Date: November 15, 2018
To: Members of the Planning Commission
From: Scott Tempel, City Planner
Title
Revision of LDC Street Chart
Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission reviews questions from Toole Design on revising the Street Chart.
Summary Report:
Table 5.2 in the City of Northfield Land Development Code lists various requirements for new streets, including sidewalk/trail width, bike lane requirements, and typical on-street parking conditions. These requirements vary from one street type to another. This table was developed in 2010, before the adoption of the Complete Streets policy. While these requirements technically only apply to new streets, they may be consulted during street reconstruction and reclamation projects in developed parts of the community.
City staff have identified the opportunity to update this table as part of the Pedestrian, Bike, and Trail System Update. Potential updates include simplifying the table, incorporating current bicycle and pedestrian facility design practices, and integrating Complete Streets principles.
In support of this effort, the following questions are posed to the Planning Commission for discussion at the November 15, 2018 meeting. The intent of these questions is to discern desired outcomes and policy direction, which City staff and consultants will incorporate into a proposed update of Table 5.2:
1. When should sidewalks be required on both sides of a street? How do the following influence this decision?
a. Type of street (arterial, collector, local, etc.)?
b. Traffic speeds or volumes?
c. Land use context (downtown, neighborhoods, retail, industrial, rural transitions, etc.)?
d. Proximity to specific destinations (e.g., schools)
2. Are there any situations in which sidewalks should not be required?
3. On-street parking and bike lanes typically compete for the same space. On streets where both cannot fit, when should bike lanes have priority over on-street parking? And vice-versa? When should o...
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