CITY OF ANAHEIM
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
SUBDIVISION SECTION

LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURES

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

GENERAL
A. LAWFULLY CREATED PARCELS
B. CONFORMANCE TO CITY BUILDING CODES
C. CONFORMANCE TO CITY ZONING CODES
D. EXISTING UTILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE OR EASEMENTS
INITIAL SUBMITTAL
LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT
A. TITLE SHEET
B. LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS
C. PLAT
SITE PLAN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS
PLAN CHECKING
DEEDS
RECORDING

 

 

 

I. GENERAL

Lot line adjustments are allowed in the City of Anaheim where the land taken from one lawfully subdivided parcel is added to an adjacent lawfully subdivided parcel, and where a greater number of parcels than originally existed is not thereby created. Lot line adjustments may be used to make adjustments to the property lines between four (4) or fewer existing adjoining parcels or to merge four (4) or fewer existing adjoining parcels under common ownership. The parcels resulting from the lot line adjustment shall conform to City zoning and building codes and existing public utilities, infrastructure and easements shall not be adversely affected.

Lot line adjustments are authorized in Chapter 17.10 of the Anaheim Municipal Code. A copy of the code chapter can be obtained at the City Clerk's Office or on the City website www.anaheim.net.

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A. LAWFULLY SUBDIVIDED PARCELS

Any lot or parcel created by a tract map or a parcel map or a recorded Lot Line Adjustment or a recorded Certificate of Compliance is a lawfully subdivided parcel.

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B. CONFORMANCE TO CITY BUILDING CODES

The adjusted lots must conform to the City of Anaheim Building Code (Title 15 of the Anaheim Municipal Code). Proposed property lines must meet building setback requirements. The surveyor is advised to contact the Building Division to verify setback requirements.

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C. CONFORMANCE TO CITY ZONING CODES

The adjusted lots must conform to the City of Anaheim Zoning Code (Title 18 of the Anaheim Municipal Code). The surveyor is advised to contact the Planning Department to verify the designated zoning of each parcel and applicable zoning standards. The following are common zoning requirements:

  1. Minimum lot areas (gross and net)
    2.
  2. Minimum building pad area
    3.
  3. Minimum lot width and frontage
    4.
  4. Minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks
    5.
  5. Minimum number of parking spaces per parcel or a recorded reciprocal parking agreement, if permitted in zone.
  6. Vehicular access to each parcel or a recorded access agreement
    7.

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D. EXISTING UTILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE OR EASEMENTS

The City will review the proposed lot line adjustment to ensure that existing public utilities, infrastructure or easements are not adversely affected.

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II. INITIAL SUBMITTAL

The initial submittal of a lot line adjustment shall consist of the following:
    1. Three (3) copies of the lot line adjustment plat on 8 1/2" x 11" or 8 1/2" x 14" sheets drafted with black ink at a legible scale and stamped by a Licensed Land Surveyor or a Registered Civil Engineer authorized to practice land surveying. The plat shall include all standard information shown on Exhibit A.
      2.
    2. Three (3) copies of a site plan on 8 1/2" x 11" or 8 1/2" x 14" or 24" X 36" sheets at a legible scale and stamped by a Licensed Land Surveyor or a Registered Civil Engineer.
    3. A current preliminary title report for each property which includes current legal description, names of property owners, all other parties having record interest in the property and easements.
    4. Traverse sheets, including area calculations
    5. A filing fee and checking deposit in the amount approved by the City Council.
    6. If any existing parcel was not created by a tract or parcel map, submit a copy of a recorded deed or record or survey as verification that the parcels were lawfully created.
    7. A letter from all parties with a record title interest, except easement holders, stating that they have knowledge of and consent to the proposal.

Incomplete plans will not be reviewed or processed. The surveyor will be notified and the plans will be returned.

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III. LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT

The lot line adjustment shall include a title sheet, legal descriptions and a plat.

A. TITLE SHEET

All owners signatures shall be notarized. If the property is owned by a corporation, two signatures are required (typically the president or vice president and the secretary) unless documentation is received from the corporation authorizing one signature If the property is owned by a partnership, the signature of at least one partner is required.

The notary acknowledgments may be stapled to the front of the title sheet or may be incorporated into the lot line adjustment below the Record Owners Certification. The example title sheet is one page, however additional pages may be used if necessary.

If the lot line adjustment includes property owned by the City of Anaheim, the Mayor and City Clerk will sign as record owners for the City. The notary acknowledgment must be incorporated into the document. The lot line adjustment and deeds must be approved by the City Council prior to approval by the City Engineer.

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B. LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS

A written legal description using metes and bounds description must be provided for each adjusted parcel.

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C. PLAT

The plat may be based on record data. A Record of Survey is not required by the City. However, the City recognizes that a surveyor may recommend to the client, that a survey be performed or the client may request a survey be performed. If a survey is performed for the Lot Line Adjustment, the surveyor must comply with Section 8762 of the Land Surveyor's Act.

The plat shall include the following items:

    1. Map scale and north arrow
      2.
    2. Label and dimension adjacent street(s). Label and dimension distance to centerline of nearest cross street.
      3.
    3. Existing and proposed lot layout. List a Basis of Bearing. Show bearings and distances for all lot lines. Use a heavy solid line for the property boundary, solid lines for proposed property lines; and light dashed lines for existing property lines to be adjusted or removed.
    4. Existing and proposed lot numbers or letters. Building lots shall be numbered and non-building lots (i.e. open space, #9; slopes, or private streets) shall be lettered.
    5. Gross and net areas of each lot. Net area is the gross area excepting easements for ingress and egress purposes.
      6.
    6. Underlying parcels and adjacent parcels identified in ghost lettering.
      7.
    7. Existing easements, both public and private. Label each easement. Easement notes may be used to indicate type of easement, party in favor of, for what purpose, recorded instrument number and date recorded.
    8. A statement of whether the plat was prepared based on record data or based on a survey performed for plat preparation. If the plat is based on record data, the source of all bearings and distances must be clearly indicated.
      9.
    9. An Index Map if the Plat is 3 pages or greater.

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IV. SITE PLAN

The site plan shall be signed and stamped by the responsible surveyor and shall include all the information shown on the plat and shall also include the following information to assist in determining conformance with building code, zoning code and easement requirements. The Site Plan will not be recorded.
  1. Net area of each lot.
    2.
  2. Property Addresses
    3.
  3. Location of all existing and proposed structures.
    4.
  4. Dimension distance of front, side, and rear building setbacks.
    5.
  5. Location of all block walls and retaining walls
    6.
  6. Slopes, including top of slope and toe of slope elevations.
    7.
  7. Existing and proposed drive approaches and drive aisles
    8.
  8. Parking layout and parking stall count for each proposed #9; parcel if industrial, commercial or multiple family zoning.
    9.
  9. Proposed easements, to check for potential conflicts. The easement must be recorded by a separate document and will be processed by the Real Property Section.
    10.

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V. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS

A lot line adjustment plat is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to prepare an Environmental Impact Report if the property has an average slope of less than 20 percent (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15305, Class 5). An Initial Study of Environmental Impact is required for projects that do not conform to the above requirements or in cases where the project is located in a particularly sensitive environment, there are cumulative impacts of successive projects in the same location, or there is a reasonable possibility that the project will have significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.

The City may require the applicant to supply additional information to complete the initial study. A notice of the City's proposed environmental impact analysis will be advertised and a minimum 21-day period will be required to provide the public an opportunity to review the project and submit comments or concerns.

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VI. PLAN CHECKING

Plans will be scheduled for plan checking in the order they are received. The first plan check will be thorough and every attempt will be made to mark all plan deficiencies. The surveyor will be notified as soon as the plan check is complete and ready for pickup. The plan check will be returned with a letter listing items to be submitted prior to approval by the City Engineer. The first plan check will take approximately 20 working days. Subsequent reviews will take up to 15 working days.

If the Lot Line Adjustment is not ready for approval after the third review, the plan checker will schedule a meeting to resolve any outstanding issues.

The plan checker will request the lot line adjustment plat originals when the corrections requested are minor and will be sufficient to complete the plans. Originals are to be in ink on mylar, vellum, or bond paper.

After a final check has been made to verify that all corrections have been incorporated, the plat will be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer.

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VII. DEEDS

The lot line adjustment does not by itself transfer title, adjust liens of mortgages and deeds of trust, or adjust assessments for the properties affected by the lot line adjustment. The lot line adjustment must be reflected in a deed if it affects parcels in different ownership or parcels under the same ownership but encumbered by separate security interests.

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VIII. RECORDING

The surveyor will be notified as soon as the lot line adjustment plat has been approved to pick up the plat, prepare deeds and record both the plat and deeds in the Office of the Orange County Recorder. At the owner's written request, the approved lot line adjustment will be released to a designated title company or lawyer to prepare the deeds and record both the plat and deeds in the Office of the Orange County Recorder. A copy of the recorded lot line adjustment and deed shall be submitted to the City of Anaheim Department of Public Works - Records Section.

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