Prior to filing an application for approval of a comprehensive development plan, preliminary subdivision plat, condominium plat, or certified survey map, the subdivider shall consult with the Plan Commission and/or its staff in order to obtain their advice and assistance. A conceptual plan of the proposed subdivision, condominium, or certified survey map shall be brought by the applicant to the meeting. This consultation is intended to inform the subdivider of the purpose and objectives of these regulations, the comprehensive plan or components thereof, and duly adopted plan implementation ordinances of the City and otherwise to assist the subdivider in planning the development. In doing so, both the subdivider and Plan Commission may reach mutual conclusions regarding the general objectives of the proposed development and its possible effects on the neighborhood and community, and the subdivider will gain a better understanding of the subsequent required procedures. The subdivider or agent shall pursue the following course for preapplication consultation.
A. 
The subdivider or agent shall prepare a site assessment checklist. The purpose of this site assessment checklist is to provide the basis for an orderly, systematic review of the effects of all new subdivisions upon the community environment according to the principles and procedures of § 236.45(1), Wis. Stats. The Plan Commission will use the assessment in determining compatibility with the Intent and Purpose of this chapter and land suitability under § 545-4B. The site assessment checklist shall apply to all land divisions, including minor subdivisions. The Plan Commission may waive the requirement for filing of a site assessment checklist for minor subdivisions of less than five acres total area.
B. 
The subdivider or agent shall prepare a concept plan prior to the preapplication consultation. The purpose of this concept plan is to depict the general intent of the subdivider in terms of general layout of the land division and its relationship to nearby properties, utilities, and other public facilities. In conjunction with the site assessment checklist, the concept plan provides an opportunity to review the general intent and impact of the proposed land division without the need for detailed engineering, surveying, and other time-consuming and costly processes associated with the preliminary plat. The concept plan requirement shall apply to all land divisions, including minor subdivisions. The Plan Commission may waive the requirement for the filing of a concept plan for minor subdivisions of less than five acres total area. The concept plan also shall include written request to the Public Works Commission for any water main and sanitary sewer extensions necessary to serve the proposed plat.
C. 
The applicant shall provide a signed statement listing development projects for which the applicant has received City approval in the last five years and indicating any outstanding performance or financial obligations on such projects that derive from application of City land use regulations. If this statement is found to contain information contrary to fact, to omit the listing of such projects or obligations, or to describe obligations on which performance or payment is delinquent, the application may be dismissed without prejudice until the application is corrected and/or the delinquency is cured.
D. 
On completion of the site assessment checklist and concept plan, a preapplication meeting shall be held with the Department of Public Works and Zoning Administrator to assist the subdivider in appraising the objectives of this chapter, the Comprehensive Plan, the Official Map, and any pertinent ordinances and to reach conclusions regarding the objectives and general program for the development. The subdivider is advised to consider revision of the submitted documents per the direction of the Department of Public Works and the Zoning Administrator prior to formal application submittal for any comprehensive development plan, preliminary subdivision plat, condominium plat, or certified survey map.
A. 
When the subdivider has 80 acres or more of land under his/her control, he or she may, where authorized by the Plan Commission, elect to file a comprehensive development plan (CDP) in lieu of a preliminary plat for that land not to be included in the first phase of the final plat.
B. 
The process for review of the CDP shall be identical to and shall coincide with review of the preliminary plat submitted for the remaining portion of the property.
C. 
The Plan Commission shall approve, conditionally approve, or reject the CDP within the same review period as required for the preliminary plat. One copy shall be returned to the applicant, including notification in writing of any conditions of approval or reasons for rejection.
D. 
Any subsequent change to the CDP and exhibits shall require filing with the Secretary of the Plan Commission. Within 30 days of filing, the Plan Commission shall approve, conditionally approve, or reject the revised CDP.
E. 
Regarding comprehensive development plan requirements, the CDP shall be submitted in 20 copies at a scale of not more than 200 feet to one inch and shall show all lands under the control of the applicant that are contiguous or separated only by existing public roads or railroad rights-of-way. The plan shall show:
(1) 
The items under required preliminary plat data in Subsection B.
(2) 
All proposed collector and arterial streets.
(3) 
All proposed stormwater drainage facilities.
(4) 
Projected population broken down by single-family and multifamily units.
(5) 
A further breakdown of multifamily units by the number of bedrooms on a percentage basis.
(6) 
The development schedule, indicating the approximate timing of the proposed development.
(7) 
A draft preliminary plat meeting the requirements of this chapter may be submitted after a minimum of 20 days after submitting the comprehensive development plan for that portion of land to be developed in the first stage.
Prior to submitting a final plat for approval, the subdivider shall prepare a preliminary plat and complete a site assessment checklist. The preliminary plat shall be prepared in according to this chapter, and the subdivider shall file an adequate number of copies and an electronic copy in a digital format as determined by the City Clerk.
A. 
Preliminary plat procedure.
(1) 
The preliminary plat shall include the entire area owned or controlled by the subdivider. The Plan Commission may waive this requirement to allow the subdivider to submit a comprehensive development plan (CDP) for that portion of the land which is not to be included in the final plat when the subdivider owns or controls 80 acres or more. The subdivider shall in all cases submit a preliminary plat for the lands to be included in the first phase of the final plat.
(2) 
Prior to Plan Commission review of a formal application for a preliminary plat, the subdivider shall meet with the Site Plan Review Committee to obtain feedback.
(3) 
The request for approval by the Plan Commission shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting of the Plan Commission at which the request is to be considered and shall include all data required by this chapter.
(4) 
Within two normal working days after filing, the City Clerk shall transmit an electronic copy of the preliminary plat to the Dodge or Jefferson County Planning Agency for review and comment.
(5) 
Pursuant to Section 236.12(2) of the Wisconsin Statutes, the subdivider shall submit an electronic or paper copy of the preliminary plat to the Director of Plat Review at the Wisconsin Department of Administration, who will prepare and forward copies of the plat at the subdivider's expense to the objecting agencies.
(6) 
Within 20 days of the date of receiving their copies of the preliminary plat, the objecting agencies shall notify the subdivider and all other approving and objecting agencies of any objections. If there are no objections, they shall certify that on the face of the copy of the plat and shall return that copy to the Wisconsin Department of Administration. The Department of Administration shall notify promptly the City Clerk if such certification is submitted by an objecting agency. If any objecting agency fails to act within 20 days and the Department of Administration fails to act within 30 days from the date on which they received the plat, they shall be deemed to have no objection to the plat and, upon demand, the Department of Administration shall certify that on the face of the plat.
(7) 
The Plan Commission shall review promptly the preliminary plat, after objections and comments have been received by the objecting and reviewing agencies and officials, for conformance with the intent and provisions of this chapter, all related plans and ordinances, and the recommendations of appropriate City committees and commissions. The Plan Commission shall recommend approval, denial, or approval with conditions.
(8) 
Within 90 days from the date submitted, the Common Council shall approve, approve conditionally, or reject the preliminary plat and, when included, the comprehensive development plan, based on its determination of conformance with the intent and provisions of this chapter, all related plans and ordinances, and the recommendations of appropriate City committees and commissions. Such time may be extended by a written agreement with the subdivider. Failure of the Common Council to act within such 90 days or extension thereof shall constitute an approval of the preliminary plat and comprehensive development plan. The reasons for conditional approval or rejection shall be stated in the minutes of the meeting, and a letter stating such reasons shall be sent to the applicant. Approval of a preliminary plat shall be valid for 36 months from the date of the last required approval of the preliminary plat.
(9) 
Replats are to be processed according to the provisions of § 236.36, Replats, of the Wisconsin Statutes.
(10) 
If the preliminary plat or certified survey map contains private road(s), the following note shall be added to the plat or CSM when it is presented for approval as a final plat:
Notice of Possible Limitation of Public Services
This plat or certified survey map contains private road(s) and, as a result, certain City services may be limited. The extent of these limitations is spelled out in a document called a City/developer agreement or, if this is a condominium plat, in a document called a general development plan (GDP), which directly relates to this plat or CSM and is filed as a public document in the offices of both the Watertown City Clerk/Treasurer and the Director of Public Works for the City of Watertown.
(11) 
The subdivider shall provide a copy of the approved preliminary plat to the following utility providers or their successor company(ies) for their comments prior to the drawing of the final plat: We Energies Electric, We Energies Gas, AT&T, Spectrum, and TDS.
B. 
Preliminary plat requirements. The preliminary plat shall be submitted in 20 copies at a scale of not more than 100 feet to one inch and shall show correctly on its face:
(1) 
Description.
(a) 
Name of the proposed subdivision.
(b) 
Name, address, and telephone number of the owner, subdivider, engineer, land surveyor, and land planner.
(c) 
Date, graphic scale, and north point.
(d) 
Location of the proposed subdivision by government lot, quarter section, Township, range and county, and a location map showing the relationship between the plan and its surrounding area.
(2) 
Existing conditions.
(a) 
Contours at vertical intervals of not more than two feet for a slope less than 5% and five feet for a slope of 5% or more.
(b) 
A scaled drawing of the exterior boundaries of the proposed subdivision referenced to a corner established by the United States Public Land Survey and the total acreage encompassed thereby.
(c) 
Location of existing property lines, buildings, drives, streams and watercourses, dry runs, lakes, marshes, rock outcrops, wooded areas, environmental corridors, and other similar significant features within the parcel being subdivided.
(d) 
Location, right-of-way width, and names of any adjacent existing streets, alleys, or other public ways, easements, and railroad and utility rights-of-way within or adjacent to the proposed subdivision.
(e) 
Type, width, and elevation of any adjacent existing street pavements together with any legally established center-line elevations for streets located outside the City limits.
(f) 
Water elevations of adjoining lakes or streams at the date of the survey and known or determined high- and low-water elevations and boundaries of the 100-year floodplain and floodway.
(g) 
Subsurface soil, rock, and water conditions, including depth to bedrock and average depth to groundwater table.
(h) 
Location, size, and invert elevation of any existing sanitary and storm sewers, culverts, or drainpipes and the location and size of any existing water and gas mains on or adjacent to the plat and proposed for use in the development. If sewers and water mains are not present on or adjacent to the preliminary plat, the distance to and the size of those nearest and the invert elevations of sewers shall be indicated.
(i) 
Location and names of adjacent subdivisions, parks, and cemeteries.
(j) 
Existing land use and zoning included within or adjacent to the proposed subdivision.
(3) 
Proposed conditions.
(a) 
Location, width, and name of all proposed streets and walkways.
(b) 
Layout and scale dimensions of all lots and proposed lot and block numbers.
(c) 
Draft of proposed covenants (if any) to be imposed.
(d) 
Location and approximate dimensions of any sites to be reserved or dedicated for parks, playgrounds, greenways, or other public uses or which are to be used for group housing, shopping centers, church sites, or other nonpublic uses.
(e) 
Plans showing the proposed locations for streets, walkways, drainageways, and public easements showing the existing ground surface, including extensions for reasonable distance beyond the limits of the proposed subdivision, when requested, shall be submitted with the preliminary plat. The subdivider also shall provide a statement from a licensed engineer representing the project that certifies that the technical requirements of this chapter will be met when final engineering design plans (including plans and profiles for public improvements and grading, erosion control, and stormwater management plans) are submitted. Such final engineering design plans shall be submitted and approved by the City Engineer prior to approval of the final plat.
(f) 
When requested by the City Engineer, because of concern about drainage, groundwater, and tree cover, a lot grading plan showing proposed contours at vertical intervals of not more than two feet.
[Amended 7-15-2025 by Ord. No. 25-13]
A final plat shall not be submitted for approval before approval of the preliminary plat as required in § 545-13. A final plat shall be prepared according to this chapter and the subdivider shall file an adequate number of copies and/or an electronic copy, as determined by the City Clerk, of the plat for distribution according to this section.
A. 
Final plat procedure.
(1) 
The subdivider shall file a written request for approval of the final plat with the Secretary of the Plan Commission and the State of Wisconsin according to § 236.12, Wis. Stats. Such written request and filing of final plats shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting of the Plan Commission at which the request is to be considered and shall include all data required by this chapter. The Plan Commission may forward a copy of the final plat to Dodge or Jefferson County for review and comment. The proposed plat may constitute only that portion of the approved preliminary plat which the subdivider proposes to record at that time.
(2) 
The final plat shall include the entire area owned or controlled by the subdivider within the phase of development for which final approval is sought.
(3) 
The Plan Commission shall recommend approval, denial, or approval with conditions, and the Common Council shall, within 60 days from the date submitted, approve, approve conditionally, or reject the final plat, based on its determination of conformance with the intent and provisions of this chapter and all related plans and ordinances and recommendations of appropriate City committees and commissions. Such time may be extended by a written agreement with the subdivider. The Common Council shall review the final plat for conformity with all conditions of approval, if any, and § 545-4 of this chapter, and shall base approval or disapproval on these requirements. If the final plat meets the requirements of this chapter and has been submitted within 36 months from the approval date of the preliminary plat and the conditions have been met in the case of a preliminary plat given conditional approval, the Council shall approve the final plat.
(4) 
Prior to signing an approved final plat by the City Clerk, the developer shall enter into a contract for improvements as required by Article III below. Prior to signing said contract by the Mayor and the City Clerk/Treasurer, the developer shall pay to the City all required fees, area charges, and deposits and provide any required financial guarantee.
(5) 
The final plat shall be recorded with the Dodge or Jefferson County Register of Deeds only after certificates of the Wisconsin Department of Administration, of the Common Council, of the surveyor, and those certificates required by § 236.21, Wis. Stats., are placed on the face of the plat. The developer shall record the final plat with the proper County Register of Deeds within 12 months after the date of the last approval of the plat and within 36 months after the first approval. All required fees, including parkland dedication fees in lieu of land dedication, shall be due and payable prior to the proper City officials' signing of the approved final plat except for utility impact and recreation facilities improvement impact fees, which shall be paid prior to issuance of any building permits. Failure to record any plat within the required timeframes shall be deemed withdrawn, and a new certification is required.
(6) 
If the Common Council fails to act within 60 days, the time has not been extended by agreement, and no unsatisfied objections have been filed within that period, the plat shall be deemed approved and, upon demand, a certificate to that effect shall be made on the face of the plat by the Clerk/Treasurer of the City.
(7) 
Recordation. After the final plat has been approved by the Common Council and required improvements either installed or a contract and sureties insuring their installation is filed, the City Clerk shall cause the certificate inscribed upon the plat attesting to such approval to be executed duly and the plat returned to the subdivider for recording with the County Register of Deeds at the subdivider's expense. The Register of Deeds shall not record the plat unless it is offered for recording within 12 months after the date of the last approval and within 36 months after the date of first approval, as required by Section 236.25(2)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes.
B. 
Final plat requirements. The final plat of the proposed subdivision shall comply with the requirements of Ch. 236, Wis. Stats., and Subsection A of this section.
[Amended 7-15-2025 by Ord. No. 25-13]
No person, firm or corporation shall divide any land located within the corporate limits of the City of Watertown that shall result in a minor subdivision as defined by this chapter without first filing an application and a certified survey map for approval by the Plan Commission (and the Common Council when dedication of land is involved) and subsequently recording said map with the Dodge or Jefferson County Register of Deeds. The certified survey map shall comply fully with § 236.34, Wis. Stats. and with all applicable requirements of this chapter.
A. 
Procedure.
(1) 
Before filing an application for approval of a certified survey, the subdivider shall follow the preapplication consultation procedures outlined in § 545-11.
B. 
Expanded use of certified survey maps.
(1) 
In accordance with Wis. Stat. Section 236.34(1)(ar), a certified survey map may also be used for dividing land into more than four parcels under the following conditions:
(a) 
The division includes not more than 12 parcels if the land being divided is zoned for multi-family development as defined by this chapter.
(b) 
The division includes not more than 8 parcels if the land is zoned for commercial or industrial development.
(2) 
This section does not apply to land lying outside the City boundaries but within the extraterritorial plat review jurisdiction of the City.
C. 
Certified survey map requirements.
(1) 
The certified survey map shall be prepared by a professional land surveyor and shall comply with the provisions of § 236.34, Wis. Stats., and of this chapter.
(2) 
The certificate of approval shall be placed on the face of the map.
(3) 
When a dedication of land is required, the Common Council resolution accepting the dedication and approving the map shall be placed on the face of the map.
(4) 
The applicant shall comply with the provisions of § 545-4 (General requirements) and Article III (Required Improvements and Design Standards) of this chapter.
(5) 
Where streets or other areas are dedicated to the public, the certified survey map shall contain an owner's and a mortgagee's certificate that are in substantially the same form as required by § 236.21(2)(a), Wis. Stats.
D. 
Plan Commission action. Within 90 days, the Plan Commission shall, or where there is dedication of land, the Common Council shall approve, approve conditionally, or reject the certified survey map. The reason for conditional approval or for rejection shall be recorded in the minutes, and a letter detailing the action taken shall be sent to the applicant. Before an approved certified survey map is recorded, the applicant must pay to the City or other unit of government any accrued real estate taxes and special assessments owing on any land dedicated by the survey and to the Dodge or Jefferson County Treasurer any delinquent taxes on the dedicated land. Upon recording by the developer, two copies of the recorded document shall be furnished to the City.
A. 
Extraterritorial land division policies. The following policies shall govern the City Plan Commission in approving division of land within the extraterritorial area in order to promote those purposes set forth in § 545-3, if the City of Watertown elects to formally apply its extraterritorial land division approval authority through Council resolution.
(1) 
No land divisions (subdivisions or minor subdivisions) as defined in this chapter will be permitted within the formally adopted extraterritorial limits of the City of Watertown without approval of the City, per the procedures in this chapter as applicable to land divisions within the City.
(2) 
The minimum lot size within the formally adopted extraterritorial limits of the City of Watertown shall be one acre. A smaller lot size may be allowed if also approved by the respective town board.
(3) 
The City of Watertown will attempt to seek consistency of the City's plans and locally adopted town plans. To the extent that the policies of the City of Watertown are more restrictive in regard to the protection of the public health, safety, welfare, or environmental quality or in terms of implementing the City's Official Map, the City's policies shall prevail. All land divisions within the formally adopted extraterritorial limits will be subject to the land reservation or dedication requirements of this chapter. This specifically means the following:
(a) 
Any public right-of-way area identified on the City Comprehensive Plan or Official Map shall be dedicated conforming with requirements of this chapter.
(b) 
Any waterway or stormwater management area identified on the City Comprehensive Plan or Official Map shall be dedicated conforming with requirements of this chapter.
(c) 
Any land falling within the limits of an environmental corridor, as mapped by the City of Watertown or Jefferson County or Dodge County, will be required to record a public open space easement specifying that the development shall be consistent with conservancy area zoning in Chapter 550, Zoning.
(4) 
All land divisions within the formally adopted extraterritorial limits shall be required to meet all of the development layout design standards contained in this chapter.
(5) 
All land divisions within the formally adopted extraterritorial limits shall be required to follow erosion control plans complying with this chapter.
(6) 
All land divisions within the formally adopted extraterritorial limits shall pay the required review fees contained in this chapter prior to initial placement on the Plan Commission agenda.
(7) 
The Plan Commission may require placement of covenants or deed restrictions deemed necessary and appropriate by the City Plan Commission to protect environmental quality, public health, safety, and welfare or otherwise implement the City's Official Map. Any such restrictions shall be placed on the face of the plat or certified survey map.
(8) 
If a modification is granted to the above provision, the resulting division of land shall conform to all of the pertinent regulations of this chapter.
B. 
Extraterritorial land division procedures.
(1) 
In all cases, the time period within which action is required shall not begin until the town board, the staff serving the Jefferson County or Dodge County Zoning Committee, and the City of Watertown have received all maps, drawings, and data required for plat or certified survey map approval.
(a) 
No person, firm, or corporation shall divide any land located within the formally adopted land division approval jurisdiction of the City of Watertown without first filing an application and paying the City's standard land division review fee.
(b) 
Preapplication procedure. Before filing an application for approval of a plat or certified survey, the subdivider shall consult with the Department of Public Works and shall prepare the following:
[1] 
Prepare a preliminary sketch for review.
[2] 
Complete a site assessment checklist.
C. 
Extraterritorial land division requirements. Submittal requirements for land divisions within the extraterritorial land division jurisdiction enacted by Common Council resolution shall be identical to those required for land divisions within the City limits. Preliminary plats and certified survey maps shall pay a fee as set by the Common Council and provided under separate fee schedule to defray the administrative cost of review.
The following schedule is established to ensure that each land division, subdivision, planned development and development project pays its share of costs for public facilities and services. The fees in Subsection B also shall apply to extraterritorial approval jurisdiction of the City of Watertown.
A. 
Park and open space fee or dedication. A dedication of land and/or the payment of a fee according to the provisions of § 545-42 of this chapter is required for each dwelling unit planned for development.
B. 
Fees to defray administrative expenses. The subdivider of land divisions within the City shall reimburse the City for its actual cost of design, inspection, inventorying, mapping, and collecting attribute information for infrastructure features for the GIS database, testing, construction, and associated legal and real estate fees for the required public improvements for the land division unless otherwise recovered through other fees. The subdivider shall pay to the City of Watertown fees as set by the Common Council and provided under separate fee schedule. Site Plan Review Committee review fees applicable to zoning and development-related issues shall not be applied to land divisions. The City's costs shall be determined as follows:
(1) 
The cost of City equipment employed;
(2) 
The actual costs of City materials incorporated into the work, including transportation costs, plus a restocking and/or handling fee not to exceed 10% of the cost of the materials;
(3) 
All consultant fees associated with the public improvements at the invoiced amount complying with § 66.0628(3), Wis. Stats.
C. 
(Reserved)
D. 
Area charge for stormwater management facilities. The subdivider shall pay to the City of Watertown the apportioned cost for development of an area-wide stormwater drainage system where such a facility has been designed to serve the proposed subdivision.
E. 
Sewerage fee. The subdivider shall pay to the City of Watertown the apportioned cost, determined by the City, for sanitary sewer connection fees.
Each condominium project shall be reviewed on the basis of a condominium plat prepared pursuant to § 703.11, Wis. Stats., and other applicable statutes and these land division and subdivision regulations as a plat or certified survey map for the land development or subdivision elements of the project. Minor subdivision procedures in § 545-15 above shall apply to City review of condominium plats.