(A) 
Purpose.
The purpose of a Preliminary Plat is to establish the general layout of the proposed subdivision, the adequacy of public facilities needed to serve the intended development, and the overall compliance of the proposed land division with applicable requirements of this GDC.
(B) 
Applicability.
(1) 
A Preliminary Plat is required for all single-family detached, two-family residential, and townhouse developments having two or more lots, unless the Planning Director determines that a Preliminary Plat is not needed and an exemption from this requirement is therefore granted by the Director.
(2) 
A Preliminary Plat is not required for multifamily or nonresidential developments, unless the Planning Director determines that the submission, review and approval of a Preliminary Plat is necessary for public health, safety or welfare reasons.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15)
(A) 
Application Submission and Processing.
A completed application for Preliminary Plat approval must be submitted, and will be processed, in accordance with Section 3.06 of this Chapter 3 and the procedures set forth in the City’s Development Application Packet, as amended.
(B) 
Pre-Filing Meeting.
All applicants intending to submit a Preliminary Plat application shall attend a Pre-Filing Meeting with the Development Review Committee (DRC) in accordance with Chapter 1, Section 1.15.
(C) 
Accompanying Applications.
Before filing an application for a Preliminary Plat, the applicant must submit full Site Engineering Drawings and a Working Plat. The Working Plat shall be reviewed and must achieve acceptable status prior to submission of the Plat application. However, approval of the Plat application and approval of the Site Engineering Drawings are separate approvals. The approvals are governed by Division 2 of Article 2 of this Chapter 3 for the Preliminary Plat, and by Division 1 of Article 6 of this Chapter 3 for the Site Engineering Drawings.
(D) 
Review Process.
A Preliminary Plat application shall be reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC) and the Planning Director. The standards of review and approval process for a Preliminary Plat are set forth in the City’s Development Application Packet, as amended.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7055, sec. 7, adopted 5/7/19; Ordinance 7107, sec. 39, adopted 12/3/19)
(A) 
Review and Determination.
The Planning Director shall review the Preliminary Plat application, findings of the DRC, and any other information submitted with the application or supplied by City staff. From all such information, the Planning Director shall determine whether the Preliminary Plat application complies with this GDC and the City Development Application Packet, as amended.
(B) 
Action by Plan Director.
The Planning Director shall either approve the Preliminary Plat as submitted by the applicant or deny the Preliminary Plat, using the standards set forth in Section 3.10 below.
(C) 
Appeal.
The applicant may appeal a decision of the Planning Director to deny a Preliminary Plat to the Plan Commission. Such appeal shall be processed and decided in accordance with applicable provisions of Article 1, Division 1 of Chapter 5 of this GDC.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7573 adopted 3/4/2025)
(A) 
The following criteria shall be used to determine whether the application for a Preliminary Plat shall be approved or denied:
(1) 
The Preliminary Plat is consistent with all zoning requirements for the property, including any applicable PD/SUP zoning standards, and with any approved development agreements, if applicable;
(2) 
The proposed means of providing, and the configuration of public improvements, including but not limited to, roads, water, wastewater, storm drainage, park facilities, open spaces, easements and rights-of-way are adequate to serve the development, meet applicable standards of this GDC, and conform to the City’s adopted master plans for those facilities;
(3) 
The Preliminary Plat has been duly reviewed by applicable City staff;
(4) 
All required easements, the design of all lots, and the provision of required monumentation are in accordance with Article 5, Division 12 of this Chapter 3;
(5) 
The Preliminary Plat conforms to design requirements and construction standards as set forth in the City’s Technical Standards; and
(6) 
The Preliminary Plat conforms to application submission requirements in the City’s Development Application Packet, as amended.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15)
(A) 
Right to Proceed.
The approval of a Preliminary Plat application shall allow the applicant to continue applying for and obtaining a Site Permit. The Final Plat application shall be submitted, approved by the City, and filed for record with the applicable county prior to issuance of any Building Permit for the property.
(B) 
Installation of Subdivision Improvements.
(1) 
Approval of the Preliminary Plat constitutes general approval of the layout illustrated on the Preliminary Plat as a guide to the installation of streets, water, sewer, storm drainage, and other improvements that are planned or required to serve the proposed development.
(2) 
Approval of the Preliminary Plat does not constitute approval of the proposed development's final Site Engineering Drawings, nor shall approval of the Preliminary Plat be construed to mean acceptance by the public of the dedication of any roads, utilities, drainageways, or other such land and improvement dedications.
(3) 
Construction of all subdivision improvements shall be based upon the approved Site Engineering Drawings, in accordance with Division 1 of Article 6 of this Chapter 3, specifically, and Articles 4, 5 and 6 of this Chapter 3, generally.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7573 adopted 3/4/2025)
(A) 
Validity.
The approval of a Preliminary Plat application shall remain in effect for two years (that is, 730 calendar days) following the date of approval by the Planning Director (or by the Plan Commission, on appeal, if the Preliminary Plat was denied by the Planning Director).
(B) 
Expiration & Extension.
(1) 
Two-Year Validity.
If the Site Engineering Drawings have not been approved within the two-year period, the approved Preliminary Plat application expires and shall be null and void.
(2) 
Portion of Preliminary Plat Submitted for Construction.
If Site Engineering Drawings have been approved for only a portion of the land covered in the approved Preliminary Plat within the two-year period, as may be the case for a phased development, the remaining portion of the Preliminary Plat continues to be valid for the remainder of the two-year period. The first phase, and every subsequent phase, of a phased development shall be designed, and shall have all required public improvements constructed, to exist independently, all of which shall conform to the City's Technical Standards in the same manner as if for a single-phase development.
(3) 
Relationship to Site Engineering Drawings.
A Preliminary Plat shall remain valid for the period of time in which approved Site Engineering Drawings are valid, as long as forward progress on the development is underway and ongoing.
(4) 
Extension.
The Preliminary Plat application, or portion thereof in the case of a phased development, may be extended if a request for extension is made in writing to the Planning Director at least thirty calendar days prior to expiration of the Preliminary Plat. Such written request shall include reasons why the Plat should be extended. The Planning Director shall review the extension request, and shall take one of the following actions:
(a) 
Approve the extension request for one year (that is, 365 calendar days);
(b) 
Approve the extension request for a shorter or longer period of time, or with conditions the Planning Director deems appropriate to protect the public health, safety and welfare; or
(c) 
Deny the extension request.
(5) 
Extension and Vested Rights.
In deciding a request for an extension of a Preliminary Plat, the Planning Director may consider whether the applicant is willing to waive, in writing, the vesting of rights under the application for a Preliminary Plat.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15; Ordinance 7573 adopted 3/4/2025)
(A) 
Minor Amendments.
Minor amendments in the design of the subdivision for which a Preliminary Plat has been approved may be incorporated into an application for approval of Site Engineering Drawings or a Final Plat without the necessity of submitting a new application for re-approval of a Preliminary Plat. Minor amendments include minor adjustments in street or alley alignments, minor adjustments to easements that result during preparation of the Site Engineering Drawings (provided that such adjustments do not compromise the intended use and function of the property), and minor adjustments in lot lines that do not result in creation of additional lots or any nonconforming lots, provided that all such amendments are consistent with applicable approved prior applications.
(B) 
Major Amendments.
All other proposed amendments to the design of the subdivision for which a Preliminary Plat has been approved are considered major amendments that require the submittal and approval of a new application for re-approval of a Preliminary Plat before approval of the Site Engineering Drawings or of a Final Plat.
(C) 
Determination.
The Planning Director shall, consistent with the provisions of this Section, make a determination of whether proposed amendments are deemed to be minor or shall require new submittal and re-approval of a Preliminary Plat.
(Ordinance 6773 adopted 5/19/15)