21.010 Introduction.

(1) Authority. These regulations are adopted under the authority granted by Wis. Stat. § 236.45 and Ch. 703 as amended from time to time.

(2) Title. This chapter shall be known as, referred to, or cited as the “Land Subdivision Ordinance, City of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.”

(3) Purpose. The purposes of this chapter are as follows:

(a) To regulate and control the subdivision of land within the corporate limits and extraterritorial plat approval jurisdiction of the City in order to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of the community;

(b) To guide the future growth and development of the City in accordance with the policies and objectives outlined in its Comprehensive Plan, and in concert with its Zoning Ordinance, Official Map, and subsequent documents through future growth and development;

(c) To establish reasonable standards of design and procedures for subdivisions in order to further the orderly layout and use of land, and to ensure efficiency of design and economic stability;

(d) To lessen congestion in the streets and highways;

(e) To encourage street enhancements to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic including, but not limited to, bicycle lanes, multi-use paths, walkways and sidewalks;

(f) To further the efficiency in design, orderly layout and appropriate use of land so as to preserve and provide for the natural beauty and topography of the community, and to provide for the preservation of natural features and open space;

(g) To secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers;

(h) To provide adequate light, air and privacy, and to secure safety from fire, flood and other danger;

(i) To prevent the overcrowding of land;

(j) To avoid undue concentration of population;

(k) To facilitate adequate provision for transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks, playgrounds, and other public requirements;

(l) To facilitate the further division of larger tracts into small parcels of land;

(m) To ensure adequate legal description and proper survey monumentation of subdivided land;

(n) To protect the character and social and economic stability of the City by encouraging the orderly and beneficial development of the community through appropriate growth management techniques, promoting in-fill development, protecting environmentally critical areas and areas premature for development; and

(o) In general to facilitate enforcement of community development standards, policies and objectives as set forth in the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Official Map of the City, and subsequent documents through future growth and development.

These regulations are made with reasonable consideration, among other things, of the character of the City with a view of conserving the value the buildings place upon land, providing the best possible environment of human habitation and for encouraging the most appropriate use of land throughout the City.

(4) Abrogation and Greater Restrictions. It is not intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul, impair, or interfere with any existing easements, agreements, rules, regulations or permits previously adopted or issued pursuant to law. However, where this chapter imposes greater restrictions, the provisions of this chapter shall govern.

(5) Interpretation. In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements and shall be liberally construed in favor of the City of Manitowoc and shall not be deemed a limitation or repeal of any other power granted by the Wisconsin Statutes.

(6) Severability. If any section, provision or portion of this chapter is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this chapter shall not be affected thereby.

(7) Repeal. All other ordinances or parts of ordinances of the City of Manitowoc inconsistent or conflicting with this chapter, to the extent of the inconsistency only, are hereby repealed.

(8) Effective Date. The ordinance codified in this chapter shall be effective after a public hearing, adoption by the City of Manitowoc Common Council and publication or posting as provided by law.

[Ord. 11-429 §§ 1 – 4, 2011. Prior code § 21.01]