A. 
Pursuant to Article 7 of the Virginia Planning Act, found in the Code of Virginia 1950, as amended, § 15.1-465 et seq., the City Council of Galax, Virginia, is authorized to adopt regulations to provide:
(1) 
For size, scale and other plat details.
(2) 
For the orderly development of the general area.
(3) 
For the coordination of streets within the subdivision with other existing or planned streets within the general area as to location, widths, grades and drainage.
(4) 
For adequate provisions for drainage and flood control and other public purposes and for light and air.
(5) 
For the extent to which and the manner in which streets shall be graded, graveled or otherwise improved and water and storm and sanitary sewers and other utilities or other facilities installed.
(6) 
For the acceptance of dedication for public use of any right-of-way located within any subdivision which has constructed therein or proposed to be constructed therein any street, curb, gutter, sidewalk, drainage or sewerage system or other improvement, financed or to be financed in whole or in part by private funds, only if the owner or developer certifies to the governing body that the construction costs have been paid to the persons constructing such facilities or furnishes to the governing body a certified check in the amount of the estimated costs of construction or a bond, with surety satisfactory to the governing body, in an amount sufficient for and conditioned upon the construction of such facilities or a contract for the construction of such facilities and the contractor's bond, with like surety, in like amount and so conditioned.
(7) 
For monuments of specific types to be installed, establishing street and property lines.
(8) 
That unless a plat is filed for recordation within a reasonable time after final approval thereof, such approval shall be withdrawn and the plat marked void and returned to the approving official.
(9) 
For the administration and enforcement of such regulations not inconsistent with provisions contained in the Act.
B. 
The following regulations are hereby adopted for the subdivision of land within the corporate limits of the City and within three miles of the corporate limits in Carroll and Grayson Counties, from and after the effective date of this chapter. Every owner or proprietor of any tract of land to which these regulations apply who subdivides such tract as provided in these regulations shall cause a plat of such subdivision developed and prepared in accordance with these regulations, with reference to known or permanent monuments, to be made and recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Carroll or Grayson County wherein deeds conveying such land are required by law to be recorded.
A. 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish certain subdivision standards and procedures for Galax, Virginia, and such of its environs as come under the jurisdiction of the governing body as provided for by the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended.
B. 
These are part of a long-range plan to guide and facilitate the orderly beneficial growth of the community and to promote the public health, safety, convenience, comfort, prosperity and general welfare. More specifically, the purposes of these standards and procedures are to provide a guide for the change that occurs when lands and acreage become urban in character as a result of development for residential, business or industrial purposes, to provide assurance that the purchasers of lots are buying a commodity that is suitable for development and use and to make possible the provision of public services in a safe, adequate and efficient manner. Subdivided land sooner or later becomes a public responsibility in that roads and streets must be maintained and numerous public services customary to urban areas must be provided. This chapter assists the community in meeting these responsibilities.
This chapter is known and may be cited as the "Subdivision Ordinance of Galax, Virginia."
A. 
For the purpose of this chapter, certain words and terms used herein shall be interpreted or defined as follows:
(1) 
Words used in the present tense include the future; words in the singular number include the plural, and the plural the singular, unless the natural construction of the word indicates otherwise.
(2) 
The word "lot" includes the word "parcel."
(3) 
The word "shall" is mandatory and not directory.
(4) 
The word "approve" shall be considered to be followed by the words "or disapproved."
(5) 
Any reference to this chapter includes all ordinances amending or supplementing the same.
(6) 
All distances and areas refer to measurements in a horizontal plane.
B. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AGENT
The person or persons appointed by the governing body of Galax to serve as the agent of said governing body with respect to the subdivision of land and the plat thereof pursuant to this chapter and to perform such other duties and functions with respect to this chapter as said governing body may require.
ALLEY
A permanent serviceway providing a secondary means of access to abutting properties.
BUILDING LINE
The distance which a building is from the front lot line or front boundary line.
COMMISSION
The Planning Commission of Galax, Virginia.
CUL-DE-SAC
A street with only one outlet and having an appropriate turnaround for a safe and convenient reverse traffic movement.
DEVELOPER
An owner of property being subdivided, whether or not represented by an agent.
EASEMENT
A grant by a property owner of the use of land for a specific purpose or purposes.
ENGINEER
An engineer licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
GOVERNING BODY
The City Council of Galax, Virginia.
HEALTH OFFICIAL
The Health Director or Sanitarian for the City of Galax, Virginia.
HIGHWAY ENGINEER
The resident engineer employed by the Virginia Department of Highways.
JURISDICTION
The area or territory subject to the legislative control of the governing body.
LOT
A numbered and recorded portion of a subdivision intended for transfer of ownership or for building development for a single building and its accessory building.
LOT, CORNER
A lot abutting upon two or more streets at their intersection; the shortest side fronting upon a street shall be considered the front of the lot, and the longest side fronting upon a street shall be considered the side of the lot.
LOT, DEPTH OF
The mean horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.
LOT, DOUBLE FRONTAGE
An interior lot having frontage on two streets.
LOT, INTERIOR
A lot other than a corner lot.
LOT OF RECORD
A lot which has been recorded in the office of the Clerk of the appropriate court.
LOT, WIDTH OF
The mean horizontal distance between the side lot lines.
PLAT
Includes the terms "map," "plan," "plot," "replat" or "replot"; a map or plan of a tract or parcel of land which is to be or which has been subdivided. When used as a verb, "plat" is synonymous with "subdivide."
PROPERTY
Any tract, lot, parcel or several of the same collected together for the purpose of subdividing.
STREET
The principal means of access to abutting properties.
STREET OR ALLEY, PUBLIC USE OF
The unrestricted use of a specified area or right-of-way for ingress and egress to two or more abutting properties.
STREET, MAJOR
A heavily traveled thoroughfare or highway that carries a large volume of through traffic or anticipated traffic exceeding 500 vehicles per day.
STREET, SERVICE DRIVE
A public right-of-way generally parallel and contiguous to a major highway, primarily designated to promote safety by eliminating promiscuous ingress and egress to the right-of-way by providing safe and orderly points of access to the highway.
STREET WIDTH
The total width of the strip of land dedicated or reserved for public travel, including the roadway, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and planting strips.
SUBDIVIDE
To divide any tract, parcel or lot of land into two or more lots. The agent may, however, with approval of the governing body permit the separation of one-parcel from a tract of land without complying with all the requirements of this chapter if it is not in conflict with the general meaning and purpose of the chapter. The word "subdivide" and any derivative thereof shall have reference to the term "subdivider" as defined below.
SUBDIVIDER
An individual, corporation or registered partnership owning any tract, lot or parcel of land to be subdivided or a group of two or more persons owning any tract, lot or parcel of land to be subdivided who have given their power of attorney to one of their group or to another individual to act on their behalf in planning, negotiating for, in representing or executing the legal requirements of the subdivision.
SUBDIVISION
A division of a lot, tract or parcel of land into three or more lots or other subdivision of land for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of transfer of ownership or of building development, including all changes in street or lot lines, and including any parcel previously separated by the then-owner of such tract for such purpose subsequent to the adoption of these regulations; provided, however, that divisions of land in parcels of five acres or more not involving any new street or easement of access shall be exempted.
A. 
The agent appointed by the governing body is to administer this chapter, subject to final approval of the governing body.
B. 
The agent shall also consult with the Commission on matters contained herein.
C. 
The agent shall perform his duties as regards subdivisions and subdividing in accordance with this chapter and the Virginia Land Subdivision and Development Act.
D. 
In the performance of his duties, the agent may call for opinions or decisions, either verbal or written, from other departments in considering details of any submitted plat. This authority by the agent shall have particular reference to the resident highway engineer and the Health Officer.
E. 
In addition to the regulations herein contained for the platting of subdivisions, the agent may from time to time establish any reasonable additional administrative procedures deemed necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.