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(1) Purpose. This chapter establishes a street classification system, as determined in the Transportation System Plan (TSP), applicable to all streets within the City and used to determine right-of-way improvement design standards unless alternative standards are provided by an adopted Neighborhood Circulation Plan or other special area plan. It is the intent of the street classification system to:

(a) Promote the safety and convenience of vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic;

(b) Protect the safety of neighborhood residents;

(c) Protect the residential character of neighborhoods by limiting traffic volume, speed, noise and fumes; and

(d) Encourage the efficient use of land.

(2) Applicability. All existing and proposed streets within the City shall be identified by classification as follows below. The classification of higher-order streets shall be determined by the Functional Classification Map in the City of Medford Transportation System Plan (TSP), as amended. All streets (existing or proposed) intended to be within the City of Medford’s jurisdiction shall adhere to the street classifications identified below unless alternative standards are provided by an adopted Zoning Overlay, Neighborhood Circulation Plan, the legacy street standards as established per 10.427(4) and (5) or other special area plan(s), including, but not limited to, plans contained in the Comprehensive Plan. The classification of lower-order streets shall be consistent with any adopted Neighborhood Circulation Plan or other special area plan, and based upon adjacent zoning, and, in the case of residential streets, the number of dwelling units utilizing the street for vehicular access. Street designs, including sidewalk widths, planter strip use, and lane widths, may be adjusted through an adopted plan or modified code standard.

Street Classification

Highway

County, or state facility

Higher-Order Street System

Arterial, Regional, Major or Minor

Collector, Major, or Minor

Lower-Order Street System – Commercial/Industrial

Commercial

Industrial

Lower-Order Street System - Residential

Standard Residential

Minor Residential

Residential Lane

Non-Street Alternatives

Minimum Access Easement (Minor or Major)

Alley

(3) Street Classification and Cross-Section Development. Consistent with the recommendation by the City Engineer, the approving authority shall have the discretion to impose a condition requiring a specific cross-section for a particular development/land use review as it relates to the Medford Land Development Code, Comprehensive Plan, an adopted Neighborhood Circulation Plan, a Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA) and/or safety concerns. Cross-sections are contained in each subsection as identified in 10.428, 10.429, 10.430, 10.430A, and 10.430B. Each street shall contain, unless a legacy street and/or precluded by State or Federal law, access for pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile travel.

(4) Legacy Streets and Street Classification. Existing streets that are improved and do not meet the identified cross section as outlined in Sections 10.428 – 10.430B shall be known as legacy streets. Context-sensitive design of legacy streets shall be required as a condition of land use review/development. Streets with curb and gutter and/or approved through a Transportation Facility Development review process (Type IV land use review) may be considered a legacy street. Unless specified in an adopted Zoning Overlay, Neighborhood Circulation Plan or other special area plan(s), the legacy street standards of 10.427 (4-5) shall apply to all streets that meet the below standards.

(5) Developing Legacy Streets and Land Use Reviews. The following standards are applicable to land use action(s) which include the development of a legacy street as defined in 10.012 Definitions, Specific.

(a) City Engineer Review. Proposed conditions of approval for land use actions which contain legacy streets shall be subject to review and recommendation by the City Engineer. The applicant shall be required to have a conference with the City Engineer prior to submitting land use applications containing legacy streets; the City Engineer shall produce a memorandum summarizing the meeting and legacy street standards that would apply to the land use application and this memorandum shall be submitted as an exhibit with the land use application. If a deviation from the City Engineer’s recommendation is requested by the applicant, the applicant shall provide written findings addressing the criteria below:

(i) The requested deviation will allow the project to achieve an equivalent or higher quality roadway when compared to the City Engineer’s recommendation.

(ii) The requested deviation must provide adequate facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.

(iii) The requested deviation will not reduce roadway safety for any user when compared to the City Engineer’s recommendations.

(iv) The site contains unique or unusual circumstances not typically found elsewhere in the City that would result in undue hardship on the owner.

(v) It is not sufficient proof to show a greater profit will result.

(b) When the City Engineer is reviewing a land use application which includes a legacy street, the following standards shall apply:

(i) If facilities for all modes of travel exist on an improved street but are narrower than the current standard; then no street improvements or right-of-way dedication shall be required. Sidewalk reconstruction and right-of-way dedication shall be required if needed to meet ADA requirements along the frontage of the development.

(ii) If the street is improved but is missing auto travel lanes, then right-of-way dedication sufficient to accommodate missing lanes shall be required at the time of development. No physical improvements of less than a full block length (See table 10.426-1) shall be required as it relates to 10.427(5)(b)(ii).

(iii) If the street is improved but is missing the center-turn-lane, then right-of-way dedication sufficient to accommodate turn lanes shall be required for properties within 200 feet of an intersection of a collector or arterial. The 200 feet is measured from the subject property to the inside edge of the intersection right-of-way. If the property is farther than 200 feet from a collector or arterial intersection, no right-of-way shall be required. No physical improvements shall be required as it relates to 10.427(5)(b)(iii). The 200 foot measurement may be modified at the discretion of the City Engineer with sufficient justification.

(iv) If the street is improved but does not contain a planter strip or sidewalk, then a sidewalk and planter strip shall be installed by the applicant. The planter strip width may be reduced or eliminated to fit the area context and surrounding roadways if sufficient findings justify such modifications. Right-of-way dedication shall be reduced to the back of sidewalk.

(v) If the street is improved but does not contain bike facilities, then alternatives in the order of priority listed below shall be required. Right-of-way dedication shall be determined by the City Engineer, consistent with the alternatives identified below. When an alternative is applicable, right-of-way dedication shall be reduced to the back of sidewalk or shared use path. The applicability of 10.427(5)(e) shall be determined as identified below:

(A) Alternative routes via local streets or off-street paths identified in the Transportation System Plan (TSP) shall be used.

(B) Right-of-way dedication shall be consistent with bicycle facility plans identified in the TSP.

1. When a 14 foot sidewalk (used as a shared-use path) is identified as a bicycle facility alternative, the width may be reduced to no less than 10 feet if there are existing structures or utility infrastructure which limits the width.

(vi) If the street is mostly improved and between two higher order street intersections, then unimproved sections may be built to match the abutting cross section, at the City Engineer’s discretion. Right-of-way dedication, or the lack thereof, shall be provided in accordance with the existing built cross-section.

(vii) If the existing street or alley is predominantly surrounded by developed properties, then cross-sectional elements and/or right-of-way dedication may be reduced in width or eliminated, to avoid existing structures and/or development at the City Engineer’s discretion, in the priority order listed below:

(A) Planter strip width reduction

(B) Planter strip elimination

(C) Parking lane elimination

(D) Bike lane buffer area reduction or elimination

(E) Bike Lane narrowing or elimination

(F) Center turn lane elimination (except at higher-order intersections)

(G) Lane or alley narrowing

(H) Center turn lane elimination at higher-order intersections

[Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 8013, Jan. 4, 1996; Amd. Sec. 7, Ord. No. 2009-207, Sep. 17, 2009; Amd. Sec. 2, Ord. No. 2019-35, May 16, 2019; Amd. Sec. 3, Ord. No. 2019-108, Oct. 3, 2019; Amd. Sec. 1, Ord. No. 2021-131, Jan. 20, 2022.]