§ 407.020. Block And Lot Access., Chapter 407. General Development Standards, Unified Development Code, Code of Ordinances, Blue Springs

Intent. It is the intent of this Section is to:

Provide adequate access to all lots and blocks in conjunction with the street networks, blocks and street types of a particular development pattern.

Balance the interests of access for pedestrians and bicycles with access for vehicles.

Protect the design integrity of streetscapes and minimize interruptions in streetscape by curb-cuts and drive aisles.

Manage access and circulation within larger sites, development projects and blocks.

Applicability. This Section shall apply to:

All new site plans and development proposals where street access is proposed or altered, or where platting occurs in association with the development;

Any infill or reuse where over fifty percent (50%) of the parking and circulation area is being altered;

Any application in an area that is subject to a specific access management study;

Any application on an activity street; and

Any application where streetscape improvements are required or proposed.

Types. The following specific types of access shall be used to access lots:

Table 407.020-1: Access Types
Unlimited Driveway A driveway that is generally no more than 16 feet to 24 feet wide in the lot frontage area, but can expand to larger pads and approach areas closer to the buildings. Often this may involve a circle drive with two 8-foot to 12-foot access ways. This access is used on larger lots with wide frontages and deep building setbacks.	No illustration intended
Double Driveway A driveway that is typically between 16 feet and 20 feet wide, and provides an approach to a two car garage. This access is typically used on larger lots with wide frontages.
Single/Double Driveway A driveway that is typically between 8 feet and 10 feet wide within the lot frontage area, but can expand to a larger pad and approach area up to 24 feet wide closer to the buildings. This access is used on smaller to medium sized lots with narrower frontages, but can accommodate front or side loaded garages.
Single Driveway A driveway that is 8 feet to 10 feet at all points before the front building line. It often provides access to a larger pad and approach area behind the front building line to provide access to detached or rear loaded garages. This access is used on smaller lots with narrow frontages, and on streets were minimal interruptions in the streetscape are desired.
Shared Driveway A driveway that serves two lots and is typically located on a lot line of the two properties and coordinated with easements benefitting both parties, and extends to an area where each lot has its own private pad and/or approach area. Shared drives are usually use the single driveway or single/double driveway configurations, and are used on smaller lots with narrow frontages, and on streets were minimal interruptions in the streetscape are desired.
Common Drive An access point similar to a shared driveway except that it serves more than 2 but generally no more than 6 lots. Common driveways are typically located in easements or common areas owned jointly by all lots benefitting from the access. Common driveways can provide access to smaller parking blocks or parking areas where maneuvering of vehicles can occur.	No illustration intended
Drive Aisles A system of internal access ways designed to facilitate circulation of vehicles within a site, often coordinating access to parking areas or cross-access between multiple properties. The drive aisles serve as an organizing element for parking blocks and building sites.	No illustration intended
Internal Access Streets A system of internal access ways designed to mimic public streetscapes and block structure. This access coordinates development and access across multiple or larger scale projects, typically on sites or parcels of greater than 5 acres, so the resulting internal block structure includes blocks of 2 to 5 acres. The internal access streets have a higher design amenity than other access types to create a public realm among private and common areas as an organizing element of sites and buildings.	No illustration intended
Alley A shared access system internal to a block and serving all lots on the block (or occasionally all lots on a single block face for single loaded blocks). Alleys typically bisect a block with a simple central alley, although H-shaped, T-shaped or other similar configurations can accommodate irregular blocks or other situations where alley access points may be constrained.	No illustration intended

Vehicle Access Requirements. The following requirements coordinate adequate block and lot access based on the context of development, the street type and other access coordination. Where adequate access to any lot is limited by these standards, shared, common or internal block access strategies in Subsection (C) shall be used to provide adequate access to all lots.

Location And Spacing. Lot access location and spacing shall be limited based on the functional class of streets in Table 407.020-2. Spacing distance between access shall be measured from the perpendicular curb face of the access points, and from the perpendicular curb face of intersecting streets to the closest access point for intersections.

Table 407.020-2: Access Location And Spacing
Functional Class**
Primary Land Use	Arterial*	Collector	Local
Residential	100 feet minimum separation 200 feet + corner 250 feet + signalized	75 feet minimum separation 125 feet + corner 250 feet + signalized	No minimum separation except that a minimum of 50 feet shall be provided from street intersections 75 feet + corner 250 feet + signalized
Non-Residential	200 feet minimum separation 200 feet + corner 250 feet + signalized	150 feet minimum separation 125 inches + corner 250 + signalized	100; minimum separations 75 feet from lot corner

*	Direct access to an arterial street shall be permitted only when the subject property has no other reasonable access to the street system, and only if the City Engineer determines that the proposed access point is safe and is subject to the limits of this table.
**	The City Engineer may allow averaging of the separation of access points along any block face, provided there are no adverse impacts on the transportation network, and the intent of this Section is equally or better served.

Width.

[Ord. No. 4585 § 6, 2-16-2016; Ord. No. 4679, 8-21-2017]

Lot access widths shall be limited based on the street type and design context in Table 407.020-3. The percentage and width limits shall apply to the frontage area between the streetscape and building. Where applications of the width limits appears to constrain access, different configurations identified in Table 407.020-1 shall be used.

Table 407.020-3: Access Width Except Single- And Two-Family Residential
	Street Type
Primary Land Use	Standard	Neighborhood	Activity	Natural
Residential*	25% of lot maximum; may not exceed 24 feet unless designed as internal access streets	20% of lot maximum; may not exceed 20 feet unless designed as internal access streets	15% of lot maximum; may not exceed 20 feet unless designed as internal access streets	15% of lot maximum; may not exceed 20 feet unless designed as internal access streets
Non-Residential	20% of lot maximum; may not exceed 30 feet unless designed as internal access streets No more that 10% cumulative on an entire block face without using shared access or internal access streets for the block	15% of lot maximum; may not exceed 24 feet unless designed as internal access streets No more that 10% cumulative on an entire block face without using shared access or internal access streets for the block	N/A: Activity streets are designed for limited commercial lot access and require alley system for block or internal access streets for the block	15% of lot maximum; may not exceed 24 feet unless designed as internal access streets No more that 10% cumulative on an entire block face without using shared access or internal access streets for the block

*	Exceptions to the % width for residential access can be given up to 20 feet of width to accommodate limited access within 20 feet of any front-loaded garage, provided it is not otherwise limited by the residential design standards.

Single- and two-family residences shall have a paved driveway or driveways that shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) coverage within the front yard of the street-facing side yard setback area in which the driveway is located, and off-street or on-street parking of vehicles weighing more than six (6) tons or containing more than two (2) axles shall be prohibited in MF-18 and less intensive districts. This provision shall not prohibit temporary parking of vehicles making pickups or deliveries. Driveway widths shall be limited to a maximum of thirty (30) feet within the right-of-way.

Single- or two-family residences wherein the driveway length exceeds two hundred (200) feet shall be allowed an exception to the paving requirement for driveways but shall provide the minimum number of parking spaces on a paved surface.

Corner Visibility. Sight distance standards are based on criteria in the latest edition of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Green Book. On corner lots nothing shall be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in such a manner which will obstruct the view of the traveling public based on AASHTO Green Book sight distance standards. This sight triangle standard may be increased by the Director of Public Works when deemed necessary for traffic safety. Additionally, right of way is required at intersections per the City of Blue Springs Design and Construction Manual to allow for the construction of Americans with Disability Act sidewalk, curb ramps, signalization components, etc.

Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.

Traffic Impacts. Wherever the City Engineer determines that the above requirements will adversely impact the function of the transportation network in the vicinity of the site, either due to traffic impacts of the proposed use, or the design of the access in relation to the streetscape, alternative access standards may be required to better meet the intent of this Section. In addition, any specific access management study or plan for a portion of the City may alter the application of these standards and guidelines.

Pedestrian Access Requirements. All lots shall include direct pedestrian connections and circulation routes at the same or greater frequency as is provided by streets, driveways and internal access streets.

Generally. At a minimum, sidewalks shall directly connect each of the following:

All public entrances to buildings;

The public sidewalk on adjacent streets or internal access streets;

On-site parking areas;

Private, common or public areas that are part of the open space system in Section 406.030, to the extent any are on the site or adjacent to the site;

Adjacent sites, where pedestrian access between sites by way of the public streets or internal access streets are remote [more than three hundred (300) feet away].

Sidewalk Widths. Internal sidewalks shall meet the following requirements:

Table 407.020-4: Internal Sidewalk Widths
Generally	5 feet minimum
Primary routes (between parking and buildings) in multi-family projects	6 feet minimum
Any building facade abutting a parking area or any sidewalk abutting parking with vehicle overhangs	8 feet minimum
Along any non-residential building facade with a primary entrance	12 feet minimum

Crossings. All driveways and alleys shall intersect with sidewalks on the perimeter of the block at the sidewalk grade, and the material and construction of the sidewalk shall continue across the drive. For drive aisles and internal access streets, the vehicle grade may interrupt the sidewalk. Where the pedestrian crossing exceeds twenty-four (24) feet, cross-walks or other features to identify pedestrian crossings may be required. Design features such as bump outs, raised crossings, medians or other landscape and urban design amenities that emphasize the pedestrian crossing and shorten the distance pedestrians cross dedicated vehicle ways may be considered.

General Standards. Note: Construction standards for improvements in public right of way are located in the Public Works Design and Construction Manual and design and construction of all improvements shall meet the standards and requirements contained in such manual.

Off-street parking spaces shall be arranged so that no vehicle will back directly onto a street. All private parking areas, drive aisles and internal access streets shall be located off of the street right-of-way.

Access to property shall be allowed only by way of driveways, and no other portion of the lot frontage shall be used for ingress, egress or parking.

Any driveway design must allow an entering vehicle turning speed of fifteen (15) miles per hour to help reduce interference with through street traffic. Radii of driveway shall be sufficient to achieve this standard for the types of vehicles that the driveway is intended to serve.

There must be sufficient on-site vehicle storage to accommodate queued vehicles waiting to park or exit, without interfering with street traffic.

Provisions for circulation between adjacent parcels should be provided through coordinated or joint parking systems.

Driveway placement should be such that loading and unloading activities will in no way hinder vehicle ingress or egress.

Driveway design must be such that vehicles entering the driveway from the street will not encroach upon the exit lane of a two-way driveway. Also, a right-turning exiting vehicle will be able to use only the first through-traffic lane available without encroaching into the adjacent through-lane.

No construction, grading, excavation, repair or reconstruction of any street, curb or gutter; or any sidewalk or driveway between the street and property line shall be commenced without first obtaining a right-of-way work permit from the Director of Public Works.

Right turn lanes, left turn lanes, tapers, and other traffic control features may be required to ensure proper design, function, and minimizing impacts to traffic progression of the roadway. Requirements must be based on a traffic analysis as described in the Public Works Design and Construction Manual that considers all potential users of the right-of-way and the development context.

10.

Appropriate sight distances shall be provided based on the latest edition of A Policy on Geometric Design and Highways and Streets, issued by AASHTO. This guide shall be used based on the roadway context, considering traffic controls, stopping points of vehicles entering the roadway and the design speeds for on-coming vehicles.

11.

Any construction, grading, excavation, repair or reconstruction of any street, curb, sidewalk or access point in the right-of-way shall require a right-of-way work permit from the City.