§ 170.29 Procedures For Review Of Preliminary Plats

1. The Clerk, upon receipt of 20 copies of the preliminary plat, shall file one copy in the records of the City, shall retain one copy for public inspection, and shall forward the remaining copies of the plat as provided herein.

2. The Clerk shall provide copies of the plat to the City Engineer, to the City Attorney, and such other persons as necessary to review the plat and shall schedule the plat for consideration by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

3. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall examine the plat and the reports of the City Engineer and City Attorney, and such other information as it deems necessary or desirable, to ascertain whether the plat conforms to the City Code, and conforms to the Community Development Plan and other duly adopted plans of the City. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall, within 45 days of the filing of the plat with the Clerk, forward a report and recommendation regarding the plat to the Council. If such recommendation is to disapprove or modify the plat, the reasons therefor shall be set forth in writing in the report, and a copy of the report and recommendation shall be provided to the subdivider. Before any action is taken by the Council on any subdivision application, the Clerk shall set the matter for public hearing with at least seven days notice of the time and place of such hearing given according to the requirements for public hearings in the Code of Iowa for cities the size of the City. Further, written notice of the public hearing shall be mailed by the Clerk at least seven days prior to the hearing, to all property owners within a radius of 200 feet from the property proposed for subdivision. For purposes of notification, ownership of the adjacent properties will be verified with official records of the County. A posting sign, provided by the Clerk, stating the proposed subdivision and date of hearing, must be immediately displayed by the applicant on the property proposed for subdivision so that it is easily visible from any roadway adjacent to the property. Any related costs for the subdivision application incurred for the newspaper publication of the public hearing, mailings, and the posting sign shall be reimbursed by the subdivision applicant(s) to the City after receiving a bill for the same from the Clerk. These costs shall be in addition to any subdivision application fee set by resolution of the Council.

4. The Council shall examine the plat, the reports of the City Engineer and City Attorney, the report of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and such other information as it deems necessary or desirable. Upon such examination, the Council shall ascertain whether the plat conforms to the City Code and standards of the City, conforms to the Community Development Plan and other duly adopted plans of the City, and will be conducive to the orderly growth and development of the City in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. Following such examination, the Council may approve, approve subject to conditions, or disapprove the plat. If the decision of the Council is to disapprove the plat, or to approve the plat subject to conditions, the reasons therefor shall be set forth in writing in the official records of the Council, and such decisions shall be provided to the subdivider. Action on the preliminary plat by the Council shall be taken within 60 days of the filing of the plat with the Clerk.