Prior to submitting a Sketch Plan, applicants for developments are encouraged to informally discuss their proposal with the Planning Director and/or other appropriate City Staff.
Prior to the submission of a Preliminary Plan, applicants are very strongly encouraged to submit a Sketch Plan. A Sketch Plan Review often allows an applicant to save substantial time and engineering costs, because many concerns about layout and issues concerning City ordinances can be resolved prior to detailed engineering. This can often reduce the need for future redesign at a more detailed stage, thereby saving the applicant significant money and time. When submitted, Sketch Plans shall include the following information:
A. 
Submission requirement. If submitted, nine print copies of the Sketch Plan and the accompanying application should be submitted to the City Staff prior to a regular City Planning Commission meeting. It is requested that a Sketch Plan be provided at least 14 days before a Planning Commission meeting where it will be discussed. A City review fee may also be required.
B. 
Drawing requirements. Any Sketch Plan shall be drafted to approximate scale and is recommended to include the following as applicable.
(1) 
General information:
(a) 
Tentative name of the project (may be the developer's name).
(b) 
Name, mailing address, phone number and email address of person responsible for the preparation of the plan(s).
(c) 
Date of plan preparation.
(d) 
North arrow, graphic scale, and written scale.
(e) 
A location map showing the general project location in relation to nearby roads/streets and waterways.
(f) 
Words "Sketch Plan" on each plan.
(2) 
Existing conditions:
(a) 
Boundary lines of the parcel(s).
(b) 
Acreage of the entire tract.
(c) 
Zoning District and tabulation of major applicable lot area and setback requirements.
(d) 
Any concentrations of steeply sloped lands (such as 15% to 25%, and greater than 25%).
(e) 
Locations of watercourses (with any name), natural springs, ponds, lakes and suspected wetlands. (Note: where a detailed wetland study has not been completed, applicants are requested to review the locations of "hydric" soils in the Delaware County Soil Survey to provide an initial indication of areas that are likely to include some wetland areas.)
(f) 
Any known sinkholes and topical depressions.
(g) 
Any areas within the 100-year floodplain.
(h) 
Any major easements or proposed recreation trails, existing trails and trail easements.
(i) 
Principal buildings built before 1940 that could be impacted by the project.
(j) 
Major existing utility easements/rights-of-way that might affect development layout.
(k) 
Approximate locations of tree lines, significant trees with trunks 15 inches or greater, and existing forested areas.
(l) 
Types of adjacent land uses (such as rowhouse) and any zoning district boundaries in the area.
(3) 
Proposed conditions:
(a) 
Boundary lines of the parcel(s).
(b) 
Building footprints and entrance locations.
(c) 
Proposed uses and location of uses in buildings.
(d) 
Public and private streets labeled.
(e) 
Driveways, parking areas, access aisles, and site entrances.
(f) 
Significant proposed site features (such as retaining walls, steep slopes, etc.).
(g) 
Open space.
(h) 
Tentative approximate locations of any stormwater detention basins and any major stormwater drainage channels.
(i) 
Note stating the general methods of providing water and sewer service.
(j) 
Suggestions from the applicant regarding possible locations of any proposed common open space or recreation land or whether the applicant seeks to pay recreation fees, if applicable.
(k) 
Tabulations of lot area(s).
(l) 
Approximate tabulations of density, gross square feet of buildings, building height, number of units, open space, area of disturbance during construction, and proposed parking compared to zone requirements and/or limitations.
A. 
No official action shall be taken on a sketch plan. The City shall not be bound by comments made or not made as part of a sketch plan review.
B. 
The City should distribute copies of the sketch plan to the City Engineer, the relevant City staff-person and the Planning Commission for advisory reviews.
C. 
The sketch plan should be reviewed by the Planning Commission, with any comments reported to the applicant or his/her representative. It is recommended that the following matters be emphasized in a review of a sketch plan:
(1) 
The suitability of areas proposed for development and areas proposed as open space.
(2) 
The most suitable methods of providing street access, including access points onto existing streets, and possible interconnections with existing streets or streets within approved developments.
(3) 
Methods to reduce the total percentage of the site that will be re-graded, paved or de-forested.
D. 
DCPC review. The City may forward a copy of the sketch plan to the Delaware County Planning Commission for any informal review if the City believes it may have significant impacts.