Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17G Administration and Procedures

Chapter 17G.080 Subdivisions

Section 17G.080.070 Subdivision Design Standards

1. Street Design and Improvements.

1. 1. Street design is governed by the comprehensive plan, city design standards, chapter 17H.010 SMC and chapter 17E.030 SMC. Streets within and along a subdivision are to be designed in light of topography and existing and planned street patterns.

1. 2. Except in unusual cases a plat must dedicate a full width street.

1. 3. Entry gates are prohibited on public streets.

1. 4. The following statement shall appear in the dedication of the final plat, final short plat or final binding site plan:

1. 1. 1. “All street identification and traffic control signs required by this project will be the responsibility of the developer.”

2. Easements.

1. 1. Where alleys are not provided, easements for public utilities shall be provided adjacent to any right-of-way. Such easements shall be the minimum necessary to provide public utilities. Insofar as possible, the easements shall be continuous and aligned from block to block within the subdivision and with adjoining subdivisions.

1. 2. Easements for sewers, drainage, water main, electric lines or other public use utilities shall be dedicated whenever necessary. The size and location of the easement dedication shall be reviewed and approved by the appropriate utility provider.

1. 3. Adequate provisions for public access to publicly owned parks, conservation areas or open space land shall be provided when a subdivision, short plat or binding site plan is adjacent to such lands.

1. 4. The following statements are required to appear in the dedication of the final plat, final short plat and final binding site plan:

1. 1. “Slope easements for cut and fill, as deemed necessary by the Engineering Services – Developer Services Department in accordance with the City’s Design Standards, are hereby granted to the City of Spokane for the construction and maintenance of public streets adjoining this plat.”

1. 2. “A __ foot easement for utilities, including cable television, is hereby granted along all street frontages to the City and its permittees.”

1. 3. “Utility easements shown hereon the described plat are hereby dedicated to the City and its permittees for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and operation of utilities and cable television, together with the right to inspect said utilities and to trim and/or remove brush and trees which may interfere with the construction, maintenance and operation of same.”

3. Design of Lots and Blocks.

1. 1. The length, width and shape of blocks shall be designed with due regard to providing adequate building sites for the use contemplated; consideration of the needs for convenient access, circulation, control, safety of the street traffic, provision for utilities and recognition of limitations and opportunities of topography.

1. 2. Blocks shall be recognized as closed polygons, bordered by street right-of-way lines, addition lines or a combination of the two, unless an alley is desired, in which case a block may be comprised of two closed polygons separated by the adjoining alley.

1. 3. Blocks shall ordinarily be sufficient to allow for two tiers of lots of depths sufficient to meet the underlying zone. Double-frontage lots should be avoided.

1. 4. All plat lots shall begin with lot one block one and shall be numbered consecutively by lots and blocks, provided that for plats sequenced by phasing, and which adjoin a previously recorded phase of the approved preliminary plat, lots may continue with lot one and the next consecutively sequenced block number. Lots from one plat shall not cross plat boundaries into another plat.

1. 5. Lot widths, lot areas and frontage upon a public street (or private street within a PUD or binding site plan) shall conform to the underlying zone. For PUDs the hearing examiner may adjust the standards of the underlying zone subject to the provisions of SMC 17G.070 and for binding site plans the director may adjust the standards of the underlying zone subject to provision of SMC 17G.061.310(D)(4). Corner lots shall be designed to ensure setbacks are met from both streets. Lots shall be as nearly rectangular as possible with side lot lines approximately at right angles or radial to street lines.

1. 6. Lots shall not be divided by the boundary of any zoning designation or public right-of-way.

1. 7. Where a lot is plotted into one acre or more in size, the director may require an arrangement of the lot such as to permit a subsequent redivision in conformity with plans adopted by the City.

4. Stormwater Improvements.

Stormwater facilities design and improvements shall be in accordance with chapter 17D.060 SMC and other applicable design standards. The following statements shall appear in the dedication of the final plat, final short plat or final binding site plan:

1. 1. “Development of the subject property, including grading and filling, are required to follow an erosion/sediment control plan that has been submitted to and accepted by Engineering Services – Developer Services prior to the issuance of any building and/or grading permits.”

1. 2. “All stormwater and surface drainage generated on-site must be disposed on-site in accordance with chapter 17D.060 SMC, Stormwater Facilities, and City Design Standards, and as per the Project Engineer’s recommendations, based on the drainage plan accepted for the final plat.”

1. 3. “No building permit shall be issued for any lot in this subdivision/PUD until evidence satisfactory to the Director of Engineering Services has been provided showing that the recommendations of chapter 17D.060 SMC, Stormwater Facilities, and the Project Engineer’s recommendations, based on the drainage plan accepted for the final subdivision/PUD, have been complied with.”

5. Sewer Improvements.

Sewer design and improvements shall be in accordance with chapter 13.03 SMC and the city’s design standards. The following statements shall appear in the dedication of the final plat, final short plat or final binding site plan:

1. 1. “Prior to the issuance of any building permits, the lots shall be connected to a functioning public or private sanitary sewer system complying with the requirements of the Engineering Services Department.”

6. Water and Utility Improvements.

Water and city utility design and improvements shall be in accordance with chapter 13.04 SMC and the city’s design standards. The following statements shall appear in the dedication of the final plat, final short plat or final binding site plan.

1. 1. “Only City water and sanitary sewer systems shall serve the plat; the use of individual on-site sanitary waste disposal systems and private wells is prohibited.”

1. 2. “All required improvements serving the plat, including streets, sanitary sewer, stormwater and water, shall be designed and constructed at the developer’s expense. The improvements must be constructed to City Standards by the developer prior to the occupancy of any structures within the development.”

1. 3. “Prior to the issuance of any building permits, the lots shall be connected to a functioning public or private water system complying with the requirements of the Engineering Services Department and having adequate pressure for domestic and fire uses, as determined by the Water and Hydroelectric Services Department.

1. 4. “Prior to the issuance of any building permits, the lots shall be served by fire hydrants and shall have appropriate access to streets as determined by the requirements of the City Fire Department and the Engineering Services Department.

1. 5. “Water mains and fire hydrants must be installed at the developer’s expense, in locations approved by the City Fire Department and in accordance with applicable State and Federal provisions.

1. 6. “All private improvements constructed within the boundaries of a PUD are required to be maintained by a homeowner’s association or comparable entity established for this PUD.” (applies to PUDs).

Date Passed: Monday, March 29, 2021

Effective Date: Thursday, May 6, 2021

ORD C36027 Section 5