§ 20-1122. Access and driveways.

The purpose of this section is to provide minimum design criteria, setback and slope standards for vehicular use. The intent is to reduce interference with drainage and utility easements by providing setback standards; reduce erosion by requiring a hard surface for all driveways; to limit the number of driveway access points to public streets and to direct drainage toward the street via establishment of minimum driveway slope standards. Parking and loading spaces shall have proper access from a public right-of-way. The number and width of access drives shall be located to minimize traffic congestion and abnormal traffic hazard. All driveways shall meet the following criteria:

(1)

Driveways shall be setback at least ten feet from the side property lines, except on lots that access off of a cul-de-sac "bubble", neck or flag lot where the lot frontage may prohibit meeting the side yard setback requirement. Beginning 20 feet from the front property line, driveways may be setback a minimum of five feet from the side property line or the distance of the existing drainage and utility easement on the particular lot or parcel. Encroachment into a side yard drainage and utility easement must be reviewed and approved by the city and may require an encroachment agreement.

(2)

Driveway grades shall be a minimum of one-half of one percent and a maximum grade of ten percent at any point in the driveway. If extenuating circumstances exist, the city engineer may approve driveway grades in excess of ten percent. Examples of extenuating circumstances include: bluffs, existing steep grades, shoreland setbacks, wetland conditions, and tree preservation.

(3)

Within the right-of-way driveways should access city streets at 90 degrees.

(4)

In areas located within the Metropolitan Urban Services Area (MUSA) as identified on the comprehensive plan, driveways shall be surfaced with bituminous, concrete or other hard surface material, as approved by the city engineer. In areas outside the MUSA, driveways shall be surfaced from the intersection of the road through the right-of-way portion of the driveway with bituminous, concrete or other hard surface material, as approved by the city engineer.

(5)

On corner lots, the minimum corner clearance from the roadway right-of-way line shall be at least 30 feet to the edge of the driveway.

(6)

For A-2, PUD-R for single-family detached houses, RR, RSF, R-4 and RLM for single-family detached residential uses, the width of the driveway access shall not exceed 24 feet at the right-of-way line. No portion of the right-of-way may be paved except that portion used for the driveway. Inside the property line of the site, the maximum driveway width shall not exceed 50 feet. For flag/neck lots the lot coverage of the driveway access within the neck portion of flag/neck lots shall not exceed 33 percent of the neck's area. For all lots the minimum driveway width shall not be less than ten feet.

(7)

For all other uses, the width of the driveway access shall not exceed 36 feet in width measured at the roadway right-of-way line. No portion of the right-of-way may be paved except that portion used for the driveway.

(8)

Driveway setbacks may be reduced subject to approval by the city engineer and the following criteria:

a.

The driveway will not interfere with any existing drainage swale or easement in which a utility is contained;

b.

Shall require an easement encroachment agreement from the engineering department;

c.

The driveway must be designed to maintain stormwater drainage runoff on the property to ensure that it will not cause runoff onto adjacent properties;

d.

Snow storage may not be placed on adjacent properties; and

e.

Lot frontage on lots that access off of a cul-de-sac "bubble", neck or flag lot do not permit adequate driveway access width or side yard setback.

(9)

Accessory driveways shall be maintained as natural grass or be constructed of bituminous, concrete, or paver surface.

(10)

One driveway access is allowed from a single residential lot to the street.

(11)

A turnaround is required on a driveway entering onto a state highway, county road or collector roadway as designated in the comprehensive plan, and onto city streets where this is deemed necessary by the city engineer, based on traffic counts, sight distances, street grades, or other relevant factors. If the engineer requires a turnaround, this requirement will be stated on the building permit.

(12)

Separate driveways serving utility facilities are permitted.

(13)

All driveways must be constructed in accordance with current construction requirements/details. A driveway permit is required when any alteration is made to a driveway in the public right-of-way. A zoning permit may be required for any other driveway work not in the public right-of-way along with other requirements to determine if the improvement will meet zoning ordinance requirements of the particular lot or parcel.

(Ord. No. 117, § 1, 1-8-90; Ord. No. 330, § 1, 11-13-01; Ord. No. 409, § 6, 1-9-06; Ord. No. 452, § 3, 7-9-07; Ord. No. 507, § 3, 6-28-10; Ord. No. 612, § 9, 12-14-15; Ord. No. 619, § 18, 2-27-17; Ord. No. 628, § 46, 12-11-17)