(A) 
Initiation by Owner.
Unless otherwise expressly provided by this GDC, a development application or other petition authorized by this GDC may be initiated only in writing by, and bearing the original signature of, the actual owner of the land subject to the application, or by the owner’s duly authorized representative. If the applicant is a designated representative, the application shall include a written and notarized statement from the property owner authorizing the representative to file the application on the owner’s behalf. The responsible official may establish the type of documents needed to determine ownership or agency.
(B) 
Initiation by City.
A duly authorized representative of the City may initiate any application authorized under this GDC.
(C) 
Development Application Fee.
Unless an applicant elects to participate in the Pre-Filing Process, the development application fee, as set by the City Fee Schedule, shall be due at the time the applicant files the application with the Planning Director.
(D) 
Application Appointments.
Zoning, development plan, redevelopment, concept plan, or land subdivision applications may be filed, by appointment only, with the Planning Director, upon the date and time identified in the Development Application Schedule, as provided in Section 1.18 of this GDC. The Planning Director may limit the number of applications filed on a particular day if the Planning Director determines that it is not administratively feasible to process any additional applications within 30 days.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7079, sec. 9, adopted 8/20/19; Ordinance 7107, sec. 3, adopted 12/3/19; Ordinance 7524 adopted 4/16/2024)
Editor's note–Former § 1.15 pertaining to the pre-filing process, was deleted in its entirety by Ordinance 7524 adopted 4/16/2024. Prior to the deletion this section derived from the following: Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7079, sec. 10, adopted 8/20/19; Ordinance 7107, sec. 4, adopted 12/3/19.
Editor's note–Former § 1.16 pertaining to “complete application & expiration” and deriving from Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/19, was repealed in its entirety by Ordinance 7079, sec. 11, adopted 8/20/19.
Notwithstanding the requirements of Division 1 of Article 2, Chapter 1 of this GDC, the responsible official may waive the submission of any information in the application and accompanying materials that the responsible official determines is not necessary due to the scope and nature of the proposed project.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7107, sec. 5, adopted 12/3/19)
(A) 
Applications may only be submitted by appointment on an Official Submission Date as set in the Development Application Schedule.
(1) 
Exception.
If a plat application has a Working Plat that achieved acceptable status as contemplated in Chapter 3, [Article 2,] Divisions 1, 2, and 3 of this GDC, the plat application may be filed by hand delivering it to the Planning Department during normal business hours. A plat application filed in this manner must attach evidence of the Working Plat having achieved acceptable status. A plat application lacking evidence that the Working Plat achieved Working Status shall be discarded as abandoned property in accordance with Subsection (E).
(B) 
The Director of Planning shall determine and publish the Development Application Schedule in advance of each calendar year.
(1) 
The Director of Planning shall identify at least eighteen Official Submission Dates for each calendar year.
(2) 
Each calendar month other than December shall have at least one Official Submission Date.
(C) 
On each Official Submission Date, the Director of Planning, or his designee, shall identify a time period during which any appointments to submit applications must be set.
(1) 
At least four hours must be set aside on each Official Submission Date for such appointments.
(2) 
The time period for application appointments must fall within normal City business hours.
(3) 
Each appointment shall be of sufficient length to consider the application(s) at issue. The Director of Planning shall determine the amount of time necessary to consider a given application.
(D) 
The time period established by this GDC for processing or deciding an application shall commence on the date on which the applicant formally submits his or her application to the Planning Director as per this Section.
(E) 
Applications which are mailed to the Planning Department, left at the Planning Department, or otherwise delivered to the City of Garland in any fashion and on any date or time other than at a formal appointment for submission as described in this Section 1.18 shall discarded as abandoned property and shall not be considered.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7079, sec. 12, adopted 8/20/19; Ordinance 7107, sec. 6, adopted 12/3/19)
The applicant may modify a complete application following its submission and prior to expiration of the period during which the City is required to act on the application, if the modification is for revisions requested by the City, and is received by the Director of Planning at least seven calendar days prior to the time scheduled for decision on the application. In the event the applicant voluntarily elects to extend the period during which the City is required to act on the application, then the applicant may modify any complete application following its submission if the modification is received by the Planning Director at least seven calendar days prior to the time the applicant voluntarily elected to schedule for a decision on the application. The voluntary extension of time may not exceed a period of thirty days from the date on which the application was originally set for hearing.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7079, sec. 13, adopted 8/20/19)
Unless another method is expressly provided by this GDC (see Section 1.19), any request to amend or revise a submitted application shall be considered a new application and must be decided in accordance with the procedures governing an original application and the standards in effect at the time such new application is filed with the City.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7079, sec. 14, adopted 8/20/19)
(A) 
Requirement.
In the event a prospective applicant elects to participate in the pre-filing process, the prospective applicant may be required to attend one or more technical review meetings with the DRC, including the responsible official.
(B) 
Purpose.
The purpose of a technical review meeting is to allow the prospective applicant to review his or her proposed development application files and working documents with the DRC. Comments compiled from each City department as part of their review of the files and working documents shall be provided to the prospective applicant at the meeting. The comments shall provide information about necessary modifications needed for the proposed development application to meet City codes, development regulations and processes that are applicable to the proposed application.
(C) 
Applications Requiring Technical Review Meeting.
Pre-filing documents and working files that require a technical review meeting (unless otherwise determined as unnecessary by the City) include documents related to a proposed application for the following:
(1) 
Specific Use Provision;
(2) 
Concept Plan (submitted as part of a Planned Development application);
(3) 
Alternative compliance development process (if applicable);
(4) 
House conversions (such as conversion from residential to nonresidential use); or
(5) 
Any other proposed application as determined by the Planning Director.
(D) 
Effect.
Following the technical review meeting with the DRC, the prospective applicant may proceed with making the necessary modifications discussed. Once all modifications have been made and the revisions to the pre-filing documents have been submitted to the Planning Director for review, the Planning Director shall make the determination as to whether the pre-filing process has been completed or whether additional modifications of the proposed application are needed.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7055, sec. 1, adopted 5/7/19; Ordinance 7079, sec. 15, adopted 8/20/19; Ordinance 7107, sec. 7, adopted 12/3/19; Ordinance 7524 adopted 4/16/2024)
(A) 
Purpose.
The purpose of a Pre-Construction Meeting is to discuss administrative, communication and operating procedures for project construction prior to the issuance of a Site Permit (see Chapter 4, Article 1, Division 3) or Building Permit (see Chapter 4, Article 1, Division 4). A list of typical inspection items, procedures and acceptance criteria for items in public right-of-way and easements will be also be furnished to the applicant.
(B) 
Requirement.
Following the approval of required Site Engineering Drawings and prior to commencement of any construction, the applicant(s) shall attend a required Pre-Construction Meeting with the Engineering Department. Applicants must begin construction within sixty (60) days of any Pre-Construction Meeting. If an applicant fails to begin construction within sixty (60) days, an additional Pre-Construction Meeting shall be held and the deadline for commencement of construction shall be extended an additional sixty (60) days from said meeting to begin construction. Projects that require a Pre-Construction Meeting are those for which a Site Permit or a Building Permit is required.
(C) 
Notice.
(1) 
When the applicant receives notice from the City that the required Site Engineering Drawings have been approved, the project will then be eligible for the required Pre-Construction Meeting.
(2) 
If appropriate, a single Pre-Construction Meeting may be held for the issuance of both a Site Permit and a Building Permit. However, if the applicant chooses to begin construction of the project prior to approval of a Building Permit, two separate Pre-Construction Meetings shall be required.
(D) 
Written Records.
Written records of Pre-Construction Meetings shall be kept in the office of the Engineering Department as part of the record for each development application or project. A copy of the written record of the Pre-Construction Meeting shall also be provided to any applicant participating in such meeting upon written request by such participant.
(E) 
Effect.
Following the Pre-Construction Meeting, and provided that all other City pre-construction requirements have been met, the applicant shall be issued a Site Permit (and possibly also a Building Permit, if applicable and if all City requirements for a Building Permit have also been met) which allows the applicant to commence with construction of the project.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7055, sec. 2, adopted 5/7/19)
Every application shall be accompanied by the prescribed fees set forth in the City’s fee schedule (see the City’s Development Application Packet as well as applicable sections in the City Code and this GDC). The prescribed fees shall not be refundable, except when the City Council waives the application fee for re-submission of an application that was denied. Fifty percent of the prescribed fee may be refunded to the applicant if an application is withdrawn prior to written or public notification, if such is required. The fee schedule may be amended from time to time by the City Council.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7107, sec. 8, adopted 12/3/19)