ARTICLE III.                                      PROCEDURES FOR PLAT APPROVAL     

 

      A.    General

 

            The procedure for review and approval of a subdivision plat consists of four separate steps. 

 

            ·     The first step is submission and approval of a sketch plat.

            ·     The second step is the submission and approval of a preliminary plat. 

            ·     The third step is construction of roadway improvements and utilities in accord with the approved preliminary plat and the appropriate construction standards.

            ·     The fourth step is the submission and approval of a final plat together with required certificates and as-built plans of roadway improvements and utilities as actually installed.  This final plat becomes the instrument to be recorded in the office of the County Register when approved by the Planning Commission and duly signed by the Secretary of the Planning Commission.

 

            The subdivider should consult early and informally with the City for advice and assistance before preparation of the sketch plat and submission for approval.  This procedure will enable the subdivider to become thoroughly familiar with the subdivision standards, the Comprehensive Plan and other official plans or public improvements, which might affect the area.  Such informal review should prevent unnecessary and costly revisions.

 

            1.    Any owner of land lying within the area of jurisdic­tion of the Planning Commission wishing to divide such land into two or more lots, sites, or divisions, for the purpose, either immediate or future, of sale or building development, or wishes to resub­divide for this purpose, shall submit a plan of such proposed subdivision to the Oak Ridge Regional Planning Com­mission for approval and shall obtain such approval prior to the filing of the subdivision plat for record.  Any such plat of a subdivision shall conform to the minimum requirements as set forth in Article III and standards of design for subdivision of land as set forth in Article IV of these regulations and shall be presented in the manner specified in the following section of this Article.  Sketch, preliminary and final plats shall be sub­mitted to the Planning Commission at least seventeen (17) days prior to the scheduled meeting of the Planning Commis­sion in order to be eli­gible for review and action by the Planning Com­mission during said calendar month.  Plats submitted will be presented for review and approval by the Planning Commission.  No plat of a subdivision of land within Oak Ridge, Tennessee shall be filed or recorded by the Register of Anderson County or the Register of Roane County with­out the approval of the Planning Commission as specified herein.

 

            2.    In order to secure review and approval by the Plan­ning Commission of a proposed subdivi­sion, the prospective subdivider shall submit to the Planning Commission, at its office in the Muni­cipal Building, seven (7) copies of all plats required for the proposed subdivi­sion. 

                  a.    Plats submitted to the Planning Commission will be reviewed by City staff for compliance with general layout, design and engin­eering  requirements.  Staff review will be made between the date of plat submission and the date of the public hearing and review by the Planning Commission.

 

                  b.    Any subdivision plat presented to the Planning Com­mis­sion must be accompanied by a complete list of instances in which the plat deviates from the Subdivision Regulations, with justification in writing for each such proposed deviation.  Fur­ther, all known non-compliance items shall be identified and explained at the time of submis­sion, with written request for any variance required.  Failure to comply with this regulation shall be grounds for refusal to approve such plat.

 

                  c.    No construction or grading activity may take place on the property proposed for subdivision prior to initiating the Platting process.  Following approval of a sketch plat, the subdivider may obtain a grading permit for the purpose of clearing and grubbing the property to facilitate surveying and future construction providing all requirements of the Erosion Control and Storm Water Management Ordinance are met.  Following approval of a preliminary plat by the Planning Commission, the subdivider may obtain a grading permit and proceed with the installation of required street improvements and installation of utilities.  No building permits will be issued prior to filing a final plat in the appropriate Register of Deeds office.

(Ord. No. 2-03 Revised Effective 1/16/03)

 

      B.    Two-lot Subdivisions

 

            As provided by State law, two-lot subdivisions which require no new street, drainage or utility dedications, or construc­tion, and which require no vari­ances, may be approved by endorsement in writing on the plat by the Secretary of the Planning Commission, upon certifica­tion by the City that the subdivision complies with these Subdivision Regulations, and need not be reviewed by the entire Planning Commission.  Such sub­divisions shall meet the applicable requirements for final plats.

 

      C.    Planning Unit Developments

 

The Zoning Ordinance includes provisions for Planned Unit Developments. Where land is to be subdivided or streets or other lands are to be dedicated to the City within such Planned Unit Developments, normal subdivision procedures will be followed designating new lots, streets, or other lands, in addition to the review and approval of the Preliminary and Final Master Development Plans as provided in the Planned Unit Development (PUD) section of the Zoning Ordinance.

 

1.    Drawings and other documents submitted to define a Final Master Development Plan shall conform to the requirements for a Preliminary Plat.

 

2.    Designated lands within Planned Unit Developments reserved for public use, buffers, or to be dedicated as improved or unimproved Common Open Space shall be so designated by notes or otherwise on the Final Plat.

 

3.    Such plats may be approved by the Planning Commission although the design of the project does not conform to standard street, lot, or subdivision arrangements, if departure from such standards can be made without destroying their intent.  Any such development must provide positive design features and otherwise comply with the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance for Planned Unit Developments.

(Ord. No. 2-03 Revised Effective 1/16/03)

 

 

      D.    Sketch Plat:  Submission, Review and Approval

 

Submission:  Seven (7) copies of the sketch plat, drawn to a scale no less than one inch (1”) equals two hundred (200) feet.  The Planning Commission recognizes these plans are conceptual in nature and do not represent the final design or location of roadway improvements or lot patterns.  The sketch plat shall contain the following information:

 

1.    A scale drawing of the property and the names of the owners of adjoining property. 

 

2.    Size of original tract(s) being subdivided.

 

3.    Notation of any existing legal rights-of-way, easements or other encumbrances affecting the property.

 

4.    Topography by contours at vertical intervals of not more than five (5) feet.

 

5.    All areas designated as Floodway or Flood Fringe.  This information must be verified by field elevations.

 

6.    General public right-of-way and lot patterns.

 

7.    General location of nearest utilities to serve property.

 

8.    Proposed phasing, if any.

 

9.    Vicinity map of property.

 

10.   Erosion control and storm water management plan.

 

11.   Graphic scale, true and grid north points.

 

12.   Date of preparation and name of owner.

 

13.   Name of plat designer.

 

14.   Zoning Classification.

 

15.   Locations of all streets, intersections and driveway openings within two hundred (200) feet of each of the boundaries of the proposed subdivision.

(Ord. No. 2-03 Revised Effective 1/16/03)

 

      E.    Preliminary Plat: Submission, Review and Approval

 

            1.    Submission - Seven (7) copies of the prelim­inary  plat, drawn to a scale of not less than one inch equals one hundred (100) feet, together with two (2) copies of profiles and all other supplementary plans as may be necessary to present required inform­ation.  Said plans shall meet the minimum standards of design and general requirements for the construction of public improvements as set forth in Articles III and IV.

 

                  Such preliminary plats shall contain, or when applicable be accomp­anied by, the following information:

 

                  a.    Description:

                                   

                        (1)   Proposed name of subdivision.

 

                        (2)   Name and address of subdivider.

 

                        (3)   Name and address of designer of the plat.

 

                        (4)   Graphic scale, true and grid north points and date of preparation.

 

                        (5)   Locational sketch map showing relationship of the subdivision site to the surrounding area.

 

                        (6)   Water and sewer design

 

                  b.    Existing Conditions

 

                        (1)   Topography by contours at vertical intervals of not more than five (5) feet.

 

 

                        (2)   Zoning district classification (if there is more than one classification, showing divid­ing lines) on land to be subdivided and on adjoining land.

 

                        (3)   Names of adjoining property owners or subdivision.

 

                        (4)   Acreage to be subdivided.

 

                        (5)   In case of resubdivision, a copy of exist­ing plat, if not on file with the City.

 

                        (6)   Location of streams, lakes, and wetlands with direction of flow and elevations, land sub­ject to flood as determined in the Floodway and Flood Insurance Rate Maps of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Community No. 475441, revised May 15, 1985, and July 16, 1998 or as subsequently amended, whichever is higher.

 

                        (7)   Location of existing and platted property lines. Location, width, and names of all platted roads, railroads, utility rights-of-way, public areas, existing buildings or structures, and planning region boundary lines.

 

                        (8)   Existing sewers, water mains, drains, culverts, electric lines and manholes, or other underground facilities within the tract or within the right-of-way of boundary roads, with pipe sizes, grades and invert elevations from public records.  Location of these facilities as well as overhead electric equipment including poles, anchors, and overhead conductors in adjoining tracts or subdivisions if proposed for use or extension.

 

 

                        (9)   Designation of existing or remediated sinkholes, cave entrances, disappearing streams and springs

 

                  c.    Proposed Conditions

 

                        (1)   Layout of roads, alleys, and public cross­walks, with widths noted; detailed design of street inter­sections; road names or designa­tion; grades, road profiles, road cross sections at intervals not greater than one hundred (100) feet measured along all road rights-of-way and finished contours or equivalent (cut and fill lines).  Layout of roads shall be shown on Plan and Profile paper, at one (1) inch equals fifty (50) feet hori­zontal scale and one (1) inch equals ten (10) feet verti­cal scale, giving all hori­zontal and verti­cal road data required and verified by field layout if necessary.

 

                        (2)   Layout of all lots, including area of each lot and minimum front, minimum rear and "least" side build­ing setback lines (legal minimum lot areas and setback dimensions are established in the Zoning Ordi­nance); for R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 zones, the building "envelope" size allowed by such setback lines, and maximum square feet of building allowed by the Zoning Ordinance ratio of floor area to lot size for the zone of such lot; lot numbering, and lot divi­sions; scaled dimen­sions of all corner lots and lots on curvi­linear sections of roads; utility easements with width and use on all lots; total number of lots.

 

                        (3)   Preliminary plan of sanitary sewers on Plan and Profile paper, at one (1) inch equals fifty (50) feet horizontal scale and one (1) inch equals ten (10) feet vertical scale plotted from field survey, showing elevations, grades, points of discharge, distances, and pipe size and type.

 

                        (4)   Preliminary plan of storm sewer system with grade, pipe sizes, location of outlet, and designation of drainage areas.

 

                        (5)   Preliminary plan of erosion and sediment control structures to be provided during construction.

 

                        (6)   Preliminary plan of water supply system with pipe sizes and location of hydrants.

 

                        (7)   Designation of all land to be reserved or dedicated for public use.

 

                        (8)   Draft of proposed protective covenants (if any) to be imposed and homeowner association documents in a PUD.

 

                        (9)   Street name, street signage, and traffic signage plan.

 

                        (10)  Preliminary designation of sinkholes to be remediated

 

                        (11)  If existing or remediated sinkholes exist on the property, the preliminary plat shall contain the following statement: “Part of the property identified in this plat contains a geologic feature known as a depressed area or sinkhole, evidenced by soil subsidence of a sufficient nature to create a depression.  Construction activities may ameliorate or activate future subsidence.”

 

                        (12)  The City may assess an additional subdivision application fee to cover the cost of getting a second opinion from a qualified professional licensed to practice in specific matters of concern, if needed.

 

            2.    Review

 

                  Within sixty (60) days of the submission of the preliminary plat the Planning Commission shall review it and indi­cate its approval, disapproval or approval subject to modifica­tions as a basis for the preparation of the final plat.  If a plat is disapproved, reasons for such disapproval shall be stated in the records of the Planning Commis­sion.  If approved subject to modifi­cations, the nature of the required modifi­cations shall be indi­cated.  Five (5) copies of the preliminary plat will be retained by the Planning Commission for distribution; one copy, with notations and possible specific changes required, will be returned to the subdivider after approval or disapproval.

 

            3.    Approval

 

                  Failure of the Planning Commission to act on the preliminary plat (working drawing) within sixty (60) days shall be deemed approval of such plat.  Approval of the preliminary plat (working drawing) shall lapse unless a final plat based thereon is submitted within one (1) year from the date of such approval, unless an extension of time is granted by the Planning Commis­sion.

 

 

      F.    Final Plat

 

            1.    General 

 

                  a.    Standard Submission

 

                        Final plats shall include such information and be submitted in the form set forth in this section.  The final plat, final profiles and final as-built drawings shall conform substantially to the preliminary plat, prelim­inary profiles, and preliminary plans as approved. Plats shall be 18” x 24” in size.

 

                  b.    Supplementary Electronic Submission

 

                        In addition to the submission of subdivisions as paper drawings, final subdivision plats (including plats of correction) should be submitted in an approved electronic format.

 

c.    Any Subdivision containing five (5) or less lots fronting on an existing publicly dedicated street, not involving any new or improved public way or the extension of any public utilities, may be approved by filing only a Final Plat in the office of the Community Development Department, which shall be reviewed by staff and approved by the Planning Commission.

(Pl. Comm. Res. 04-01 effective 9/23/04)

 

            2.    Submission 

 

                  If desired by the subdivider, a final plat may include only that portion of the approved preliminary plat which is proposed to be developed and recorded at the time, provided that such portion meets the requirements of the regulations. Final plats shall include the following:

 

                  a.    All information as to land owner, developer or design firm from preliminary plat.  Land contours need not be shown.

 

                  b.    Sufficient data to determine readily and reproduce on the ground the location, bear­ing & length of every road line, right-of-way, easement lines, block line or building line, whether curved or straight.  This shall include the radius, central angle, and tangent distance for the center lines of curved roads.  Curved prop­erty lines shall show arc and chord distance, chord bearings, and radii.  All surveys shall be based on the Oak Ridge Grid System, showing grid north as well as true north on a graphic indicator.  Not less than one (1) grid coordi­nate tie must be shown.  Submit evidence of closures.

 

                        Show the area of each lot, to the nearest one-hundredth (1/100) of an acre.  Specify final lot numbering and tract designations in accord with the system and standards of the City Manager.  Previous lot, tract or parcel numbers, boundary dimensions, and areas shall be shown in parentheses.

 

                  c.    All dimensions shall be shown to the nearest one-hundredth (1/100) of a foot, and angles to a 20-second accuracy. Accuracy of surveys shall be according to the current standards of practice as described in the “Tennessee Land Surveyors Laws and Regulations” issued by the Tennessee State Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors.

 

                  d.    Elevation references; 100-year flood elevations and minimum floor elevations where pertinent.

 

 

                  e.    Monuments, monument spikes, and corner pins:  Concrete monuments four (4) inches in diameter or four (4) inches square, thirty inches (30”) long, with a flat top, shall be set at a point where the road right-of-way lines intersect the exterior boundary of the sub­division, and at other locations at approximate intervals of 1,000 feet.  The top of the monument shall be marked to identify the location, and shall be set flush with the finish grade.  These monuments shall be identified on the final plat with Oak Ridge Grid coordinates.

                       

                        Monument spikes in pavement shall be railroad spikes or iron rods twenty-four (24) inches in length and not less than one-half (1/2) inch in diameter. Monument spikes shall be set along the centerline of all streets at intersecting centerlines, at the center of circular turnarounds, and at angle points and points of curves in each road.  They shall be set flush with the finish grade. Grid coordinate ties shall be marked with either a monument or a monument spike. 

 

                        All other corners shall be marked with corner pins, to be iron pipes not less than three-fourths (3/4) inches in diameter and twenty-four (24) inches long, or with iron rods not less than one-half (1/2) inch in diameter and twenty-four (24) inches long, driven so as to be flush with the finished grade. 

 

                        The center line or the edges of all easements shall be defined by bearings and distances, and must be tied down to a property corner marker.

 

                        All corner pins and monuments shall be in place and noted on the final plat and as-built drawings.  Locations shall reference the Oak Ridge Coordinate Grid.

 

                  f.    A five (5) foot easement for utilities in favor of the City shall be required along all lot lines, unless alternative provisions for utilities have been approved by the City.

 

                  g.    Certification that applicant is the land owner, and dedicates the roads, right-of-way, easements, and any sites intended for public use (Form 1).

 

                  h.    Certification by registered surveyor (Form 2)

 

                  i.    Certification by Health Officer (Form 3)

 

                  j.    Certificate of Approval of Utilities and Required Improvements (Form 4)

 

                  k.    Certificate of Approval for Recording (Form 5)

 

                  l.    Following approval, the owner or developer or designee shall submit as-built plans of construc­tion as actually installed, including any items modified in accord with the final punch list.  These shall include all items in accord with Section 9 of the SCRD.

 

                  m.    Final designation of existing sinkholes and sinkholes to be remediated

                  n.    If existing or remediated sinkholes exist on the property, the final plat shall contain the following statement:  “Part of the property identified in this plat contains a geologic features known as a depressed area or sinkhole, evidenced by soil subsidence of a sufficient nature to create a depression.  Construction activities may ameliorate or activate future subsidence.”

 

                  o.    A locational sketch map showing relationship of the subdivision site to the surrounding area.

 

            3.    Review     

 

                  All improvements intended for public maintenance are eligible for acceptance by the City of Oak Ridge following procedures outlined below.  All materials and workmanship are the responsibility of the owner or developer until the City issues a final acceptance letter.  The Planning Commission may recommend to City Council acceptance of greenways, greenbelts, open space, rights-of-ways or other similar dedications immediately following final plat approval.

 

                  a.    After installation of improvements in accordance with plans approved by the Planning Commission and in accord with the, SCRD the owner or developer or designee shall contact the City Engineer and schedule an inspection for completion.

                  b.    The City Engineer shall recommend acceptance of the improvement or respond with a punch list of items remaining for completion within five (5) working days of the request.

 

                  c.    The owner or developer or designee must complete all items on the punch list, and any additional items noted, within sixty (60) days or the punch list will be void.  The owner or developer or designee must then request another inspection for completion.

 

                  d.    Upon the acceptable completion of all items on the punch list and payment of any outstanding fees, the owner or developer or designee shall be notified, and a recom­mendation for acceptance shall be submitted to the Planning Commission at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

 

                  e.    After a recommendation from the Planning Commis­sion, a letter recommending acceptance shall be sent to the Oak Ridge City Council.  After formal action by the City Council, the City shall advise the owner or developer or designee of such action by letter.  Such acceptance will begin a warranty for materials and workmanship for not less than one (1) year from the date of acceptance.  This war­ranty shall be to the City from the owner or developer or designee with assurance to the City in the form of a warranty bond in the amount of 5 percent of the constructed cost of facilities accepted by the City.  The City of Oak Ridge shall carry out routine maintenance during the warranty period such as sweeping, snow removal, traffic control signs, etc.  The cost of repairing failures associated with materials or workmanship during the period of the warranty shall be assessed to the warranty bond unless repaired by developer on timely basis as determined by the City.

 

                  f.    Upon completion of, or just prior to, expiration of the war­ranty period, the owner or developer or designee shall request a final inspection by the City.

 

                  g.    The City shall respond with final accept­ance or with a punch list of items to be completed within five (5) working days of the request.

 

                  h.    The owner or developer or designee must complete all items on the punch list, and any additional items noted within sixty (60) days.  If not, the final punch list will be void and another final inspec­tion must be requested.

 

                  i.    Upon acceptable completion of all punch list items after the warranty period, the City shall send to the owner or developer or designee a final letter of acceptance from the City of Oak Ridge and will release the warranty bond. The City shall begin total maintenance as of the date of such final letter of acceptance.

 

4.    Approval

 

      Failure of the Planning Commission to act on the Final Plat within sixty (60) days shall be deemed approval of such plat.  Upon approval of the Final Plat by the Planning Commission, the Final Plat shall be filed in the appropriate County Registrar of Deeds Office by the Community Development Department upon payment of recording expenses to the City by the party responsible for the Final Plat.  In the event the Final Plat is not recorded, approval of the Final Plat shall lapse six (6) months from the date of Planning Commission approval.

(Ord. No. 2-03 Revised Effective 1/16/03)

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