Planning Commission recommends approval of preliminary plan for Settlers Edition in Lennox

The Planning Commission recommended that the city council approve a preliminary plan prepared by Norman Engineering and Surveying for “Settlers Edition,” a proposal that divides a roughly 13-acre property in Lennox into two tracts and designates a greenway easement in a floodplain area.

A planning staff member told the commission the preliminary plan "does comply substantially with our subdivision regulations" and noted that the city engineer and the developer's engineer had exchanged revisions during review. The plan packet includes drainage calculations, contours, proposed area improvements and a delineated wetland area in the northeast corner of the site.

The plan would create Track 2, where the Lennox Lumber Company is currently sited, and Track 1, intended for future development. The staff member said the wetland and adjacent floodplain area are proposed to be dedicated as a greenway easement for potential future recreational trails rather than developed. The property is currently owned in common across the two tracts, the staff member said, and totals more than 13 acres.

Zoning for the site is light industrial. The staff member explained that: customer parking and front stalls (for example in front of the lumber company) must be paved; some service and storage areas may remain gravel or use milled asphalt depending on use; and any driveways onto the highway would require approval by the state Department of Transportation. The plan shows existing stormwater infrastructure and adds additional detention north of the existing pond to account for future impervious surfaces.

On wastewater, the staff member noted the development would rely on temporary sanitary holding tanks "until proposed sanitary sewer trunk is installed." The commission discussed a long-planned sewer project—listed on the state water plan—that would run from east of the Casey's site down past the lumberyard and then west and north to the treatment plant, consolidating several lift stations into one. The staff member said a rough cost estimate two years ago was $16,000,000, and that figure has likely changed.

Commission members asked about driveways, shared access and a 20-foot corridor between the development and the greenway easement that could provide access to the property's north side. They also asked whether the pond shown was existing or to be built; the staff member said the existing pond would be supplemented by additional detention to serve future development.

Commissioner (unnamed) moved to recommend approval to the city council; another commissioner seconded. The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote; the meeting record shows commissioners voting "Aye" with no opposition and the motion carried.

The plan packet and staff report were prepared by Norman Engineering and Surveying and reviewed by Stockholm Engineering, according to staff. The commission's recommendation sends the preliminary plan to the city council for final action.