Commission forwards text amendment to Sage Farms PUD to remove numeric cap on attached units; one commissioner objects

The Wellington Planning Commission on Thursday voted to forward a recommendation to the Board of Trustees to approve a text amendment to the Sage Farms planned unit development that removes a numeric limit on attached single-family units and on the number of units accessing a single alley.

Planning Director Cody Byrd told commissioners the proposed revision is a text change to the PUD rather than a rezone; it removes language in the PUD that limited single-family attached buildings and alley-accessed units to a maximum of six. Byrd said the numeric limit was carried over from older land-use standards but is inconsistent with recent town code updates and the town’s housing goals.

Why it matters: Removing the numeric cap allows more flexible block and lot designs such as alley-loaded attached products and higher counts of attached units in a single building. Staff said the revision does not increase overall density allowed in the PUD and that building-code requirements (including fire separation and related standards) and other PUD development standards still govern safety and setbacks.

Commission deliberations and concerns Byrd showed the two blocks in the preliminary plat that would not conform under the current PUD language and explained the proposed language would "no longer has the limitation onto 6 units," allowing the alley-loaded configurations shown on the plat to proceed if the trustees approve the change.

Commissioners asked for clarification about how the PUD overlay interacts with the base R-3 zoning and whether other development standards (for example, minimum side yard setbacks) had been changed. Byrd and staff explained that the PUD is an overlay on the base zoning and that some PUD development standards had been adopted in the approved PUD (including a 5-foot side setback in specified areas); the requested text change is limited to numeric limits on attached units and alley access counts for the single-family A district of the PUD.

Safety and design concerns Commissioner Carmen raised concerns about reduced side-yard setbacks and local wind conditions, saying on the record: "This is a crazy windy place, and it's something that I care about." She asked whether allowing closer side yards and higher attached counts would increase risk. Planning staff responded that building-code fire separation, sprinkler systems and the alley/ setback dimensions (20-foot alleys plus a 5-foot PUD setback, creating roughly 30 feet between rear building faces) address those safety concerns.

Vote The commission voted to forward the proposed text amendments to the Board of Trustees. Commissioner Carmen recorded a “no” vote on the motion; the motion otherwise passed on roll call. Staff recommended the change so the PUD no longer conflicts with recent townwide land-use code changes that removed similar numeric caps.

Next steps The Commission’s recommendation moves the text amendment to the Board of Trustees for a final decision. If the trustees approve the change, future filings and site plans in the single-family A area of the PUD will be able to employ alley-loaded attached units and blocks with more than six attached units where appropriate, subject to building codes and PUD standards.

Ending note: The amendment is aimed at giving the developer and future builders more flexibility to deliver a mix of housing types that the town’s housing needs assessment has recommended; one commissioner expressed dissent based on safety and local conditions.