The preliminary plat stage of land and airspace subdivision includes detailed planning, submittal, review and approval of the preliminary plat. To avoid delay in processing his application, the subdivider shall provide the department with all information essential to determine the character and general acceptability of the proposed development.
A. Compliance With Zoning Regulations: The subdivision shall be designed to meet the specific requirements for the zoning district within which it is located. However, in the event that a zoning amendment or a zoning adjustment is necessary for conformance with district regulations, said action shall be initiated by the property owner or his authorized agent. The department shall not proceed with processing of the preliminary plat until the necessary amendment or adjustment has been obtained. Any furtherance of predevelopment activity engaged in by or in behalf of the developer while an application for zoning amendment or variance is pending shall in no instance be construed as having been undertaken in reliance of a favorable determination of such application, notwithstanding the nature of a department recommendation on the matter. In any event, any such zoning amendment or adjustment required in relation to the preliminary plat shall have been adopted prior to preliminary plat approval.
B. Inform Health Department Of Sewage Disposal, Water Supply And Fire Protection: As a prerequisite of preliminary plat review by the department, the subdivider shall have informed the county health department of his tentative plans and learned the general requirements for sewage disposal, water supply and fire protection as applied to his location. (1988 Code § 14-2-3)
C. Submission Of Plat:
1. Twenty (20) copies of the preliminary plat, an eight and one- half inch by eleven inch (81/2" x 11") transparency and other required supporting data prepared in accordance with requirements set forth in this section shall be filed with the department at least twenty one (21) days prior to the commission meeting at which the subdivider desires to discuss the plat. Submission shall include fees as required by section 11-1-5 of this title. Copies of the preliminary plat shall be reproduced in the form of blueline or blackline prints on a white background. Scheduling of the case for commission hearing shall be dependent upon adequacy of data presented and completion of processing. (1988 Code § 14-2-3; amd. 2004 Code)
2. The submittal shall be checked by the department for completeness and assigned a case number. If incomplete as to those requirements set forth in this section, the submittal shall be rejected and the subdivider notified within five (5) days of the date the map was received.
3. Preliminary plats of subdivisions outside the town but within a three (3) mile radius of the town shall be submitted by the developer to the town planning and zoning department for review with fees as outlined in section 11-1-5 of this title. In addition, the joint town/county planning and zoning commission shall meet to review the plat and forward its recommendation to the county planning and zoning commission pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes section 9-474, as amended.
D. Review Procedures:
1. On receipt of the preliminary plat, the department shall perform its review for compliance to public objectives, giving special attention to design principles and standards as set forth in chapter 3 of this title, streets and thoroughfares as related to the town street and highway plans and to neighborhood circulation, utility methods and systems, existing and proposed zoning and land use of the tract and its environs, and land required for schools, parks and other public facilities.
2. The department shall distribute copies of the plat to the following reviewing offices:
a. Town engineer for review.
b. Director of public works for review of the proposed street system; street plans, and compliance with town street standards; tentative determination of street and drainage improvement and maintenance requirements; and water and sewage disposal proposals.
c. Police chief, fire chief and building official for review of features of proposed development relating to their respective areas of operation.
d. County health department for review of water and sewage disposal proposals.
e. Superintendent of the appropriate school district for his information.
f. Where the land abuts a state highway, to the Arizona department of transportation and to the county highway department for recommendations regarding rights of way and intersection design.
g. To interested utilities for information.
h. To the United States postmaster at Parker, Arizona. (1988 Code § 14-2-3)
3. The reviewing offices shall transmit their recommendations to the department in writing. The department shall receive and summarize the reviewing offices' recommendations, prepare a report and present it to the commission. (1988 Code § 14-2-3; amd. 2004 Code)
E. Approval Of Preliminary Plat:
1. If the department report indicates that the requirements of this title have been met, the commission shall consider the preliminary plat at the next regular meeting but not less than thirty (30) days from the date of filing.
2. The commission shall consider the preliminary plat and the department recommendations, and if satisfied that all objectives have been met, the commission shall approve the preliminary plat, and the secretary shall stamp a notation of approval on two (2) copies of the plat, one being returned to the subdivider and one retained in the permanent commission file.
3. If the plat is generally acceptable but requires minor revision before proceeding with preparation of the final plat, the commission shall find conditional approval and note the required revisions in the minutes of the meeting and in a report to the subdivider. At the direction of the commission, the plat may be given approval, subject to the revisions, in accordance with the stated conditions and review by the department.
4. If the commission finds that the plat requires major revision, the plat may be continued pending revision or resubmittal for the same tract or any part thereof and shall follow the aforementioned procedures.
F. Significance And Limitation Of Preliminary Approval: Preliminary approval constitutes authorization for the subdivider to proceed with preparation of the final plat and the engineering plans and specifications for improvements. Preliminary approval is based upon the following items:
1. The basic conditions under which preliminary approval of the preliminary plat is granted will not be substantially changed prior to expiration date.
2. Approval is valid for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of council approval. A six (6) month extension of the preliminary plat approval may be granted by the commission upon receipt of a letter from the subdivider prior to expiration date.
3. Preliminary approval, in itself, does not assure final acceptance of streets for dedication nor continuation of existing zoning requirements for the tract or its environs, nor constitute authorization to record the plat. (1988 Code § 14-2-3)
G. Information Required For Plat Submittal:
1. Form Of Presentation: The information hereinafter required as part of the preliminary plat submittal shall be shown graphically or by note on plans, or by letter, and may comprise several sheets showing various elements of required data. All mapped data for the same plat shall be drawn at the same standard engineering scale, said scale having not more than one hundred feet to an inch (1" = 100'). Whenever practical, scale shall be adjusted to produce an overall drawing measuring twenty two inches by thirty six inches (22" x 36") and not exceeding thirty two inches by forty two inches (32" x 42"). (1988 Code § 14-2-4)
2. Identification And Descriptive Data: Proposed name of subdivision and its location by section, township and range, referenced by dimension and bearing to a section or quarter section corner. (1988 Code § 14-2-4; amd. 2004 Code)
3. Existing Conditions Data:
a. Topography by contours or "spot elevations" related to USC and GS survey datum, or other datum approved by the town engineer, shown on the same map as the proposed subdivision layout. Contour intervals shall be such as to adequately reflect the character and drainage of the land.
b. Location of fences, water wells, streams, canals, irrigation laterals, private ditches, washes, lakes or other water features; direction of flow; location and extent of areas subject to inundation, whether such inundation be frequent, periodic or occasional.
c. Location, widths and names of all platted streets, railroads, utility rights of way of public record, public areas, permanent structures to remain, including water wells and municipal corporation lines within, adjacent to or extending from the tract.
d. Location of all existing improvements on public rights of way and on private property, including utility lines and trees.
e. Name, book and page numbers of any recorded adjacent subdivisions having common boundary with the tract.
f. By note, the existing zoning classification of the subject tract and adjacent tracts.
g. By note, the acreage of the subject tract.
h. Boundaries of the tract to be subdivided shall be fully dimensioned.
i. Engineers' calculations and estimated values for each tributary storm runoff for the 100-year and 50-year frequency storms; the values to be indicated along the boundary of the plat for all points of drainage entering the property.
4. Proposed Conditions Data:
a. Street layout including locations, width, curve radii and proposed names of streets, alleys and crosswalks; connections to adjoining platted tract.
b. Typical lot dimensions (scaled); dimensions of all corner lots and lots of curvilinear sections of streets; each lot numbered individually; total number of lots or dwelling units.
c. Designation of all land to be dedicated or reserved for public use with use indicated.
d. If plat includes land for which multi-family, commercial or industrial use is proposed, such areas shall be clearly designated together with existing zoning classification and status of zoning change, if any.
e. Proposed development units.
f. Proposed storm water disposal system, preliminary calculations and layout of proposed drainage system; the direction of proposed street drainage to be indicated by arrows on the plat; and if required by the town engineer, a proposal to provide for the retention of storm water generated on the property by a 10-year frequency storm.
g. Compliance with:
(1) Rules as may be established by the Arizona department of transportation relating to provisions for safety of entrance upon and departing from abutting state primary highways.
(2) Rules as may be established by the state department of health services or the county health department relating to the provisions of domestic water supply and sanitary sewerage disposal.
5. Proposed Utility Methods:
a. Sewage Disposal: A statement as to the type of facilities proposed shall appear on the preliminary plat.
b. Water Supply: A statement as to the water supply for the development shall appear on the preliminary plat. (1988 Code § 14-2-4)