Sec. 23-45. Required improvements--Within corporate limits.
In accordance with urban development policy of the City of Norfolk, it shall be the responsibility of developers of new subdivisions (excluding lot subdivisions) to install in conformity with plans, specifications and data approved by the city engineer, certain required improvements as follows:
(a) Street improvements. Paving, including curbs and gutters, shall be completed in all streets in accordance with city standards and in conformance with any official street plans which may be adopted by the city council of Norfolk. Minimum roadway surface shall be constructed of six (6) inch portland cement concrete or asphaltic equivalent. Curb and gutter shall be of portland cement concrete. Standard minimum width of the paved surface shall be thirty-one (31) feet, back-to-back of curb. Developers may request construction to a minimum width of twenty-seven (27) feet and, where recommended by the city engineer, the city council shall restrict parking to one side of the street.
(b) Staking. The external boundaries, corners of blocks and lots, all points of curvature and points of tangency shall be monumented by iron rods or pipes of not less than three-quarter-inch diameter, extending at least twenty-four (24) inches below grade.
(c) Grading. No grading or other construction shall take place within a street right-of-way, until such plans are approved by the city engineer.
(d) Water supply. The subdivision shall be provided with an adequate water main supply system, which shall be connected to an approved water supply system in accordance with standard specifications of the City of Norfolk. Fire hydrants shall be supplied and installed by the developer in a pattern approved by the fire chief and city engineer. The minimum diameter of all mains shall be no less than six (6) inches, except where a smaller diameter is recommended by the city engineer, or a larger diameter is required to service a commercial or industrial site.
(e) Street name signs. Signs of the type in use throughout the city shall be supplied and installed by the developer.
(f) Sanitary sewer. Sanitary sewers shall be installed to adequately serve all lots in the subdivision, in accordance with standard specification of the City of Norfolk. In no case shall the minimum diameter be less than eight (8) inches. Where an approved sanitary system is accessible within three hundred (300) feet of the premises, the developer shall connect thereto. Where an approved system is not reasonably accessible, individual sewage disposal systems may be utilized in accordance with standard city specifications governing such installations. Where the city determines that an alternate point of discharge into the community system is more feasible for future community development, the developer shall be liable for that portion of the costs that would have been applicable if connection were made at the nearest point of the system.
(g) Sidewalks shall be constructed in accordance with section 23-42 of this Code.
(h) Storm drainage. The developer shall provide for adequate surface drainage, including installation of culverts, storm sewers, catch basins and other improvements to adequately handle stormwater. Design shall be sufficient to accommodate a specified storm, as per criteria acceptable to the city engineer. First floor elevations shall be determined with regard to the one-hundred-year flood boundary.
(i) Other improvements. The installation of other improvements may be required, where deemed necessary in the best interest of the community.
(j) Installation of improvements. Developers may select either method or combination of methods listed below to comply with the minimum improvement requirements:
(1) The developer may install the required improvements as a condition of final plat approval;
(2) The developer may petition the city to construct street surfacing, sanitary sewer and water mains in the proposed subdivision by the district method. The size of any street improvement district, sanitary sewer district, or water main district shall be determined by the city council, and the creation of such districts shall be subject to the city’s ability to finance any of the improvements;
(3) Forty-eight (48) hours’ notice shall be given to the city engineer prior to the start of construction on any improvement. The developer’s engineer shall provide the city with a signed certification, assuring that improvements have been installed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications.
(k) Shared development costs. General obligation costs shall be conceived for those improvements which benefit the general public. Sewers, storm drains and water lines or similar facilities cannot be beneficial to the general public unless they serve an area larger than the subdivision.
(1) Streets and utilities: The city shall bear the extra cost of providing a [street or utility improvement] greater than the minimum improvements required by these regulations, except the developer shall pay the costs of all water mains up to eight (8) inches in diameter and the cost of water mains greater than eight (8) inches where a larger main is required to serve the proposed subdivision. The developer shall be required to pay the costs of all storm sewers up to twenty-four (24) inches in diameter and the costs of storm sewers greater than twenty-four (24) inches, where a larger main is required to serve the proposed subdivision. The city shall pay the difference between the costs of required improvements and any oversize water or sewer mains required to service the surrounding areas. The city shall share the costs of installation of box culverts on collector and arterial streets. The city shall pay for costs of intersection paving.
(2) Off-site extension: If utilities are not available at the boundary of a proposed subdivision, and if the city finds that extensions across undeveloped land would not be warranted as a special assessment to the intervening properties or as a municipal capital expenditure until some future time, the developer may be required to obtain necessary easements or right-of-way and construct and pay for such extensions. The proposed method of financing off-site extensions shall be stated in the subdivisions agreement. Such improvements shall be available for connections by developers of adjoining land, subject to applicable connection fees as may exist. In considering off-site extensions, the city will give due consideration to urban expansion as set forth in the comprehensive plan and scheduled capital improvements for the area in question.
Source: Ord. No. 3077. § 2, 7-19-82; Ord. No. 3780, § 2, 4-1-91; Ord. No. 5624, § 1, 8-5-19;
Note--See editor’s note, § 23-44.