A preliminary plat shall be submitted as follows.
(A) Planning Commission. The preliminary plat shall be submitted to the Planning Commission at least 20 days prior to a Commission meeting at which consideration is requested. The Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing on all proposed preliminary plats. Notice of said hearing shall be published in the official newspaper at least 10 days prior to the date of the hearing. Notice shall indicate the time, place and purpose of the hearing, including an easily understood description of the area to be subdivided. Recommendations for approval or disapproval of a preliminary plat will be conveyed to the subdivider in writing within 10 days after the meeting of the Planning Commission at which such plat was considered. In case the plat is recommended for disapproval, the subdivider shall be notified of the reason for such action and what requirements will be necessary to meet the approval of the Commission.
(B) City Council. After review and approval or denial of the preliminary plat by the Planning Commission, such 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 10 days after the meeting of the Council at which such plat was considered. 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 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 preparation of the final plat. The approval of a preliminary plat shall be effective for a period of 1 year, unless an extension is granted by the Council. The subdivider may file a final plat limited to such portion of the preliminary plat which he proposed to record and develop at the time, provided that such portion must conform to all requirements of this chapter. If some portion of the preliminary plat has not been submitted for final plat approval within this period, a preliminary plat must again be submitted to the Planning Commission and the Council for approval.
(1975 Code, § 12.03, Subd. 1)