Jefferson County Planning Commission backs rezoning for Havencrest, caps development at 20 homes

The Jefferson County Planning Commission on May 28 recommended approval of a rezoning request that would allow the Havencrest official development plan to add up to 20 single‑family homes on a roughly 5‑acre parcel at 13645 West 50 Second Avenue in unincorporated Jefferson County.

The motion, moved by Commissioner Spencer and seconded by Commissioner Messner, passed unanimously. The recommendation now goes to the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners, which has final authority; staff said that body will consider the case at a public hearing scheduled for June 24.

Staff said the planned development (PD) follows the Residential 1B (R‑1B) standards but caps the number of residential lots at 20 to align with the Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP). “This plan development document does align with that recommendation because it is a 5‑acre lot, as verified by our cartography staff,” said Sarah Hallmeier, case manager for Jefferson County Planning & Zoning, explaining the PD text limits and how it differs from a straight R‑1B rezoning.

Why it matters: the PD designation limits the kind of uses allowed on the parcel and, in this application, imposes a numerical cap that staff and commissioners said is more restrictive than simply rezoning to R‑1B. Residents who spoke at the hearing raised concerns about flooding, perched groundwater and drainage, increased traffic on West 50 Second Avenue, and whether the lot sizes and house styles would fit the existing neighborhood.

What staff and the applicant said:…