§ 9-502

This Chapter sets forth general requirements for mapping, monuments, and reports that apply throughout Series 500, Subdivision Regulations.

All subdivisions shall be filed as either a Final Map or Parcel Map unless this requirement has been waived under Section 9-501.040. All major subdivisions shall be filed for recordation as a Final Map; all minor subdivisions shall be filed as a Parcel Map or a Final Map.

(a)

Lot Corners. All lot corners shall be marked with iron pipe not less than three-quarters of an inch inside diameter and 24 inches long or marked by other monuments or reference crosses as approved by the County Surveyor.

(b)

Centerline Monuments. Centerline monuments shall be located as set forth in this section.

(1)

Location of Monuments. Road, street, alley, and way centerline monuments shall be set to mark the intersections of streets, intersections of streets with alleys or ways, intersections of alleys with alleys or ways, or at the intersection of any street, alley, or way with a tract boundary. Street centerline monuments shall also be set to mark the beginning and end of curves or the points of intersection of tangents thereof. Such centerline monuments shall be not less than a three-quarter inch diameter iron pin, at least 30 inches long, and set in the subgrade. A monument box and cover in conformance with the County's Improvement Standards shall be set above the monument, with the top of the box flush with the finished grade.

(2)

Alternative Locations. In the event that, due to the construction of subdivision improvements or the location of trees or other physical features, the monuments specified above cannot be located at the points specified, a reference monument or monuments shall be set subject to the approval of the County Surveyor. Notes as to the location of said monument or monuments with reference to the referenced point shall be furnished to the County Surveyor.

(c)

Section & Quarter-Section Corner Monuments. Whenever a section corner or quarter-section corner is to be used as a controlling element of a field survey, the engineer or surveyor responsible for the survey shall construct, reconstruct, or rehabilitate the monument of such corner, and accessories to such corner, so that the same shall be left by him in such physical condition that it remains as permanent a monument as is reasonably possible and so that the same may be reasonably expected to be located with facility at all times in the future. Such monuments shall be not less than a three-quarter inch diameter iron pin, 30 inches long, or other monuments as approved by the County Surveyor.

(d)

Monument Identification and Inspection. All monuments shall be permanently marked or tagged with the registration or license number of the engineer or surveyor under whose supervision the survey was made, and All monuments shall be subject to inspection and approval by the County Surveyor.

Lots shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)

Areas and Widths of Lots. The area and width of lots or parcels in a subdivision map shall conform to the zone in which the property is located;

(b)

Relation of Depth to Width. The depth to width ratio of a lot in a subdivision shall conform to the zone in which the lot is situated when new lots are created by subdivision, except where physical conditions make such limitation of depth to width ratio impractical or the width of the lot is 330 feet or greater;

(c)

Division of Jurisdiction. No lot or parcel shall be permitted to be divided by a city or County boundary line;

(d)

Angle of Lot Side Line. Lot or parcel side lines shall be approximately normal to the street right-of-way lines; and

(e)

Exception. This Section shall not apply to:

(1)

Any lot or parcel which the subdivider offers to dedicate to the County, or any public agency or district and the offer has been accepted, and

(2)

Any subdivision map that redesigns an existing subdivision in which the density of lots is not increased.

Soils reports shall be provided as follows.

(a)

Major Subdivision. A preliminary soils report, prepared by a California-registered civil engineer, engineering geologist, or geotechnical engineer and based upon adequate test borings, shall be submitted to the Building Official for every major subdivision at the time of Tentative Map submittal.

(b)

Waiver of Report. A preliminary soils report may be waived if the Building Official finds that, due to the knowledge the County possesses relative to the quality of the soils in this subdivision, no preliminary analysis is necessary.

(c)

Soils Investigation. If the required preliminary soils report indicates the presence of critically expansive soils or other soil problems which, if not corrected, would lead to structural defects, the subdivider shall provide for and submit the findings of a soil investigation of each lot in the subdivision. The soil investigation shall be prepared by a California-registered civil engineer and shall recommend corrective action likely to prevent structural damage to each dwelling to be constructed. Prior to issuance of the building permit, any recommended action approved by the Building Official shall be incorporated into the construction plans for each dwelling.

Geotechnical reports shall be provided to address geologic hazards as required by this Section.

(a)

Major Subdivision. A preliminary geotechnical report, prepared by a California-registered geotechnical engineer or California-registered geologist and based upon adequate test borings, shall be submitted to the Building Official for every major subdivision at the time of Tentative Map submittal. The preliminary geotechnical report shall include estimates of expected peak ground accelerations during maximum credible earthquake potentially affecting the site.

(b)

Waiver of Report. A preliminary geotechnical report may be waived if the Building Official finds that, due to the knowledge the County possesses relative to the quality of the soils in this subdivision, no preliminary analysis is necessary.

(c)

Geotechnical Investigation. If the required preliminary geotechnical report indicates the presence of geologic hazards (such as slope instability, subsidence, adverse soil conditions, seismic hazards) which, if not corrected, would lead to structural defects, the subdivider shall provide for and submit the findings of a geotechnical investigation for each lot in the subdivision. The geotechnical investigation shall be prepared by a California-registered geotechnical engineer or State-registered geologist and shall recommend corrective action likely to prevent structural damage to each dwelling to be constructed. Prior to issuance of the building permit, any recommended action approved by the Building Official shall be incorporated into site preparation and construction of each dwelling.

(a)

Report. A surface and subsurface contamination report shall be required at the time of the Tentative Map submittal. The surface and subsurface contamination report shall be prepared by a qualified environmental professional and shall identify any potential source of surface or subsurface contamination caused by past or current land uses. The report shall include evaluation of nonpoint source of hazardous materials, including agricultural chemical residues, as well as potential point sources, such as fuel storage tanks, septic systems, or chemical storage areas.

(b)

Waiver of Report. The surface and subsurface contamination report may be waived if the Environmental Health Department finds that, due to the knowledge the County possesses relative to the possible contamination of the soils in this subdivision, no preliminary analysis is necessary.

(c)

Corrective Action. If the report indicates there are surface and subsurface contamination, corrective action shall be taken, as recommended in the report and concurred with by the Environmental Health Department prior to the issuance of the building permit.

(a)

A subdivision for which a Tentative Map is required shall provide, to the extent feasible, for future passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities in the subdivision. Examples of passive or natural heating opportunities in subdivision design include design of lot size and configuration to permit orientation of a structure in an east-west alignment for southern exposure.

(b)

Examples of passive or natural cooling opportunities include design of lot size and configuration to permit orientation of a structure to take advantage of shade or prevailing breezes.

(c)

Consideration shall be given to local climate, to contour, to configuration of the parcel to be divided, and to other design and improvement requirements, and such provision shall not result in reducing allowable densities or the percentage of a lot which may be occupied by a building or structure.

(d)

The requirements of this section do not apply to condominium projects that consist of the subdivision of airspace in an existing building when no new structures are added.

(e)

For the purposes of this section, "feasible" means capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, social and technological factors.

Chapter 9-503 - Tentative Maps and Tentative Parcel Maps