Watsonville Municipal Code Art. 1 Tentative Parcel Maps

A tentative parcel map shall be required for all minor land divisions, which are those subdivisions creating four (4) or fewer lots or four (4) or fewer condominiums as defined in Section 783 of the California Civil Code; a community apartment project, as defined in Section 1351(f) of the Civil Code, containing four (4) or fewer dwelling units; the conversion of a dwelling to a stock cooperative, as defined in Section 1351(m) of the Civil Code, containing four (4) or fewer dwelling units; and subdivisions listed in Section 66426 of the Subdivision Map Act. The form and contents, submittal, and approval of tentative parcel maps shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter. The tentative parcel map shall be prepared by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The form and content of a tentative parcel map shall conform to the provisions of Section 13-4.03, Form and contents. Accompanying data and reports to be submitted with a tentative parcel map application shall conform to the provisions of Section 13-4.04, Accompanying data and reports. Review by other agencies of the tentative parcel map shall conform to the provisions of Section 13-4.06, Inter-agency review.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

Where a tentative parcel map is required by this chapter, the subdivider shall have the option of submitting a tentative map or, if he or she desires to obtain the rights conferred by Map Act Section 66498.1 et seq., a vesting tentative map. Applications for vesting tentative map shall be accompanied with the additional submittals and disclosures as provided for by Chapter 13-10, Vesting Tentative Maps.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

There is hereby established the Minor Land Division (MLD) Committee, which shall consist of the City Manager, Community Development Director, Director of Public Works, Fire Chief, and Building Official or their appointed representatives. The City Manager or his or her designee shall serve as chairman of the MLD Committee, and the Community Development Director shall be responsible for establishing agenda items and preparing the necessary correspondence. The MLD Committee shall have the authority to develop and to adopt rules of operation and procedure consistent with the provisions of this title. The MLD Committee shall meet at least monthly and shall prescribe bylaws, forms, applications, rules and regulations for the conduct of its business. All meetings of the MLD Committee shall be open to the public and shall be subject to Chapter 9 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title V of the Government Code of the State, as amended, being the Ralph M. Brown Act.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The Community Development Director may refer applications to the City Council if it is determined that a minor land division is of such scope and significance that review and decisions therefor are best performed by the City Council.

When a minor land division is so referred, the City Council shall review the tentative parcel map and all staff recommendations thereto and approve, conditionally approve or deny the tentative parcel map in accordance with Section 13-4.09.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The tentative parcel map application shall consist of the number of tentative parcel maps determined by the Community Development Director, and the number of copies of all required supporting information. The application shall be submitted to the Community Development Department and shall include all application fees.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

The tentative parcel map shall be reviewed by the Community Development Department for compliance to all applicable City ordinances and the Subdivision Map Act. Staff reports shall be prepared in accordance with the provisions of Section 13-4.07, Staff report and hearing notice. The Community Development Director shall give notice in the manner prescribed in Section 13-3.04, Public hearing notice.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

(a) The Minor Land Division Committee shall approve, conditionally approve or deny the tentative parcel map within fifty (50) days after the filing of a tentative map application with the Community Development Department. The fifty (50) days shall commence only after the project is deemed complete and after certification of an environmental impact report, adoption of a negative declaration, or determination that the project is exempt from CEQA.

(b) The Minor Land Division Committee shall make all of the findings for approval and conditional approval, as applicable, listed in Section 13-4.09(d). In the event that one or more of the findings included in Section 13-4.09(d) cannot be made to support approval or conditional approval of the tentative parcel map, the map shall be denied. In approving an application, the Minor Land Division Committee may impose any reasonable conditions. A letter of the action taken, along with any conditions imposed, shall be sent to the subdivider. If the subdivision is denied, the subdivider shall be so notified in writing with a statement of reasons for the denial.

(c) All actions of the Minor Land Division Committee shall be final, unless appealed under the procedures specified in Sections 13-3.07 through 13-3.13.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)

(a) Expiration. The approval or conditional approval of a tentative subdivision map shall expire twenty-four (24) months after the date of the approval or conditional approval of a tentative parcel map by the Minor Land Division Committee. An extension of the expiration date may be approved, as provided in this title, for a maximum of forty-eight (48) months.

The expiration of an approved or conditionally approved tentative parcel map shall terminate all proceedings, and no parcel map of all or any portion of the real property included within such tentative parcel map shall be filed without first processing a new tentative parcel map.

Once a timely filing is made, subsequent actions of the City, including, but not limited to, processing, approving, and recording the final map, may lawfully occur after the date of expiration of the tentative map or tentative parcel map. Delivery to the Community Development Director or City Engineer of a signed final map in substantial conformance with the approved tentative map, necessary improvement plans, and all required fees and deposits shall be deemed as “timely filing” for purposes of this section.

(b) Discretionary Extensions.

(1) Requests by Subdividers. A subdivider may request an extension of the expiration date of an approved or conditionally approved tentative subdivision map by a written application to the Community Development Director. The application shall be filed before expiration of the tentative map and shall state the reasons for requesting the extension.

(2) Action Taken. The Community Development Director shall review the request for a time extension and submit the application, together with a report, to the Minor Land Division Committee. A copy of the report of the Community Development Director shall be forwarded to the subdivider prior to the MLD Committee meeting on the extension. The MLD Committee shall consider the report of the Community Development Director and approve or deny the extension.

(3) Time Limits of Extensions. The approved extension shall not exceed forty-eight (48) months. The approved new expiration date shall not extend more than six (6) years beyond the date of the resolution adopted by the MLD Committee approving or conditionally approving the original tentative subdivision map.

(4) Conditions of Approval. The MLD Committee may impose only those conditions of approval that were imposed for the initial map approval, unless the subdivider agrees to the imposition of additional conditions.

(5) Appeals. If the MLD Committee denies an application for an extension of approval, the subdivider may appeal to the City Council within fifteen (15) days after the MLD Committee denied the extension pursuant to the procedures specified in Sections 13-3.07 through 13-3.13.

(c) Statutory Extensions. Tentative parcel maps shall also be extended for maps subject to development agreements, the imposition of development moratoria, lawsuits filed against an entitled subdivision project, and additional periods determined by statute pursuant to the detailed provisions of Sections 66452.6, 66452.21, 66452.22 and 66463.5 of the Subdivision Map Act.

(§ 1, Ord. 1274-11 (CM), eff. February 24, 2011)