The purpose of the preapplication process is
for the applicant to present general information regarding the proposed
subdivision to the staff and Board and receive the staff's and Board's
comments prior to the expenditure of substantial sums of money on
surveying and engineering by the applicant.
The preapplication phase consists of the following
four activities:
A.
All applicants for subdivision review shall schedule
a preapplication conference with the Planning Director. The purpose
of this activity is to familiarize the applicant with the Town's procedures
and requirements and to familiarize the Town's representatives with
the nature of the project. Such review shall not cause the plan to
be a pending application or proceeding under 1 M.R.S.A. § 302.
No decisions relative to the plan shall be made at this meeting.
B.
The preapplication conference shall be held by the
Planning Director. The Planning Director may ask other Town staff,
such as the Town Engineer and a representative of the Planning Board,
to participate in the preapplication conference if warranted by the
scale and/or nature of the proposal. As part of the meeting, the Town
representative(s) and the applicant may visit the proposed site. At
this meeting, the applicant shall be prepared to discuss his/her plans
for the development in a general nature.
Within 10 days of the preapplication conference
and site inspection, the Planning Director shall tentatively classify
the subdivision as a minor or major subdivision and advise the applicant
of this determination. The Planning Board shall review the classification
of the project when it first considers the application and shall determine
if it is a major or minor subdivision. The classification may later
be revised if the scope of the project changes.
Within 10 days of the tentative classification
of the project by the Planning Director, the Town Engineer shall inform
the applicant in writing of the required contour interval on the preliminary
plan, or final plan in the case of a minor subdivision. The applicant
may appeal the Engineer's determination to the Planning Board by filing
a written request with the Planning Director. This request will be
considered by the Planning Board at the next meeting at which the
application is considered.
A.
After the preapplication conference has been held,
the applicant must submit a site inventory and analysis for Planning
Board review. The Planning Board may waive this requirement or reduce
the amount of information required for the revision of previously
approved plans and for minor subdivisions involving fewer than five
lots. The Board may waive or reduce the requirements only if the Board
finds that the analysis provided by this process is not necessary
due to the scale of the project. Unless waived by the Board, this
review must be completed prior to the preparation and submission of
a subdivision application and supporting documentation. The Board
shall review the site inventory and analysis with the applicant and
shall authorize the submission of the formal application when the
site analysis phase is complete. The site inventory and analysis shall
be submitted to the Planning Director.
B.
Upon receipt of a site inventory and analysis, the
Planning Director shall give the applicant a dated receipt. Within
10 days of the receipt of a site inventory and analysis submission,
the Planning Director shall review the material and determine whether
the submission is complete. If the submission is determined to be
incomplete, the Planning Director shall notify the applicant in writing
of this finding, shall specify the additional material required to
make the submission complete, and shall advise the applicant that
the application will not be considered by the Board until the additional
information is submitted. These steps, except the notification requirements,
shall be repeated until the application is found to be complete. When
the submission is determined to be complete, the Planning Director
shall notify the applicant in writing of this finding, place the item
on the agenda for review by the Planning Board, and distribute copies
of the submission to the members of the Site Plan Review Committee
for their review.
C.
The Planning Board may hold an on-site inspection
of the site to review the existing conditions, field verify the information
submitted, and investigate the development proposal. The Board may
schedule this visit either before or after the first meeting at which
the inventory and analysis are considered. The Board may decide not
to hold an on-site inspection. If a review is pending during a period
when there is snow cover, the deadline by which the Planning Board
shall take final action on the site inventory and analysis may be
extended, which extension shall not exceed 30 days after the Board
is able to conduct an on-site inspection.
D.
Within 60 days of the Planning Director finding that
the site inventory and analysis submission is complete, the Board
shall complete its review of the submission and notify the applicant
in writing of its findings.
E.
The review of the site inventory and analysis shall
be informational and shall not result in any formal approval or disapproval
of the project. The Board shall review the submission to determine
if the information provides a clear understanding of the site and
identifies opportunities and constraints that help determine how it
should be used and developed. The Board shall also consider any input
received from members of the staff. The outcome of the review process
shall be the identification by the Board of the issues and constraints
that must be addressed in the formal subdivision application. The
Board shall also act on any requests for waivers at this time.
The site inventory and analysis are intended
to provide the applicant, the Planning Board, and the staff with a
better understanding of the site and the opportunities and constraints
imposed on its use by both the natural and built environment. It is
anticipated that this analysis will result in a subdivision plan that
reflects the conditions of the site; those areas most suitable for
the proposed use will be utilized, while those that are not suitable
or present significant constraints will be avoided to the maximum
extent possible. Therefore, the submission requirements provide that
the applicant submit basic information about the site and an analysis
of that information. The site inventory and analysis submission must
contain, at a minimum, the following information:
A.
The names, addresses, and phone numbers of the record
owner and the applicant.
B.
The names and addresses of all consultants working
on the project.
C.
Evidence of right, title, or interest in the property.
D.
The appropriate application fee.
E.
Fifteen copies of an accurate scale inventory plan
of the parcel at a scale of not more than 50 feet to the inch showing
as a minimum:
(1)
The proposed name of the development, North arrow,
date, and scale.
(2)
The boundaries of the parcel based upon a standard
boundary survey prepared by a registered land surveyor and giving
the bearings and distances of all property lines.
(3)
The relationship of the site to the surrounding area.
(4)
The topography of the site at an appropriate contour
interval depending on the nature of the use and character of the site
(in many instances, submittal of the U.S.G.S. ten-foot contours will
be adequate).
(5)
The major natural features of the site and within
500 feet of the site, including wetlands, streams, ponds, floodplains,
groundwater aquifers, significant wildlife habitats or other important
natural features (if none, so state).
(6)
Existing buildings, structures, or other improvements
on the site (if none, so state).
(7)
Existing restrictions or easements on the site (if
none, so state).
(8)
The location and size of existing utilities or improvements
servicing the site (if none, so state).
(9)
The soils on the site through a Class C medium-intensity
soil survey.
(10)
Any potential sources of fire protection water
supply within 1/2 mile of the site, including public water mains,
existing fire ponds, or possible sources of water supply.
F.
Fifteen copies of a site analysis plan at the same scale as the inventory plans (see Subsection E above) highlighting the opportunities and constraints of the site. This plan should enable the Planning Board to determine: which portions of the site are unsuitable for development or use; which portions of the site are unsuitable for on-site sewage disposal if public sewerage is not available; which areas of the site have development limitations (steep slopes, soil constraints, aquifers, wetlands, wildlife habitat, floodplains, drainage, etc.) that should be addressed in the subdivision plan; which areas of the site may be subject to off-site conflicts or concerns (noise, lighting, traffic, etc.); and which areas are well suited for the proposed use.
G.
Fifteen copies of a narrative describing the existing
conditions of the site, the proposed development, and the constraints
and opportunities created by the site. This submission should include
a narrative description of the existing road system that will provide
access to the project and any issues related to traffic capacity,
safety, sight distances, or other traffic considerations together
with any preliminary studies done relative to the site, including
wetland delineations, traffic studies, market studies, or other information
that will help the Board understand the project.
H.
Fifteen copies of a conceptual plan, drawn at the
same scale as the site analysis plan, showing the anticipated road
layout and major development features or, if the subdivision is classified
as a minor subdivision, a sketch plan, drawn at the same scale as
the site analysis plan, showing the tentative layout of lots and roads.
