A. 
The purpose of this article is to establish the procedure for Planning Board review and action on applications pursuant to this chapter. The procedure is intended to provide orderly and expeditious processing of such applications.
B. 
Whenever any subdivision of land or lot line change is proposed, and before any contract for the sale of land or any offer to sell such subdivision or any lot or part thereof is made, or before any action is taken to realign lot lines, and before any grading, clearing, construction, filling or other improvement is undertaken therein and before any permit for the erection of a structure in such proposed subdivision shall be granted, the applicant or his authorized agent shall apply for and attain final approval of such proposed subdivision or lot line change in accordance with and in the sequential order of the following procedures (for lot line change applications, the Planning Board may apply only those procedures as are appropriate):
[Amended 4-5-2017 by L.L. No. 4-2017]
(1) 
At the request of the applicant, an informal meeting may be scheduled with the Town and its consultants at its regular workshop meeting.
(2) 
Submission of application, sketch plan, necessary supporting data, documentation and fees to the Planning Board.
(3) 
Review by Planning Board.
(4) 
Action on sketch plan approval by the Planning Board. If the sketch plan is approved, proceed to Subsection B(5); otherwise, submit modifications and additions as required and return to Subsection B(3).
(5) 
Submission of application, preliminary plat, necessary supporting data, documentation and fees to the Planning Board.
(6) 
Review by Planning Board.
(7) 
Referral to other involved and/or interested agencies for review and comment, as required. Referral in conformance with procedures established by Planning Board.
(8) 
Compliance with SEQR procedures. The Planning Board shall comply with the provisions of the State Environmental Quality Review Act under Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law and its implementing regulations. (Lot line changes are deemed a Type II action under Code § 130-3C.)
(9) 
Public hearing (where applicable) and action on preliminary plat approval by the Planning Board. If the preliminary plat is approved, proceed to Subsection B(10); otherwise, submit modifications and additions as required and return to Subsection B(5). [Public hearing may be waived by Planning Board on minor subdivisions and lot line changes.]
(10) 
Submission to other involved agencies for review and approval, as required.
(11) 
Submission of application, final plat and all data, documentation and fees as required or requested by the Planning Board.
(12) 
Review by Planning Board.
(13) 
Public hearing and action on approval of final plat by the Planning Board. If the final plat is conditionally approved, proceed to Subsection B(14); otherwise, submit modifications and additions as required and return to Subsection B(12). [Final public hearing can be waived for all applications if no significant revisions have been made, in the opinion of the Planning Board, since preliminary plat approval.]
(14) 
Completion of revised plat and completion and acceptance of improvements or posting of performance bond within the conditional approval time constraints.
(15) 
Approved final plat is signed by authorized official of the Planning Board for filing.
(16) 
Final plat is filed with the Orange County Clerk’s office and the Planning Board within 62 days.
A. 
Before preparing a detailed submission package/submittal, the subdivider should attend an informal meeting or meetings with representatives of the Town Planning Board or its appointed consultants, to notify the Board of their intentions and familiarize themselves with the requirements of this chapter, other regulations, the policies of the Planning Board and other information that may be pertinent to the subdivision. The purpose of this meeting, however, is not for the Planning Board to provide design information or make decisions for the applicant with regards to zoning code or subdivision regulations. These meetings shall take place as informal discussions during a regularly scheduled workshop meeting.
B. 
The applicant should also discuss the proposal with the Orange County Department of Health, if necessary, which may also be responsible for the adequacy of water supplies and sewage disposal facilities. Under certain conditions, the subdivider may also need the approval of the state or county highway agencies, the Town Highway Department, the New York State Department of Health, Orange County Department of Health, the Orange County Planning Board and others involved, such as federal, state and local agencies. Applicants seeking a preapplication meeting shall schedule the same in accordance with the procedures established by the Planning Board. The applicant may be charged reasonable fees for a preapplication meeting. The applicant shall not be bound by the determination of the preapplication meeting, nor shall the Planning Board or review committee be bound by any such review.
A. 
Prior to filing a preliminary plat, the subdivider or his duly authorized representative shall submit a sketch plan showing the basic proposed layout and other information required in § 257-28 of this chapter. At least 12 copies of this sketch plan and all required documents, information and fees shall be delivered to the Planning Board Secretary or other authorized official at least seven days before the regularly scheduled Planning Board meeting for which the application is scheduled for review.
B. 
After review of the sketch plan, but within 62 days of the official date of submission of the sketch plan, the Planning Board will approve the sketch plan or recommend modification. The purpose of the sketch plan is to provide the Planning Board input in the formative stages of subdivision design. The applicant shall not be bound by any sketch plan, nor shall the Planning Board be bound by any such review. Concerns surfacing during the more detailed preliminary and final plat review may necessitate revision of the initial proposal, as presented in the sketch plan.
A preliminary plat for both major and minor subdivisions shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with § 257-29 or 257-31, respectively. (Preliminary plat approval for lot line change is not required.)
A. 
A preliminary plat for both major and minor subdivisions shall be prepared and submitted, showing, in detail, how the subdivision is to be designed, the details of construction, any proposed covenants and other items required in § 257-29 or 257-31 (as applicable) of this chapter and clearly marked as "preliminary plat." Twelve copies shall be submitted. A public hearing shall be held within 62 days after SEQR compliance and receipt of all necessary information required by this chapter, fees and complete plans. (Public hearing may be waived by Planning Board for minor subdivisions and lot line changes.) Such hearing shall be advertised by the Town at least once in the official Town newspaper at least 14 days before such hearing. Not less than 10 days prior, notifications shall be prepared by the applicant, addressed to all property owners within 300 feet of the property in question and to any other persons the Board feels may be particularly affected. Such notices shall be complete with postage affixed and shall be submitted to the Planning Board Secretary who shall cause such notices to be mailed (via regular first class) and advise the Planning Board by affidavit of such mailing. The Town will provide the applicant with the list of names and addresses for notification. After the public hearing, the Board shall move to close or to adjourn the public hearing. If the hearing is closed, the Planning Board shall act within 62 days of the public hearing closing to approve, with or without modifications, or disapprove the preliminary plat. This period may be extended by mutual written consent of the applicant and the Planning Board. The grounds for modification, if any, or the grounds for disapproval shall be stated upon the record of the Planning Board. In the event that the Planning Board fails to take action on a preliminary plat within the time prescribed, such preliminary plat shall be deemed granted preliminary approval. The certificate of the Town Clerk as to the date of submission, and the failure of the Planning Board to take action within such prescribed time, shall be issued on demand and shall be sufficient in lieu of written endorsement or other evidence of approval herein required.
B. 
Review by other agencies. Where review is required by other Town, county, state or federal agencies, all approvals, permits and/or review of these agencies shall be filed by the subdivider with the Planning Board as part of the final plat submission.
C. 
Study of preliminary plat. The Planning Board shall study the practicability of the preliminary plat, taking into consideration the requirements of the community and the best use of the land being subdivided. Particular attention shall be given to the arrangement, location and width of streets; the topography of the land; water supply, sewage disposal and drainage; lot sizes, shapes and arrangements; the possible future development of adjoining lands as yet unsubdivided; the health, safety and welfare of the public; and the requirements of the Town Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Law and other matters enumerated in § 277 of the Town Law of the State of New York. The Planning Board may require the location of temporary markers at property corners and along street center lines to facilitate inspection of the site.
D. 
Completion of SEQR procedures. All requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act must be implemented and completed prior to any action on the preliminary plat by the Planning Board.
E. 
Applicant to attend Planning Board meeting. The subdivider or his representative shall attend the regular meeting of the Planning Board to discuss the final plat submission and any modifications to the approved preliminary plat. The applicant may attend workshop meetings to help clarify issues raised by the Planning Board.
F. 
Approval of the preliminary plat. A resolution to approve, with or without modification, or disapprove shall be filed with the Town Clerk within five business days of such resolution, and a copy of the resolution shall be mailed to the applicant.
G. 
Approval of the preliminary plat does not constitute approval of the final plat. Rather, it shall be deemed an expression of approval of the proposal submitted on the preliminary plat and used as a guide to the preparation of the final plat, which will be submitted for approval by the Board and for recording upon fulfillment of the requirements of these regulations.
H. 
Expiration of approval. Planning Board approval of a preliminary plat shall expire six months after the date of such resolution of approval. No Planning Board action will be taken after such expiration until a new application and filing fee are submitted. A total of four six-month extensions of time may be given by the Planning Board prior to expiration, unless the applicant demonstrates adequate hardship and cause, in the sole discretion of the Planning Board, why the application has not received outside agency approvals necessary for consideration of final approval by the Planning Board.
I. 
Notice to County Planning Department. The Planning Board shall refer all applicable preliminary plats to the Orange County Planning Department for its review and comment pursuant to the agreement between such agencies.
A final plat for major subdivisions, minor subdivisions and lot line changes shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with § 257-30, 257-32 or 257-33, respectively.
A. 
Final plats which are in substantial agreement with approved preliminary plats where applicable. When a final flat is submitted which the Planning Board deems to be in substantial agreement with a preliminary plat approval pursuant to § 257-14, the Planning Board shall, by resolution, conditionally approve, with or without modification, disapprove or grant final approval and authorize the signing of such plat within 62 days of the receipt of the complete final plat by the Planning Board.
B. 
Final plats which are not in substantial agreement with approved preliminary plats where applicable. When a final plat is submitted which the Planning Board deems not to be in substantial agreement with the preliminary plat approved pursuant to this section, the following shall apply:
(1) 
Final plats not in substantial agreement with approved preliminary plats may require further review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR).
(2) 
The Planning Board shall hold a public hearing on such final plat not later than 62 days after receipt of the complete final plat. The hearing shall be noticed in accordance with § 257-14. (Note: For applications where no substantial change has been made, in the opinion of the Planning Board, since the preliminary plat, the Board may waive this requirement.)
(3) 
The Planning Board shall, by resolution, conditionally approve, with or without modification, disapprove or grant final approval and authorization of the signing of such plat, within 62 days after the date of the public hearing or the completion of any further review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The grounds for a modification, if any, or the grounds for disapproval shall be stated upon the records of the Planning Board.
[Amended 4-5-2017 by L.L. No. 4-2017]
C. 
Review by other agencies. Where review, approval or permits are required by other Town, county, state or federal agencies, written approvals and/or permits from these agencies shall be filed by the subdivider with the Planning Board as part of the final plat submission.
D. 
Performance bond estimate and inspection fee. An estimate of the construction cost for all proposed subdivision improvements shall be prepared. Such estimate shall be based on anticipated expenses the Town would incur in the event that the responsibility of improvement construction is consigned to the Town. Such estimate shall be provided by the applicant’s engineer, approved by the Planning Board Engineer and must be based upon prevailing wages. This estimate and the corresponding improvement inspection fee shall be submitted to the Planning Board as a condition of final approval.
E. 
Applicant to attend Planning Board meeting. The subdivider or his representative shall be prepared to attend the regular meeting of the Planning Board to discuss the final plat submission and any modifications to the approved preliminary plat. Failure of the applicant or duly authorized representatives to attend the meeting shall result in the application being removed from the agenda and an automatic waiver of time frames for decision in this chapter. The applicant may attend workshop meetings to help clarify issues raised by the Planning Board.
F. 
Approval of final plat. Upon a resolution granting conditional approval, with or without modification, approval or disapproval of the final plat, the Planning Board shall, within five days of such resolution, file a copy with the Town Clerk and a copy of the resolution shall be mailed by certified mail to the applicant. This copy shall include a statement of requirements which, when completed, will authorize the signing of the conditionally approved site plan.
G. 
Expiration of approval. The signature of the duly authorized officer of the Planning Board constituting final approval by the Planning Board of a plat as herein provided; or the approval by such Board of the development of a plat or plats already filed in the Orange County Clerk’s office or register of the county in which such plat or plats are located if such plats are entirely or partially undeveloped; or the certificate of the Town Clerk as to the date of submission of the final plat and the failure of the Planning Board to take action within the time herein provided, shall expire within 62 days from the date of such approval, or from the date such certificate is issued, unless within such sixty-two-day period, such plat, or a section thereof, shall have been duly filed or recorded by the owner. In the event that the owner shall file only a section of such approved plat in the office of the County Clerk, the entire approved plat shall be filed within 30 days of the filing of such section with the Town Clerk in each town in which any portion of the land described in the plat is situated.
H. 
The time in which the Planning Board must take action on such plat may be extended by mutual written consent of the applicant and the Planning Board. In the event that the Planning Board fails to take action on a final plat within the time prescribed, the plat shall be deemed approved, and certification as to the date of submission and the failure to take action within such prescribed time shall be issued on demand by the Town Clerk and shall be sufficient in lieu of written endorsement or other evidence of approval herein required.
Final plat approval shall be deemed conditional when public or private improvements are required; and final approval with authorization for the signing of the final plant shall not be granted until the subdivider has complied with the following provisions:
A. 
Furnishing of performance bond or other security. As an alternative to the installation of infrastructure and improvements, and prior to Planning Board approval, a performance bond or other security sufficient to cover the full cost of the same as approved by the Planning Board shall be furnished to the Town by the applicant.
B. 
Security where plat approved in sections. In the event that the owner shall be authorized to file the approved plat in sections, approval of the plat may be granted upon the installation of the required improvements in the section of the plat to be filed or upon the furnishing of security covering the costs of such improvements. The applicant shall not be permitted to begin construction of buildings in any other section until such section has been filed in the office of the County Clerk or register and then the required improvements have been installed in such section or a security covering the cost of such improvements is provided.
C. 
Forms of security.
(1) 
Any such security must be provided pursuant to a written security agreement with the Town, approved by the Town Board and also approved by the Town Attorney as to form, sufficiency and manner of execution of such security, and shall be limited to one or a combination of the following and shall have a value at least equal to the full cost of such improvements:
(a) 
A performance bond issued by a bonding or surety company.
(b) 
The deposit of funds in a bank or trust company located and authorized to do business in this state.
(c) 
An irrevocable letter of credit from a bank located and authorized to do business in this state.
(2) 
If not delivered to the Town, such security shall be held in a Town account at a bank or trust company.
D. 
Terms of security agreement. Any such performance bond or security agreement shall run for a term to be fixed by the Planning Board, but in no case for a term longer than three years; provided, however, that the term of such performance bond or security agreement may be extended by the Planning Board with consent of the parties thereto. If the Planning Board shall decide, at any time during the term of the performance bond or security agreement, that the extent of building development that has taken place in the subdivision is not sufficient to warrant all the improvements covered by such security, or that the required improvements have been installed as provided in this section and by the Planning Board in sufficient amount to warrant reduction in the amount of said security, and upon approval by the Town Board, the Planning Board may modify its requirements for any or all such improvements, and the amount of such security shall thereupon be reduced by an appropriate amount so that the new amount will cover the cost in full of the amended list of improvements required by the Planning Board. Reductions in the amount of securities can be approved only by the Town Board based upon the Town Engineer’s concurrence, in writing, that the portion of work in question has been completed.
E. 
Default of security agreement. In the event that any required improvements have not been installed, as provided in this section, within the term of such security agreement, the Town Board may thereupon declare the performance bond or security agreement to be in default and collect the sum remaining payable thereunder; and upon the receipt of the proceeds thereof, the Town shall install such improvements as are covered by such security and as commensurate with the extent of building development that has taken place in the subdivision but not exceeding in cost the amount of such proceeds.
F. 
Notice to County Planning Department. The Planning Board shall refer all applicable final plats which are not in substantial conformity with the preliminary plat to the Orange County Planning Department for its review and comment pursuant to the agreement between such agencies.
G. 
The appropriate inspection fee must be provided in a Town escrow account prior to any issuance of a building permit or prior to any on-site construction.
Prior to granting final approval or conditional approval of a plat in final form, the Planning Board may permit the plat to be divided and developed into two or more sections and may, in its resolution granting conditional approval or final approval, state such requirements as it deems necessary to ensure that the orderly development of the subdivision to be completed before said sections may be signed by the duly authorized officer of the Planning Board. Conditional approval or final approval of the sections of a final plat, subject to any conditions imposed by the Board, shall be granted concurrently with conditional or final approval of the plat. Any section shall encompass at least 10% of the total number of lots shown on the plat. Such approval shall expire three years from the filing of the first section of said plat.
A. 
Conditional approval of a final plat shall expire within 180 days after the date of filing of the resolution granting conditional approval unless all such conditions have been certified as completed. The Planning Board may extend the time in which a conditionally approved plat in final form must be submitted for signature if such extension is warranted by the particular circumstances thereof. The applicant must submit written application for an extension to the Planning Board prior to the time the approval expires.
[Amended 4-5-2017 by L.L. No. 4-2017]
B. 
Upon receipt of notification form the Planning Board Engineer, Planning Board Attorney or other Town officials and consultants that all conditions have been completed in accordance with the aforementioned requirements, the authorized official of the Planning Board shall sign the final plat as approved by the Board. Such approval in no way indicates acceptance of the subdivision improvements for public dedication.
The subdivider shall file all necessary copies of the certified plat in the Orange County Clerk’s office and obtain the county map file number within 62 days of signature by the Planning Board. Consistent with county requirements, all drawings should be of the size dimension acceptable to the Orange County Clerk’s office.