Planning Commission approval is not required for the following types of land divisions; however, review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Administrator is required.
A. 
One to five residential lots (including a lot line adjustment creating an additional lot and/or the consolidation of two or more lots into a single lot) if all the following criteria are met:
(1) 
Every lot to be created or altered has the frontage required by zoning on:
(a) 
A public street; or
(b) 
An unbuilt street, for which surety is posted, that is shown on a subdivision plan approved by the City of Altoona within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application; or
(c) 
A private street in existence before September 8, 2025, which, in the opinion of the Planning and Zoning Administrator, is of suitable grade and construction to provide adequate access and municipal services to every lot therein.
(2) 
Every lot to be created or altered has the minimum area required by zoning.
(3) 
Existing water and sewer utilities are adequate to service all lots to be created or altered (provide supporting letter as proof).
(4) 
The proposed subdivision will not require the creation of any new municipal infrastructure or additional services.
(5) 
All lots proposed or altered by the plan are located in the same zoning district.
(6) 
The parcel has not been subdivided within the prior five years.
B. 
The application does not include any requests for waivers or exceptions from the requirements of this chapter.
*
Please note that a separate application and fee must be submitted to Blair County in addition to the application required by the City of Altoona.
Prior to filing a formal application, the applicant is encouraged to meet with the Planning and Zoning Administrator (who shall invite representatives of other departments to be present) to discuss the concepts related to the proposed subdivision. This Pre-Application Conference and Sketch Plan Submission is not a land use application for the purposes of vesting, but rather an opportunity for the staff to generally understand what is being proposed. The applicant shall bring the following to the introductory meeting:
A. 
Any professional consultants or representatives engaged in the execution of the project.
B. 
Written documentation describing the proposed project.
C. 
A sketch plan depicting the project that includes the following:
(1) 
The title: "Sketch Plan of (name of subdivision)."
(2) 
Date, graphic and written scale, north arrow, and a legend to explain any graphic representations or symbols on the plan.
(3) 
The names of the owner of record and the applicant.
(4) 
The name of the draftsperson (this need not be a design professional at this point in the review process).
(5) 
The outer lines of the subdivision in a heavy shaded line.
(6) 
The names, location, alignment, and width of existing streets and easements.
(7) 
Lines and names of proposed streets and easements in a general manner.
(8) 
The following information for each lot within the subdivision boundaries:
(a) 
Approximate boundary lines.
(b) 
Approximate dimensions, including area and frontage.
(c) 
A numerical designation for each lot, preferably in sequential order.
(9) 
The topography in a general manner.
(10) 
Existing landscaping and/or other site characteristics.
(11) 
A rough site plan with the location of anticipated structures, parking areas, and landscaped areas.
(12) 
A rough sketch of the proposed drainage system in a general manner.
(13) 
Identification of any existing or proposed public areas.
(14) 
The approximate size and location of new and existing utilities.
(15) 
Any additional items required for a formal proposal which may be helpful in the staff's review of the plan.
D. 
A willingness to candidly discuss the project with Planning and Engineering staff in a nonbinding manner to ascertain the goals, objectives, opportunities, and limitations of both the City and the applicant.
Neither the pre-application conference nor the sketch plan application have standing as part of the formal review process. Approval of plans under this article requires action by the Planning and Zoning Administrator after an Application for Minor Subdivision has been received and deemed complete. The purpose of this process is to familiarize the staff with the proposed project and work out technical issues in the proposal before it enters into the formal review process. No comments made by staff during these processes are binding on the Planning and Zoning Administrator or other staff present during the review; however, staff is hereby required to act expeditiously and in good faith in its representations to the applicant.
Minor subdivision plan. The minor subdivision plan consists of engineering drawing(s) prepared by a licensed engineer or surveyor using spatial data that shall be drawn to scale and in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1] The minor subdivision plan shall be suitable for recording with the Blair County Recorder of Deeds and shall include the following:
A. 
Two paper copies (24" x 36" or as determined by the Planning and Zoning Administrator) and two paper copies of any supplemental or supporting reports, in addition to an electronic version of the complete submittal package.
B. 
The title: "Minor Subdivision Plan drawn for (name of owner)."
C. 
North point, written and graphic scale (at 1" = 20' 0" or other as determined by the Planning and Zoning Administrator), date.
D. 
A copy of the closure sheet which shall show the following:
(1) 
The courses and distance of the proposed development/subdivision boundary and the error of closure (rounded to a maximum of 0.02 or 1:10,000);
(2) 
The area of each lot in square feet and acres, property dimensions, and project perimeter.
E. 
The name, seal, and signature of the engineer or surveyor who prepared the plan.
F. 
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of developer, engineer, and current and/or prospective owners.
G. 
The inscription:
Altoona Planning and Zoning Administrator
____________________ Date: __________
Approval of a Minor Subdivision Plan
Reviewed by the Blair County Planning Commission
____________________ Date: __________
H. 
Metes and bounds must be shown with bearings to the nearest second and distances to the nearest 0.01 foot;
I. 
Include a notarized ownership certification block on the plat.
J. 
Location of entire development in relation to surrounding neighborhoods and developments; location of entire development in relation to surrounding neighborhoods and developments and its zoning designation (include names of adjacent subdivisions and developments, adjacent property owners' names and addresses, adjacent land uses and buildings, and Deed Book with page number and tax map parcel information).
K. 
Existing topography with a contour interval of two feet.
L. 
Existing and proposed lot lines, easements, walkways, including widths on subject and surrounding areas, and proposed curb, gutter, and sidewalk.
M. 
Existing waterways (including irrigation), significant vegetation, and natural features of the land.
N. 
Location and conceptual elevation drawings of existing and proposed buildings, signs, dumpster and utility enclosures, fences and other structures.
O. 
Location of on-site drainage and stormwater management features.
P. 
Building footprints and general site plan features.
Q. 
If the plan submitted has been relieved of certain zoning requirements by a decision of the Zoning Hearing Board, the following shall appear on the plan: "Subject to an action taken by the Altoona Zoning Hearing Board on (Date)."
R. 
The Planning and Zoning Administrator may require additional submittals based upon his/her review of the unique characteristics of the site.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
A. 
Upon receiving the application package and the fee and determining it to be complete, the Planning and Zoning Administrator will distribute copies of the plan to the County Planning Commission, the City of Altoona Code Enforcement Department, the Planning and Zoning Administrator, the City of Altoona Engineering Department, the City of Altoona Public Works Department, and Altoona Water Authority, and keep the other two copies for technical review.
B. 
All agencies undertaking the technical review shall have 30 days to make written recommendations and comments on the plan. Failure of an agency to respond in writing within 30 days shall indicate that
C. 
If the Planning and Zoning Administrator determines that the plan does not meet the requirements of a minor subdivision or is somehow deficient, he or she shall notify the applicant of such in writing within 45 days of the submittal date, giving specific reasons for the determination.
D. 
If the Planning and Zoning Administrator, in consultation with the other reviewing agencies, determines that the plan does meet the requirements of minor subdivision and the applicable development standards, he or she shall endorse the plan and issue a certificate of approval within 45 days of the submittal date. The original plan will then be returned to the applicant, who is responsible for its recording with the Recorder of Deeds within 90 days. Copies of the recorded documents shall then be returned to the Zoning Officer for recording in City files.