Opinion ID: 1401724
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Missouri law regarding subdivision plat approval

Text: Sections 445.030 and 89.410 set forth the procedures and mechanisms by which Missouri cities may govern the subdividing of land. Section 445.030, in relevant part, states: ... that if such map or plat be of land situated within the corporate limits of any incorporated city, town or village, it shall not be placed of record until it shall have been submitted to and approved by the common council of such city, town or village, by ordinance, duly passed and approved by the mayor, and such approval endorsed upon such map or plat under the hand of the clerk and the seal of such city, town, or village ... Section 89.410.1 states: The planning commission shall recommend and the council may by ordinance adopt regulations governing the subdivision of land within its jurisdiction. The regulations, in addition to the requirements provided by law for the approval of plats, may provide requirements for the coordinated development of the city, town or village; for the coordination of streets within subdivisions with other existing or planned streets or with other features of the city plan or official map of the city, town or village; for adequate open spaces for traffic, recreation, light and air; and for a distribution of population and traffic; provided that, the city, town or village may only impose requirements for the posting of bonds, letters of credit or escrows for subdivision-related improvements as provided for in subsections 2 to 5 of this section. These two statutes were harmonized by the decision in City of Bellefontaine Neighbors v. J.J. Kelley Realty & Building Co., 460 S.W.2d 298 (Mo.App.1970). In that case, the court held: The specificity of [section 89.410] may be considered to restrict the broad grant of power given by section 445.030 and to establish the procedures for carrying out the regulation of subdivisions authorized by section 445.030. Where the legislature has authorized a municipality to exercise a power and prescribed the manner of its exercise, the right to exercise the power in any other manner is necessarily denied. Id. at 303-04. Section 89.410.1 requires that regulation of subdivisions be accomplished in municipalities by ordinance. State of Missouri ex rel. Schaefer v. Cleveland, 847 S.W.2d 867, 871 (Mo.App.1992). Chapter 66 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, contains the rules and regulations regarding the subdivision of land located in the city. Section 66-42 of the code establishes a three-step process for ultimate approval of subdivision plats: (1) preliminary plat phase, (2) final plat phase review before the city plan commission, and (3) final plat phase review before the city council. Each phase has a number of steps within it. The dispute at issue herein occurred at the preliminary plat phase. The preliminary plat phase is defined as follows: During the preliminary plat phase, the applicant will hold preapplication conferences with the secretary to the city plan commission, or his designated staff representative, to discuss in general the procedures and requirements for platting, and more specifically the basic plans of the applicant. It is recommended that the applicant's engineer meet with the city engineer, or his designated staff representative, to review the physical features of the development relative to the public improvements. The product of the preapplication conference will allow the applicant to complete a preliminary plat and submit it formally for review by the plats review committee. The plats review committee shall have the authority to approve or disapprove any preliminary plat; provided the preliminary plat must comply with all of the requirements of this chapter. The developer may elect to submit the preliminary plat to the city plan commission and city council. Generally, the election to proceed before the city plan commission and city council is recommended when: a. The plats review committee disapproves the preliminary plat; b. The developer is requesting a variance or conditional exception from this chapter; or c. The development is planned to be platted in two or more phases If the developer elects to proceed to the city plan commission and city council, the plats review committee will review and forward its recommendations to the city plan commission and city council. Kansas City Code section 66-42. The stated purpose of the preliminary plat is to convey the developer's ideas and intentions in platting the proposed subdivision. Kansas City Code section 66-43(a). The developer may also elect to submit his preliminary plat to the city plan commission and the city council for approval. Kansas City Code section 66-43(e). It appears from the testimony at trial that submitting a preliminary plat to the city plan commission is the standard procedure in Kansas City. When the developer elects to proceed before the city plan commission, the plats review committee issues a recommendation as to approval or denial to the city plan commission. Kansas City Code section 66-43(f). There is then to be a public hearing before the city plan commission. Id. If the commission approves the preliminary plat, it is submitted to the city council for approval as an ordinance. Kansas City Code section 66-43(g). If the plan commission rejects or withholds approval, the developer may request in writing that the plan be submitted to the city council. Id. There is then another public hearing before the city council. Id. When proceeding under the subdivision ordinance, the plan commission and the city council are acting in an administrative capacity and not in a legislative capacity. State ex rel. Westside Development Co., Inc. v. Weatherby Lake, 935 S.W.2d 634, 640 (Mo.App.1996). The law does not permit administrative bodies to exercise an arbitrary and subjective authority over the granting or denying of subdivision plats. Schaefer, 847 S.W.2d at 873. The exercise of discretion and judgment vested in the administrative body is to determine whether a plan meets the zoning or subdivision requirements. Id. It is not a discretion to approve a plan that does not meet the requirements. Id. Nor do the statutes and the ordinance grant the commission or the council the authority to deny a subdivision plat that complies with the subdivision ordinance. Id. If the plat complies, then it is the ministerial duty of the commission and the council to approve it, and they have no discretion to deny it. Id. The approval of a preliminary plat that meets the subdivision and zoning requirements is a ministerial act, and mandamus is the proper remedy in seeking to review the denial of such a plat. See Weatherby Lake, 935 S.W.2d at 640; State ex rel Menkhus v. City of Pevely, 865 S.W.2d 871, 874 (Mo.App.1993); Schaefer, 847 S.W.2d at 871.