Olive Branch planners approve final plat for Senahee Farms Phase 1 with conditions

The City of Olive Branch Planning Commission on June 10 recommended approval of the final plat for Senahee Farms Subdivision Phase 1, a proposed 88-lot single-family detached neighborhood, subject to staff conditions requiring finished-floor elevations for floodplain-adjacent lots, correction of the eastern property boundary line, a developer letter of credit with contingency, and a city engineer inspection after the first lift of asphalt is placed.

Staff told the commission the 48.228-acre phase proposes 88 single-family detached residential lots and three common open spaces for stormwater detention. The smallest lot proposed is 8,916 square feet; lots 22, 23 and 24 are adjacent to FEMA-designated floodplain and “finished floor elevations” must be shown, staff said. Utilities and most new streets are in place, but the first lift of asphalt had not been installed because of recent rain, and the city engineer had not yet issued the standard inspection memo required for major subdivisions.

Planning staff recommended approval with a set of conditions that include: adding finished-floor elevations on floodplain-adjacent lots; moving the eastern property boundary from the center line of the public road to the subdivision boundary; requiring a letter of credit in an amount determined by the city engineer plus a 25% contingency to guarantee completion of unfinished public improvements; submittal and city review of covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs); and that building permits not be issued until the first lift of asphalt is in place and the city engineer issues a confirming inspection memo.

Nicholas Brennan, the applicant, said the CCRs "we do have them ready" and that the contractor delayed paving because of recent rain; he told the commission he could submit the CCRs before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. Commissioner Donnie Singh moved to approve the final plat including the edit to condition No. 9 requiring the first lift of asphalt and the city engineer's memo before presentation to the Board; the motion was seconded and approved with an affirmative vote.

The commission's recommendation will move to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for final action; the conditions recorded with the plat must be satisfied before building permits can be issued, and the city engineer must inspect and sign off on the public improvements after the first lift of asphalt is laid.

For now, the subdivision remains subject to the recorded conditions and the developer must satisfy the stated engineering and CC&R reviews before vertical construction begins.