(a) 
Authority.
These subdivision regulations are adopted under the authority of Tex. Loc. Gov't Code Ch. 212, subchapters A and B. The subdivision regulations expressly extend to all areas inside the City limits and throughout the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction.
(b) 
Applicability.
The subdivision regulations apply to any non-exempt land division or development within the corporate boundaries of the City and within its extraterritorial jurisdiction. A final plat, a development plat or a minor plat shall be approved prior to any non-exempt land division or development.
(c) 
Subdivision Plat Exemptions.
The following land divisions are exempt from the requirements of the subdivision regulations applicable to subdivision plats:
(1) 
Sale, inheritance, or gift of land by metes and bounds of tracts upon which no improvements, development, subdivision or alteration are intended;
(2) 
Use of existing cemeteries complying with all State and local laws and regulations;
(3) 
A division of land created by order of a court of competent jurisdiction;
(4) 
A division of land that results in the creation of two or more parcels, each of which is greater than five acres inside the City limits, or each of which is greater than ten acres within the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction, when each parcel has direct access to an existing public street, and no dedication of public facilities is required under these subdivision regulations in connection with the division; and
(5) 
Creation of a remainder tract.
(d) 
Development Plat Exemptions.
The following land divisions are exempt from the requirements of the subdivision regulations applicable to development plats:
(1) 
Any development activity associated with a subdivision plat that conforms to the requirements of these regulations applicable to such plats;
(2) 
Sale, inheritance, or gift of land by metes and bounds of tracts upon which no improvements, development, subdivision or alteration are intended;
(3) 
Use of existing cemeteries complying with all State and local laws and regulations;
(4) 
Bona fide agricultural activities;
(5) 
Construction of agricultural accessory structures and related development activities; and
(6) 
Construction of a single-family dwelling and related accessory structures and development activities.
(e) 
Waiver of Regulations by Council.
The City may waive any regulation contained herein upon determining, by the Council, that the observance of such regulation would create an unnecessary hardship and/or such regulation is not applicable to the development or current policies of the City.
(Ordinance 2011-03-161 adopted 6/21/11)
(a) 
Inside City.
Within city limits, a subdivision plat may be approved in two stages:
(1) 
Preliminary Plat; and
(2) 
Final Plat.
(b) 
Within ETJ.
Within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City, only a final plat is authorized, unless the land to be platted is subject to an approved development agreement, in which case a preliminary plat application may be submitted, as authorized by the agreement.
(c) 
Combined Plats Prohibited.
An applicant may not submit applications for approval of a preliminary plat and a final plat simultaneously.
(d) 
Development Plats.
A development plat shall be approved prior to development of any tract or parcel for which no subdivision plat is required, or prior to development of any lot in a subdivision for which dedication of any right-of-way for construction or maintenance of public improvements is required by these regulations. A development plat shall be required prior to approval of a manufactured home rental community.
(Ordinance 2011-03-161 adopted 6/21/11)
For the purpose of interpreting these subdivision regulations, certain terms, phrases and words used herein shall have the meaning hereinafter as follows:
Alley:
A minor public right-of-way, not intended to provide the primary means of access to abutting lots, which is used primarily for vehicular and utility service access to the back or side of properties otherwise abutting on a street.
Amending Plat:
A revised plat correcting errors or making minor changes to the original recorded final plat.
Building Setback Line:
the line on a plat delineating the nearest point to which buildings may be located to a street line, alley line or building lot line.
Commission:
The planning and zoning commission of the city.
Dead-end street:
A street, other than a cul-de-sac, with only one outlet.
Development Plat:
A plat authorized under Tex. Loc. Gov't Code ch. 212, subchapter B, depicting a lay-out of development for a proposed tract or lot and providing for supporting public facilities.
Engineer:
A person duly authorized under the provisions of the Texas Engineering Practice Act, as heretofore or hereafter amended, to practice the profession of engineering, and when reference is made to city engineer, the designation means either an engineer directly employed by the city or the city's engineering consultants, as the case may be.
Inspector:
A person duly authorized by the City Administrator who may be employed by the city or by the city's engineering consultants, as the case may be, and designated to inspect any portion or all of the construction performed in the subdivision either on a part-time or full-time basis. His duties shall consist of inspecting all work during construction and/or after completion to determine compliance with the plans, specifications and subdivision regulations, with authority to stop the work during construction for noncompletion, if the work is defective.
Local residential or minor street:
A public thoroughfare which is intended primarily to serve as access to residential property within a neighborhood interior or limited residential district and is not aligned or located to attract other than limited local traffic movements.
Lot:
An undivided tract or parcel of land having frontage on a public street and which is, or in the future, may be offered for sale, conveyance, transfer or improvement as a building site; which is designated as a district and separate tract.
Minor Plat:
A proposed plat with no more than four contiguous lots, with said lot or lots fronting on an existing street, and not requiring the creation of any new street or any public improvements.
Plat:
the map, drawings or chart on which a subdivider's or developer's plan is presented and which he submits for approval. The term “plat” includes a preliminary plat, final plat, minor plat or development plat, as the context may indicate.
Replatting (resubdivision):
Replatting is the rearranging of any part of a block, street, or alley of a previously platted subdivision.
Responsible Official:
The official designated by the City Administrator to process or make administrative decisions regarding the processing or application of standards to plat applications under these subdivision regulations.
Street width:
Street width is the shortest distance between the lines which delineate the right-of-way of the street.
Subdivider:
Any person or agent thereof, dividing or proposing to divide land so as to constitute a subdivision as that term is defined herein. In any event, the term “subdivider” shall be restricted to include only the owner, equitable owner or authorized agent of such owner, of the land sought to be subdivided.
Subdivision:
A division of any tract of land situated within the corporate limits, or within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city, into two (2) or more parts for the purpose of laying out any subdivision of any tracts of land or any addition of any town or city, or for laying out suburban lots or building lots, or any lots, and streets, alleys or parts or other portions intended for public use or the use of purchasers or owners of lots fronting thereon or adjacent thereto for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of creating building sites. Subdivision, does not include the division of the land for agricultural purposes in parcels or tracts of five (5) acres or more which do not involve the creation of any new street, alley or easement of access.
Surveyor:
A licensed state land surveyor or registered public surveyor as authorized by the state statutes to practice the profession of surveying.
TCSS Manual.
The City of New Fairview's Technical Construction Standards and Specifications for the design and construction of subdivision improvements, a copy of which is maintained and available for inspection at the office of the City Secretary, and which is incorporated herein by reference. Until such TCSS Manual is prepared and adopted the engineering standards set forth in Articles 6 and 7 of the Subdivision Rules and Regulations (Ord. 96-01-0005), shall be effective.
(Ordinance 2011-03-161 adopted 6/21/11)
For newly annexed land, no plat or permits may be approved for any use or lot that is not in conformity with the use, use intensity, lot size and dimensional standards for the lowest intensity residential zoning district in the City's adopted zoning ordinance, until the annexed property has been permanently classified on the zoning district map. Following annexation, no plat application will be deemed complete for any uses, intensity of use, dimensions or lot sizes not authorized in the lowest intensity zoning district, until the annexed property has been permanently classified on the zoning district map.
(Ordinance 2011-03-161 adopted 6/21/11)
(a) 
Time Period/or Action.
All plat applications shall be acted upon within 30 days from the date the application is determined to be complete pursuant to section 2-1, unless a waiver is submitted in accordance with subsection (b) below.
(b) 
Waiver Requests.
An applicant may request in writing a waiver of the decision time. The waiver request shall contain a statement of the reasons for the waiver and the time for which a waiver is sought. Waiver requests which have not been received by the responsible official on or before the fourth calendar day prior to the Commission meeting at which action is to be taken on the plat application shall be deemed denied and action shall be taken on the plat application at such meeting as scheduled.
(c) 
Action on the Waiver Request.
The decision-maker shall take action on the waiver request within the 30-day period for acting on the plat. Where the Commission or the Council is the decision-maker, action on the waiver request shall be taken at the meeting at which the plat is scheduled for decision. If the waiver is granted, action on the plat application shall be tabled for a time certain consistent with the approved waiver.
(Ordinance 2011-03-161 adopted 6/21/11)