The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a proposal by Carter Development to annex about two acres at the northwest corner of Ellsworth Road and Happy Road, rezone the parcel to C-1 (light commercial), and approve a single-story office site plan, with several conditions to address neighborhood concerns about traffic, lighting and buffering.

Nathan Warren, planner I with development services, summarized the concurrent requests and described several stipulation edits: removal of one prior condition, modifications to others, and a 7% cost-share requirement for a future traffic signal at Ellsworth and Happy Road as identified by the town’s traffic engineer. Warren also described the proposal’s context: a roughly 2-acre parcel, proposed single-story office building with about 22% lot coverage, substantial perimeter landscaping and the applicant’s agreement to provide a 10-foot multiuse trail along Ellsworth.

Chris Webb, attorney with Rose Law Group representing Carter Development, said the company plans to use part of the approximately 17,000-square-foot building for its own offices and to make the remaining space available for lease. Webb emphasized neighborhood compatibility moves the applicant made after outreach: the design was reduced from two stories to a single story, the building was sited toward the arterial to maximize separation from nearby homes, perimeter buffers and double rows of trees were added and lighting was minimized and downshielded to preserve the area’s dark-sky character. Webb said the project will install a dedicated right-turn lane on Ellsworth and that the developer would erect signage to deter drivers from turning right from the site onto Happy Road.

Residents who spoke at the hearing opposed the rezoning and raised issues including the condition of unpaved and chip-sealed portions of Happy Road and nearby dirt roads (204th and 206th streets), the potential for higher traffic on narrow, rural roads used for horses and children’s recreation, concerns about lighting at night and a petition and multiple emails opposed to the rezoning. Speakers included a resident who said he lives across the street from the site and another who said she and neighbors maintain portions of the unaccepted roads themselves and worry about safety for horses and children.

During follow-up questions, commissioners asked about the scope of the developer’s obligation under a vaguely worded stipulation to “work with the town on additional traffic mitigations on Happy Road, if necessary.” The applicant and staff clarified that a right-turn lane onto Ellsworth is part of the site plan and will be built as required, and that the catch-all condition is intended to require cooperation if complaints or measurable traffic impacts arise later; specific mitigations could include signage or county coordination for measures on county-maintained road segments.

After discussion, the commission voted to recommend approval of P24-0112 and P24-0113 with added stipulations: two staggered rows of landscape trees along the northern boundary (24-inch box, minimum 6-foot planting height) and confirmation the applicant will install the right-turn lane and no-right-turn signage to discourage traffic from using Happy Road to shortcut to local neighborhoods. The motion passed on a recorded vote with six ayes and one nay.