(A) Established monuments. All federal, state, county and other official monuments, bench marks, triangulation points, and stations shall be preserved in their precise location; and it shall be the responsibility of the subdivider-developer to insure that these markers are maintained in good condition during construction and development. All section, quarter section, and sixteenth section covers shall be duly described and tied.
(B) Land suitability for subdivision. The City Council, following consultation with the Planning Commission, must find each lot created through subdivision suitable for land subdivision in its normal state for the proposed use with minimal alteration. Suitability analysis by the city shall consider flooding, existence of wetlands, inadequate drainage, steep slopes, rock formations or other features with severe limitations for development, severe erosion potential, steep topography, important fish and wildlife habitat, near-shore aquatic conditions unsuitable for water-based recreation, presence of significant historic sites, environmental hazards which cannot be corrected, or any other feature of the natural land likely to be harmful to the safety, welfare or general health of future residents, or land which could not be adequately served by utilities or other public facilities or public access; the land shall not be subdivided unless adequate methods are provided for overcoming such conditions; or the land is platted as outlots.
(C) Preservation of natural features. The Planning Commission may request the dedication of or preservation of any existing natural features in order to preserve any trees, groves, water courses, historic sites, vistas and similar irreplaceable assets which add value to all developments and to the city as a whole.
(D) Land subject to flooding. No plat shall be approved for any subdivision which covers an area subject to periodic flooding or which is otherwise poorly drained unless the subdivider-developer agrees to make improvements which will, in the opinion of the City Council, make the area completely safe for occupancy, and provide adequate street and lot drainage and conform to applicable regulations of other agencies such as the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural Resources. In addition, such plats may not be approved if the cost of providing essential services to protect the flood plain area would impose an unreasonable economic burden upon the city.
(E) Land descriptions, Minnesota coordinate system zones. As established for use in the South Zone, the Minnesota Coordinate System of 1927 or the Minnesota Coordinate System of 1983 shall be named, and in any land description in which it is used it shall be designated the “Minnesota Coordinate System of 1927, South Zone” or the “Minnesota Coordinate System of 1983, South Zone.” The National Ocean Survey/National Geodetic Survey definitions for the Minnesota Coordinate System, Central Zones, as identified in M.S. § 505.22 are hereby adopted by reference.
(Ord. 85, passed 4- -2005)