Access - Frontage to an approved public street or roadway.
Agricultural Land - Land used exclusively for agricultural use and which carries a valid taxing agricultural exemption.
Alley - A minor public right-of-way, to provide auxiliary access to the back of lots and not intended to provide the primary means of access to such lots.
Amending Plat - A plat intended to correct minor errors only as allowed by Texas Local Government Code 212.016. Does not require the approval of all property owners. Such amendments (corrections) shall meet the criteria established herein. The City Council may delegate and designate a staff member to approve such plats.
Applicant - The owner(s) of land, or legally designated representative of the owner(s), desiring to subdivide land. As used herein, the terms “owner”, “developer”, or “subdivider” shall all mean the applicant.
Approved - Having approval of the appropriate authorities of the City as defined herein.
Block - Large section of land bounded by streets, property outside of the subdivision or natural features. Blocks are subdivided into buildable “lots”. Blocks are uniquely numbered on the plat.
Building Setback Line - The line within a lot/tract defining the minimum distance between a building and the adjacent property line as provided in the Zoning Ordinance. Applicable to plats within the City Limits.
City - The Town of Lakeside, Texas.
City Council - The governing body of the City and the authority responsible for the final approval of Final Plats and Replats (except minor (re)plats and some amending plats).
City Engineer - Engineer hired or appointed by the City to perform city engineering functions, including the review of plats.
Comprehensive Plan - The state mandated plan created and periodically updated by the City for the promotion of orderly and planned growth/expansion. The Comprehensive Plan includes the Thoroughfare plan, Water and Sewer Master plans, Park Plans and other long-range plans.
Cul-de-sac - A street having but one outlet to another street, and terminated on the opposite end by a vehicular turnaround.
Dedication - A gift or donation of property or interest in property by the owner to the public.
Easement - Land owned by the specific property owner but granted for a the [sic] allowance of a specific use to the City, public or utility. The lot owner is allowed to utilize such land “at risk”, meaning that any permanent improvements placed on the easement by the land owner may be removed by the easement holder. The easements are granted by legal document. When granted as a part of the platting process, notations on the plat make the conveyance.
Engineer - A person duly authorized to practice the profession of engineering (P.E.) in the State of Texas, as stipulated by the current amendments of the Texas Engineering Registration Act. If the total value of all infrastructure which is to be public, or which is to be connected to public infrastructure, exceeds $8,000 in gross value, the design of such infrastructure by an appropriate engineer(s) for the particular specialties involved is required. If the value of the gross improvements is unknown, or is questionable, then an engineering design will also be required. In addition, certain improvements, regardless of value, may require appropriate engineering design.
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) - The ETJ is the area within one-half mile of the exterior of the existing Town of Lakeside City Limits. The City has Subdivision jurisdiction within the ETJ but not Zoning jurisdiction. Plats in the ETJ also require secondary approval by the County Commissioners Court.
Final Plat - The official permanent record of the division of land, approved by the appropriate bodies and recorded in the Plat Records of Tarrant County in compliance with the requirements of this ordinance and State law.
Infrastructure - Facilities needed to sustain buildable land. Infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, streets, water, sewer, parks, other utilities, and public facilities.
Lot - An undivided tract or parcel of land having frontage on a public street or private access easement or private drive and which is, or may be, offered for sale, conveyance, transfer or improvement which is designated as a distinct and separate tract and which is identified by a tract or lot number or symbol in a duly approved subdivision plat which has been properly filed of record[.]
Minor (Re)Plat (Also known as an “Administrative (Re)Plat” or “Short Form (Re)Plat”) - A plat allowed by Texas Local Government Code 212.0065. For such plats the Council has authorized City Staff to affect without the need for approval by P&Z or City Council so long as the following conditions shall be met:
1. Involves less than four (4) residential lots, and
2. Involves less than five (5) total acres, and
3. Comprises the whole area to be platted (i.e., cannot be phased), unless the area is a replat, and
4. Be applied for, and agreed to, by all affected property owners, and
5. Requires no additional public improvements, including access, and
6. Resulting lots meet the requirements of established City criteria.
If all of these conditions cannot be met, then the (re)plat must go through the normal platting procedure.
Owner - The person, or other entity, having legal ownership of real property and is ultimately responsible for platting.
Planner - The City employee or representative in charge of the planning function for the City and assists with the implementation and enforcement of the subdivision, zoning, and other growth-related ordinances.
Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) - The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) of the City that acts as a recommending body to the City Council. The P&Z is responsible for recommending subdivision and zoning ordinance changes to the City Council and to screen applications to be sure that they meet the established ordinances before going to City Council for approval. Such authority is stipulated in the Local Government Code and other Texas Statutes. The P&Z shall be the final judge in all cases regarding the application of the rules and regulations of this ordinance. Officers of the P&Z will always freely give advice and cooperation. (Compare to BOA.)
Plat Administrator - The person designated by the City to receive and process submissions made pursuant to this Ordinance and to enforce the terms thereof. This is typically the Town Administrator for Lakeside.
Plat Revision (or Replat) - A revision of existing platted and approved lot lines for the purpose of relocating one or more lot lines between one or more adjacent lots when the owner or owners of such lots join in the application for revision.
Preliminary Plat - A working document normally precedent to a final plat, containing all planning factors deemed necessary by this Ordinance, or by the platting authority, to determine the appropriate subdivision of land and the requirements for extension of utilities, roadways, and other public improvements.
Right-of-Way - Land conveyed by plat, or other legal instrument, to the public ownership and use for roadways, utilities and other public improvements. Land dedicated as right-of-way shall be owned by the City, whereas land dedicated by easement is owned by the individual landowner with a right of use given to the City.
Shall, May - The word “shall” is always mandatory. The word “may” is merely “permissive”.
Subdivider - Any owner, equitable owner, or authorized agent thereof, dividing or proposing to divide land so as to constitute a subdivision.
Subdivision (noun) - A tract or parcel of land that has been divided into two or more pieces for sale or development which has been properly platted, approved and filed and for which required public rights-of-way, easements and parcels have been dedicated and public improvements (streets, drainage, water, sewer, etc.) installed.
Subdivision (verb) - The act of dividing any tract or parcel of land located all, or in part, in the City limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City into two (2) or more parts as described herein.
Surveyor - Any person currently certified as a Registered Public Land Surveyor (R.P.L.S.), or approved equal, by the Texas Board of Land Surveying. All legal boundaries, metes and bounds descriptions, and existing topography shown on plats must be surveyed, drawn and sealed by an appropriate surveyor.
Vacating Plat - A plat used to rescind or make invalid a prior plat. Must conform to the criteria described herein.
BOA - The Board of Adjustment (BOA) is the judicial branch of the City with regards to zoning issues. Items which do not comply with zoning criteria can be appealed to the (BOA). Any appeal of a BOA decision must go to District Court.
Zoning - Regulations defined by separate ordinance designed to
(1) lessen congestion in the streets,
(2) secure safety from fire, panic, and other dangers
(3) promote health and general welfare,
(4) provide adequate light and air,
(5) prevent the overcrowding of land,
(6) avoid undue concentration of population, and
(7) facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewers, schools, parks and other public requirements.