Bannock County planning council approves preliminary plat for Westfield Estates Division 6

The Bannock County Planning & Development Council on March 19 approved the preliminary plat for Westfield Estates Division 6, allowing the developer to move toward final plat and construction-plan review. The council voted 4-0 to approve the preliminary plat with eight conditions recommended by staff.

The county's planning staff presented the application and eight conditions recommended for final-plat and construction-plan review. Elise Foster, subdivision planner for Bannock County Planning & Development, told the council she had recommended eight conditions and suggested clarifying language for the first condition about roadside drainage swales. "You have a staff report in front of you. I had 8 conditions, recommended to council. I reviewed number 1 a little closer and think word should be added to the end to make it a little bit more clear," Foster said.

The conditions placed on approval require, among other items: roadside drainage swales to be constructed by the developer before the final plat is recorded; all road-name and traffic signs installed and approved by staff before Division 6 is recorded; all easements depicted on the final plat; roads built to Bannock County Highway Standards and Roadway Development Procedures (HSRDP); irrigation lines in the right-of-way to be covered by a recorded easement; and that no utilities other than city water and city sewer be located within the right-of-way. The motion also required a development-agreement instrument and county variance instrument number 22127540 to be referenced on the final plat, and for the CCRs to reference Westfield Estates Division 6.

Developer representative Tanner Stanquist of Intermountain Development Construction said westfield Division 4 road signs are already in place and asked staff to inspect and note that in the record. "They are in, so I probably just didn't let somebody at the county know that someone could go out there and inspect them and make sure that they are in," Stanquist said.

Council members discussed a nonconforming situation on Lot 9: the lot was originally part of Westfield Estates Phase 4 but was included in Division 6 because a structure on the lot did not meet setback requirements. Staff said including Lot 9 in the new division allowed the lot to be adjusted rather than pursuing a variance process. Foster noted easements shown on Phase 4 must be updated on the Division 6 final plat.

Planning staff and the county surveyor will review the final plat and construction plans; final plats proceed to the Board of County Commissioners for signature. Council member Molly Dillon moved to approve the preliminary plat "as described in the application materials as supplemented with additional information attached in the staff report" and to adopt the proposed findings and order with the eight staff conditions. Chad Solomay seconded. A roll-call vote recorded Molly Dillon, Jack Sullivan, Edward Orange and Crystal Madison voting yes; the motion carried 4-0.

With the preliminary plat approved, the developer must complete the listed items and submit final plats and construction plans for county review and signature before any recordation or construction can begin.