Res 276 6/27/1955RESOLUTION NO. 276
RULES AND REGULATIONS
GOVERNING THE PLATTING AND SUBDIVIDING OF LAND
City Planning Board
Wichita Falls, Texas
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS AND PRECEDURE.
A subdivision is any change, alteration or rearrangement in
the boundary or division lines of a parcel of property or street.
Any owner of any tract of land within the corporate limits of
the City of Wichita Falls, who may desire to make or cause to be
made any such subdivision, shall cause a plat to be made by a
licensed engineer or land surveyor from an actual survey of such
proposed subdivision and submit same to the City Planning Board
for its approval, in accordance with the provisions of Article
974A of the Texas Revised Statutes of 1925, as amended, by
filing said plat with the office of the Engineer of the City
Planning Board.
On a 7, ,' cs- , the City Council adopted the
followin resolution:
The City Planning Board has adopted the following routine
in determining the requirements to be imposed for each of the
subdivision plats submitted:
1. Public Works Department to check:
a) Drainage
b) Proposed streets
c) Sanitary sewers
d) Lot and block numbering
2. Water Department to check:
Water system and fire protection
3. Park Department for new park sites
4. Board of Education for new school sites
5. City Engineer for final approval
That the City Plan Board, before taking action on any plat
submitted to them, shall refer such plat to the Departments
named for their suggestions and comments.
That the Public Works Department shall examine particularly
the facilities provided by the developer for drainage of water,
and improvement of streets. It will be required that a permanent
type, minimum of 6" crushed conglomerate lin asphaltic concrete,
of pavement with curb and gutter be constructed on all streets
on which lots abut. Plans and specifications for the above improve-
ment shall meet the approval of the Public Works Department. If
it is determined that additional drainage facilities are necessary,
the developer shall prepare, with the approval of the Public Works
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Department, plans and specifications to be used by him in
correcting the drainage. Monuments as set out in the present
rules and regulations for platting and subdividing land will
be required.
It is suggested that each subdivider of land contact the
Office of the City Planning Board before preparing the pre-
liminary plan, in order to become thoroughly familiar with
subdivision requirements and with the proposals of the official
master plan affecting the territory in which the proposed sub-
division lies.
SECTION 11. PRELIMINARY PLAT
A. A preliminary plat, in triplicate, of any proposed
subdivision shall be submitted to the City Planning Board for
approval before the preparation of the final plat or plat for
record. Such plat must be filed in the office of the Board
at least five days prior to the meeting at which approval is
asked. This plat shall be drawn to a scale of two hundred feet
to one inch, or larger, and shall show, or be accompanied by,
the following information:
1) The proposed name of the subdivision (which must not be
so similar to that of an existing subdivision as to cause
confusion) and names of adjacent subdivisions.
2) The names of the owner and the engineer or surveyor.
3) The location of boundary lines.
4) Width and depth of lots.
5) The location and width of existing and proposed streets,
roads, lots, and alleys, building lines, parks and other features,
and similar facts regarding property immediately adjacent thereto;
also the location and size of existing sewers, gas and water
mains. If there are no adjacent subdivisions, then a map, made
on a smaller scale, shall be presented to the City Planning
Board showing outline and ownership of adjacent properties,
location and distance of the nearest subdivisions, and how the
streets, alleys or highways in the subdivision offered for record
may connect with those in the nearest subdivisions,
6) The location of physical features of the property,
inclu ding wat e r courses, ravines,nes, b id es s cu lve rt s andd other
features pertinent to subdivision. On extensive or broken
tracts, the City Planning Board shall require contours at
intervals of two feet. Street profiles, with elevations on
the property lines and center line, at horizontal intervals of
50t will be shown. All elevation shown shall be referred to
city datum. The approximate acreage of the property is to be
indicated,
7) A designation of the proposed uses of land within the
subdivision; that is, the type of residential use, location
of business or industrial sites, and sites for churches, schools,
parks or other special uses.
8) North point, scale and date.
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B. The approval of the preliminary plat does not constitute
acceptance of the subdivision, but merely an authorization to
proceed with the preparation of the final (record) plat.
SECTION 111. RECORD PLAT .
A. After the preliminary plat has been approved by the
City Planning Board, 5 copies of a final plat in the f orm of
record plat shall be prepared and submitted to the Board.
Such plat shall be filed in the office of the Board at least
five days prior to the meeting at which approval is asked.
This plat shall be drawn on tracing cloth or tracing paper in
India ink and shall be to a scale of one hundred feet to the
inch unless otherwise directed by the Board, upon a sheet
size 22n x 36"", and shall show or be accompanied by the following
information:
1) The name of the subdivision and adjacent subdivisions,
the names of streets (to conform wherever possible to existing
street names) and numbers of lots and blocks, in accordance with
a systematic arrangement. In case of branching streets, the lines
of departure shall be indicated.
2) An accurate boundary survey of the property, with
bearings and distances, referenced to section corners, and
showing the lines of all adjacent lands and the lines of adjacent
streets and alleys, with their width and names.
3) Location of lots, streets, public highways, alleys,
parks and other features, with accurate dimensions in feet and
decimals of feet, with the length of radii and of arcs of all
curves, and with all other information necessary to reproduce
the plat on the ground. Dimensions shall be shown from all
angle points and points of curve to lot lines. The area of
the tract, in acres, shall be indicated.
4) The location of building lines on front and side streets,
and the location of utility easements.
5) The location of streets and alleys immediately adjacent
in other subdivisions.
6) An affidavit of ownership, showing fee simple title
and encumbrances and liens and certificate of dedication of all
streets, public highways, alleys, parks and other land intended
for public use, signed by the owner or owners and by all other
parties who have a mortage or lien interest in the property,
together with any restrictions which are to apply to lots.
7) Certification by a licensed civil engineer or
surveyor to the effect that the plan represents a survey madebyhim, and that all the necessary survey monuments are cor-
rectly shown thereon. Said certificate shall be sworn to before
a Notary Public and placed on and made a part of the plan.
8) -After approval of the final plat by the PlanningBoard, certificates of approval, to be filled out by thePlanningBoardChairman, shall be fixed to three copies of
said plat.
9) North point, scale and date.
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B. All figures and letters shown must be plain, distinct,
and of sufficient size to be easily read, and must be of suffi-
cient density to make a lasting and permanent record.
C. When more than one sheet is used, a key map, showing
the entire subdivision at smaller scale with block numbers and
street names, shall be shown on one of the sheets or on a separ-
ate sheet of the same size.
D, The engineer shall place sufficient permanent monuments
along the boundaries of the property so that another engineer
may retrace his work with accuracy. Iron pins not less than two
feet long and 5/8 inch diameter, or galvanized iron pipe not
less than 3/4 inch diameter shall be placed at block corners,
angle points on the streets, and the beginning and end of
curves on streets.
E. The approval given under these rules and regulations
will terminate and the plat considered as having been dis-
approved, and therefore not subject to registration and record-
ing, unless said plat is tendered to the County Clerk of
Wichita County within 30 days from the date the City Council
of the City of Wichita Falls adopts or passes an order giving
its approval in the manner required by law. The certificate
of approval noted on the plat shall contain the qualification.
that the plat must be filed for record within 30 days, other-
wise approval is withdrawn.
F. Along with the filing plat, a photostatic copy, not
to exceed 8" x 15", is to be furnished the City Clerk for
recording with minutes of the action of the Wichita Falls
City Council.
G. The City shall withhold all City improvements of
whatsoever nature including the furnishing of sewerage
facilities and water service from all additions, which have
not been approved as provided by law and further, no permits
shall be issued by the Building Inspector of the City of
Wichita Falls on any piece of property other than an original
or a re-subdivided lot in a duly approved and recorded sub-
division, except the Building Inspector may issue a permit on
unpiatted land if the owner of such property will sign an
agreement stating that he will forthwith start proceedings to
have such property approved and platted in accordance with
these regulations, and further acknowledge his understanding
that a certificate of occupancy and compliance and all per-
manent connections for public utilities will be withheld until
the platting of such property has been so approved and recorded.
1. Provided, however, the improvements and permits with-
held under Section G above shall not be withheld by reason of
the conditions therein stated when the Planning Commission
finds one of the following situations to exist:
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a. A tract of land under separate ownership prior
to the date of adoption of this resolution which is a portion
of a larger tract of land which has been divided into separate
ownerships prior to the above date, in such a manner that there
is no workable subdivision plan apparent.
b. A tract of land so improved and/or so situated
that to conform to the right-of—way requirements of the Master
Thoroughfare Plan would result in extraordinary loss to the
property owners,
c. Where improvements are necessary to comply with
other ordinances of the City of Wichita Falls which carry a
penalty for failure to comply.
SECTION 1V. GENERAL QUIRENENT5
A. Street Arrangements.
1) Unless otherwise approved by the Board, provision
must be made for the extension of main thoroughfares, as shown
on the major street plan of the City Planning Board; and second-
ary streets must provide free circulation within the subdivision.
2) Relation to Adjoining Streets and Land: The
system of streets designated for subdivision shall connect with
and have the same names as streets already dedicated in adjacent
subdivisions; and where no adjacent connections are platted, must
in general be the reasonable projection of streets in nearest
subdivided tracts, and must be continued to the boundaries of
the tract subdivided, so that other subdivisions may connect
therewith.
3) Large Allotments: In case of a tract subdivided
into larger parcels than normal building lots, such parcels
shall be arranged to permit the opening of future streets and
logical resubdivisions.
4) Dead End Streets and Courts: Except in unusual
cases, no dead end streets will be approved unless such dead
end streets are carried to the boundaries of the tract to provide
for connection with future streets in adjacent land, but courts
or "places" may be permitted where the f orm or contour of the
land makes it difficult to plat with connecting streets. Such
courts or "places" shall provide proper access to all lots and
shall generally not exceed four hundred feet in length, and
a turn around shall be provided at the closed end with an outside
radius of at least fifty feet.
5) Block Lengths: In general, intersecting streets,
determining block lengths, shall be provided at such intervals
as to serve cross traffic adequately and to meet existing streets
or customary subdivision practices in the neighborhood. Where
no existing plats control, the blocks should not exceed one
thousand feet in length, except that in outlying subdivisions a
greater length may be permitted where topography or other
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conditions, in the opinion of the Board, justify such lengths,
In blocks longer than eight hundred feet, pedestrian ways, ten
feet in width, through the block may be required near the center
of the block,
6) Street Widths: Major streets shall conform to
the widths indicated on the major street plan adopted by the
City Council and City Planning Board and on file in the office
of the Board. A building line safeguarding future widening,
may be required by the Board in lieu of dedication of the
indicated width, Dedication of a half street adjoining unplatted
property will be accepted. No reserve strips will be permitted
unless by special approval of the Board,
7) Minor streets shall be at least fifty feet in
width and have a minimum radius of 150; In districts of
proposed apartment or business building use, or where there is
through traffic, a minimum of sixty feet may be required,
B. Alley and Alley Widths:
Except in unusual cases, alleys or loading courts must
be provided in business blocks. Alleys with a minimum width of
201 shall be provided in residential districts, In case of
intersecting alleys a cutoff shall be required of at least
ten feet measured from the point of intersection of the alley
Lines, In such cases where the topography would cause alleys
to be impractical, then easements may be provided,
C. Lot Sizes:
1) In general, lots shall conform in width, depth
and area to the pattern already established in the adjacent
areas, having due regard to the character of the neighborhood,
its particular suitability for development for residential
purposes, and also, taking into consideration the natural
topography of the ground, drainage, sanitary sewerage facilities,
and the proposed lay-out of street. The minimum dimensions
for residential lots shall be sixty feet in width and generally
not less than one hundred twenty feet in depth, unless the CityPlanningBoard, for special reasons, approves otherwise. In no
case, however, shall any lot contain less than seventy two hundred
square feet. Corner lots shall have extra width, especially
in cases where they back on lots facing on the side street,.
2) Lot Lines: All rectangular lots and all other lots,
so far as practicable, shall have the side lines at right
angles to the street on which the lot faces, or radial to
curved street lines. Double frontage lots shall be permitted
under certain conditions deemed necessary by the Board,
3) No lot shall be replatted to reduce the size of
the lots originally platted by a common dedicator, except with
the consent of the majority of the property owners in the same
block, and also the property owners across the street there
from for a similar distance of one block; in the case of the
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replatting of a block frontage, then the consent of the
majority of the property owners in the adjacent blocks and
across the street therefrom, shall be required; such consent
required may be implied where other lots within such area above
described, have already been subdivided and built upon; nor
shall a lot be reduced in size below the pattern already
established in the same block, or across the street therefrom
for a similar distance, except by the consent above required;
nor shall a lot be reduced in width below a si.ity (60)
foot frontage with an area of seventy two hundred square
feet, except for property located in an area in which a pattern
less than- these dimensions has been established.
4) A building permit, if approved by the City
Engineer, may be issued on a tract of land under separate
ownership, of record prior to the adoption of this resolution,
if the tract is of three acres or less.
D. Utility- Easements:
Where alleys are not included in the plat, easements
of not less than five feet shall be provided on each side of
rear or side lot lines, if required by the Board, for public
utilities. If necessary for the extension of main water or
sewer lines, or similar utilities, easements of greater width
may be required along lot lines or across lots. Easements
shall connect with established easements in adjoining property,
E. Building Lines, Yard Requirements:
Building lines shall be shown on all lots intended
for residential use, and in some cases may be required on lots
intended for business use, and shall provide a minimum set
back of twenty-five feet or at least that building line which
is established,
In all new subdivisions and resubdivisions there
shall be a side yard on each side of the lot having a width of
not less than ten feet or ten per cent of the average width
of the lot, whichever is smaller, but a side yard shall not
be less than five feet except that the side yard of a corner
lot adjacent to a side street shall not be less than ten feet.
F. Sewers and Water:
The City Planning Board may refuse to approve a plat
unless it is evident that proper water and sewer facilities can
be supplied within a reasonable time. In locations where
sanitary sewers are not presently available, and where there is
no immediate prospect for installation of sanitary sewers, then
septic tanks of approved type may be installed in conformity
with the rules, regulations and ordinances of the City of
Wichita Falls pertaining to public health,
In this connection, if the soil texture in the area is such as will not
lend itself to the utilization of a septic tank, then the proposed
size of lots must be increased to provide for the safe absorption of
the effluent, as determined by the Health Department of the City
of Wichita Falls. At such time as sanitary sewer is made available
to the owner, then the septic tank use shall be abandoned and request
made (within 30 days) for connection to the sanitary sewer system
of the City of Wichita Falls.
Go Advice and Cooperation:
Advice and cooperation in the preparation of plats will be
freely given by the office of the City Engineer. The City Planning
Board shall be the judge in all cases regarding the application of
the foregoing rules, and may approve variations in specific cases
which do not affect the general application or spirit of the
regulations,
Regulations Governing The Subdividing of
Land Within Five Miles of the Corporate Limits
City Planning Board
Wichita Falls, Texas
Any owner,purchaser or developer creating a subdivision
within five miles of the corporate limits of Vachita Falls,
Texas, before filing or recording said subdivision, shall cause
a plat to be made and submit same to the office of the City
Planning Board of Wichita Falls. The action taken on this
subdivision by the City Planning Board and the City Council
shall be based on the Cityts "Rules and Regulations Governing
The Platting and Subdividing of Land".. A performance bond shall
also be furnished the City of Wichita Falls. Said bond to in-
clude costs of proposed utilities, paving and drainage and is
to be posted prior to the release of the filing plat for record-
ing with the County. No city utility is to be supplied to serve
or connect the land covered by such plans until the receipt of
the necessary approval and fulfillment of the above require-
ments.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the 27th day of Junes. A.D` 1955.
Mayor
ATT
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City Clerk