Timnath planning commission recommends approval of Ladera South preliminary plat with conditions on open space amenities

The Timnath Planning Commission recommended approval of the Ladera South Subdivision preliminary plat on a 4-0 vote, with conditions that the developer work with staff to complete a landscape plan and ensure final plat compliance with the town’s parks and open space standards.

The commission’s recommendation comes after a detailed presentation from planning staff and the applicant about the proposed replatting of portions of the Ladera third filing and the proposed open-space program for the North Reservoir. Troy, a town planning staff member, told commissioners that the preliminary plat is being reviewed against six preliminary criteria while the final plat will be reviewed against a smaller, more detailed set of final-plat criteria, and he cautioned that “the detailed compliance with the land use code is a final plat criteria.”

Kiersten Starman of Connell LLC, representing the Ladera development team, described the proposal as creating nine lots “with a total acreage of 37 acres,” plus four tracts and two outlots. She said the applicant intends the North Reservoir open space to remain a largely native-prairie area and proposed a roughly one-mile, 10-foot-wide concrete multiuse trail, interpretive signage, picnic tables, benches and pet-waste stations. “We’re really excited about the vision of the North Reservoir open space system,” Starman said.

Commissioners and applicant representatives discussed constraints posed by floodplain lines mapped as the floodway, 100-year, and 500-year flood boundaries. Planning staff noted uses in the floodplain are limited to flood-safe designs approved by the town’s floodplain administrator and FEMA guidance; Troy said items such as breakaway posts or low-profile benches are possible but heavy structures or those that raise existing grade are not appropriate for most of the reservoir footprint.

Commissioner Tom Wood pressed the applicant and staff on whether the river- and bridge-related right-of-way and future County Road 5 improvements have been accounted for on the plat. Will Welch, infrastructure program manager for Ladera, said the design work is underway and that the project team and town are coordinating on a design and right-of-way needs; final alignment and any required right-of-way dedication would be resolved at final plat or through the development agreement if timing requires.

Commissioners asked staff and the applicant to pursue additional amenities that are allowed outside the floodway, citing a narrow strip near existing parking and the respite-care site as a likely location for more durable features. Staff and the applicant discussed options such as breakaway-mounted picnic shelters and additional seating; staff noted that activities that would “tread on” native prairie (for example, Frisbee golf) could contradict the applicant’s native-area objectives.

The motion the commission approved recommended that the final plat landscape plan for Ladera’s northern open space “shall comply with the general provisions of the parks and open space standards” and that staff be authorized to work with the owner/applicant to address minor or non‑substantive modifications prior to final signatures. Commissioners and staff agreed to remove a specific example (outdoor exercise stations) from the staff report so the record would not be read as endorsing that single option.

The commission’s discussion also addressed parking and trail connections: temporary parking and cross‑access easements were shown on the preliminary materials, and the applicant says future retail and restaurant parking will provide access to the open space and trail. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) had reviewed the area and provided commentary focused on seasonal nesting considerations; staff reported CPW did not identify a decisive conflict.

The commission’s approval was a recommendation to town council; the commission emphasized that the final plat will be the formal moment when full compliance with the land use code is verified and that staff and the applicant should continue to refine amenity details for council review.

Ending: The Planning Commission forwarded the Ladera South preliminary plat recommendation with the two staff conditions and a request that staff and the applicant continue to enhance the northern open space amenities where allowed by floodplain constraints. The item will next go to the Town Council for final action.