Redwood City Municipal Code Art. I General

A. General: This Chapter is enacted to provide for the regulation and control of the design and improvement of subdivisions in the City, to implement the California Subdivision Map Act, and to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of the City.

B. Specific: This Chapter is intended to:

1. Implement the general plan, specific plans, other adopted plans and policies, and the Redwood City Zoning Ordinance relative to the subdivision of land and development of subdivisions.

2. Facilitate and ensure orderly development of lands in the City.

3. Establish responsibilities for City staff in the administration of this Chapter.

4. Establish requirements for the preparation, processing, and filing of tentative maps, parcel maps, and final maps, lot line adjustments, parcel mergers, certificates of compliance, reversions to acreage, and condominium maps in a manner consistent with the Subdivision Map Act and other applicable law.

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)

This Chapter is adopted pursuant to the Subdivision Map Act and may be cited as the "Subdivision Ordinance of the City of Redwood City."

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)

Prior to the subdivision of any land in the City, the subdivider shall conform to and comply with the requirements of this Title. No land shall be subdivided or developed for any purpose that is not in conformity with the general plan, any applicable specific plan, or any title of the Redwood City Municipal Code or Redwood City Zoning Code. The City may not approve a subdivision, lot line adjustment, parcel merger, reversion of acreage, or issue a certificate of compliance, that would create or recognize a lot inconsistent with the requirements of this Chapter or the Redwood City Zoning Code.

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)

In the event of any conflict between this Chapter and the Map Act, the Map Act shall govern unless local divergence is permitted.

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)

Whenever any words or phrases are used in this Chapter which are not defined herein but which are defined in the Subdivision Map Act, the definitions in said Map Act are hereby incorporated herein and shall be deemed to apply as though set forth in this Chapter. This Chapter provides definitions of terms and phrases used in this Title that are technical or specialized, or which may not reflect common usage. If any of the definitions in this Chapter conflict with other definitions stated elsewhere in this Municipal Code, these definitions shall control only for the purpose of interpreting and enforcing this Chapter.

APPROVED ACCESS: Direct access to a parcel or lot from a dedicated and improved street or highway, or from a dedicated and improved street or highway by means of a private vehicular access complying with the requirements of the Redwood City Zoning Ordinance and the provisions of the Redwood City Subdivision Design Standards (which standards are on file in the office of the City Engineer), as may be applicable, for access.

BLOCK: Land surrounded by streets, or which is designated as a block on a subdivision map.

DAYS: "Days" shall mean calendar days unless otherwise specified.

ENGINEERING STANDARDS: A set of engineering standard specifications, standard details, and design criteria (Volumes I, II, and III of Engineering Standards) prepared by the City Engineer and adopted by the City Council containing minimum standards for the design, materials and workmanship to be used in the design and construction of improvements required by this Chapter.

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS: Collectively, the California Environmental Quality Act (division 13 [commencing with Section 21000]) of the California Public Resources Code, the State EIR Guidelines (Chapter 3 [commencing with Section 15000], Division 6, Title 14, of the California Administrative Code), and Resolution No. 6882, entitled "Resolution Establishing Objectives, Criteria, and Procedures for the Evaluation of Certain Projects, and the Preparation of Environmental Impact Reports in the City of Redwood City; and Rescinding Resolution No. 6865," and all amendments thereto, or replacements therefor, or any of the foregoing, depending upon the context.

FINAL MAP: A map based upon an approved or conditionally approved tentative map complying with the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act and the provisions of this Chapter.

PARCEL: A legally subdivided plot of land shown on a map of record. Also referred to as a "lot."

PARCEL MAP: A map synonymous with a "final map" applied to subdivisions of a parcel or parcels of land into four (4) or less lots.

PARCEL MERGER: The joining of two (2) or more contiguous parcels under one (1) ownership into one (1) parcel.

SPECIFIC PLAN or SPECIAL AREA PLAN: "Specific plan" or "special area plan" means a specific plan adopted pursuant to the provisions of Article 9 (commencing with Section 65500) of Chapter 3, Title 7 of the Government Code of the State of California, or any plan pertaining to an area of the General Plan of the City which is more detailed than the General Plan, and which has been adopted by the City Council.

SUBDIVIDER: A person, firm, corporation, partnership or association who or which proposes to divide, divides, or causes to be divided real property into a subdivision for himself or herself or for others, except those employees and consultants of such persons or entities, acting in such capacity, are not "subdividers."

SUBDIVISION: The division by any subdivider of any unit or units of improved or unimproved land, or any portion thereof, shown on the latest equalized county assessment roll as a unit or as contiguous units, for the purposes of sale, lease or financing, whether immediate or future. Property shall be considered as contiguous units, even if it is separated by roads, streets, utility easements, or railroad rights-of-way. "Subdivision" includes condominium projects, as defined in Civil Code Section 4125 or 6542, a community apartment project, as defined in Civil Code Section 4105, or the conversion of five (5) or more existing dwelling units to a stock cooperative, as defined Civil Code Section 4190 or 6566.

SUBDIVISION MAP ACT (OR THE ACT): Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7 of the Government Code of the State of California and all amendments thereto or replacements therefor.

TENTATIVE MAP: A map made for the purpose of showing the design and improvement of a proposed subdivision of five (5) or more parcels and the existing conditions of the land to be subdivided.

TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP: A map made for the purpose of showing the design and improvement of a proposed subdivision of four (4) or fewer parcels of land and the existing conditions of the land to be subdivided.

VESTING TENTATIVE MAP: A tentative map or tentative parcel map which meets the requirements of Section 30.26 of this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)

The provisions of this Chapter shall be deemed minimum requirements, except where they are expressly stated to be maximum requirements. The provisions of this Chapter are not intended to impair or interfere with any private restrictions placed upon real property by covenant or deed; provided, however, that where the provisions of this Chapter impose a greater restriction upon the division of land than is imposed or required by such private restrictions, the provisions of this Chapter shall control.

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)

The articles, Sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, and phrases of this Chapter are severable. If any provision of this title or the application of this Chapter to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Title or the application of a provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

(Ord. No. 2542, § 6(Exh. C), 10-14-24)