Planning staff seeks preliminary approval for Linden Drive PUD residential subdivision; commissioners press for sidewalks, access and traffic calming

Planning staff presented a preliminary major subdivision for the Linden Drive portion of a planned unit development (SD 25‑2), a residential component of a larger Linden Drive PUD that was approved by the council in 2020 and reapproved in 2022.

The application, submitted for preliminary major subdivision approval at 441 Linden Drive by Ringway Engineering, would create 91 parcels: 62 traditional townhome lots concentrated along Leatherwood Avenue, condominium parcels in a central bay and single‑family lots facing Linden Drive. The plan includes a proposed city park shown at about 2.29 acres but staff said that acreage may shrink because an underground stormwater detention facility will be carved out of the park parcel. Staff said maintenance of the detention facility would be the responsibility of the homeowners association, and the city does not want that facility located inside the city park boundaries.

Staff said the developer will be responsible for constructing a roundabout at the north end of the public street where Linden Drive turns onto Caroline Street; the active‑adult parcel to the west will construct a second roundabout as part of the larger PUD. The staff presentation noted the preliminary plat meets the ordinance requirements but that minor changes are expected as the site plan proceeds, including adjustments to eliminate narrow remnant strips between parcels and the possible extension of Leatherwood Avenue to provide a hammerhead turnaround for refuse and emergency vehicles.

Why it matters: the subdivision adds a range of housing types — townhomes, condos and single‑family homes — adjacent to major employers and transportation routes, and includes public infrastructure changes (roundabout, park dedication, sidewalk extensions) that affect connectivity and safety.

Commissioners asked technical and design questions and offered guidance. Commissioner Bloom urged staff to avoid creating a long dead‑end that could create backing maneuvers and suggested preserving rear access for townhome maintenance, noting the difficulty that stormwater easements place on homeowners' ability to put up fences. Staff suggested a narrow open‑space maintenance easement shared across property lines as one approach. Bloom and other commissioners pressed for continuous sidewalks to Amherst Street, suggested additional traffic calming measures (reducing corner radii, possible crosswalk at a future Persimmon Street), and recommended consideration of narrower local streets if on‑street parking is not intended.

Environmental remediation was discussed: staff said DCS oversaw cleanup of arsenic‑impacted soils on the site and that the state also signed off on the remediation. A commissioner who asked about cleanup received confirmation that the site had a clean bill of health.

Staff said the plan will return with modifications at the next meeting cycle; the commission was asked to act on preliminary subdivision approval and to forward a recommendation on the final plat to city council once outstanding technical items are resolved.