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Resident asks about Quail Ridge future; planning director explains existing townhome and RS-10 zoning and limits on city control of house size
Summary
A Bartlett resident asked what the city could do about potential development at the Quail Ridge golf course. Planning staff said current zoning adjacent to the site allows detached townhome-style lots and RS-10 single-family, and staff emphasized the city cannot unilaterally dictate minimum home square footage.
A Bartlett resident asked the Board of Mayor and Aldermen whether the city could use zoning to limit the size of houses if the Quail Ridge golf course property is redeveloped. City officials replied that the current zoning on parcels abutting the course includes townhome zoning and RS-10 single-family residential zoning, and they said the city lacks authority to require a minimum square-footage for private homes.
Resident Chris Autry of 4145 Blackheath Drive asked whether the city could “control or guide the square footage of houses” built on the property. Mayor (name not given in the record) said the city has been in contact with the course owner, that the owner told staff he had not decided on plans and that the city was waiting to hear what he proposes.
Kim Taylor, director of Planning and Economic Development, told Autry the zoning that directly abuts the course is townhome zoning, and that what is currently built in the area are detached homes that are considered townhomes under the zoning rules. Taylor said the area also includes RS-10 single-family zoning. When asked explicitly whether the city can require a minimum home square footage, Taylor said the city cannot force a developer to build homes with a minimum floor area, though a developer could voluntarily agree to minimums in a subdivision agreement.
Why it matters
Zoning and subdivision rules determine what property owners may build and therefore shape neighborhood character. The city’s explanation clarifies limits of municipal authority and the distinction between what a developer might voluntarily offer and what the city may legally require.
What officials said
Kim Taylor, director of Planning and Economic Development, summarized the local zoning as: “You can have detached townhomes that actually look like single-family homes, and that’s what’s there now. . . . You also have some RS‑10 residential single family.” She added, “The city cannot force any developer to . . . dictate minimum square-foot home. That’s the law.”
Public comment and next steps
City staff said they are maintaining contact with the property owner and will await any development proposals before pursuing land-use action. The board did not take formal action on the Quail Ridge matter at the meeting.
