A preliminary plat and appropriate plans shall be submitted to the Planning Department at least ten working days prior to the regularly scheduled
Planning Board meeting, for every subdivision of land located within the territorial jurisdiction of the county.
(A) Number of copies. Eight blue or black line copies of the preliminary plat shall be submitted. Only one copy of additional required plans shall be submitted unless the Planning Director deems a need for more copies.
(B) Plat requirements. Sketch, preliminary, and final plats shall depict or contain the information indicated on the following table. The letters “S,” “P,” and “F” shall indicate that the information is required for sketch, preliminary, and final plats, respectively.
Plat Requirements
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Plat Requirements
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S, P, F | A title block containing: |
Name of the subdivision and phase (if applicable); | |
Name, address, and telephone number of owner and owner’s agent; | |
Date or dates survey was conducted and plat was prepared; | |
Scale denoted graphically and numerically; | |
Name and address of registered land surveyor, land planner, architect, or engineer responsible for the subdivision. The registration number and seal of the responsible engineer or surveyor shall be required at final approval; and | |
Name of township, county, and state in which subdivision is located. | |
S, P, F | Sketch vicinity map showing the relationship between the proposed subdivision and the surrounding area. |
P, F | Tax parcel number of tract(s) to be divided. |
S, P, F | North arrow according to G.S. § 47-30 and the Standards of Practice for Land Surveying in North Carolina. |
S, P, F | Total acreage of tract to be subdivided. |
S, P, F | Number of lots created and average lot size within subdivision. |
P, F | Boundary survey of tract to be subdivided, distinctly and accurately represented with all bearings and distances shown. |
S, P, F | Proposed lot lines, block number, and dimensions of lots. |
S, P, F | Existing and proposed property lines on the tract to be subdivided and on adjoining properties. |
S, P, F | The names of adjacent land owners with lot, block, or parcel identifier or other legal reference where applicable. |
S, P, F | The names of any adjoining subdivisions of record or proposed and under review. |
S, P, F | Existing structures on the tract to be subdivided. |
S, P, F | Existing waterways, railroads, bridges, culverts, storm drains, and corporate limits, county lines, or township boundaries, both on the land to be subdivided and the land immediately adjoining. |
P, F | The name and location of any property or buildings within the proposed subdivision or within any contiguous property that is located on the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Register of Historic Places. |
P, F | Location of all wooded areas, 404 wetlands, rock outcrops, ponds, streams, or other natural feature. |
P, F | Location and acreage of recreation area to be: |
Donated to the general public; or | |
Location, acreage, and location of improvements for recreation area to be maintained as per § 154.42(C)(8) of these regulations if land is to be donated in lieu of a fee | |
P, F | The exact location of the flood hazard boundary area, floodway, and floodway fringe areas as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 100-year flood levels. |
P | Erosion and sedimentation control plans shall be submitted with the preliminary plat. All plans must conform to the Sedimentation and Pollution Control Act of 1973 and a letter of approval from the State Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Land Resources shall accompany the preliminary plats. |
P, F | The zoning classifications of the tract to be subdivided shall be shown. Setbacks for the respective zoning classification shall be indicated on the plat. |
P, F | Minimum building lines shall be delineated on each lot within the subdivision or indicated by lot on the plat. |
P | Accompanying the preliminary plat shall be a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for all planned crossing of 404 wetlands within the subdivision. |
P, F | A note shall be included on the plat that indicates if the proposed subdivision is to be served by public or individual water supply and public or individual sewage treatment systems. |
P | If on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems are proposed, individual lot-by-lot evaluations shall be made prior to preliminary plat approval. Upon application to the Environmental Health Office, the developer shall accurately map to scale, rough-stake and partially clear those lots to be evaluated by the Environmental Health Office. |
P | If a public sewage treatment system is proposed, a letter from the County Health Department or State Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Management (depending on the type of system) shall be presented with the preliminary plat. This letter shall state that a site investigation has been made and that the site is suitable for the proposed system. All plans for the proposed system shall be under review by the appropriate authority and a copy of such plans shall be presented to the County Planning Department as requested. |
F | If a public sewage treatment system is proposed, a permit shall be presented from the proper permitting agency for the proposed system. If a permit has not yet been obtained, a letter from the proper permitting agency shall be presented which states that plans for construction of the facility have been approved. (See Zoning Chapter for additional special use permit requirements.) |
P | If a public water system is proposed, a letter shall be provided from the State Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Health stating that a site visit has been conducted and the well site has been approved. This letter shall be required prior to preliminary approval. |
F | If a public water system is proposed, a well construction permit from the State Division of Health Services shall be presented with the final plat. |
P, F | The plans for proposed utility layouts, including sanitary sewers, storm sewers, water distribution lines, natural gas, telephone, and electric service, illustrating connections to existing systems. Plans must show line sizes, the location of fire hydrants, blowoffs, manholes, pumps, force mains, and gate valves, if appropriate, and shall include profiles based upon mean sea level datum for sanitary and storm sewers. |
P, F | The location and dimension of all planned road, utility, or drainage easements. |
P | The method of installation of utilities (underground or overhead) shall be indicated on the preliminary plat. |
P, F | The location and dimension of all proposed and existing streets. |
P, F | Existing and platted dedicated streets and rights-of-way on adjoining properties and within the proposed subdivision. |
P, F | Pavement widths. |
P | Design engineering data for all corners and curves, including sight distances. |
P | Typical street cross-sections (accompanying the preliminary plat). |
P, F | Proposed names of all streets. |
P, F | Type of street dedication. All streets must be designated as either “public” or “private.” Where public streets are involved, the subdivider must submit the subdivision map typical cross-section to the State Department of Transportation District Highway Office for review. These plans shall include: a complete site layout, including any proposed future expansion; horizontal alignment indicating general curve data on site layout plan; vertical alignment indicated by percent grade, PI station and vertical curve length on site plan layout; the district engineer may require the plotting of the ground profile and grade line for roads where special conditions or problems exist, typical section indicating the pavement design and width and the slopes, widths and details for either the curb and gutter or the shoulder and ditch proposed; drainage facilities and drainage areas. Street name signs shall be provided at all subdivision street intersections and at any other point within the subdivision as deemed necessary by the Planning Director. Signs shall be of a county-approved design and shall be ordered and paid for by the developer prior to final approval. Installation of the signs shall occur after final approval is granted. |
F | All final plats shall be accompanied by a written statement from the State Department of Transportation, Division of Highways stating that the roads within the subdivision are paved and constructed to DOT standards. This shall apply to all public and private roads. When a performance guarantee is presented to cover road improvement costs, this requirement shall be applied alter the completion of road construction. |
F | When streets are privately dedicated for maintenance, a statement explaining the status of the street must be provided in accordance with § 154.41(C)(9) of these regulations. |
P | If any street is proposed to intersect with a state maintained road, the subdivider must present written driveway approval as required by the State Department of Transportation, Division of Highways’ manual on Driveway Regulations. |
P | Roadway length shall be indicated for each block and cul-de-sac within the subdivision. Length shall be indicated from intersection to intersection where applicable. |
F | All plats shall be required to provide sufficient engineering data to determine readily and reproduce on the ground every straight or curved line, street line, lot line, right-of-way line, easement line, and setback line. These shall include dimensions, bearings or deflection angles, radii, central angles and tangent distance for the centerline of curved property lines that are not the boundary line of curved streets. All dimensions shall be measured to the nearest 0.01 of a foot and all angles to the nearest 20 seconds. |
F | Property corner ties, as required by G.S. § 47-30, shall be required as specified in § 154.46(A) of these regulations. |
F | Monuments, markers, and control points shall be accurately described and located. |
P | A topographic map with contour intervals of two feet or less may be required to accompany the preliminary plat as specified by the Planning Director. |
P, F | When deemed necessary due to the nature of the land to be subdivided or peculiarities in the proposed layout, an environmental impact statement may be required by the Planning Board pursuant to G.S. Chapter 113. |
F | Deed restrictions, homeowners’ association rules, and/or bylaws or similar covenants proposed for the subdivision shall be presented prior to final approval. |
F | A note shall be included on the final plat giving the surveyed distance from the nearest road or street intersection to a front boundary line of the subdivision. |
(C) Staff action.
(1) On application. Following the applicant’s request for the staff action on the original application or staff review of a revised application, the Planning Director or designee shall review and make findings as to the proposed subdivision’s compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter.
(a) Based on those findings, the Planning Director or designee shall decide, in writing, to approve the application as submitted, or approve the application subject to conditions, or deny the application.
1. If the application is denied or approved subject to conditions, the decision shall state the reasons for the denial or the conditions of approval.
2. Any conditions of approval shall be limited to requiring specific actions and/or minor changes or additions to, or restrictions on, the proposed subdivision that are deemed necessary to ensure compliance with applicable provisions of this chapter.
(b) Planning staff shall file the decision and send a copy to the applicant, along with a written notice that the decision becomes final, unless the applicant:
1. Submits to Planning staff a written request that the application be forwarded to the Planning Board; and
2. Does so within seven days after receiving a copy of the Planning staff’s decision.
(c) 1. If the applicant submits such a request within the prescribed time period, the Planning Director or designee shall forward the application to the Planning Board for further review and a final decision.
2. The decision of the Planning Director or designee shall represent the staff report and recommendation for Planning Board action on the application.
(2) If application is accompanied by a variance request. Following the applicant’s request for a staff action on the original application, or staff review of a revised application, the Planning Director or designee shall review and, based on findings as to the proposed subdivision’s compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter, prepare a staff report noting the application’s noncompliant features, and recommending that the Planning Board approve the application as submitted, or approve the application subject to conditions, or deny the application.
(D) Development in stages. When a subdivision is to be developed in stages, a sketch plan may be required. The preliminary plat shall be submitted with a minimum of five lots for each stage. Approval of the preliminary plat shall become null and void after 12 months if the developer does not submit the final plat unless an extension of time is applied for and granted by the Planning Director. This requirement is not to be construed as prohibiting a subdivider from retaining any portion of a tract, a part of which is to be subdivided acreage.
(E) Review by agencies. The District Highway Engineer shall issue a certificate of approval before any applicable subdivision plat is recorded with the office of the Register of Deeds. Failure on the part of the other agencies to act within 30 days after the preliminary plat has been submitted to the Planning Board shall be deemed as approval.
(F) Review and action by Planning Board.
(1) Submittal to Board.
(a) If the applicant requests that the application be forwarded to the Planning Board, in accord with § 154.23(C)(1)(b) above, or if the application is accompanied by a variance request. Planning staff shall schedule the application for review by the Planning Board at the Board’s next available regularly scheduled meeting.
(b) At a reasonable time before the meeting, staff shall send copies of the application and the staff report to the applicant and members of the Planning Board.
(2) Board review and action.
(a) At its meeting, the Planning Board shall review the application and staff report.
(b) Based on findings as to the proposed subdivision’s compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter, the Board shall take action to approve the application as submitted, approve the application subject to conditions, or deny the application.
(c) The Board shall limit conditions of approval to requiring specific actions and/or minor changes or additions to, or restrictions on, the proposed subdivision that it deems reasonably necessary to ensure compliance with applicable provisions of this chapter.
(d) If the Board denies the application, it shall identify its reasons for doing so.
(3) Opportunity to revise application.
(a) If the Board discusses the application, the applicant may, before the Board takes final action, ask the Board for permission to revise the application to address concerns raised by the Board’s discussion.
(b) If the Board grants the request, the revised application shall be submitted to the Planning staff, and shall be reviewed in the same manner as an original application.
(4) Notice of decision.
(a) The Planning staff shall send the applicant written notice of the Planning Board’s final decision on the application, and shall file a copy of the decision in his or her office.
(b) If the application is denied, the notice shall state the Board’s reasons for its decision.
(G) Preliminary plat approval required. The preliminary plat shall be approved by the Planning Director or designee or Planning Board prior to any grading, construction, installation of improvements, or preparation of the final plat.
(H) Timely review of applications. The Planning staff or Planning Board shall review and take action on each preliminary plat that meets the requirements of these regulations, within 45 days after first consideration by the Technical Review Committee.
(1996 Code, § 154.23) (Ord. passed 3-21-1994; Ord. passed 7-1-1996; Ord. passed 9-20-2004; Ord. passed 5-1-2006)