Chapter 17.12
SHORT SUBDIVISIONS AND UNIT LOT SUBDIVISIONS
Sections:
17.12.010 Application – Preliminary consideration.
17.12.020 Application – Contents.
17.12.030 Application – Publication.
17.12.040 Application – Exemptions.
17.12.050 Development standards.
17.12.060 Fees and approval procedures.
17.12.080 Filing and recording requirements.
17.12.090 Unit lot subdivision.
17.12.010 Application – Preliminary consideration.
A. Application for short subdivisions and unit lot subdivisions shall be made to the city clerk on a form established by the planning commission and reviewed by the community development director.
B. The application shall contain sufficient information, including a sketch of the proposal sufficient to indicate the general acceptability of the layout as submitted. The applicant must complete all requirements for final approval within six months of the original application. (Ord. 1309 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 337 § 9, 1984)
17.12.020 Application – Contents.
The administrative official may require any or all of the following to be submitted as part of the application:
A. Four copies of a map or plat plan of the parcel;
B. The legal description of the property to be subdivided;
C. Name, address and telephone number of person(s) proposing to subdivide;
D. Name and address of licensed engineer or land surveyor, if any, (or person preparing drawing and legal descriptions);
E. Date, north arrow, and adequate scale (one inch equals 20 feet);
F. Lot lines, dimension of lots and area of lots;
G. Location of existing and proposed vehicular access;
H. Location of permanent buildings and structures, if any;
I. Legal description of the proposed lots;
J. Location of existing or proposed utility and storm drainage easements and facilities;
K. Other information as determined by the administrative official. (Ord. 337 § 9, 1984)
17.12.030 Application – Publication.
Notice of application for short subdivisions and unit lot subdivisions shall be given by one publication in the official newspaper of record for the city and by first-class mail to owners of property within 300 feet of any boundary of the subject property. The proposed development site shall also be posted, identifying the total area of the plat, the number and typical lot size, the proposed use, and the name of the applicant. (Ord. 1309 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 337 § 9, 1984)
17.12.040 Application – Exemptions.
No land in the city shall be divided into four or fewer lots by or because of sale, lease, transfer or other conveyance without compliance with this chapter; except that divisions of land shall be exempt from the procedures set forth in this chapter when the following circumstances apply:
A. Any deeding of land to a public body; provided, however, that any remaining lot or lots which are consistent with zoning, or access or health requirements;
B. Any division of land for the purpose of minor adjustment of a boundary line to accommodate the transfer of land between two adjacent property owners which does not result in the creation of any new building site, substandard lot, or substandard yard or setback requirement. (Ord. 337 § 11, 1984)
17.12.050 Development standards.
A. The proposed short subdivision or unit lot subdivision shall comply with the comprehensive plan and the development regulations.
B. Curb, gutter, pavement, and storm drainage facilities may be required at the discretion of the administrative official to prevent stormwater erosion and damage.
C. The proposed short subdivision or unit lot subdivision shall provide necessary utility and drainage easements and the grantees thereof shall agree in writing to restore the easement rights-of-way to their original condition after any installation, maintenance or repair.
D. The administrative official may require additional information from the applicant to determine whether the project must be reviewed under the provisions of the State of Washington Environmental Protection Act (Chapter 43.21C RCW) and as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time. Preliminary approval of the short subdivision or unit lot subdivision shall not be given until all requirements of the Act are fulfilled. If a stream or natural drainage may exist in the proposed short subdivision or unit lot subdivision it shall not be altered until an assessment is made of potential environmental effects. (Ord. 1309 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 337 § 9, 1984)
17.12.060 Fees and approval procedures.
A. The person proposing to subdivide shall pay a fee as established periodically by city council resolution.
B. The administrative official shall approve or disapprove the short subdivision or unit lot subdivision if the application is in proper form and the short subdivision or unit lot subdivision complies with the foregoing.
C. Action will ordinarily be taken on short subdivisions or unit lot subdivisions within 120 days from the date the application is filed. No construction of structures, utilities, grading or excavation shall be allowed prior to the official approval of the short subdivision or unit lot subdivision.
D. If the necessary criteria have not been complied with, the administrative official may either disapprove the application or require that the applicant make necessary changes which would cause them to give their approval. (Ord. 1309 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 787 § 1, 1999; Ord. 337 § 9, 1984)
17.12.070 Right of appeal.
Repealed by Ord. 768. (Ord. 337 § 9, 1984)
17.12.080 Filing and recording requirements.
A. Short plats may require surveys and monuments.
B. The regulations shall require filing of a short plat for record in the office of the county auditor (King County department of records).
C. Filing standards for short subdivisions and unit lot subdivisions are:
1. The short plat should be standard engineering drawing size (e.g., eight-and-one-half inches by 14 inches).
2. The legal description may be written by licensing engineer or land surveyor or by a real estate title company unless otherwise determined by the administrative official.
3. The scale of drawing shall be an engineering scale, normally one inch equals 20 feet.
4. Existing structures shall show dimensions to lot lines.
5. Items to be placed on drawings:
a. Name or number of short plat and date;
b. Existing and proposed owners, if relevant;
c. Lots defined by large letters, “A,” “B,” “C” and “D,” and by square footage;
d. Exact location of short plat by vicinity map and streets bordering the short subdivision.
6. Other requirements set forth in this chapter.
D. Recording of Short Subdivisions and Unit Lot Subdivisions.
1. Notices of short subdivision or unit lot subdivision approval shall be prepared for recording on the form prepared by the administrative official.
2. The original of the short plat, together with a copy of the completed notice of short subdivision or unit lot subdivision approval, shall be filed with the King County department of records by the subdivider. A copy of the short plat and notice of short subdivision or unit lot subdivision approval shall be furnished for the city short-plat file. (Ord. 1309 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025; Ord. 337 §9, 1984)
17.12.090 Unit lot subdivision.
A lot may be divided into separately owned unit lots and common areas, provided the following standards are met:
A. Process. Unit lot subdivisions shall follow the application, review, and approval procedures for a short subdivision.
B. Applicability. A lot to be developed with middle housing with multiple units, in which no dwelling units are stacked on another dwelling unit or other use, may be subdivided into individual unit lots as provided herein.
C. Development as a whole on the parent lot, rather than individual unit lots, shall comply with applicable design and development standards.
D. Subsequent platting actions and additions or modifications to structure(s) may not create or increase any nonconformity of the parent lot.
E. Access easements, joint use and maintenance agreements, and covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) identifying the rights and responsibilities of property owners and/or the homeowners’ association shall be executed for use and maintenance of common garage, parking, and vehicle access areas; bike parking; solid waste collection areas; underground utilities; common open space; shared interior walls; exterior building facades and roofs; and other similar features shall be recorded with the county auditor.
F. Portions of the parent lot not subdivided for individual unit lots shall be owned in common by the owners of the individual unit lots, or by a homeowners’ association comprised of the owners of the individual unit lots.
G. Notes shall be placed on the face of the plat or short plat as recorded with the county auditor to state the following:
1. The title of the plat shall include the phrase “Unit Lot Subdivision.”
2. Approval of the development on each unit lot was granted by the review of the development, as a whole, on the parent lot.
H. Effect of Preliminary Approval. Preliminary approval constitutes authorization for the applicant to develop the required facilities and improvements, upon review and approval of construction drawings by the public works department. All development shall be subject to any conditions imposed by the city on the preliminary approval.
I. Revision and Expiration. Unit lot subdivisions follow the revision and expiration procedures for a short subdivision.
J. The parent lot of any unit lot subdivision must continue to meet the overall tree canopy coverage requirements specified in Chapter 16.14 LFPMC, though individual unit lots within a unit lot subdivision may not. (Ord. 1309 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025)