CHAPTER 3 - General Subdivision Design Standards

3.01 Introduction
3.02 Subdivision Principles of Planning
3.03 Layout and Design Requirements for Proposed Lots of Record and Out-lots

3.01 INTRODUCTION

All subdivisions shall be designed to conform to the planning principles, layout and design requirements of this section of the Manual. These principles and design requirements concern entire systems rather than individual elements of the system, and so express concepts rather than specific standards. Specific standards are elaborated in other chapters of this Manual.

3.02 SUBDIVISION PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING

Basic principles exist which should be recognized and heeded in designing circulation and access systems in new subdivisions of conventional layout.

Basic consideration in the design of local circulation systems must recognize the factors of: (1) safety - for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, (2) efficiency of service - for all users, (3) livability or amenities - especially as affected by traffic elements in the circulation system, and (4) economy - of both construction and use of land.

Each of the following principles is an elaboration on one or more of these four factors. The principles are not intended as absolute criteria, since instances may appear where certain principles conflict. The principles should, therefore, be used as guides to proper systems layout.

Adequate vehicular and pedestrian access should be provided to all parcels.
Local street systems should be designed to minimize through-traffic movements.
Street patterns should minimize out-of-the-way vehicular traffic.
Local street systems should be logical and comprehensible, street names should be simple, consistent and understandable, and not duplicate existing street names.
Local circulation systems and land development patterns should not detract from the efficiency of arterial and collector streets.
Elements in the local circulation system should not have to rely on extensive traffic regulation in order to function efficiently and safely.
Traffic generators within residential areas should be considered in the local circulation pattern.
Planning and construction of local streets should clearly indicate their function.
The local street system should be designed for a relatively uniform low volume of street traffic.
Local streets should be designed to discourage excessive speeds.
Pedestrian-vehicular conflict points should be minimized.
An optimum amount of space should be devoted to street uses.
The arrangement of local streets should permit economical and practical patterns, shapes and sizes of development parcels.
Local streets should be related to topography from the standpoint of economics, drainage and amenities.
Open space areas should be provided, commensurate with the projected population density of the development.
Major elements of the street system may be used to help define and buffer different land use areas enhancing their identity and cohesiveness.
The street and pedestrian circulation pattern in a new residential subdivision shall be compatible with the Town's Comprehensive Plan.
Subdivision layout should optimize the overall length of streets.
A residential area should be conveniently accessible from arterial and collector streets.
Access points to arterial and collector street facilities should be limited in number, given special design consideration, and whenever possible, located where other features are not competing for driver attention.
Driveway entrances should be prohibited on arterial streets and whenever
possible on collector streets in residentially zoned areas.
Through-traffic on local residential streets should be avoided where practical.
Lot layout in residential subdivisions should be designed to reduce the incidence of housing on arterial streets.
Public utilities, including water, storm sewer and sanitary sewer facilities, should be existing or proposed by the developer or the Town of Normal of a size adequate to serve the proposed subdivision and any other future development they may be required to service.
The general land use principles and planning standards should be applied to the subdivision as contained in the Comprehensive Plan of the Town of Normal.
Cul-de-Sac streets shall be limited in number to encourage more equal utilization of local streets.
Require where feasible more than one entrance to a subdivision.
Require interconnection of adjoining residential subdivisions.

3.03 LAYOUT AND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPOSED LOTS OF RECORD AND OUTLOTS

Subdivisions shall consist solely and exclusively of lots of record, out-lots, easements, public right-of-way and public improvements.
All proposed lots of record shall front on and have access to a public street or roadway. Flag lots are permitted in R1 and R2 zoning districts.
All proposed lots of record shall meet or exceed the lot size, dimension and area requirements of any applicable zoning regulations of the Town of Normal or the County of McLean.
Out-lots may not be used for buildings or parking lots.
Rear, side and front yard easements shall be dedicated to the Town for use by the Town and private utility companies (for gas, electricity, Cable TV, water, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, etc.) as provided herein.
Where residential lots are platted abutting an arterial street, the "back-up" treatment should be used and a "no-access" strip depicted on those lots adjacent to the arterial street.
Boundaries of the subdivision shall be drawn to meet or exceed the following standards:
1. Error of closure of boundary lines survey shall not exceed 5,000 (1:5000),
2. Angular error shall not exceed +/- 20 seconds,
3. Lot line dimensions shall be shown in meters and thousandths (in feet and hundredths); and
4. Angles occurring in any lot line between lot corners shall be shown in degrees, minutes, and seconds.
In general lots shall be as nearly rectangular in shape as practicable.
Side lot lines shall generally be perpendicular to the right-of-way.

This page last modified 05/05/08.