Prior to the official filing of a preliminary plat, the subdivider, his planner, or representative should consult with and present a proposed plan of subdivision to the city planner for comments and advice on the procedures, specifications and standards required by the city for the subdivision of land.
(1966 Code, § 26½-10)
The subdivider shall cause to be prepared a preliminary plat by a registered public surveyor and certified engineer, registered to practice in this state, in accordance with this chapter for review by the city planning department before the filing of the subdivision plat with the planning and zoning commission. The subdivider shall also furnish the city with sufficient evidence of legal title in and to the subject property along with sufficient evidence of a record of any lienholders holding security interest in the property in lieu of a title report. The furnishing of this preliminary plat is for the purpose of determining whether such plat is sufficient for review by the planning and zoning commission as required under V.T.C.A., Local Government Code § 212.001 et seq., and the 30-day limitation imposed on the planning and zoning commission for consideration of a plat shall not commence until such plat is placed on the agenda of the planning and zoning commission.
(1966 Code, § 26½-11(a); Ordinance 1991-88-A, § III(A), adopted 11/27/1991; Ordinance 1993-59, § I, adopted 8/23/1993)
(a) 
The subdivider shall file six blue or black line copies of the preliminary plat together with the original, with the city planner at least 15 days prior to the date at which formal application for the preliminary plat approval is made to the planning and zoning commission.
(b) 
The preliminary plat shall be accompanied by a filing fee per plat which is on file in the city secretary's office. No action by the planning and zoning commission shall be valid until the filing fee has been paid. This fee shall not be refunded should the subdivider fail to make formal application for preliminary plat approval or should the plat be disapproved by the planning and zoning commission.
(1966 Code, § 26½-11(B), (C))
The preliminary plat shall be drawn to a scale of 100 feet to one inch. When more than one sheet is necessary to accommodate the entire area, an index sheet showing the entire subdivision at an appropriate scale shall be attached to the plat. The plat shall show the following:
(a) 
Names and addresses of the subdivider, record of owner(s) of land to be subdivided, and the engineer and/or surveyor preparing the plat.
(b) 
Proposed name of the subdivision, which shall not have the same spelling as or be pronounced similar to the name of any other subdivision located within the city or within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city.
(c) 
Description by metes and bounds of the subdivision.
(d) 
Primary control points, description and location and ties to such control points from which all dimensions, angles, bearings, block numbers and similar data shall be referred. Control point designations shall meet all requirements of the appropriate state statutes.
(e) 
Subdivision boundary lines shall be indicated by heavy lines, and the actual acreage of the subdivision shown.
(f) 
Existing conditions, as follows:
(1) 
The exact locations, dimensions, names and descriptions of all existing or recorded streets, alleys, reservations, easements or other public rights-of-way within the subdivision, intersecting or contiguous with its boundaries or forming such boundaries.
(2) 
The exact location, dimensions, description and flow line of existing watercourses and drainage structures within the subdivision or on contiguous tracts.
(3) 
The exact location, dimensions, descriptions and name of all existing or recorded residential lots, parks, public areas, permanent structures and other sites within or contiguous with the subdivision.
(g) 
The exact location, dimensions, grade, descriptions and names of all proposed streets, alleys, drainage structures and irrigation lines; location of electric, gas, telephone, television cable, parks, other public areas, reservations, easements, or other rights-of-way, blocks, lots and other sites within the subdivision.
(h) 
Date of preparation, scale of plat and north arrow.
(i) 
Topographic information which shall include elevations on 100-foot centers each way on the property, including elevations of flow line of gutters, centerlines of streets and drainageways, and shall include contour lines at a vertical interval that will accurately show the slope and shape of the existing ground. An engineer's detailed statement describing the drainage patterns of the subdivision and the adequacy of the proposed plan shall also be included. Topographic and utility details shall be shown on a separate plat.
(j) 
A number or letter to identify each lot or site and each block.
(k) 
Front, rear and side yard building setbacks lines as set out in Chapter 138 as applicable for the proposed use for all lots and sites.
(l) 
Location of the city's corporate limits lines, the outer border of the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction, and zoning district boundaries, if they traverse the subdivision, form part of the boundary of the subdivision, or are contiguous to such boundary.
(m) 
Restrictive covenants imposed on the land, if desired by the subdivider, are to be shown on the plat, or on a separate document to be made a part thereof, or recorded by separate document in the office of the county clerk. If not shown on the recorded plat, a copy of such restrictions, with recording data thereon, shall be furnished to the city.
(n) 
Irrigation canals: No open irrigation canals, except main canals, shall be permitted within a subdivision. The subdivider shall place such canal underground if its continued use is required by the water district. If an existing canal, except the main canal of Hidalgo County Water Control and Improvement District Number Three, is partly included within the boundaries of the land from which the subdivision is made, the subdivider or developer, if the developer or subdivider and the owner of the adjacent land do not agree jointly to place such canal underground when its continued use is required by the water district, shall deposit in escrow with the city public utility, as the case may be, a sufficient sum of money, based on current cost at the time, to pay for his share of the cost to place such canal underground. Should it develop thereafter that the continued use of such canal not be required, and it has not been placed underground in the meantime, such escrow fund, without interest, shall be returned to the depositor.
(o) 
Vicinity sketch or map at a scale of not more than 100 feet to an inch, which shall show existing subdivisions, streets, easements, rights-of-way, parks and public facilities in the vicinity, the general drainage plan and ultimate destination of water, and possible storm sewer, water, gas, electric and sanitary sewer connections by arrows.
(p) 
No more than one single family detached dwelling shall be located on each lot.
(1966 Code, § 26½-11(D); Ordinance 2000-89, § 4, adopted 11/27/2000)
(a) 
The city planner shall check the preliminary plat as to its conformity with the general plan, major street plan, land use plan, zoning districts and the standards and specifications set forth in this chapter or referred to in this chapter.
(b) 
The city engineer shall review all proposed subdivision plats to determine if the proposed subdivision is reasonably safe from flooding and that the grade inclinations for all streets, alleys and lots are established and recorded on the plat to assure maximum drainage within the dictates of the general topography of the platted area and the areas surrounding the subdivision.
(c) 
It shall also be determined that all public utilities and facilities are located and planned to minimize or eliminate flood damage.
(d) 
Mandatory referral. Within ten days of receipt, all preliminary plats of subdivisions of land within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction submitted by the developer to the planning and zoning commission will be referred as follows:
(1) 
For review and comment by the various departments of the City of McAllen;
(2) 
For informational purposes, the applicable independent school district, and franchised gas, electrical, water supply, telecommunications and cable television companies and any applicable irrigation district or water control and improvement district;
(3) 
To the city public utility board for water and sewer utilities approval.
(e) 
The city planner shall return the preliminary plat and accompanying data to the planning and zoning commission with recommendations as to modifications, additions or alterations of such plat data.
(f) 
Within 30 days after the preliminary plat is formally filed with the planning and zoning commission, the planning and zoning commission shall approve the preliminary plat; disapprove the preliminary plat; or conditionally approve the preliminary plat with modifications. The city planner shall inform the subdivider of the reasons for disapproval or conditional approval of the preliminary plat at the time such action is taken, unless the subdivider is present at such meeting.
(g) 
Approval of a preliminary plat by the planning and zoning commission shall be deemed as an expression of approval of the layout submitted on the preliminary plat and is contingent on public utility board approval. The approved preliminary plat shall act as a guide for the installation of streets, water, sewer and other required improvements and utilities for the preparation of the final or recorded plat. Approval or conditional approval of a preliminary plat shall not constitute an automatic approval of the final plat.
(h) 
Approval or conditional approval of a preliminary plat shall be effective for only one year unless reviewed by the planning and zoning commission in the light of new or significant information which would necessitate a revision of the preliminary plat. If the planning and zoning commission should deem changes in a preliminary plat as necessary, it shall so inform the subdivider in writing.
(i) 
If no development has occurred which would affect the proposed preliminary plat after one year of effective approval, the planning and zoning commission may, upon the application of the subdivider, extend the approval for an additional six months. At the end of this six-month extension, the preliminary approval shall be revoked in writing by the city to the subdivider.
(j) 
Approval of the preliminary plat may be considered as approval of the final plat if no changes are required by the planning and zoning commission and all requirements of this chapter are included on the plat.
(1966 Code, § 26½-11(E); Ordinance 1991-88-A, § III, adopted 11/27/1991; Ordinance 1998-15, § I, adopted 1/26/1998; Ordinance 1998-118, § 1, adopted 11/23/1998)