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City of North Liberty Approval Process for New Developments
1. Informal
meetings with Staff and/or Planning & Zoning, City
Council.
Property owner meets with City Administrator to discuss:
a. Site location. Annexation required for sites outside City limits.
b. Development plans. Compare with Comprehensive Plan for the area, review
general development concepts.
c. Current zoning. Determine if zoning fits proposed development concept.
2.
Annexation and Initial Zoning of Proposed Annexed Land
(if required).
Property owner submits an annexation application and simultaneous zoning
request no
less than 20 days prior to Planning & Zoning Commission meeting (first Tuesday
of each month). The following are required for consideration:
a. Request for annexation, including a simultaneous zoning request.
b. Legal description of the property.
c. Fee of $100.
The City schedules the required public hearing for annexation (and possible
initial zoning) and
publishes notice in the local newspaper no less than 10 business days prior to
the meeting. Adjoining property owners, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors
and any City within two miles of proposed development are given written notice
of the public hearing.
The Planning & Zoning Commission reviews the application on the first Tuesday of the month. They recommend that the City Council approve or deny the request.
The public hearing is held on the second Tuesday of the month, at the City Council meeting. The Council may adopt a resolution approving the annexation and approve first consideration of the ordinance to zone the property.
The annexation resolution is forwarded to the State City Development Board for final approval. Once State approval is attained, the annexation is noted at the office of the Johnson County Recorder.
3.
Rezoning
Applications can be submitted no later than the first business day of the month
prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting of the following month.
Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are held the first Tuesday of each
month. The
following are required for consideration:
a. Request for rezoning.
b. Legal description of the property and rezoning exhibit.
c. Fee of $100.
The City schedules the required public hearing for rezoning and publishes notice
in the local newspaper no less than seven and not more than twenty days prior to
the meeting. Property owners within two hundred feet of the rezoning request are
sent a courtesy letter regarding the matter.
The Planning & Zoning Commission reviews the application on the first Tuesday of
the month. They recommend that the City Council approve or deny the request.
The public hearing is held on the second Tuesday of the month, at the City
Council meeting. The Council may approve first consideration of the ordinance to
rezone the property.
4.
Preliminary Plat or Planned Area Development Plan
The property owner files a preliminary plat, which must be prepared by a
certified land surveyor, no less than 20 days prior to the Planning & Zoning
Commission meeting. The following information must be shown on the plat:
a. Subdivision name.
b. North point, graphic scale and date.
c. Location map showing area of subdivision, existing streets and City utilities
on adjacent properties.
d. Legal description, including acreage of property to be subdivided.
e. Name and address of owner, person preparing plat, owners attorney or agent.
f. Contours at two-foot intervals or less.
g. Locations of existing lot lines, any other existing streets, public
utilities, drainage ways, culverts, bridges, railroads and buildings.
h. Layout of proposed lots.
i. Location, dimensions and names of proposed streets, utility and other
easements, parks and open spaces.
j. Grades of proposed streets.
k. Cross-section of proposed streets.
l. Layout of proposed water mains and sanitary sewer.
m. Drainage of the land and proposed stormwater management.
n. Fee equal to $30 per lot up to 30 lots and $15 for each lot in excess of 30.
The minimum fee is $150.
Review of plans by City Administrator, City Engineer, Building Official, Public Works Director and Fire Chief occurs within one week of submittal. Comments are sent to the owner or owner's engineer at least one week prior to the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.
The owner's engineer submits 18 copies of the plat, revised to address Staff comments if necessary, by the Thursday prior to Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.
First Tuesday of the month, Planning & Zoning reviews the plat and makes recommendation to the City Council. One week later, the City Council reviews the Preliminary Plat, which may be approved at this meeting.
5. Public
Improvements
Owner's engineer designs, prepares and submits to the City construction
drawings for all public utilities within the subdivision, including water,
sanitary sewer, streets and storm sewer. The plans for water, sanitary sewer and
stormwater/erosion control are also submitted to the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources. The State issues a construction permit based on plan approval.
The City Engineer reviews construction plans and submits comments/corrections to the owner's engineer. After corrections, the City Engineer approves construction drawings.
The property owner contracts for installation of public utilities. City Engineer inspects and tests for design standard compliance throughout construction. Cost of City inspection is billed to owner. With acceptable test results, the City Engineer recommends approval of public improvements. City Council formally accepts improvements by resolution at their next meeting.
6.
Final Plat
The final plat is prepared and 18 copies filed with the City, no less than
20 days prior to the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. The final plat may
include all or only part of the subdivision proposed on the preliminary plat.
The plat shall be drawn to a minimum scale of one inch to one hundred feet. The
plat shall contain the following:
a. Accurate boundary lines.
b. Accurate references to known permanent monuments.
c. Accurate locations of all existing and recorded streets, intersecting the
boundaries of the tract.
d. An accurate legal description of the boundaries.
e. Street names.
f. Complete curve notes for all curves noted on the plan.
g. Street lines with accurate dimensions in feet and hundredths of feet with
angles to street, alley and lot lines.
h. Lot numbers and dimensions.
i. Block numbers, if used, and house numbers.
j. Accurate dimensions for any property to be dedicated or reserved for public,
semi-public or community use.
k. Location, type, material and size of all markers.
l. Names and addresses of owner and subdivider.
m. North point, scale and date.
n. Certification by a registered land surveyor.
The owner obtains at
least eight (8) copies of the final plat, to include the original signatures of:
a. Owner's engineer.
b. Electric utility.
c. Gas utility.
d. Telephone company.
e. Cable TV provider.
f. City of North Liberty.
Four copies of the
final plat are filed with the Johnson County Recorder, along with the following
documents:
a. Certified copies of the Resolution approving the plat.
b. Title opinion by owner's attorney.
c. Owner's consent to platting.
d. Owner's dedication of public rights-of-way.
e. Certificate of County Treasurer that all property taxes are paid.
Two copies of the final plat and a reproducible copy with original signatures are filed with the City of North Liberty, along with copies of the recorded documents.
The remaining signed copies are for use by the property owner.
7.
Site Plan Approval
Approval of a building site plan is required for all commercial, industrial
and multi-family development before a building permit can be issued. The site
plan must include:
a. Property boundary lines, dimension and total area.
Contour lines at intervals of not more than five feet. If substantial topography
change is proposed, the existing topography must also be shown.
c. Location of existing utilities.
d. Proposed location, size shape, color and material type of all buildings and
structures.
e. Total square feet of building floor area.
f. Proposed signage plan.
g. Vicinity sketch showing detailed adjacent land uses within 500 feet and
general adjacent land uses within 1,000 feet.
h. Existing buildings, right-of-way, street improvements, utility easements,
drainage courses, vegetation and trees on property.
i. Parking areas showing number of spaces, type of surfacing and screening
(please also note there are landscaping requirements particular to parking
areas).
j. Walkways, driveways, outdoor lighting, walls, fences and other outdoor
landscaping features.
k. Location and type of all plants, trees and ground cover to be used.
l. Proof of compliance with flood plain development standards, if applicable.
8.
Building Permits
Construction plans are submitted to the Building Official for review of
compliance with the International Building Code. A building permit is then
issued and construction begins.