Watsonville Municipal Code Art. 1 Lot Line Adjustments

This section establishes a review process for lot line adjustments in accordance with Section 66412(d) of the Subdivision Map Act. A lot line adjustment is a minor relocation of the boundary or boundaries between four (4) or fewer existing adjoining parcels, where the land taken from one parcel is added to an adjoining parcel, with no more parcels being created than originally existed. Properties included in one (1) lot line adjustment may not be part of another lot line adjustment if five (5) or more parcels would be affected.

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

No tentative, parcel or final map shall be required for a lot line adjustment. Applications for any lot line adjustment shall be filed with the Community Development Department and shall include submittal of a preliminary map and a current title report. The preliminary map shall be prepared by a licensed land surveyor or registered civil engineer and shall include the following information:

(a) The names and addresses of the subdivider and record owner;

(b) The name and address of the person who prepared the map;

(c) A vicinity map;

(d) A scalable depiction of the existing and proposed boundaries including metes and bounds of all boundary courses;

(e) All existing structures and all above ground and underground utilities;

(f) The number, size, and area in square footage of the existing lot configurations and the reconfigured lots proposed by the lot line adjustment;

(g) All existing and proposed easements;

(h) The following statement shall be affixed to the preliminary map:

This map does not create any new parcels and depicts the proposed lot line adjustment between Assessor Parcel Numbers _________ and __________ which will be implemented by the recording of deeds.

Procedures for review of the lot line adjustment shall be consistent with the procedures for review of minor land divisions contained in Chapter 13-5, except as otherwise described in this chapter. The Community Development Department shall report on the proposed lot line adjustment to the Minor Land Division Committee for its consideration and action. The Minor Land Division Committee may refer the matter to the City Council if it determines that the lot line adjustment is of such scope and significance that review and decisions therefor are best performed by the City Council.

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

(a) No tentative map, parcel map or final map shall be required as a condition of approval of a lot line adjustment. The Minor Land Division Committee shall limit review and approval to whether it can make all of the following findings:

(1) The parcels resulting from the lot line adjustment are consistent with the general plan, any applicable specific plan and the regulations of the zoning ordinance and building codes;

(2) A greater number of parcels than originally existed are not created by the lot line adjustment;

(3) The lot line adjustment shall not impair existing easements or it shall include the relocation of existing easements, utilities, or infrastructure serving adjacent lots, parcels, or public lands and streets prior to completing the lot line adjustment;

(4) The lot line adjustment shall not impair existing access or create a need for access to adjacent lots or parcels; and

(5) The lot line adjustment shall not require alteration of existing improvements or buildings, create a need for any building improvements, or otherwise create noncompliance with the Uniform Building Codes.

(b) The Minor Land Division Commission may only attach conditions of approval in order to:

(1) Comply with the provisions of the general plan and any applicable specific plan, and the regulations of the zoning and building codes;

(2) Require prepayment of real property taxes prior to approval of the lot line adjustment;

(3) Facilitate relocation of existing utilities, infrastructure, or easements; or

(4) Adjust or revise assessment district obligations necessitated by the reconfiguration to the existing parcels.

Decisions regarding lot line adjustments made by the Minor Land Division Committee may be appealed to the City Council pursuant to the provisions in Chapter 13-3.

No record of survey shall be required for a lot line adjustment unless required by Section 8762 of the Business and Professions Code but all lot line adjustments shall be reflected by recorded deed. However, the allowable error of closure on any portion of the legal description for the lot line adjustment shall not exceed one in ten thousand (1/10,000) for field closures and one in twenty thousand (1/20,000) for calculated closures.

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