Chapter 2
INTERPRETATION OF LANGUAGE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Sections:

Article 1. Interpretation of Language

13-2.01    Definitions.

Article 2. Responsibilities

13-2.02    City Attorney.

13-2.03    City Clerk.

13-2.04    City Council.

13-2.05    Community Development Director.

13-2.06    Director of Public Works and Utilities.

13-2.07    Minor Land Division (MLD) Committee.

13-2.08    Other public agencies.

13-2.09    Planning Commission.

Article 1. Interpretation of Language

13-2.01 Definitions.

The following rules for interpretation shall apply. Where uncertainty exists regarding the interpretation of any provision of this title or its application to a specific site, the Community Development Director, with the concurrence of the City Engineer, shall determine the intent of that provision.

(a)    All references to “City” shall mean the City of Watsonville, a municipal corporation. All references to “Charter” shall mean the Watsonville City Charter. All references to “code” or “municipal code” shall mean the Watsonville Municipal Code. All references to “zoning ordinance” shall mean Title 14 of the City of Watsonville Municipal Code. All references to “general plan” shall mean the City of Watsonville general plan.

(b)    All references to the “City Council” or “Council” shall mean the City Council of the City of Watsonville.

(c)    All references to “County” shall mean the County of Santa Cruz. All references to “County Recorder” shall mean the Santa Cruz County Recorder.

(d)    All references to “days” are to calendar days unless otherwise indicated. If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, it shall be extended to the next full day in which the City of Watsonville is open for business.

(e)    All references to departments, divisions, commissions, and boards are those of the City of Watsonville, unless otherwise indicated.

(f)    All references to “improvement agreements” shall mean the contract between the City and subdivider providing for the construction of certain public and on-site improvements in accordance with the provisions of this title.

(g)    All references to the “Minor Land Division Committee” shall mean that committee comprised of certain City staff as defined in this chapter, which approves, conditionally approves or denies divisions of land consisting of four (4) or fewer parcels and all lot line adjustments.

(h)    All references to the “municipal code” shall mean the Watsonville Municipal Code.

(i)    All references to the “Planning Commission” shall mean the Planning Commission of the City of Watsonville.

(j)    All references to the “public improvement standards” shall mean the City of Watsonville Public Improvement Standards as maintained and on file with the Department of Public Works and Utilities.

(k)    All references to the “Subdivision Map Act” or “Map Act” shall mean Division 2 of Title 7 of the Government Code of the State, commencing with Section 66410.

(l)    All references to sections of the Subdivision Map Act include all successor sections.

(m)    All references to “State” shall mean the State of California. Any reference to a specific State of California law shall also mean “as the law may be subsequently amended by the State of California.”

(n)    The words “title,” “chapter,” “section,” and “subsection” refer to the subdivision ordinance, this Title 13, unless otherwise noted.

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

Article 2. Responsibilities

13-2.02 City Attorney.

The City Attorney shall be responsible for approving as to form all improvement agreements and all improvement securities and any other duties as prescribed by this title.

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

13-2.03 City Clerk.

The City Clerk shall be responsible for the setting of public hearings, notification of action taken by the City Council, the transmittal of the approved final map or parcel map to the subdivider’s title company, and any other duties as prescribed by this title.

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

13-2.04 City Council.

The City Council shall approve, conditionally approve, or deny tentative and final maps and improvement agreements for subdivisions of five (5) or more parcels; shall accept lands and/or improvements proposed for dedication to the City in subdivisions of five (5) or more parcels; and shall carry out all other duties as prescribed by this title. The City Council is the appeal board for any decisions of the Planning Commission, the Minor Land Division Committee or other decisions as specified in this title.

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

13-2.05 Community Development Director.

The Community Development Director shall be responsible for the management of the Community Development Department in carrying out the responsibilities imposed on it by this title. Such responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, investigating proposed subdivisions for conformity to the general plan, zoning regulations, and specific plans of the City, and reporting such findings, together with recommendations for approval, conditional approval, or denial to the Planning Commission and to the City Council (for subdivisions of five (5) or more parcels) or to the Minor Land Division Committee (for subdivisions of four (4) or less parcels). The Community Development Director may refer and report on subdivisions of four (4) or less parcels to the City Clerk who shall set the matter for a public hearing before the City Council if the Community Development Director determines that a minor land division is of such scope and significance that review and decisions for such a minor land division application are best performed by the City Council. The Community Development Director is the appointed Secretary of the Minor Land Division Committee and the Planning Commission and shall carry out any other duties as prescribed by this title.

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

13-2.06 Director of Public Works and Utilities.

The Director of Public Works and Utilities or his/her designee is the City Engineer and shall be responsible for:

(a)    Establishing and maintaining the public improvement standards, including design and construction details, standards, and specifications;

(b)    Checking and certifying final maps for sufficiency of affidavits, offers of dedication, improvement plans and profiles, survey data, and other information required to ensure compliance with the Map Act and this title;

(c)    Performing inspections of subdivision improvements for conformity with the public improvement standards, Caltrans standard specifications, and good engineering standards;

(d)    The processing and approval, to the extent authorized by this article, of final maps, parcel maps, reversion to acreage maps, amended maps, subdivision improvement plans, lot line adjustments, and certificates of compliance;

(e)    Approval of improvement agreements for subdivisions of four (4) or fewer parcels; and

(f)    Any other responsibilities as imposed on the City Engineer by this title or by the Subdivision Map Act.

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

13-2.07 Minor Land Division (MLD) Committee.

The Minor Land Division Committee (MLD) is the advisory agency as specified in Section 66415 of the Map Act responsible for approving, conditionally approving or denying the applications for divisions of land involving four (4) or fewer parcels, and lot line adjustments, except for divisions of land involving four (4) or fewer parcels that are referred to the City Council by the Community Development Director. Any decision of the Minor Land Division Committee over an application for tentative map approval for a subdivision of less than five (5) lots or boundary adjustment is appealable to the City Council in accordance with the procedures detailed in Section 13-3.07 through and including Section 13-3.13.

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

13-2.08 Other public agencies.

Maps of proposed subdivisions shall be referred for the information of, and report by, all special districts, school districts, governmental bodies, bureaus, utility companies, other agencies which provide public and private facilities and services to subdivisions, and to such other agencies which the Director of Community Development determines may be affected.

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

13-2.09 Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission is the advisory agency as specified in Section 66415 of the Map Act responsible for recommending to the Council the approval, conditional approval, or denial of an application for tentative map approval for subdivisions of five (5) or more parcels and reporting its action to the City Council. Recommendations by the Planning Commission to the City Council are not appealable.

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