1.   Site Plans Required. Site plans which are required for Mobile Home Park Developments, Planned Unit Development (PUD) or elsewhere in this chapter shall comply with this section.

   2.   Preliminary Site Plan. A preliminary site plan may be submitted to the Commission for preliminary land use approval, providing, however, that the final site plan required by this section shall be submitted to, reviewed and approved by the Council prior to the issuance of a building or construction permit by the Zoning Administrator.

   3.   Procedure. Procedures for approval of site plans are as follows:

      A.   Referral to City Engineer. The Clerk shall immediately refer a copy of the site plan to the City Engineer, who shall review said site plan as to its compliance with the regulations of the City, its effect upon public utilities and the public street system, and submit findings as soon as possible to the Commission.

      B.   Referral to Commission. The Clerk shall also immediately submit a copy of the site plan to each member of the Commission. The Commission shall, after receiving the engineer’s report, review the site plan for conformity with the regulations and design standards contained herein, and may confer with the developer on changes deemed advisable in such site plan.

      C.   Action by Commission. The Commission shall forward its recommendations either for approval or disapproval of the site plan to the Council within two calendar months of the date of the submission of the said site plan to the Commission. If the Commission does not so act within two calendar months, unless the developer in writing agrees to an extension thereof, the site plan of the proposed development shall be deemed to be approved by the Commission.

      D.   Public Hearing. The Chairperson of the Commission may, in his or her sole discretion, by written order, fix a date, time and place for a public hearing to be held by the Commission on the site plan of the proposed development and prescribe the notice thereof and to whom such notice shall be given. If the Chairperson of the Commission orders a public hearing, the Commission shall hold such hearing at such date, time and place and at such hearing all affected property owners shall be given an opportunity to be heard.

      E.   Filing by Commission. Upon final action by the Commission on any site plan, a copy of such site plan and the accompanying development schedule with the action of the Commission noted thereon and signed by the Chairperson of the Commission shall be filed with the Clerk.

      F.   Action by Council. The Council shall, upon receipt of the recommendation of the Commission, either approve or disapprove of the site plan of the proposed development.

      G.   Issuance of Permits. No building permit or certificate of zoning compliance and occupancy for any structure within any district for which a site plan is required shall be issued until the site plan therefor shall have been approved as provided herein.

      H.   Compliance with Plan. If the Zoning Administrator finds that any construction or proposed construction or occupancy of a development on a tract of land for which a site plan has been approved will not substantially comply with the site plan as approved, or if the Zoning Administrator finds that the construction and development of the tract is not being carried out in accordance with the development schedule filed with the site plan, the Zoning Administrator shall suspend all building permits for the development and order all construction stopped until such time as the owner of the project, or the owner’s successors in interest, shall have provided the Zoning Administrator with proof satisfactory to said official that the site plan and schedule of development will be complied with. The Zoning Administrator shall not issue a certificate of zoning compliance and occupancy for any structure within the development while the building permit for the development has been suspended pursuant to this paragraph. Any person aggrieved by any decision or action of the Zoning Administrator under this paragraph may appeal such action or decision to the Board.

      I.   Time Extension. If the owner or developer of a tract of land for which a site plan has been approved determines that an extension of time is necessary in the development schedule, or that a modification of the site plan would provide for a more appropriate or more practicable development of the site, said owner or developer may apply for an amendment of the site plan. The Commission may grant an extension of time or a modification of a previously approved site plan if the Commission determines that such modification of the site plan would provide for a more appropriate development of the site, or if because of exceptional circumstances, it is impractical to adhere to the development schedule.

   4.   Design Standards. Design standards are as follows:

      A.   Standards are Minimum. The standards of design herein contained are intended only as minimum requirements so that the general arrangement and layout of the development requiring the site plan may be adjusted to a wide variety of circumstances.

      B.   Compliance with Other Regulations. All proposed developments for which site plans are required shall conform to the development plan of Aurelia; the provisions of this chapter; the subdivision regulations of Aurelia, if applicable; and all other applicable City ordinances and statutes and regulations of the State of Iowa.

      C.   Entrances and Exits. The proposed development shall have such entrances and exits upon public streets as are necessary for safety and the general welfare, and shall have such interior drives as are necessary for free movement of emergency vehicles, and shall have such pedestrian walkways as are necessary for safety and general welfare.

      D.   Natural Features. The proposed development shall be designed with a proper regard to topography, surface drainage, natural drains and streams, wooded areas, and other natural features which will lend themselves to proper, harmonious and attractive development of the site.

      E.   Water and Sewer. The proposed development shall be designed with adequate water mains, sanitary sewer lines, storm sewers and drains and flood control, in accordance with the ordinances and regulations of the City and statutes and regulations of the State of Iowa, and good engineering practices so as to protect the public health and welfare and so as not to overload any existing public utilities.

      F.   Relationship to Surrounding Property. The development shall be designed and the buildings and improvements shall be located within the tract or parcel, in such a manner as to not unduly diminish or impair the use and enjoyment of adjoining or surrounding property and to such end shall have such buffers, screen fences and landscaping as may be proper, and shall not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjoining or surrounding property.

      G.   Safety and General Welfare. The proposed development shall not unduly increase the public danger of fire or diminish the public safety, and shall be designed to adequately safeguard the health, safety and general welfare of the public and of persons residing and working in the development and in the adjoining or surrounding property.

      H.   Design Principles. The proposed development shall be designed in accordance with recognized principles of civic design, land use planning and landscape architecture.

      I.   Quality Environment. The proposed development and all structures therein shall be designed in such a manner as to create a quality environment and to such end shall be architecturally and aesthetically harmonious and attractive.

   5.   Site Plan Requirements. All site plans shall be drawn in accordance with platting laws as adopted by the State of Iowa. Twelve copies of the site plan shall be submitted to the Clerk. The purpose of the site plan is to show all the facts needed to enable the engineer and the Commission to determine whether the proposed development meets the requirements of this chapter and is satisfactory from the standpoint of the community welfare and public interest.

   6.   Information Required. The final site plan required shall include the following information concerning the proposed development:

      A.   Names. Names of all persons having an interest in the property, legal description of property, point of compass, scale and date.

      B.   Present Zoning. Applicant’s name, planned land use and present zoning location and names of adjoining subdivisions, the numbers of the adjoining lots therein and the names and addresses of adjoining landowners.

      C.   Applicant’s Interest. If the applicant is other than the legal owner, the applicant’s interest shall be stated.

      D.   Site Plan. Name and address of person who prepared the site plan.

   7.   Development Schedule. The site plan shall be accompanied by a development schedule indicating the approximate date on which construction of the project will begin, the staging of development, if any, and the completion date. The development schedule as approved shall become a part of the development plan and shall be adhered to by the owner of the property and any successors in interest unless a modification thereof is approved by the Commission as approved herein.

   8.   Required Illustrations. The final site plan shall clearly illustrate and enumerate the following information concerning the proposed development:

      A.   Boundaries and Areas. Property boundary lines, dimensions and total areas of the proposed development.

      B.   Contours. Contour lines of the proposed development at intervals of not more than five feet, City datum. (If substantial topographic change is proposed, the existing topography of the development and of the surrounding area shall be illustrated on a separate map, and the proposed finished topography shown on the final site plan.)

      C.   Utilities. The availability, location, size and capacity of existing utilities and of proposed utilities.

      D.   Buildings and Structures. The proposed location, size, height, shape, use and architectural theme of all buildings or structures in the proposed development.

      E.   Floor Area. The total square feet of building floor area, both individually and collectively in the proposed development.

      F.   Number of Dwelling Units. The number of dwelling units in the proposed development.

      G.   Vicinity Sketch. A vicinity sketch showing detailed existing land uses within 500 feet of the development, and general existing land uses within 1,000 feet of the development.

      H.   Existing Environmental Information. Existing buildings, rights-of-way, street improvements, railroads, easements, drainage courses, streams and wooded areas.