Snellville › Unified Development Ordinance

Chapter 400 — Land Development, Article 1 — Streets and Public Improvements

current as of 2025-03-10re-check pendingOfficialVerify with City of Snellville ↗5 sections · full chapter

§ 401-1

General

Chapter 400. Land Development Table of Contents

Table or figure — shown as printedverify at source ↗

Article 1. Streets and Public Improvements ........................................................ 400-2

Article 2. Grading, Erosion, and Sedimentation ................................................ 400-47

Article 3. Environmental Protection .................................................................. 400-65

Article 4. Stormwater ...................................................................................... 400-105

Chapter 400. Land Development Article 1. Streets and Public Improvements Table of Contents

Table or figure — shown as printedverify at source ↗

Sec. 401-1. General .......................................................................................... 400-3

Sec. 401-2. Open Space .................................................................................... 400-7

Sec. 401-3. Blocks and Access ........................................................................ 400-18

Sec. 401-4. Streetscapes ................................................................................ 400-24

Sec. 401-5. Streets.......................................................................................... 400-28

Chapter 400. Land Development Article 1. Streets and Public Improvements General Applicability This article applies to any development permit, land disturbance Permit, or building permit.

Intent The article is intended to promote good subdivision and site design that:

Creates a functional and attractive development for future inhabitants and users;

Minimizes adverse impacts on adjoining properties and residents;

Minimizes adverse impacts on the natural environment; and Ensures that a project will be an asset to the community.

Land Suitability and Site Analysis Primary Conservation Areas

1.The following areas are unsuitable for development and are considered to be primary conservation areas:

a.Unique and/or fragile areas, including wetlands as defined by the Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to the Clean Water Act;

b.The regulatory 100-year floodplain;

c.Steep slopes over 25%, as measured over a 20-foot horizontal interval, of at least 5,000 square feet contiguous area;

d.Buffer zones of at least 75 feet width along all U.S.G.S. perennial and intermittent streams;

e.Habitats for or populations of endangered or threatened wildlife, as identified on federal or State lists;

f.Historically significant structures and sites, as listed on federal, State, City, or County lists of historic places; and

g.Archaeological sites; cemeteries, and burial grounds.

2.Primary conservation areas:

a.Must be used for open space;

b.May not be subdivided for residential occupancy;

c.May not be developed for any uses that may be reasonably concluded to be harmful to the health, safety, life, property, or general welfare; and

d.Must be protected by a conservation easement in perpetuity in accordance with Georgia law and City regulations.

3.Relief from primary conservation area requirements may be approved by the Board of Appeals when an applicant demonstrated that conformance would be an unusual hardship and would be counter to the intent of this article.

Secondary Conservation Areas

1.The following are considered secondary open space areas and should be used as open space to the maximum extent possible:

a.Existing healthy, native forests of at least 1 contiguous acre;

b.Individual, existing healthy trees greater than 8 inches caliper, as measured at the diameter breast height (DBH);

c.Other significant natural features and scenic viewsheds, such as ridgelines, peaks, and rock outcroppings, particularly those that can be seen from public roads;

d.Important historic sites;

e.Prime agricultural lands of at least 5 acres; and,

f.Existing trails that connect the tract to neighboring areas.

Site Analysis Map Required

1.A site analysis map must be made in the form of a sketch plat or concept plan of characteristics of the development site and site context including:

a.Geology of soil, topography;

b.Ecology;

c.Existing vegetation;

d.Surrounding structures and road networks;

e.Visual features; and

f.Past and present uses of the site.

The development of the site must be based on the site analysis. To the maximum extent practicable, development must be located to preserve natural features, to avoid areas of environmental sensitivity, and to minimize negative impacts and alteration of natural features.

2.The design of the development must take into consideration all existing local and regional plans for the surrounding community including but not limited to the areas designated as conservation lands on the Future Land Use Map.

3.The development must be laid out to:

a.Avoid adversely affecting groundwater and aquifer recharge;

b.Reduce cut and fill;

c.Avoid unnecessary impervious cover;

d.Prevent flooding;

e.Provide adequate access to lots and sites; and

f.Mitigate adverse effects of shadow, noise, odor, traffic, drainage, and utilities on neighboring properties.

4.Minimum Lot Sizes. Primary conservation areas or secondary conservation areas must be:

a.Located on their own lot meeting the minimum size requirements of the zoning district; or

b.Placed in a buildable lot as excess land.

Offers of Land Dedication When a developer proposes the dedication of land to public use, and the reservation is not envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan or is otherwise deficient, the Director must obtain approval for the proposed reservation of land from the City Council before approval of the preliminary plat. If the Director finds that such land is neither required nor suitable for public use, the Director will require the rearrangement of lots to include such land in private ownership.

Required Public Improvements Improvements and associated lands required by this article must be provided at no cost to the City and must be dedicated or otherwise transferred, as required, to the public in perpetuity and without covenant or reservation, except as otherwise provided herein.

Survey Monuments Marker requirements.

All lot corners must be marked with an iron rebar or pin, at least 0.5 inch in diameter and 18 inches long and driven to extend no less than 1 inch above the finished grade.

Floodplains On subdivisions containing floodplains, flood elevation references must be set in accordance with the requirements of the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

Standard drawings Maintenance The Department must maintain a set of Snellville and Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development standard drawings on file for consultation and distribution. These drawings illustrate details of the construction and design of streets, stormwater drainage facilities, site improvements, and other elements related to the development of land in accordance with this UDO.

Case-by-Case Basis The standard drawings provide minimum acceptable standards for land development activities authorized under this article and this UDO, but will not supersede more restrictive prudent design requirements or good engineering practice as may be applied by the Director to specific situations on a case-by-case basis.

Minimum standards The standard drawings are incorporated by reference as part of this UDO and establish the minimum standards for design and construction of required improvements, subject to the amendment and appeal provisions of Chapter 100 Article 3.

§ 401-2

Open Space

Open Space Open Space Conservation Applicability This subsection applies to the following developments and is in addition to any recreation areas required by Sec. 401-2.2:

1.Residential subdivisions over 10 acres in size, except in the TCO, TC , MU, NR, or RO districts; and

2.Residential developments over 5 acres in size or with more than 36 units, except in the TCO, TC, MU, NR, or RO districts.

3.Commercial, industrial, and mixed-use, developments over 10 acres in size, except in the TCO, TC, MU, NR, or RO districts.

Intent The intent of this subsection is to require applicable new developments to provide open space, in order to achieve the following purposes:

1.Conserve open land, including those areas containing historic or cultural resources, or sensitive natural features and wildlife habitats;

2.Provide greater design flexibility and efficiency in the siting of utilities and streets and the opportunity to reduce the length of roads, utility runs, and the amount of paving and land disturbance;

3.Reduce erosion and sedimentation by minimizing land disturbance;

4.Create developments with direct visual access to open land, open space amenities, and strong community identity;

5.Provide active and passive recreational opportunities for residents and other users of developments;

6.Provide multiple options for landowners in order to minimize the impact on environmental resources and provide standards reflecting the variety of circumstances and interests of individual property owners; and

7.Implement the Comprehensive Plan, and other adopted land use and transportation policies of the City of Snellville and Gwinnett County and to implement the Georgia Greenspace Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 36-22-1—36-2-12).

Existing Features Subject to the review of the City Council, the Director may require that existing features which would add value to the planned development or to the city as a whole, such as trees, watercourses and falls, historic sites, and similar irreplaceable assets, be preserved.

Open Space Requirement

1.At least 20% of the site must be set aside as open space.

2.Open space required by this section may be used in a variety of ways, including natural areas for wildlife and ecological functions, parks, gardens, landscaped medians, squares, village greens, courtyards, recreational space, or recreational facilities, provided the use is consistent with the requirements of this section.

3.Land designated as unsuitable under Sec. 401-1.3 (Land Suitability and Site Analysis) counts toward the 20% open space requirement. Where the unbuildable area of a site is equal to or greater than 20% of the total area in the site, the open space requirement has been fulfilled. Where the unbuildable area is less than 20% of the total site area, additional land must be set aside so that the overall 20% open space requirement is fulfilled.

4.Open space may not include areas devoted to public or private streets or any land which has been, or is to be, conveyed to a public agency, via a purchase agreement for such uses as parks, schools, or other public facilities, or which lies within any required private recreation facility, overhead power easement, or stormwater detention facility. No more than 50% of required stream buffers, 100-year floodplain, delineated wetlands, and proposed permanent lakes may be credited as open space.

Open Space Standards Open space required to meet the minimum requirements must comply with the following:

1.Undeveloped and natural

a.General. Open space must remain undeveloped and natural except for the provision of non-motorized passive recreation opportunities such as running, walking, biking, and similar outdoor activities, except as provided in sentence b below.

b.Exceptions. “Greens” may be constructed and maintained in open space. A “green” is a landscaped area larger than 0.33 acre constructed for gathering or play, or visual enhancement. “Greens” may not exceed 10% of the total open space. At least 75% of the open space must be contiguous with a minimum width of 40 feet.

2.The open space must adjoin any neighboring areas of open space, other protected areas, and non-protected natural areas that would be candidates for inclusion as part of a future area of protected open space, as defined by the Comprehensive Plan, the Gwinnett County Open Space and Greenway Master Plan, the Snellville Greenway Master Plan, or any other official City plan or project.

3.Uses of open space may only include the following:

a.Conservation of natural, archaeological, and/or historical resources.

b.Meadows, woodlands, wetlands, wildlife corridors, game preserves, or similar conservation-oriented areas.

c.Walking or bicycle trails, provided they are constructed of porous paving materials.

d.Passive recreation areas, such as open fields.

e.Active non-commercial recreation areas, such as playing fields, playgrounds, courts, and bikeways. They may be credited to no more than 25% of the required open space or 10 acres, whichever is less, and may not be located within primary conservation areas. Active recreation areas over this limit must be located outside of the protected Active recreation areas and may include impervious surfaces. Parking facilities for the same must also be permitted provided they may not be included in the required minimum open space.

f.Agriculture, horticulture, silviculture, and/or pasture uses, provided that all applicable best management practices are used to minimize environmental impacts and such activities are not conducted within primary conservation areas.

g.Pastureland for horses and other grazing livestock used solely for recreational purposes. Equestrian facilities, including commercial facilities, are permitted but may not consume more than 25% of the minimum required greenway land. Outdoor riding arenas are permitted. Rodeo facilities, indoor arenas, seating areas, and facilities for audiences are specifically excluded.

h.Outdoor open space amenities such as village greens, commons, picnic areas, community gardens, trails, and similar low-impact passive recreational uses specifically excluding motorized off-road vehicles, rifle ranges, and other uses similar in character and potential impact as determined by the Department.

i.Golf courses may comprise up to 50% of the minimum required open space, but may not include driving ranges or miniature golf. Golf course parking areas and any associated structures may not count toward the minimum required area of open space.

j.Other conservation-oriented uses compatible with the purposes of this regulation.

4.Prohibited uses of open space include the following:

a.Roads, parking lots and impervious surfaces, except as specifically authorized in this article.

b.Agricultural and forestry activities not conducted according to accepted best management practices.

c.Commercial livestock operations involving swine, poultry, mink, and other animals likely to produce highly offensive odors.

d.Impoundments.

e.Other activities as determined by the applicant and recorded on the legal instrument for permanent protection.

5.The use of certain areas to meet minimum open space requirements is restricted as follows:

a.Environmentally critical areas such as required stream buffers, 100-year floodplains, delineated wetlands, and proposed permanent lakes only count at a ratio of 50% of their land area.

b.Recreation area improvements. Impervious surfaces in recreation areas may be located in a protected open space but do not count towards requirements.

c.Utility rights-of-way and/or easements for drainage, access, and underground utilities may be located in a protected open space but do not count towards requirements.

d.Stormwater management facilities and practices do not be count towards requirements unless integrated into open spaces as follows:

i.The open space containing the stormwater feature must be designed and stamped by a Landscape Architect licensed in the State of Georgia;

ii.Stormwater features in open spaces must be designed as formal or natural amenities for the open space;

iii.Stormwater features may not constitute more than 50% of the required open space;

iv.Exposed concrete is not allowed in the stormwater management facility.

This includes concrete located in retention or detention ponds, spillways, or basins;

v.Stormwater features may not be fenced or enclosed by retaining walls over 30 inches in height.

e.Land devoted to public or private streets or any land that has been, or is to be, conveyed to a public agency via a purchase agreement for such uses as parks, schools, or other public facilities do not count towards requirements.

Conservation Surety

1.Open space, except for "greens," must be permanently protected by the conveyance of (a) a covenant or scenic easement which runs in perpetuity under O.C.G.A. § 44-5-60 in favor of any corporation, trust, or other organization holding land for the use of the public or certain governmental entities; or (b) a conservation easement running in perpetuity to a third party "qualified organization" recognized by federal Treasury Regulation section 1.170A-14(c)(1). Qualified organizations recognized by this treasury regulation include, but may not be limited to: governmental entities, certain publicly supported charities, local and national land trusts, or other conservation groups that are organized or operated primarily or substantially for one of the conservation purposes specified in the Internal Revenue Code. Governmental entities qualifying to be named in covenants under O.C.G.A. § 44-5-60 or to receive conservation easements under the treasury regulation referred to above for purposes of this section include the federal government, the State of Georgia, Gwinnett County, or political subdivisions or authorities of the State of Georgia or Gwinnett County. If a covenant or conservation easement is recorded in favor of a governmental entity, the written acceptance of the covenant or conservation easement by the governmental entity must be obtained before the recording of the covenant or easement. The developer must record the necessary legal instrument to accomplish protection of the open space before, or concurrent with, the recording of the final subdivision plat.

2.The instrument for permanent protection must include clear restrictions on the use of the open space. These restrictions must include all restrictions contained in this article, as well as any further restrictions the applicant chooses to place on the use of the open space or the City Council imposes as a condition of zoning.

Ownership Requirements Open space must be owned in fee-simple by a property owner's association; by the property owners; or by another entity approved in advance by the City. The developer must record the deed to the open space before, or concurrent with, the recording of the first final subdivision plat. An access easement following the alignment of future public streets is acceptable. However, "greens" may be deeded concurrent with the unit or phase of the final subdivision plat of which it is a part.

Property Owner’s Association When a property owner’s association is established, its bylaws must include the following:

1.Governance of the association by the Georgia Property Owner's Association Act (O.C.G.A. § 44-3-220 et seq.) or a successor to that Act that grants lien rights to the association for maintenance expenses and tax obligations.

2.Responsibility for maintenance of the open space.

3.Responsibility for insurance and taxes.

4.Automatic compulsory membership of all lot purchasers and their successors;

and compulsory assessments.

5.Conditions and timing for transferring control of the association from the developer to the lot owners.

6.Guarantee that the association will not be dissolved without the advance approval of the City Council.

Maintenance

1.The property owner's association, or other entity approved in advance by the City Council, is responsible for the continuous maintenance of buffers, open space, and recreation areas.

2.An open space management plan or private covenants must be prepared and submitted before the issuance of a site development permit. The open space management plan must:

a.Allocate responsibility and guidelines for the maintenance and operation of the open space and any facilities located thereon, including provisions for ongoing maintenance and long-term capital improvements;

b.Estimate the costs and staffing requirements needed for maintenance and operation of, and insurance for, the open space, and outlines how such funding will be obtained or provided;

c.Provide that any changes to the plan be approved by the City Council; and

d.Provide for the enforcement of the plan.

3.If the party responsible for maintenance of the open space fails to maintain all or any portion in reasonable order and condition, the City may assume responsibility for its maintenance and may enter the premises and take corrective action, including the provision of extended maintenance. The costs of such maintenance may be charged to the property owner, homeowner association, or to the individual property owners that make up the homeowner association, and may include administrative costs and penalties. Such costs will become a lien on all subdivision properties, when applicable.

Tax assessment of open space When a legal instrument for permanent protection has been placed upon the open space, the City must reassess the open space at a lower value to reflect its more limited use. If the open space is used purely for passive recreational purposes and the terms of the instrument for permanent protection effectively prohibit any type of significant economic activity, then the assessment must be at a value of zero.

Recreation Areas Applicability This subsection applies to the following and is in addition to any open space conservation required by Sec. 401-2.1:

1.Single-family detached subdivisions with more than 75 dwelling units and with an average residential lot size of less than 1 acre, except in TC, MU, NR, or RO districts; and

2.Two-family subdivisions with more than 50 dwelling units, except in TC, MU, NR, or RO districts; and

3.Single-family attached, townhouse, and multi-family developments greater than 5 gross acres in size or with more than 40 units, except in TC, MU, NR, or RO districts.

General

1.At least 6% of the site’s gross land area must be provided for recreational use, but in no case will the area required exceed 6 acres, subject to the following:

a.Not over 60% of the required recreational use land may be within the 100-year floodplain;

b.The required recreational use land must be contiguous or separated only by parking areas and private drives; and

c.The required recreational use land must be of suitable shape and condition for the construction of at least one swimming pool and one regulation-size tennis court.

2.In subdivisions, recreational use land required by clause 1 above that is not proposed for improvement by the developer must be deeded to a qualified property owners association or the City (upon approval of City Council). Such land must be deeded upon the approval of the final plat and may only be used for recreational purposes. Membership in the qualified property owners association must be mandatory for all the owners in the subdivision, and must be established under the laws of Georgia; it shall be responsible for the perpetuation, maintenance and function of the recreation areas and all uses or facilities therein. The association must have the authority and duty to assess its members for such maintenance and improvements as set forth in the instrument creating the association. All covenants must be recorded simultaneously with the final subdivision plat.

3.If the developer builds recreational facilities as required and allowed by clause 1 above, the land area must be deeded to a homeowner association or other legal entity incorporated under the laws of Georgia. The land must be deeded to said organization with a restriction that the land may only be used for recreational purposes and is available to all residents of the subdivision on an equal basis. The deed must be filed with the Department simultaneously with the final plat and must be held by the Department until a certificate of occupancy is issued for the recreational improvements, whereupon the deed must be recorded.

4.In multifamily rental or condominium projects, the land provided for recreational use in accordance with these requirements must be held in the ownership of the owner of the project.

5.The City may lease or sell land reserved for public parks to a qualified property owners association. Such land must include a deed restriction that it must be used exclusively for open space or public recreational purposes in perpetuity.

The organization of a qualified property owners association and its adequate financing for the discharge of its responsibilities shall be assured through acceptable private deed covenants running with the land or other such documents as approved by City Council.

Civic Space Applicability

1.This sub-section applies in TC, MU, NR, and RO districts.

2.Open space in C, MU, NR, and RO districts includes two types: civic space and amenity space.

3.Open spaces must be incorporated into developments as required by district regulations, except as provided by a fee in lieu.

Civic Space

1.Defined. Civic space is the portion of open space for public use defined by the combination of certain physical constants including the relationships among their intended use, their size, their landscaping, and their adjacent buildings.

2.Types. Civic spaces are limited to the following types:

a.Park. An open space available for structured or unstructured recreation. A park may be independent of surrounding buildings at its edges. Its landscape may consist of paths and trails, meadows and lawns, water bodies, and woodlands. Recreation fields and courts may also be included but may not exceed 50% of the individual park area. The minimum size for a park is 1 acre.

b.Square. An open space available for unstructured recreation and civic purposes. A square is spatially defined by buildings or streets at its edges.

Its landscape must consist of paths and trees and may also include lawns and non-asphalt paved surfaces. The minimum size for a square is 0.5 acre.

c.Plaza. An open space, available for civic purposes and commercial activities. A plaza must be spatially defined by buildings or streets at its edges. Its landscape must consist primarily of non-asphalt paved surfaces and trees. The minimum size for a plaza is 0.25 acre.

d.Pocket Park. An open space, available for unstructured recreation. A pocket park may be spatially defined by buildings or streets at its edges. Its landscape must consist of lawn and trees, or just trees when the pocket park is wooded. There is no minimum size for pockets parks.

e.Playground. An open space designed and equipped for the recreation of children. A playground must be fenced and may include an open shelter.

Playgrounds must be interspersed within residential areas, may be placed within a block, and may be included in parks and greens. There is no minimum size for playgrounds.

Amenity Space

1.Defined. Amenity space is any covered or uncovered, but unenclosed, outdoor area of at least 100 square feet that is intended for use by the occupants, invitees and guests of the development and specifically excluding civic spaces and required sidewalks.

2.Types. Amenity spaces may include, but are not limited to:

a.Rooftop decks;

b.Balconies;

c.Patios and porches;

d.Outdoor dining areas;

e.Pool areas;

f.Tennis courts, basketball courts, and similar uses;

g.Yards, lawns, and gardens;

h.Hardscape areas improved for pedestrian enjoyment; and

i.Wooded areas.

General

1.Wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, flood zones, and stream buffers may only be considered open space when located within one of the five types of civic spaces identified in paragraph B.2 above.

2.No required buffer, except stream buffers, may be used to satisfy open space requirements.

3.Stormwater management facilities and practices do not be count towards open space requirements unless integrated into open spaces as follows:

a.The open space containing the stormwater feature must be designed and stamped by a Landscape Architect licensed in the State of Georgia;

b.Stormwater features in open spaces must be designed as formal or natural amenities for the open space;

c.Exposed concrete is not allowed in the stormwater management facility.

This includes concrete located in retention or detention ponds, spillways, or basins; and

d.Stormwater features may not be fenced or enclosed by retaining walls over 30 inches in height.

4.No areas used for vehicles, except incidental service, maintenance, or emergency actions, may be used to satisfy open space requirements.

Fee-in-Lieu If the required civic space cannot be provided on-site, the Director may approve a fee contribution to the City of Snellville Open Space Fund. The following standards are established for administering these contributions and fund:

1.The Director must review and approve all requests for fee-in-lieu compliance.

2.No permit may be issued until the required fee contribution has been made to the Open Space Fund.

3.The amount of the fee contribution is determined based on a developer-provided appraised value of the civic space acreage required. The appraisal must determine fair market value based upon an appraisal methodology consistent with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisals or other real estate valuation techniques approved and used by the State of Georgia when expending State funds for land acquisition. The appraisal must be prepared by a certified appraiser.

4.The City of Snellville Open Space Fund must be used for purchasing and maintaining public open spaces within or within 1 mile of (as measured in a straight line) of the Towne Center.

Credit for Off-Site Public Open Spaces Developments within 500 feet of a public park or other public open space (measured in a straight line from the development lot line to the closest lot line of the park or open space) may use the area of such off-site open space to satisfy its open spaces requirements as follows:

1.The Director must review and approve all requests to use this credit;

2.Only credit from one off-site park or open space may be used per development;

3.The area from one public park or open space may provide credit to multiple developments on multiple occasions; and

4.If the credit area does not satisfy all open space requirements, additional open space must be provided on-site or by fee-in-lieu.

Ownership Requirements Civic space, but not amenity space, must be owned in fee-simple by a property owner's association; by the property owners; or by another entity approved in advance by the City. The developer must record the deed to the civic space before, or concurrent with, the recording of the first final subdivision plat. An access easement following the alignment of future public streets is acceptable.

Property Owner’s Association When a property owner’s association is established, its bylaws must include the following:

2.Responsibility for maintenance of the open space.

3.Responsibility for insurance and taxes.

4.Automatic compulsory membership of all lot purchasers and their successors;

and compulsory assessments.

5.Conditions and timing for transferring control of the association from the developer to the lot owners.

6.Guarantee that the association will not be dissolved without the prior approval of the City Council.

Maintenance

1.The property owner's association, or other entity approved in advance by the City Council, is responsible for the continuous maintenance of buffers and civic space.

2.A civic space management plan or private covenants must be prepared and submitted before the issuance of a site development permit. The management plan must:

a.Allocate responsibility and guidelines for the maintenance and operation of the civic space and any facilities located thereon, including provisions for ongoing maintenance and long-term capital improvements;

b.Estimate the costs and staffing requirements needed for maintenance and operation of, and insurance for, the civic space, and outlines how such funding will be obtained or provided;

c.Provide that any changes to the plan be approved by the City Council; and

d.Provide for the enforcement of the plan.

3.If the party responsible for maintenance of the civic space fails to maintain all or any portion in reasonable order and condition, the City may assume responsibility for its maintenance and may enter the premises and take corrective action, including the provision of extended maintenance. The costs of such maintenance may be charged to the property owner, homeowner association, or to the individual property owners that make up the homeowner association, and may include administrative costs and penalties. Such costs will become a lien on all subdivision properties, when applicable.

Tax assessment of open space When a legal instrument for permanent protection has been placed upon the civic space, the City of Snellville must reassess the civic space at a lower value to reflect its more limited use. If the civic space is used purely for passive recreational purposes and the terms of the instrument for permanent protection effectively prohibit any type of significant economic activity, then the assessment must be at a value of zero.

§ 401-3

Blocks and Access

Blocks and Access Intent The intent of the block standards is to provide a well-connected street network.

Large blocks with limited connectivity discourage walking, contribute to street congestion, and add driving distance that can negatively impact emergency services. New streets should be designed to consider future development.

The intent of access standards is to provide safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian access within developments and between adjacent developments and to lessen traffic congestion and increase connectivity. Pedestrian, bike, and vehicular access should be safe, direct, and convenient.

Blocks Layout The lengths, widths, and shapes of blocks shall be determined with regard to:

1.Provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of use contemplated;

2.Applicable zoning district requirements as to lot size and dimensions;

3.Needs for convenient access, circulation, control, and safety of street traffic;

and

4.Limitations and opportunities of topography.

Measurement

1.A block is bounded by a public street or a private street built to public standards (excluding alleys).

2.Block perimeter is measured from intersecting street centerlines.

3.The Director may modify the block perimeter requirements by administrative variance when steep slopes over 25%, pre-existing development, tree protection areas, stream buffers, cemeteries, open space, or easements would make the provision of a complete block infeasible.

Town Center Overlay, Town Center Districts, NR District, MU District

1.The following applies to developments in the TCO, TC, NR, or MU districts that are more than 5 acres in size.

2.Developments must incorporate existing or new streets that terminate at other existing or new streets to form an interconnected network with the maximum block perimeter lengths shown in Table 401-3.3., except as provided in clauses 3 and 4 below.

Table 401-3.3. Towne Center, NR, MU Block Sizes

Any lot or site required to provide minimum frontage by the zoning district in which it is located must provide vehicular access directly from a public street or public alley built to the standards in these regulations except as provided in paragraph G below (Vehicular Access Easements).

Subdivisions

1.General

a.When land is subdivided into larger parcels that would allow further subdivision into building lots, such parcels must be arranged and designed to allow for the opening of future streets and to provide access to those areas not presently served by streets. The right-of-way for such future streets must be reserved and dedicated on the preliminary and final plats.

b.No subdivision may be designed to eliminate all street access to adjoining parcels of land. Proposed streets must extend to the boundaries of the tract to be subdivided. Every development must be designed to facilitate either pedestrian or vehicular access to adjoining properties that are developed or anticipated to be developed. Locations of inter-parcel access will be as required by and subject to the approval of the Director.

c.A stub street must be provided to the boundary of a development when necessary to provide access to a land-locked abutting property, for planned continuity of future circulation, for improved access for public safety vehicles, or for the extension of public water or other utilities to neighboring lands. Such stub streets must be designed to allow their reasonable extension and must be located to be reasonably incorporated into a street design for the neighboring property. The stub street requirement may be waived by the Director, in consultation with the Director of the Departments of Public Safety and the Gwinnett County Department of Public Utilities.

d.Stub streets on an abutting property must be extended into a proposed development and incorporated into its street design. This requirement may be modified by the Director when a serious topographical hardship or dissimilar zoning exists which would create unacceptable land use conflicts between the two developments. This modification may be conditioned on the provision of easements necessary for the extension of public utilities, the provision of a cul-de-sac or other permanent turnaround on the stub street, or the removal of the stub street back to its nearest intersection.

Town Center Overlay, Town Center Districts, NR District, MU District

1.Applicability The following applies to developments in the TCO, TC, NR, or MU districts that are more than 5 acres in size.

2.Stub-out Streets Required

a.Where a development abuts a parcel greater than 5 acres in size that is zoned TCO, TC-MU, TC-R, MU, NR, BG, OP, or CI, stub-out streets within the development must be installed to meet the block standards of Sec. 401-3.2.C.2. This requirement applies regardless of whether subdivision is proposed.

b.The stub-out street right-of-way, pavement, and curbing must extend to the boundary of the abutting parcel to the point where the connection to the anticipated street is expected.

c.Stub-out streets must be located so that the portion of the block perimeter located on the development does not exceed 50% of the applicable block perimeter maximum.

3.Connecting to an Existing Stub-Out Street If a stub-out street exists on an abutting parcel, the street system of any new development must connect to the stub-out street to form a through street.

4.Exception The Director may grant an administrative variance to eliminate the requirement for a stub-out street or require pedestrian and bicycle-only access when steep slopes over 25%, highways, waterways, tree conservation areas, stream buffers, cemeteries, open space, civic space, or easements would make the provision of a stub-out street infeasible.

Access Improvements for Single-Family Attached Subdivisions and Residential Subdivisions

1.When property that abuts upon an existing or proposed City street is to be developed or redeveloped as a single-family attached or residential subdivision and the City street will provide access to the property, project access improvements to the City street (deceleration lanes, turn lanes, etc.) must be provided by the developer as required by this paragraph.

2.A deceleration lane is required at each subdivision street entrance that is accessed from a minor collector street or major thoroughfare. If a street has an existing or proposed median, and the developer desires to construct a median break to serve the subdivision, then a left turn lane leading to the median break must be provided by the developer and must meet these standards.

3.Deceleration lanes must follow the standards included in Chapter 4 of GDOT’s Driveway and Encroachment Control Manual. Additional right-of-way to accommodate the deceleration lane and an 11-foot shoulder must be dedicated by the developer to the City at no cost. Associated drainage improvements as deemed necessary by the construction of the deceleration lane are also required.

4.Other project access improvements may be required upon the recommendation of the Director to ensure adequate site access, pedestrian access, convenience, and safety to the motoring public.

5.The developer must relocate public or private utilities and drainage structures, as may be occasioned by the required project access improvements.

Access Improvements for Multifamily and Nonresidential Developments

1.When property that abuts upon an existing or proposed City street is to be developed or redeveloped for multifamily or nonresidential uses and the City street will provide access to the property, access improvements to the City street (deceleration lanes, turn lanes, etc.) must be provided by the developer.

2.A deceleration lane is required at each project driveway or subdivision street entrance, as applicable, that is accessed from a minor collector street or major thoroughfare. If a street has an existing or proposed median, and the developer desires to construct a median break to serve the project, then a left turn lane leading to the median break must be provided by the developer and must meet these standards.

3.Deceleration lanes must follow the standards included in Chapter 4 of GDOT’s Driveway and Encroachment Manual. Additional right-of-way to accommodate the deceleration lane and an 11-foot shoulder must be dedicated by the developer to the City at no cost. Associated drainage improvements deemed necessary by the construction of the deceleration lane are also required.

4.Other project access improvements may be required by the Department upon the recommendation of the Director to ensure adequate site access, pedestrian access, convenience, and safety to the motoring public.

5.The developer is responsible for the relocation of public or private utilities and drainage structures as may be occasioned by the required project access improvements.

Dead End Streets

1.Where a dead end street (other than a cul-de-sac) serves more than three lots, the developer must provide a temporary vehicular turnaround within the right-of-way. This requirement may be waived if an extension of the dead end street is approved and under construction before its inclusion in a final plat.

2.Where a street dead ends at the property boundary and the street exceeds 1,000 feet in length, a permanent cul-de-sac is required. In this situation, right-of-way to the property boundary is required, but the pavement may not extend to the property boundary beyond the edge of the paved cul-de-sac turnaround.

In no case may a dead end street exceed 2,000 feet in length unless approved by the Director due to unusual topographic conditions or property configurations.

Vehicular Access Easements

1.Applicability The following applies when vehicular access is required by paragraph A above (Vehicular Access Required).

2.General Vehicular access may be provided from a public street indirectly via easement in any one or more of the following circumstances:

a.The property is a buildable lot of record, as defined herein, but does not meet the minimum frontage requirement of the applicable zoning district.

The property must be served by an exclusive access easement which must be limited to the provision of access to only one principal use or structure.

b.The access easement serves a single-family residence on a lot which is otherwise a buildable lot of record, and which is sharing a common driveway with no more than one other single-family residence.

c.The access easement was lawfully established as such under the Code, ordinances, or regulations of the City of Snellville before the adoption of this UDO.

d.The access easement coincides with a private street approved under this UDO.

e.The access easement serves a buildable lot of record which meets the minimum frontage requirements of this UDO, but at which point the access is not achieved.

Inter-parcel Access

1.Applicability The following applies in the TCO, TC, RM, RX, MU, NR, BG, HSB, LM, OP, or CI districts along State routes, arterial streets, and collectors when lots of any size abut a lot zoned TCO, TC, RM, MU, NR, BG, HSB, LM, OP, or CI.

2.General

a.Internal vehicular circulation areas must be designed and installed to allow for cross-access between abutting lots.

b.Vehicle cross-access may not be gated.

c.When an abutting lot is vacant or already developed, a stub for a future cross-access connection must be provided at the point where the connection to the abutting parcel is expected to occur in the future.

d.If a cross-access driveway stub exists on an abutting parcel, the internal vehicular circulation area must connect to the stub to form a cross-access connection.

e.When cross-access for vehicles is deemed impractical by the Director based on topography, the presence of natural features, or vehicular safety factors, relief from the requirement for cross-access may be granted by administrative variance. Bicycle and pedestrian connections must be provided between abutting parcels when cross-access relief is granted.

f.Property owners who establish cross-access easements must:

i.Allow pedestrian and vehicular access to all properties on the same block face as the property owner establishing the cross-access.

Pedestrian and vehicular access is contingent upon the granting of reciprocal vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access rights to the granting property;

ii.Record an easement allowing cross-access to and from properties served by the cross-access easement;

iii.Record a joint maintenance agreement requiring each property owner to maintain the vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access areas on their lot;

iv.Contain a provision prohibiting the erection of fences, walls, and other obstructions that prevent the use of vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access ways;

v.Include a statement that the cross-access agreement is conveyed with the land, is binding on all successors, heirs, and assignees, and that the easement rights are perpetual; and

vi.The cross-access agreement must be signed by all of the owners of the granting property.

§ 401-4

Streetscapes

Streetscapes General Applicability Streetscapes must be installed when one or more of the following applies:

1.When a new public or private street is constructed; or

2.When a building is built, renovated, or repaired along an existing public street, except as provided in paragraph B below.

Exceptions Streetscapes are not required to be installed when one or more of the following applies:

1.When a building or site is renovated or repaired, and when there is no increase in floor area, and when there is no increase in the improved site area, and when said activity is not considered a substantial building permit.

2.When a building or site is increased in floor area or improved site area cumulatively by less than 25% and when said activity is not considered a substantial building permit.

3.When a single-family detached dwelling along an existing street is built, renovated, or repaired.

Administrative Variances The Director may grant administrative variances to the requirements of this section when one or more of the following applies:

1.When the required streetscapes would result in loss of an existing street tree, specimen tree, or special tree;

2.When an existing building is being renovated, repaired, or expanded and its existing placement limits the space available for the required streetscape;

3.When an existing building is being renovated, repaired, or expanded and existing topography prevents the installation of the required streetscape without requiring the construction of retaining walls 3 or more feet in height;

4.When an existing building is being renovated or repaired and implementing the required streetscape would make a site non-conforming with regards to parking.

Location Standards When streetscapes are required, they must be installed:

1.On both sides of new public and private streets; and

2.Along the entire property frontage.

State Routes

1.Any development that abuts a State route must conform to the requirements of GDOT for access or improvements along State routes. Where a conflict exists between a requirement of this section and a GDOT requirement, the GDOT requirement applies.

2.An approved permit for proposed access or improvements is required by GDOT and must be incorporated into the construction drawings for the project before the issuance of a Land Disturbance Permit.

Streetscapes Required General

1.All streetscapes that are required or installed must conform to Table 401-4.2.

Table 401-4.2. Streetscape Table

Street Type and	Zoning & Overlay District	Development Type	Planter	Sidewalk
Local	All districts except TC-R, TC-MU, NR, MU	Residential Subdivision	5 ft. min.	4 ft. min.
Local	TC-R, NR, MU	All development types	5 ft. min.	6 ft. min.
Local	TC-MU, TCO	All development types	5 ft. min.	10 ft. min.
Principal Arterial, Major Arterial, Minor Arterial, Major Collector	All districts except TC-R, TC-MU, MU	All development types	5 ft. min.	6 ft. min.
Principal Arterial, Major Arterial, Minor Arterial, Major Collector	TC-R, TC-MU, TCO, MU	All development types	5 ft. min.	10 ft. min.
Alley	All districts	All other development types	Not required	Not required

provided below.

b.Each tree must have a minimum of 40 square feet pervious planting area.

The entire planting area must be planted with evergreen ground cover or a tree grate must be installed.

c.Street trees may count toward the landscape strip requirements of Sec.

207-3.2.

d.The area between required plantings must either be planted with evergreen ground cover or paved in accordance with clause 6 below.

e.The Director must approve all plantings, planting replacements, and planting removals.

5.Tree grates are not required if sidewalk width requirements are met unless otherwise determined by the Director. If grates are installed, they must be at least 4 feet by 8 feet in size and of a type specified by the Director.

6.All paving must be approved by the Director.

7.No awning or canopy may extend over the planter.

8.Trash receptacles or similar elements, when installed, must be of a type specified by the Director in accordance with design standards utilized by the City for placement of such objects in the public right-of-way

9.Decorative pedestrian lights must be installed as follows:

a.Lights must be installed in the planter, except as provided in “c” below, a maximum of 40 feet on center and spaced equal distance between street trees.

b.Lights must be of a type approved by the City for placement in the Towne Center public right-of-way.

c.Lights may be installed in an adjacent yard when GDOT prohibits placing them in the planter.

10.Utilities must be buried or placed to the rear of structures to allow for unobstructed use of sidewalks.

Design Standards All streetscapes that are required or installed must conform to the following unless an administrative variance is granted by the Director.

Streets trees must be located in the planter in conformance with Sec. 207-3.4.

Concrete curb and gutter are required where streetscapes are installed.

Sidewalks must be constructed of concrete and must be a minimum of 4 inches thick. The concrete must be class "B" (as defined by GDOT) and have a strength of 2,200 psi at 28 days.

All new sidewalks must match and provide a smooth transition to any existing sidewalks with no steps. Curb ramps must be provided at all curb termini.

Expansion joints must be provided at all property lines (extended) and driveway crossings. Control joints must be provided every 10 feet.

Disturbed areas resulting from sidewalk construction must be backfilled, stabilized and grassed.

All sidewalks must continue across any intervening driveway including any control or expansion joints. Hatched or stamped pattern concrete sidewalk must be used in the event the driveway apron consists of concrete.

Installation Deadlines All required streetscapes must be installed before the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or final plat approval in accordance with this subsection unless a performance bond is posted. The cost of streetscape installation may be set aside in escrow where proposed road improvements may impact the location of the sidewalk.

Streetscapes required on residential building lots must be installed before the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for each individual dwelling.

Streetscapes required in recreation areas, open spaces, and retention/detention ponds must be installed before final plat approval.

Streetscapes required on other projects must be installed before issuance of a certificate of occupancy or certificate of completion, as appropriate.

Reading grid · rebuilt for display · verify at source ↗

§ 401-5

Streets

Streets General Applicability This section applies to all existing or new streets, both public and private.

Private Streets

1.Private streets must be designed and constructed to public standards.

2.Private street maintenance is the responsibility of private parties and must be clearly established on the final plat of the development.

3.Lots used exclusively for private streets (including alleys) are not required to conform to the minimum size, width, lot coverage, setback, or other zoning district or use standards of this UDO unless such standard also applies to a public street or is specifically required for private streets.

4.Private streets may be gated when approved by the Director upon finding that adequate provisions are made for emergency responder access and other public purposes.

Improvements Required Street improvements are required in accordance with this section, except as otherwise approved by the City Council.

Dedication of Street Right-of-Way Rights-of-way for existing and proposed public streets must be dedicated as follows:

1.Existing streets or thoroughfares must have additional right-of-way dedicated along their frontage;

2.In accordance with the street classifications as shown on the Gwinnett County DOT long-range road classification map included in the Gwinnett County Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP); and

3.In accordance with the widths required in Table 401-5.2.

Greenway Trails Public and private streets must incorporate width for a greenway or multi-use trail when the location has been identified for one in the Snellville Greenway Master Plan greenway, in any other official City plan or project, or by GDOT. The greenway or multi-use trail must either be in the roadway or in place of the required streetscape, per Sec. 401-4.2.A.4. The Director may conduct a review of up to 90 days from the date of the permit application to determine the necessary location and design requirements of the facility. If, after the 90-day review, the Director is unable to reach a decision, there may not be any further delay of a requested permit for this situation.

Street Rights-of-Way The minimum width of public street right-of-way must be dedicated based upon the street categories shown in the Gwinnett DOT’s long-range road classification map and this UDO.

1.Right-of-way beyond the width shown in Table 401-5.2 must be dedicated when Director may administratively grant modifications.

Traffic Control Devices Traffic Control Signs Street signs, traffic control signs, and devices such as striping must be provided through the payment of fees to the City. Estimates of fees for other traffic control signs and devices may be determined by consulting a construction cost catalog, such as RS Means.

Street Name Signs Street name signs must have a green background with white legends mounted on channelized posts. Alternate post materials are subject to the review and approval of the Director. The posts and signs will be furnished and installed by the City at all street intersections. The developer (or homeowner association in the event an alternate signpost is chosen at a later date) must pay the City's costs.

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

Striping Requirements All newly constructed streets with four or more lanes (including auxiliary lanes) and existing streets being widened with one or more additional lanes must be striped or the payment of said striping costs are required from the developer by the Director before the approval of development conformance for the project.

Striping must be accomplished with paint meeting GDOT standards conforming to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Payment of Fees Payment for materials and installation of street names and traffic control signs in new developments is required by the Director before the approval of development conformance.

Street Lights

1.The installation of all street lighting fixtures within City rights-of-way must be approved by the Development before such installation.

2.Within residential subdivisions, decorative street lighting approved by the Director must be used. Payment for the light pole, fixture, and installation, and 1 year's power must be supplied by the developer before final plat approval.

3.Street lights must comply with the applicable requirements of Sec. 207-5 Lighting.

Specifications.

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

Street Subgrade Preparation Georgia DOT Specifications Subgrade preparation must be in accordance with GDOT specifications and these regulations.

Removal of Unsuitable Material If any sections of the subgrade are composed of topsoil, organic matter, or other unsuitable or unstable material, such material must be removed and replaced with suitable material and then thoroughly compacted as specified for fill or stabilized with stone, a geo-textile, or a geo-grid.

Fill Fill must be placed in uniform, horizontal layers not more than 8 inches thick (loose measurement). Moisture content must be adjusted as necessary to compact material to 95% of maximum dry density except for the top 12 inches which must be compacted to 100% of maximum dry density.

Utility Installation 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 must be brought to the lines, grades, and typical roadway section shown on the plans.

Trenches Utility trenches cut in the subgrade must be backfilled as specified herein.

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

Proofrolling The subgrade must pass roll testing before the placement of the base material. A geotextile or grid may be used to stabilize a subgrade that does not pass proofrolling.

Traffic Surface Before Completion When the street is to be used for construction traffic before the paving work is completed, a layer of stone (except crusher run) must be laid as a traffic surface.

This material may not be used as a part of the base material. It may be worked into the subgrade, or it must be removed before the base course is set up for paving.

Drainage Provisions must 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. After installation, drainage under the curb to side slopes is required using minimum 4-inch diameter pipe sections. See the diagram below.

Access Improvement Standards Sections 5 Feet or Greater in Width For sections 5 feet or greater in width, the section must use Class A concrete and comply with GDOT’s standards and detail. The base course must pass roll testing before paving. If a delay in paving is reasonably expected by the developer or the Department, the base must be sealed and retested before paving.

Sections Less than 5 Feet in Width For sections less than 5 feet wide, 7 inches of class A concrete base (5 inches on local and minor collector streets) are required and sections must comply with GDOT standards.

New Local, Minor Collector Streets All new local and minor collector streets must conform to this subsection.

1.Asphalt Streets. The following types of base materials may be used:

a.Crushed Stone Base. The base course must consist of at least 8 inches of graded aggregate base. After being thoroughly compacted and brought to the proper section, an intermediate course of 2 inches of 19mm Superpave must be applied. If a delay in paving is reasonably expected by the developer or the Department, the base must be primed the same day it is compacted, and cured in accordance with GDOT standards.

b.Soil Cement Base

i.If the base material (resident soil) is unsatisfactory to the Director, a soil cement mix design with engineer test results acceptable to the Director must be submitted. The design must come from a geotechnical firm with the results certified by a professional engineer registered in the State of Georgia. The tests required for the design are ASTM D558 or AASHTO T134 or ASTM D559 and/or 560 or AASHTO T135 and 136.

ii.The minimum base course must consist of at least 6 inches of suitable soil (high mica content not suitable) stabilized with 10% of Portland cement by volume (approximately 42.3 pounds per square yard).

Depending on whether the street is to be constructed as a one-pass or two-pass street. Binder and/or paving must conform to Sec. a. Where the grade of the street is 5% or greater, a single surface treatment course must be applied before the binder.

c.Concrete Streets. Due to their difficult maintenance requirements, the City discourages the installation of concrete streets. Special design plans must be submitted by the applicant to the Department for review and approval before installation.

New Major Thoroughfares Major thoroughfares must be constructed in accordance with designs prepared by the City, Gwinnett County, or GDOT.

Curb and Gutter Required All new public and private streets, public and private project access improvements, and public and private non-single family detached dwelling parking lots must be provided with curb and gutter. All gutters must drain smoothly with no areas of ponding. Parking wheel stops are required in non-single family detached dwelling parking lots with stormwater management low impact development (LID) measures to promote shield flow to channels/stormwater management facilities.

Residential Curbing Residential curbing must meet the following requirements:

1.Concrete must be class "A" (as defined by GDOT) and have a minimum strength of 3,000 psi at 28 days.

2.The typical minimum section is 6" × 24" × 12".

3.Vertical curbing only.

Industrial or Commercial Curbing Industrial or commercial curbing must meet the following requirements:

1.Concrete must be class "A" (as defined by GDOT) and have a minimum strength of 3,000 psi at 28 days.

2.The typical minimum section is 8" × 24" × 14".

3.Vertical curbing only, except median curbs, should be sloped similar to GDOT Type 7, to allow emergency vehicles to mount curb.

Principal Arterial and Major Arterial Curbing Principal arterial and major arterial curbing must meet the following requirements:

1.Concrete must be class "A" (as defined by GDOT) and have a minimum strength of 3,000 psi at 28 days.

2.The typical minimum section is 8" × 30" × 14".

3.Vertical curbing only, except median curb, should be sloped similar to GDOT Type 7, to allow emergency vehicles to mount curb.

Construction Methods

1.Curb and gutter must be set true to line and grade, must be horizontal, must be field staked, and must be finished to the section shown on the plans. Along project access improvements of a road which the City maintenance department has identified for resurfacing within 1 year of the new construction, the grade of the new gutter must be placed 1 inch above the project access improvement pavement grade in areas where drainage will not be adversely affected.

2.Line and grade must be set by the developer's engineer or surveyor on grades less than 2% and over 12%, and within 100 feet in both directions from all low points.

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

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

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

Roadway Design Street Grades and Design Speeds

1.The minimum allowed grade for local and minor collector streets is 0.3%. The minimum for major collector and arterial streets must conform to GDOT practice.

2.A minimum grade of less than 0.3% on a local street may be approved by the Department, based on adequate engineering designs, where at least 0.3% cannot reasonably be achieved due to topographical limitations imposed by the land. In such cases, a record drawing and such computations as necessary must be provided after construction to establish that the street will drain in accordance with these regulations. Street sections where unacceptable pooling, excessive spread at catch basins, or other hazardous conditions occur must be reconstructed or otherwise improved to eliminate such conditions.

3.Minimum vehicle design speeds and maximum grades allowable in the City by street classification are as shown in Table 401-5.11.

4.The maximum grade on any cul-de-sac turnaround is 6%.

Table 401-5.11A Design Speeds and Grades

4. The maximum grade on any cul-de-sac turnaround is 6%.
Street Category	Maximum Grade	Design Speed
Principal arterial	6%	55 MPH
Major arterial	8%	35-55 MPH
Minor arterial	10%	25-35 MPH
Major collector	10%	25-30 MPH
Minor collector	10%	20-25 MPH
Local	15%[1]	20-25 MPH

(i.e., L=KA).

2.Constant (K) values are shown in Table 401-5.11B. Constant (K) Values for achieved due to topographic conditions beyond the developer's control. In such hardship situations, the Director may approve a lesser value to the extent required by the hardship situation, but in no event less than the value shown in the table as "minimum."

1.All new streets must adhere to the following standards governing horizontal curvature and superelevation:

Table 401-5.11C Horizontal Curves

Street Category	Minimum Radius	Maximum Superelevation
Principal arterial	1333 ft	0.06
Major arterial	833 ft	0.06
Minor arterial	485 ft	0.06
Major collector	485 ft	0.06
Minor collector	231 ft	0.06 [10
Local	81 ft	0.06

roadway R= ;mb=6q; v;mb=0;;mb=4q;2;mb=0;

15(e + f)

f = side friction factor, as follows:

Vehicle design speed (v) 30 40 50 60 Side friction factor (f) .27 .23 .20 .18

3.Widening section along existing streets must be designed reflecting existing curvature and superelevation, if any, unless the existing street has been included in a specific design by the County or GDOT which calls for different standards, in which case the project will be coordinated with the overall design.

4.Roadway edge curves must be provided for tangent runout (bringing edge from a normal crown to centerline elevation) and superelevation runoff (from the end of tangent runout to the point of design superelevation) in accordance with design standards of GDOT or other professional engineering standards.

5.Between reverse horizontal curves there may be no less than the minimum centerline tangents shown in Table 401-5.11D unless otherwise specified by For compound circular curves, the ratio of the flatter radius to the sharper radius may not exceed 1.5 to one.

seconds.

Horizontal and Vertical Clearance

1.Horizontal Clearances

a.A shoulder of no less than 11 feet from the back of the curb or the edge of the pavement, appropriately graded and with gentle slopes of not more than 0.5 inch per 1 foot and rounded cross-sectional design, must be maintained along all streets. Beyond the shoulder but within the right-of-way, slopes may not exceed 1 foot of rise for every 2 feet of horizontal distance on a cut slope, and 1 foot of fall for each 3 feet of horizontal distance on a fill slope.

b.Along all public streets, a clear zone must be provided for a minimum distance of 6 feet from the back of the curb or the edge of the pavement wherein nothing may be located above ground level except for traffic and street signs, public utility structures, and mailboxes.

c.At selected locations, such as the outside of a sharp curve, a wider clear zone with greater horizontal clearances provided to any roadside obstruction may be required.

d.The Department, in accordance with Georgia Law 32-6-51, is authorized to remove or direct the removal of any sign, signal, device, or other structure erected, placed, or maintained on the right-of-way of a public road that, because of its nature, construction, or operation, constitutes a danger to, or interferes with the vision of, drivers of motor vehicles.

2.Vertical Clearances. Vertical clearance at underpasses must be at least 16.5 feet over the entire roadway width.

Street Intersections Angle of intersection

1.Intersections must generally be at right angles.

2.Intersections may not be at an angle of less than 85 degrees unless approved by the Director.

3.Intersections may not be at an angle less than 70 degrees unless the intersection is signalized and approved by the Director.

Maximum Grade Street intersections should be designed with a flat grade wherever possible, but in no case should the grade exceed 2% in normal situations (or 4% in topographical hardship situations on local streets).

Approach Horizontal Alignment

1.New local streets that approach an intersection with a street in a category higher than itself on a horizontal curve with a centerline radius less than 240 feet must provide a tangent section of roadway at least 30 feet long. Minor collectors approaching an intersection with a major thoroughfare on a horizontal curve with a centerline radius of less than 550 feet must also provide the 30-foot tangent section. The tangent length is measured along the centerline of the street, from the right-of-way line of the intersecting street, extended, to the point of tangency with the centerline of the curved section.

2.New major thoroughfares must provide tangent sections at intersections with streets in equal or higher categories as needed to provide adequate stopping distances at their design speeds.

Approach Vertical Alignment

1.For intersections with local or minor collector streets, a leveling of the street at a grade not exceeding 2% must be provided but no level approach distance is required for streets approaching at less than 7%, and a minimum 25-foot level approach distance may be provided for streets approaching at a grade of 7% or more. (See standard drawings).

2.As a street approaches an intersection with a major thoroughfare, there must be a suitable leveling of the street at a grade not exceeding 2% and for a distance not less than the following minimums:

Table 401-5.12D Approach Distances at Major Intersections

Approaching Street Category	Minimum Approach Distance[1]
Principal arterial	100 ft
Major arterial	100 ft
Minor arterial	100 ft
Major collector	75 ft
Minor collector	75 ft
Local	50 ft

Intersection Radii Intersection radii for roadways measured at the back of the curb and for the right-of-way lines must be as follows. For intersecting streets of different classification, the larger radii must be provided. In all cases, adequate right-of-way must be provided to maintain a minimum of 11 feet from the back of the curb. Larger radii may be required for streets intersecting at angles less than 90 degrees. Roadway radii must be increased to 75 feet on roads with heavy truck traffic.

Table 401-512E Intersection Radii

	Minimum	Maximum	R-O-W
Street Category	Roadway	Roadway Radii
			Radii [1]
	Radii
Arterial	35 ft	50 ft	20 ft
Major collector	35 ft	50 ft	20 ft
Minor collector— Residential	35 ft	50 ft	9 ft
Minor collector— Nonresidential	35 ft	50 ft	20 ft
Local—Residential	35 ft	50 ft	9 ft
Local—Commercial or office	35 ft	50 ft	11 ft
Local—Industrial	35 ft	50 ft	25 ft

be approved which contains less than 100 square feet.

Intersection Corner Sight Distance

1.Intersections must be designed with adequate corner sight distance for each street which approaches a street in an equal or higher street category (except an intersection of two local streets). Where necessary, backslopes must be flattened and horizontal or vertical curves lengthened to provide the minimum required sight distance.

2.The minimum corner sight distance from the approaching street must be equal to or exceed ten times the regulated speed of the intersecting street, as measured from the center of the approaching street in both directions along the right-of-way line of the intersecting street. As an alternative, the minimum corner sight distance requirement may be calculated using AASHTO’s "Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets," chapter 9 (at-grade intersections), latest edition. The sight distance must provide clear visibility of an object 4 feet above the intersecting street viewed from the centerline of the approaching street at the right-of-way line of the intersecting street, at a height of 3.5 feet above the ground.

Obstructing Visibility at Intersections On any corner lot, the requirements of Sec. 201-1.8 (Intersection Visibility) also apply.

Turning Lanes at Intersections

1.Left turning lanes are required on all new internal project streets, classified as a minor collector or major thoroughfare, intersecting a major thoroughfare, and may be required in other locations to meet traffic demand and safe operations.

Right turning lanes may be required to meet traffic demands or safety concerns. When provided, turning lanes must meet the following criteria:

a.Storage length. A minimum of 150 feet of storage length for turning lanes on any arterial roadway must be used. A minimum of 100 feet of storage length for turning lanes on all collectors must be used.

b.Taper length. The minimum taper length is 50 feet.

2.Left turning lanes from arterial roads are subject to longer storage lengths and tapers as determined on a case by case basis.

Driveways Angle and Improvements Driveways must generally intersect streets at right angles. All private driveways must be paved. The portion of a driveway located within a public right-of-way must be paved. Driveways providing access to parking lots that contain six or more spaces must be paved in accordance with the parking lot requirements of this UDO.

Design Standards

1.Driveways serving single-family detached or two-family dwellings may be no less than 10 feet wide at the right-of-way line and must provide a radius to the back of the curb or the edge of the pavement of the roadway of no less than 5 feet. All other driveway curb cuts on public streets must conform to the standards shown on the driveway details contained in the City’s standard drawings, by land use type as follows:

a.Driveway detail 1 (32-foot width, 25-foot radius) for:

i.Gas stations;

ii.Commercial sites (over 80,000 square feet);

iii.Office/institutional complexes (over 100,000 square feet);

iv.Residential developments, except residential subdivisions (over 200 units); and;

b.Driveway detail 2 (28-foot width, 25-foot radius) for:

i.Commercial sites (80,000 square feet or less);

ii.Office/institutional complexes (100,000 square feet or less);

iii.Residential developments, except residential subdivisions (200 units or fewer); and,

c.Driveway detail 3 (32-foot width, 40-foot radius) for:

i.Industrial sites;

d.Driveway detail 4 (optional design with island) for:

i.Private commercial/office street entrances;

e.Private entrances to residential developments, except residential subdivisions (over 200 units); and,

2.All driveways and driveway curb cuts on State routes must conform to GDOT Driveway and Encroachment Control Standards unless City requirements are more restrictive.

Auxiliary Lanes Along any major thoroughfare, a deceleration lane, acceleration lane, larger turning radius, traffic islands, or other devices or designs may be required to avoid specific traffic hazards that would otherwise be created by the proposed driveway location.

Corner Sight Distance along Minor Collectors or Major Thoroughfares All driveways approaching a minor collector or major thoroughfare must provide adequate corner sight distance. The minimum corner sight distance from the driveway must be equal to or exceed the standards of AASHTO’s "Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets," chapter 9 (at-grade intersections).

The sight distance must provide clear visibility of an object 4 feet above the intersecting street viewed from the centerline of the driveway at the right-of-way line of the intersecting street, at a height of 3.5 feet above the ground.

Separation and Spacing All driveways except those serving residential units on individual lots are recommended to meet the following criteria:

1.Minimum separation from a street intersection: 100 feet from the centerline of a driveway to the nearest right-of-way line of the intersecting street, extended.

For any driveway on a major thoroughfare with a centerline between 100 feet and 200 feet from the intersecting street right-of-way line, access restriction may be imposed to avoid traffic hazards. Greater separation may be required for the safe operation of a free-right lane, acceleration or deceleration lane, etc.

2.Minimum separation between driveways along the same side of a major thoroughfare: 100 feet between centerline as measured along the roadway edge or back of curb.

3.Whenever possible, proposed driveways along one side of a street must coincide with existing or proposed driveways on the opposite side of such street.

4.Maximum number of driveways serving a single project: one for every 400 feet of property frontage, or fraction thereof per street, along a major thoroughfare.

This is not meant to be a spacing standard but only an expression of the total number of driveways that are permitted serving a single project.

Development Chapter 400. Land Development Article 2. Grading, Erosion, and Sedimentation Table of Contents

Table or figure — shown as printedverify at source ↗

Sec. 402-1. Grading ........................................................................................ 400-48

Sec. 402-2. Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control ....................................... 400-50

2023

Table 401-5.2 Minimum Widths for New Streets and Project Access

Street Category	Design Speed		Minimum Right-of-Way	Minimum Roadway[2]
			[1]
Principal Arterial	55 mph	120 to 150 ft.		6 through lanes with a median
Major Arterial	35-55 mph	100 to 120 ft.		67 ft; 4 to 6 through lanes with a median
Minor Arterial	45 mph	80 to 100 ft.		52 to 66 ft.; 4 through lanes with a median
Major Collector	35 mph	80 ft.		52 ft.
Minor Collector	35 mph	60 to 80 ft.		28 ft.
Local Street •Nonresidential •Nonresidential cul-de-sac	25 mph N/A	60 ft. 60 ft. radius		32 ft. 50 ft. radius
Local Street •Residential – Urban •Residential – Urban cul- de-sac	25 mph N/A	50 ft. 50 ft. radius		27 ft. 40 ft. radius
Local Street •Residential – Rural •Residential – rural cul-de- sac	25 mph N/A	60 ft. 60 ft. radius		24 ft. 40 ft. radius
Local Street (Build to Rent) •Residential – Urban •Residential – Urban cul- de-sac	25 mph N/A	51 ft. 51 ft. radius		29 ft. 40 ft. radius
Alley	10 mph	2 ft.		16 ft

Table 401-5.11B. Constant (K) Values for Vertical Curves

	Crest Curves		Sag Curves
Street Category	Min.	Desirable	Min.	Desirable
Principal arterial	151	151	136	136
Major arterial	84	84	96	96
Minor arterial	43	44	64	64
Major collector	43	44	64	64
Minor collector	20	20	37	37
Local	10	10	17	17

Table 401-5.11D Tangents

Street Category	Minimum Tangent Length	Desirable Tangent Length
Principal arterial	150 ft	180 ft
Major arterial	125 ft	150 ft
Minor arterial	100 ft	120 ft
Major collector	100 ft	120 ft
Minor collector	75 ft	90 ft
Local	50 ft	60 ft

Reading grid · rebuilt for display · verify at source ↗