(A) General procedure. Before preparing a proposed plat for an area, the owner, developer or their representatives should have a pre-application meeting with the Plan Commission and/or the City Planner to determine applicable ordinance regulations and standards which must be complied with. After the pre-application meeting(s), the subdivider should then prepare the preliminary plat. As defined in the Subdivision Code, the preliminary plat must contain a substantial amount of data, and will thus be incomplete and cannot be considered as filed until all required data are submitted. The preliminary plat is received with filing fees by the City Clerk’s office, who, in turn, will forward the same to the Plan Commission for their review. Following its review (as well as comments from other appropriate agencies when required), the Plan Commission forwards its recommendations) to the City Council, who then either approve, disapprove or approve with modifications the preliminary plat.
(1999 Code, § 34-3-1)
(B) Filing procedure.
(1) Except as specifically provided otherwise below, every person who proposes to subdivide any land located within the subdivision jurisdiction of this municipality shall file six copies of the preliminary plat of said subdivision with the City Clerk.
(2) He or she shall also file one copy of the preliminary plat and supporting data with the appropriate Soil and Water Conservation District. Said district shall have not more than 30 days to submit any comments it might wish to make to the Administrator.
(70 ILCS 405/22.02A)
(3) Whenever a large tract is to be developed in stages and only a portion of that tract is to be submitted for final plat approval, nonetheless, a master development plan of the entire tract shall be submitted.
(4) All preliminary plats shall be reviewed and acted upon in accordance with 65 ILCS 5/11-12-8 and the provisions of the divisions below.
(5) Exception: the provision of this section shall not apply to:
(a) Minor subdivisions as defined at § 154.009; or
(b) Land that is specifically exempted from the Illinois Plats Act, as now or hereafter amended, 765 ILCS 205/1(B).
(C) Information required. Every preliminary plat shall be prepared by a state registered land surveyor at any scale from one inch equals 20 feet through one inch equals 100 feet; provided the resultant drawing does not exceed 36 inches square.
(1) Small key map showing the relation of the proposed subdivision to section or U.S. survey lines and to platted subdivisions and dedicated roads within 300 feet of the proposed subdivision;
(2) Names and addresses of the owner, subdivider (if not the owner), and registered professional engineer;
(3) Proposed name of the subdivision;
(4) Zoning district classification of the tract to be subdivided, and of the adjacent land;
(5) North arrow, graphic scale and date of map;
(6) The gross and net acreage area of the proposed subdivision, the acreage of streets and of any areas reserved for the common use of the property owners within the subdivision and/or for public use;
(7) All lot lines adjacent to and abutting the subdivision;
(8) Tract boundary lines showing dimensions, bearings, angles and references to known land lines;
(9) Topography of the tract to be subdivided as indicated by two-foot contour data for land having slopes of 0% to 4%, five-foot contour data for land having slopes between 4% to 12%, and ten-foot contour data for land having slopes of 12% or more;
(10) Any proposed alteration, adjustment or change in the elevation or topography of any area;
(11) Locations of such features as bodies of water, ponding areas, natural drainageways, railroads, cemeteries, bridges, parks, schools and the like;
(12) Streets and rights-of-way on and adjoining the site of the proposed subdivision; showing the names and including street right-of-way and paving widths; approximate gradients; types and widths of pavement, curbs, sidewalks, crosswalks, planting strips and other pertinent data, including classification of all existing or proposed streets as to function as collector, major, minor or county road;
(13) A copy of the results of any tests made to ascertain subsurface rock and soil conditions and the water table;
(14) Locations, widths and purposes of all existing and proposed easements;
(15) A copy of the description of all proposed deed restrictions and covenants;
(16) Location and size of existing and proposed sanitary and storm sewers;
(17) Locations, types and approximate sizes of all other existing and proposed utilities;
(18) Building setback or front yard lines and dimensions;
(19) Locations, dimensions and areas of all parcels to be reserved or dedicated for schools, parks/playgrounds and other public purposes; and
(20) Locations, dimensions and areas of all proposed or existing lots within the subdivision; and
(21) Information as defined in division (D)(3) below.
(1999 Code, § 34-3-4)
(D) Plan Commission action.
(1) The Plan Commission shall either approve or disapprove the application for preliminary plat approval within 60 days from the date of said application or the filing of the last item of required supporting data, whichever date is later, unless the Plan Commission and the subdivider mutually agree to extend this time limit. If the Plan Commission disapproves the preliminary plat, it shall furnish to the applicant within the 60-day period a written statement specifying the aspects in which the proposed plat fails to conform to this code and/or the official map.
(2) If the Plan Commission approved the preliminary plat, it shall inform the City Council that action can be taken at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
(3) Notice of meeting: the Plan Commission shall give notice of its consideration of any preliminary plat and allow the opportunity to be heard to the following person(s) or groups during its preliminary review time span:
(a) Any person requesting notification of the meeting;
(b) Any property owner whose property is contiguous to the property, including property across the streets, railroads, creeks and similar barriers; said information shall be provided by the applicant to the City Clerk’s office when filing the plat; and
(c) Any governmental or taxing body which requests notification of the meeting.
(1999 Code, § 34-3-4)
(E) Review by City Council; time constraints.
(1) The City Council shall review the preliminary plat, along with the Plan Commission recommendations and approve, disapprove or approve subject to certain conditions and/or modifications said preliminary plat within 30 days after its next regularly scheduled meeting following receipt of the written Plan Commission recommendations, unless variances from Zoning Code requirements are needed, in which case, the City Council’s 30 days commence the day after the Council of Appeals hearing is held, as required by the Zoning Code.
(2) If the City Council rejects the preliminary plat, its resolution shall specify the aspects in which the plat fails to comply with this code and/or the official map. The City Clerk shall attach a certified copy of the Council’s resolution of approval or disapproval to the preliminary plat. One copy of the resolution and plat shall be retained by the Clerk, one copy shall be filed with the Administrator, and one copy shall be sent to the subdivider by return receipt mail.
(1999 Code, § 34-3-5)
(F) Rights and privileges of subdivider. Preliminary plat approval shall confer the following rights and privileges upon the subdivider.
(1) The preliminary plat will remain in effect for a one-year period from the day the City Council approves the same. The applicant may, during this period, submit all or part or parts of said preliminary plat for final approval. In the event that the subdivision is being developed in stages, the applicant may, by written mutual agreement with the City Council, have final approval of the last part of the plat delayed for a period not to exceed five years from the date of the preliminary plat approval. Any part of a subdivision which is being developed in stages shall contain a tract of land at least one block in area or five gross acres.
(2) The general terms and conditions under which the preliminary plat approval was granted will not be changed for final approval.
(3) The applicant may also proceed with any detailed improvement plans required for all facilities or utilities intended to be provided. Actual construction of such facilities and improvements may commence prior to final plat approval if the detailed improvement plans have been recommended by the City Engineer and approved by the City Council, provided that such facilities and improvements will be inspected throughout their construction, and final plat approval will be contingent in part upon acceptable compliance to city improvement and facilities standards. If the applicant does not submit the improvement plans prior to the submission of the final plat, then he or she shall submit the improvement plans to the City Clerk’s office at the time that the final plat is submitted.
(1999 Code, § 34-3-6)