Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/02/2006

Home

indicating the location of sewer facilities, and is proposing individual wells to provide water services to the proposed lots. There are wetlands on the proposed plat that have been encumbered with drainage and utility easements. Also, the plat appears to conform to the newly adopted wetland buffer ordinance. The plat proposes some wetland impact in order to extend Erkium Street, and mitigation is proposed on the southern end of the plat. Grading and drainage plans will have to be reviewed and approved by the Lower Rum River Water Management Organization (LRRWMO). City approvals will be contingent upon the developer's receipt of this permit. The preliminary plat is proposing to gain access from Erkium Street. The property currently contains an existing private drive that provides access to the property located immediately to the south. Staff is recommending that the public street be platted and constructed to urban standards to the southern-most lot and that rural standards be followed to pave the extent of the street to the edge of the parcel. Also, the plat is showing a future east/west street. Staff is recommending that the configuration of the proposed future street be platted as part of the first phase and constructed to rural standards to the west edge of the parcel to facilitate a future westerly connection. Also, a variance to cul-de-sac length is being proposed as part of the plat. The landscaping and tree preservation plan have been submitted and are generally acceptable to Staff. Staff received a revised tree preservation plan addressing staff's concern regarding tree preservation on the western portion of the proposed lots. The applicant has also submitted a revised landscaping plan that shows additional plantings along Lots 1-3. The future subdivision plan shown will require a separate platting process Application for the full development of this site cannot be made until municipal services are made available. Staff has received numerous letters and phone calls from residents expressing concern with the proposed development. The primary concerns were the increase in traffic and accompanying safety issues with providing only a single access, the maintenance and monitoring of the community septic system, the source of water supply, and the mount of density transitioning. Some of these concerns are addressed through revisions to the preliminary plat. The Planning Commission heard this case on February 2, 2006 and voted to continue the public hearing until March 3rd to allow the applicant to submit complete materials, and to allow the City Council to speak to the cluster ordinance. The City Council met at a work session on Tuesday, February 22, 2006 to discuss the cluster ordinance. They discussed a variety of mechanisms for improving the ordinance, but there wasn't an inclination to repeal it.