(1) 
Except as provided for a minor subdivision as set forth in SCC § 17.10.070, any owner or any proprietor of any tract of land situated within the corporate limits of the city who subdivides the same shall cause a plat of such subdivision, with reference to published state plane coordinates, to be made and recorded in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the city. No such plat of a subdivision shall be recorded unless and until it has been submitted to and approved by the subdivision agent of the city in accordance with the regulations set forth in this title.
(2) 
No person shall sell or transfer any such land by reference to or by other use of a plat of a subdivision, before such plat has been duly recorded as provided herein, unless such subdivision was lawfully created prior to the adoption of a subdivision ordinance applicable thereto; provided, that nothing herein contained shall be construed as preventing the recordation of the instrument by which such land is transferred or the passage of title as between the parties to the instrument.
(3) 
The clerk of circuit court shall not file or record a plat of a subdivision required by this chapter to be recorded until such plat has been approved as required herein, and the penalties provided by Section 15.2-2254 of the Code of Virginia shall apply to any failure to comply with the provisions of this section.
(4) 
Every such plat shall be prepared by a surveyor or civil engineer duly licensed by the state, who shall endorse upon each such plat a certificate signed by him setting forth the source of the title of the owner of the land subdivided, and the place of record of the last instrument in the chain of title. When the plat is of land acquired from more than one source of title, the outlines of the several tracts shall be indicated upon such plat.
(5) 
All plats shall have an accuracy within the minimum standards established by the State Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects and meet the standard for plats as adopted under the Virginia Public Records Act.
(6) 
Every such plat, or the deed of dedication to which such plat is attached, shall contain, in addition to the surveyor's or civil engineer's certificate, a statement to the effect that the above and foregoing subdivision of (here insert correct description of the land subdivided) as appears in this plat is with the free consent and in accordance with the desire of the undersigned owners, proprietors and trustees, if any, which shall be signed by the owners, proprietors and trustees, if any, and shall be duly acknowledged before some officer authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds, and when thus executed and acknowledged shall be filed and recorded in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the city, and indexed under the names of the owners of the lands signing such statement and under the name of the subdivision.
(7) 
The recordation of such plat shall operate to transfer, in fee simple, to the city such portion of the premises platted as is on such plat set apart for streets, alleys, public easements or other public use and to create a public right of passage over the same; but nothing contained in this chapter shall affect any right of a subdivider of land heretofore validly reserved.
(8) 
All private easements and rights-of-way shall be designated as such.
(Code 1964 § 26-6; Code 1985 § 27-18; Ord. 12-16-93; Ord. 2010-08; Ord. 2025-22)
Whenever any subdivision of land is proposed involving more than 50 lots, and before any permit for the erection of a structure shall be granted, the subdivider or agent shall apply in writing to the subdivision agent for approval of the subdivision plat and submit the required number of paper copies and a digital copy of the preliminary subdivision plat lot, street and utilities layout. For any subdivision of land involving 50 or fewer lots, a preliminary subdivision plat conforming to the requirements of this section may be submitted to the subdivision agent for tentative approval at the option of the landowner. The preliminary plat layout shall be at a scale of not more than 100 feet to the inch and shall show the following:
(1) 
Proposed subdivision name or identifying title and a description of its location.
(2) 
Name and address of record owner, subdivider and designer of preliminary layout.
(3) 
Location of existing structures.
(4) 
Location of existing and proposed property lines and existing and proposed easements, buildings, watercourses, existing sewers and water lines, culverts, drains and other essential features.
(5) 
The names of all subdivisions immediately adjacent and the names of owners of record of adjacent property.
(6) 
Location, names and present widths of existing and proposed streets, highways, easements, building lines, alleys, parks and other public spaces.
(7) 
All parcels of land proposed to be dedicated for public use and the conditions of such dedication.
(8) 
Any proposed changes in the use, height, area or density districts under any zoning regulations applicable to the area.
(9) 
Date, north point and scale.
(10) 
Deed description and map of survey of the tract boundary made and certified by a licensed surveyor or engineer, total acreage and acreage of subdivided area.
(11) 
Connections with existing sanitary sewers and existing water supply or alternate means of sewage disposal and water supply.
(12) 
Provisions for collecting and discharging surface drainage and preliminary designs for any bridges or culverts which may be required.
(13) 
The proposed lot lines with dimensions and suggested location of buildings.
(14) 
The location of all improvements including but not limited to streets and utilities (public and private) necessary to serve the development.
(15) 
Contours at vertical intervals of not more than five feet.
(16) 
Flood data as required (SCC § 18.170.080).
(Code 1964 §§ 26-7, 26-8; Code 1985 § 27-19; Ord. 2010-08; Ord. 2018-25; Ord. 2025-22)
The subdivision agent may discuss the preliminary layout with the subdivider. After such discussion, the subdivision agent shall communicate, within 30 days and in writing, to the developer: specific changes that are required in the preliminary layout; the character and extent of public improvements that will have to be made in keeping with the public health, safety, morals and general welfare; and the amount of construction or improvement or the amount of performance bond which it will require as a prerequisite to recommendation of approval of the final subdivision plat.
(Code 1964 § 26-7; Code 1985 § 27-20; Ord. 2010-08; Ord. 2025-22)
(1) 
The subdivider shall, within six months after official notification by the subdivision agent in respect to the preliminary layout, file with the subdivision agent the final subdivision plat. Such plat shall be clearly and legibly drawn at a scale of not more than 100 feet to the inch, providing the required number of paper and digital copies of the plat. After approval of the subdivision plat by the subdivision agent, no revision of the lot layout shall be made until a plat of the proposed lot revision is submitted to and approved by the subdivision agent.
(2) 
The final subdivision plat shall show the following:
(a) 
Proposed subdivision name or identifying title, location, address of record owner and subdivider; name of the licensed professional surveyor or engineer; the surveyor or engineer's certificate showing source of title and the owner's statement of consent in accordance with SCC § 17.10.010; and space for the signature of the approving authorities.
(b) 
Street lines, pedestrian ways, lots, reservations, easements and areas to be dedicated to public use.
(c) 
All private easements and rights-of-way.
(d) 
Sufficient data acceptable to the planning commission and council to determine readily the location, bearing and length of every street line, lot line and boundary line and to reproduce them on the ground. Reference should be made to known monuments on the published state plane coordinate system.
(e) 
The boundaries of the property, location, graphic scale and north point.
(f) 
Every such plat shall show all lands which the owner proposes to dedicate for public use, together with the covenants, if any, as to the use thereof.
(g) 
All permanent reference monuments shown by an appropriate symbol on the plat.
(Code 1964 §§ 26-7, 26-9; Code 1985 § 27-21; Ord. 2010-08; Ord. 2025-22)
The plat shall not be approved by the subdivision agent until the subdivider has complied with the general requirements and minimum standards of design in accordance with Chapter 17.15 SCC and has made or provided for the improvements as required by the subdivision agent pursuant to this section and Chapter 17.20 SCC to the satisfaction of the subdivision agent.
(Code 1964 § 26-7; Code 1985 § 27-22; Ord. 2010-08; Ord. 2025-22)
Unless the owner of the subdivision shall have the final plat recorded in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the city of Staunton, Virginia, within six months after final approval thereof by the subdivision agent, such approval shall be withdrawn and the plat marked "void" and returned to the community development department for the city of Staunton; however, in any case where construction of facilities to be dedicated for public use has commenced pursuant to an approved plan or permit with surety approved by the subdivision agent, or where the developer has furnished surety to the subdivision agent by certified check, cash, escrow, bond, letter of credit in the amount of the estimated cost of construction of such facilities, the time for plat recordation shall be extended to one year after such final approval or to the time limit specified in the surety agreement approved by the subdivision agent, whichever is the greater.
(Code 1964 § 26-7; Code 1985 § 27-23; Ord. 12-16-93; Ord. 2025-22)
The required number of paper and digital copies of a minor subdivision plat, as set forth herein, shall be submitted to the subdivision agent or designee for approval as follows:
(1) 
Plat Requirements. A minor subdivision plat shall contain or be drawn in accordance with the following:
(a) 
Sheet size to be 18 inches by 24 inches, or 11 inches by 17 inches, or eight and one-half inches by 14 inches, or eight and one-half inches by 11 inches. In cases where more than one sheet is required, they shall be match-marked;
(b) 
The name of the recorded owner and identification of the plat;
(c) 
The exact layout, including all dimensions, both linear and angular, for locating lots, streets, alleys, and easements. The linear dimensions shall be expressed in feet and hundredths of a foot and the angular measurements shall be expressed by bearings in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Each curve shall be defined by its chord bearing, chord length, radius, central angle, tangent length, and arc length;
(d) 
New lot designations;
(e) 
Existing structures;
(f) 
Existing and proposed lot lines;
(g) 
Existing and proposed easements;
(h) 
All lot lines to be deleted shall be shown as dashed lines and labeled as such;
(i) 
The plat title shall reflect the intent of the plat;
(j) 
Approved monumentation shall be shown on the plat;
(k) 
Date, north point, and scale (not greater than 100 feet to the inch) of the drawing shall be shown on the plat;
(l) 
The area of each lot or parcel affected by the subdivision;
(m) 
Name and license of the surveyor or engineer preparing the plat;
(n) 
Approval signature panel;
(o) 
Identify adjacent properties;
(p) 
The plat shall be accompanied by written confirmation as requested by the city from the appropriate officials that a public water and sanitary sewer connection is available for each lot or parcel being created or water supply or septic system permits have been obtained;
(q) 
Flood data as required in SCC § 18.170.080.
(2) 
Plat Approval. A minor subdivision plat shall be reviewed in accordance with the following procedures:
(a) 
A minor subdivision plat shall be reviewed by the subdivision agent or designee. Upon the subdivision agent or designee's determination that the plat is in conformance with the requirements of this title, the subdivision agent or designee shall sign the plat. Consideration by the planning commission and the city council shall not be required;
(b) 
If the subdivision agent or designee determines that the plat does not meet the requirements of this title, the original and one copy of the plat shall be returned to the applicant with a written explanation of the deficiencies;
(c) 
The plat shall be either approved or the written explanation of deficiencies shall be forwarded to the applicant within 15 regular workdays of the receipt of the plat. The applicant may elect to treat a failure by the subdivision agent or designee to act on the plat within 15 regular workdays of receipt of the plat as a decision denying approval;
(d) 
An applicant may appeal the decision of the subdivision agent or designee by filing an appeal to the circuit court of the city of Staunton in accordance with the Code of Virginia.
(3) 
Voidance for Failure to Record. The approved plat shall be recorded in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the city of Staunton, Virginia, within six months after its approval; otherwise, the approval of the plat shall be deemed to have been withdrawn and such plat shall be marked "void" and returned to the subdivision agent.
(Code 1985 § 27-24; Ord. 12-16-93; Ord. 2005-14; Ord. 2010-08; Ord. 2017-03; Ord. 2022-27; Ord. 2025-22)