Planning and Zoning Commission recommends R1C rezoning and preliminary plat for 1493–1497 Eugenia Drive

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 10 recommended that the Town Council consider rezoning the property at 1493 and 1497 Eugenia Drive from two-family to single-family attached (R1C) and forwarded a preliminary plat to council, contingent on a lot-size variance from the Board of Adjustment.

Sarah, a planning staff member who presented the item, told the commission that the parcel is currently zoned for two-family use. “The current zoning is 2 family,” she said, and staff described the request as a rezoning that would allow the single lot to be subdivided if the applicant secures a variance for minimum lot size. Sarah also noted a sewer-service issue: an existing sewer main stops at the first unit and the two future lots will need a shared-lateral arrangement recorded on the plat under town code section 705.6282.

The rezoning and preliminary plat follow an applicant request to convert what had been recorded as Unit 1 and Unit 2 on the original plat into separate lots. Commissioner Darren outlined the historical basis for the lot-size requirement, saying the municipality set a 6,000-square-foot minimum for this zoning district when R1C was created to address lending and condominium concerns. “You had to have a minimum 6,000 square feet,” he said, noting that the Board of Adjustment must grant a variance for this case and that the board requires four of five votes to approve such a variance.

Attorney Mark Frankenberg, representing the Pearson family and identifying himself as with Bishop Frankenberg, told the commission the family wishes to sell the property and that potential buyers prefer conventional lot ownership to condominium units because of financing constraints. Frankenberg said efforts to redraw lines to meet the 6,000-square-foot threshold would harm front-yard area and that the owners will sign an agreement on the plat to address the shared sewer responsibility.

Commissioners described the lot as unusually shaped because it sits at the end of a cul-de-sac, which reduces usable area. Staff and commissioners confirmed setbacks, lot width and other code requirements were met, and said the only remaining zoning hurdle is the BOA variance for lot area. Sarah told the commission the Board of Adjustment was scheduled to meet the Wednesday after the Feb. 10 meeting; if the BOA denies the variance the rezoning and plat approvals before council would be moot.

Motions: Commissioner Darren moved to forward the rezoning to council subject to the Board of Adjustment decision; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. A separate motion to recommend the preliminary plat to council, likewise conditioned on Board of Adjustment approval, also passed by voice vote.

Next steps: The Board of Adjustment will decide whether to grant the lot-size variance (the meeting was scheduled for the Wednesday following the Feb. 10 commission meeting). If the BOA grants the variance, the matter will return to Town Council for rezoning and plat action at its next scheduled meeting on Feb. 18.

Votes at a glance: • File 250203 — Rezoning, 1493 & 1497 Eugenia Drive: Motion to recommend rezoning to R1C to council, contingent on Board of Adjustment variance. Motion by Commissioner Darren; second not specified in the record. Outcome: Commission recommended to council (voice vote, all present answered “Aye”; exact count not specified in the transcript). • File 250204 — Preliminary plat, 1493 & 1497 Eugenia Drive: Motion to recommend preliminary plat to council, contingent on Board of Adjustment variance. Motion moved and seconded; outcome: Commission recommended to council (voice vote, all present answered “Aye”; exact count not specified in the transcript).

Why it matters: If the Board of Adjustment grants a variance to the minimum-lot-size requirement, the rezoning would permit the single lot to be subdivided into separate lots under R1C, which the applicant says would facilitate sale and conventional financing. The recorded plat will include a shared-sewer responsibility clause required by town code section 705.6282.