The Planning Commission received a request from local developer, Dustin Baker with Alcove Development, to amend some of the zoning regulations for residential properties during Wednesday’s meeting.
Baker’s amendment recommendation was to change the lot area minimum from 7,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet, change the lot width at front building line minimum from 60 feet to 40 feet and change the side yard setback from 10 feet to 5 feet.
At the meeting, Baker said the request has arisen as he continues to work on plat plans for the Shadow Ridge North additions that have previously been discussed by both commissions.
Commissioner Tim Pringle asked what prompted these requests.
Baker said since the community was looking for some affordable housing options to come out of the new subdivision, they are requesting these changes of density needs to make it more cost efficient.
“That’s kind of the driver is the affordability component and looking at accessibility for the community,” Baker said.
Commissioner Jason Hoover worried about opening up these new codes to everyone, and wondered why Baker wasn’t just requesting a plan overlay for his properties. He said he may be more open to seeing it just be a request for this specific project.
Baker said if he did it that way he would have to do that for every phase of the subdivision, and if he made any sort of change it would have to go through the commissions again.
Chairman Grant Martin said the setback changing from 10 feet to 5 feet is concerning to him because it would allow current homeowners to do home extensions to that new requirement. Martin agreed he would be more in favor of a plan overlay.
“We’re here to do what’s best for the city, in my opinion, and I think we’re all willing to put in the time, but if this is going to change the dynamic across the board for everyone, that’s a concern of mine,” Martin said.
Pringle said the commission is only being asked to look at various options at this time, not make a decision, and said he thinks the commission owes it to the developer to at least initiate the research.
The Planning Commission was not approving the recommendations on Wednesday, and rather initiating a review of the text amendment to continue discussion. The commission voted to do so.
Commissioners did have concerns about what exactly those setbacks would look like for residents, and requested some more information for future conversations – like renderings of exactly how the housing would look.
At next month’s Planning Commission meeting, the staff will give a report and analysis on their findings on the code changes.
In other business, a tract of land owned by Amy Rogers will likely be annexed into the city after a recommendation by the Planning Commission.
Rogers applied for a voluntary annexation of the 54 acres at 535 W. 20th Street. The land is currently zoned for agriculture.
There have not yet been any development proposals for the property, but the annexation is taking place for future lot reconfiguration along 20th Street. Codes administrator Curt Baumann said it was likely that some of the property would be incorporated into one or more of the already existing lots, but a design is not yet submitted.
Since the request was voluntary by the property owner, it is not required that notices be sent to neighboring property owners. Some properties surrounding it are zoned residential, though.
The annexation request will now move to the City Commission for final approval.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
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