Opinion ID: 2599517
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Intersection design standards

Text: The district court held that the entire subject of intersection design fell within the jurisdiction and authority of the ACHD and that the intersection of Valli-Hi Lane and Holl Drive was not part of the subdivision plat. The district court then found that the ACHD had granted an exception from its design criteria to allow the intersection in question as a feeder route to the Buckwheat Acres Subdivision. We agree. The ACHD standards regarding road widths, grade, alignment, as well as construction and design standards, were adopted by reference in the Eagle City Code, whose provisions were made applicable in the impact area. Eagle City Code § 9-3-2-5:(B)(1) dealing with private streets provides that all private street construction shall be in accordance with Ada County Highway District's structural standards for streets . . . and shall further be in accordance with Ada County Highway District's intersection design and drainage requirements. When the Buckwheat Acres Subdivision development application was considered by the ACHD on September 11, 1996, and December 11, 1996, the highway district approved the road width and intersection design standards on the condition that the owners provide a plan showing how the private road grade meets the public road, citing to current district policy mandating a maximum approach grade of two percent for at least forty feet. The ACHD thereafter certified that the submitted plans show that the existing Valli-Hi Lane/Holl Drive intersection meets these requirements. In effect, the ACHD, without a specific request for a variance, granted an exception to its intersection design requirements as provided by the ACHD Development Policy Manual. Policy No. 7104.1 allows the highway district commission, at its sole discretion, to vary, modify or waive the provisions of the policy manual to permit development of the property in a reasonable manner.