PRESENTER: Presenter
Jean M Drew, AICP, CNU-A, Planning and Development Services Assistant Director
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SUBJECT: Title
ORD23-441 Public hearing and recommendation to City Council regarding amendments to Chapter 118 Subdivision Platting, Sections 2 Definitions, 11 Waiver, 13 Appeal for relief from apportionment of municipal infrastructure costs, 15 Right to deny, 21 General Procedures, 22 Subdivision master plan, 23 Preliminary plat, 24 Form and contents, 26 Processing of preliminary plat, 28 Filing and fees, 30 Certificates and statements, 32, Processing of final plat, 34 Replatting, 35 Amending plats, 36 Minor plats, 37 Development plats, 38 Guarantee of performance; inspection and acceptance of public improvements, licensing, 39 Deferral of required improvements, 40 Recordation, 43 Generally, 44 Blocks, 45 Lots, 46 Streets, 49 Sidewalks, 50 Off-street bikeways and trails, 51 Water, sewer and drainage facilities: flood hazards, 52 Escrow policies and procedures.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning and Development Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: ALL
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In response to a request by the City Council to examine the code and identify which waivers have the most significant impact on community safety and the budget, and to bring forward options and alternatives to the current process for waiver approval to require these waivers to have a Planning Commission recommendation with the final decision to be made by the City Council only when staff and Planning Commission recommendations differ, city staff presented these proposed amendments to City Council on March 20, 2023.
To align the code with recent changes in state law, staff made a second presentation on August 21, 2023, when staff reintroduced the revisions from the March presentation and also included additional amendments to align the subdivision approval process with the recent state law that allows for administrative approval of all plats except for residential replats, which will now be the only type of plat requiring Planning Commission approval. These changes in state law resulted from the 2023 legislative session. Staff received direction to proceed with both sets of amendments to the subdivision regulations.
ISSUE:
Amendments to the ordinance are needed to align with changes in state law, and to make the revisions to the waiver process requested by City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the proposed ordinance revisions, ORD23-441, to better serve the citizens of New Braunfels by requiring Council input on waivers impacting community safety or those with a potential budgetary impact, and to provide improved customer service by reducing the timeline for plat approval while aligning our ordinance with state law.