Subdivision Plat Submittal

Lee County Property Appraiser (LCPA) utilizes a Geographic Information System (GIS) data platform from software vendor ESRI called Parcel Fabric. It is designed to support land management for property appraisers. The Parcel Fabric tools provide advanced capabilities for maintaining metes and bounds legal descriptions, parcel lineage, AutoCAD support, and least squares adjustment computation.

Providing LCPA with advance notification of new developments enables better scheduling of work and reduced turn-around time to convert AutoCAD to GIS and release parcel identification numbers (STRAP/FolioID). To expedite the process for a development, we request that the engineering firm submit the Plat Dedication page(s) (or entire plat), an AutoCAD file, and this Lee PA Sub-Ownership Identification Excel spreadsheet as soon as the design is approved by the governing jurisdiction. (See topics below on Plat Dedications and AutoCAD files). If there is only a single owner for the parent parcel(s) and all the subdivided parcels (lots) then the spreadsheet is not required. If a HOA or CDD is part of the Dedication then the spreadsheet is required.

If a developer provides LCPA with a paper plat at the time of recording we will process it; however, it may take several weeks to complete and the conversion time cannot be estimated in advance.

To upload Plat Dedication PDF, AutoCAD file, and Lee PA Sub-Ownership Identification spreadsheet, log in to our website www.Leepa.org and follow the steps below:

Throughout the year we suspend processing parcel reconfigurations and plat submittals in order to compile property tax rolls. The suspension dates may include up to two (2) weeks in advance of the following periods: June 1, July 1, August 1, and mid-October. Please provide advance notice of any projects anticipated to be recorded during these periods.

Plat Dedication Key Points

Plat Dedications are used to determine beneficial ownership and designated use of tracts that are not divided into lots. This is one of the reasons we request the completed Lee PA Sub-Ownership Identification spreadsheet referenced above. The designated use is important to assigning the Department of Revenue (DOR) Property Classification Code for assessment purposes. DOR Code List

Ad valorem tax law in Florida includes the concepts of legal and beneficial title for assessment purposes. For common elements dedicated for the exclusive use of the lot or unit owners in a subdivision, there is no separate tax liability. Historically, LCPA assigned the owner of record for common elements to the association or entity to which the property was dedicated. However, in June of 2018, internal record keeping systems were modified to include beneficial ownership. Now the owner of record is assigned to the developer with the association designated as the beneficial owner. The beneficial owner will be noted as FBO, (For Benefit of) on the LCPA website, and reported on the tax roll.

Jurisdictions typically do not accept dedicated right-of-way (ROW) with or without responsibility of maintenance until approved by ordinance. At the time of dedication LCPA assumes the jurisdiction will accept the ROW at some future date after the developer records a deed conveying the ROW. ROW is not assessed for tax purposes; however, ROW tracts will be assigned a parcel identification number (STRAP/Folio) until an ordinance or resolution is approved, declaring the ROW as public. LCPA has been notified by jurisdictions to change the owner of record to the developer when an issue with maintenance or liability arises or proposed ordinance does not pass.

Any tract dedicated as easement, landscaping, preserve, park, common area, or similar will be coded as common element and the beneficial owner will be the association if so assigned. Otherwise the developer will remain as owner of record and the tract will be coded and assessed as vacant land.

Any tract dedicated to future development will be coded and assessed as vacant land and the beneficial owner of record will be based on the dedication.

The owner of record for any tract on the plat not listed in the dedication will remain with the developer.

To help reduce confusion, please ensure a tract is not dedicated to multiple entities and clearly state the designated use of each tract. The addition of a Tract Use Table is beneficial.

AutoCAD File Requests

1. Drawing, (DWG) file format in Florida West State Plane Coordinate System.
2. All lines are two point lines and all curves are true curves and not a collection of small line segments.
3. Northing and Easting or Latitude and Longitude for Point of Commencement (POC), Permanent Control Points (PCP) and Permanent Reference Monuments (PRM). At minimum, provide two PCP or PRM at opposite sides of the development. This locational data is key to accurately anchor the subdivision to other subdivisions/parcels in the area, and apply least squares adjustment. Utilize the “GEOMARKPOINT” or “GEOMARKPOSITION” command if the points are created in the AutoCAD file. Alternatively the coordinates can be annotated on the plat or submitted separately in document or spreadsheet format. For more information see: AutoCAD Knowledge Network GeoMarkPosition Command
4. Where possible use the following acronyms or similar in layer names to represent:
   • BEAR = Bearings
   • LT = Lot or Tract lines / boundaries
   • BNDY = Subdivision boundaries
   • CP or PCP = Control Points
   • CL = Center Line
   • SECTION = Point of Beginning to Point of Commencement Line
   • ESMT = Easements
   • PRM = Permanent Reference Monuments
   • POB = Point of Beginning
   • POC = Point of Commencement
5. Annotate parcels with Lot number and square feet or condo units with Unit number.
6. Annotate tracts with Tract number.
7. Annotate limited common elements in condominium complexes.