A subdivision is the division of a lot or parcel of land into 2 or more individual lots. Proper subdivision ensures that division of land within the City of Town and Country will be legal and will result in usable, buildable lots. Proposed subdivision plats (drawings showing a tract of land divided into individual lots, rights of way, common ground, easements) are submitted to the city for staff review, followed by review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and ultimately, the Board of Aldermen.
Subdivision Process
Preliminary Plat
The preliminary plat is submitted along with an application form and a deposit to the Planning Department staff for review. Information to be shown on the preliminary plat is listed in the Municipal Code, Subdivision Regulations, Section 410.150. The staff will report to the applicant about any revisions that may be necessary. When the preliminary plat is deemed to be complete, the staff will schedule the plat for Planning and Zoning Commission consideration and action. The staff will also send a notice of the proposed subdivision to neighbors and trustees of neighboring subdivisions and will post a sign stating the time and date of the public hearing on the property and on the city website.
Improvement Plans
All required improvements, including grading, streets, sanitary and storm sewers, storm water detention or retention basins, retaining walls, must be shown on improvement plans reviewed and submitted to city staff for review. The submittal should include written approval by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and by the agency with jurisdiction over any public street on which the subdivision fronts, stating approval of the proposed access together with any conditions. Additional requirements are listed in the Municipal Code, Subdivision Regulations, 410.160. When the improvement plans are complete, they will be forwarded to the Planning and Zoning Commission for their review and action.
Installation of Improvements
The city's Municipal Code, Subdivision Regulations, Section 410.010 provides 2 processes for a developer to install improvements in a subdivision. The developer may submit improvement plans and accompanying documents to the city and install improvements after the improvements plans have been properly approved and a site improvement permit has been issued. After improvements have been fully installed and inspected, a surety is posted for one year to guarantee that the improvements are maintained. After the improvements are satisfactorily installed, the record plat of the subdivision may be submitted to the city for approval.
Alternately, a developer may provide the city a surety to guarantee installation and maintenance of the improvements when the improvements plans and the record plat are submitted for review and approval, and then may install improvements after the city has approved the record plat and a site improvement permit has been issued. A portion of the surety will be released after the improvements are satisfactorily installed, and a portion will be retained for one year to guarantee that the improvements are maintained.
Record Plat
The final stage in the subdivision process is record plat approval. City staff will review the record plat and when it is complete, will submit it to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and recommendation, and then to the Board of Aldermen for review and approval by ordinance. Record plat submittal requirements are found in the Municipal Code, Subdivision Regulations, Section 410.170. After the Board of Aldermen approves the record plat, the original is signed by the City Clerk, the city seal is applied, and it is released to the applicant for recording by the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds. A building permit may be obtained after a recorded copy of the record plat is returned to the Planning Department.