(A) Approval required. No development regulated by this subchapter within the jurisdiction of the county shall be established, expanded, or altered unless a plan has been submitted and approved by the Planning Board and a letter of approval is issued by the Enforcement Officer.
(B) Application for plan approval.
(1) Prior to construction or expansion of a multi-family dwelling development, the developer shall make application to the Enforcement Officer for authorization to construct or expand such a development. Accompanying this application shall be eight copies of the proposed plan. This application must be received 30 days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the County Planning Board, if the application and proposed plan is to be reviewed by the Planning Board at that time.
(2) A registered surveyor or engineer’s signature shall be required on multi-family dwelling development plans which have more than three units. All developments having over three single living units shall display the signature of a registered surveyor or engineer. Any addition to an existing development which brings the total number of single living units to ten or more shall present a plan executed by a registered surveyor or engineer, which includes the original development.
(3) The multi-family development plan shall be drawn at a scale of 100 feet to one inch and shall include the following:
(a) Name of the development, township name(s) and address(es) of the owner(s) and the engineer or surveyor;
(b) Date, scale and north arrow;
(c) Vicinity map showing the location of the development at a scale of no greater than one inch equal to two miles;
(d) Boundaries of the tract with bearings and distances;
(e) Names of adjoining property owners;
(f) Stormwater drainage plans and erosion and sediment control measures;
(g) A site plan showing all existing and proposed streets and driveways, parking areas, watercourses, open spaces and recreation areas, easements, structures, outside artificial lights, solid waste containers and drainage ditches;
(h) Location of utility systems for water, sewer, electricity and gas; and
(i) Method of surfacing streets, driveways and parking areas to the Department of Transportation’s specifications in effect at that time.
(C) Review of proposed plans by consulting agencies to the Planning Board.
(1) The following agencies shall review the multi-family development plans and comment in writing from their comments of the area of interest designated below before the plan is reviewed by the Planning Board:
(a) The District Engineer of the Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, shall review the plan to determine if the proposed access and public street designs conform to the standards of the State Department of Transportation for subdivision roads.
(b) The District Health Director shall review the plan to determine if the plan is in accordance with State Laws and Rules for Sanitary Sewage Collection, Treatment and Disposal or any other rules and regulations adopted by the District Health Department.
(c) The Albemarle Soil and Water Conservation District shall review the plan for the adequacy of drainage and drainage easements and shall review the plan to see that it conforms to the provisions as set forth in the Soil and Sedimentation Control Ordinance.
(d) The County Building Inspector shall review the plan to determine if the proposed electrical system is in accordance with the North Carolina Electrical Code.
(e) The County Water System shall review all plans for water service and all materials shall be installed in accordance with County Water System specifications. All construction will be under supervision of County Water System and in accordance with that system’s rules, regulations and policies.
(2) Each agency shall have a concurrent reviewing period of 25 days. Should any agency find deficiencies in the proposed plan, the developer or his or her agent shall be notified as to the deficiency.
(D) Review of the proposed plan by the Planning Board.
(1) Planning Board review. The Planning Board shall review the proposed plan to determine if it is in accordance with the standards of this subchapter. The Board shall either approve, conditionally approve or disapprove the plan as submitted. In the event of disapproval or conditional approval, the developer or his or her agent shall be notified in writing of this decision by the Planning Board and the steps necessary to gain approval.
(2) Exceptions. For multi-family developments involving three or fewer single living units, the County Manager may review the proposed plan to determine its conformity with the standards of this subchapter. All plans which are reviewed by the County Manager shall have recourse to the Planning Board.
(E) Authorization for construction.
(1) After approval or conditional approval by the Planning Board, the County Manager shall issue an authorization for site construction. This authorization shall enable the execution of the development plan and shall not be construed to authorize the recipient to offer single living units for each phase of a development project.
(2) If the construction of the development is not begun within 12 months from the issuance date of this authorization, it shall be considered to be null and void. The Planning Board may grant an extension of 12 additional months if the developer appears before the Planning Board and shows just cause for the time extension.
(F) Certificate of compliance. Upon completion of the development, the developer shall inform the Enforcement Officer that all conditions of the approved plan have been completed and will attach letters of approval from the Health Director, Building Inspector and Fire Commission. A certificate of compliance shall then be issued by the Enforcement Officer which entitles the developer to rent, lease or sell the single-family units.
(Ord. passed 12-16-1985)