Planning Commission approves preliminary subdivision for Heather Ridge Phase 6

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the preliminary subdivision application for Heather Ridge Phase 6, a five‑lot extension along 2100 South, after staff told the commission the plan meets applicable code and engineering requirements.

Bob, a city planning staff member, told the commission the application is an administrative review and "if it meets the code, then then it will be approved," and that staff and engineering "recommend that it's ready for approval by this group." The commission voted yes on the preliminary approval.

The proposal would add five residential lots on the south side of 2100 South and extend the street east to connect with an existing dead end at 385 West. The parcel is zoned R‑1 residential, which staff said allows minimum lot sizes of 10,000 square feet and requires at least 80 feet of frontage. The developer’s plan shows the subdivision using the city's standard 60‑foot right‑of‑way cross section, with the developer installing curb, gutter and sidewalk on its half of the road and enough asphalt to provide the minimum 26‑foot travel lane required for fire access. A temporary fire turnaround is shown at the new street end.

Staff said the project will extend water and sewer lines and that an existing stormwater pond to the west was previously sized to accommodate the full buildout of Heather Ridge, so no additional regional stormwater facility is needed for this phase. Staff also noted a change in the rear setback in the applicant’s submittal: the setback shown in the packet had been 20 feet but the applicable standard is 10 feet; staff said that is a technical detail to be confirmed on the final engineering and building permit submittals.

Commissioners asked a few technical questions about setbacks and adjacent property ownership. Bob confirmed that a neighboring property farther north remains undeveloped and that a prior preliminary plan for that parcel had expired. After discussion, the commission approved the preliminary subdivision application; a roll call recorded named affirmative votes by Commissioner Wager, Commissioner White, Mister Broadhead and Commissioner Vaughn.

During public comment, Richard Blinkorn identified himself as a representative for an adjacent property owner and asked how soon construction would begin. Bob replied that preliminary approval is followed by final engineering and permitting and estimated final approval could be three to four months away, but cautioned that developers sometimes delay or projects can take a year or more; he said he would anticipate work could begin in summer but emphasized that the timeline is not guaranteed. Bob also noted the preliminary approval will expire in one year if the applicant does not submit the required engineering application.

The commission’s approval was limited to the preliminary subdivision application; staff said final engineering and building permits must still be submitted and reviewed before any construction begins.