2023 Code of Alabama › Title 11 - Counties and Municipal Corporations. › Title 2 - Provisions Applicable to Municipal Corporations Only. › Chapter 52 - Planning, Zoning and Subdivisions. › Article 2 - Control of Subdivisions Generally. › Section 11-52-32 - Approval or Disapproval of Plat Generally; Legal Effect of Approval; Powers of Planning Commission as to Subdivision Zoning; Approval or Disapproval of Plat in Certain Cities.

Section 11-52-32
Approval or disapproval of plat generally; legal effect of approval; powers of planning commission as to subdivision zoning; approval or disapproval of plat in certain cities.
(a) Except where the development of a subdivision within the territorial jurisdiction of a municipal planning commission is regulated by the county commission pursuant to Section 11-52-30, the municipal planning commission shall approve or disapprove a plat within 30 days after the submission thereof to it; otherwise, the plat shall be deemed to have been approved, and a certificate to that effect shall be issued by the municipal planning commission on demand; provided, however, that the applicant for the municipal planning 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 municipal planning commission. Any plat submitted to the municipal planning commission shall contain the name and address of a person to whom notice of a hearing shall be sent, and no plat shall be acted on by the municipal planning commission without affording a hearing thereon. Notice shall be sent to the address by registered or certified mail of the time and place of the hearing not less than five days before the date fixed therefor. Similar notice shall be mailed to the owners of land immediately adjoining the platted land as their names appear upon the plats in the county tax assessor's office and their addresses appear in the directory of the municipality or on the tax records of the municipality or county.
(b) Every plat approved by the municipal planning commission shall, by virtue of the approval, be deemed to be an amendment of or an addition to or a detail of the municipal 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.
(c) The municipal planning commission, from time to time, may recommend to the governing body of the municipality amendments of the zoning ordinance or map or additions thereto to conform to the municipal planning commission's recommendations for the zoning regulation of the territory comprised within approved subdivisions. The municipal planning commission shall have the power to agree with the application upon use, height, area, or bulk requirements or restrictions governing buildings and premises within the subdivision, provided the requirements or restrictions do not authorize the violation of the then effective zoning ordinance of the municipality. The 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 a part of the zoning ordinance or map of the municipality.
(d) The municipal planning commission of any Class 1 city may elect no fewer than three and no more than five persons who are members of the municipal planning commission to serve while members thereof and at the pleasure of the municipal planning commission as a committee to approve or disapprove in the name of the municipal planning commission any plat presented to the municipal planning commission. Should any committee member so elected by the municipal planning commission be unable for any reason to serve at any time as a member of the committee or should a vacancy occur at any time on the committee, the chair of the municipal planning commission shall appoint another member thereof to serve as a member of the committee until such time as the replaced member of the committee shall resume his or her duties or until the municipal planning commission shall fill the vacancy by electing another of its members to serve on the committee. The committee shall be governed by all the provisions of this article applicable to municipal planning commissions in regard to the approval or disapproval of any plat and to all regulations adopted by the municipal planning commission in regard thereto not inconsistent with the provisions of this article. Any plat submitted to the committee shall be considered as if submitted to the municipal planning commission, and any approval or disapproval of any plat by the committee shall be as if the same were approved or disapproved by the municipal planning commission; provided, however, that any party aggrieved by any decision of the committee, within 15 days thereafter, may appeal therefrom to the full municipal planning commission of the municipality by filing with the municipal planning commission a written notice of appeal specifying the decision from which the appeal is taken. In the case of an appeal, the committee shall cause a transcript of all papers and documents filed with the committee in connection with the matter involved in the appeal to be certified to the municipal planning commission to which the appeal is taken and the municipal planning commission, within 45 days from the taking of the appeal, in accordance with the reasonable regulations as it may from time to time adopt, shall make an investigation as it deems proper and either affirm the decision of the committee or render the decision as in the judgment of the municipal planning commission should have been rendered by the committee.
(Acts 1935, No. 534, p. 1126; Code 1940, T. 37, §799; Acts 1957, No. 477, p. 659; Acts 1959, No. 458, p. 1150; Acts 1988, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 88-923, p. 524, §1; Act 2012-297, §1.)