The purpose of this chapter is to specify requirements for the segregation of land into short subdivisions (normally four or fewer lots) and long subdivisions (normally five or more lots) in accordance with applicable state and city laws, rules and regulations, including permit processing procedures. See PMC 16.10.015 for applicability/exemptions.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
All preliminary subdivisions must be finalized per PMC 16.10.200 (Final Subdivision) for lots to be created. The following general limitations shall apply to all short subdivision applications:
A. 
A maximum of four lots may be created by any single application.
B. 
A maximum of eight lots may be created from two or more contiguous parcels with any common ownership interest.
C. 
Land in short subdivisions may not be further divided in any manner within a period of five years without the filing of a final plat, except that when the short plat contains fewer than four parcels, or eight in the case of subdivision of two or more contiguous parcels in subsection (B) of this section, nothing in this section shall prevent the owner who filed the short plat from filing an alteration within the five-year period to create up to a total of four lots, or eight in the case of subdivision of two or more original contiguous parcels in two within the original plat boundaries.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
A. 
The Applicant shall prepare a neat and approximate drawing of a proposed subdivision, showing thereon the division of a legal lot into lots, blocks, streets and alleys, or other divisions and dedications. The following information is required on the preliminary plat map:
1. 
The date, scale, and a north arrow.
2. 
Total area of the portion to be platted, and adjacent tracts when under the same ownership.
3. 
The layout and names of existing and proposed streets and utilities, including existing and proposed easements; the location of municipal boundaries, township lines, and section lines; and additional right-of-way required for substandard roads or streets. Proposed streets shall be differentiated as such.
4. 
The locations, dimensions, and square footage of all proposed lots and tracts. Lots and tracts shall be sequentially numbered.
5. 
Floodway and floodplain lines, notation of flood hazard zone and map panel reference number if located in a floodway and/or floodplain area.
6. 
The location and identification of critical areas and protected critical area buffers pursuant to Chapter 16.16 PMC (critical areas ordinance), if needed.
7. 
If the subdivision is to be served by a well or wells, the area reserved for the well and the protection of same shall be shown on the plat.
8. 
The location of any wellhead protection areas that fall on the subject property from any adjacent off-site wells.
9. 
A phasing plan, acreage of phases, and time schedules, if the site is intended to be developed in phases.
10. 
Legal description of the boundaries of the land. It is recommended that the applicant establish the boundaries of the land before making application so that adjustments do not need to be made after actual property survey for the final plat.
11. 
A vicinity sketch of the location with the scale suitable to the size of the project.
12. 
Section subdivision showing the boundary of the plat in relation to the section, with notation of Section, Township, and Range. This information may be done as an insert drawn to a convenient scale or included within the boundary of the parcel as approved by the director of public works.
B. 
A complete application form provided by the director of public works shall be provided, with supporting documents from those listed below, as required by the director of public works, that contain sufficient information to determine compliance with adopted rules and regulations:
1. 
The name and address of all owners of record.
2. 
All restrictions proposed to be imposed on the use of the land.
3. 
A completed environmental checklist, if required by Chapter 16.14 PMC (SEPA), and WAC 197-11.
4. 
If critical areas are present on the site or within two hundred feet, a critical areas assessment pursuant to Chapter 16.16 PMC (Critical Areas).
5. 
A drainage plan in conformance with the requirements contained in Chapter 16.20 PMC (Drainage).
6. 
Proposed articles of incorporation, bylaws, and Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs), if any.
7. 
Documentation of the date and method of original segregation for the subject property verifying that the lot or lots were not created in violation of the short subdivision or subdivision laws in effect at the time of creation.
8. 
If appropriate, the method of sewage disposal. If city sewer is used, indication from the director of public works that such service can be provided. If individual sewage disposal is used then Garfield County health department approval and percolation test.
9. 
If appropriate, the method of water supply. If city water is used, indication from the director of public works that such service can be provided. If private water systems or individual wells, then applications shall include compliance with any applicable State regulations regarding water use and/or water wells.
10. 
If a subdivision of three or more lots, a preliminary plan for transportation, utilities (communication, water, sewer), and drainage meeting city public works standards, Chapter 16.30 PMC.
11. 
A list of any other permit applications having been filed for the same site by the applicant.
12. 
Payment of any required fees.
13. 
Any additional information determined to be necessary to demonstrate compliance with other portions of the Pomeroy Municipal Code as specified by the director of public works.
C. 
Waiver. The director of public works may waive specific submittal requirements determined to be unnecessary for review of the application.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
A. 
Ground contours with intervals of five feet or less, unless otherwise determined by the director of public works.
B. 
Assessor’s list of property owners within three hundred feet.
C. 
Location, number and description of types of any existing and proposed community recreational facilities on site.
D. 
A conceptual grading plan showing proposed topography detailed to 5-foot contours.
E. 
A title report issued within ninety days of application, showing all persons having an ownership interest, a legal description describing exterior boundary of application site and listing all encumbrances affecting said site.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
Whenever the city receives a preliminary application of a proposed short or long subdivision that is located adjacent to the right-of-way of a state highway, the director of public works shall give written notice of the application, including a legal description of the short or long subdivision and a location map, to the Department of Transportation to gather information from the DOT regarding the effect of the subdivision upon the impact upon the state highway system per RCW 58.17.080 and RCW 58.17.155.
Preliminary short subdivisions shall be processed as a Level I application or Level II when with SEPA or Critical Area review, per Chapter 16.06 PMC.
Preliminary long subdivisions with fewer than nine lots shall be processed as a Level I application or Level II when with SEPA or Critical Area review, per Chapter 16.06 PMC.
Preliminary long subdivisions with nine or more lots shall be processed as a Level IVA application, Chapter 16.06 PMC.
The review process shall determine conformity with the applicable approval requirements of PMC 16.10.000E and any additional applicable approval requirements in Chapter 13.04 PMC (Water), Chapter 13.08 PMC (Sewer), Chapter 16.14 PMC (SEPA), Chapter 16.22 PMC (Zoning and Land Use), Chapter 16.16 PMC (Critical Areas), Chapter 16.12 PMC (Concurrency), and Chapter 16.20 PMC (Drainage).
The review process shall determine conformity with requirements for transportation, communication and utilities per Chapter 16.30 PMC (Public Works Standards).
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
A. 
Preliminary plats of any proposed short subdivision and dedication shall be approved, disapproved, or returned to the applicant for modification or correction by the director of public works within thirty days from date of filing thereof unless the applicant consents to an extension of such time period; provided, that if an environmental impact statement is required as provided in RCW 43.21C.030, the thirty day period shall not include the time spent preparing and circulating the environmental impact statement by the local government agency.
B. 
A proposed subdivision and dedication shall not be approved unless the director of public works makes written findings that:
1. 
Appropriate provisions are made for the public health, safety, and general welfare and for such open spaces, drainage ways, streets, alleys, other public ways, potable water supplies, sanitary wastes, parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools and school grounds, and all other relevant facts, including sidewalks, and planning features that safe walking conditions for students within one mile who only walk to and from school;
2. 
The public use and interest will be served by the platting of such subdivision and dedication; and,
3. 
Appropriate provisions are made for zoning regulations, drainage, critical areas, flood plains, and utilities.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
A. 
Upon receipt of an application for preliminary long subdivision and plat approval the director of public works shall, in cooperation with the planning commission, provide public notice and set a date for a public hearing to be conducted by the planning commission. Notice of the hearing shall be given in the following manner:
1. 
Notice shall be published not less than ten days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation within the city; and
2. 
Special notice of the hearing shall be given to adjacent landowners by mail. Adjacent landowners are the owners of real property, as shown by the records of the county assessor, located within three hundred feet of any portion of the boundary of the proposed subdivision. If the owner of the real property which is proposed to be subdivided owns another parcel or parcels of real property which lie adjacent to the real property proposed to be subdivided, notice shall be given to owners of real property located within three hundred feet of any portion of the boundaries of such adjacently located parcels of real property owned by the owner of the real property proposed to be subdivided.
B. 
All hearings shall be public. All hearing notices shall include a description of the location of the proposed subdivision. The description may be in the form including, but not limited to, identification by legal description, an address, written description, vicinity sketch, or other reasonable means.
C. 
The planning commission review the preliminary subdivision application and preliminary plat, conduct a hearing, and shall make recommendations for approval or disapproval of the proposed subdivision and plat to the city council. The recommendation shall be provided to the city council within fourteen days of the hearing.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
A. 
Upon receipt of the recommendation on a preliminary long subdivision and long plat, the city council shall at its next public meeting set the date for the public meeting where it shall consider the recommendations of the planning commission and may adopt or reject the recommendations based on the record established at the public hearing. If, after considering the matter at a public meeting, the city council deems a change in the planning commission’s recommendation approving or disapproving any preliminary long subdivision and long plat is necessary, the city council shall adopt it’s own recommendations and approve or disapprove the preliminary long subdivision and long plat.
B. 
A proposed subdivision and dedication shall not be approved unless the city council makes written findings that:
1. 
Appropriate provisions are made for the public health, safety, and general welfare and for such open spaces, drainage ways, streets, alleys, other public ways, potable water supplies, sanitary wastes, parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools and school grounds, and all other relevant facts, including sidewalks, and planning features that safe walking conditions for students within one mile who only walk to and from school; and
2. 
The public use and interest will be served by the platting of such subdivision and dedication.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
A. 
Preliminary short subdivision approvals shall be valid for thirty-six months.
B. 
Preliminary long subdivision approvals shall be valid for sixty months.
C. 
If any condition is not satisfied and the final short or long subdivision is not recorded within the approval period, the preliminary short or long plat approval shall be null and void.
D. 
If the final subdivision is being developed in phases, the initial phase must be recorded within the approval period, or the subdivision is null and void. Additional phases may continue to have validity, based on a phasing schedule established by the preliminary approval.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)
Applications to revise short or long subdivisions that have received preliminary approval, but not final approval, shall comply with the following:
A. 
Revisions that result in any substantial changes as determined by the director of public works, shall be treated as a new application for purposes of vesting and shall be reviewed under the same process required for the preliminary subdivision, pursuant to Chapter 16.06 PMC (Administration of Permits and Development Regulations). For the purpose of this section, substantial change includes:
1. 
The creation of additional lots;
2. 
Changes in access points that are inconsistent with the Street Standards; or
3. 
Change in the proposal that leads to built or natural environmental impacts that were not addressed in the original approval.
B. 
Approval of the following modifications by the city shall not be considered substantial revisions:
1. 
Engineering design, unless the proposed design alters or eliminates features specifically required as a condition of preliminary subdivision approval.
2. 
Changes in lot dimensions that are consistent with Chapter 16.22 (Zoning and Land Use).
3. 
A decrease in the number of lots to be created.
(Ord. 812 § 1 (part), 2005)