HomeMy WebLinkAbout(1996, 02/26) - L-2 - AmendedDRIVEWAY APPROACHES
A. General
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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 beginning
of the curvature of a curb return, fire hydrant, traffic signal/ pedestrian
street light, utility pole /anchor /pedestal, trees or vent pipe.
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
General Services 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 utility
pole /anchor /pedestal, tree, vault, vent pipes, or street lights until a
deposit has been made to cover the cost of relocation.
10. No permit shall be issued unless the applicant agrees that at no cost to the
City he will remove any driveway opening that is or will be abandoned,
and reconstruct curb, gutter and sidewalk to City Standards.
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.
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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:
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.
Drivewaysproviding_ 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
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Construction.
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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, 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.
D. 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.
E. Closure of Abandoned Driveway Approaches 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;
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b. The driveway approach is at a location where there is a shortage of
available on- street parking;
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 obtaining a curb cut permit for an alternative 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
Amended - February 26,1996
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