It is recommended that, prior to the official filing of a Preliminary Plat, the subdivider consult with and present a proposed plan of subdivision to the City Staff for comments and advice on the procedures, specifications, and standards required by the City for the subdivision of land.
(Ordinance 26-747-16 adopted 4/2/2026)
(a) 
General.
The subdivider shall cause to be prepared a Preliminary Plat by a surveyor or engineer in accordance with this article. The Preliminary Plat will not be recorded.
(b) 
Applicability.
(1) 
Other than for an Administrative Plat Review identified in Section 48-134, Preliminary Plat approval will be required before any land is subdivided.
(2) 
Preliminary Plats are required for land being divided into separate parcels, plats with five or more lots, and any plats that require public improvements that will be dedicated to the City.
(3) 
It will be unlawful to offer and cause to be recorded any Preliminary Plat of land within the City limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction of City with the appropriate County Clerk by any party other than the Mayor or another duly authorized representative of the City.
(c) 
Preliminary plat application requirements.
(1) 
Engineering information. Submission requirements for the Preliminary Plat will be established by the Mayor (or designee), and will include basic engineering information in accordance with the City's requirements, necessary for the staff to render an informed recommendation and for the City Council to render an informed decision.
(2) 
The applicant will provide the Mayor or designee with all information required by the City in addition to a certified receipt showing that all taxes have been paid in conjunction with the submittal of the application.
(d) 
Signature block.
A plat submitted for consideration as a Preliminary Plat is not required to have an area or signature block for any endorsement and approval by the City Council, as is required to file the Final Plat with the appropriate County Clerk.
(e) 
Filing fee (application fee).
The applicant shall, prior to filing the formal application with the City, pay the fee provided for in the City of Brookshire Fee Schedule Ordinance. No action by the City Council shall be valid until the filing fee has been paid. This fee shall not be refunded should the applicant fail to proceed or should the plat be disapproved. Filing fees shall be made by check payable to the city and given to the City Secretary with whom the plat is filed and at the time the plat is filed. The City Secretary's receipt shall be attached to and become a part of the application. The payment of the filing fee shall not be construed as filing for purposes of this article.
(f) 
Fractional final plat.
Applicant may be required to submit a Preliminary Plat of the entire area they propose to subdivide over a period of time and indicate thereon their proposed plan of development by increments. After approval of this Preliminary Plat, they may submit fractional Final Plats in general accordance with the Preliminary Plat by units or areas. Each increment of area must be adjacent to a preceding developed increment or area. Each increment shall be governed by and shall conform to the subdivision regulations in effect on the date each is submitted for final approval.
(g) 
Form and content.
The plat shall be drawn as per the requirements established by the City. The plat shall show the following:
(1) 
Names of the subdivider, record owner, engineer and/or surveyor.
(2) 
Proposed name of the subdivision, which shall not have the same spelling as or be pronounced similar to the name of any other subdivision located within the City or within five miles of the City unless the subdivision is contiguous to a recorded subdivision and the plat represents an additional installment or increment of the original subdivision.
(3) 
Names of contiguous subdivisions and the owners of contiguous parcels of unsubdivided land, along with deed record references, and an indication of whether or not contiguous properties are platted.
(4) 
Description, by metes and bounds, of the subdivision.
(5) 
Primary control points or descriptions, and ties to such control points to which all dimensions, angles, bearings, block numbers and similar data shall be referred.
(6) 
Subdivision boundary lines, indicated by heavy lines and the computed acreage of the subdivision.
(7) 
Existing sites as follows:
a. 
The exact location, dimensions, name and description of all existing or recorded streets, alleys, reservations, easements or other public rights-of-way within the subdivision, intersecting or contiguous with its boundaries or forming such boundaries.
b. 
The exact location, dimensions, description and name of recorded residential lots, parks, public areas, permanent structures and other sites within or contiguous with the subdivision.
c. 
The exact location, dimensions, description, and flow line of existing watercourses and drainage structures within the subdivision or on contiguous tracts.
(8) 
The exact location, dimensions, description and name of all proposed streets, alleys, drainage structures, parks, other public areas, reservations, easements or other rights-of-way, blocks, lots, and other sites within the subdivision with accurate dimensions, bearing or deflecting angles and radii, area, and central angles, degree of curvature, tangent distance and length of all curves where appropriate.
(9) 
Date of preparation, scale of plat and north point.
(10) 
Topographical information shall include contour lines on a basis of five vertical feet in terrain with a slope of two percent. or more, and on a basis of two vertical feet in terrain with a slope of less than two percent. Contour lines shall be based upon City of Brookshire datum or such datum used by the City.
(11) 
A number or letter to identify each lot or site and each block.
(12) 
Location of City limits line, the outer border of the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction, and boundaries; if they traverse the subdivision, form part of the boundary of the subdivision, or are contiguous to such boundary.
(13) 
Vicinity sketch or key map at a smaller scale as approved by the City Engineer which shall show existing subdivisions, roads, streets, easements, highway and railroad rights-of-way, parks and public facilities and other landmarks in the vicinity, the general drainage plan and ultimate destination of water, and possible storm sewer, water, gas, electric and sanitary sewer connections by arrows. Key map shall extend one mile in all directions.
(14) 
The exact location, dimensions, name and description of all existing or recorded streets, alleys, reservations, easements, or other public rights-of-way within the subdivision, intersecting or contiguous with its boundary or forming such boundary, with accurate dimensions, bearing or deflecting angles and radii, area, and central angle, degree of curvature, tangent distance and length of all curves where appropriate.
(15) 
Owner's acknowledgment and dedications.
(16) 
Certification of the surveyor responsible for surveying the subdivision area, attesting to its accuracy.
(17) 
Certification of the engineer responsible for the preparation of the plat and supporting data attesting to its accuracy.
(18) 
Space for City Council approval, including a signature line for the Mayor and attested by the City Secretary.
(19) 
Dedication of the easements and rights-of-way to the public.
(20) 
A statement regarding parkland will be dedicated or fees-in-lieu of parkland, if applicable.
(21) 
Tree survey and a tree preservation plan.
(h) 
Construction plans.
All plans and engineering calculations shall bear the seal and signature of an engineer.
(1) 
Plans and profiles of all streets, alleys, sidewalks, crosswalk ways, street lights and monuments.
(2) 
Plans and profiles of proposed sanitary sewer lines, indicating depths and grades of lines.
(3) 
Plans and profiles of all proposed water lines and fire hydrants, showing depths and grades of the lines.
(4) 
Storm drainage.
a. 
Two-foot contours based on city datum. All street widths and grades shall be indicated on the plat, and runoff figures shall be indicated on the outlet and inlet side of all drainage ditches and storm sewers, and at all points in the street at changes of grade or where the water enters another street or storm sewer or drainage ditch. Drainage easements shall be indicated.
b. 
A general location map of the subdivision showing the entire watershed (a United States Geological Survey quadrangle is satisfactory).
c. 
Calculations showing the anticipated stormwater flow, including watershed area, percent runoff, and time of concentration. When a drainage ditch or storm sewer is proposed, calculations shall be submitted showing basis for design.
d. 
When a drainage channel or storm sewer is proposed, complete plans, profiles, and specifications shall be submitted, showing complete construction details.
e. 
When conditions upstream or downstream from a proposed channel or storm sewer do not permit maximum design flow, high water marks based on 25-year frequency, shall be indicated based on existing conditions.
f. 
Conformance to applicable state, county, and city standards.
(5) 
Other information as required by the City Engineer.
(Ordinance 26-747-16 adopted 4/2/2026)
(a) 
The engineer [and] designated city staff shall check the preliminary plat as to its conformity with the master plan, planned development, other previously approved development agreements, MTP, and the requirements set forth herein or referred to herein.
(b) 
The designated city staff shall present the preliminary plat data to the City Council with their recommendations.
(c) 
Within 30 days after the preliminary plat is formally filed, City Council shall approve, conditionally approve with modifications, or disapprove. The City Council shall inform the subdivider, in writing, of the reasons at the time such action is taken.
(d) 
Approval of a preliminary plat shall be effective for six months from date of approval; thereafter such approval shall be considered void and the plat and application deemed withdrawn by the developer unless the final plat has been presented for approval or the developer has applied to the City Council for and has received from the City Council an extension of time to a date certain in which to present such final plat. Failure to present a final plat within such time extension shall void all prior approval and the application shall be deemed withdrawn.
(e) 
Any changes or revisions to a preliminary plat which has received City Council approval must be accepted and approved by the City Council.
(f) 
If no development has occurred which would affect the proposed plat, after twelve months of effective approval, the City Council may, upon application of the subdivider, extend the approval time allowable by an additional twelve months.
(Ordinance 26-747-16 adopted 4/2/2026)