(A) The purpose of this chapter and the intent of the county in the adoption of the ordinance incorporated in this chapter is to promote the health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the present and future inhabitants of the county.
(B) This chapter will accomplish this purpose by:
(1) Providing policies, standards, requirements and procedures to regulate and control the design improvement of all subdivisions;
(2) Assisting in the implementation of the objectives, policies and programs of the General Plan by ensuring that all proposed subdivisions, together with provisions for their design and improvement, are consistent with the General Plan and all applicable specific plans;
(3) Preserving and protecting, to the maximum extent possible, unique and valuable natural resources and amenities, including topographic and geologic features, natural watercourses, fish and wildlife habitats, historical and cultural places and scenic vistas and attractions; and improving the public’s access to and enjoyment of such resources and amenities through the dedication or continuance of appropriate public easements;
(4) Preserving and protecting the special environmental quality and aesthetic character of all hillsides and mountainous areas; preventing detrimental impacts on the soil mantle, vegetative cover and other environmental factors; reducing the hazards to life and property from fire, flood, erosion, sedimentation and soil slippage; and relating the amount of grading within a subdivision to the slope of the natural terrain;
(5) Encouraging quality clustering of housing developments where subdivisions are permitted in hillside and mountainous areas, minimizing grading, preserving the natural terrain and enlarging the open space;
(6) Relating land use intensity and population density to existing developments, street capacity and traffic access, the slope of the natural terrain, the availability and capacity of public facilities and utilities and open spaces;
(7) Providing lots of sufficient size and appropriate design for the purposes for which they are to be used;
(8) Providing streets of adequate capacity and design for the traffic that will utilize them, and ensuring maximum safety for pedestrians and users of vehicles;
(9) Ensuring adequate access to each building site;
(10) Providing sidewalks, pedestrian ways and equestrian and hiking trails for the safety, convenience and enjoyment of residents of new developments;
(11) Providing adequate systems of water drainage, street lighting and other utilities needed for public health, safety and convenience;
(12) Providing adequate sites for public facilities needed to serve residents of new developments;
(13) Ensuring that costs of providing land for streets, alleys, pedestrian ways, easements and other rights-of-way and for the improvements where needed to serve new developments are the responsibility of borne by the subdivider(s);
(14) Preventing land which is actually or potentially dangerous by reason of flood hazard, inundation, inadequate access, inadequate water supply or fire protection, insufficient sewerage facilities or hazardous geological conditions from being subdivided for any use or in any manner tending to create an increased detriment to the public health, safety or welfare; and
(15) Ensuring that, as possible, land is subdivided in a manner that will promote the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare and the physical, social and economic development of the area in conformance with this chapter and the General Plan.
(Ord. 2024-5-2, passed 5-13-2024)