Subdivisions | City of Paducah

Ordinance and Purpose

The Paducah Board of Commissioners has enacted Land Subdivision Regulations, Chapter 102 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances which work to provide for the harmonious development of the City of Paducah in the following manners:

To provide adequate public open spaces, utility services, public facilities and proper arrangement of roads in relation to the City of Paducah Comprehensive Plan;
To provide economy in governmental expenditure and to ensure allocation of costs of improvements most equitably between residents by the needed areas and the taxpayer of the City as a whole;
To ensure that proper land surveys and records of land titles are prepared and recorded;
To encourage coordination of land development with orderly physical patterns in accordance with policies as may have been or may be adopted by the City Commission.

Subdivision Definition

The City of Paducah defines a subdivision as a division of real property, improved or unimproved, or portion thereof shown on the last preceding tax roll as a unit or as contiguous units, into two or more parcels, lots, sites or other division of land, with or without streets, for the purpose of immediate or future sale, transfer of ownership, or building development.

Subdivision Process

Submission Requirements and Approval Process for Subdivisions

The subdivision procedure begins with a pre-application conference between the developer and Planning and Engineering department staff. The developer should bring a preliminary plat as described below. Smaller subdivisions of land on previously dedicated streets may qualify for a Waiver of Subdivision which classifies the development as a minor subdivision. Sections of the subdivision process may be waived for minor subdivisions as determined by the Planning Commission. Please contact the Planning Department to schedule an pre-application conference and to find out if the proposed development constitutes a major or minor subdivision.

Minor Subdivision

If the proposed development consists of less than four parcels of land being created AND is served by existing streets, then it may qualify for a Waiver of Subdivision. Under this type of development, the Public Hearing Requirements are waived as well as the Preliminary Plat requirements. The requirements for final plat submittal will need to be followed as listed below.

Major Subdivision

Preliminary Submission of Plans and Data

As pertaining to Section 102-35 of the City of Paducah Subdivision Code, applicants must submit preliminary plans and data to the Commission that illustrate existing conditions within the site and contiguous areas that conveys the subdivider's intentions as to the proposed development's land use.

Major Subdivision Application

Design Standards for Preliminary Plats should be designed to conform to

Paducah Subdivision Regulation Section 102-32 - regulations on subdivision design standards for issues pertaining to access, conformance to major street plan and comprehensive plan, street and alley location and arrangement, minimum street and alley widths, maximum and minimum grades, vertical curves, minimum radii of curvature on center lines, tangents, intersections, blocks, and lots.
Section 102-33 - requirements for improvements to monuments and markers, streets and alleys, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, sewers, water, storm drainage, and conformance with design standards.
Section 102-34 - regulations for variances and modification of standards. These regulations should be followed with all subdivision development.

Twelve copies of the preliminary plat should be submitted no later than 10 days prior to the next Planning Commission meeting. Approximately two days after submission, adjacent property owners will be notified of the hearing in writing. In addition, a notice of the public hearing will be published in the Paducah Sun. The preliminary plat is reviewed by the staff of the Planning and Engineering Departments as well as the Planning Commission. Staff will make recommendations to the Commission. If the plat is not satisfactory, then the subdivider will be notified in writing the problems that need to be remedied. If the Commission is satisfied that all conditions have been met, then it will give approval of Preliminary Subdivision. Once approved, the subdivider needs to submit 12 copies of the final plat and plans to the Department of Planning by noon 10 days prior to a Planning Commission Meeting.

Final subdivision plat should include information according to Sec. 102-39 of the Paducah Subdivision Regulations.

Final Plat Approval Process - outlined in Sec. 102-40 of the Subdivision Regulations

Planning Department - Reviews subdivision plats for the following items:

That the development will be compatible with the surrounding area and uses;
That ingress and egress, internal traffic circulation, off-street parking and pedestrian ways shall be designed to promote public safety and convenience;
That the development meets all zoning and subdivision development standards; and
That the intent of the Comprehensive Plan has been addressed.

Engineering Department - Reviews subdivision plans for the following items:

A check for proposed City projects and street systems that could affect or be affected by the development;
A determination of the need for a grading and drainage plan, and stormwater management plan;
A determination as to whether or not the site is within the 100-year floodplain and the potential impacts that the development will have on the floodplain; and
Appropriate notations of required improvements and plans. This would include utilities, grading, paving and drainage.
Reviews location and width of driveways, clear-sight triangles, clear sight corridors, street light locations, and other traffic safety issues.

Final Steps

The Planning Commission will approve the final plat after submission if all requirements are met. Following the Subdivision Code Section 102-40, the Planning Commission will sign the plat and submit a final report to the Board of Commissioners recommending acceptance of all streets and public ground. The plat will then be released upon certification of the City Clerk that the Board of Commissioners has received either a plat certificate or other approved sureties.

Plat Certificate - Section 102-41 of the Subdivision Code. A certificate submitted by the subdivider, acceptable to and approved by the City Engineer, stating that all requirements, improvements and installations to the subdivision required for its approval under the terms of this chapter have been made or installed in accordance with the said specifications.

Bond - If required, the bond will run to the city and be in an amount determined by the Board of Commissioners to cover the costs of the development. The Subdivider must be with surety by a company entered and licensed to do business in the State of Kentucky. The time for completion of improvements, monuments, and the like must be stated. The engineer and/or contractor concerned on payment of his charges for installation of the improvements, monuments, and the like must be protected. This and other requirements stated in Section 102-40 (2) or by the Board of Commissioners must be addressed.