This section sets forth vehicular access requirements for proposed site plans for developments which abut arterial, collector, and minor streets. This chapter recognizes that public streets are a public investment which require control mechanisms in order to assure both public safety and functional capacity. Proposed development for residential and nonresidential uses shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
Access standards for all residential and nonresidential uses. All proposed site plans proposed for residential and/or nonresidential uses located in residential and/or nonresidential zoning districts shall meet the following standards:
(1) 
Controlled access to public streets. Lot and parcel vehicular access points shall be permitted only at locations in accordance with this chapter and other Town of Barton adopted plans and ordinances. The Plan Commission may limit vehicular access to any adjoining arterial, collector, or minor street.
(2) 
Distance between vehicular access points. The spacing of vehicular access points from arterial streets and highways to lots and parcels shall be determined as a function of arterial street and highway operating speeds. The minimum spacing between vehicular access points along such streets or highways shall be determined according to Table 500-112A. These spacings are based upon average vehicle acceleration and deceleration rates and are considered necessary to maintain safe traffic operation.
Table 500-112A
Arterial Street and Highway Operating Speed and Minimum Spacing Between Direct Vehicular Access Points
Street/Highway Speed Limit
(miles per hour)
Minimum Driveway Spacing Measured at the Street Right-of-Way Line
(feet)
25
105
30
125
35
150
40
185
45
230
50
275
Source: American Planning Association. Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Memo, July 1983.
(3) 
Limitation of access to interstate, United States, and state trunk highways. No new direct vehicular access shall be allowed to interstate, United States, and state trunk highway public rights-of-way unless approved by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Washington County, and the Plan Commission.
(4) 
Temporary access.
(a) 
Town streets. On Town streets, the Town Board may grant temporary access to properties and require their closure when access through adjoining properties is acquired upon recommendation by the Plan Commission. Such access shall be temporary, revocable, and subject to any conditions required and shall be issued for a period not to exceed 12 months.
(b) 
County streets and highways. Temporary access to Washington County street and highway rights-of-way is reviewed and may be approved by the Washington County Highway Department. It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary approvals from the Washington County Highway Department for all such temporary access points proposed prior to site plan approval by the Town.
(c) 
State highways. Temporary access to state highway rights-of-way is reviewed and may be approved by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary approvals from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for all such temporary access points proposed prior to site plan approval by the Town.
(5) 
Area circulation plan may be required. The Plan Commission may require the preparation of an area circulation plan for the proposed development covering several properties in an area surrounding a proposed site plan. The delineation of the area for the preparation of an area circulation plan shall be determined by the Plan Commission upon recommendation of either the Town Engineer or Zoning Administrator. Such a plan may require the sharing of access locations or temporary access. All landowners, except those with a previously approved site plan, shall be required to conform to such an area circulation plan once it is adopted by the Plan Commission as a component, or element, of the Town of Barton Comprehensive Plan. The Plan Commission may require that such an area circulation plan be prepared based upon the conduct of a traffic impact analysis conducted by a licensed professional engineer with expertise in traffic engineering. The Town Engineer and Zoning Administrator shall review all such studies and assist the Plan Commission.
(6) 
Vehicular nonaccess reservations required. The Plan Commission may require deed restrictions to be placed on a lot or parcel for which a site plan is proposed in order to limit vehicular access to abutting arterial, collector, or minor streets and highways. A landscaped buffer yard of an adequate buffer yard intensity level, as determined by the Plan Commission or by Article XVIII of this chapter, shall be provided in vehicular nonaccess reservations along the property line abutting a public street right-of-way. In such situations, vehicular access to such lots may be provided by an abutting minor or collector street at designated access driveways. Such vehicular nonaccess reservations shall be graphically so noted on site plans or as a formal deed restriction formally filed with the Washington County Register of Deeds prior to their approval by the Town.
(7) 
Arterial street and highway access and street intersections. No new direct public or private access shall be permitted to an arterial street or highway within 115 feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of another arterial street or highway; and, where lot or parcel size permits, no new direct public or private access shall be permitted to an arterial street or highway within 500 feet of the intersection of the right-of-way lines of another arterial street.
(8) 
Minor streets and vehicular access point alignments. Minor streets and vehicular access points along both sides of a collector and/or arterial street shall be aligned to assist in reducing the number of driveways needed and to improve safety conditions related to access to the street system.
(9) 
Sight distance and driveway placement. Direct vehicular access placement on abutting collector and arterial streets and highways shall be such that an exiting vehicle has a minimum unobstructed sight distance according to Table 500-112B based upon the operating design speed of the abutting collector or arterial street or highway.
Table 500-112B
Highway Design Speed and Minimum Required Sight Distance for Direct Vehicular Access Point Placement
Highway Design Speed
(miles per hour)
Minimum Sight Distance
(feet)
30
200
35
225
40
275
45
325
50
350
Source: American Planning Association Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Memo, July 1983.
B. 
Access standards for nonresidential and multiple-family residential uses. All proposed site plans proposed for nonresidential and multiple-family residential uses located in nonresidential and/or multiple-family residential zoning districts shall meet the following standards:
(1) 
Maximum number of vehicular access points per lot. Generally, along arterial streets and highways (including lots which abut the frontage roads of said rights-of-way), where the abutting street frontage is less than 400 feet, a maximum of one vehicular access point shall be permitted to a particular lot from each of any one or two abutting arterial streets and highways. One additional driveway entrance along a single continuous lot with frontage in excess of 400 feet may be permitted by the Plan Commission. When a shared vehicular access point is used by two or more abutting lots, said shared vehicular access point shall be considered as one single vehicular access point for each lot or parcel served.
(2) 
Provision of shared vehicular access points between lots. Vehicular access points planned to be located along property lines, or within five feet of a property line, shall be shared vehicular access points with the abutting lot or parcel. The vehicular access point center line may be the property line between two lots or parcels of land or may be a mutually agreed upon land access easement.
(3) 
Provision of shared vehicular access points between lots. Vehicular access points planned to be located along property lines, or within five feet of a property line, shall be shared vehicular access points with the abutting lot or parcel. The vehicular access point center line may be the property line between two lots or parcels of land or may be a mutually agreed upon land access easement.
A. 
Natural resource features protection/mitigation, conservation, landscape buffer yard, and utility easements required. The Plan Commission shall require natural resource features protection/mitigation, conservation, landscape buffer yard, and/or utility easements of widths deemed adequate for the intended purpose on each side of all rear lot lines and on side lot lines or across lots where necessary or advisable for natural resource feature protection, landscape buffer yards (see Article XVIII of this chapter), electric power and communication lines, wires, conduits, storm and sanitary sewers, and gas, water, and other utility lines.
B. 
Site traversed by watercourse, drainageway channel, or stream. Where a site is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway channel, or stream, an adequate drainageway or easement shall be provided as may be required by the Town Engineer. The location, width, alignment, and improvement of such drainageway or easement shall be subject to the approval of the Plan Commission, and parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection therewith. Where necessary, stormwater drainage shall be maintained by landscaped open channels of adequate size and grade to hydraulically accommodate maximum potential volumes of flow. These design details are subject to review and approval by the Town Engineer.
C. 
Minimum width required for all utility easements. All utility easements shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width where recommended by the Town Engineer.
Stormwater drainage facilities shall be required which are adequate to serve the development. Such stormwater drainage facilities shall be in conformance (as applicable) with the adopted County Development Plan or elements thereof; all applicable Washington County codes pertaining to stormwater management; and/or local Comprehensive Plans or adopted Comprehensive Plan components; or as required by the Town of Barton based upon recommendation of the Town Engineer. These facilities may include curbs and gutters, catch basins and inlets, storm sewers, road ditches, open channels, water retention and detention structures, basins, and settling basins. All such facilities shall be of adequate size and grade to hydraulically accommodate the maximum potential volumes of flow and shall be so designed as to prevent and control soil erosion and sedimentation and to present no hazards to life or property. In addition:
A. 
Stormwater management plan required. A stormwater management plan shall be prepared by a Wisconsin-registered professional engineer, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) 
Existing and proposed topography at two-foot contour intervals of the proposed development.
(2) 
Proposed elevations of all streets, internal sidewalks, drives, and off-street parking areas.
(3) 
Proposed drainage swales.
(4) 
Proposed storm sewers, manholes, and inlets.
(5) 
Construction site erosion facilities.
(6) 
A report and map(s) showing the drainage basin for the entire area where the development is located, including estimates of the total acreage in the drainage basin and percentage of the drainage basin within the proposed development.
(7) 
Location of any planned stormwater detention and/or retention basins and applicable calculations for their sizing and design.
(8) 
Calculations relating to the amount of runoff from the site of the proposed development prior to development and anticipated runoff following the development of the site.
B. 
Unpaved street gutters.
(1) 
Unpaved street gutters shall be permitted and shall be shaped and seeded and/or sodded as grassed waterways.
(2) 
The developer is encouraged to use natural wetland plant materials where possible.
(3) 
Where the velocity of flow is in excess of four feet per second on soils having a severe or very severe erosion hazard and in excess of six feet per second on soils having moderate, slight, or very slight erosion hazard, the developer shall meander the waterway or install a paved invert or check dams, flumes, or other energy-dissipating devices.
C. 
Drainage facilities.
(1) 
These shall, if required by the Town Engineer, include stormwater detention and/or retention basins, structures, and settling basins necessary so as to prevent erosion and sedimentation where such facilities discharge into streams or lakes.
(2) 
The design criteria, the size, type, grades, and installation of all stormwater drains and sewers and other cross-section, invert and erosion control paving check dams, flumes, or other energy-dissipating structures and seeding and/or sodding of open channels and unpaved road ditches proposed to be constructed shall be in accordance with the plans and standard specifications approved by the Town, including the Town's "Standards and Specifications for Development," approved by the Town.
D. 
Storm sewers.
(1) 
When required by the Town, the developer shall assume the cost of installing all required storm sewers within the proposed development, except for the added cost of installing storm sewers greater than those which are necessary to serve tributary drainage areas lying outside of the proposed development.
(2) 
The cost of such larger storm sewers shall be prorated in proportion to the ratio which the total area of the proposed development is to the total drainage area to be served by such larger sewer, and the excess cost shall either be borne by the Town of Barton or assessed against the total tributary drainage area.
The following Table 500-115 sets forth the minimum required setbacks for lots or parcels which abut the indicated arterial streets and highways:
Table 500-115
Required Increased Setbacks Along Arterial Streets and Highways
Name of Arterial Street or Highway
Minimum Required Setback from Ultimate Arterial Street or Highway Right-of-Way Line (a)
(feet)
United States highways
55
State trunk highways
55
County trunk highways
45
Locally designated arterial streets and highways
45
NOTES:
(a)
Based upon the ultimate right-of-way width established by the adopted county jurisdictional highway plan.