Agenda Item Title:
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Amendments to Title 21 of the Land Development Code related to Subdivision Review Standards and Public Notice Requirements
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Presenter:
Melissa Anderson, Zoning Administrator
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Description/Background:
On behalf of Sandy City, the Community Development Department is proposing to amend Title 21, Land Development Code, Chapter 30, Subdivision Review, and Chapter 36, Notice Requirements. Staff originally brought a comprehensive package of code amendments that addressed new state law standards as well as discretionary amendments to the subdivision review and public notice requirements. Due to Council concerns at the time, staff reduced that original proposal to only those required to meet the new state law, and that code amendment package was subsequently adopted. To follow up on that original initiative, staff is proposing discretionary code amendments to clarify and refine the code.
The purpose of this work session is to provide the City Council with an opportunity to review the proposal and give feedback to staff before going through the public hearing process with the Planning Commission and returning to the City Council for a decision.
The specific amendments to the Land Development Code are included as Exhibit “A” (red-lined version) and Exhibit “B” (clean version). A summary of proposed code amendments is described below:
1. Property Line Adjustments:
a. Property line adjustments are only applicable for parcels described by metes and bounds and are not applicable for existing lots within a recorded subdivision plat.
b. The standards for approval of a property line adjustment are strengthened, and the documentation requirements are clarified and reorganized.
2. Subdivision Plat Amendments:
a. This section is clarified and reorganized in general.
b. The process for subdivision plat amendments is streamlined by allowing both preliminary and final subdivision plat review to be combined into one review process.
c. The standards for approval of a plat amendment are strengthened.
d. The plat information requirements are simplified by reducing the signature blocks to only those necessary by State law. In addition, the final plat only needs to include the portion of the plat that is being amended (not the entire plat).
3. Subdivisions: A neighborhood meeting is required for all subdivision applications, consistent with current business practices of the City.
4. Public Notice: Public notice requirements in Chapter 36 of the code are updated by adding public notice requirements for neighborhood meetings and by clarifying when both a mailing notice and posted notice is required. Although staff regularly issues a mailed notice to surrounding property owners prior to conducting a neighborhood meeting, this business practice has yet to be codified and the proposed amendment addresses that omission.
Fiscal Impact:
None
Further action to be taken:
A public notice and hearing with the Planning Commission is required before returning to the City Council as an action item.
Recommended Action and/or Suggested Motion:
Recommendation
No action is required at this time because this is an informational item only.