Council approves rezoning for Pearson lot, returns Aspen Ridge item to planning and designates Christianson Park as institutional

The Brandon City Council on an unspecified date approved on first reading an ordinance rezoning Lot 22 of Pearson Subdivision from NRC to R‑2 to give the property owner flexibility to subdivide in the future. The council also voted to send a separate Aspen Ridge land-use application back to Planning and Zoning for reconsideration after the developer was unable to attend that panel’s meeting, and approved a first reading zoning change to classify Christianson Park in Aspen Ridge as an institutional use.

The rezoning of the Pearson lot was driven by lot frontage requirements: R‑1 zoning requires 80 feet of frontage while the lot in question has 70 feet, a mismatch that would prevent a future subdivision without a zoning change. Council approved the first reading of Ordinance 07:34 to move the lot to R‑2, which would allow smaller frontage and therefore potential future replatting.

Planning and zoning recommended denial of an Aspen Ridge proposal (Ordinance 07:38). Council agreed to send that item back to Planning and Zoning for reconsideration to allow the developer to appear before the commission. Planning and Zoning members and councilors raised multiple concerns about repeatedly changing R‑1 approvals to R‑2 to accommodate smaller lots, saying such changes change permitted uses and could allow higher‑density housing types under conditional use review.

"The advantage of R‑2 is you have a smaller side setback, you have smaller frontage requirements," said Mike Todes, a Planning and Zoning member. "The problem is...the permitted uses change from a single family to a duplex, twin home, or a fourplex. ...I don't like the changing from R‑1 to R‑2 just for the lot size." Todes told the council he worried the repeated rezoning could lead to higher density than originally planned, including potential fourplexes on replatted lots.

On Christianson Park (Ordinance 07:39), staff said the park parcel is currently owned by the developer and will be conveyed to the city when the surrounding development is complete. Under the NRC zoning now in place, most accessory structures for the park would require conditional‑use permits; reclassifying the site as institutional would allow accessory buildings necessary for park operations without multiple conditional uses. Council approved the first reading for that change.

Council voted on each item following staff presentation and Planning and Zoning recommendations. The Aspen Ridge land‑use item will return to Planning and Zoning for reconsideration with the developer present.

Councilors and Planning and Zoning members discussed possible ordinance changes — including creating an R1B category or other approaches — to avoid repeatedly converting R‑1 approvals to R‑2 for smaller lots without triggering the broader land‑use consequences.

The council did not take final (second‑reading/adoption) action on these ordinances at the meeting; the actions recorded were first readings and a referral for further consideration.

Background: R‑1 and R‑2 are local residential zoning categories discussed at length during Planning and Zoning; staff noted R‑1 presently requires 80 feet of frontage and the specific Pearson lot has 70 feet, which prompted the R‑2 proposal.