Ventura Municipal Code Art. 2 Final Maps

Within 36 months after the approval or conditional approval of the tentative map, the subdivider shall cause the proposed subdivision to be accurately surveyed and a final map thereof to be prepared and filed with the city engineer. The failure of a subdivider to timely file such a final map, along with evidence of the final map’s compliance with this subdivision ordinance and all conditions of approval imposed on the tentative map, with the city engineer within said period shall automatically terminate and void the proceedings unless such time is extended in accordance with this section.

In accordance with Government Code Section 66452.6(e), the 36-month time limit for filing and recording the final map may be extended for a period or periods not exceeding a total of five years as follows. An application for an extension of the 36-month time limit may be filed by the subdivider with the director prior to the expiration of an approved or conditionally approved tentative map, in which case, the map shall automatically be extended for 60 days or until the application for the extension is approved or denied, whichever occurs first. An appeal to the city council from a denial of a time extension by the director may be made by filing a notice of appeal and paying the required fee as provided in this code within 15 days after the director has denied the extension requested. (Code 1971, § 8251; Ord. No. 2001-11, § 6, 6-18-01; Ord. No. 2008-010, § 3, 7-28-08; Ord. No. 2021-017, § 83, 12-13-21)

A. Generally. A final map shall be prepared and filed with the city engineer in compliance with the provisions of this article. Final maps shall conform substantially to the approved tentative maps. In order for a final map to be accepted by the city engineer as completely and timely filed, the form thereof must comply with the requirements of this subdivision ordinance and the Subdivision Map Act and the submission thereof must, at a minimum, be accompanied or preceded by evidence of compliance with the requirements of subsection B of this section and substantial compliance with the conditions of the approved tentative map. The director of community development, with the consultation of the city engineer, may promulgate further reasonable rules and regulations consistent with this subdivision ordinance and the Subdivision Map Act prescribing requirements for the form of the final map and the forms of evidence or documentation to be submitted, verified, or completed by the subdivider to constitute a complete and timely filing of a final map.

When the city engineer determines that a proposed final map, and all improvement plans and all other materials and documentation required for review of the map, have been properly prepared and timely filed, the city engineer shall review the map in accordance with subsections B and C of this section.

When a final map covers only a portion of the property shown on the tentative map, the city engineer may refuse to approve the final map, if the city engineer determines that it will not be feasible from an engineering standpoint to construct satisfactory improvements in the reduced area, unless additional street or easement dedications and improvements beyond the boundaries of the final map are provided.

B. Final Map Acceptance. The final map shall be approved by the city engineer, subject to the procedures set forth in subsection C of this section; provided, that:

1. The subdivider submits satisfactory improvement plans for the necessary improvements as set forth in the approval of the tentative map together with the necessary guarantee that the improvements will be installed;

2. The required map checking fees have been paid by the subdivider;

3. All checking has been completed by the various departments and public agencies;

4. All taxes, liens and special assessments have been paid, or such payment guaranteed; and

5. It appears that all applicable provisions of this code and the Subdivision Map Act, and all conditions of approval imposed on the tentative map, have been complied with.

C. Administrative Approval of Final Map. The city engineer shall notify the city council at its next regular meeting after the city engineer has determined that the map has been completely and timely filed that the city engineer is reviewing the map for final approval or disapproval. The city clerk shall provide notice of any pending approval or disapproval by the city engineer, which notice shall be attached and posted with the city council’s regular agenda and shall be mailed to interested parties who request notice:

The city engineer shall then approve or disapprove the final map within 10 days following the meeting of the city council that was preceded by the notice provided by the city clerk. Before approving the final map, the city engineer shall first determine that the requirements of subsections A and B of this section have all been met. The city engineer, in the course of approving a final map, may accept, accept subject to improvement, or reject dedications or offers of dedication that are made by a statement on the map.

The city engineer’s action may be appealed to the city council within 15 calendar days of the date of the action in the same manner that decisions of the planning commission are appealed to the city council pursuant to Chapter 24.565. Such appeal of the city engineer’s action may be filed by the subdivider or an interested person; provided, that such subdivider or interested person has presented objections concerning the pending action of the city engineer within 10 calendar days following the meeting of the city council at which it received the notice of the pending action.

The city council shall periodically review the delegation of authority to the city engineer provided by this section.

D. Final Map Recording. No final map shall be recorded until the required improvements have been installed or agreed to be installed with appropriate guarantees provided.

E. Engineering Fees. Engineering, checking and inspection fees shall be deposited with the city through the city engineer’s office in accordance with the following:

Before accepting the final map for examination, the city engineer’s office shall charge and collect a fee for map and improvement plan checking in an amount to be established from time to time by resolution of the city council.

Prior to the city engineer approving the final map, the city engineer’s office shall charge and collect a fee for inspection in an amount to be established from time to time by resolution of the city council.

In the event that an extension of time is necessary to complete the construction of the required improvements and the time extension is requested on the part of the outside party and not the city, a flat fee to be established from time to time by resolution of the city council shall be charged for the extension of such time.

In the event a plan revision is required in the approved improvement plans, a flat fee to be established from time to time by resolution of the city council shall be made by the city.

Fees required by other agencies for services to be provided by those agencies shall be collectible by the city at the time of acceptance of the final map for examination. The fee deposits shall be in the form of a check made out to the agency, exclusive of city fees.

Filing fees shall be payable as provided in this code. (Code 1971, § 8252; Ord. No. 2001-11, § 7, 6-18-01; Ord. No. 2021-017, § 83, 12-13-21)

A. Generally. The following information shall be submitted with the final map: names, addresses and telephone numbers of the record owners, subdivider and person preparing the final map. The general form and layout of the map, including size and type of lettering, drafting and location of acknowledgements, etc., shall be as determined by the city engineer. The map shall be prepared on high quality tracing cloth or other material approved by the city engineer. Each sheet of said final map shall be 18 by 26 inches. A marginal line shall be drawn completely around each sheet, leaving a blank margin of one inch. The scale of the map shall be such as to show all details clearly. Each sheet shall be numbered and its relation to other sheets clearly shown. The tract number, scale and northpoint shall be shown on each sheet. If more than three sheets are necessary to show the entire subdivision, an index map shall be included on one of the sheets. The boundary line of a subdivision shall be indicated by a border of light blue ink approximately one-eighth inch in width applied on the reverse side of the tracing and inside such boundary line. Such ink shall be of such density as to be transferable to a blueline print of such map in a manner that will not obliterate any line, figure or other data appearing on such map.

B. Boundary Evidence. Such stakes, monuments or other evidence determining the boundaries of the subdivision as are found on the ground, together with sufficient designations of adjoining subdivisions by lot and tract number and page of record, or by section, township and range, or other proper legal description as may be necessary to locate precisely the limits of the subdivision shall be clearly and fully shown on the final map.

C. Monuments.

1. Each final map shall show durable monuments of not less than a two-inch steel pipe at least 24 inches long found or set at or near each boundary corner and at intermediate points, approximately 1,000 feet apart, or at such lesser distance as may be necessary by topography or culture to ensure accuracy in reestablishment of any point or line without unreasonable difficulty. The precise position and character of each monument shall be shown on the final map. Where the elevation of the top of each such monument is not approximately level with the surface of the ground, its relative position shall be indicated.

2. Complete centerline data, including lengths of tangents and semitangents, shall be shown on the map for all streets within or adjoining the tract where no official centerline has been previously established. In locations where the point of intersection falls on private property, chords shall be shown instead of semi-tangents. The subdivider shall have approved monuments placed with permanent references thereto and furnish a set of field notes to the city engineer.

3. In the event any or all of the monuments required to be set are to be set subsequent to the recordation of the final map, the map shall clearly show and describe such monuments. All such monuments or the furnishing of notes thereon so deferred shall be agreed to be set and furnished by the subdivider.

4. Ties to the geodetic triangulation system shall be provided where stations thereof have been established within reasonable distance from the subdivision boundary, and such ties are deemed necessary by the city engineer.

D. Survey Work.

1. The procedure and practice of all survey work, done on any subdivision, shall conform to the accepted standards of the engineering and surveying professions. The final map shall close in all its parts. In the event the city engineer shall have established the centerline of any street or alley in or adjoining a subdivision, the final map shall show such centerline together with the reference to a field book or map showing such centerline and the monuments which determine its position. If the monuments are determined by ties, that fact shall be stated on the final map.

2. For each centerline monument set, the engineer or surveyor under whose supervision the survey has been made shall furnish to the city engineer a set of notes showing clearly the ties between such monument and a sufficient number (normally four) of durable distinctive reference points or monuments.

Such reference points may be lead and tacks in sidewalks, or curbs, or three-quarter-inch iron pipe set back of the curb line and below the surface of the ground, or such substitute therefor as appears to be not more likely to be disturbed.

Such set of notes shall be of such quality, form and completeness, and shall be on paper of such quality and size as may be necessary to conform to the standardized office records of the city engineer. All such notes shall be indexed by the city engineer as part of the permanent public records of the engineer’s office.

3. All monuments set as required herein shall be permanently and visibly marked or tagged with the registration or license number of the engineer or surveyor under whose supervision the survey was made.

E. Bearings.

1. The final map shall indicate thereon the basis of bearings making reference to some recorded subdivision map, or other record acceptable to the city engineer.

The final map shall have as the basis of bearings a line based on the geodetic triangulation system where ties to said system are deemed feasible by the city engineer.

2. The bearing and length of each lot line, block line and boundary line shall be shown on the final map, and each required bearing and distance shall be indicated.

F. Lot Numbers. The lots shall be numbered consecutively commencing with the number one, except as otherwise provided herein, with no omissions or duplications. Each numbered lot shall be shown entirely on one sheet. Where more than one final map is to be recorded from a single tentative map, each unit thereof shall be designated by a number and hyphen after the tract number and shall be recorded in numerical sequence. Lot numbering shall commence with the number immediately following the last and highest lot number of the previously recorded subdivision of the same numbering sequence.

G. Curve Data. The length, radius and total central angle and bearings of terminal radii of each curve and the bearing of each radial line to each lot corner of each curve, and the central angle of each segment within each radial line to each lot corner of each curve, and the central angle of each segment within each lot, shall be shown on the final map.

H. Easements.

1. The final map shall show all the necessary data including width and side lines of all easements to which the lots in the subdivision are subject. If the easement is not definitely located on record, a statement as to the easement shall appear on the title sheet.

2. Easements shall be denoted by broken lines.

3. Each easement shall be clearly labeled and identified and, if already on record, proper reference to the records given. Easements being dedicated shall be so indicated in the certificate of dedication.

I. City Boundary Lines. The city boundary lines abutting a subdivision shall be clearly designated.

J. Future Freeways. Future freeway rights-of-way within or adjacent to the subdivision shall be shown by broken lines to the extent that location has been determined.

K. Natural Water Course Designation. In the event that a dedication of right-of-way for flood control or storm drainage is not required, the location of any natural water course shall be shown on the final map, unless such natural water course, channel, stream or creek is shown on the grading plans to be filled or otherwise eliminated by the grading of the tract.

L. Title Sheet. The title sheet for each final map of a subdivision shall contain all the certificates and acknowledgements required by the Subdivision Map Act. The wording of such certificates and acknowledgements shall be approved by the city attorney. Forms of certificates and acknowledgements may be obtained from the city engineer.

In addition to the certificates required by the Subdivision Map Act, the city engineer shall certify that the subdivision substantially conforms to the approved tentative map, and that required public improvements have been installed or agreed to be installed.

M. Presentation to City Engineer. At the time the subdivider presents the final map to the city engineer, letters shall be presented executed by the various public utility companies authorized to serve in the area of the subdivision, certifying that satisfactory provisions have been made with each of the said public utility companies for recording.

Factory easements, where required by such companies, have been executed and delivered to the certifying companies for recording. (Code 1971, § 8253; Ord. No. 2021-017, § 83, 12-13-21)

When a soils report has been prepared, this information shall be noted on the final map together with the date of the report and the name of the engineer responsible for the report. (Code 1971, § 8254; Ord. No. 2021-017, § 83, 12-13-21)

A. Upon the title sheet of each map filed for the purpose of reverting subdivided land to acreage, the subtitle shall consist of the words “A reversion to acreage of ___________” (insert a legal description of the land being reverted).

B. The city may accept any dedication of land by the final map for public streets, highways or easements, or for any other public use, as a condition of approval of the tentative map. Maps recorded solely for the purpose of combining portions of vacated streets with adjoining lots shall be treated, for procedural purposes, as reversion to acreage maps.

C. Filing Fees. Filing fees shall be payable as provided in this code. (Code 1971, § 8255; Ord. No. 2021-017, § 83, 12-13-21)