Andover council approves Southern Hills final plat, developer agreement and construction ordinance

The Andover City Council on Jan. 28 approved the final plat for the Southern Hills First subdivision and adopted related petitions, a developer's agreement and an ordinance authorizing construction of internal improvements.

The approvals clear the way for roughly 57 single-family lots zoned SF-2 at the site southeast of Southwest 130th Street and Southwest Beldor Road. Planner David Westfall told the council a water service agreement with Rural Water District No. 5 has been reached and that sewer service will continue to be provided by the city.

The petition and developer's agreement cover stormwater drainage, paving, water distribution, sanitary sewer main, an off-site water main and paving of Southwest 100th and 130th Street. Staff said the water main for the project will be upsized from an 8-inch to a 16-inch main; the estimated additional cost to the city under the city’s financing plan is $141,000. The council also heard that asphalt paving improvements along a nearby arterial (classified as a class D arterial) will be assessed to the benefit district, and that if the city elects to upgrade to curb-and-gutter (a class C arterial), the incremental cost would be borne by the city.

“I do want to draw your attention that the water main will be upsized from an 8 inch to a 16 inch, and that upsizing cost will be borne by the city at large in an estimated amount of a hundred and $41,000 per our financing of public improvements plan,” staff said during the presentation.

Council discussion focused on typical tradeoffs between curb-and-gutter and asphalt sections, maintenance differences and the potential for higher initial cost when storm sewer and curb-and-gutter are added. The preliminary plat had previously been recommended for approval by the subdivision committee and by the planning commission at its December meeting; staff said conditions from earlier reviews have been met.

Formal actions on the subdivision items passed unanimously. The council voted 5-0 to accept the dedications of land on the final plat, 5-0 to approve the petitions and developer's agreement and adopt the related resolution of advisability, and 5-0 to adopt an ordinance authorizing construction of the internal improvements.

The council record shows the approvals as final actions on the current phase of the Southern Hills project; construction timing, detailed assessment schedules and contractor selection will be handled during the project bidding and construction phases.

Documentation provided to the council lists the developer agreement, the financing of public improvements plan and the planning commission recommendation as the governing materials for these decisions. No additional votes or amendments to the adopted instruments were recorded during the meeting.