§ 11-52-32 — Procedure for Approval or Disapproval of Plat by Planning Commission Generally; Legal Effect of Approval of Plan; Powers of Planning Commission as to Subdivision Zoning Generally; Approval or Disapproval of Plat by Committee of Planning Commission in Certain Cities

Alabama § 11-52-32

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 11: Counties and Municipal Corporations
• Ch. 52: Planning, Zoning and Subdivisions
• Art. 2: Control of Subdivisions Generally

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THIS SECTION WAS AMENDED BY ACT 2012-297 IN THE 2012 REGULAR SESSION, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2012. TO SEE THE AMENDED VERSION, SEE THE VERSION LABELED PENDING.
(a) The planning commission shall approve or disapprove a plat 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. Any plat submitted to the 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 commission without affording a hearing thereon. Notice shall be sent to the said address by registered or certified mail of the time and place of such 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 commission shall, by virtue of such 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 planning commission may, from time to time, recommend to the council 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. The 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 such requirements or restrictions do not authorize the violation of the then effective zoning ordinance of the municipality. 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 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 such commission to serve while members thereof and at the pleasure of such commission as a committee to approve or disapprove in the name of such municipal planning commission any plat presented to such commission. Should any committee member so elected by the commission be unable for any reason to serve at any time as a member of said committee or should a vacancy occur at any time on the committee, the chairman of the 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 duties or until the commission shall fill said vacancy by electing another of its members to serve on the committee. Such 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 such plat and to all regulations adopted by such planning commission in regard thereto not inconsistent with the provisions of this article. Any plat submitted to such committee shall be considered as if submitted to the commission, and any approval or disapproval of any such plat by such committee shall be as if the same were approved or disapproved by the commission; provided, however, that any party aggrieved by any decision of such committee may within 15 days thereafter appeal therefrom to the full planning commission of such municipality by filing with such commission a written notice of appeal specifying the decision from which the appeal is taken. In the case of such appeal, such 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 commission to which the appeal is taken and the commission shall, within 45 days from the taking of such appeal, in accordance with such reasonable regulations as it may from time to time adopt, make such investigation as it deems proper and either affirm the decision of such committee or render such decision as in the judgment of such municipal planning commission should have been rendered by such committee.

Legislative History

(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.)