I??m looking over the CA Subdivision Map Act and want feedback and input.?ÿ Do you consider a Lot Merger to be the same as a Lot Line Adjustment with regards to the ??Fewer Than 5? aspect of the Map Act??ÿ Since section 66451 aspect of Lot Mergers does not state specifically the number of parcels, do you feel it??s 4 or less??ÿ
66451.10. (b) This article shall provide the sole and exclusive authority for local agency initiated merger of contiguous parcels. On and after January 1, 1984, parcels may be merged by local agencies only in accordance with the authority and procedures prescribed by this article. This exclusive authority does not, however, abrogate or limit the authority of a local agency or a subdivider with respect to the following procedures within this division:
(1) Lot line adjustments.
(2) Amendment or correction of a final or parcel map.
(3) Reversions to acreage.
(4) Exclusions.
(5) Tentative, parcel, or final maps which create fewer parcels.
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Thanks for your feedback.
Ric Moore should be your expert for this.
Where are you, Ric?!?!
Maybe @ric-moore will know...
In Puyallup, it would depend on if you were within the City Limits; or Pierce County...
I have no particular expertise in this area, but that said, the purpose of the 4-parcel limit on LLAs was to stop the practice of reconfiguring ancient subdivisions -- particularly those that had few or no developed lots -- into what were effectively new subdivisions, but without having to pay for the improvements and other exactions that would be imposed by the local agency were the parent parcel to be subdivided under current rules.?ÿ Since the same thing could be done using lot mergers -- taking a bunch of small, undesirable lots and merging them into larger desirable ones -- I would think the 4-parcel limit would also apply.
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Jim described it well and I agree with him.?ÿ There are almost as many different approaches to Lot Mergers as there are counties and cities in CA.?ÿ Some treat it very similar as a LLA while others do not.?ÿ Best bet would be to contact the County Surveyor AND the local planning folks in the area where you need to do this to see how they handle it since those are the public entities tasked with implementing this section of Government Code.?ÿ Some have clear, relatively easy guidelines expressed in their ordinances/publications while others...well, let's say you can tell which areas welcome this sort of transaction and which ones don't.
Has anyone else noticed the similarity in reactions caused by ordinance and/or ordnance?
