Source: http://ecode360.com/9915612
Timestamp: 2017-05-26 16:39:11
Document Index: 436997014

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 131', '§ 131', '§ 71', '§ 3', '§ 131', '§ 71', '§ 131', '§ 59', '§ 131']

Elections Ch 9
Refrigerators, Storage of
Powers of Commission. § 131-6
Final plats.
Special requirements for residential subdivision.
Restrictions and covenants.
Violations and penalties. Ch 134
Trailer Coaches and Trailer Coach Parks
Ch A165
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Commissioners (now Mayor and Council) of
the Town of Leonardtown 6-11-1973. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Chapter 131: Subdivision Regulations
Violations and penalties. § 131-1
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Subdivision Regulations
for the Town of Leonardtown, Maryland."
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter
shall be held to be the minimum requirements adopted for the protection of
To protect the public, among other purposes, such provisions are intended
to provide for a permanently wholesome community environment, adequate municipal
services and safe streets.
This chapter shall not apply to any lot or lots forming a part of a
subdivision created and recorded prior to the effective date of this chapter,
nor is it intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul or in any way
impair or interfere with private restrictions placed upon property by deed,
covenant or other private agreement or with restrictive covenants running
with the land to which the Town is a party. Where this chapter imposes a greater
restriction upon land than is imposed or required by such existing provisions
of law, ordinance, contract or deed, the provisions of this chapter shall
Powers of Commission. [Amended 3-14-1994 by Ord.
No. 78]
In accordance with Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the
Planning and Zoning Commission of Leonardtown, Maryland, is hereby enabled
to regulate the subdivision of land within the corporate limits of the Town.
These regulations are enacted to preserve and promote the public health,
safety and welfare of the inhabitants of Leonardtown and of the public generally
and to encourage and facilitate the orderly growth and expansion of the Town.
Any person, partnership, firm, corporation or cooperative enterprise
undertaking or participating in the development of a subdivision.
A portion of a subdivision or parcel of land for building development,
whether immediate or future.
A plan for the physical development of Leonardtown, Maryland, or
any amendment or extension of the plan or addition to the plan adopted by
A public dedicated way which affords the principal means of access
to abutting property, including a street, avenue, place, drive, road, court,
highway, pike, cul-de-sac and any other public way except an alley.
A. MINOR RESIDENTIAL STREETA street intended for the purpose of vehicular traffic to and from residences.
B. MAJOR RESIDENTIAL STREETA street used for heavier volumes of primarily residential traffic and often serves to distribute traffic from minor streets to business streets or major highways.
C. BUSINESS STREETA street used to handle both private cars and commercial vehicles, with provision often made for on-street parking spaces. Often such streets serve as the main street in smaller towns.
plats, sites or other divisions of land for the purpose, whether immediate
or future, of sale or of building development, provided that this definition
of a "subdivision" shall not include a bona fide division or partition of
agriculture land not for development purposes.
A. No person shall subdivide any tract of land which is
located wholly or in any part of the Town of Leonardtown nor shall any person
sell, exchange or offer for sale or purchase or offer for purchase any parcel
of land which is a part of a subdivision of a larger tract of land, nor shall
any person offer for recordation any deed conveying such a parcel of land
or any interest therein unless he first shall have made or caused to have
made a plat thereof, which plat shall be recorded before or at the time such
sale, exchange, or purchase is effected and shall be in accordance with all
of the following requirements of these regulations.
B. Any developer contemplating the subdivision of land shall,
previous to offering a lot or lots for sale or beginning any construction,
make application to the Deputy State Health Officer of St. Mary's County,
Maryland, for a certificate of approval of the proposed site, the minimum
size of lots and the requirements of water supply and sewerage disposal.
C. The developer shall prepare a preliminary plan of the
entire subdivision and present the same to the Town for review, comments and
D. The Planning and Zoning Commission reserves the right
to refer any and all proposals it deems necessary and appropriate to any agency
of the Town and/or county and/or state for review and recommendation.
E. The developer shall prepare a preliminary subdivision
plat and street profiles and shall present four prints of each to the Commission
for approval, each print of the plan to contain the signature of the designee
of the Deputy State Health Officer for St. Mary's County.
F. The Commission shall approve or disapprove the preliminary
subdivision plat and street profiles or approve them with modifications, noting
thereon any changes that will be required. One copy shall be returned to the
developer, one copy shall be retained for the files of the Commission, and
one copy of the plan shall be referred to the Deputy State Health Officer
for his files.
G. The Commission, in studying the preliminary subdivision
plat, shall take into consideration the requirements of the community and
the best use of the land being subdivided. Particular attention shall be given
to width, arrangement and locations of streets, surface drainage, lot sizes
and arrangements, building restriction lines, as well as any Master Plan requirements
such as parks, school sites, boulevards and main highways. Adequate street
connections shall be required to ensure free access to adjoining subdivisions
H. The developer, following tentative approval of the preliminary
subdivision plat and street profiles, shall file with the Commission original
drawings of the final subdivision plat and street profiles. These shall be
checked by the Commission as to accuracy and required information, as well
as the permanent monuments established on the site as certified on the plat.
The required number of reproductions thereof for record and filing shall then
be made by the Commission at the expense of the subdivider from the final
subdivision plat and street profile drawings.
I. In accordance with Article 66B of the Annotated Code
of Maryland, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall approve or disapprove
a final plat, if all subdivision regulations have been complied with, within
30 days after the submission thereof to it; otherwise such plat shall be deemed
to have been approved, and a certificate to that effect shall be issued by
the Commission on demand; provided, however, that the applicant for the Commission's
approval may waive this requirement and consent to an extension of such period.
The ground of disapproval of any plat shall be stated upon the records of
the Commission. Every plat approved by the Commission shall, by virtue of
such approval, be deemed to be an amendment of or an addition to or a detail
of the plan and a part thereof. Approval of a plat shall not be deemed to
constitute or effect an acceptance by the public of any street or other open
space shown upon the plat. The Planning and Zoning Commission may, from time
to time, recommend to the local legislative body amendments of the Zoning
Ordinance or Map or additions thereto to conform to the Commission's recommendations
for the zoning regulation of the territory comprised within approved subdivisions.[Amended 3-14-1994 by Ord.
J. The final subdivision plat and street profiles shall
be approved by the Commission if found by it to be in conformity with the
requirements of Article 17, §§ 71, 72 and 73, of the Annotated
Code, State of Maryland, 1951 Edition,[1] and of these regulations. Approval of the final subdivision plat
and street profiles shall be by resolution of the Commission and signature
of the duly authorized officers inscribed thereon.
Editor's Note: See now §§ 3-108 and 3-304 of the Real
Property Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
A. The subdivider shall observe the following general requirements
and principles of land subdivision:
(1) The plat shall conform to the Master Plan.
(2) All streets which are designated as part of the main
street and road system on the Master Plan shall be coterminous with the adjoining
links in said system and at the same or greater widths.
(3) In general, major streets shall have a minimum width
of 60 feet, secondary streets a minimum width of 40 feet and parkways such
width as may be designated by the Commission.
(4) As far as practicable, all proposed streets shall be
continuous and in alignment with existing streets.
(5) Each block shall be planned to provide two rows of lots.
(6) Street corners at the end of a street or where acute
angles occur shall be rounded with a radius of not less than 25 feet.
(7) In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles or
radial to street lines.
(8) Reversed frontage of lots at street intersections shall
(9) Residence lots shall front on a public street.
(10) Corner lots shall have a minimum width to provide a twenty-foot
side yard along the side street in case no lots within the block are arranged
to front thereon or a twenty-five-foot side yard if the side street is used
for frontage.
(11) Alleys with a minimum width of 20 feet and automobile parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 155, Zoning, on all lots designed for commercial use and for multiple dwelling units.
(12) No land designated as "residential" by the Zoning Plan
and Ordinance shall be subdivided if such land is considered unsuitable for
residential use by the Commission.
(13) In case a parcel is subdivided into larger tracts than
for normal building lots, such parcels shall be divided so as to allow for
the opening of major streets and the ultimate extension of adjacent minor
(14) No subdivision plat shall receive the final approval
of the Commission until there has been filed with the Commission complete
street profile plans conforming with the requirements of the Commission.
(15) Monuments of an approved type shall be set as required
and as shown on the final plat.
B. A variation of the general requirements may be permitted
when, in the opinion of the Commission, a strict observance of these regulations
will cause undue hardship.
C. The general principles and standards of subdivision design may also be varied in the case of a planned unit development. In such planned unit developments, the procedures for an exploratory application and a detailed planning application shall be followed, as detailed in the Zoning Ordinance, in lieu of the preliminary and final subdivision plats, outlined in §§ 131-10 and 131-11 below.
A. By the first of the month prior to the regularly scheduled
monthly meeting, the subdivider shall present to the Commission a preliminary
subdivision plat prepared by a competent surveyor or land planner. Seven copies
of the preliminary subdivision plat and street profiles shall be filed with
the Commission, at a scale of one inch equals 100 feet and at a recommended
size of 24 inches by 36 inches, showing the following information:[Amended 8-9-2004 by Ord. No. 114]
(1) The subdivision name.
(2) The name and address of the record owner, subdivider
and surveyor or land planner.
(3) The location, names and present widths of adjacent streets
(4) A vicinity map showing the location and names of adjacent
subdivisions and the names of owners of adjacent acreage.
(5) The width and location of all streets and other public
(6) Off-street parking spaces.
(7) The width and location of all building lines and easements.
(9) Building restriction lines, both front and side lines.
(10) Drainage and sedimentation proposals, to include:
(a) The existing topography and the proposed grading and
earth disturbance, including proposed final topography, indications of the
volume of material and surface area involved and any spoil or borrow area.
(b) Storm drainage provisions, including data on the velocities
of flow at outfall and site conditions at points of discharge. A minimum ten-year
frequency, 10 minutes' time of concentration, storm to calculate rainfall
intensity shall be utilized.
(c) Erosion and sediment control provision, including design
details and schedule of application.
(d) Time schedule of construction, indicating the anticipated
start and completion of the project, the staging of the grading, storm drainage,
utilities and erosion and sediment control.
(e) Certification by the developer that all land-clearing
construction and development shall be done pursuant to the approved plans.
(f) Approval stamp and signature of the Town and Soil Conservation
District or signatured letter of approval, forwarded to the Planning and Zoning
Commission, to be affixed to the original plat.
(11) The proposed uses of property.
(12) Public areas proposed, if any.
(13) Existing contours or spot elevations, at suitable intervals
as determined by the Commission, at two-foot increments, with five-foot increments
for grades exceeding 15%.
(14) Date, North point and scale.
(15) Deed description or survey of plat boundary is to have
an accuracy closure of not less than one to five thousand (1:5,000).
(16) The abstract of title of the land within the proposed
subdivision setting forth all legal or equitable interest therein.
B. After filing with the Commission, the preliminary subdivision
plat and profiles shall be approved or disapproved by the Commission or approved
by the Commission with modifications. Approval shall also be obtained from
the appropriate officer of the Health Department of St. Mary's County. Such
approval or disapproval shall be indicated on the copies thereof, and the
modifications, if any, shall also be indicated on the copies of the preliminary
subdivision plats or annexed thereto. If approved, the preliminary subdivision
plat shall contain a Town approval stamp. One copy of the preliminary subdivision
plat and profile shall be returned to the developer, one copy retained for
the files of the Commission and one copy for the Deputy State Health Officer
of St. Mary's County. If the preliminary subdivision plat and profiles are
approved or approved with modifications, the developer shall proceed promptly
to prepare the final subdivision plat and profiles. Unless a final subdivision
plat, including the modifications thereof, if any, made by the Commission,
is filed with the Commission within six months after the approval of the preliminary
subdivision plat, the Commission's approval thereof shall be deemed canceled.
A. Seven copies of the final subdivision plat shall be submitted
to the Planning and Zoning Commission by the first of the month prior to the
regular monthly meeting. The final subdivision plat shall be clearly and legibly
drawn. The Town receives one mylar and one paper copy with all signatures
and recordation numbers.[Amended 8-9-2004 by Ord. No. 115]
B. The final subdivision plat shall conform to the specifications
contained in Article 17, §§ 71, 72 and 73 of the Annotated
Code, State of Maryland, 1951 Edition,[1] and shall show:
(1) Design data plans of roads, drainage and sedimentation
and sewage and water systems approved by the Town.
(2) The street and alley lines, lots, building lines, reservations,
easements and areas to be dedicated to public use.
(3) Sufficient data to readily determine the location, bearing
and length of every street line, lot line, block line and boundary line and
to reproduce the same on the ground.
(4) The length of radii, arcs, tangents and chords, with
chord bearings and central angles of street curves referenced to a curve table.
(5) The correct area of each lot in square feet.
(6) A properly executed dedication form and surveyor's certificate in accordance with forms as shown in § 131-12 of these regulations.
(7) Lots numbered in numerical order. In tracts containing
more than one block, the blocks shall be lettered in alphabetical order. In
case there is a resubdivision of lots in any block, such resubdivided lots
shall be numbered with the prefix 500 and the same number as previously beginning
with the lowest number lot affected.
(8) Permanent reference monuments shown thus: shall
be placed as required by the Commission. Such permanent reference monuments
shall be stone or concrete at least 36 inches in length and six inches square
with suitable center points and shall be set flush with the ground and to
approved finished grade.
(9) The location of metal monuments 3/4 inch in diameter
and 24 inches in length shown thus: and
located in the ground at all intersections of streets and alleys with plat
boundary lines and at all points on street, alley and boundary lines where
there is a change in direction or curvature. All monuments shall be properly
set in the ground and to approved finish grade before the final plat is approved.
(10) Wherever federal or state survey monuments are available
within 1/4 mile of the land to be subdivided for the establishment of state
coordinates and state grid azimuth, the exterior boundary of the subdivision
shall be shown on the final plat in terms of these coordinates, or, if the
land to be subdivided is within 1/4 mile of an area in which local coordinates
have been established to an accuracy satisfactory to the Commission and monumented,
the boundary of the final plat shall be shown in terms of these coordinates.
(11) The final plat shall be accompanied by the computation
of the traverse of the boundary of the subdivision showing a closure accuracy
of not less than one to ten thousand (1:10,000) signed by the engineer or
surveyor, when required by the Commission.
(12) The names and locations of adjoining subdivisions and
the location and ownership of subdivided property and the location and ownership
(13) The name of the subdivision, which shall be subject to
the approval of the Commission, location, North point and scale.
(14) A copy of the restrictions and covenants.
(15) A certificate stating that the requirements of §§ 59
to 62, Article 17, of the Annotated Code of Maryland, 1951 Edition,[2] as far as it concerns the making of a plat and setting of the
markings, have been complied with shall be put on the plat and signed by the
owner/owners of the land shown thereon. The plat shall be signed and sealed
by a registered land surveyor.
C. Prior to the approval of the final subdivision plat,
the developer shall pay to the Commission a planning fee (to be determined
by the Town) per lot for engineering services in connection with the investigation
and approval of the same.
D. The required number of reproductions, tracings and prints
for recording, filing and for the record of the Commission and the Deputy
State Health Officer shall be obtained by the Commission at the expense of
E. The following shall be required for the purpose of and
as a precondition to the signing of the record plat by the Planning Commission.[Amended 7-10-2006 by Ord. No. 125]
(1) An approved plat, with eight copies to be submitted to
the Planning and Zoning Commission for recording.
(2) A street layout and their relationship to the nearest
Town road shall be submitted (one copy) for use of law enforcement and fire
(3) Surety bonds guaranteeing performance of the public works
agreement and to cover the cost of construction of roads, street signs and
sewerage and water shall be submitted, together with surety bonds to cover
the payment of all labor and materials associated with such construction.
(a) The length of each performance and payment bond will
normally be a maximum of three years.
(b) All payment and performance bonds must contain an escalator
clause to cover the yearly increase in the costs of construction.
(c) A schedule of proposed construction must accompany each
(d) After review of plans and specifications for the proposed
facilities, the amount of each bond shall be based on the Town estimate, plus
a ten-percent contingency charge.
[1] A bond to cover the cost of construction of roads and
street signs shall be submitted to the Town.
[2] A bond to cover the cost of construction of sewerage
and water facilities shall be submitted to the Town.
(e) Any assurance other than a surety bond given by the developer
to ensure construction of the facilities must be approved by the Leonardtown
Town Commissioners.[3]
Editor's Note: Pursuant to the 1989 Charter, the Commissioners of
Leonardtown are now the Mayor and Council of the Town of Leonardtown.
(f) Before the payment bond is released, the developer shall certify
in writing that, in accordance with contractual arrangements, contractors,
subcontractors, and suppliers have been paid.
(4) Public works agreement.
(a) A public works agreement will be entered into between the developer
and the Town guaranteeing that the public improvements will be installed in
accordance with the plans, specifications and schedules approved by the Planning
Commission prior to final plat approval. The public works agreement shall
include a guarantee of all work and materials installed by the developer pursuant
to the agreement for a period of two years, and shall provide for a maintenance
bond for a period of two years after the Town's acceptance of public improvements.
(b) The public works agreement shall contain provisions by which
the developer agrees that the security may be applied by the Town to complete
the improvements as agreed and for a maintenance period of two years, after
completion of construction of such improvements for the purpose of:
[1] Guaranteeing and securing the correction of any defect in material
or workmanship furnished for such improvements, latent in character and not
discernable at the time of final inspection or acceptance by the Town.
[2] Guaranteeing against any damage to such improvements by reason
of the settling of the ground, base or foundation thereof. The agreement shall
also provide that the security may be applied by the Town for any amounts
incurred correcting such defects.
A. Forms for dedication for individuals shall appear as
WE _________________, and ____________________________, his wife, owners
of the property shown and described hereon, hereby adopt this plan of subdivision,
establish the minimum building restriction lines and dedicate the streets,
alleys, walks and parks to public use, however, excepting from this dedication
any lands designated "two-foot reservations," such lands to be deemed to be
dedicated automatically at such times as street extensions adjacent thereto
are dedicated in adjoining property.
There are no suits of action, leases, liens or trusts on the property
included in this plan of subdivision, except the following:
And all the lienors and other parties in interest thereto have below
indicated their assent to this plan of subdivision.
Date: ______________________________,
LS ______________________________,
LS We assent to this plan of subdivision.
LS (NOTE: Omit any wording which may not apply. In case the owner is unmarried,
this fact should be stated.)
B. Forms for dedication for corporations shall appear as
We, (insert name of corporation), a (name of state) corporation, by
(insert name), President, and (insert name), Secretary, owners of property,
Date Name of Corporation
C. Engineer's certificates shall appear as follows:
I hereby certify that the plan shown hereon is correct and conforms
to the specifications; that it is a subdivision of part of (or all of) the
lands conveyed by (insert the name of former owner) to (insert the name of
present owner) by deed dated _____________________________ and recorded in
the Land Records of _____________________________ in Liber___________________________
at Folio _____________________________ and that stones marked thus: and
iron pipe marked thus: have been placed as indicated to the approved finish grade.
Date ________________ Signature (Surveyor or Engineer)
A. Every plat for the subdivision of any lot, tract or parcel
of land that is a part of an existing subdivision previously recorded in a
plat book in the County Land Records shall be subject to the requirement of
this section, in addition to the other requirements of these regulations.
B. Lots covered by any such plat shall be of substantially
the same character as to suitability for residential use, area, street frontage,
alignment to streets and restrictions, as other land within the existing subdivision
and particularly with reference to similarly situated lots in the locality.
C. Where a proposed park, playground or other public use
shown in the Master Plan is located in whole or in part within a subdivision,
the subdivision shall dedicate or reserve, at the option of the Commission,
adequate space for such purpose in such area within the subdivision when the
Commission finds the requirements to be reasonably necessary to the public
D. Where deemed essential by the Commission, upon consideration
of the particular type of development proposed in the subdivision, the Commission
may require the dedication or reservation of such other areas or sites of
a character, extent and location suitable to the needs by such development.
E. Wherever a preliminary plat or final plat proposes the
dedication of land to public use and the Commission finds that such land is
not required or suitable for public use, the Commission may either refuse
to approve the preliminary plat or final plat or it may require the rearrangement
of lots to include such lands.
F. Upon motion of the Commission or upon petition of any
citizens' organization or neighboring property owners, the Commission shall,
prior to acting upon the preliminary subdivision plat for any such subdivision,
hold a hearing thereon at such time and place and upon such notice as the
Commission may designate. All interested parties shall be entitled to appear
at any such hearing.
A. No final subdivision plat shall be approved until a copy
of all restrictions and covenants proposed for the land within the subdivision
has been filed with the Commission and such restrictions and covenants have
been found by it to be adequate for the protection of public health, safety,
morals and welfare and the Commission has received adequate assurance that
such restrictions and covenants and no others, will be included in all sale
contracts or deeds to the land within the subdivision.
B. Restrictions and covenants should be so written that
they may be amended to meet changed conditions after approval by a majority
of the front-foot ownership within the portion of the subdivision affected.
C. The Commission may agree with the applicant upon use,
height, area or bulk requirements or restrictions governing buildings and
premises within the subdivision, provided that such requirements or restrictions
do not authorize the violation of the then-effective Zoning Ordinance of the
Town.[1] Such requirements or restrictions shall be stated upon the plat
prior to the approval and recording thereof and shall have the same force
of law and be enforceable in the same manner and with the same sanctions and
penalties and subject to the same power of amendment or repeal as though set
out as part of the Zoning Ordinance and Map of the Town.
A. No final grading, sidewalk or pavement construction or
any installation of utilities shall be permitted in the bed of any proposed
street in any subdivision until the street grade has been officially established
and the plat of the same approved by the Commission in final form and placed
B. The streets and other ways to be improved and graded by the developer, and all water, sewer and other utility mains, manholes, piping or other facilities and public improvements to be installed by the developer shall not be undertaken until the developer has provided the performance and payment security as provided by § 131-11E.[Amended 7-10-2006 by Ord. No. 125]
C. All sewer and water systems shall be connected to the
Town sewer and water systems.
D. Underground installation of utilities (including telephone
lines, cable television, electricity and others) shall be required for all
subdivisions of 10 lots or more. Subdivisions of fewer than 10 lots shall
be subject to Planning and Zoning Commission review and recommendations regarding
utility installations.[1]
Violations and penalties. [Amended 3-14-1994 by Ord.
Whoever, being the owner or agent of the owner of any land located within
a subdivision, transfers or sells or agrees to sell or negotiates to sell
any land by reference to or exhibition of or by other use of a plat of a subdivision
before such plat has been approved by the Leonardtown Planning and Zoning
Commission and recorded or filed in the office of the County Clerk shall forfeit
and pay a penalty of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000 for each lot
or parcel so transferred or sold or agreed or negotiated to be sold; and the
description of such lot or parcel by metes and bounds in the instrument of
transfer or other document used in the process of selling or transferring
shall not exempt the transaction from such penalties or from the remedies
herein provided. The Town Commissioners may enjoin such transfer or sale or
agreement by action for injunction brought in any court of equity jurisdiction
or may recover the said penalty by civil action in any court of competent