River Heights DRC approves preliminary plat for Taylor Heights with conditions on stormwater, sewer, road and utilities

River Heights City Development Review Committee Chairman Noel Cooley on April 16, 2025, moved and the committee approved the preliminary plat for the Taylor Heights minor subdivision, with conditions the committee directed staff and the applicant to address before the final plat is recorded.

The committee said the approval was conditional on the applicant providing detailed red-line revisions and construction drawings that resolve stormwater calculations and easement language, confirm sewer routing and manhole design, document power easements or franchise rights, and show setbacks and building envelopes on the final plat.

Why it matters: The committee focused on technical and legal details that will determine how stormwater and irrigation are managed, whether the private lane will reliably support fire apparatus, and where utilities will run — issues that affect neighboring Cobblestone residents and future property owners in the subdivision.

Drew Schrader, the applicant's representative for the Taylor family, presented the packet and read a letter from the applicants describing their drainage approach and asking that final plat approval not be delayed by third-party easements. Schrader said the preliminary plat includes a 5,500 cubic-foot detention basin sized so the post-development discharge rate matches the predevelopment rate; the submitted design shows a controlled discharge of 0.13 cubic feet per second. Schrader also provided a written authorization from Isaac Howling, president of ProLog, permitting use of the 800 South canal for stormwater and irrigation runoff "provided we do not overwhelm the 800 South water conveyance system," and asked the DRC to allow concurrent city review and final-plat processing.

City reviewers and committee members made several technical requests and clarifications. A city reviewer identified as Craig said the stormwater calculations appear reasonable in concept but that the submittal lacked the storm intensity-duration curves used for the runoff calculations; he asked the applicant to supply those curves so staff could verify the design storm event. Craig also noted the detention basin will be shallow due to a high groundwater table observed in on-site test pits (about 2 feet below the surface) and reminded the applicant that the detention area must be placed within an easement shown on the final plat.

Committee members and reviewers discussed irrigation flow entering the site. The plan shows irrigation water conveyed in a swale along the west side of the property; reviewers warned that irrigation flows could frequently fill the shallow detention facility unless irrigation runoff is routed separately. The applicant agreed to revise the plans to keep irrigation discharge out of the detention basin and to show the separate conveyance on the red-line resubmittal.

Sewer and manhole routing were addressed. The preliminary plat shows the sewer upgraded to an 8-inch line as requested. Committee member Clayton Nelson recommended evaluating whether an existing manhole located near the center of the lot could be used as a drop manhole to limit new digging on 800 South; staff said they would check elevations and include a recommended layout as a red-line item.

Fire access and pavement standards were another focus. The DRC confirmed the submitted private-lane section provides a 26-foot right-of-way with 20 feet of asphalt (the private-lane dimensions in the code differ from full city streets). Staff noted the deputy fire marshal emailed that the current road width is adequate for access but cautioned final compliance depends on building locations and hydrant coverage. Reviewers asked the applicant either to provide a pavement design demonstrating the proposed structural section will support fire apparatus and construction traffic or to increase the compacted subbase to a minimum of 12 inches; staff said it will review any pavement design submitted by a geotechnical or civil engineer.

Power delivery options remain to be finalized. The applicant provided a letter from Rocky Mountain Power saying more than one connection approach would be acceptable; staff will locate the city's franchise agreement with Rocky Mountain Power and confirm whether the franchise supplies an existing easement across the parcel or whether an easement from neighboring property owners will be necessary. The DRC instructed the applicant to show power easements on the final plat if the connection comes from the pole at the north edge of the property.

Other conditions and clarifications required before final plat approval include: correcting a contact-name typo in the irrigation authorization; adding a clause in the covenants and restrictions that city law supersedes conflicting covenants; showing mail and garbage staging locations in the construction drawings; and explicitly prohibiting above-ground utility poles in the CCRs if the city requires underground utilities.

The committee made one formal motion. A member moved to approve the preliminary plat "of Taylor Heights subdivision with the conditions noted by the chair," a second was heard, and the committee voted unanimously in favor. The committee directed staff to compile formal red-line comments and return the file to the applicant; staff said the red-line list would be issued as a separate construction-document comment package in advance of the next DRC meeting.

Next steps: The applicant will submit revised preliminary/final plans and the construction drawings requested by staff. The DRC will consider the final plat after the applicant addresses the red-line conditions and provides the required easement language, stormwater verification, pavement design or geotechnical pavement calculations, and any necessary utility easements.

"We are anxious to begin development of our property and request that the DRC speedily allow final plat approval independent of third-party agreements River Heights City may elect to pursue," Drew Schrader said while reading the applicant letter. Noel Cooley and committee members thanked the applicant and staff and closed the item.