It is the purpose of this article to encourage a high standard of land planning and development design through careful review of the nature and composition of a proposed development project as well as to provide full consideration of potential impacts of proposed developments upon surrounding uses and land, thereby positively contributing to the character and integrity of the overall community. Furthermore, it is the purpose of the site plan review process to provide a mechanism to ensure that the individual components of the development process are carefully integrated in order that a project meets not only those minimum code requirements and individual design standards, but also addresses in its totality the policies of the Comprehensive Plan and requirements of this code.

A.

It shall be a requirement of this code that site plan review and approval as set forth in this article shall be required for the following types of projects:

(1)

All development or redevelopment that comprises one-half acre or more of land area.

(2)

Any change of use from residential to office use or from residential or office to personal service use in each of the Residential/Office General and Residential/Office/Retail Districts; and any change of use to retail use in the Residential/Office/Retail District.

(3)

Any development of or subdivision for townhouses.

B.

Failure to comply with a certified site plan or any of the conditions upon which such approval was contingent, including time limits for performance, shall be cause to deny issuance of a building permit or, where a permit has been issued pursuant to a certified site plan, to render such building permit invalid. Any action, construction, development or use of property undertaken in violation of the provisions of this article for a certified site plan shall constitute a violation of this code.

(Amended 2-22-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-07, § 1; amended 12-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-06, § 7)

A.

The site plan review process shall include the following steps:

(1)

Submission and determination of completeness by the city. A preliminary site plan will be reviewed to determine its completeness within 15 working days of submission. A site plan that is incomplete will be returned to the applicant with a list of those items that must be addressed in order to constitute a complete submission.

(2)

Preliminary review by the planning official and recommendation by the Planning Board. Upon a determination that a site plan is complete, it will be reviewed by the Planning Official, and a report prepared for consideration and recommendation by the Planning Board at a public meeting within 30 days of the determination of completeness. The Planning Board may recommend approval, approval with conditions or denial based on the criteria hereinafter set forth.

(3)

Final review and action by the City Commission. The City Commission will consider at a public meeting the recommendation of the Planning Board, other relevant input and render a decision on the site plan within 30 days of the Planning Board recommendation. The City Commission may approve, approve with conditions or deny the site plan based on the criteria hereinafter set forth. The City Commission may also request the submittal of additional information by the applicant and continue the consideration of the site plan to a date certain.

(4)

Certification and filing. An approved final site plan will be certified by and filed of record with the city.

(5)

Building permits and certificates of occupancy. Any building permit or certificate of occupancy required subsequent to an approved site plan will be consistent with said site plan. Any required building permit, or certificate of occupancy if no building permit is required in the event of a change of use only, shall be obtained within six months of the date of approval of the site plan and maintained current thereafter as otherwise required by the city.

(6)

Variances. In the event that any proposed project or change of use that requires site plan approval, and also requires a variance eligible for consideration under this code, such variance will be considered and acted upon by the Board of Adjustment for subsequent submission and consideration of the site plan by the Planning and Zoning Board.

(Amended 11-21-05 by Ord. No. 2005-26, § 1; amended 11-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-19, § 1)

A.

The following criteria shall apply to the review and consideration of a site plan:

(1)

The extent to which the site plan is consistent with and furthers the policies of the Comprehensive Plan in general and the purpose and character of the land use district in which it is located in particular.

(2)

The extent to which the proposed project is compatible with and has made specific provision to address its relationship to all adjoining uses, particularly where it adjoins a residential use or classification.

(3)

The ability of the roadway, sewer, water and stormwater infrastructure to accommodate estimated impacts of the proposed project.

(4)

The extent to which the proposed project meets, exceeds or has obtained a variance from all of the stipulated requirements of this code applicable to the specific use and site in question.

(5)

The extent to which the proposed project is consistent with, and the particular provisions made to address, any special streetscape standards relative to coordinated points of access/egress, landscaping, signage and street furniture that the city may have approved for a given area.

A.

Site plans should be drawn to a minimum scale of one inch equals 50 feet on a sheet size not to exceed 24 inches by 36 inches.

B.

Copies of the site plan shall be submitted in the number from time to time specified by the city.

C.

The fee for site plan review and processing shall be as established from time to time by the city, and said fee shall accompany the initial submission.

D.

The site plan shall contain the following information on, or in an acceptable form so as to accompany the site plan:

(1)

Site plan name.

(2)

The property owner's name, address and telephone number; and the designated project applicant or representative and authorization for such representation if other than the property owner.

(3)

The architect, landscape architect or engineer's name, address and telephone number.

(4)

North arrow, scale and date prepared.

(5)

An accurate boundary survey sealed by a registered surveyor containing the complete legal description plus easements, encroachments, existing structures, and rights-of-way affecting the property.

(6)

Location map.

(7)

Land use district assigned to the property which is the subject of the site plan and to the properties adjacent thereto.

(8)

Identification of watercourses, wetlands, tree masses and specimen trees, including description and location of understory, ground cover vegetation and wildlife habitats or other environmentally unique areas.

(9)

Site area expressed in square feet and acres.

(10)

Number of residential units proposed, if any, and resulting density.

(11)

Floor area devoted to each category of use and floor area ratio.

(12)

Delineation in mapped form and computation of the area of the site devoted to building coverage, open space for the lot and open space for the front yard, expressed in square feet and as a percentage of the overall site.

(13)

Number of parking spaces required, stated in relationship to the applicable formula, and proposed.

(14)

Location of all driveways, parking areas, pavement markings and curb cuts.

(15)

Location of all public and private easements and streets within and adjacent to the site.

(16)

The location, size and height of all existing and proposed buildings and structures on the site.

(17)

The location of existing public and private utilities.

(18)

Total paved vehicular use area, including, but not limited to, all paved parking spaces and driveways, expressed in square feet and as a percentage of the area of the overall site.

(19)

Depiction by shading or crosshatching of required parking lot interior landscape areas.

(20)

Total land area devoted to parking lot interior landscaping, expressed in square feet and as a percentage of the paved vehicular area.

(21)

Location of all refuse collection facilities, including screening.

(22)

The surveyed location, diameter at breast height and general type of all existing trees with a diameter of four inches or more at breast height, identifying those trees proposed to be removed and those to remain.

(23)

Sufficient dimensions to enable a determination that all required landscape areas are provided; details regarding the location, size and species of plant materials shall be provided on the landscape plan.

(24)

Provisions for both on-site and off-site stormwater drainage and detention related to the proposed development.

(25)

Existing and proposed utilities, including size and location of all water lines, fire hydrants, sewer lines, manholes and lift stations.

(26)

Existing utility easements, including official records book and page numbers, and proposed utilities easements.

(27)

Existing one-foot contours or key spot elevations on the site, and such off-site elevations as may be specifically required and not otherwise available which may affect the drainage or retention of water on the site.

(28)

The proposed general use and development of internal spaces, including all recreational and open space areas, plazas and major landscaped areas by function, and the general location and description of all proposed outdoor furnishings, such as seating, lighting and telephones.

(29)

The location of all earth- or water-retaining walls, earth berms and public and private sidewalks.

(30)

Phase lines, if the development is to be constructed in phases.

(31)

Dimensions of lot lines, streets, drives, building lines, building setbacks, building heights, structural overhangs and building separations.

(Amended 11-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-19, § 2)