(A) Title. This chapter from the date of its passage shall be entitled: Land Subdivision Regulations of 1973, as amended, Marshalltown, Iowa.
(B) Legal authority. The enactment of this chapter is in pursuance of the authority granted by I.C.A Chapter 354.
(C) Purpose. The general purposes of this chapter are: to carry out the policies and goals of the Comprehensive Guide Plan (General Development Plat) to provide for the orderly, economic and safe development of land and urban services and facilities and to promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare. Further this chapter is adopted:
(1) To improve land records by establishing standards for surveys and plats, and by requiring accurate legal descriptions of boundaries which will help provide clear title;
(2) To prevent scattered or premature platting of lots beyond the service areas of existing public utilities and improvements;
(3) To discourage platting of lots which are unbuildable or very difficult to build on;
(4) To assure sound layout and to permit economy of construction in new subdivisions;
(5) To secure the reservation of public lands and waters;
(6) To encourage attractive, stable and wholesome community growth by providing procedures for plat review which involve checking by all appropriate officials;
(7) To cause the cost of public improvements to be done by lot purchasers rather than to permit the cost to become a burden upon existing property owners who have already paid for their improvements; and
(8) To establish minimum improvement standards and design criteria.
(D) Geographic jurisdiction. This chapter shall regulate the subdivision of land within the City of Marshalltown, Iowa, and all land within an area extending two miles beyond the City Limits in accordance with the provisions of I.C.A. § 354.9.
(E) Use and interpretation.
(1) Whenever any subdivision of land shall hereafter be laid out, the subdivision plat and plans of proposed improvements shall, in all respects, be in full compliance with these regulations and with the provisions of I.C.A. Chapter 354. For purposes of this chapter, all lots or parcels created from the division of land within a Quarter-Quarter Section on or after April 8, 1991 shall be subject to the regulations herein.
(2) Except as provided by State Law, until said plats and plans are approved, properly signed and officially recorded:
(a) No land shall be subdivided, nor any street laid out;
(b) No lot or parcel of land, within any subdivision shall be offered for sale nor shall any sales, contract for sale, or option be made or given unless such sale, contract or option is conditional upon city approval of the final plat;
(c) No permanent utility services by any public service corporation nor public improvements shall be installed.
(3) In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be the minimum requirements.
(4) Where the conditions of this chapter conflict with other laws or Ordinances, the regulations which are more restrictive, or which impose higher standards or requirements, shall govern.