(A) Purpose and scope. The City Council declares it necessary and appropriate to require site plan approval of certain types of development to preserve and promote attractive, well-planned, stable urban conditions. Site plan approval must be obtained before a building permit is issued or land disturbance activities begin in order to ensure the following:
(1) The plan conforms to the requirements of this chapter in terms of land use, setbacks, number of housing units, land coverage, parking and other relevant regulations;
(2) A proposed project’s compatibility with the area environment and with other existing land uses and buildings in the surrounding area;
(3) The quantity, quality, utility, size, and type of a proposed project’s required open space and proposed landscaping improvements;
(4) The ability of a proposed project’s traffic circulation system to provide for the convenient and safe internal and external movement of vehicles and pedestrians;
(5) The quantity, quality, utility, size, and type of a proposed project’s required community facilities;
(6) The location and adequacy of a proposed project’s provision for drainage and utilities; and
(7) Security, fire protection, and life or safety issues.
(B) Applicability. The site plan review requirements of this chapter shall apply to all new construction or expansion of commercial, industrial, multiple-family residential (three or more units in a building), public, semi-public or institutional land uses, with these exceptions:
(1) The use exists in a building, and the development of the use does not alter the building footprint, parking, traffic flow on or off-site, grading, drainage or landscaping;
(2) Proposed modifications are strictly related to the interior of the building;
(3) Modifications, additions, or enlargements to a building which do not increase the gross floor area by more than 500 square feet or 10%, whichever is less, and which do not require a variance from the provisions of this chapter; and
(4) Grading or site preparation that results in minor modifications to the existing site, as approved by the City Engineer.
(C) Review authority.
(1) The Community Development and Engineering Departments are authorized to review and approve, approve with conditions, or deny site plan reviews in accordance with the procedures and standards of this section. At the discretion of the City Engineer, other city departments may provide advice on site plan reviews. All findings and decisions shall be final, subject to appeal to the City Council.
(2) If a site plan review application involves a variance, the application must also be reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council.
(D) Submittal requirements. Site plan reviews are exempt from having to pay an application fee. However, the following items are required unless exempted by the City Manager. All documents shall be drawn to scale by a registered land surveyor, engineer, architect or other qualified professional. Three large-size paper sets and one digital PDF set are required.
(1) General site description.
(a) The boundaries and dimensions shown graphically, along with a legal description of the property.
(b) A vicinity map which shall include the names and locations of any public streets, railroads, and major streams in the vicinity of the site.
(c) The present and proposed topography of the site and adjacent areas within 50 feet by contour lines at intervals of not more than one foot, and by use of directional arrows, the proposed flow of storm water runoff from the site.
(d) Existing natural features of the site such as wetlands, streams, major trees and wooded areas.
(e) Existing public streets or rights-of-way, road or utility easements, or other reservations of land on the site.
(f) Other information necessary for the review of the application as may be requested by the City Manager such as a traffic impact study.
(2) Site plan, landscaping plan and lighting plan.
(a) The location of existing and proposed structures, with the number of dwelling units and/or non-residential floor area.
(b) All setback lines. When lots are located on a curve, the width of the lot at the building setback line shall be shown.
(c) Proposed street rights-of-way road or utility easements, or other reservations of land on the site.
(d) Street layout and grades with centerline elevations.
(e) Sidewalk or path location, width and material.
(f) Proposed curb cuts, aisles, off-street parking and loading spaces and dimensions.
(g) The location, species and size of plantings. The location, height and material for berms, walls and fences.
(h) A tree preservation plan.
(i) The location and method of screening of outdoor trash storage and recycling areas.
(j) The location and size of all proposed signs.
(k) The location and height of exterior lights, including a photometric diagram.
(l) Elevation views of all proposed buildings or structures, with building materials and proposed colors noted.
(m) A site development staging plan, if applicable.
(n) If proposing a building addition, a floor plan with the interior dimensions for each floor.
(3) Grading and drainage.
(a) Proposed grades showing topographic alterations, proposed methods for managing surface water, drainage calculations and a surface water pollution prevention plan.
(b) Top of curb in front of each lot at corners and the high side of driveways.
(c) Major (lowest floor) building corners.
(d) Lot corner elevations, building setback lines, and a building pad layout showing hold-down elevations and finished garage elevations, lot drainage patterns and driveway slopes.
(e) Storm sewer alignment and features.
(f) Elevations and boundaries related to lakes, wetlands and ponds including the ordinary high water level.
(g) Wetland delineation boundaries.
(h) Other related information as may be required by the City Engineer.
(4) Public and private utilities.
(a) The location and size of existing and proposed sanitary sewers, water mains, culverts or other underground facilities within and adjacent to the property including data such as grades, invert elevations and locations of catch basins, manholes and hydrants.
(b) The location, size and purpose of all easements.
(E) Conditions of approval.
(1) These conditions must exist for the approval of a site plan review:
(a) The site plan conforms to all applicable standards within this chapter;
(b) The site plan conforms to all applicable regulations of this chapter and is consistent with the applicable policies of the land use plan;
(c) The site plan is consistent with any applicable functional or special area plans or development objectives adopted by the City Council; and
(d) The site plan minimizes any adverse effects on property in the immediate vicinity and minimizes congestion of the public streets.
(2) The Community Development and Engineering Departments may impose conditions on any proposed site plan and require such guarantees as it deems necessary for the protection of the public interest and to ensure compliance with the standards and purposes of this chapter, the applicable policies of the land use plan, and any special land use plans adopted by the City Council.
(F) Modifications to an approved site plan.
(1) Requested amendments to a site plan may be approved or denied by the Community Development and Engineering Departments unless they involve one of the following; otherwise, they shall be reviewed as a new site plan. At the discretion of the City Engineer, other city departments may be involved in this review.
(a) The density of the development is to be increased by more than 5%;
(b) The gross square footage of non-residential buildings is to be increased by more than 5% or the number of building stories is to be increased;
(c) Approved landscaping or open space is to be substantially modified in the opinion of the Community Development or Engineering Department;
(d) Drainage, streets, or other engineering design changes will materially alter items approved in the Development Plan; and/or
(e) Major changes are proposed that could potentially create an adverse impact on stormwater quality, stormwater quantity management, or other stormwater management ordinance requirements.
(2) If, in the opinion of the Community Development and EngineeringDepartments, a proposed change will substantially affect the terms of the original approval or would result in significant adverse impacts on the surrounding properties or the city at large, then a re-submittal of a new development plan may be required pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(G) Time limit. Unless a written extension request is submitted and approved by the Community Development and Engineering Departments, an approved site plan shall expire upon either:
(1) A new site plan for the property is submitted to and approved by the Community Development Department; or
(2) A building permit has not been issued within one year from the date of site plan approval.
(H) Inspection and enforcement. Prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy for any use not exempted above, the Community Development and Engineering Departments shall conduct an inspection to determine compliance with the conditions set forth on the approved site plan for the project. A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued without completion of all elements on the site plan, provided written assurance is given that all improvements will be completed when feasible.
(I) Relationship to other applications. Except in those instances specified in division (G)(2) of this section, site plan approval is required prior to any land disturbance activities, issuance of a building permit for any proposed construction or issuance of a certificate of occupancy for any proposed use. When a site plan is required in support of a request for conditional use permit or variance approval, such plan shall also be subject to the requirements established within this chapter.
(J) Appeal. The applicant for a site plan review may appeal the decision of the Community Development and Engineering Departments to the City Council.
(Ord. 1040, passed 1-5-16; Am. Ord. 1104, passed 10-18-22)