12.50.260 Sight Distance/Vision Clearance.

A.  Purpose. Specified areas along intersection approach legs and across their included corners should be clear of obstruction that might block a driver’s view of potentially conflicting vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians. When established and maintained in triangular areas at street intersections or intersections with alleys or driveways, these vision clearance areas (also called clear sight triangles or sight distance areas) ensure that drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians have clearer views of crossing traffic, which improves intersection safety for all parties. Corner lots or lots on curvilinear streets may also have additional setback or site design requirements to ensure proper sight distance.

B.  Applicability.

1.   The standards of this section apply to:

a.   All development applications:

i.    At the intersection of two or more streets;

ii.   At the intersections of a street and an alley;

iii.  At the intersections of a street or alley and common driveway; and

iv.  At the intersection of a street and a mixed-use, commercial, industrial or institutional use driveway.

b.   Any development occurring outside the land use approval process.

2.   The areas subject to these standards are those portions of the vision clearance areas located on private property outside the public right-of-way that avoids obstruction of intersection site distance for a public street approach to a public street or driveway approach to a public street. Vision clearance requirements in the public right-of-way are specified in the Public Works Design and Construction Standards.

C.  Standards.

1.   Projects at intersections listed in paragraph B.2 above must provide intersection sight distance as measured and recommended in accordance with the current AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, unless otherwise approved in writing by the City Engineer or Road Agency Engineer. Sight distances shall be based on the 85th percentile or posted speed of the cross street (whichever is higher) as determined by a traffic engineering study.

2.   Projects at intersections within private property other than those listed in paragraph B.2 above must provide sight distance in compliance with Figure 12.50.360-A.

3.   With the exceptions of intersections in the SCC-DT zone listed in paragraphs 4 and 5 below, required sight distance triangles shall contain no plantings, walls, structures, or temporary or permanent obstructions between 30 inches and 10 feet in height, except occasional tree trunks or poles. The vertical distances in this section shall be measured vertically from the top of the curb or, if there is no curb, from the centerline street grade.

4.   Projects within the SCC-DT zone or within a Mixed-Use Town Center or Village Center Core Area established in accordance with Section 12.65.030 must meet the intent of the AASHTO standard in paragraph 1 above, but the sight distance triangle may be occupied by a plaza, provided the location and size of any furniture, planters or landscaping in the plaza do not in the opinion of the City Engineer or the Road Agency Engineer create a sight distance hazard.

5.   Projects within the SCC-DT zone or within a Mixed-Use Town Center or Village Center Core Area established in accordance with Section 12.65.030 may also meet the intent of the AASHTO standard in paragraph 1 above but may provide a structural support for upper stories above the sight distance triangle, provided the location and size of such supports do not in the opinion of the City Engineer or the Road Agency Engineer create an unsafe sight distance hazard.

6.   The Review Authority may condition land use approvals for projects on corner lots or lots on curvilinear streets to have additional setbacks in order to meet sight distance requirements.

7.   Sight distance triangle locations and dimensions shall be based on ultimate street and cross street rights-of-way.

D.  Exceptions. Sight distance requirements at intersections may be modified at the discretion of the City Engineer or Road Agency Engineer. Requests for modifications must be hardship driven and submitted in writing prior to or during the land use application review process. Any approval of a sight distance triangle exception shall be made in writing by the City Engineer or Road Agency Engineer, and may be conditioned to meet the intent of this standard.

E.   Enforcement. To enforce this standard following approval of a land use application, the Review Authority may impose conditions on a land use application approval to require plat notes, deed restrictions or provision of sight distance easements. (Ord. 6451 § 1, 2023; Ord. 6401 § 1, 2022; Ord. 6322 § 1, 2019; Ord. 6258 § 1, 2018; Ord. 6110 § 7, 2015)