Street Patterns & Continuity SRA Introduction Presentation

SRA 2021-1:

Amendment to Articles 1 and 6 to Revise Standards for Street Patterns & Continuity Planning Commission Public Hearing April 8, 2021 Stuart Kearns, AICP, Senior Planner

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With the adoption of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, the Urban County Planning Commission initiated an amendment to Articles 1 and 6 of the Land Subdivision Regulations regarding Street Patterns & Continuity. The primary intent of these revisions is to promote better street continuity in our community, particularly within and between residential developments.

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Outreach: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Proposed text changes were discussed internally, with favorable response 7/30/2020 Planning Commission Work Session 11/04/2020 Infill and Redevelopment Committee 12/16/2020 Developer/Design Community Engagement Session 1/28/2021 Planning Commission Work Session 3/8/2021 Neighborhood Notification Letter 4/1/2021 Subdivision & Zoning PC Sub-Committees

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Concerns Raised: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Why do we need to revisit the text?

What are the benefits of street continuity?

What is the ‘right’ maximum block length?

Will the amount of impermeable surface be increased?

Will there still be cul-de-sac lots?

Will these changes result in less developable lots?

Will infrastructure costs increase?

Will these changes apply retroactively to existing development?

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Why do we need to revisit the text?

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1950s

90% of Total Mileage on Through Streets

1960s

75% of Total Mileage on Through Streets

1990s

18% of Total Mileage on Through Streets

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Lexington’s street network today: ▪ Approximately 1 in 4 intersections lead to a cul-de-sac ▪ Only about 1 in 10 of all intersections are 4-way, and most of these are located inside New Circle Road

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Benefits of continuous street patterns

Source: 2017 Utah Street Connectivity Guide

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What does the Comprehensive Plan call for? ✔

Strive for connected neighborhoods for pedestrians and other modes

✔

Enhance our ability to recruit and retain a talented, creative workforce

✔

Promote road network connections

✔

Provide quality of life opportunities

✔

Prioritize multi-modal options that reduce dependence on the car

✔ ✔

Prioritize pedestrian-first design Develop a viable network of accessible transportation alternatives

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Creating better street patterns and continuity supports the Mayor’s Commission for Racial Justice & Equality goal of integrated, walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods for all residents.

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So onto the nitty gritty Taking the concepts and changing the text.

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UPDATE #1 BLOCK STANDARDS

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Perimeter Continuity ▪ Relate to topography and adjust for neighboring property constraints

▪ Connect along all edges

NO YES

YES

YES

YES

at regular intervals

NO

▪ Include stub streets for future connections

NO 13

Proposed Revisions to 1-14 DEFINITION OF WORDS: BLOCK 1-14 BLOCK - A surface land area which is separated and distinguished from other surface land areas by visible physical boundaries such as streets, rail- roads, rivers, extremely steep land, or other physical barriers. A block is the smallest basic unit of a city’s urban fabric. It is surrounded by streets and usually contains several buildings.

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Block Length Well connected streets (i.e. shorter block lengths / more intersections):

▪ Disperse traffic and

decrease need for wide, high-volume roads

▪ Reduce travel distance for

vehicles (and other modes)

▪ Boost transit efficiency 15

Walkable Block Size “No other measure is more predictive of walkability than block size; not land use mix, not population, not jobs per acre, and not even transit coverage.”

-

Reid Ewing & Robert Cervero 250’-600’ block length 16

Proposed Revisions to 6-4(a) BLOCK STANDARDS 6-4(a) BLOCK STANDARDS - In general, intersecting streets that determine block length shall be provided at such intervals as necessary to meet existing street patterns, topography, and requirements for safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian circulation. Residential blocks generally shall not exceed 1,600 eight hundred (800) feet in length, nor be less than five-hundred (500) feet in length, with the block width generally being sufficient to allow two tiers of lots of appropriate depth. Nonresidential blocks shall be of such length, width, and other design as the Commission finds necessary for the prospective use, including adequate provision for offstreet parking, truck loading and unloading, buffer areas, pedestrian movement, and proper vehicular access to adjacent streets.

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Common Block Lengths in Lexington Neighborhoods 250’ - 500’ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Downtown Gratz Park Northside M.L. King

500’ - 750’ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Masterson Station Garden Springs Radcliffe Gleneagles Bryan Station Hays Blvd Winburn

750’ - 1000’ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Kenwick Chevy Chase Shriners Stonewall Picadome Cardinal Valley Southpoint Cumberland Hill Dogwood Trace

1000’ + ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Mason Headley Waterford Andover Forest Harrods Hill Meadowthorpe Copperfield Eastland

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UPDATE #2 STREET PATTERNS & CONTINUITY

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Perimeter Continuity Revisited ▪ Relate to topography and adjust for neighboring property constraints

▪ Connect along all edges at regular intervals

▪ Include stub streets for future connections

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Continuity between Subdivisions Richmond Rd.

Tates Creek Rd.

48.9 miles connected streets 94% of total mileage

18.5 miles connected streets 30% of total mileage

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Proposed Revisions to 6-8(b) STREET CONTINUITY 6-8(b) STREET PATTERNS AND CONTINUITY - Streets shall be related to topography and shall generally provide for the continuation of existing or dedicated streets in adjoining or nearby tracts, and provide for connection to adjoining unsubdivided tracts in all directions every ¼ mile. , especially those which would otherwise be landlocked. Street continuity shall be provided between subdivision developments with collector streets. In addition, local street connections shall be provided between developments to act as a network to supplement the collector/connector and arterial street systems. Street patterns shall generally allow for circulation within and between subdivisions that does not require the use of arterial streets. Freeways and arterials shall not penetrate or bisect existing or proposed neighborhoods, but rather shall be located as appropriate boundaries for such. Collectors/Connectors shall carry traffic from arterials into neighborhoods. Locals shall carry traffic from collectors into the neighborhood for the primary purpose of access to individual properties.

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UPDATE #3 CUL-DE-SACS

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Crimson King and Coldstream Courts– Lexington, KY

Cul-de-Sac Length ▪ Serve the rationale of

creating “community”

▪ Maintain continuity for as many modes as possible

▪ Make sense for infrastructure

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Cul-de-sac Limitations 400

ft

220 ft

1000

ft 220

ft

275

ft

Arbor Drive – Lexington, KY 27

Proposed Revisions to 6-8(f) CUL-DE-SACS 6-8(f) CUL-DE-SACS - Cul-de-sacs shall not generally be longer than one thousand (1,000) five-hundred (500) feet, including the turnaround, which shall be provided at the closed end with a right-of-way radius of fifty (50) feet; curb radius of forty (40) feet; and a transition curve radius of seventy-five (75) feet. Alternate turnaround designs depicted in these regulations (See Exhibit 6-7) shall also be permitted. Longer cul-de-sacs may be permitted because of unusual topographic or other conditions; and, in such cases, the Planning Commission may require additional paving width if necessary to prevent overloading of street capacity. A cul-de-sac shall not be located off of another cul-de-sac. Temporary turnarounds may be required at the end of stub streets as long as they are retained within the street right-of-way.

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UPDATE #4 PLANNING FOR COMPATIBLE STREET PATTERNS & LAND USE

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Public Facility Frontage

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Public Facility Frontage

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Proposed Revisions to 6-8(d) PLANNING FOR CONFLICTING TRAFFIC OR LAND USE 6-8(d) PLANNING FOR ADJACENT LAND USES 6-8(d)(1) PLANNING FOR COMPATIBLE LAND USE - Whenever the proposed subdivision contains, or is adjacent to, an existing or proposed public park, open space, greenway, school, or other publicly accessible facility, the Planning Commission shall require that no less than sixty (60) percent of the total perimeter length of the facility abuts an approved street. Frontage shall be measured at the street right-of-way line. Adjacent street and lotting patterns shall be designed so as to provide safe and convenient pedestrian access to the facility.

6-8(d)(2) PLANNING FOR CONFLICTING TRAFFIC STREET PATTERNS AND/OR LAND USE - Whenever the proposed subdivision contains, or is adjacent to, a railroad right-of-way; arterial or expressway right-of-way; or conflicting changes in land uses, the Planning Commission shall require service roads; reverse frontage lots; lots with rear service alleys; lots with additional depth; or other such treatment as the Commission finds necessary for protection of abutting properties and to afford separation of conflicting types of traffic street patterns or land use.

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SRA 2021-1:

Amendment to Articles 1 and 6 to Revise Standards for Street Patterns & Continuity Planning Commission Public Hearing April 8, 2021 Stuart Kearns, AICP, Senior Planner

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