The short answer is 'usualy yes... unless it is a short street, no significant drainage issues, has overwhelming neighbor support, and future residents are willing to maintain a private street.' You can review the City Code online.
Here is a snapshot of the current document section as of 11/25/05, note that one revision that does not appear to be in the online version yet is the new Fire Code regulations requiring any street (gravel or paved) that is longer than 500' to have a drivable width of no less than 26'. This is a change from the past, where a 'Lane' with 18' width could be longer than 500 feet.:
The following standards for streets shall apply to all subdivisions except for inheritance and family transfer subdivisions, the design standards for which are as set forth in §14-9.4:
(1) Access
(a) Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the Planning Commission may require marginal access for collector or local streets, reverse frontage with screen planting or walls contained in a non-access reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with rear service alleys, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.
(b) Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way, the Planning Commission may require a street approximately parallel to and on each side, or on either side, of such right-of-way, at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land, as for park or recreational purposes in appropriate areas. Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.
(2) Street Types-Design Criteria (Ord. No. 2002-37 § 102)
(a) The arrangement, character, extent, grade and location of all streets shall conform to the officially adopted master plan and shall be considered in their relationship to existing and planned streets, to topographic conditions, to public convenience and safety. Public streets approved for construction, after the effective date of this ordinance, shall be classified according to projected average daily traffic as shown in the street types-design criteria chart and Illustration 14-9.2-1, "Street Types Design Criteria," except that the Planning Commission, or in the case of City projects, the Public Works Committee may consider and approve innovative street designs that are not included among the street types and street sections shown or described herein. However, all new public streets shall be required to provide adequate pedestrian and bicycle facilities, as well as necessary transit facilities.
(b) Traffic calming measures are encouraged in new developments and specific measures may be required by the City to ensure traffic safety in new neighborhoods (See City of Santa Fe Calming Program).
(c) The collector mixed use street type is to be constructed in conjunction with the development of neighborhood centers and is designed to function like many of the streets near the plaza.
Table 14-9.2-1
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TABLE 14-9.2-1: Design
Criteria for Street Types
Criteria
Major
Arterial
(6-Lane)
Major
Arterial
(4-Lane)
Secondary
Arterial
Collector
Collector
Mixed-Use
Subcollector
Lane
Shared
Private Driveway
No
Parking
With
Parking
Average
Daily Traffic
Up
to 60,000
Up
to 40,000
5,000-15,000
1,000-5,000
1,000-5,000
300-1,000
300-1,000
0-300
Minimum
(Dwelling
Unit Access)
30-100
30-1000
0-30
(0-8)
Minimum
Right-of-way Width
120
98
70
50
50
42
46
or 52
38
20
Slope/Grading
Easement (conditional upon staff review)
0-30
0-30
0-30
0-30
0-30
0-30
0-30
0-30
NR
Number
of Auto Lanes
6-7*
4-5*
2-3*
2
2
2
2
2
2
Width
of Driving Lanes
11
11
11
10
10
9
10
9
9
Median/Turn
Lane Width
18
18
14
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
Minimum
Bikeway Width
5
5
5
4
NR
NR
NR
NR
NR
On-Street
Parking Width
NA
NA
NA
NA
6**
NA
6**
NA
NA
Curb
& Gutter
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
NR
Minimum
Sidewalk Setback
5
5
5
4
NR
5
3
3-4
NR
Minimum
Sidewalk Width
6
6
5
5
7
5
5
4-5
NR
Notes:
NA - Not Applicable
NR - Not Required
* Includes Median/Turn Lane
** Parking required
on both sides of street, except no parking on that side of a street adjoining
the plaza.
*** Parking may be on one side or both sides of the
street; parking lane should not be continuous.
( ) Shared Private
Driveway - Range denotes single family lots served by driveway; Shared
Private Driveway proposed to serve multi-family development or commercial
development must be approved by the City Engineer, City traffic engineer and
City fire chief.
All measurements in feet, unless otherwise noted.
(3) Construction and Engineering Standards; Public Streets
(a) The arrangement of streets in a development shall either:
(i) Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets in surrounding areas; or
(ii) Conform to a plan for the neighborhood approved by the Planning Commission to meet a particular situation where topographic or other conditions make continuance of or conformance to existing streets impracticable.
(b) Construction and engineering standards shall be as follows:
(i) Construction of public streets shall be in accordance with City Engineering and construction standards as recommended by the City;
(ii) Lanes shall be laid out so that use by through traffic is minimized;
(iii) Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where their control is placed in the municipality under conditions approved by the Planning Commission;
(iv) Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than 125 feet shall not be permitted, unless approved by the City;
(v) A tangent of at least 100 feet shall be introduced between reverse curves on major and secondary arterial streets;
(vi) When connecting street lines deflect from each other at any point by more than ten degrees, they shall be connected by a curve with a radius adequate to ensure a sight-distance of not less than 250 feet for all streets except major and secondary arterials, and of a greater radius to meet engineering standards for special cases;
(vii) Streets shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect another local street at less than 60 degrees. Curvature in pavement alignment in the approaches to intersections shall be avoided. The Planning Commission may establish the minimum distance for which such curvature shall be prohibited;
(viii) Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a radius of ten feet, or a greater radius when necessary to permit the construction of a curb having a desirable radius. However, the sidewalk may not be curtailed at a street corner to less than normal width. The Planning Commission may permit comparable cutoffs or chords in place of rounded corners;
(ix) New half and partial street intersections shall be prohibited. When a tract to be developed borders an existing street having a right-of-way width insufficient to conform to the minimum width standards required by these regulations, such additional right-of-way shall be platted and dedicated in such a way to make the resulting street conform;
(x) Street names shall be used which will not duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Where a proposed street is to be a continuation of an existing named street, the proposed street shall have the name of the existing street. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Commission;
(xi) Curbs at intersections shall be designed with a minimum radius of 25 feet. The Planning Commission may approve a larger radius.
(xii) In areas intended to be zoned for residential development, planting strips will be required between the edge of pavements and the edge of sidewalks where required. Such planting strip shall have a width of not less than two feet;
(xiii) The Planning Commission may approve street access to adjoining property, requiring proposed streets to be extended by dedication to the boundary of such property. Such streets shall be improved in the same manner as is herein prescribed for other streets in the development.
(xiv) Street grades shall not exceed the following, with allowances for vertical curves;
A. Major and secondary arterial streets or highways, six percent grade;
B. Collector and subcollector streets, ten percent grade;
C. Lanes and private shared driveways, 15 percent grade.
(xv) No street grade shall be less than one half of one percent.
(4) Private Streets
(a) All new City streets shall be paved public streets. The City will not maintain private streets. The Planning Commission may approve a private street for a roadway classified as a private lane if the following conditions are met.
(b) Private streets may be paved or unpaved. Minimum standards are:
(i) Paved private streets
A. 22 feet pavement width;
B. 16 feet shoulder and drainage with eight feet on each side;
C. If asphalt, two-inch minimum depth on six inches of compacted base course;
D. Two feet minimum gravel shoulder width within the shoulder requirement in b. above; and
E. 38 feet total access easement.
(ii) Unpaved Private Streets
A. 22 feet pavement surface;
B. 16 feet shoulder and drainage with eight feet on each side;
C. Six-inch material crushed gravel base course surfacing material; and
D. 38 feet total access easement.
(c) Any private street built and subsequently proposed to be dedicated to the City shall meet all applicable public street standards set forth in §14-9.2(E)(3).
(5) Gravel Lanes
All new City streets shall be paved. However, the Planning Commission may approve gravel surfaces for roadways classified as a private lane or shared private driveway if the following conditions are met:
(a) Substantial evidence, such as vegetation or topographical maps, is provided showing that dust from the streets will not be a problem for residents living next to the street.
(b) Substantial evidence is provided that the gravel lane is an important consideration in the area's streetscape or in the overall project design.
(c) Substantial evidence is provided showing that the gravel lane will not cause extensive erosion or sediment problems or that such problems will be eliminated by the use of stabilized rundowns or other means.
(d) Maximum slope gradients do not exceed those set forth in §14-9.2(E)(3).
(e) Gravel lanes must have a driving surface width of 22 feet and a six inch minimum thickness of crushed gravel base course material. They will have eight feet of shoulders and drainage on each side of the roadway and a total right-of-way of 38 feet.
(f) Shared private driveways approved for gravel shall have a driving surface of 20 feet with six inch minimum thickness of crushed gravel base course material and five foot drainage way on one side.
(F) Sidewalks
(1) General Requirements
(a) Sidewalks will be designed and constructed according to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines wherever feasible as part of a new development or building addition and renovations over 500 square feet on lots abutting any paved street within the City. Earth tone colored concrete may be required in certain sections of the City.
(b) The building permit application shall require the applicant to construct ADA compliant sidewalks along adjacent City streets where a sidewalk does not exist or is in a state of disrepair that requires replacement, when the applicant applies for:
(i) New construction; or
(ii) Building additions and renovations over 500 square feet.
(2) Construction and Engineering Standards
(a) Construction
(i) Construction for sidewalks shall be in accordance with City construction and engineering standards as recommended by the City;
(ii) Concrete sidewalks shall be constructed with a minimum thickness of four inches.
(b) Inspections
(i) Inspections shall be performed by the Planning and Land Use Department;
(ii) For concrete sidewalks the applicant shall request a sidewalk inspection at least 24 hours prior to concrete placement; or
(iii) For brick sidewalks the applicant shall request an inspection prior to placement of sand bedding and upon completion of construction.
(c) Rejections or Approvals
(i) The inspector shall approve or reject the sidewalk construction by written sign off on the building permit after a final inspection.
(ii) If rejected, the inspector shall issue a notice of violation or noncompliance upon completion of final inspection to the applicant or his agent specifying the reason for rejecting the work.
The information on this page was prepared by Dan Baker based on communications with City Staff, local residents, and online version of Chapter 14.
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