For the purpose of present and future development of the City and for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, morals, and welfare of persons living within the territory governed, this code and provisions hereinafter contained shall govern the subdividing, resubdividing and platting of lands lying within the area of jurisdiction of the City. The standards herein set forth shall be intended for the purpose of ensuring orderly growth and development, and will be administered to ensure the conservation, protection, and proper use of land, adequate provisions for traffic circulation, utilities and services. The standards shall include the following:
A. 
The proper location and width of streets and the proper location of building setback lines, open spaces, recreational areas and public lands.
B. 
The avoidance of conditions which would lead to the creation of blighted areas.
C. 
The avoidance of overcrowding of population and congestion of vehicular traffic.
D. 
Proper grading and improvement of streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and provision of water, sewer, stormwater drainage and erosion control.
E. 
The provision of adequate space for traffic and utility facilities; for access of emergency apparatus; for the control of the number, spacing, type and design of access points to existing or future streets; for minimum width, depth, and area of lots; for adequate light and air; and for a proper distribution of population.
F. 
Provision of adequate right-of-way easements such that extensions are continued within subdivisions and may be continued to adjacent lands.
A. 
Final plat required. No lot, tract or parcel of land within any subdivision, as defined herein, may be conveyed unless a final plat of the property has been approved according to the requirements and provisions of this code, and recorded in the office of the County Recorder of Deeds.
B. 
Jurisdiction outside corporate boundaries. The City shall exercise its subdivision jurisdiction within 1 1/2 miles from its corporate boundaries in accordance with the adopted Comprehensive Plan, the laws of the State of Illinois, and City subdivision regulations shall apply within that 1 1/2-mile area. Any plat within that 1 1/2-mile area shall be submitted to the City for its review and approval or disapproval.
C. 
The provisions of this code do not apply and no subdivision plat shall be required for the sale or exchange of lots or parcels or parts of lots or parcels of land between the owners of adjoining and contiguous land, provided all of the resulting subdivision lots or parcels shall conform to the requirements of the City's Subdivision Code, the City's Zoning Code, and the other applicable codes and ordinances of the City and the state laws pertaining thereto. However, in the subdivision of land in such sales or exchanges, the owner of the land subdivided shall be required to have a survey plat of the subdivision prepared by an Illinois registered land surveyor and to have it approved by the City Council in order to verify compliance with the City's codes and ordinances and state laws pertaining thereto. Said survey plats shall be required to be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds of the county or counties in which the subdivided land is located and thereafter a copy thereof filed with the City Clerk.
[Added 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 1784]
D. 
Subdivision plats not required.
[Added 6-5-2006 by Ord. No. 2469[1]]
(1) 
The provisions of this code do not apply, and no subdivision plat shall be required by this code in any of the following instances:
(a) 
The sale or exchange of parcels of land between owners of adjoining and contiguous land;
(b) 
The conveyance of parcels of land or interests therein for use as a right-of-way for railroads or other public utility facilities and other pipelines which do not involve any new streets or easements of access;
(c) 
The conveyance of land owned by a railroad or other public utility which does not involve any new streets or easements of access;
(d) 
The conveyance of land for highway or other public purpose or grants or conveyances relating to the dedication of land for public use or instruments relating to the vacation of land impressed with a public use; and
(e) 
Conveyances made to correct descriptions in prior conveyances.
(2) 
Under Subsection D(1)(a) above, where a subdivision plat is not required for the sale or exchange of parcels of land between owners of adjoining and contiguous land, a plat of survey shall be required as is more particularly made and provided for in Subsection C hereof.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided that it shall be in full force and effect retroactive to 4-9-1979 when the original 1979 Code of Ordinances of the City of Columbia, Illinois was adopted (due to an emergency need to cure City right-of-way acquisitions that did not involve subdivision plats), from and after its passage, as provided by law.
This code is intended as minimum requirements to achieve the purpose stated above in § 300-1.1. If any other provision of law relates to any matter covered herein, the regulation providing the higher standards shall apply.