Chapter 17.36
IMPROVEMENTS
Sections:
17.36.010 General requirements.
17.36.030 Surface drainage and storm sewer system.
17.36.070 Street name, stop, and no parking signs.
17.36.090 Driveways – Street trees.
17.36.010 General requirements.
(1) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section all improvement required of a subdivision or short subdivision either identified as conditions of approval or otherwise required by this chapter shall be installed by the applicant and accepted by the city prior to final plat approval.
(2) Alternatives to Construction. At the applicant’s request, the city may allow improvements which may be assured by a financial instrument, such as bond, escrow or certified check, in lieu of construction. The total amount of the financial instrument shall be 150 percent of the costs of actual construction, as evidenced by an estimate prepared and certified by a licensed engineer. If the developer chooses to use this method of assuring improvements, and the city agrees, the final plat may be recorded prior to completion of construction. No building permits shall be issued by the city prior to final acceptance by the city of any and all improvement required by this chapter or as a condition of approval of the development except and until the director finds the following:
(a) That the interests of the public nor the intent of this section would not be compromised by deferral of the improvements; and
(b) That affected departments and agencies agree with the deferral; and
(c) That a financial instrument as described above has been secured in the city’s name for the improvements; and
(d) That the essential elements of required construction have been completed, including:
(i) Sewer, water, electricity, storm sewer systems, and discretionary utilities serving the development have been installed and accepted, and
(ii) At least the first lift of asphalt has been placed on public roadways and construction of private roadways is complete; and
(e) That the deferral of construction of improvements will not result in future damage to systems already accepted by the city for maintenance.
(3) The following improvements shall be installed at the expense of the subdivider in accordance with city requirements:
(a) Streets, including drainage;
(b) Sanitary sewers, unless the area is not accessible to a trunk line;
(c) Water distribution lines;
(d) Sidewalks in pedestrian ways;
(e) Street name signs and streetlights.
(f) Street trees. See WMC 17.36.090, Washougal Engineering Standards and adopted street tree standards.
(4) Other public improvements installed at the option of the subdivider shall conform to city requirements. (Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1248 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1233 § 1 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(1), 1965)
17.36.020 Streets.
(1) All streets, including alleys/lanes, within the subdivision or short subdivision and streets adjacent but only partially within the subdivision or short subdivision shall be improved.
(2) All streets shall be constructed to the Washougal Engineering Standards. (Ord. 1659 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 § 1 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(2), 1965)
17.36.030 Surface drainage and storm sewer system.
Surface drainage and storm sewer systems shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the Washougal Engineering Standards. (Ord. 1659 § 1 (Exh. A), 2010; Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 § 1 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(3), 1965)
17.36.040 Sanitary sewers.
(1) Sanitary sewers shall be installed to serve the short subdivision or subdivision and to connect the short subdivision or subdivision to existing mains in accordance with the engineering standards for public works construction and in compliance with Chapter 14.04 WMC and WMC 14.12.010(2).
(2) Capacity, grade and material shall be as provided by the city’s engineering standards for public works construction. Design shall take into account the capacity and grade to allow for desirable extension beyond the short subdivision or subdivision. The city will not require the subdivider to pay the extra cost of required oversize sewer mains or excessive depth of mains necessary to provide for extension beyond the subdivision or short subdivision.
(3) If required sewer facilities will, without further sewer construction, directly serve property outside the short subdivision or subdivision, the following arrangements will be made to equitably distribute the cost:
(a) If the area outside the short subdivision or subdivision to be directly served by the sewer line has reached a state of development to justify sewer installation at the time, the hearing examiner may require its construction and the implementation of a latecomer’s agreement with such arrangement with the subdivider to assure financing his share of the construction.
(b) If the installation is not made as an assessment project, the city will reimburse the subdivider an amount estimated to be the proportionate share of the cost of each connection made to the sewer by property owners outside of the subdivision or short subdivision for a period of 10 years from the time of installation of the sewers. The actual amount shall be as determined by the director of public works at the time of approval of the plat, considering current construction costs.
(4) Public sanitary sewer systems and distribution lines shall not be within lots, but are required to be in a separate tract or public rights-of-way dedicated to the city of Washougal. (Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(4), 1965)
17.36.050 Water system.
(1) Water lines and fire hydrants serving the subdivision and connecting the subdivision or short subdivision to city mains shall be installed.
(2) Material, size and location of water mains, valves and hydrants shall be in accordance with the city’s engineering standards for public works construction. Design shall take into account provisions for extension beyond the subdivision and to adequately grid the city system. The city will not require the subdivider to pay for the extra cost of oversize mains not necessary to serve the subdivision.
(3) If required water mains will directly serve property outside the subdivision, the city will reimburse the subdivider an amount estimated to be the proportionate share of the cost for each connection made to the water mains by property owners outside the subdivision for a period of 10 years from the time of installation of mains. The actual amount shall be determined by the director of public works at the time of preliminary approval of the plat, considering current construction costs.
(4) Public water systems and lines shall not be within lots, but are required to be in a separate tract or public rights-of-way dedicated to the city of Washougal. (Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(5), 1965)
17.36.060 Sidewalks.
(1) Sidewalks shall be installed along all public and private streets within a subdivision or short subdivision and along the frontage of public or private streets or public street rights-of-way that abut the parent parcel. All sidewalks constructed within the subdivision or short subdivision shall be in accordance with the city’s adopted engineering standards for public works construction. Construction of all required sidewalks shall occur prior to final plat.
(2) Sidewalks shall be constructed along all street frontages to the design and dimensional standard required according to the street classification, prior to final plat approval. (Ord. 1629 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009; Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(6), 1965)
17.36.070 Street name, stop, and no parking signs.
Street name, stop and no parking signs shall be installed according to city standards prior to final plat according to the preliminary plat approval. (Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(7), 1965)
17.36.080 Streetlights.
Streetlights shall be installed to city standards within each subdivision and along all street frontages, and at the intersection of a private street and public street in compliance with the city of Washougal Engineering Standards. (Ord. 1613 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008; Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(8), 1965)
17.36.090 Driveways – Street trees.
(1) Curb cuts and driveway installations are not required of the subdivider, but, if installed, shall be according to city standards.
(2) Street tree planting is required of the subdivider, and shall be according to city requirements of a species compatible with the width of the planting strip, or planting vaults located every 30 feet when sidewalks are attached to curbs.
(a) Planter strips shall be planted an average of every 30 feet on center with a deciduous canopy tree, and the balance of the planter strip planted and maintained with live groundcover or bioretention facilities.
(b) Where bioretention facility placement interferes with tree spacing, then tree spacing may be modified to accommodate the bioretention facility, including location within the facility, as long as the total number of street trees planted in the subdivision or short subdivision is equal the number required by this standard.
(c) Street trees shall have a one-and-one-half-inch caliper diameter at breast height (DBH) at time of planting and shall reach a maximum mature height of 30 feet to top of crown. Street trees shall be selected from the city’s street tree list and shall comply with the requirements of Section 3.22, Landscaping in the Right-of-Way, Easements and Access Tracts, of the Washougal Engineering Standards for Public Works Construction.
(d) Bioretention plants and trees shall be selected from the city’s bioretention plant list. (Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1758 § 1 (Exh. A), 2014; Ord. 1495 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1451 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1421, 2001; Ord. 1233 (Exh. A), 1997; Ord. 1179 § 1, 1995; Ord. 324 § 16(9), 1965)