Adopted 4/13/04

 

       Ordinance #04-01

Town of York, Green County

                     Land Division-Development Ordinance

 

1.                AUTHORITY

These regulations are adopted under the authority granted by Section 236.45 of the Wisconsin Statutes, with the addition of Sections 60.10(2), 60.22(3) and 61.34(1).

 

2.                 PURPOSE

The purpose of this ordinance is to promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the community.  The regulations are designed to further the orderly layout and use of land to avoid undue concentration of population; to facilitate adequate provision for water, sewerage, schools, parks, playgrounds, and other public requirements to minimize the public impact from subdivision of large tracts of land into smaller parcels of land; to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the Town; and to provide the best possible environment for human habitation.

 

3.                JURISDICTION

Every division of land within the unincorporated areas of the Town of York, Green County, Wisconsin, shall be subject to all provisions of this ordinance and Chapter 236 of the Wisconsin Statutes.             

 

4.                    EXCEPTIONS

In no instance shall the provisions of this ordinance apply to divisions of tracts of land into less than 5 parcels under any of the following:

a. transfers of interest in land by will or pursuant to court order

b. leases for a term not to exceed ten (10) years, mortgages, or easements;

c. the sale or exchange of land between owners of adjoining property if additional lots are not thereby created and the lots resulting

    are not reduced below the minimum sizes required by this ordinance;  and

d. the redrawing of lot lines by the owner of a parcel as to create the same number or fewer lots within that parcel, so long as each

    of the resulting lots are of equal or greater size than the minimum sizes required by this ordinance.

 

5.                COMPLIANCE

No person, firm, corporation, partnership or legal entity of any sort shall divide any land located within the Town which results in a land division as defined herein without compliance with all requirements of this ordinance and with:

a. Chapter 236 of the Wisconsin Statutes

b. Green County Zoning Regulations, Sanitary Code, and Subdivision regulations

c. State of Wisconsin rules of sewers and septic systems

d. State of Wisconsin rules on pollution abatement

e. State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation rules relating to safety of access and the preservation of the public interest and

    investment in the highway system if the land owned or controlled by the subdivided abuts on a state trunk highway or connection

    street; and

f. All applicable master plans, zoning ordinances, official maps adopted under Section 62.33 Stats. and any other ordinances and

   regulations.

 

Where provisions of this ordinance impose greater restrictions than a-f above, it is intended that the provisions of this ordinance shall apply.

 

6.                DEFINITIONS

a. Certified survey map – a map of land prepared in accordance with Sec. 236.34 of the Wisconsin Statutes and in full compliance

   with applicable provisions of this ordinance.  A certified survey has the same legal force and effect as a subdivision plat.

b. Commission – The Town of York Plan Commission

c. Board – The York Town Board

d. Land Division – The division of a parcel of land by the owner thereof or the owner’s agent where the act of division creates two

    or more parcels.

e. Lot – Land two and a half (2.5) acres or larger in area created by a land division.

f. Land divider – Any person, corporation, or other entity requesting review or action of a land division.

g. Parcel – Contiguous land under the control of a land divider regardless of whether it is separated by streets, highways, railroad

   right-of-ways, utility easements, or other easements.

h. Adjoining property – Parcels of land under the control of separate owners that share common border lines or points regardless of

    whether they are separated by streets, highways, or railroad right-of-ways.

i. Setback lot – A lot not contiguous to a road except that portion that serves as the access driveway and not less than 450’ at its

   closest point from any town road, county road or state highway.  The area of the driveway serving the setback lot shall be

   excluded for the purpose of calculating the minimum two and a half (2.5) acre lot size.

j. Standard lot – A lot that is contiguous to a road and does not meet the definition of a Setback lot.

k. Dwelling unit – A residential building created for a single family.  Each single family unit of a multi-family building counts as one 

    dwelling unit (a duplex, for example, is two (2) dwelling units).

7.             LAND DIVISIONS WITH OR WITHOUT A CERTIFIED SURVEY

 

a. A certified survey map (CSM) prepared by a land surveyor registered in this state shall be required for all land divisions that

    create any parcel less than thirty-five (35) acres.  A CSM is not required if the division of land does not create any parcels less

    than thirty five (35) acres.  The map shall comply in all respects with the requirements of Sec. 236.34 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

 

b. Parcel Size:  One (1) division of land shall be allowed for every twenty (20) contiguous acres under the control of a

    land divider as of the original effective date of this ordinance.  The resultant division may create no lots less than two and a half

    (2.5) acres except in the case of a setback lot when the minimum size will be two and a half (2.5) acres excluding the area for the

    access of the driveway. This limitation runs with the land in perpetuity and is irrespective of future ownership. The clerk shall

    maintain a database tracking the number of allowable divisions per parcel.  If the land divider has any remaining divisions he or

    she may choose to transfer one or more  of these remaining divisions to the newly created lot(s).

                Any lots created exceeding twenty (20) acres may not be further divided if all allowable divisions have been exhausted or

    transferred.  The land divider will be required to include language on the instruments of conveyance noting the number allowable

    for future divisions, if any, that are allowed.

 

c. Normal Density and Frontage

                   (1) All existing parcels of twenty (20) acres or more as of the date of adoption of this ordinance with amendment shall have the number

    of dwelling units determined as follows: the number of acres is divided by twenty (20), and the resulting number is rounded up

    if .50 or larger.  (example: 75 acres divided by 20=3.75, rounded up to 4 lots totaling four (4) dwelling units.

                             

   (2) Standard lots created by divisions shall have a minimum of two hundred feet (200’) of frontage on an existing town road,

         county highway or state highway; setback lots shall have a minimum of fifty feet (50’) of frontage on an existing town road,

         county highway or state highway.

   

   (3) An existing dwelling that has been occupied as a dwelling within five years prior to the date of adoption of this ordinance on

         a parcel does not count against the allowed one density unit per 20 acres.

 

   (4) Variances  may be issued for instances which will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to special conditions, a

         literal enforcement will result in practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship that the spirit and purposes of this ordinance

         shall be observed and the public safety, welfare and justice secured.  When making determinations about the appropriateness

         of the variance applications, the Town Plan Commission will analyze the proposal to see if it is compatible with the policies

         and comment and hold a hearing before making any determination on the granting of the variance.   Determinations of the

         Plan Commission will be referred to the Town Board, for final review and determination.

 

   (5) Special Density Exceptions.  The following are exception to the limited number of density units as calculated in this 7(c):

         Non-Contiguous parcels-A non-contiguous parcel of land of less than 20 acres that was in existence prior to the Town’s

         adoption of this ordinance.

 

                   (6) This plan is a guide to allow for orderly, planned growth that will be compatible with the rural character of the town and the

                        agriculture which is the principal use of lands in the town.  This plan must be reviewed on a  annual basis to assess its

                        compatibility with the needs of the town.

 

d. Information required: The survey map as called for in this ordinance shall show correctly on its face, in addition to the

    information required by Sec. 236.34 Wisc. Stats., the following:

  

    (1) Date of the map;

    (2) Graphic scale;

    (3) Name and address of the owner, land divider and surveyor.

 

e. Certificates

   

    (1) Surveyor – The surveyor shall certify on the face of the map that he has fully complied with all provisions of this ordinance;

    (2) Town – The following certificate of approval shall be typed, lettered, or otherwise reproduced legibly on the face of the map:

                                                APPROVED BY THE TOWN OF YORK

                                                ___________________(chairman) ______________(date)

                                                ___________________(clerk)       _______________(date)

 

f. Recording.  The land divider shall record the Certified Survey Map with the Green County Register of Deeds after it has been

   approved, and shall file a certified copy of the recorded map with the Clerk within ten (10) days after the map is recorded.

 

8.                PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL OF LAND DIVISIONS

Any land divider who shall divide land located in the Town of York which creates a land division as defined in this ordinance shall comply with the following procedure:

 

a. The land divider shall prepare a Preliminary Parcel Division Inquiry.  It shall be submitted to the Town of York Plan

    Commission for review.  The inquiry shall include a legible map showing boundaries and acreage of the original parcel and the

    lots to be created thereon, location of proposed improvements, and location of natural waterways and other natural topographical

    features.  Preliminary Parcel Inquiry forms and instructions may be obtained from the clerk.

 

b. The Plan Commission shall review the proposed division for compliance with the provisions of this ordinance.  The Plan

    Commission shall review the records of the clerk to determine if the parcel in question has been subject to previous division or is

    subject to deed restrictions.

 

c. Upon approval of the Preliminary Parcel Division Inquiry by the Plan Commission, the land divider shall submit to the Plan

    Commission a Certified Survey Map (CSM) prepared by a registered surveyor if a CSM is required by paragraph 6 of this

    ordinance. The survey shall include an accurate legal description of the parcel from which the new lots are to be created, the

    acreage of each proposed lot, locations of all proposed driveways, locations of public road frontage, locations of natural

    waterways or other  natural topographical features, locations of proposed public and/or private easements, and descriptions of

    intended uses.  If a CSM is not required for the proposed division, the Plan Commission shall forward its recommendation for

    approval, conditional approval, or rejection of the proposed division to the Town Board.

 

d. If the Preliminary Parcel Division Inquiry is rejected by the Plan Commission, the land divider may appeal that decision to the

    Town Board or resubmit an amended inquiry to the Plan Commission.

 

e. If a CSM is required, the Plan Commission shall review the CSM for compliance with the provisions of this ordinance and

    forward its recommendation for approval, conditional approval or rejection to the Town Board.

 

f. Upon receiving the recommendation of the Plan Commission, the Town Board shall approve, approve conditionally or reject the

    land division based on the determination as to its conformance with the provision of this ordinance and other applicable Town

    ordinances.  As a condition of approval the Town Board may require the land divider to include deed restriction language on any

    instrument of conveyance.

 

               g. No Driveway Permit will be issued and no construction shall commence on a lot created by a land division which does not

                   comply with the provisions of this ordinance.

 

9.          LAND SUITABILITY

             No land shall be divided which is held unsuitable for the proposed use by the Plan Commission for reasons of flooding inadequate

             draining, soil and rock formations with severe limitations for development, severe erosion potential, unfavorable topography,

             inadequate septic or sewerage disposal capabilities, or any feature likely to be harmful to the health, safety, or welfare of the future

             residents of the community.  The Plan Commission in applying the provisions of this ordinance shall, in writing, recite the particular

             facts upon which it bases its conclusion that the land is not suitable for the proposed use and afford the land divider an opportunity to

             present evidence regarding suitability at a public hearing before the Town Board.  Thereafter, the Town Board may affirm, modify,

             or withdraw the determination of unsuitability.

 

10.        PENALTIES

             Any person, firm or corporation who fails to comply with the provisions of this ordinance shall, upon conviction, be subject to

             penalties and forfeitures as provided in Sections 236.30, 236.31, 236.32, 236.335, and 236.35 Wisc. Stats.

 

11.        SEVERABILITY

 

             The provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed severable and it is expressly declared that the Town Board would have passed the

             other provisions of this ordinance irrespective of whether or not one or more provisions may have been declared invalid.  If any

             provision of this ordinance or the applicability thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the ordinance

             and the application of such provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

 

12.       EFFECTIVE DATE

            This ordinance shall take effect one day after its publication or posting as required by law.

 

This ordinance was adopted by the Town of York Board of Supervisors at a meeting on

the 13th day of April, 2004 by a vote of 3 aye and 0 no, recorded as follows:

Chairman, yes; 1st Supervisor, yes; 2nd Supervisor, yes

 

Gordon D. Peterson, Chairman

Lyle Klosterman, 1st Supervisor

Robert Bergman, 2nd Supervisor

Marilyn Jaeger, Clerk               

 

Amended to define “dwelling unit”, December 14, 2004

Original Ordinance, signed, on file with the Town Clerk

  

 

 

 

Town of York

 

Complete this form and return it and attachment to:  York Town Clerk

                                                                             N8791 York Center Rd.

                                                                             Blanchardville, WI 53516

 

PRELIMINARY PARCEL DIVISION INQUIRY

 

I.  Name of land divider (current owner) of land proposed for division:

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

     Address: ______________________________________________________________

 

     Phone:  day (_____)______________________  evening (_____)_______________

 

II.  Name of divider (applicant) if different from current owner:

 

         ______________________________________________________________________

 

      Address: _______________________________________________________________

 

      Phone:  day (_____)______________________  evening (_____)_______________

 

 

III.  Description of land proposed for division:

 

       Section:     ________    Parcel number(s):   _______________________________

 

 

IV.  Intended use of land: ___________________________________________________

 

      Status of perc test(s): ___________________________________________________

 

ATTACH A MAP OF THE PROPOSED DIVISION WITH ALL INFORMATION AS REQUIRED IN THE Town of York LAND DIVISION ORDINANCE, #8a.

 

V.  Applicant’s signature: _________________________________________________

                             Date:   ___________________________

 

This form will be presented to the Town of York Plan Commission for review and approval before it is submitted to the Town Board.  You will be notified of the status of your inquiry.

 

Plan Commission recommendation: _____________________________________

 

Board approval: _________________________________________________________

                   Date: __________________________________

                                                                                                 Form 5-17-04

 

 

 

 

Download printable Inquiry Form

 

 

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