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CHAPTER 63 - LOT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

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63.500 TRAFFIC VISIBILITY STANDARDS

A Traffic Visibility Zone shall be maintained on each corner of property at the intersection of two streets, a street and an alley, a street and a railroad, and also at the point where driveways, private drives, or entrances to common parking areas intersect with a public or private street right-of-way.  The Traffic Visibility Zone is a triangular area which shall be kept free of visual obstructions as per the requirements of Section 63.502.

63.501

Definitions:    For the purpose of this section, the following definition is established:          

1. Reference Line:  The reference line of any public or private street is the one line of the following two described lines which is located closer to the existing right-of-way line:   
   1. a line within the right-of-way that is parallel to and five feet inside of the right-of-way line.
   2. the line created by the existing curb location parallel to the right-of way line.

 

63.502 Character of Traffic Visibility Zone:

A Traffic Visibility Zone shall contain no fence, structure, earth bank, hedge, planting, wall or other obstruction between a height of two and one-half (2 1/2) feet and nine (9) feet above the elevation of the abutting roadway as established by the City Engineer.  The following are exempted from this provision:  

1. Public utility poles.
2. Trees trimmed (to the trunk) to a height at least nine (9) feet above the level of the intersection.
3. Other plant species of open growth habit that are not planted in the form of a hedge and which are so planted and trimmed as to leave in all seasons a clear and unobstructed cross-view.
4. A supporting member or appurtenance to a permanent building lawfully existing on the effective date of this ordinance.
5. Official warning signs or signals.
6. Signs mounted ten (10) feet or more above the elevation of the abutting roadway with supports that do not encroach on the clear-vision area.

In addition, the City Engineer shall waive this provision where the finished grade is such that there can be no cross visibility at the intersection.

63.503

Exemption:                The requirements for Traffic Visibility Zones shall not apply in the Central Business District area of the Central Development Core (CDC) District.  

63.504

Traffic Visibility Zones for Intersecting Streets: A Traffic Visibility Zone shall be maintained at the intersection of two streets or a street and an alley within the triangular area described by the line connecting the following points:  (see Figure 63.504)  

Figure 63.504: Traffic Visibility Zone (2-Way Stop)

1. the point created by the intersection of the centerlines of the two streets or street and alley;
2. the point along the centerline of the lower order street or alley which is twenty (20) feet from the intersection of the centerline of  the lower order street or alley and the reference line of the higher order street;
3. a point along the centerline of the higher order street which is located the distance from point 1 indicated in the table below:

  Table 63.504  

Higher Order Street Type	Distance (feet)
Expressways	400 feet
Arterials	300 feet
Collectors	200 feet
All Local and private streets with more than 1,000 adt*	150 feet
All Local Streets and Alleys with 1,000 or fewer adt*	100 feet
*adt - average daily trips

63.505

Traffic Visibility Zone, Intersections with Signals, or with Stop Signs on all Four Corners:   Where two streets intersect at a signalized intersection or at a four way stop intersection, the triangular area for traffic visibility shall be described by the lines connecting the following points except that the distances may be reduced to 10 feet within the Central Development Core:  (see Figure 63.505)   

1. The intersection of the reference lines of each street;
2. Points located along each reference line located twenty (20) feet from point (1).

 Figure 63.505: Traffic Visibility Zone (signalized or 4-way stop)

63.506

Traffic Visibility, Streets of Same Class: When two streets of the same class intersect, separate traffic visibility zones for each street shall be defined by applying the principles of Section 63.504 to each street by defining, in turn, each street as the higher order street.

63.507

Traffic Visibility Zone, Common Parking Areas: A traffic visibility zone shall be maintained at the intersection of any street and private driveway serving five or more parking spaces.  Such area shall be defined by the lines connecting the following points:   (see Figure 63.507)             

  
Figure 63.507: Traffic Visibility Zone (parking areas)   

1. the point where the centerline of the drive intersects the reference line of the street;
2. the point thirty-five (35) feet from point (1) along the reference line in the direction of approaching traffic;
3. the point twenty-five (25) feet toward the interior of the property along the midline of the driveway from point (1).

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