Subdivisions

The Zoning Regulations comprise Chapter 415 of the City’s Municipal Code. Proper subdivision ensures that division of land within the City of Manchester will result in legal, usable, buildable lots. Proposed subdivision plats showing a tract of land divided into individual lots, rights of way, common ground, easements, etc. are submitted to the city for staff review, followed by review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and ultimately, approval by the Board of Aldermen.  

There are two types of subdivisions that the City approves:

  • A traditional subdivision, which is a division of a lot, tract or parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, plots, sites or other division of land for the purpose of either immediate or future sale or of building development. It also includes resubdivision of land or lots. 
  • A boundary adjustment, which is the division of land involving the sale or transfer of land to or between adjoining property owners, where such sale or transfer does not create an additional lot nor reduce the original lot or lots below the zoning requirements of the applicable district or districts.

Subdivision Process

Preliminary Plat

The first step is to submit a preliminary plat along with a subdivision application and a fee to the Planning Department staff for review. Information to be shown on the preliminary plat is listed in the Municipal Code, Subdivision Regulations. The staff will report to the applicant about any revisions that may be necessary. When the preliminary plat is deemed to be complete, the staff will schedule the plat for Planning and Zoning Commission consideration and action. 

Improvement Plans

All required improvements, including grading, streets, sanitary and storm sewers, storm water detention or retention basins, retaining walls, must be shown on improvement plans reviewed and submitted to city staff for review. The submittal should include written approval by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, West County Fire and EMS, MODoT (if applicable) and by the agency with jurisdiction over any public street on which the subdivision fronts. Additional requirements are listed in the Municipal Code, Subdivision Regulations. 

Installation of Improvements 

The Subdivision Regulations provide 2 processes for a developer to install improvements in a subdivision. The developer may submit improvement plans and accompanying documents to the city and install improvements after the improvements plans have been properly approved and a site improvement permit has been issued. After improvements have been fully installed and inspected, a surety is posted for one year to guarantee that the improvements are maintained. After the improvements are satisfactorily installed, the record plat of the subdivision may be submitted to the city for approval.

Alternately, a developer may provide the city a surety to guarantee installation and maintenance of the improvements when the improvements plans and the record plat are submitted for review and approval, and then may install improvements after the city has approved the record plat and a site improvement permit has been issued. A portion of the surety will be released after the improvements are satisfactorily installed, and a portion will be retained for one year to guarantee that the improvements are maintained.

Record Plat

The final stage in the subdivision process is record plat approval. City staff will review the record plat and when it is complete, will submit it to the Board of Aldermen for review and approval by ordinance. Record plat submittal requirements are found in the Subdivision Regulations. After the Board of Aldermen approves the record plat, the original is signed by the City Admisnistrator, the city seal is applied, and it is released to the applicant for recording by the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds. A building permit may be obtained after a recorded copy of the record plat is returned to the Planning Department.