standards |
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Article V. Traffic Control |
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98-154. Driveways and access control generally. |
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(a)
Vehicle storage area; base requirements for driveways. Driveways
not subject to other standards shall have a vehicle storage area for
purposes of safely entering onto the street or lane, adjacent to the
shoulder of the road. This area shall be 20 feet in length for the
width of the drive, and have grades of not more than 6%, up or down,
from the edge of the shoulder. An existing structure whose proximity
to the right-of-way is such that it prohibits this relationship will
be exempt. Minimum base requirement for a driveway is 18 inches of
aggregate base course. Regular usage of a driveway, in a working operation,
by commercial trucks over 23,000 GVW requires 24 inches of gravel
base.
(b)
Curb openings in residential districts. No permit for a permanent street curb opening in a residential district shall be issued for a use which is not listed as a permitted use or permitted use requiring planning board review in that district. Residential districts are outlined in chapter 102.
(c)
Authority of City engineer. The City engineer is authorized and directed
to determine locations and widths for driveways in the City in accordance
with the standards specified in this section.
(d)
Surfacing. All new surface for curb cuts or driveway openings within
the right-of-way will be bituminous hot top, and such work shall extend
to the rear of the sidewalk line only. All costs for such cuts shall
be borne by the property owner, and, if the City does the work, the
work will be paid for in advance on a per-foot basis as approved by
public works director.
(e)
Drainage. For drainage requirements, see article VI of this chapter.
(f)
Single- and two-family driveways (up to four parking spaces).
(1)
Width. Any site shall have a minimum twelve-foot driveway. Where
multifamily dwellings are proposed, a minimum twenty-foot driveway
shall be required.
(2)
Location. Wherever possible, driveways shall be located on the
lot in a manner to provide a minimum twenty-foot spacing between existing
or proposed driveways.
(g)
Commercial, industrial and multifamily driveways (three units or
more).
(1)
Width of one-way driveways. Any site with driveway access to
a street shall have a minimum fifteen-foot-wide driveway for one-way
ingress or egress. Driveways shall permit traffic to enter and leave
the site simultaneously without conflict in aisles, parking or maneuvering
areas. Both the entrance and exit drives shall be marked with appropriate
signage. Maximum driveway width shall not exceed 24 feet.
(2)
Width of two-way driveways. Any site with driveway access to
a street shall have a minimum twenty-four-foot wide and maximum thirty-five-foot
wide driveway for two-way ingress and egress.
(3)
Curbing.
a.
Where driveways enter on an existing street, the full radius
of the driveway shall be curbed if necessary.
b.
The radius shall be a minimum of 15 feet. Where truck traffic
is anticipated, the radius may be increased up to a maximum of 25
feet based on the turning radius of the vehicles anticipated to enter
and exit the site.
c.
If curb cuts or culverts are required, they will be as approved
by the City engineer, and installed by public works department at
the developer's cost.
(4)
Maneuvering area. The area within the site to which a driveway
provides access shall be of sufficient size to allow all necessary
functions for loading, unloading and parking maneuvers to be carried
out on the site and completely off the street right-of-way.
(5)
Location and spacing. The location and spacing of driveways
shall be determined as follows:
a.
Along local streets, access driveways to corner lots shall be
located a minimum of 35 feet from the intersection of the projection
of the right-of-way line to the centerline of the driveway, except
as otherwise provided in this section.
b.
Along arterial, collector and industrial streets, access driveways
to corner lots shall be located a minimum of 150 feet from the intersection
of the projection of the right-of-way line to the centerline of the
driveway, except as otherwise provided in this section.
c.
Along arterial, collector and industrial streets, minimum acceptable
spacing between double or multiple driveways shall meet the following
criteria:
d.
Driveways shall be located in the most appropriate location,
based on the existing and proposed adjacent and opposing driveways
and land use.
(6)
Number of driveways.
a.
One one-way driveway shall be permitted for ingress and one
for egress purposes to any development per street frontage. These
may be combined at one location.
b.
A joint access driveway shall be considered as adequate access
for any two adjacent sites and shall be encouraged.
(7)
Off-street vehicular circulation. An off-street facility shall
have full internal vehicular circulation and storage. Vehicle circulation
shall be completely contained within the facility, and vehicles located
within one portion of the facility shall have access to all other
portions without using the adjacent street system.
(8)
Off-street truck maneuvering. Where the use of a parcel includes
truck loading, parking or service facilities, adequate space shall
be provided such that all truck maneuvering is performed off the street.
The design truck shall be one most appropriate for the operation.
(h)
Ingress lanes (slip lanes).
(1)
Ingress left-turn lane. A twelve-foot-wide left-turn lane with
appropriate storage and transition, based on the Institute of Traffic
Engineers accepted standards, shall be provided at each driveway where
the peak hour inbound left-turn volume is 30 vehicles or more.
(2)
Ingress right-turn lanes. For any site, a twelve-foot-wide right-turn
lane with appropriate storage and transition, based on the Institute
of Traffic Engineers accepted standards, shall be provided at each
driveway where the highway average daily traffic exceeds 10,000 vehicles
per day, permitted highway speeds exceed 35 miles per hour, and driveway
volume exceeds 1,000 vehicles per day with at least 40 right-turn
movements during peak periods. For any site, a right-turn lane as
described in this subsection shall be provided at each driveway where
right-turn ingress volumes exceed 75 vehicles per peak hour.
(i)
Maximum length of driveway.
(1)
The maximum length of a driveway within the area zoned for shore
land protection shall be 500 feet.
(2)
A driveway may have any length, as it could access a parking
lot or a single-unit residence at a distance from the street. Any
one-lane driveway over 500 feet in length must provide a fifty-foot
by ten-foot passing lane at five-hundred-foot intervals for the purpose
of passing emergency vehicles running in the opposite direction to
traffic.
(j)
Driveways with steep slopes. For any driveway with any slopes steeper
than 12%, the applicant must provide a statement or plan that addresses
maintenance (especially winter maintenance), erosion, and drainage.
Should there be a question of safety (emergency vehicles, access use,
etc.), then the approval of the City public safety director is required.
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| Ord. No. 39-1998, § 5.4, 12-1-1998 |