16.12.030 Pedestrian and bicycle access and circulation.
A. Pedestrian and Bicycle Access and Circulation. To ensure safe, direct, and convenient pedestrian and bicycle circulation, all developments, except single family detached housing (i.e., on individual lots), shall provide a continuous pedestrian and/or multi-use pathway system. (Pathways only provide for pedestrian circulation. Multi-use pathways accommodate pedestrians and bicycles.) The system of pathways shall be designed based on the standards below.
1. Continuous Pathways: A continuous pathway system, including sidewalks along streets, shall extend throughout the development site, and connect to all future phases of development, adjacent trails, public parks, and open space areas whenever possible. The developer may also be required to connect or stub pathway(s) to adjacent streets and private property, in accordance with the provisions of Section 16.12.020 – Vehicular Access and Circulation, and Section 16.12.060 Public Facilities Standards.
2. Street Connectivity: Multi-use pathways (for pedestrians and bicycles) shall be provided at or near mid-block where the block length exceeds the length required by Section 16.12.020(I). Multi-use pathways shall also be provided to connect cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets with other public streets, and/or to other developments where feasible. Multi-use pathways used to comply with these standards shall conform to all of the following criteria:
a. Multi-use pathways (i.e., for pedestrians and bicyclists) are no less than ten (10) feet wide and located within a fifteen (15) foot-wide right-of-way. The pathway shall generally be located within the center of the right-of-way or easement unless otherwise constrained by topography;
b. Stairs or switchback paths using a narrower right-of-way or easement may be required in lieu of a multi-use pathway where grades are steep;
c. The City may require landscaping within the pathway right-of-way;
d. The hearings body or Planning Director may determine, based upon facts in the record that a pathway is impracticable due to
1. Physical or topographic conditions (e.g., freeways, railroads, extremely steep slopes, sensitive lands, and similar physical constraints);
2. Buildings or other existing development on adjacent properties that physically prevent a connection now or in the future, considering the potential for redevelopment; and
3. Sites where the provisions of recorded leases, easements, covenants, restrictions, or other agreements recorded as of the effective date of this Code prohibit the pathway connection.
B. Design and Construction. Pathways shall conform to all of the standards below as follows. Sidewalks that are part of required public roadway right-of-way shall conform to the standards in Section 16.12.060 Public Facilities Standards.
1. Vehicle/Pathway Separation: Where pathways are parallel and adjacent to a driveway or street (public or private), they shall be raised six (6) inches and curbed, or separated from the driveway/street by a five (5) foot minimum strip with bollards, a landscape berm, or other physical barrier. If a raised path is used, the ends of the raised portions must be equipped with curb ramps.
2. Housing/Pathway Separation: Pathways shall be separated a minimum of five (5) feet from all residential living areas on the ground-floor, except at building entrances. Separation is measured from the pathway edge to the closest dwelling unit. No pathway/building separation is required for commercial, industrial, public, or institutional uses.
3. Crosswalks: Where pathways cross a parking area, driveway, or street (“crosswalk”), they shall be clearly marked with contrasting paving materials, humps/raised crossings, or painted striping. An example of contrasting paving material is the use of a concrete crosswalk through an asphalt driveway. If painted striping is used, it shall consist of thermo-plastic striping or similar type of durable application.
4. Pathway Surface: Pathway surfaces shall be concrete, asphalt, brick/masonry pavers, or other durable surface, at least six (6) feet wide, and shall conform to ADA requirements. Multi-use paths (i.e., for bicycles and pedestrians) shall be the same materials, at least eight (8) feet wide. (See also, Public Facilities Standards, Section 16.12.060 for public, multi-use pathway standard.)
5. Accessible Routes: Pathways and multi-use paths shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires accessible routes of travel.
6. Fencing adjacent to pathway rights-of-way shall not exceed four (4) feet in height in order to improve visibility and safety of path users.