Chapter 17.50 VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

Chapter 17.50
VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

Sections:

17.50.020 Vehicular and pedestrian circulation generally.

17.50.050 Traffic impact analysis (TIA).

17.50.010 Applicability.

(1) Vehicular and pedestrian circulation standards shall apply to all land divisions and to all development that is subject to design review.

(2) Transportation Improvements Permitted Outright. Except where otherwise specifically regulated by this chapter, the following improvements are permitted outright:

(a) Normal operation, maintenance, repair, and preservation activities of existing transportation facilities.

(b) Installation of culverts, pathways, medians, fencing, guardrails, lighting, and similar types of improvements within the existing right-of-way, consistent with applicable standards.

(d) Emergency measure necessary for the safety and protection of property.

(e) Acquisition of right-of-way for public roads, highways, and other transportation improvements designated in the transportation system plan.

(f) Construction of a street or road as part of an approved subdivision or land partition consistent with the applicable design standards for land divisions and property line adjustments.

Statutory Reference: ORS Ch. 197 and 227

History: Ord. 1131 §2, 1990; Ord. 1294 §1, 2000; Ord. 1483 §2 (Exh. 5), 2017.

17.50.020 Vehicular and pedestrian circulation generally.

Vehicular and pedestrian circulation facilities, including walkways, provisions for the handicapped, interior drives and parking as provided under GMC Chapter 17.48 (off-street parking and loading), shall be designated as follows:

(1) Impervious Surface. Provide for least amount of impervious surface necessary to adequately serve the type and intensity of proposed land uses within developments as well as providing adequate access for service vehicles.

(2) Traffic Separation. Provide when feasible, a separation of motor vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

(3) Curbs and Sidewalks. Provide curbs, associated drainage, and sidewalks within the right-of-way or easement for public roads and streets.

(4) Traffic Volume Expansion. Provision shall be made to accommodate any increased volume of traffic resulting from the development consistent with GMC Section 17.50.050. If streets adjacent to or serving the site are inadequate, widening, dedication of property for future widening, or other street improvements may be required. The development shall be designed to minimize traffic volume increases on minor streets and underdeveloped streets.

(5) Handicapped Needs. Provide for the special needs of the handicapped such as wheelchair ramps and Braille signs.

(6) Pedestrian Circulation Standards. An on-site pedestrian circulation system shall be provided for new nonresidential and multi-family developments and for new buildings added to existing nonresidential and multi-family developments. The system may include sidewalks as part of the public rights-of-way, walkways, and multi-use paths. (Walkways only provide for pedestrian circulation; multi-use pathways accommodate pedestrians and bicycles.) The system shall comply with the following standards:

(a) The system shall connect all adjacent streets to the main entrances of nonresidential buildings and to unit and/or building entrances of multi-family developments;

(b) The system shall connect all buildings and other areas of the site, such as parking areas, bicycle parking, recreational areas, common outdoor areas and any pedestrian amenities;

(c) The system shall be hard-surfaced and constructed in accordance with the public works standards. For nonresidential development, the walkways shall be a minimum of six feet wide. For multi-family residential development, walkways shall be a minimum of five feet wide;

(d) The system and off-street parking and loading areas shall be designed to avoid, to the maximum extent possible, the system’s crossing off-street parking and loading areas. Where the system crosses driveways or off-street parking and loading areas, the system shall be clearly identifiable through the use of elevation changes, speed bumps, a different paving material or other similar method. Striping shall not fulfill this requirement;

(e) Where the system is parallel and adjacent to an auto travel lane, the system shall be a raised path or be separated from the auto travel lane by a raised curb, bollards, landscaping or other physical barrier. If a raised path is used, the ends of the raised portions shall be equipped with curb ramps;

(f) The system shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);

(g) Walkways or multi-use paths shall be provided at or near midblock where the block length exceeds the length required by GMC Section 17.64.020. Multi-use paths shall also be provided where cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets are planned, to connect the ends of the streets together, to other streets, and/or to other developments, as applicable. Multi-use paths used to comply with these standards shall conform to all of the following criteria:

(A) Multi-use paths are required to be no less than 10 feet wide and located within a 20-foot-wide right-of-way or easement that allows access for emergency vehicles.

(B) The city may require landscaping within the pathway easement/right-of-way for screening and the privacy of adjoining properties.

(C) The Planning Commission may determine, based upon facts in the record, that a walkway or multi-use pathway is impracticable due to: physical or topographic conditions (e.g., freeways, railroads, extremely steep slopes, sensitive lands, and similar physical constraints); buildings or other existing development on adjacent properties that physically prevent a connection now or in the future, considering the potential for redevelopment; and sites where the provisions of recorded leases, easements, covenants, restrictions, or other agreements recorded as of the effective date of this code prohibit the pathway connection.

(7) Proposed new industrial, institutional, multi-family retail and office developments requiring full site design review that are adjacent to or incorporate transit streets shall provide transit improvements at any existing or planned transit stop located along the site’s frontage consistent with the transit operator’s adopted long-range plan.

(a) Transit facilities include bus stops, shelters, and related facilities. Required transit facility improvements may include the dedication of land or the provision of a public easement.

(b) Development shall provide reasonably direct pedestrian connections between building entrances and adjacent transit facilities and between buildings on the site and streets with adjoining transit stops.

(c) Improvements at Major Bus Stops. A proposed development that is adjacent to or includes an existing or planned major bus stop will be required to plan for access to the transit stop and provide for transit improvements, in consultation with TriMet and consistent with an agency adopted or approved plan at the time of development.

(A) Major bus stops are identified as part of the regional transit system and depicted in the Gladstone transportation system plan transit plan as “major bus stops.”

(B) Requirements apply where the subject parcel(s) or portions thereof are within 200 feet of a transit stop. Development requirements and improvements may include the following:

(i) Intersection or mid-block traffic management improvements to allow for pedestrian crossings at major transit stops.

(ii) Building placement within 20 feet of the transit stop, a transit street or an intersection street, or a pedestrian plaza at the stop or at street intersections.

(iii) Transit passenger landing pads accessible to disabled persons to transit agency standards.

(iv) An easement or dedication for a passenger shelter and an underground utility connection to a major transit stop if requested by TriMet.

(v) Lighting to TriMet standards.

(d) Any land divisions where further divisions are possible and multiple-family developments, community services uses, and commercial or industrial uses located on an existing or future planned frequent bus route shall meet the TriMet transit facility requirements. Applicants shall consult with TriMet to determine necessary transit facility improvements in conjunction with the proposed development. Proposals shall be consistent with the road crossing improvements that are identified in the transportation system plan on streets with existing or planned transit service.

Statutory Reference: ORS Ch. 197 and 227

History: Ord. 1131 §2, 1990; Ord. 1175 §5(A), 1993; Ord. 1175 §5(B), 1993; Ord. . 1294 §1, 2000; Ord. 1483 §2 (Exh. 5), 2017.

17.50.030 Streets and roads generally.

(1) The location, width and grade of streets shall be considered in their relation to existing and planned streets, to the topographical conditions, to public convenience and safety, and to the proposed use of land to be served by the streets. The street system shall assure an adequate traffic or circulation system with intersection angles, grades, tangents and curves appropriate for the traffic to be carried considering the terrain. Where location is now shown in a development plan, the arrangement of streets shall either:

(a) Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets in surrounding areas; or

(b) Conform to a plan for the neighborhood approved or adopted by the Planning Commission to meet a particular situation where topographical or other conditions make continuance or conformance to existing streets impractical.

(2) For new residential and mixed-use development on vacant land of five acres or more in the R-5, R-7.2, MR and C-2 zoning districts, street connections and access ways shall be provided as follows:

(a) Full street connections shall be provided at intervals that are consistent with the adopted transportation system plan for the identified street classification, except where prevented by topography, barriers such as railroads or freeways, or environmental constraints such as major streams and rivers;

(b) Access ways for pedestrians, bicycles or emergency vehicles shall be provided on public easements or right-of-way where full street connections are not possible, with spacing between full streets or access way connections of not more than 330 feet, except where prevented by topography, barriers such as railroads or freeways, or environmental constraints such as major streams and rivers;

(c) A variance to street spacing standards may be granted pursuant to GMC Chapter 17.72 if resources are present that are mapped on the Natural Resources Map, where street spacing can be achieved at a minimum of 800 feet and no greater than 1,200 feet. Where habitat quality or the length of the crossing required prevents a full street connection, an exception to the street spacing standards may be granted, pursuant to GMC Chapter 17.72.

Statutory Reference: ORS Ch. 197 and 227

History: Ord. 1131 §2, 1990; Ord. 1294 §1, 2000; Ord. 1483 §2 (Exh. 5), 2017.

17.50.040 Street and road standards.

The design and improvement of streets within a development and streets adjacent but only partially within the development shall comply with improvement specifications adopted pursuant to GMC Section 17.42.030 and with the following standards:

(1) Right-of-Way and Roadway Widths.

(a) Minimum right-of-way and roadway widths shall conform to the standards found in Table 16 of the Gladstone transportation system plan, consistent with a street’s functional classification.

(b) The street cross-sections found in the Gladstone transportation system plan may be modified to accommodate alternative stormwater management methods subject to the approval of the Public Works Supervisor. The Public Works Supervisor may require modification of the typical cross section to accommodate alternative stormwater management methods when associated with development proposals. Such modifications may be applied as conditions of development approval.

(2) Alignment. All streets other than minor streets or cul-de-sacs, as far as practical, shall be in alignment with existing streets by continuations of the center lines thereof. The staggering of street alignments resulting in T intersections shall, wherever practical, leave a minimum distance of two hundred feet between the center lines of streets having approximately the same direction and otherwise shall not be less than 100 feet.

(3) Future Extension of Streets. Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory future subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall be extended to the boundary of the subdivision. The point where the streets temporarily end shall conform to the standards below:

(a) Extended streets or street stubs to adjoining properties are not considered to be cul-de-sacs since they are intended to continue as through streets when the adjoining property is developed.

(b) A barricade (e.g., fence, bollards, boulders, or similar vehicle barrier) shall be constructed at the end of the street by the subdivider and shall not be removed until authorized by the city or other applicable agency with jurisdiction over the street.

(c) Temporary turnarounds (e.g., hammerhead or bulb-shaped configuration) shall be constructed for stub streets over 150 feet in length.

(d) Temporary turnarounds shall be formed as an easement and will not affect building setback lines. The removal of a temporary turnaround shall occur when the street is extended and shall be paid for by the person extending the street. Reserve strips (street plugs) may be required to preserve the objectives of street extensions.

(e) In the case of dead-end stub streets that will connect to streets on adjacent sites in the future, notification that the street is planned for future extension shall be posted on the stub street until the street is extended and shall inform the public that the dead-end street may be extended in the future.

(4) Reserve Strips. Reserve strips or street plugs controlling the access to streets will not be approved unless necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights and in these cases they may be required. The control and disposal of the land composing such strips shall be placed within the jurisdiction of the city under conditions approved by the Planning Commission.

(5) Intersection Angles. Streets shall be laid out to intersect at angles as near to right angles as practical, except where topography requires lesser angles, but in no case less than 60° unless a special intersection design is approved. Streets shall have at least 50 feet of tangent adjacent to intersections unless topography requires lesser distances. Intersections which are not at right angles shall have minimum corner radii of 15 feet along right-of-way lines which form acute angles. Right-of-way lines at intersections with arterial streets shall have minimum curb radii of not less than 35 feet. Other street intersections shall have curb radii of not less than 20 feet. All radii shall maintain a uniform width between the roadway and the right-of-way lines. Ordinarily, the intersection of more than two streets at any one time will not be allowed.

(6) Existing Streets. Whenever existing streets adjacent to or within a tract are of inadequate widths, additional right-of-way shall be provided at the time of development.

(7) Cul-de-sacs and Hammerheads. The use of cul-de-sac designs and closed-end street systems shall be limited to situations where topography, existing development, barriers such as railroads or freeways, or environmental constraints such as major streams and rivers prevent full street extensions. If cul-de-sacs are used, they shall be as short as possible and shall have maximum lengths of 200 feet except where topography, existing development, barriers such as railroads or freeways, or environmental constraints such as major streams and rivers prevent full street extensions. Closed-end street systems shall serve no more than 25 single-family dwellings and terminate with adequate vehicle turnaround.

(8) Street Names. No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Street names and numbers shall conform to the established pattern in or near the city and shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Commission.

(9) Grades and Curves. Grades shall not exceed 10 percent on major or minor arterials, 15 percent on connector streets, or twenty percent on any other street unless specifically approved. In fault areas, finished street grades shall have a minimum slope of 0.5 percent. Center line radii of curves shall not be less than 300 feet on major arterials, 200 feet on minor arterials, or 100 feet on other streets. On arterials there shall be a tangent of not less than 100 feet between reversed curves.

(10) Marginal Access Streets. Where a land division abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the Planning Commission may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage lots with suitable depth, screen planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear or side property line, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and for separation of through and local traffic.

(11) Alleys. Alleys may be provided in commercial and industrial districts unless other permanent provisions for access to off-street parking and loading facilities are made as approved by the Planning Commission. While alley intersections and sharp changes in alignment shall be avoided, the corners of necessary alley intersections shall have radii of not less than 10 feet.

(12) Private Streets. Private streets may serve development where a finding can be made that such streets are of adequate width, alignment, grade and restricted length to afford the same degree of public safety as public streets and that extension of the public street system is impractical due to lot size or shape, topography, the location of existing structures to be retained or other similar circumstances and where no more than six dwelling units will take access from the private streets. In no case shall a private street be less than 20 feet in width. Greater width may be required where necessary to provide for public safety, accommodate traffic volume, or provide for underground utilities. A street maintenance agreement, acceptable to the city and duly recorded, shall be required.

(13) Painting of Curbs and Sidewalks. Except where required for safety purposes or for the identification of house numbers, painting of curbs and sidewalks is prohibited. All such painting must be approved by the city.

(14) Curbs and Driveways. Curb cuts and driveway installations shall be installed, according to city standards.

(15) Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be installed on both sides of a public street and at any special pedestrian way within a development. The Planning Commission may approve a development with sidewalks on one side only of a local street if special site conditions exist or if alternative pedestrian routes are available, or if the proposed sidewalk is not likely to become part of a complete pedestrian route in the foreseeable future.

(16) Bicycle and Pedestrian Routes. Bicycle/pedestrian routes shall be required when consistent with Map 5 of the comprehensive plan and when necessary to provide a system of interconnecting walkways and safe, convenient access to a transit stop for a school, park, church, day care center, library, commercial center, community center or similar facility. Separate bicycle/pedestrian ways not located in a street right-of-way shall include a 10-foot wide paved surface within a 12-foot wide right-of-way, unless conditions warrant otherwise and shall be illuminated as required in GMC Section 17.44.020(6).

(17) Street Signs. Street name signs shall be installed at all street intersections. Specifications for signs shall be submitted and approved prior to their erection.

(18) Street Lights. Street lights shall be installed and shall be served from an underground source of supply.

(19) Storm Sewers. Catch basins shall be installed and connected to drainage tile leading to storm sewers or drainage ways.

(20) Monuments. Upon completion of street improvements, monuments shall be reestablished and protected in monument boxes at every street intersection and all points of curvature and points of tangency of street center lines. Elevation bench marks shall be established at each street intersection monument with elevations to U.S. Geological Survey datum. All lot corners will be marked by a metal rod.

Statutory Reference: ORS Chs. 197 and 227.

History: Ord. 1131 §2, 1990; Ord. 1175 §1, 1993; Ord. 1175 §5 (C), 1993; Ord. 1213 §2, 1995; Ord. 1294 §1, 2000; Ord. 1483 §2 (Exh. 5), 2017.

17.50.050 Traffic impact analysis (TIA).

(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement Sections 660-012-0045(2)(b) and 660-012-0045(2)(e) of the State Transportation Planning Rule (TPR), which require the city to adopt performance standards and a process to apply conditions to land use proposals in order to minimize impacts on and protect transportation facilities. This section establishes requirements for when a traffic impact analysis (TIA) must be prepared and submitted; the analysis methods and content involved in a TIA; criteria used to review the TIA; and authority to attach conditions of approval to minimize the impacts of the proposal on transportation facilities.

This section refers to the TSP for performance standards for transportation facilities as well as for projects that may need to be constructed as mitigation measures for a proposal’s projected impacts. This section also relies on the Gladstone Public Works Design Standards and Gladstone Public Works Standard Construction Specifications to provide street design standards and construction specifications for improvements and projects that may be constructed as part of the proposal and mitigation measures approved for the proposal.

(2) Applicability.

(a) Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA). A TIA shall be submitted to the city with a land use application at the request of the city Public Works Supervisor or if the proposal is expected to involve one or more of the following:

(A) An amendment to the Gladstone comprehensive plan or zoning map.

(B) ODOT requires a TIA in conjunction with a requested approach road permit, as specified in OAR 734-051-3030(4).

(D) The location of an existing or proposed access driveway does not meet minimum spacing or sight distance requirements.

(E) A change in internal traffic patterns that may cause safety problems, such as back up onto the highway or traffic crashes in the approach area.

(b) Traffic Assessment Letter (TAL). A TAL shall be submitted to the city with a land use application if the provisions of subsection (2)(a) of this section do not apply. The city Public Works Supervisor may waive this requirement. The applicant’s traffic engineer shall submit a TAL to the city demonstrating that the proposed land use action is exempt from the TIA requirements. The letter shall outline the trip-generating characteristics of the proposed land use and verify that the site-access driveways or roadways meet Gladstone standards and that adequate sight distance is provided.

(3) Requirements. The following are typical requirements that may be modified in coordination with Public Works staff based on the specific application:

(a) Pre-Application Conference. The applicant shall meet with the Public Works Supervisor prior to submitting an application that requires a TIA. This meeting will be coordinated with Clackamas County and ODOT when an approach road to a county road or Highway 99E serves the property, so that the TIA will meet the requirements of all relevant agencies.

(b) Preparation. The TIA shall be prepared by an Oregon registered professional engineer qualified to perform traffic engineering analysis and will be paid for by the applicant.

(c) Typical Average Daily Trips and Peak Hour Trips. The latest edition of the Trip Generation Manual, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), shall be used to gauge p.m. peak hour vehicle trips, unless a specific trip generation study that is approved by the city Public Works Supervisor indicates an alternative trip generation rate is appropriate.

(d) Intersection-Level Analysis. Intersection-level analysis shall be determined based on the methodologies identified in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM).

(e) Transportation Planning Rule Compliance. The requirements of OAR 660-012-0060 shall apply to those land use actions that significantly affect the transportation system, as defined by the Transportation Planning Rule.

(4) Study Area. The following facilities shall be included in the study area for all TIAs:

(a) All site-access points and intersections (signalized and unsignalized) adjacent to the proposed development site. If the site fronts an arterial or collector street, the analysis shall address all intersections and driveways along the site frontage and within the access spacing distances extending out from the boundary of the site frontage.

(b) Roads, streets, and accessways through and adjacent to the site.

(c) All intersections where the analysis shows that 10 percent or more of an approach volume can be expected to result from the development.

(d) In addition to these requirements, the city Public Works Supervisor may require analysis of any additional intersections or roadway links that are deemed necessary to address safety or operational concerns in proximity to the site.

(5) Analysis Periods. To adequately assess the impacts of a proposed land use action, the following study periods, or horizon years, should be addressed in the transportation impact analysis where applicable:

(a) Existing year.

(b) Background Conditions in Project Completion Year. The conditions in the year in which the proposed land use action will be completed and occupied, but without the expected traffic from the proposed land use action. This analysis should account for all city-approved developments that are expected to be fully built out in the proposed land use action horizon year, as well as all planned transportation system improvements.

(c) Full Build-Out Conditions in Project Completion Year. The background condition plus traffic from the proposed land use action assuming full build-out and occupancy.

(d) Phased Years of Completion. If the project involves construction or occupancy in phases, the applicant shall assess the expected roadway and intersection conditions resulting from major development phases. Phased years of analysis will be determined in coordination with city staff.

(e) Twenty-Year or TSP Horizon Year. For comprehensive plan amendments or zoning map amendments, the applicant shall assess the expected future roadway, intersection, and land use conditions as compared to approved comprehensive planning documents.

(6) Approval Criteria. When a TIA is required, a proposal is subject to the following criteria, in addition to all criteria otherwise applicable to the underlying land use proposal:

(a) The analysis complies with the requirements of GMC Section 17.50.020(4);

(b) The analysis demonstrates that adequate transportation facilities exist to serve the proposed development or identifies mitigation measures in a manner that is satisfactory to the city Public Works Supervisor or the Planning Commission when applicable, and, when county or state highway facilities are affected, to Clackamas County and ODOT;

(c) For affected nonhighway facilities, the TIA demonstrates that applicable performance standards established in the adopted transportation system plan have been met;

(d) Proposed public improvements are designed and will be constructed to the street standards specified in transportation system plan and the Gladstone Public Works Design Standards and Gladstone Public Works Standard Construction Specifications.

(7) Conditions of Approval. The city may deny, approve, or approve a development proposal with conditions needed to ensure transportation safety and operations standards and provide the necessary right-of-way and improvements to ensure consistency with the future planned transportation system. Improvements required as a condition of development approval, when not voluntarily provided by the applicant, shall be roughly proportional to the impact of the development on transportation facilities. Findings in the development approval shall indicate how the required improvements are directly related to and are roughly proportional to the impact of development.

History: Ord. 1483 §2 (Exh. 5), 2017.