Plumas County Municipal Code Art. 3 Design

The general requirements for subdivisions shall be as provided in this article. More detailed requirements shall be as set forth in the current departmental subdivision regulations of the Engineer-Surveyor, the Planning Director, the Road Commissioner, and the Health Officer.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

The subdivider, or his authorized agent, shall confer with the Engineer-Surveyor, the Planning Director, the Road Commissioner, and the Director of Environmental Sanitation regarding the contemplated subdivision and shall inform himself as to the applicable provisions of the Map Act, the provisions of this chapter, the current zoning provisions, and the current departmental subdivision regulations of the Engineer-Surveyor, the Planning Director, the Road Commissioner, and the Health Officer.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664, and § 4, Ord. 77-211, eff. August 4, 1977)

Proposed subdivisions shall conform to both the zoning provisions set forth in Chapter 4 of this title and to the County General Plan before the application shall be complete.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, 664, § 1, Ord. 80-404, eff. October 12, 1980, and § 1, Ord. 01-959, eff. November 6, 2001)

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, 664, and 96-875; repealed by § 2, Ord. 01-959, eff. December 6, 2001)

Road and street networks, whether public or private, unless exempted under the provisions of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of this Code, shall provide for safe access for emergency wildland fire equipment and civilian evacuation concurrently, and shall provide unobstructed traffic circulation during a wildfire emergency.

Streets, roads, and highways in all land divisions shall conform to the requirements of the departmental subdivision regulations and the approved specifications of the County as to rights-of-way, alignment, gradients, drainage, structural design, and surfacing. When it is determined that safe and adequate access does not exist to a land division, the Advisory Agency may require the dedication of rights-of-way or easements for, and the construction of, off-site improvements to serve the parcels being created, in conformance with the requirements of the departmental subdivision regulations.

If the streets or highways are proposed to be dedicated to the public and added to the County road system, they shall be improved to conform in all respects to the current standards for County roads. If the streets or highways proposed are to be private streets or highways, the requirements as to rights-of-way, alignment, gradients, structural design, and surfacing shall be determined in the light of the characteristics of the proposed subdivision, considering the number and size of the lots, the type of terrain, whether for year-round or summer occupancy, and other pertinent considerations. In cases where private roads are approved to be constructed with only drainage provisions and minimum grading, due to the characteristics of the proposed subdivision, it may be required that the rights-of-way, alignment, and gradients conform to the standards for County roads if it appears that such private roads may later be extended to serve other lands.

Where dedications or offers of dedication are made by certificate on a parcel map, the Engineer-Surveyor may accept, accept subject to improvement, or reject the same for the County. In the event of a disagreement between the Engineer-Surveyor and the subdivider, the matter shall be scheduled for determination by the Board at its next regular meeting.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664, § 2, Ord. 75-99, eff. May 8, 1975, and § 2, Ord. 78-254, eff. April 7, 1978; § 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)

The alignment of proposed streets and highways shall be such as to best conform to existing adjacent or nearby streets and highways. Reserve strips to deny access to existing or proposed streets and highways, or to break the continuity of existing or proposed streets and highways for the benefit of the subdivider, shall only be permitted for good cause upon the specific approval of the Board and under the terms and conditions approved by the Board. Access to streets, roads, and highways may be limited where it is deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

Alleys normally shall not be required in residential subdivisions but may be required in commercial or industrial subdivisions.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

Appropriate and adequate easements shall be provided for existing and future utility and drainage facilities.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

The subdivision of lands subject to inundation shall not be permitted for residential or commercial uses unless the subdivider proposes plans for the elimination of future inundation along with evidence of the approval of such plans by all jurisdictions having authority. Where the danger of inundation does not exist, but drainage facilities, other than those directly connected with the proposed streets and highways, are judged to be necessary by the Engineer-Surveyor or are required under the authority of any County Drainage Plan or Drainage District, it will be required that such facilities be constructed by the subdivider.

Applications for subdivisions shall include base flood elevation data. If structures and pads are proposed, their elevation shall be provided. If a structure or pad site is to be filled above the base flood elevation, the lowest floor and pad elevations shall be certified by a registered professional engineer or surveyor. The data and certification shall be transmitted to the County Engineer.

Applications for subdivisions which include lands in an area of special flood hazard shall include an engineered analysis based on a uniform procedure prescribed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been completed, submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, reviewed and approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the appropriate amendment or revision to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps, as required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and copies thereof provided to the County Engineer, the Planning Director and the Building Official.

Applications for subdivisions which include lands in a 100-year flood hazard area, as defined in Section 9-2.236 of Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Title 9 of this Code shall include an engineered analysis based on a uniform procedure prescribed by the County Engineer has been completed, submitted to the County Engineer, reviewed and approved by the County Engineer, and copies thereof provided to the County Engineer, the Planning Director and the Building Official.

The subdivision of lands in an area of special flood hazard shall be reviewed to assure:

(a) That the subdivision is consistent with the need to minimize flood damage within the area of special flood hazard;

(b) That all public utilities and facilities are located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage;

(c) That adequate drainage is provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards;

(d) That new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system;

(e) That new and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system and discharges from the system into flood waters;

(f) That onsite waste disposal systems shall be located to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding;

(g) That all necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by Federal or State law;

(h) That proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding; and

(i) That encroachment in areas where base flood elevations have been determined but a floodway has not been designated shall not result in a cumulative effect when combined with all other existing and anticipated man-made changes to real estate that will increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, 664, and § 10(Exh. A), Ord. 98-902, eff. September 10, 1998)

The proposed provisions for water supply and sewerage shall conform to all the applicable requirements of State and local laws, rules, and regulations and shall be such as to in no way jeopardize the public health and safety. Such proposals, to obtain approval, shall conform to the current departmental subdivision regulations. Septic tanks and individual wells may be approved in instances where the proposed lot areas, percolation tests, ground water conditions, and other criteria all indicate that no threat to the public health and safety will result therefrom. Where public facilities exist in reasonable proximity to the proposed subdivision, the extension of such facilities shall be required under the laws, rules, and regulations applying to such extension. In relatively large proposed subdivisions, particularly where all or a portion of the lots proposed are relatively small, the provision of community of public water supplies or sewerage systems, or both, may be required.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

As a condition of approval of a proposed subdivision, the Board may require a stipulation or agreement precluding future resubdivisions of the lots, or prescribing conditions under which such resubdivisions will be permitted, in instances where it is the judgment of the Board that such a condition is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

Miscellaneous technical requirements for subdivisions, such as soil tests, provisions for fire protection, and similar requirements, shall be as set forth in the appropriate departmental subdivision regulations.

(§ 61204, P.C.O.C., as amended by Ords. 413, 554, and 664)

The required width of not more than twenty-five (25%) percent of the lots in a subdivision may be reduced by the Commission at the time of the approval of the tentative map to provide for panhandle lots, with the driveway portion of the lot not less than twenty (20') feet wide. The buildable portion of all panhandle lots shall conform to the normal required width.

(§ 61604, P.C.O.C., as added by Ord. 752, as renumbered by § 2, Ord. 84-593, eff. January 3, 1985)

Prior to development, as defined in the General Plan, a fee established by resolution of the governing fire protection district shall be deposited in the respective fire protection district's account for the purpose of mitigating the impact of such development on the capacity of the fire district to serve existing development within the district, thereby maintaining the health, safety, and welfare of County residents.

(§ 1, Ord. 86-642, eff. October 23, 1986)

When greenbelts are proposed they shall be located strategically as a separation between wildland fuels and structures. The locations shall be approved by the local authority having jurisdiction and may be consistent with the CAL FIRE Unit Fire Management Plan or County Fire Plan.

(§ 1, Ord. 91-762, eff. October 3, 1991; § 1(Exh. A), Ord. 2018-1114, adopted October 9, 2018)