16577Draft No. 2
16 577 11/16/93
ORDINANCE NO. ,
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTERS 30, 31 AND 36
OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, PROVIDING FOR THE
STANDARDIZATION OF REGULATIONS FOR DRIVEWAYS,
CURB CUTS, SITE ACCESS AND CIRCULATION AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Staff and Planning Commission of the City of
Little Rock have experienced difficulty in the administration of
site access regulations; and,
WHEREAS, developers, design professionals and other citizens
have experienced conflicting opinion and standards when
submitting development plans; and,
WHEREAS, a need has been observed to combine, centralize and
simplify design standards.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.
Section 1. That Chapters 30, 31 and 36 of the Little Rock
Code of Ordinances be amended as follows—
Subsection a. That Chapter 30 be amended to add new language
to Section 30 -43, Layout and Design Generally, to then read as
follows:
(c) The above Layout and Design provisions are intended to
apply to driveways constructed to serve one and two
family residential dwellings only. Driveways
constructed to serve commercial, office, industrial and
multifamily projects shall be subject to the design
provisions contained in Chapter 31, Section 31 -210.
Subsection b. That Chapter 31, Division 2 be amended for
purposes of adding a new section to be numbered 31 -210 and that
it read as follows:
31 -210. Access and Circulation - General
(a) The purpose of these standards is to provide for the safe
and efficient movement of vehicles to, from and within sites
developed or modified for use by significant numbers of
vehicles.
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These standards provide for proper turning movement, lane
width, spacing and relationships between on street movement
and within a development site.
The standards are intended to be compatible with developed
areas and urbanizing segments of the community.
The standards of this section are designed to complement the
provisions of Chapter 30. Sections 30 -1 through 30 -48 of
this code by providing a uniform design standard for
development regulations.
(b) Uses required to conform to these standards shall include
but not be limited to: industrial, commercial or office
developments with multiple structures or lots; multifamily
developments with multiple structures or lots; churches or
other religious organizations and institutions; recreational
uses both public and private; educational institutions.
(c) Classifications of streets involved in the application of
the standards shall include: Principal arterial; minor
arterial; collectors (both commercial and residential);
industrial streets.
(d) Development tract size for which these standards are
applicable shall not have a minimum or maximum land area.
For purposes of applying these standards to lots less than
one hundred feet in width and less than one acre in area,
located adjacent to or surrounded by developed lots; the
staff of the department authorized by the City Manager shall
have approval authority. This authority shall be exercised
through use of accepted engineering design and practice,
while accommodating public safety and good business access.
(e) The spacing requirements for points of access to a boundary
street are:
(1) Industrial commercial, office or multifamily properties
abutting any street classification included in
31- 230(c) shall be limited to one driveway or access
point for each 300 feet of lot frontage. Access points
shall not be placed closer than one hundred (100) feet
to the right -of -way of any intersecting street when one
the intersecting streets is a minor arterial or higher
classification of street. Shared or common driveway
points are encouraged to reduce impact of these
requirements on lots less than three hundred (300) feet
in frontage. For purposes of intersections involving
any other street classification, specific review and
approval shall be the responsibility of the City
department designated by the City Manager.
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(2) Religious, philanthropic or educational uses abutting
any street classification included in 31- 210(c) shall
be limited to one driveway or access point for each 300
feet of lot frontage. Access points shall not be
placed closer than 100 feet to the right -of -way of any
intersecting street classified as a principal or minor
arterial. For purposes of intersections involving any
other street classification, specific review and
approval shall be the responsibility of the city
department designated by the City Manager.
(f) Intersections created by public streets and driveways or
points of access shall be designed with the following
minimum standards:
1) in all instances the centerline of drives shall
intersect the centerline of a street at a right angle.
variance up to fifteen (15) degrees may be granted by
the department designated by the City Manager, upon
submittal of documentation acceptable to the department
staff.
2) Where practical the centerline of a drive shall align
with existing drives immediately across the intersected
street. The development plan shall show all existing
drives adjacent to and across the street from the
planned development.
3) A centerline profile and horizontal layout is required
on all streets where access is planned to ensure that
adequate sight distance is provided at the street
access point. Site plans that do not meet this
requirement will not be approved.
4) Properly designed curbing and pavement marking shall be
installed to delineate the several traffic lanes.
5) Medians; both painted and raised structure, are
permitted with the specific design to be approved by
the City Traffic Engineer.
6) The minimum turnout radius on the curbing intersecting
the street curb shall be determined for each project .
utilizing standard traffic engineering turning radius
templates.
7) Left turn lanes.may be required, the need and required
storage capacity shall be determined by developer's
engineer and reviewed for approval by the department
designated by the City Manager.
8) The minimum width for a drive or access point providing
a left turn lane shall be 36 feet for the full length
of the left turn lane and will include the necessary
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transition length. The channelized section and
required storage lanes shall be separated from the
parking areas using curb and gutter. The design will
be reviewed by the City Traffic Engineer for approval.
9) Driveway grade within the public street right -of -way
and within fifty feet of the curb line of the public
street is recommended not to exceed plus or minus five
percent. Upon a showing of proper documentation of
unusual conditions and justification, the Department
designated by the City Manager may approve grades of up
to plus or minus eight percent within the first twelve
feet from the curb line, and plus or minus fourteen
percent from twelve feet to fifty feet from the curb
line. Under no circumstances shall the elevation of a
driveway surface at a point twelve feet from the curb
line of a public street be lower than the top of the
adjacent curb.
(g) Existing development conditions or commitments shall be
considered in staff review and judgment as to placement of
drives or access points and their design. The prevailing
access mode for adjacent properties along the primary access
street shall not control, but be given weight in the review
if adverse safety conditions will not be created.
Newly created out parcels
shall take access over or
This may be accomplished
easements. Plat and site
interior circulation plan
permanent maintenance and
within an existing developed site
on the existing approved drives.
)y means of common drives and
plans shall reflect the approved
and the means of assuring
access.
(h) On -site circulation providing direct access to or from a
public street identified in Section 31- 210(c) shall be
designed with the following standards:
1) Interior drives lying parallel to and less than
seventy -five feet from a public street curb line shall
not cross an access driveway, so as to create a four
way intersection.
2) Driveways entering a development site should be
separated from parking areas utilizing curb and gutter
along the length of the drive or by landscaped, curb
and guttered islands.
3) Multiple driveways shall not converge on a single
driveway or access point.
4) Internal drives shall be designed utilizing standard
engineering practices. The widths and locations of all
internal drives shall be submitted for approval to the
department designated by the City Manager.
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5) A signage and striping plan shall be prepared and
submitted to the department designated by the City
Manager for review and approval.
(i) Special design considerations, off site include:
1) The provision of acceleration and deceleration lanes
may be required on minor arterial or higher
classification of streets, where in the judgment of the
department designated by the City Manager, they will
facilitate the movement of vehicles.
2) The provision of a median in any boundary street where
identified by the Master Street Plan or other city
ordinance or agreement.
(j) Appeal from the provisions of Section 31- 210(a) through (i)
may be filed with the Little Rock Board of Directors after
final review and action by the Planning Commission.
Subsection c. That Chapter 31, Division 5, Section
31 -287 be amended for purposes of reducing the language
and providing reference to Section 31 -210 and to read
as follows:
Section 31 -287. Internal circulation.
All commercial subdivisions shall provide for design
and construction of drives, curb cuts and internal
circulation as provided for within Section 31 -210 of
this code.
(1) Public commercial streets. Public commercial
streets shall be provided according to the
provisions of this division.
(2) Service easements. Where a commercial or office
subdivision requires the creation of an
internalized circulation system to provide access
to multiple lots and building sites, the planning
commission may authorize the use of a service
easement in lieu of public commercial streets.
Location of private service easements shall be
indicated on the plat and be built to public
street design standards. Design of service
easements shall be subject to the review and
approval of the city department designated by the
City Manager.
Subsection d. That Section 31 -288, Division 5, Chapter
31 of the Code of Ordinances be deleted in its
entirety.
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Subsection e. That Chapter 31, Division 6, Section
31 -312 be amended to add a new paragraph to be
31- 312(e) and to read as follows:
(e) All industrial development shall conform to the
provisions of Section 31 -210 for purposes of
design of driveways, curb cuts and internal
circulation.
Subsection f. That Chapter 31, Section 31- 13(c)(1)(d)
be amended to provide for the insertion of new language
and to read as follows:
(d) Existing and proposed vehicular and pedestrian
circulation systems including streets, alleys,
walkways, service areas and loading areas, the
location and arrangement of off - street parking
areas and all points of vehicular ingress and
egress. These systems shall be designed in
accordance with the standards set forth in Section
31 -210 of this code.
Subsection a. That Chapter 36, Division 4, Section
36- 107(6) be amended to add new language and to then
read as follows:
(6) The internal street system, ingress and egress of
proposed off - street parking, loading and
pedestrian ways are sufficiently adequate and
conform to the design standards of Section 31 -210
of the Subdivision Regulations of this code.
Subsection h. That Chapter 36, Division 5, Section
36- 126(c) be amended to add new language and to then
read as follows:
(c) All development shall be designed in such a way as
to minimize any potential deleterious impact on
the surrounding area. Special attention shall be
given to buffering multifamily, commercial and
industrial developments from adjacent single
family areas. Design of the internal street
system, ingress and egress, off - street parking,
loading and pedestrian ways shall be sensitive to
such conditions as safety, convenience, separation
of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, general
attractiveness, areas of dwelling units and the
proper relationship of different land uses. Such
design shall conform to the standards set forth in
Section 31 -210 of the Subdivision Regulations of
this code.
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Landscaped areas shall be provided to reduce
erosion, heat and glare and said areas shall be
maintained in an attractive condition. Existing
trees on a development site shall be retained
where possible. Screening, open space or other
buffer may be required to give adequate separation
between uses which are not compatible and shall
also be provided for the beautification and
enhancement of the property. The requirements of
Arkansas State Fire Code, Section 508, providing
for handicapped parking and accessibility shall be
indicated on the plan.
Subsection i. That Chapter 36, Division 3, Section
36- 28(b)(5) be amended to add language and to then read
as follows:
(5) Design provisions for ingress and egress, service
drives, interior circulation, both on and off site
shall be that required by Section 31 -210 of the
Subdivision Regulations.
Subsection 1. That Chapter 36, Division 4, Section
36- 300(b)(4) be amended to provide for new language and
to then read as follows:
(4) Design provisions for ingress and egress for a
site, service drives and interior circulation
shall be that required by Section 31 -210 of the
Subdivision Regulations.
Subsection k. That Chapter 36, Division 5, Section
36- 319(b)(6) be amended to provide for new language and
to then read as follows:
(6) Design provisions for ingress and egress, service
drives, interior circulation shall be that
required by Section 31 -210 of the Subdivision
Regulations.
Subsection 1. That Chapter 36, Section 36- 460(i) be
amended to provide for the insertion of a new paragraph
to be numbered (7) and to read as follows:
(7) Design provisions for ingress and egress for any
site along with service drives and interior
circulation shall be that required by Section
31 -210 of the Subdivision Regulations.
Subsection m. That Chapter 36, Division 2, Section
36- 260(b)(3) be amended for purposes of modifying the
language and to then read as follows:
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(3) Design provisions for ingress and egress for any
site along with service drives and interior
circulation shall be that required by Section
31 -210 of the Subdivision Regulations.
SECTION 2. That this Ordinance take effect thirty (30) days
from and after its passage.
PASSED: January 18, 1994
CUiA A6
City Clerk
Robbie Hancock
E
Mayor
Jim Dailey
2- Nov- 16.doc
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