The purpose of these requirements is to promote the orderly development of certain activities in the city and to insure that such activities are developed in a manner harmonious with surrounding properties and in the interest of the general public welfare. To achieve these ends and to assure compliance with all applicable requirements of this chapter, site plans for certain uses of land shall be submitted to and received by the zoning administrator.

A site plan is required and shall be submitted for each of the following developments or uses:

(1)

Conditional uses.

(2)

Planned unit developments.

(3)

All permitted uses in the R-2 Multiple-Family Districts, except two-family detached dwellings.

(4)

All permitted uses in the B-1 Districts.

(5)

All permitted uses in the B-2 Districts.

(6)

All permitted uses in the I-1 Districts.

(a)

Site plans or any portion thereof involving engineering, architecture, landscape architecture or land surveying shall be certified by an engineer, architect, or land surveyor authorized by the commonwealth to practice as such.

(b)

Site plans shall be prepared to a scale of not more than one inch equals one hundred feet (1" = 100').

(c)

A site plan may be prepared in one (1) or more sheets to show clearly the information required by this article and to facilitate the review and approval of the site plan. If prepared in more than one (1) sheet, match lines shall clearly indicate where the several sheets join.

(d)

All horizontal dimensions shown on the site plan shall be in feet and decimal fractions of a foot to the closest one hundredth of a foot, and all bearings in degrees, minutes and seconds to the nearest ten (10) seconds.

(e)

Every site plan shall show the name and address of the owner or developer, the north point, the date, the scale of drawing, and the number of sheets. In addition, it shall reserve a blank space three (3) inches wide and five (5) inches high for the use of the approving authority.

(f)

Nine (9) copies of the site plan shall be submitted to the zoning administrator for administrative review.

(g)

The charge for a site plan submission shall be in the amount established by the fee schedule.

(Ord. No. 83-1700-214, Ex. B, § 2, 3-1-83; Ord. No. 91-1700-450C, 9-17-91; Ord. No. 18-1700-1015, § 7, 6-19-18)

(a)

All site plans shall contain the following information:

(1)

Location of the tract by an insert may at a scale of not less than one inch equals two thousand feet (1"=2000') indicating the scale, the north arrow, and such information as the names and numbers of adjoining roads, streams and bodies of water, railroads, subdivisions, or other landmarks sufficient to clearly identify the location of the property.

(2)

A boundary survey of the tract by bearings and distances certified by a licensed land surveyor.

(3)

A certificate signed by the surveyor or engineer setting forth the source of title of the owner of the tract and the place of record of the last instrument in the chain of title.

(4)

All existing property lines; existing streets and easements, their names, numbers, and width; the location and sizes of existing sanitary and storm sewers, gas lines, water mains, culverts, and other utilities and their easements; existing buildings; existing watercourses, waterways or lakes and their names; and other existing physical features in or adjoining the project.

(5)

Existing zoning and zoning district boundaries on the property in question, and on immediately surrounding properties.

(6)

The present use of all contiguous or abutting property.

(7)

Existing topography with a maximum of two (2) foot contour intervals. Where existing ground is on a slope of less than two (2) percent, either one (1) foot contours or spot elevations where necessary but not more than fifty (50) feet apart in both directions.

(8)

Proposed changes in zoning, if any.

(9)

The location, dimensions, and character of construction of proposed streets, alleys, driveways, and the location, type, and size of vehicular entrances to the site.

(10)

All off-street parking, loading spaces and walkways indicating type of surfacing, size, angle of stalls, width of aisles, and a specific schedule showing the number of parking spaces provided.

(11)

All proposed water and sanitary sewer facilities, indicating all pipe sizes, types, and grades and where connection is to be made to city or to other utility systems; all proposed gas lines and other utilities and their easements.

(12)

The proposed location, general use, number of floors, height and floor area for each building, accessory and main, and where applicable the number, size and type of dwelling units.

(13)

Proposed finished grading by contours supplemented where necessary by spot elevations.

(14)

Provisions for the adequate disposition of natural and storm water in accordance with design criteria and construction standards of the city, indicating location, sizes, types, and grades of ditches, catch basins, and pipes and connections to existing drainage systems.

(15)

Provisions for the adequate control of erosion and sedimentation, indicating the proposed temporary and permanent control practices and measures that will be implemented during all phases of clearing, grading, and construction. ^[9]

(16)

Delineation of any floodplain limits.

(17)

Location, type, size and height of fencing, retaining walls and screen planting where required under the provisions of this chapter.

(18)

The location of wooded areas on the property, and the location of trees and wooded areas that will be retained.

(19)

A landscape plan, drawn to scale, including dimensions and distances and the location, type, size and description of all proposed landscape materials.

(20)

The location and dimensions of proposed recreation, open space, and required amenities and improvements, including details of disposition.

(21)

The location, character, size, height, and orientation of proposed signs and outdoor lighting systems.

(22)

A site lighting plan, prepared by a qualified engineer, that displays the anticipated intensity of light originating from sources on the subject property, measured at the boundaries of the property.

(b)

All features and elements of the site plan required by this article shall, in all respects, conform to all applicable provisions and standards of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and this Code including, but not limited to:

(1)

This chapter and chapters 7, 13.5, 20, 21 and 25 of this Code.

(2)

The standard of the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation.

(3)

The standards of the Virginia Department of Health.

(Ord. No. 03-1700-712, § 6, 5-20-03)

(a)

All applicants for site plan review shall first request a pre-application review conference with the zoning administrator. Before the pre-application review conference, the applicant should submit to the zoning administrator a sketch plan of the proposed development. At this conference, the administrator will inform the applicant about the site plan review process, the requirements of this article, and all other applicable regulation within the city and state codes pertaining to the proposed development.

(b)

The zoning administrator shall review all finalized site plans which are submitted to him pursuant hereto. The administrator shall check the site plan for general completeness and compliance with all applicable requirements. The administrator shall circulate the site plan to the relevant city and state departments, agencies and officials for written comments as to the proposed development's conformance to all applicable standards and requirements and whether approval of the site plan is recommended. The reviewing departments, agencies, and officials may include, but need not be limited to, the city attorney, the director of public works, the city engineer, the city planning director, the state department of highways and transportation, and the department of health. The administrator shall see that all reviews are efficiently completed.

(c)

Except under abnormal circumstances, within forty-five (45) days from the receipt of the site plan in his office, the zoning administrator shall approve, approve subject to conditions, or disapprove the site plan and notify the applicant in writing of the action taken. If the site plan is denied approval, the administrator, in notifying the applicant of the decision, shall set forth in detail the reasons for the denial, which shall be limited to any defect in form or required information, any violation of any provision or standard of this chapter or any other ordinance, or the inadequacy of any utility, and shall state any changes which would make the site plan acceptable.

(d)

An applicant may appeal any decision of the zoning administrator, within thirty (30) days of such decision, to the board of zoning appeals in accordance with the provisions of article IX of this chapter.

(a)

Prior to approval of any site plan, there shall be executed by the owner or developer and submitted with the site plan an agreement to construct such required physical improvements as are located within public rights-of-way or easements or as are connected to any public facility, in form and substance as approved by the city. Such agreement shall be accompanied by a cash bond or equivalent, a surety bond of a surety company, or a certified check payable to the city in the amount of one hundred twenty (120) percent of the estimated cost of the required physical improvements, as determined by the city engineer.

(b)

The aforesaid agreement and bonds or conditions shall be provided for completion of all work covered thereby within the time to be determined by the zoning administrator, which time may be extended by the council upon written application by the owner or developer, signed by all parties, including the sureties, to the original agreement.

(c)

The adequacy, conditions and acceptabilities of any bond hereunder shall be determined by the council or any official of the council, as may be designated by resolution of the council.

(d)

In any case where any such official has rejected an agreement or bond, the owner or developer shall have the right to appeal such determination to the council.

(Ord. No. 83-1700-215, Ex. D, § 2, 3-1-83)

(a)

Approval of a site plan submitted under the provisions of this article shall expire five (5) years after the date of such approval, unless a building permit has been obtained for construction in accordance therewith.

(b)

Such approval may be extended by the zoning administrator for a single one-year period upon his receipt of a written request for an extension. The administrator shall acknowledge the request and shall make a decision regarding the extension within thirty (30) days after receipt of the request.

(c)

If it becomes necessary for an approved site plan to be changed, the administrator shall, at the applicant's request, either administratively approve an amendment to the site plan, or if the change is major, require that a new site plan be drawn and submitted for review and action in accordance with this article.

(Ord. No. 04-1700-768, § 1, 10-19-04)

No building permit shall be issued to construct, erect, or alter any building or structure or any permit or authorization granted to improve or develop land subject to the provisions of this article, unless a site development plan has been submitted and approved.

(a)

Unless otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, the construction standards for all on-site and off-site improvements shall conform to the adopted city design and construction standards.

(b)

Inspections during the installation of the off-site improvements and required on-site improvements shall be made by the department, division, or agency responsible for such improvements as required to certify compliance with the approved site plan and applicable city standards.

(c)

The owner or developer shall provide adequate supervision at the site during installation of improvements required by the site plan and shall make one (1) set of approved plans available at the site at all times that work is being performed. A designated employee shall be available for contact by city inspectors.

(d)

Upon satisfactory completion of all installations of the required improvements, the owner shall receive an approval from the zoning administrator, city engineer, and director of public works on the improvements upon the application for such approval. Such approval will authorize the release of any bond which may have been furnished for the guarantee of satisfactory installation of such improvements or parts thereof. Inspection is to be made within a reasonable time of the request, and the bond released as quickly as circumstances permit.