(A) Procedure.
(1) Approval of the Planning Commission.
(a) The subdivider-developer shall engage a qualified land planner, registered land surveyor or engineer to prepare a preliminary plat of the area to be subdivided.
(b) The subdivider-developer shall review proposed utility easements with utility companies and submit letters thereof from each company.
(c) The subdivider-developer shall submit ten or more copies of the preliminary plat to the City Administrator, at least seven days prior to the Planning Commission meeting for initial consideration. The subdivider-developer shall include a written statement along with the preliminary plat describing the proposed subdivision. The written statement shall include the anticipated development schedule, a table showing total number of lots and sizes, utilization of existing natural features and vegetation and the like.
(d) The City Administrator shall submit one copy of the preliminary plat to the Planning Commission, one copy to the Engineer, one copy to the County Engineer if the plat borders a county road, one copy to the District Engineer of the state’s Highway Department if the plat borders a federal, state or state-aid highway and one copy to the county’s Zoning Administrator.
(e) All agencies receiving copies of the preliminary plat shall transmit a report of their reaction together with any supporting material to the Planning Commission prior to the meeting at which such plat is to be considered. The subdivider-developer shall be required to pay the cost of the services.
(f) The Planning Commission may require qualified technical and staff review of the preliminary plat regarding general planning; conformity with the plans of other private and public organizations and agencies; adequacy of proposed water supply, sewage disposal, drainage and flood control; special assessment procedures and other features. The subdivider-developer shall be required to pay the cost of the services.
(g) The Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing on the preliminary plat within 45 days of its filing date, and the City Administrator will public notice of the time and place thereof in the official newspaper and send notice to property owners abutting the exterior boundary of the proposed plat. Notices will be made at least ten days prior to the day of the hearing. A Planning Commission meeting may serve as a public hearing provided the legal requirements pertaining to the same are met.
(h) At the public hearing, the subdivider-developer and all interested persons shall have the opportunity to be heard. The Commission shall then prepare a report recommending approval, disapproval or approval with conditions and submit it to the Council along with a copy being sent to the subdivider-developer within 15 days of the public hearing. In case the plat is disapproved, the subdivider shall be notified of the reason for such action and what requirements will be necessary to meet the approval of the Planning Commission.
(2) Approval of the Council. After review and approval of the preliminary plat by the Planning Commission, the preliminary plat, together with the recommendations of the Planning Commission, shall be submitted to the Council for consideration. Approval or disapproval of the preliminary plat will be conveyed to the subdivider in writing within ten days after the meeting of the Council at which the plat was considered. In case the plat is disapproved, the subdivider shall be notified of the reason for the action and what requirements will be necessary to meet the approval of the Council. The approval of the preliminary plat does not constitute an acceptance of the subdivision, but is deemed to be an authorization to proceed with the final plat. This approval of the preliminary plat shall be effective for a period of two years, unless an extension is granted by the Council. The subdivider may file a final plat limited to the portion of the preliminary plat which he or she proposes to record and develop at the time; provided that, the portion must conform to all requirements of this chapter. If some portion of the final plat has not been submitted for approval within this period, a preliminary plat must again be submitted to the Planning Commission and the Council for approval.
(B) Data required. The subdivider shall prepare and submit a preliminary plat as follows, together with any necessary supplementary information:
(1) Filing. Ten copies of a preliminary plat of any proposed subdivision shall be filed with the Planning Commission;
(2) Contents. The preliminary plat shall contain the following information:
(a) Proposed name of subdivision; names shall not duplicate or too closely resemble names of existing subdivisions;
(b) Location of boundary lines in relation to a known section, quarter section or quarter-quarter section lines comprising a legal description of the property;
(c) Names and addresses of the subdivider and the designer making the plat;
(d) Graphic scale of plat, not less than one inch to 100 feet;
(e) Date and north point; and
(f) Existing conditions:
1. Location, width and name of each existing or platted street or other public way, railroad, utility rights-of-way, parks and other public open spaces, and permanent buildings, within or adjacent to the proposed subdivision;
2. All existing sewers, water mains, gas mains, culverts, power or communication cables or other underground installations within the proposed subdivision or immediately adjacent thereto; and
3. All drainage ways, floodplain areas and zoning in relation to the plat shall be indicated on the preliminary plat or in a narrative statement.
(g) Proposed development.
1. The location and width of proposed streets, alleys, pedestrian ways and easements;
2. The location and character of all proposed public utility lines, including sewers (storm and sanitary), water, gas and power lines;
3. Layout, numbers and approximate dimensions of lots and blocks;
4. Location and size of proposed parks, playgrounds, churches or school sites, or other special uses of land to be considered for dedication to public use or to be reserved by deed of covenant for the use of all property owners in the subdivision and any conditions of the dedication or reservation;
5. Building setback lines with dimensions;
6. Indication of any lots on which a use other than residential is proposed by the subdivider;
7. The zoning districts, if any, on and adjacent to the tract;
8. Existing topography, with contour intervals of not more than five feet, related to United States Geological Survey datum; also, the location of watercourses, ravines, bridges, lakes, marshes, wooded areas, rock outcroppings, approximate acreage and other such features as may be pertinent to the subdivision;
9. Vicinity sketch, at a legible scale, to show the relation of the plat to its surroundings; and
10. Two copies of profiles for each proposed street and road, showing existing grades and proposed approximate grades and gradients on the centerline. The location of proposed culverts and bridges shall also be shown.
(3) Supplementary requirements. Upon request of the Planning Commission, supplementary information shall be submitted; the supplementary information may include the following:
(a) Two copies of profiles for each proposed street and road, showing existing grades and proposed approximate grades and gradients on the centerline. The location of proposed culverts and bridges shall also be known;
(b) Proposed surface drainage diagrams for lots in the form of arrows, proposed contours or other appropriate method; and
(c) Soil tests and reports, as specified by the City Engineer, by an approved soils laboratory.
(Prior Code, § 12.15) (Ord. 149, New Series, effective 1-17-1975; Ord. 180, New Series, effective 1-19-1979)