7.6. SR 07-21-2003MEMORANDUM
Item #7.6.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
Chris Leeseberg, Planner
July 21, 2003
Case No. OA 03-05
Request by City of Elk River to Amend Section 30-906 of the
Land Development Regulations Relating to Driveways
Request
The City Council is asked to consider a text amendment to the driveway portion of the
Ordinance.
Attachments
· Proposed Ordinance Language
· Diagram of Proposed Ordinance
· Ordinance 03-
Overview
The current ordinance does not address the number of driveways a property may have nor if
they can have a looped driveway. Staff receives many calls regarding whether or not two
driveways are allowed. Staff currently requests that the Streets Department look at each
request, case by case, to make a judgment on whether or not to allow a second driveway.
The added language will allow two driveways on lots 1-acre or larger in the A-1 and R-la
districts only and on any corner lot in any district. It will also allow for a looped driveway,
only if the distance between each leg is 25-feet or less.
Planning Commission Action
One commission member was not in favor of allowing two driveways on all comer lots.
Staff explained that homes placed on corner lots are required to meet two front yard
Mayor and City Council / OA 03-04
July 21, 2003
Page 2
setbacks. Accessory structures then end up being placed to the rear comer of the lots which
makes construction of a driveway on the side yard difficuk.
Recommendation
Staff and the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council approve the attached
language pertaining to driveways.
S:\PLANNING\Case Files\2003\OA 03-05 City of ER Dfiveways\OA 03-05_CC.DOC
Sec. 30-906. Vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
(a) Cmo'a/&. All commercial buildings or structures and their accessory uses shall be
accessible to and from nearby public streets and sidewalks by driveways and walkways
properly drained and paved with:
(1) Asphalt;
(2) Concrete;
(3) Concrete or similar or
(4) Class V to maintain a dustfree surface.
Vehicular traffic generated by commercial uses shall be channeled and controlled in a
manner that will avoid congestion on the public streets, traffic hazards, and excessive traffic
through residential areas, particularly truck traffic. The adequacy of any proposed traffic
circulation system to accomplish these objectives shall be determined by the city engineer,
who may require such additional measures for traffic control as he may deem necessary,
including but not limited to the following: directional signalization, channelization, standby
turn lanes, illumination, and storage area and distribution facilities within the commerdal site
to prevent backup of vehicles on public streets.
~o) Use ofright-of, way. No area used by motor vehicles other than driveways serving as
ingress and egress to a commercial site shall be located within the public street right-of-way.
(1) ~dri~.uys. The following shall be applicable to commerdal driveways
(measured between roadway edges): (table was removed for clarity)
(2) Single-f,~ly residmtiddrm'2uys, residential driveways shall not exceed 30
feet in width measured at the
INTERIOR LOTS CORNER LOTS AND TURNAROUNDS
I-- ONE ACRE OR LARGER LOT IN THE A1 OR Rla DISTRICT --I [-- ANY SIZE LOT IN ANY SINGLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT ]
~ / I
~ 25'- 0" 30'- 0" ~[SS THEN
"A .... C .... ~' "A" + "B" = 30 FEET OR LESS
ST~ET SInE
~ EDGE OF STREET S~ETSlDE ~ EDGE OF STREET
S~gte-f~y residend~ dfiv~ays sh~ not exceed 30-feet in ~d~ measured at ~e properq, ~ne. ~ts ~at ~ In ~ s~gle fm~y ~s~c=, if ~e area inside a looped driveR)' is 25-feet or less ~de, ~e ~o legs of ~e
~e one acre or ~r N ~e A1 md Rla zomg ~s~cts, sh~ be ~owed ~o d~veways onto a d~ s~eet, i loop, not to exceed 30-feet in combined wide, sh~ be considered one ~veway.
not excee~ng 40-feet h tot~ combined ~dfi. Dfiv~ays sh~ be separated a mi~um of 25-feet.
In ~ shgle f~y fis~cts, comer lots shfi be ~owed to have one ~veway on each sueet, not to exceed
~ - ~ PROPER~ LINE ~-feet ~ tot~ combhed ~d~ to~.
~ - ~ PROPER~ NNE
OA 03-05 CITY OF ELK ~VER- D~VEWAY ~/~%~oo, 1
PROPOSED ~BER OF D~VEWAYS A~ TOT~ ~S
NOT TO SC~E
ORDINANCE 03 -
CITY OF ELK RIVER
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER AMENDING
SECTION 30-906 "VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION"
OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES
The City Council of the City of Elk River does hereby ordain as follows:
Sec. 30-906. Vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
(a) Gmera//y. All commercial buildings or structures and their accessory uses shall be accessible
to and from nearby public streets and sidewalks by driveways and walkways properly drained and
paved with:
(1) Asphalt;
(2) Concrete;
(3) Concrete or similar pavers; or
(4) Class V (or equivalent) compacted to maintain a dustfree surface.
Vehicular traffic generated by commercial uses shall be channeled and controlled in a manner that
will avoid congestion on the public streets, traffic hazards, and excessive traffic through residential
areas, particularly truck traffic. The adequacy of any proposed traffic circulation system to
accomplish these objectives shall be determined by the city engineer, who may require such
additional measures for traffic control as he may deem necessary, including but not limited to the
following: directional signalization, charmelization, standby turn lanes, illumination, and storage area
and distribution facilities within the commercial site to prevent backup of vehicles on public streets.
~o) Use of right of ~ry. No area used by motor vehicles other than driveways serving as ingress and
egress to a commercial site shall be located within the public street right-of-way.
(1) ~ dr/z~. The following shall be applicable to commercial driveways (measured
between roadway edges): (table was removed for clarity)
(2) Singlefmnity resideraial d~ot, wa3s. Single-family residential driveways shall not exceed 30 feet in
width measured at the property line.
(3) Lots that are 1-acre or larger in the A1 and Rla zoning districts, shall be allowed two
driveways onto a city street, not exceeding 40-feet in total combined width. Driveways shall be
separated a minimum of 25-feet. All driveways accessing a county road will require a county access
permit.
(4) In all single family districts, if the area inside a looped driveway is 25-feet or less wide, the
two legs of the loop, not to exceed 30-feet in combined width, shall be considered one driveway.
(5) In all single family districts, comer lots shall be allowed to have one driveway on each street,
not to exceed 40-feet in total combined width total.
s: \planning\case files\2003 \oa 03-05 city of er driveways\ordinanc.doc
Section 2. That this ordinance shall take effect upon publication as provided by law.
Passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Elk River this 21st day of
July, 2003.
Attest:
Stephanie Klinzing
Mayor
Pat Klaers
City Administrator
s:\document\ordinance\oa97-1.doc