1. Plot Plans to Accompany Building Permit Application. Each application for a building permit shall be accompanied by a plot plan, in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing the actual dimensions of the lot to be built upon, the size, shape, and location of the building to be erected and such other information as may be necessary to provide for the enforcement of this code. A record of applications and plans shall be kept on file with the Code Official.
2. Preliminary Site Plan Review. The preliminary site plan review process promotes orderly development and redevelopment in a manner that is harmonious with surrounding properties, is consistent with City’s adopted land use policies, and promotes the public health, safety, and welfare of the City.
A. Authority. The City Council, after receiving a recommendation from the Planning Commission, will take formal action on requests for preliminary site plan review.
B. Procedure. All applications shall be filed with the Code Official. The Code Official may convene a technical review group comprised of City staff to review the application. The application must include all information, plans, and data as specified in Paragraph D, below.
C. Required Preliminary Site Plan Review. Preliminary site plan approval is required for the following developments:
(1) New townhouse, multi-unit residence, manufactured home park, nonresidential, and mixed-use development, including construction of additional principal buildings on a developed site.
(2) Additions to townhouse, multi-unit residence, nonresidential, and mixed-use development that increase the gross floor area by 3,000 square feet or more.
(3) Parking lots of 15 or more spaces.
D. Preliminary Site Plan Submittal Requirements. All applications for preliminary site plan review shall include the following:
(1) The completed application form.
(2) A scaled and dimensioned site plan drawn to a scale not less than one inch to one hundred. The site plan shall include the following:
(a) Date, north arrow and graphic scale.
(b) The property owner’s name and description of proposed development.
(c) A vicinity sketch showing the location of the property and other properties within 1,000 feet of it.
(d) Property boundary lines, dimensions, and total area.
(e) Contour lines at intervals of not more than five feet, City datum. If substantial topographic change is proposed, the existing topography shall be illustrated on a separate map and the proposed finished topography shown on the site plan.
(f) The location of existing streets, sidewalks, easements, utilities, drainage courses.
(g) The total square feet of building floor area, both individually and collectively.
(h) Total number of dwelling units and the density of the development.
(i) All structures and major features shall be fully dimensioned including distance between structures, distance between driveways, parking areas, property lines and building height.
(j) Off-street parking areas, ingress and egress to the property, number of parking spaces proposed, number of parking spaces required by this code and type of surfacing.
(k) Pedestrian walkways with special consideration given to pedestrian safety.
(l) Recreation and open spaces, with special consideration given to the location, size and development of the areas in regard to adequacy, effect on privacy of adjacent living areas, and relationship to community wide open spaces and recreation facilities.
(m) Walls, fences or other artificial features.
(n) Trash and refuse enclosures.
(o) The general drainage pattern and location of storm water detention features.
(p) The general location, type and size of landscaping and ground cover illustrated in color perspective.
(q) A rendering, elevation or photo of the proposed development.
(r) Other information deemed necessary by the Code Official due to the scale of the development.
E. Approval Standards. The Planning Commission’s recommendation to the City Council and the City Council’s decision to approve or disapprove a preliminary site plan shall be informed by the preliminary site plan’s adherence to the following standards:
(1) The consistency of the preliminary site plan with all adopted ordinances and regulations.
(2) The consistency of the proposed land use with the Comprehensive Plan and any adopted land use policies. The submission of a preliminary site plan which proposes one or more uses inconsistent with the City’s Future Land Use Map creates a rebuttable presumption that said use or uses are inharmonious with surrounding properties and incompatible with orderly development and redevelopment.
F. Modifications. The development shall be substantially in conformance with the approved preliminary site plan. Amended preliminary site plans shall be submitted to the Code Official for determination if the amendment can be approved administratively or if the amendment requires review by the Planning Commission and approval by City Council. In determining whether the amendment qualifies for administrative or Planning Commission review/City Council approval, the Code Official shall use the criteria in Table 165.05-A. Under no circumstance shall any such amendment conflict with any minimum or dimensional standard and/or requirement in this code.
Amendment | Administrative | Planning Commission review/ City Council approval | |
Amendment | Administrative | Planning Commission review/ City Council approval | |
Land Use | Any decrease. Any increase of less than 10% of the square footage allocated to any land use type on the approved plan, except increases in open space/recreation area | Increase of 10% or more of the square footage allocated to any land use type on the approved plan, except increases in open space/recreation area | |
Project Scale | Any decrease. Any increase in density or intensity of use of less than: - 10% gross floor area - 5% of the number of dwelling units | Increase in density or intensity of use as follows: - 10% or greater usable floor area - 5% or greater of the number of dwelling units | |
Open Space/ Recreation Area | Any increase. Any decrease less than 10% size reduction or change in location or characteristics | 10% or more size reduction or change in location or characteristics | |
Setbacks | Any increase. Any decrease of less than 10%, or any increase | Decrease of 10% or more | |
Height | Decrease in height or number of stories | Increase in height greater than/equal to 20% or an increase of one story | |
Parking Spaces | Increase or decrease of less than 10% | Increase or decrease of 10% or more | |
G. Timing. Once a preliminary site plan is approved, the petitioner has eighteen (18) months to obtain construction site plan approval. In the event that the petitioner fails to obtain construction site plan approval within the specified timeframe, the petitioner shall be required to seek reauthorization and approval of the preliminary site plan. The petitioner may, however, request an extension of time from the City. If an extension is granted, it may be conditioned upon updating any security posted by the petitioner or requiring the petitioner to provide security to reflect cost increases and extended completion date.
(Ord. 2023-11 – Sep. 23 Supp.)
3. Construction Site Plans Review. The construction site plan review process ensures consistency with the approved preliminary site plan, all applicable municipal regulations, and adopted construction standards.
A. Authority. The Code Official reviews and issues final approval of construction site plans. When a subdivision plat is required by any provision of this Code of Ordinances, and such plat creates the need for extension of streets, utilities or any other new public improvements, no construction site plan approval shall be issued for any lot, parcel or tract within the proposed development until a final plat is approved and recorded.
B. Required Construction Site Plan Review. Construction site plan approval is required for any development requiring preliminary site plan approval, and development of any utility (sub)stations.
C. Construction Site Plan Submittal Requirements. All applications for construction site plan review shall include the following:
(1) The completed application form.
(2) A scaled and dimensioned site plan drawn to a scale not less than one inch to one hundred feet, prepared by a licensed engineer, landscape architect and/or architect. The site plan shall include the following:
(a) Date, north arrow and graphic scale.
(b) The property owner’s name and description of proposed development.
(c) A vicinity sketch showing the location of the property and other properties within 1,000 feet of it.
(d) Property boundary lines, dimensions, and total area.
(e) Contour lines at intervals of not more than five feet, City datum. If substantial topographic change is proposed, the existing topography shall be illustrated on a separate map and the proposed finished topography shown on the site plan.
(f) The location of existing streets, sidewalks, easements, utilities, drainage courses.
(g) The total square feet of building floor area, both individually and collectively.
(h) Total number of dwelling units and the density of the development.
(i) All structures and major features shall be fully dimensioned including distance between structures, distance between driveways, parking areas, property lines and building height.
(j) Off-street parking areas, ingress and egress to the property, number of parking spaces proposed, number of parking spaces required by this code and type of surfacing.
(k) Pedestrian walkways with special consideration given to pedestrian safety.
(l) Recreation and open spaces, with special consideration given to the location, size and development of the areas in regard to adequacy, effect on privacy of adjacent living areas, and relationship to community wide open spaces and recreation facilities.
(m) Walls, fences or other artificial features.
(n) Trash and refuse enclosures.
(o) Documentation demonstrating compliance with Chapter 155, entitled Construction Site Erosion and Sediment Control.
(p) Documentation demonstrating compliance with Chapter 156, entitled Post-Construction Storm Water Runoff Control.
(q) A lighting plan depicting the location, height, and type of lighting fixtures on the site and proposed buildings and a photometric plan depicting the lighting fixture locations and illumination levels.
(r) The location, type and size of all plants, shrubs, trees, and ground cover.
D. Extension of public utilities and services, dedication of right-of-way.
(1) The petitioner may, as a condition of the construction site plan approval, be required to install public utilities, including (but not limited to) water lines, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, street paving, fire hydrants, and such other utilities as applicable to properly serve the proposed development , to provide easements for the ingress and egress of public utility and emergency vehicles, and to dedicate right-of-way to accommodate motorized and nonmotorized transportation, parking, and utility requirements. The City and petitioner may enter into a written site plan agreement governing the installation and establishment of such utilities and accommodations necessary to satisfy public needs. Where required as a condition of a construction site plan approval, utilities shall be constructed in accordance with construction standards as established by resolution of the City Council for those portions within the public right-of-way and to be dedicated to the City, and may be required to be constructed to the same specifications for those undedicated portions where said utilities may have a direct effect on the future safety, proper functioning, and maintenance of those portions to be dedicated.
(2) To allow orderly development, the water lines and sanitary sewer service installed in a proposed development pursuant to subparagraph 1 above shall extend to the boundary line of the subject property, and beyond as may be determined to be necessary by the City to provide for future service to adjacent properties. The City shall require the installation of water and sewer service of sufficient size and capacity to serve the full area capable of being served by each such type of improvement, so that the City will not be required to construct parallel or duplicate facilities. If such improvements are greater in size than needed to serve the subject property itself, the City, at its discretion, may share in the expense thereof. Such cost sharing shall be according to the terms of a site plan agreement. Any payment of excess costs by the City shall be pursuant to state law.
(Ord. 2023-26 – Jan. 24 Supp.)
E. Surface water drainage management. The petitioner may, as a condition of construction site plan approval, be required to perform such work as may be necessary to ensure the proper drainage of surface water over and across the property, in accordance with construction standards established by resolution of the City Council.
F. Modifications. The development shall be substantially in conformance with the approved construction site plan. Amended construction site plans shall be submitted to the Code Official for determination if the amendment can be approved administratively or if the amendment requires review by the Planning Commission and approval by City Council in accordance with Section 165.05(2)(F).
(Ord. 2023-11 – Sep. 23 Supp.)
G. Once a site plan is approved, the petitioner has eighteen (18) months to commence the development of the property consistent with the approved site plan and any related conditions and agreements. The development of the property shall be substantially completed within thirty-six (36) months from the date of City approval of the site plan. In the event that the petitioner fails to either commence or complete the development of the property within these timeframes, authorization to proceed with the development shall cease, and the petitioner shall be required to seek reauthorization and approval of the construction site plan. The petitioner may, however, request an extension of time from the City. If an extension is granted, it may be conditioned upon updating any security posted by the petitioner or requiring the petitioner to provide security to reflect cost increases and extended completion date.
(Ord. 2022-20 – Aug. 22 Supp.)