Planning commission reviews concept for Burns farm subdivision, pushes applicant to revise road and wetland plans

City planning staff presented a concept plan May 1 asking the Planning Commission to review a proposal to plat 11–12 single‑family lots on roughly 117.5–119.5 acres east of Brockton Lane, north of Dayton River Road and west of Lawndale Lane.

The plan, brought by property owner and applicant Jack Bernans, would rezone portions of the site to the A3 district and create 12 one‑and‑a‑half acre net lots in the northwest portion of the parcel while leaving about 75 acres in agricultural use. Staff said the A3 district’s density calculation (approximated at one unit per 10 acres) would normally permit 11 lots on the current acreage and outlined three options the applicant could pursue: seeking a variance, pursuing a code text amendment related to rounding rules, or limiting the plat to 11 lots.

The commission’s discussion focused on three practical constraints: how a new road on the proposed plat would connect to existing neighborhood streets (particularly Maria Avenue and Shady View), how sewer would reach the new lots, and how wetlands and wetland buffers on the property should be handled. Commissioners urged the applicant and staff to plan connectivity that would allow future development north of…