A Site Plan Review is required for construction of a new building or construction that results in the enlargement of an existing building or modification to exterior building materials or an expansion or alteration of the parking lot.
A. Pre-Application Sketch Review Process.
1. Prior to the submission of a site plan application, potential applicants may present a sketch to the Community Development Director. The sketch may be conceptual and may include the following related materials:
a. A scale drawing of the proposed site with reference to existing development within two hundred feet (200') of adjacent properties.
b. General location of proposed structures.
c. Tentative street arrangements, both public and private.
d. Amenities to be provided such as recreational areas, open space, walkways, etc.
e. General location of parking areas.
f. Proposed public sanitary sewer, water and storm drainage.
g. A statement showing the proposed density of the project with the method of calculating said density also shown.
h. Topographic contours at two-foot intervals.
i. Wetland delineation.
j. Proposed general schedule of development.
k. Information on the proposed developer.
l. Other information or materials useful in reviewing the sketch.
m. Letter of concurrence from landowner.
2. Requests for pre-application sketch review shall be submitted to the Community Development Director. The sketch shall be accompanied by a fee and a cash escrow as set forth in City Code Section 11-2-17. The sketch shall also be accompanied by written and graphic materials, the number, size, and format as prescribed by the Community Development Director, describing the proposed change, development, or use. The application shall be considered officially submitted and complete when the applicant has complied with all the specified information requirements.
3. The Community Development Director shall review the sketch and provide informal comments. The Community Development Director shall have the prerogative and authority to refer the sketch to the Planning Commission and/or City Council for discussion, review, and informal comment. Any opinions or comments provided on the sketch by the Community Development Director, Planning Commission, and/or City Council shall be considered advisory only and shall not constitute a binding decision.
4. If the sketch is to be reviewed by the Planning Commission and/or City Council, as determined by the Community Development Director, a public hearing shall be held pursuant to City Code Section 11-2-3. Failure of a property owner to receive said notice shall not invalidate any such proceedings as set forth within this Chapter.
B. Formal Application Site Plan Review Procedures. The procedure for site plan review is as follows:
1. The property owner or the owner’s agent shall meet with the Community Development Director to be advised of the procedures and obtain an application form.
2. The applicant shall file the completed application form together with the required exhibits and fees pursuant to City Code Section 11-2-17 with the Community Development Director.
3. The Community Development Director shall submit the application to the Planning Commission for its review, comment and recommendation to the City Council.
4. The City shall hold a public hearing on the application pursuant to City Code Section 11-2-3.
6. The City Council may impose such restrictions or conditions as may be necessary to comply with the standards established by this Title, or to reduce or minimize the impacts upon other properties in the neighborhood and to better carry out the intent of the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Code. Any condition must be directly related to and must bear a rough proportionality to the impact created by the application.
C. Exempt from site plan review. Except in those cases specifically cited within this Section, the following shall be excepted from the requirements of this Section and shall be processed through the building permit review process:
1. Single-family dwellings and accessory structures;
2. Recreational structures and buildings in public parks.
D. Required site plan application information and materials. The following information and materials shall be required for the application:
1. A complete application form signed by all property owners.
2. All required fees and escrows.
3. A statement identifying all property owners of all land included within the proposal obtained from Washington County or a title or abstract company.
4. Accurate and to-scale development plans for the project area, the number of which to be provided as indicated on the application form, including the following minimum information:
a. North point and graphic engineering scale.
b. Location map showing relationship to street system and surrounding development.
c. Date of preparation and revision date(s).
d. Boundary line survey, including measured distances and angles which shall be tied to the nearest one-quarter (¼) corner or section corner by traverse.
e. Existing and proposed right-of-way widths and names of proposed streets.
f. Site statistics including:
(1) Gross site acreage/minimum lot size in the zoning district.
(2) Total stormwater management acreage.
(3) Any wetland impact area and wetland replacement area.
(4) Percent green space.
(5) Net density.
(6) Existing, proposed and required parking.
g. Locations of rights-of-way, driveways, parks and public lands, permanent buildings and structures, easements, section and corporate lines, water courses, marshes, wooded areas, rock outcrops, power transmission poles and lines and other significant features within the site and to a distance of two hundred feet (200') beyond the property boundary(ies).
h. Locations and dimensions for existing and/or proposed buildings or other structure(s); setbacks; walkways and bikeways; off-street parking and driveways; refuse and service areas including screening materials; loading areas and docks; any fencing including material type; and any signs.
i. Architectural renderings and specifications for exterior wall finishes and percentages proposed for all principal and accessory structures that comply with City Code Section 11-3-11.
j. Colored site plan and elevations.
k. A utility plan showing all existing and proposed water, sanitary sewer and stormwater management utilities needed up to two hundred feet (200') beyond the project area boundary as well as pipe diameters, rim and invert elevations and pipe gradients for sanitary sewer and storm sewer mains.
l. A grading plan with topographic data for two hundred feet (200') around the subject property or around major features with intervals not exceeding two feet (2') except where the horizontal contour interval is one hundred feet (100') or more in which case a one-foot vertical interval shall be shown. All proposed stormwater management facilities, roadway gradients and spot elevations on parking lots and curb lines must also be shown on the grading plan.
m. Ingress and egress to property and proposed structures thereon and with particular reference to vehicular and pedestrian safety and convenience, traffic flow and control and access.
n. Screening and buffering with reference to type, dimensions and purpose that complies with City Code Section 11-3-6.
o. Exterior lighting plans showing proposed exterior lighting and signs with reference to fixture types, height including base, glare, traffic safety, lumen levels at all property lines, and compatibility and harmony with properties in the district that comply with City Code Section 11-3-10.
p. Landscape plan showing quantities, size, common and botanical names, mature heights and spreads, root type and locations of plants and areas of sod that complies with City Code Section 11-3-12.
q. Stormwater management analysis, if required.
r. Sustainable design elements, if any.
s. A tree preservation plan that complies with City Code Section 11-3-13, if required.
u. Such other information as required by the Community Development Director.
E. Administrative Approval. The site plans for certain projects, including but not limited to those types of projects listed below, may be reviewed and approved administratively by the Community Development Director or their designee in coordination with the City’s other departments and any relevant regulatory agencies, however, Community Development Director may, at their discretion, refer any site plan to the Planning Commission and City Council for review:
1. Proposed minor structural additions involving either up to ten percent (10%) or less of the total existing floor area or site expansions or modifications involving ten percent (10%) or less of the total existing site area which meet all ordinance requirements may be approved by the Community Development Director prior to the building permit being issued, and shall not require Planning Commission or City Council review, subject to the following:
a. This Section shall apply to all permitted residential and nonresidential uses which are subject to the site plan approval requirements of the Zoning Code, and to those conditional uses involving commercial and industrial uses, and for which the minor structural additions or site modifications do not significantly alter or conflict with the original intent and parameters of the approved conditional use. The Community Development Director shall determine what constitutes significant change.
b. This Section shall apply in the cases of new developments which have received City Council plan approval, but for which building permits have yet to be taken; and this section shall apply to existing developments for which there are on file City Council approved site plans.
c. Compliance with all ordinance requirements shall be construed to include all adopted policies and codes.
d. Unresolved disputes as to administrative application of ordinance requirements shall be referred to the Planning Commission and City Council following normal plan review and approval procedures.
e. Plans submitted for minor structural additions or minor site alterations under the terms of this section shall be the same as those required by the ordinance for site plan approval.
F. Lapse. Lapse of approval is governed by City Code Section 11-2-12.