Planning commission backs Newberry Village mobile-home plan, forwards amendment, rezoning and subdivision to City Council

The North Platte Planning Commission on April 22 recommended approval of three related applications from Pretoria Ventures North Platte LLC to create Newberry Village, a proposed mobile-home park and associated commercial parcel at 2401 East Philip Avenue.

The commission voted to recommend approval of AM25-003, an amendment to the North Platte Comprehensive Plan future land-use map; Z25-005, the rezoning to an RM Mobile Home Park district (and remaining I-1 light industrial for an adjacent strip); and SU25-006, preliminary and final approval of the Newberry Village subdivision. Planning staff told commissioners it had no objections to the proposals if the comprehensive-plan amendment passed first.

Roger Bollington, chief development officer for Pretoria Ventures North Platte LLC, told the commission the company acquired the site in early March and intends to develop a mobile-home park under the brand concept “Newberry Village.” “We purchased it about March first of this year,” Bollington said. He told commissioners the developer plans to bring new mobile homes into the park, to construct concrete roadways, include individual parking stalls, provide a storm shelter and set aside green space; the company has contracted an engineering firm to complete detailed design work.

Staff and the developer said the project could include about 290 mobile-home units. Planning staff cautioned that portions of the site include 100-year floodplain that would need to be addressed; Bollington said the developer will elevate areas or use detention as needed and pursue a Letter of Map Revision (LOMA) if required. He said the lots would remain under one ownership; homebuyers would purchase individual mobile-home units that remain titled to the buyer while they rent the underlying lot from the developer.

Commissioners and members of the audience asked about vehicle parking, street widths, utilities and long-term maintenance. Bollington said the plan envisions private streets meeting the city’s mobile-home design standard (lots with access to a hard-surface drive not less than 22 feet; proposed lot widths of roughly 40 feet were discussed) and that public utilities would be extended at the developer’s expense. He also said the developer plans to require that units sited in the park be new and purchased through its Bonneville Homes arm.

Gary Pearson, president of the North Platte River Development Corporation, testified in support: “We obviously 100% support it,” he said, and described the developer’s local track record. Commissioners emphasized the project will require further detailed design and that final engineering and covenants will be reviewed by city staff as the subdivision and site plans move forward.

All three recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration at its May 6 meeting.