Subdivisions

General Subdivision Information

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• Subdivision Definition
• Jurisdiction
• Staff Review
• Exemptions
• Basic Procedure
• Expiration

Subdivision Definition-

The division of a tract or a parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, sites, or other divisions requiring new street or utility construction, or any division of less than five (5) acres for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or building development, and includes resubdivision and when appropriate to the context, relates to the process of subdividing or to the land or area subdivided.

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Jurisdiction-

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission reviews subdivision plats for unincorporated Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Walden, Ridgeside, and East Ridge. The City of Red Bank, the Town of Signal Mountain, Soddy-Daisy, and Collegedale each have their own Planning Commission and approve their own subdivision plats.

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Staff Review-

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency provides staff to all local governments, except Collegedale, to help review their subdivision plats.

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Exemptions-

The subdivision regulations do not apply to the following:

1. Any subdivision, the plat of which has been recorded prior to February 14, 1935 or
2. The subdivision of land which will produce tracts of land, all of which are greater than five (5) acres in size when no street or utility is to be constructed or
3. The moving of a lot line to add property to a contiguous parcel of land, so long as the area being transferred is not necessary to create a buildable lot and the legally required frontage of the remaining parcel is not reduced to a level below regulation requirements, shall not constitute a subdivision as defined by the Tennessee Annotated, therefore, a plat is not required. (May not apply in some jurisdictions)

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Basic Procedure-

1. A plat is submitted to the Hamilton County GIS Department.
2. The plat is reviewed by Planning Agency staff, other governmental staff persons, and appropriate utilities.
3. The Planning Commission acts to approve, deny, or defer, or conditionally approve the plat.
4. After approval of a preliminary plat, and after consultation with the governmental engineer, the developer may start construction of the streets and other improvements.
5. The final plat may be recorded after approval by the Planning Commission and all necessary signatures are obtained on the plat.

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Expiration-

Plats expire two years after Planning Commission approval unless the plat is recorded or other plats of the same area are submitted within two years.

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