02-20-1997 Regular Meeting of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission

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Staff Report Driveway Standards March 20, 1997 The City's driveway standazds are contained in Zoning Ordinance #1501, Sect. 10-605. These standards include regulations regazding: • materials • size • location In staff's opinion, the standards were reasonable and workable when adopted. However, citizen concerns have created the need for some additional clazification. An issue in which there does appeaz to be a need for more stringent regulation is that of acceptable pazking and driveway dust-free materials. Presently, the Zoning Ordinance identifies the materials suitable to control dust and drainage as: concrete, asphalt, recycled asphalt, or other materials if approved by the City Engineer. The current wording has resulted in field situations for staff. The pazking and driveway azea is normally installed near the end of a construction job. Construction costs always run over initial estimates which in turn results in limited funds for the pazking and driveway areas. The recycled asphalt and other materials can create undesirable surfaces unless an a proper base is provided, adequate amount of surface material is used and the proper installation equipment is used. Recently materials the owner feels is acceptable as "dust-free" has not been acceptable to the City. The City's policy is to hold utilities to the new structure until an acceptable dust-free surface has been provided. Staff finds that owners of the house tend to move in as soon as utilities allow. When this occurs, the City will often have to take formal action to obtain the required dust-free parking and driveways which have been required as part of the job. To avoid the need for this type of action, utilities aze held until proper surfaces are provided. A second issue that needs to be addressed deals with the portion of the driveway between the property line and the tie-in at the street. Since this part of the driveway is over the street right- of-way, some individuals want to install rock, gravel or other unacceptable materials. Individuals have asked to see a written requirement that states this portion must be dust-free as well. The City's policy has been that the right-of--way portion of the driveway must be properly developed at the same time as the remainder of the driveway. Staff feels this is considered as part of standard development. The third issue deals with large lot residential property. Many individuals who own acreage choose to place their home further back on the property. This means that the driveway they develop is often 4 to 6 times longer than driveways in other azeas of town. The cost of a long driveway can be more expensive. Possible alternatives are as follows: • Define "dust-free" as concrete or asphalt. a) Provide specifications for concrete driveways b) Provide specifications for asphalt driveways