A. Review Stages
Minor plan reviews consists of two stages, preliminary and final, provided that if a street creation or extension is involved, a public hearing is required. The Planning Board may combine the approval stages, provided requirements for both stages have been met by the applicant to the satisfaction of the Administrative Officer. Applications for CSD also require a pre-application meeting.
B. Submission requirements
Any applicant requesting approval of a proposed minor subdivision or minor land development, as defined in these Rules and Regulations, shall submit to the Administrative Officer the items required by the Minor Subdivision Checklist (Appendix A) at least three weeks prior to the Planning Board meeting at which the applicant desires to be heard.
If a pre-application meeting is required or requested, the items required by the Pre-application Checklist (Appendix A) shall be submitted prior to the pre-application meeting.
C. Certification
The application shall be certified complete or incomplete by the Administrative Officer within the timeframe prescribed by R.I.G.L. 45-23-38. The running of the time period set forth in this section will be deemed stopped upon the issuance of a certificate of incompleteness of the application by the administrative officer and will recommence upon the resubmission of a corrected application by the applicant. However, in no event will the administrative officer be required to certify a corrected submission as complete or incomplete less than the timeframe prescribed by R.I.G.L. 45-23-38 days after its resubmission.
D. Administrative Review
The Administrative Officer shall review the application and shall comment and make recommendations to the Planning Board. The application shall be referred to the Planning Board for review and approval.
E. Re-assignment to Major Review
The Planning Board shall re-assign a proposed minor project to major review only when the Planning Board is unable to make the positive findings required in Section 404.
F. Decision
1. If no street creation or extension is required, the Planning Board will approve, deny or approve with conditions the preliminary plan within the timeframe prescribed by R.I.G.L. 45-23-38, or within any further time that is agreed to by the applicant and the board, according to the requirements of Section 903.
2. If a street extension or creation is required, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing prior to approval according to the requirements of Section 408 and will approve, deny or approve with conditions, the preliminary plan within the timeframe prescribed by R.I.G.L. 45-23-38, or within any specified time that is agreed to by the applicant and the Board, according to the requirements of Section 903.
G. Failure to Act
Failure of the Planning Board to act within the period prescribed shall constitute approval of the preliminary plan and a certificate of the Administrative Officer as to the failure of the Planning Board to act within the required time and the resulting approval shall be issued on request of the applicant.
H. Final Plan
The Planning Board may delegate final plan review and approval to either the Administrative Officer or the Technical Review Committee. The officer or committee will report its actions to the Planning Board at its next regular meeting, to be made part of the record.
I. Expiration of approval
Approval of a minor land development or subdivision plan shall expire after the timeframe prescribed by R.I.G.L. 45-23-38 unless within such period a plat or plan, in conformity with such approval, and as defined in these rules, is submitted for signature and recording as specified in Section 905. Validity may be extended for a longer period, for cause shown, if requested by the applicant in writing, and approved by the Planning Board.