Virginia Administrative Code › Title 24 - TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLES › Agency 30 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › Chapter 91 - SUBDIVISION STREET REQUIREMENTS › Part I - General Provisions › Section 24VAC30-91-10 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms when used in these
					 regulations shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly
					 indicates otherwise:
"AASHTO" means the American Association of State Highway
					 and Transportation Officials.
"Abandon" in all its forms means the legislative action
					 reserved for and granted to the local governing body to extinguish the public's
					 right to a roadway under the jurisdiction of the Virginia Department of
					 Transportation, pursuant to §§ 33.2-909 and 33.2-912 of the Code of
					 Virginia.
"Accessible route" means a continuous unobstructed,
					 stable, firm and slip-resistant path connecting all accessible elements of a
					 facility (may include parking access aisles, curb ramps, crosswalks at
					 vehicular ways, walks, ramps and lifts) that can be approached, entered and
					 used by persons with disabilities. An accessible route shall, to the maximum
					 extent feasible, coincide with the route for the general public.
"ADT" means average daily traffic count (see "Projected
					 Traffic").
"Board" means the Commonwealth Transportation
					 Board.
"Clear zone" means the total border area of a roadway or
					 shared use path that is sufficiently wide for an errant vehicle to avoid a
					 serious accident. (See the Subdivision Street Design Guide (24VAC30-91-160 ) for
					 details.)
"Commissioner" means the chief executive officer of the
					 Virginia Department of Transportation.
"Complete development (land)" means the utilization of the
					 available areas in a manner as to realize its highest density for the best
					 potential use based on zoning, pending rezoning, the adopted comprehensive plan
					 of the governing body, or the customary use of similar parcels of land.
"Complete development (streets)" means the development of
					 a subdivision street in full compliance with all applicable provisions of these
					 regulations to the necessary standards of design and construction for the
					 effective and efficient accommodation of the traffic generated by the complete
					 development of the land, both internal and external to the subdivision.
"County controlled grade separation structure" means a
					 grade separation structure that does not qualify for maintenance by the
					 department but was established within the right-of-way of a street intended for
					 state maintenance.
"County official" means the representative of the
					 governing body appointed to serve as its agent in matters relating to
					 subdivisions.
"Cul-de-sac" means a street with only one outlet and
					 having an appropriate turnaround for a safe and convenient reverse traffic
					 movement and more specifically the turning area.
"Dam" means an embankment or structure intended or used to
					 impound, retain, or store water, either as a permanent pond or as a temporary
					 storage facility.
"Department" means the Virginia Department of
					 Transportation.
"Design manual" means the department's Road Design Manual
					 (see 24VAC30-91-160 ), Location and
					 Design Division.
"Design speed" means a speed selected for purposes of
					 design and correlation of those features of a street such as curvature, super
					 elevation, and sight distance, upon which the safe operation of vehicles is
					 dependent.
"Developer" means an individual, corporation, or
					 registered partnership engaged in the subdivision of land.
"Discontinue," in all its forms, means the legislative act
					 of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, pursuant to § 33.2-908 of the
					 Code of Virginia, that determines that a road no longer serves public
					 convenience warranting its maintenance with funds at the disposal of the
					 department.
"District administrator" means the department employee
					 assigned the overall supervision of the departmental operations in each of the
					 Commonwealth's nine construction districts.
"Drainage manual" means the department's Drainage Manual
					 (see 24VAC30-91-160 ), Location and
					 Design Division.
"Dwelling unit" means a structure or part of a structure
					 containing sleeping, kitchen, and bathroom facilities that is suitable for
					 occupancy as a home or residence by one or more persons.
"Easement" means a grant of a right to use property of an
					 owner for specific, limited use or purpose.
"Functional classification" means the process by which
					 streets and highways are grouped into classes, or systems, according to the
					 character of service they are intended to provide.
"Governing body" means the board of supervisors of the
					 county but may also mean the local governing body of a town or city, if
					 appropriate, in the application of these requirements.
"Intersection" means the juncture of two or more streets
					 at which point there are three or more legs.
"Level of service" means a qualitative measure describing
					 operational conditions within a traffic stream, and their perception by
					 motorists and passengers. For the purposes of these requirements, the
					 applicable provisions of the Highway Capacity Manual (see
					 24VAC30-91-160 ) shall serve as
					 the basis for determining "levels of service."
"Level terrain" means that condition where highway sight
					 distances, as governed by both horizontal and vertical restrictions, are
					 generally long or could be made so without construction difficulty or major
					 expense.
"Loop street" means a street whose two outlets are to the
					 same street.
"Mountainous terrain" means that condition where
					 longitudinal and traverse changes in the elevation of the ground with respect
					 to the road or street are abrupt and where benching and side hill excavation
					 are frequently required to obtain acceptable horizontal and vertical
					 alignment.
"Neotraditional development" means a type of subdivision
					 that creates a neighborhood or community design with qualities of a traditional
					 small town, combining a mix of uses that may include retail establishments,
					 offices, civic buildings, public squares, and multi-family and single-family
					 housing, all within walking distance of one another, as well as a mix of
					 transportation facilities that focuses on the needs of pedestrians and
					 bicyclists in addition to the needs of motorists. These developments may
					 include a variety of buildings and land use densities along the same street.
					 Street layout may follow a grid pattern using narrow streets and having
					 multiple connections to surrounding neighborhoods. These developments may be
					 referred to as "villages" or "hamlets" within the ordinances of the governing
					 body.
"Nonresidential street" means a subdivision street
					 adjacent to property that is anticipated to develop for purposes other than
					 residential use.
"Office building" means a building that is used primarily
					 for conducting business transactions other than retail sales.
"Parking bay" means an off-street area for parking two or
					 more vehicles that are served by a short driveway connecting the parking area
					 and the public street.
"Parking lane" means an area, generally seven or eight
					 feet in width, adjacent to and parallel with the travel lane of a roadway that
					 is used for parking vehicles.
"Pavement Design Guide" means the Pavement Design Guide
					 for Subdivision and Secondary Roads in Virginia (see
					 24VAC30-91-160 ).
"Permit Regulations" means the department's Land Use
					 Permit Regulations (24VAC30-151).
"Phased development" (streets) means the method outlined
					 in 24VAC30-91-70 (Phased development
					 of subdivision streets) whereby the acceptance of certain subdivision streets
					 into the secondary system of state highways may be considered before being
					 completely developed in accordance with all applicable requirements (e.g., two
					 lanes of a four-lane facility are considered for acceptance in advance of lanes
					 3 and 4 being finished).
"Plans" means the standard drawings, including profile and
					 roadway typical section, that show the location, character, dimensions and
					 details for the proposed construction of the subdivision street.
"Plat" means the schematic representation of the land
					 divided or to be divided.
"Private streets" means subdivision streets that have not
					 been dedicated to public use or that require the permission or invitation of a
					 resident or owner to use the street. Such streets are not intended to be
					 included in the secondary system of state highways maintained by the
					 department.
"Privately maintained streets" means any public or private
					 street that is not maintained by the department or the local governing
					 body.
"Projected traffic" means the number of vehicles, normally
					 expressed in average daily traffic (ADT), forecast to travel over the segment
					 of the subdivision street involved.
"Public street" means a street dedicated to public use and
					 available to the public's unrestricted use without regard to the jurisdictional
					 authority responsible for its operation and maintenance.
"Requirements" means the design, construction, and related
					 administrative considerations herein prescribed for the acceptance of a
					 subdivision street for maintenance by the department as part of the secondary
					 system of state highways.
"Resident engineer" means the department employee or
					 employees designated by the district administrator to oversee the
					 implementation of this regulation. In cities and towns that maintain and
					 operate their own system of streets and elect to use the pavement and
					 right-of-way width requirements of the Subdivision Street Design Guide
					 (24VAC30-91-160 ) as a basis for
					 street maintenance payments under the provisions of § 33.2-319 of the Code
					 of Virginia, as well as the counties of Arlington and Henrico, the local
					 official responsible for the review and approval of subdivision street
					 design.
"Residential street" means a subdivision street adjacent
					 to property that is anticipated to develop as single-family residences,
					 apartment buildings, or other similar dwelling structures.
"Right-of-way" means the land, property, or interest
					 therein, usually in a strip, acquired for or devoted to a public street
					 designated to become part of the secondary system of state highways.
"Roadway" means the portion of the road or street within
					 the limits of construction and all structures, ditches, channels, etc.,
					 necessary for the correct drainage thereof.
"Secondary system of state highways" means those public
					 roads, streets, bridges, etc., established by a local governing body pursuant
					 to § 33.2-705 of the Code of Virginia and subsequently accepted by the
					 department for supervision and maintenance under the provisions of Article 3
					 (§ 33.2-324 et seq.) of Chapter 3 and Article 2 (§ 33.2-908 et seq.)
					 of Chapter 9 of Title 33.2 of the Code of Virginia.
"Shared use path" means a facility, as defined in §
					 46.2-100 of the Code of Virginia, that is set apart from the travelway and
					 intended to be used by pedestrians and bicyclists.
"Shopping center" means a building or buildings containing
					 two or more stores that are used primarily for retail sales but may include
					 commercial trade or professional uses.
"Single-family residence" means a structure, other than an
					 apartment building, maintained and used as a single dwelling unit or any
					 dwelling unit that has direct access to a street and shares neither heating
					 facilities, hot water equipment, nor any other essential facility or service
					 with any other dwelling unit.
"Specifications" means the department's Road and Bridge
					 Specifications (24VAC30-91-160 ), including
					 related supplemental specifications and special provisions.
"Standards" means the applicable drawings and related
					 criteria contained in the department's Road and Bridge Standards (24VAC30-91-160 ).
"Subdivision" means the division of a lot, tract, or
					 parcel into two or more lots, plats, sites, or other divisions of land for the
					 purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or of building development. Any
					 resubdivision of a previously subdivided tract or parcel of land shall also be
					 interpreted as a "subdivision." The division of a lot or parcel permitted by
					 § 15.2-2244 of the Code of Virginia will not be considered a "subdivision"
					 under this definition, provided no new road or street is thereby established.
					 However, any further division of such parcels shall be considered a
					 "subdivision."
"Subdivision street" means a public way for purposes of
					 vehicular travel that results from the subdivision of land, including the
					 entire area within the right-of-way. Public streets developed in accordance
					 with these requirements and meeting the necessary public service provisions
					 established herein shall be eligible for addition to the secondary system of
					 state highways maintained by the department. Streets primarily intended to
					 access property abutting or in the immediate vicinity of the street are deemed
					 "local" subdivision streets.
"Subdivision Street Design Guide" means Appendix B of the
					 Road Design Manual (24VAC30-91-160 ).
"Swale" means a broad depression within which stormwater
					 may drain during inclement weather, but which does not have a defined bed or
					 banks.
"Through street" means a street that provides access
					 between two other streets.
"Traveled way" means the portion of the subdivision street
					 designated for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders, parking areas,
					 turn lanes, etc.
"VDOT" means the Virginia Department of
					 Transportation.
"VPD" means vehicles per day.
"VPH" means vehicles per hour.
"Watercourse" means a definite channel with bed and banks
					 within which water flows, either continuously or in season.
Statutory Authority: § 33.2-210 of the Code of
						Virginia.