AGENDA REPORT
DATE: September 23, 2024
TO: City Commission
FROM: Bill McDaniel, City Manager
SUBJECT: Legislative public hearing on an ordinance for a text amendment to Chapter 94, Subdivisions. (PB-2024-31).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of the proposed text amendment is to update the Subdivision regulations per Senate Bill 812 (SB 812) and to amend the current regulations while providing procedures and standards for subdividing land, reviewing, and approving plats. SB 812 added the requirement for “Expedited approval of residential building permits before a final plat is recorded” and by October 1, 2024, the City shall create a program to expedite the process for issuing building permits for residential subdivisions before a final plat is recorded. This Bill also specifies conditions which have been revised to adhere to SB 812.
Major revisions:
• Removes Planning Board review-recommendation. (Plats are reviewed pursuant to Chapter 177 Florida Statutes, Platting; the Subdivision regulations; and reviewed with the zoning designation for lot sizes and widths. Removing the Planning Board review and requirement to comply with the meeting schedule would streamline the process, therefore would expedite review/approval per the SB).
• Adds an expiration date for waivers, preliminary plat approvals, and construction drawings. (3 years for waivers and preliminary plats based on SB 812; 5 years for construction plans based on our current zoning regulations).
• Adds a section creating 3 types of subdivisions (Major, Minor, Lot Split) and defining such types.
• Removes “Bond; letter of credit” section and replaces with a more detailed section titled Security.
• Adds sections for construction drawings (Sec. 94-80 through 94-87).
• Adds sections which allow building permits to be issued for residential buildings after preliminary plat approval. (94-70(10); 94-73&74)
• Adds sections for certifying the design, construction, and final inspection of improvements (94-136 through 94-143).
• Adds sections regarding dedications and common areas (94-150 - 94-153).
• Adds wording that residential lots, wetland, conservation, or preservation areas and their required buffers shall be placed outside of lot lines, within a tract or common area. For non-residential lots, such wetlands conservation, or preservation areas and their required buffers may be within lot lines provided there is an additional 50-foot buffer shown on the plat to prevent impact to such areas. (94-52(a))
• Adds wording to require utility and drainage easements to be platted outside of a lot, within a tract or common area. [94-51 (a) & (b)]
Minor revisions:
• Updates sections to refer to the City Manager (defined as City Manager or the City Manager’s designee) and updates outdated references (linen sheets; paper copy submittals; etc.).
• Changes and renumbers sections to arrange for a better flow of topics.
• Clarifies the review procedure for preliminary plats, final plats, and construction drawings (plans).
• Adds items to clarify information required for plats. (Sec. 94-70).
• Adds Section 78-104 Building Regulations, addressing SB 812 multiple building permits for residential subdivisions or planned communities.
• Adds to the procedures in Section 102-1904, Concurrency, noting to refer to Section 94-74 for requests of building permits to be issued per SB 812.
On August 28, 2024, the Planning Board (3-1) recommended to forward the text amendment to the City Commission with a recommendation of approval.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Commission adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 94, Plant City Code regarding Subdivisions.
FISCAL IMPACT
No impact.
Prepared by: Julie Ham, Planning & Zoning Manager