Commission approves Vista Alaura preliminary plat, grants variance for road dedication

The Gallatin County Commission on May 13 approved the preliminary plat for the Vista Alaura minor subdivision, granted a variance from the county transportation standards, and attached conditions intended to protect public safety, water use and wildlife movement.

Christopher Scott of Gallatin County Planning presented the application. The proposal subdivides a 62.61-acre parcel in the Middle Cottonwood zoning district into three lots of approximately 20 acres each, with access for two northern lots provided by a new public road called Vista Lower Lane and the southern lot accessed from Glory Lane. Scott said the subdivision is outside the Deer Winter Range overlay and that the zoning permits one dwelling per 20 acres in the AR (agricultural rural residential) district.

Applicant representatives told the commission the developer will dedicate a 60-foot road easement and build a full gravel road to county standards. The subdivision includes a proposed 10,000-gallon water storage tank and pressurized hydrant for fire protection, and covenants that increase some setbacks to 70 feet and propose five-acre building envelopes. The applicant also proposed water meters and monitoring to limit exempt well use to approximately 3.3 acre-feet per lot per year.

Neighbors raised concerns about the road alignment and a historic irrigation feature called the Davis Ditch. One neighbor said the dogleg access off Saddle Mountain Road runs behind several existing homes and asked that the road location be reconsidered. Planning staff noted a discrepancy in records regarding the ditch: DNRC abstracts show some historic irrigation rights associated with Davis Ditch, while the applicant—s consultants reported the ditch had been used mainly for seasonal runoff; the applicant said it would extend and maintain the existing culvert to preserve conveyance.

Commissioners voted to grant the transportation-standards variance, finding strict compliance would be an undue hardship and that the variance is not detrimental to public health, safety or adjoining properties given the local configuration. The commission then approved the preliminary plat with staff-recommended conditions and added one clarifying condition requiring the final plat to show building envelopes and that the northern lot's building envelope be south of the centerline of the proposed cul-de-sac. Staff will require recordation of covenants, compliance with environmental-health requirements for septic and well permits, and execution of road maintenance agreements for Glory Lane.

The approval included conditions requiring coordination with the Central Valley Fire District on the water tank and hydrant, preparation of final engineering and road construction plans to county standards, and adherence to monitoring limits for exempt well use. The applicant and county staff will address the remaining technical items before final plat recording.