Trustee proposes Homestead Lot 5 split; county staff urge road dedication, permit compliance and septic review

Shanda Bradner, the court-appointed trustee for the Dorothy Shekel Trust, told the Meade County Planning Commission she intends to proceed with platting work for Lot 5 of Homestead and asked for direction on how to proceed with a proposed 10-acre split. Bradner said the 10 acres are undeveloped and that a started pole barn on the property has not been finished.

Planning staff said there are multiple issues the applicant will need to address before a plat can be approved: a building-permit violation for the partially constructed pole barn, a FEMA floodplain that runs through portions of the property, the need to demonstrate percolation/septic feasibility for any new build sites, and a county preference not to create lots that straddle an existing public right-of-way. Staff and commissioners urged dedication of Bethlehem Road (a historic right-of-way described as 33 feet each side, 66 feet total) through the property to avoid future conveyancing problems where deeds might otherwise carve off portions south of the road.

Tanya, county planning staff, described the situation as complex: the parcel is composed of tax-parcel components totaling 80 and 160 acres in the same tax parcel ID; the Centennial Trail runs between parts of the holding so the ownership pattern is fragmented. Staff said Forest Service maintenance and access also affect expectations for road improvements: earlier requests to the Forest Service about improving roads had been denied, the county warned.

County staff and commissioners recommended the trustee consider the following steps before returning with a formal preliminary plat: request applicable variances upfront (for section-line dedication or road-width exceptions), prepare percolation tests and engineered flood-elevation work if building in FEMA floodplain, provide a plan to dedicate Bethlehem Road through the entire parcel, and remove or bring the partially constructed pole barn into compliance. Staff also suggested the applicant consult with the highway superintendent and the local fire protection district about access, road width, and emergency access requirements.

On water and utilities, staff said Bear Butte Valley Water confirmed water rights for some lots in other plats but the Homestead property would likely rely on wells; the city’s Municipal Utility Board and state process regulate wells within a mile of municipal systems. Commissioners recommended asking for variances so the applicant could understand constraints before investing in a full survey and civil plan set. The meeting record shows commissioners and staff discussed the likely need for a section-line variance not to dedicate the 33-foot half-section, a variance to avoid improving Bethlehem Road to a 28-foot standard, and potential dedication to clear title issues.

No vote was taken on the Homestead Lot 5 proposal at the meeting; staff and the applicant agreed to return with clearer survey, percolation, and variance applications. The commission emphasized there was no guarantee of approval and that the applicant should plan for several contingencies.

Next steps: applicants were advised to secure necessary surveys, percolation tests, address the building-permit violation, consult the highway superintendent and fire protection district, and apply for variances where necessary before filing a formal preliminary plat submission.