Planning commission recommends approval of Cowboy Landing PUD with taller fences

The Stillwater Planning Commission on June 3 voted 3-1 to recommend that the City Council approve Planned Unit Development (PUD) 2502, called Cowboy Landing, a proposal to build 42 single-family lots on roughly 4.2 acres at 1924 and 2002 East McElroy Road. The commission’s recommendation included conditions requiring an 8-foot fence along the west property line and a 7-foot fence along the east property line.

Staff planner Henry Biebelheimer said the PUD request would increase gross density from the RSS base of 8 units per acre to 10.2 units per acre and seek several deviations from the Land Development Code, including a proposed minimum lot area of 2,400 square feet (code: 5,000), lot widths reduced from 50 to 30 feet and lot depths from 100 to 80 feet. He said the PUD would also propose internal side setbacks of 5 feet where the standard two‑story side setback is 8 feet, and a mix of one- to three-bedroom units with two parking spaces per unit instead of the code’s one parking space per bedroom requirement.

The applicant, Steven Gose of Gose and Associates, and developer representative Seif Alusi described site features and infrastructure plans: two access points onto McElroy (an east gated main entrance aligned with Wedgwood and a west exit with Knox box for emergency access), private 24-foot streets proposed through the neighborhood, a detention pond at the northeast corner to be built with phase 1, and nine scattered guest parking spaces. Gose said the PUD would provide a 7-foot right-of-way dedication along McElroy to achieve a 40-foot half-section from the current statutory 33-foot right-of-way. He also said sidewalks would be provided along the McElroy frontage as required by code.

Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing opposed the PUD. Resident Steve Fairbanks said, "This new zoning request for a planned unit development does not fit the neighborhood," and raised safety and fire concerns tied to houses proposed only about 10 feet apart. Jen Sanders, who lives next door, opposed increasing density from 8 to 10.2 units per acre and said the proposal "doesn't seem safe or practical" without more parking or sidewalks that connect to the existing network. Lawrence Joseph Roy, representing family ownership of land to the north, said he was concerned that the increased roof and pavement footprint would worsen drainage onto his property despite a proposed detention basin.

In response, staff and the applicant said typical city procedures will evaluate infrastructure impacts: the city models water and sewer demand during engineering review and so far has not flagged capacity issues. The applicant said a six-foot sidewalk along the project’s McElroy frontage is proposed and that the detention pond and utility phasing would occur early in construction. On parking and traffic, the applicant said a traffic study is not required unless the project generates 100 peak-hour trips or 1,000 daily trips; for 42 units the expected trip generation generally does not meet that threshold.

Commission discussion focused on density, parking and neighborhood transition. Commissioners acknowledged the proposal meets several PUD purposes (e.g., additional open space and some amenities) but said the requested density is aggressive adjacent to lower-density lots. One commissioner moved to recommend approval of the PUD subject to two fencing conditions; the motion passed 3-1. The commission’s approval is a recommendation to the City Council; the applicant also requested that the preliminary PUD plan serve as the preliminary plat, meaning the next formal review would be a final plat if the council approves the PUD.

The City Council will receive the commission’s recommendation; a final decision and any additional conditions will be set by the council. The Planning Commission record notes that the Land Development Code allows a PUD to increase density up to 12 units per acre under section 23.306(k), and staff reminded commissioners that the last comprehensive Land Development Code update was around 2010.

For now, the commission’s action advances the Cowboy Landing PUD to the council with specific fencing and other conditions to be addressed in subsequent reviews.