§ 156.021  PRELIMINARY PLAT (TWO PHASES - TENTATIVE AND FINAL PRELIMINARY).
   (A)   General. A preliminary plat and topographic map shall be prepared by the subdivider and submitted to the Township Clerk in accordance with the following requirements and in accordance with the Michigan Land Division Act, being M.C.L.A. §§ 560.101 et seq., as amended.
   (B)   Requirements.
      (1)   Tentative and final preliminary plats shall be drawn to a scale of not more than 200 feet to one inch and may be an original drawing or reproduction. The preliminary plat and topographic map shall be combined on the same drawing.
      (2)   Unless specifically indicated, the following shall be clearly shown on both the tentative and final plat or submitted in a separate instrument with the final plat:
         (a)   The name of the proposed subdivision;
         (b)   Legal description of the area to be platted;
         (c)   Name, address and telephone number of the subdivider;
         (d)   The name, address and seal of the registered land surveyor or professional engineer who prepared the preliminary plat;
         (e)   Location of the subdivision, giving the numbers of section, township and range, and the name of the township and county;
         (f)   The name of abutting platted or site condominium subdivisions, if any;
         (g)   Statement of intended use of the proposed plat, such as: residential single-family, two-family and multiple housing; commercial; industrial; recreational; or agricultural. In addition, the preliminary plat shall show the proposed sites, if any, for multi-family dwellings, shopping centers, churches, industry and other non-public uses, exclusive of single-family dwellings, as well as nay sites proposed for parks, playgrounds, schools or other public uses;
         (h)   A map of the entire area scheduled for development if the proposed plat is a portion of a larger holding intended for subsequent development;
         (i)   A location map showing the relationship of the proposed plat to the surrounding area;
         (j)   The land use and existing zoning of the proposed subdivision and the adjacent tracts including identification of zoning district, lot size and yard requirements as well as proof of any variances or special use permits;
         (k)   Streets, street names, right-of-way and roadway widths, including features such as adjoining plats, streets, streams, railroads, utilities, cemeteries, parks, county drains or any other features which may influence the street layout;
         (l)   Site data including total acreage, number and use of lots, average lot size, a statement of the lot area of the smallest lot in the subdivision and acreage in parks and other uses. Lot lines and dimensions to the nearest foot and the total number of lots and, for the final preliminary plat, the subdivider shall also submit a table listing the proposed lots by number and the respective lot area for each lot;
         (m)   Existing topography and the approximate extent of grading and the direction of drainage shall be shown. For the final preliminary plat existing and proposed grading illustrated by contours at five-foot intervals shall be shown where the slope is greater than 10% and at two-foot intervals where the slope is 10% or less;
         (n)   The final preliminary plat shall include a site report as described in the rules of the State Department of Public Health, as amended, shall be provided. If the proposed subdivision will not be served by public sewer and water systems, the location and depth of soil borings and the location of percolation test holes shall be shown;
         (o)   An indication of the proposed storm drainage improvements and the location(s) of proposed detention/retention ponds and a statement indicating the method or methods by which drainage, sewage disposal and water supply will be provided. Final preliminary plats shall indicate such facilities as approved by the County Drain Commission;
         (p)   Proposed/protective covenants and deed restrictions, or a written statement that none are proposed;
         (q)   Existing and proposed utility easements, showing location, width and purpose;
         (r)   Building setback lines showing the dimensions from all streets;
         (s)   North point, scale and date;
         (t)   Wooded areas and tee lines and when required by the Planning Commission as part of final preliminary plat, trees with a trunk of over nine inches in diameter;
         (u)   High water or floodplain elevations when the proposed plat abuts, includes or is adjacent to a stream, drain or other body of water for which the floodplain has been established; and
         (v)   For final preliminary plat review, an indication of the amount of soil material if any that may be removed and/or stockpiled on the site during the subdivision development process. If stockpiling is proposed, the location and duration of the stockpiles shall be indicated. Any removal of soil material off site is subject to review and approval under Ch. 157 of this code of ordinances and the township’s Gravel and Other Mineral Mining Ordinance, Ord. 1-92.
   (C)   Procedures (tentative and final preliminary).
      (1)   The subdivider shall submit to the Township Clerk nine copies of the preliminary plat prepared on a topographic map at least 15 days before the first meeting of the Planning Commission at which the preliminary plat is to be considered.
      (2)   The Township Clerk shall promptly transmit a copy of the tentative preliminary plat to the Planning Commission for each of the members thereof.
      (3)   (a)   The Township Clerk shall place the tentative preliminary plat on the agenda of the Planning Commission within 30 days of the filing date, at which time the Planning Commission shall consider the proposed preliminary plat.
         (b)   Prior to acting on a tentative preliminary plat, the Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing thereon. Notice of the time and place of the hearing will be mailed to the proprietor and to the owners of land immediately adjoining the land to be platted and to those within 300 feet of the proposed plat. The notice will be mailed in advance of the hearing and specify the place, time and date of the hearing. Such notice shall also be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the township not less than five days before the hearing.
      (4)   The Planning Commission shall review the preliminary plat and give its report and recommendation to the Township Board not more than 60 days after submission of the plat. This 60-day period may be extended by the subdivider withdrawing the plat application. If no action is taken within 60 days, the Planning Commission shall be deemed to have recommended approval of the preliminary plat.
         (a)   If the preliminary plat does not meet all requirements, the Planning Commission shall notify the subdivider by letter indicating additional information or changes required.
         (b)   If the preliminary plat does not meet all requirements, the Planning Commission shall so inform the developer by letter.
      (5)   The Township Board, within 90 days from the date of filing unless the time period for approval has been extended pursuant hereto, shall tentatively approve and note its approval on the copy of the preliminary plat to be returned to the subdivider or set forth in writing its reasons for rejection and for tentative approval with conditions.
         (a)   The Township Board shall not review, approve or reject a preliminary plat until it has received a report and recommendation from the Planning Commission; provided, however, that, the Township Board can act without a report and recommendation from the Planning Commission if the Planning Commission does not issue such report and recommendation within 60 days.
         (b)   Tentative approval shall guarantee for a period of one year that the general terms and conditions under which preliminary plat approval was granted will not be changed by the township and, further, shall confer upon the subdivider approval of lot sizes, lot orientation and street layout for a period of one year from the date of tentative approval. Such tentative approval may be extended if applied for by the subdivider and granted by the Township Board in writing.
         (c)   Subsequent to tentative approval by the Township Board, the subdivider shall submit copies of the preliminary plat, as necessary, to the following authorities as provided in the Michigan Land Division Act, being M.C.L.A. §§ 560.101 et seq.: County Road Commission (three copies); County Drain Commission (three copies); State Department of State Highways and Transportation (three copies); State Department of Environmental Quality (three copies); County Health Department (three copies); County Plat Board (three copies); and such public utilities as are serving the area (three copies each).
      (6)   Prior to final preliminary plat approval, the subdivider shall submit a copy of all of the approving authorities to the Township Clerk, certifying that all authorities as required in division (C)(1) above (Michigan Land Division Act, being M.C.L.A. §§ 560.101 et seq.) have reviewed and approved the preliminary plat. The subdivider shall also submit copies of the approved preliminary plat map to the Township Clerk after all necessary approvals have been secured. Complete engineering plans of all proposed improvements required under § 156.056 of this chapter shall also be required along with the pay of all required fees.
      (7)   The Township Board, after receipt of the necessary agency approvals of the preliminary plat, shall consider and review the preliminary plat at its next meeting or within 20 days from the date of submission of the approved copies and approve the preliminary plat if the subdivider has met all conditions laid down for approval of the preliminary plat. The Township Clerk shall promptly notify the subdivider of approval or rejection in writing and, if rejected, will give the reasons.
         (a)   Approval of a preliminary plat shall not constitute approval of the final plat, but rather that final plat approval shall be conditioned on all requirements being met.
         (b)   Final approval of the preliminary plat by the Township Board shall be for a period of two years from the date of its approval. The Township Board may extend the two-year period if applied for and granted in writing, but only concerning the township’s own requirements.
         (c)   No grading or tree removal or construction of improvements shall be commenced until the proprietor has received final approval of the preliminary plat by the township and has entered into the necessary agreements with the township and other agencies for construction of all required improvements and filed with the township such security as deemed appropriate by the township to ensure that all improvements will be completed in accordance with the approved plans. (Refer to §§ 156.058 and 156.059 of this chapter.)
(Prior Code, Ch. XXXIII, § 3.2)  (Ord. 2-2004, passed 8-9-2004)