Street network

Intent

To promote projects that have high levels of internal connectivity and are well connected to the community at large. To encourage development within existing communities, thereby conserving land and promoting multimodal transportation. To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity and reducing the negative effects of motor vehicle emissions.

Requirements

Design and/or locate the project such that a through-street and/or nonmotorized right‑of‑way intersects or terminates at the project boundary at least every 400 feet or at existing abutting street intervals and intersections, whichever is the shorter distance. Include a pedestrian or bicycle through-connection in at least 90% of any new culs-de-sac. This does not apply to portions of the boundary where connections cannot be made because of physical obstacles, such as prior platting of property, construction of existing buildings or other barriers, slopes over 15%, wetlands and water bodies, railroad and utility rights-of-way, existing limited-access motor vehicle rights-of-way, and parks and dedicated open space.

Figure 1. Project site with right-of-way intersects on project boundary at least every 400 feet

AND

Locate and/or design the project such that its internal connectivity and/or the connectivity within a 1/4-mile distance of the project boundary falls within one of the ranges listed in Table 1.

All streets and sidewalks that are counted toward the connectivity requirement must be available for general public use and not gated. Gated areas are not considered available for public use, with the exception of education and health care campuses, and military bases where gates are used for security purposes.