Whenever any subdivision of land is proposed, and before any lot is sold, the subdivider or his or her agent shall apply, in writing, to the Subdivision Agent for the approval of the subdivision plat and submit two copies of the preliminary plat, including the lot, street and utilities layout. No lot shall be sold or contract made or deposit taken until a final plat for the subdivision shall have been approved and as hereinafter provided.
A. 
The subdivider may, if he or she so chooses, submit to the Agent a preliminary plat for the proposed subdivision for a tentative approval prior to this preparing engineered final plats. The purpose of such preliminary plat is to permit that the Subdivision Agent may mark the preliminary plat, indicating necessary changes, and any such marked plat shall be returned to the subdivider.
B. 
The preliminary plat should be as follows:
(1) 
It shall be drawn to the scale of not more than 100 feet to the inch.
(2) 
It may show the name, location and dimensions of all streets entering the property, adjacent to the property or terminating at the boundary of the property to be subdivided.
(3) 
It shall show the proposed uses of the land to be subdivided and shall include approximate dimensions.
The Subdivision Agent shall discuss the preliminary plat with the subdivider in order to determine whether or not his or her preliminary plat generally conforms to the requirements of this chapter. The subdivider shall then be advised, in writing, within 45 days, which may be by formal letter or by legible markings on his or her copy of the preliminary plat, concerning any additional data that may be required, the character and extent of public improvements and the amount of the performance bond. The Subdivision Agent may consult with an engineer, who shall prepare this data for the Subdivision Agent or, preferably, may require a bona fide estimate of the cost of improvements to be furnished by the subdivider.
Tentative approval by the Subdivision Agent of the preliminary plat does not constitute a guarantee of approval of the final plat.
The subdivision plats submitted for final approval by the Subdivision Agent and subsequent recording shall be at a scale of 100 feet to the inch on sheets having a size of not more than 24 inches by 36 inches. Two prints will be required, plus one reduced copy for recording, having a maximum size 14 inches by 18 inches. In addition to the requirements of the preliminary plat, the final plat shall include the following items:
A. 
Name of subdivision, magisterial district, County, state, owner, true of magnetic North point, scale of drawing and number of sheets. If shown on more than one sheet, matched lines shall clearly indicate where the several sheets adjoin. A blank, oblong space 1 1/2 inches by 3 inches shall be reserved for the use of the approving authority.
B. 
A boundary survey with an error of closure within the limits of one in 10,000 related to the true or magnetic meridian and showing the location of all monuments and their type of material.
C. 
A certificate signed by the surveyor or engineer setting forth the source of title of the owners of the land subdivided and the place of record of the last instrument in the chain of title.
D. 
A statement to the effect that the subdivision as it appears on the plat is with the free consent and in accordance with the desires of the owner, proprietors and trustees, if any, and shall be duly acknowledged before an officer authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds.
E. 
When the subdivision consists of land acquired from more than one source of title, the outlines of the various tracts shall be indicated by dashlines, and identifications of the respective tracts shall be placed on the plat.
F. 
The accurate location and dimensions by bearings and distances with arc lengths on all lots and all curve data on street lines and center lines of streets, public areas, the number and area of all building sites, all existing streets, their names, numbers and widths, existing utilities and those to be provided, such as water mains, watercourses and their names, names of owners and their property lines, proposed lines and proposed or existing easements, both within the boundary of the subdivision and said boundaries.
G. 
All dimensions shown in feet and decimals of a foot to the closest 1/100 of a foot, all in degrees, minutes and seconds to the nearest 10 seconds.
H. 
The data of all curves along the street frontage shall be shown in detail at the curve or in a curve data table containing the following: delta, radius, arc, tangent, chord and chord bearings.
I. 
The recording in Northumberland County of any subdivision plat, or plat that creates a new division of land or adjusts the boundary line of any existing parcel, or any accompanying plats, such as for roads, drainage, utility easements, septic tank/drainfields, remove drainfield sites, force main and lateral lines or any other plats that may affect said subdivision or division of land or adjust the boundary line of any parcel, without the certification of the subdivision agent or his/her authorized representative, is a violation of this chapter.
[Added 3-11-1999]
The plat shall not be approved until the subdivider has complied with the general requirements and minimum standards of design in accordance with this chapter and has made satisfactory arrangements for the performance bonds, to cover the cost of necessary improvements to the satisfaction of the Subdivision Agent. Approval of the final plat shall be written on the face of the plat by the Agent. The final plat shall be filed for recordation after final approval thereof, and unless such plat is filed for recordation within 60 days after final approval, then such approval shall be deemed withdrawn, and the approved final plat shall be returned to the Agent by the subdivider.