The purpose of the site plan is to assure detailed
compliance with applicable provisions of this chapter and to prescribe
standards for the design and construction of site improvements. Development
requiring site plan approval shall be permitted only in accordance
with all the specifications contained on an approved site plan and
shall not be undertaken until the site plan is approved and all the
required construction permits have been obtained subsequent to such
approval.
A.
Site plans for development activities required in
this chapter shall be prepared and submitted as described below and
approved by the Wicomico County Planning and Zoning Commission.
B.
Site plans for all multifamily dwellings, industrial
and commercial buildings and developments and mobile home parks shall
be prepared and approved as set forth in the Wicomico County Zoning
Chapter and Subdivision Chapter, as amended,[1] in addition to the requirements of this chapter.
C.
Site plans accompanying individual building permit applications shall be approved by the Planning Director. The Planning Director may waive some or all of the site plan information requirements of § 125-24 below and may permit an applicant for an individual building permit to submit an abbreviated or minor site plan and environmental assessment.
The following shall be included in the site
plan:
A.
An area or vicinity map showing such information as
the names and numbers of adjoining roads, streams, bodies of water,
railroads, subdivisions, election districts or other landmarks sufficient
to clearly identify the location of the property.
[Amended 6-26-2001 by Bill No. 2001-11]
B.
A boundary survey plat of the entire site at a scale
not smaller than one inch equals 50 feet, unless otherwise specified
or approved by the Planning Director, showing the following:
(1)
Existing topography at two- or five-foot contour intervals.
The datum shall be stated in all cases and a reference or bench mark
described on the plat, together with the elevation. The source of
contours shall be stated on the plat, such as field run or aerial
topography, etc. Interpolation of contours from United States Geological
Survey quadrangle maps will not be accepted.
(2)
Slopes in excess of 10%, and the specific identification
of all soils with a slope of 15% or greater.
(3)
Existing and proposed regraded surface of the land.
(4)
The location of natural features, such as streams,
major ravines and drainage patterns on the parcel to be developed.
[Amended 6-26-2001 by Bill No. 2001-11]
(5)
An existing conditions map, including natural and
man-made features.
(6)
The floodplain boundaries (one-hundred-year).
(7)
The location and areal extent of all soils with septic
limitations, wet soils, hydric soils and soils with hydric properties
as shown on the Wicomico County Soil Survey.
C.
A detailed drawing showing:
(1)
The location, proposed use and height of all buildings
(delineate all existing buildings and structures).
(2)
The location of all parking and loading areas with
ingress and egress drives thereto.
(3)
The location of outdoor storage, if any.
(4)
The location and type of recreational facilities,
if any.
(5)
The location of all existing or proposed site improvements,
including roads, bulkheads, bridges, storm drains, culverts, retaining
walls, fences and stormwater management facilities, as well as any
sediment and erosion control structures. (Information on shore erosion
shall include the existing shoreline management designation as shown
on the Wicomico County Critical Area Program Maps, existing structures,
their condition and areas for proposed structural and nonstructural
controls, shown on the boundary survey plat, at a scale of at least
one inch equals 100 feet.)
(6)
A description, method and location of water supply
and sewage disposal facilities.
(7)
The location, size and type of all signs.
(8)
The location, size and type of vehicular entrances
to the site.
(9)
The location of the Critical Area District boundary,
the Buffer and other buffer areas, open space areas and forested areas.
(10)
The location of all habitat protection areas,
as described in the Wicomico County Critical Area Program, on or near
the site.
(11)
The location of all contiguous forested areas
adjacent to the site that are linked to forested areas on the development
site, i.e., hedgerows, forest patches or other wildlife corridors.
(12)
The location of agriculture fields, barren lands,
pasture, etc.
(13)
The location of tidal and nontidal wetlands
on the site.
(14)
The location of existing water-dependent facilities
on and adjacent to the site, including the number of existing slips
and moorings on the site.
(15)
The location and extent of existing and/or proposed
erosion abatement approaches.
(16)
A detailed drawing locating shore erosion abatement
techniques to be included with the site plan.
D.
Computations of:
(1)
Total lot area.
(2)
Building floor area for each type of proposed use.
(3)
Building ground coverage (percentage).
(4)
Road area.
(5)
The number and area of off-street parking and loading
spaces.
(6)
The total site area in the Critical Area District.
(7)
The total man-caused impervious surfaces areas, and
the percentage of the site these occupy.
(8)
Separate computations of the total acres of existing
forest cover in the Buffer and in the critical area.
(9)
Proposed agriculture open space areas.
(10)
Proposed forest open space areas.
(11)
The total area of the site that will be temporarily
disturbed during development, and the total area that will be permanently
disturbed. "Disturbed" is defined as any activity occurring on an
area which may result in the permanent loss of or damage to existing
natural vegetation.
E.
Commercial or industrial uses must include:
(1)
The specific uses proposed.
(2)
The maximum number of employees for which buildings
are designed.
(3)
The type of energy to be used for any manufacturing
processes.
(4)
The type of wastes or by-products to be produced by
any manufacturing process.
(5)
Proposed method of disposal of such wastes or by-products.
(6)
The location, size and capacity of all fuel or chemical
storage facilities and any other storage facilities for hazardous
wastes.
(7)
The areas proposed for bulk storage of fertilizers,
aggregate and other such materials.
(8)
The location of outdoor lighting facilities.
F.
In addition to the information above, site plans shall
be accompanied by the following.
(1)
A woodland management plan, including the comments
of the Bay Watershed Forester.
(2)
A habitat protection plan, including the comments
of the Maryland Forest, Park and Wildlife Service, the Water Resources
Administration and other appropriate state and federal agencies.
(3)
An executed cooperators agreement with the Wicomico
County Soil Conservation District or farm plan, as applicable.
(4)
A stormwater management plan.
(5)
A sediment and erosion control plan.
(6)
A planting plan, as required.
(7)
An environmental assessment report which provides
a coherent statement of how the proposed development addresses the
goals and objectives of the Wicomico County Critical Area Program.
At a minimum, the environmental assessment shall include:
(a)
A statement of existing conditions, e.g., the
amount and types of forest cover, the amount and type of wetlands,
a discussion of existing agriculture activities on the site, the soil
types, the topography, etc.
(b)
A discussion of the proposed development project,
including number and type of residential units, amount of impervious
surfaces, proposed sewer treatment and water supply, acreage devoted
to development, proposed open space and habitat protection areas.
(c)
A discussion of the proposed development's impacts
on water quality and habitat protection areas.
(d)
Documentation of all correspondence and findings.
A.
All applications for development of commercial marinas,
maritime commercial or industrial uses or other water-related uses,
except private piers, in the critical area shall prepare a site plan
as above and shall also include the following information:
(1)
Water depth contours shown at two-foot intervals at
mean low water taken by sounding, unless otherwise specified.
(2)
Existing and proposed regraded surface of the land.
(3)
The location of natural features and the drainage
area of all nontidal wetlands.
(4)
The location of all existing and proposed water-dependent
structures.
(5)
The location of all existing or proposed site improvements,
including storm drains, culverts, retaining walls and fences.
(6)
Description, method and location of water supply and
sewage disposal facilities.
(7)
The mean high- and low-water line.
(8)
All existing and proposed piers, buoys, launching
ramps and shore protection structures.
(9)
The location and dimensions of all areas to be dredged,
including present and proposed depths.
(10)
The volume of dredge spoil to be removed, the
type of material, the location and dimensions of disposal area(s),
including dikes.
(11)
The location of all existing and proposed land-based
buildings and structures on the site, proposed maintenance and repair
activities and a description of uses and activities to be conducted
in each.
(12)
The location and dimensions of all boat launching
ramps.
(13)
The location and dimensions of all boat slips
and mooring buoys.
(14)
The location of fuel dock and gasoline storage
tanks.
(15)
The location of all required buffer/yards/building
restriction lines.
B.
Applications for water-dependent use shall be accompanied
by an environmental assessment report which indicates how the proposed
project achieves the following criteria:
(1)
That the activities will not significantly alter existing
water circulation patterns or salinity regimes.
(2)
That the water body upon which these activities are
proposed has adequate flushing characteristics at the site.
(3)
That disturbance to wetlands, submerged aquatic plant
beds or other areas of important aquatic habitats will be minimized.
(4)
That adverse impacts to water quality that may occur
as a result of these activities, such as non-point source runoff,
sewage discharge from land activities or vessels or from boat cleaning
and maintenance operations is minimized.
(5)
That shellfish beds will not be disturbed or be made
subject to discharge that will render them unsuitable for harvesting.
(6)
That dredging shall be conducted in a manner and using
a method which causes the least disturbance to water quality and aquatic
and terrestrial habitats in the area immediately surrounding the dredging
operation or within the critical area.
(7)
That dredged spoil, except for clean sand for beach
nourishment, will not be placed within the Buffer or elsewhere in
that portion of the critical area which has been designated as a habitat
protection area.
(8)
That interference with the natural transport of sand
will be minimized.
(9)
That no disturbances will occur to aquatic areas of
historic waterfowl staging and concentration areas.
A.
Procedure for preparation.
(1)
Site plans shall be prepared and certified by an engineer,
architect, landscape architect or land surveyor duly registered to
practice in the State of Maryland.
(2)
All site plans shall clearly show the information
required by this article.
(3)
If such plans are prepared in more than one sheet,
match lines shall clearly indicate where the several sheets join,
and an index sheet shall be required.
(4)
Every site plan shall show the name and address of
the owner and developer, the election district, North point, date,
scale of the drawing and the number of sheets. Five clearly legible
copies of all site plans shall be submitted to the Planning Director
(who may require that additional copies be provided when necessary).
B.
Procedure for processing.
(1)
Upon receipt of the site plan, the Planning Director
shall conduct a review soliciting technical comments from other departments,
agencies and officials as the Department of Planning, Zoning and Community
Development may deem appropriate.
(2)
The site plan shall be preliminarily approved, subject
to final approval of a Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas compliance certificate,
if it meets the requirements of this article, the other requirements
of this chapter and all other federal, state and County regulations
and all necessary permits and approvals have been obtained.
(3)
The Planning Director shall review all applications
within 60 days from filing to determine compliance with the application
requirements of this chapter for developments within the critical
area. Any application not in compliance shall be rejected.
(4)
Notice of such action shall be given in writing to
the applicant.
A.
Upon final approval of a site plan and receipt of
final Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas compliance certificate, the applicant
shall then secure the necessary construction permits from appropriate
agencies before commencing work. The applicant may construct only
such improvements as have been certified by the Planning Director
as being in compliance with a final Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas
compliance certificate.
B.
After construction has been completed, inspection
of site improvements shall be made by those departments specified
by the applicable requirements.
C.
For residential developments, mobile home parks and
campgrounds, the approved site plan shall be recorded in the office
of the Clerk of the Court. Prior to recording, an agreement guaranteeing
the construction of all required improvements shall be executed between
the developer and the County.
D.
The installation of improvements shall not bind the
County to accept such improvements or the maintenance, repair and
operation thereof; requirements for said improvements shall be in
addition to (and not in lieu of) any other legal requirements.
Approval of site plans shall be for a one-year
period and shall expire at the end of that period unless building
construction has begun. Upon written request by the applicant, within
90 days of the expiration of said approval, a one-year extension may
be given by the Planning Director. Such request shall be acknowledged,
and a decision rendered thereupon, not more than 30 days after filing
of said request.
