HomeMy WebLinkAbout(1994, 01/24) - L-2 - AmendedU2
DRIVEWAY APPROACHES
A. General
1. A permit will be required prior to any driveway construction
within the street right -of -way. All construction shall conform with
the Standard Plans and Specifications of the City of Newport
Beach. Brick, textured concrete or flat stone surfacing may be used
subject to Public Works Department approval. Such brick, textured
concrete or flat stone surfacing may not be used on Bayside Drive.
2. The number of driveway openings shall be kept to a minimum so
as to preserve on -street parking and to reduce the points of traffic
conflict
3. The term "Curb Opening" shall mean the total width of the
approach including the slope distances on the curb. The term
Approach Bottom" shall mean the total width of the approach less
the slope distances on the curbs.
4. Curb openings shall not be constructed closer than 5 feet to the B.C.
of a curb return, fire hydrant, traffic signal or street light
5. The entire curb opening shall be within the prolongation of the
property lines except when cross easements provide for a common
driveway along the mutual property line.
6. No permit shall be issued for driveways on Clubhouse Drive, Glen
Drive, Balboa Island or on the ocean side of Ocean Boulevard
without City Council approval. No curb openings will be
permitted on Ocean Boulevard when access is available from an
existing alley, street or improved private roadway.
7. No permit shall be issued if the driveway construction requires the
removal of a street tree until such removal has been approved by
the Parks, Beaches & Recreation Director.
8. No permit shall be issued if the driveway encroaches on a
crosswalk area.
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9. No permit shall be issued if the driveway construction requires the
relocation of any public facility such as fire hydrants or street lights
until a deposit has been made to cover the cost of relocation.
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10. No permit shall be issued unless the applicant agrees that at no cost
to the City he will remove and reconstruct to City standards any
existing driveway opening (including curb, gutter, and sidewalk)
that is to be abandoned.
11. Where practical, difficulties or hardships may result from the strict
application of this policy, minor dimensional variances may be
granted with written approval of the Public Works Director.
12. Nothing herein shall be construed as preventing any person from
appealing to the City Council for relief from the applications of this
policy.
13. No building permit shall be issued on a parcel whose access
requires City Council review for an encroachment permit on public
property, until said encroachment permit has been issued.
B. Residential Zones and Residential Uses - Special Requirements
1. The width of the driveway approach bottom shall not exceed 20 •
feet except when the driveway is to serve an enclosed three or four
car garage, in which case the driveway approach bottom may be
increased to 25 feet or 32 feet, respectively.
2. One additional curb opening will be permitted to a single parcel
subject to the following conditions:
a. The total width for all openings shall not exceed 50%
of the total frontage of the parcel.
b. The openings shall be separated by at least 20 feet to
retain maximum street parking.
3. Street curb openings shall not be permitted to residential property
which abuts an alley.
An exception may be made in the case of corner lots where the
street on which the curb cut is proposed is not an arterial street and
street frontage is available for the full depth of the lot, subject to
the following conditions:
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a. Access from the street will be permitted where existing
structures prevent full alley access, or additional covered
off -street parking is being provided.
b. The width of the curb opening shall be limited to one -half of
the lot depth.
4. Driveway grades must not exceed the listed applicable maximum
slope depending on application. Driveways to lowered or
subterranean parking must rise above the flood level or a
minimum of six inches above the flow line of the street or alley,
whichever is greater, before transitioning to a downward slope.
Slope transitions shall be a minimum of five feet in length and the
change of slope cannot exceed eleven percent.
Driveways providing only parking access - Fifteen percent
maximum slope. Must have access directly from garage into
residence.
Driveways providing vehicle and pedestrian access - Eight percent
maximum slope.
Driveways providing required parking spaces on the driveway
itself -Five percent maximum slope.
Minor variations from the listed maximum slopes and slope
changes may be granted by the Traffic Engineer when unusual site
conditions are encountered.
C. Private Streets - Special Requirements
1. A grading permit will be required prior to the construction of any
driveway apron, sidewalk, curb, gutter or wall within the private
street rights -of -way. The design parameters shall be in accordance
with the City of Newport Beach Design Criteria and Standards for
Public Works Construction.
Also, the Public Works Department shall perform a brief review of
plans prior to permit issuance.
2. A Public Works encroachment permit will be required if
improvements are to be constructed within 5 feet of a fire hydrant,
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street light or other public utility system appurtenance (i.e., valve
boxes or manholes).
3. A Public Works encroachment permit will be required when
connecting to or relocating public utilities.
Commercial Uses
1. The width of the driveway approach bottom shall not exceed 35
feet.
2. The total width of all driveways shall not exceed 50% of the
frontage of the parcel.
3. Commercial driveway approaches may use a curb return design
with a maximum curb radius of 25 feet and a driveway approach
bottom of greater than 35 feet if the following conditions are
satisfied:
a. The driveway serves as an entrance to a parking area
or structure for 200 or more vehicles. •
b. The number of driveways serving the parcel are at a
minimum.
4. The curb return commercial driveway approach may incorporate a
divided exit and entrance if the separation structure (median
island) is continued on -site in such a manner as to provide proper
traffic design.
Closure of Abandoned DrivewAyAMroaches by City
The City may close abandoned driveway approaches at high priority
locations where two or more of the following criteria may exist:
a. The abandoned driveway approach is adjacent to a parcel of
property where redevelopment and possible subsequent closure of
the approach is not believed imminent;
b. The driveway approach is at a location where there is a shortage of
available on -street parking;
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C. The removal of the driveway approach is needed for safe
pedestrian and /or bicycle passage;
d. The closure of the abandoned driveway approach benefits not so
much to the property owner as pedestrian and vehicular traffic in
the area.
When in the opinion of the General Services Department and /or the
Public Works Department, a curb cut or abandoned driveway approach
should be closed, and the adjoining property owner protests the closing,
the protester shall be notified that he will have two weeks to appeal the
staff decision to the City Council. That appeal must be in writing and
may be filed through the mail. If an appeal is not made, the City shall
proceed with the closure. If an appeal is made, a hearing shall be held by
the City Council, and the decision of the Council shall be final
Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving adjoining property owners
from the responsibility for closure of abandoned curb cuts as a condition of
permit approval for new construction or for receipt of a curb cut permit for an
alternate driveway location on the same parcel.
Adopted - January 24,1966
Amended - February 26,1968
Amended - July 24,1972
Amended - November 14,1977
Amended - October 25,1982
Amended - July 13,1987
Amended - November 27,1989
Amended - December 14,1992
Reaffirmed - January 24, 1994