Commission hears Gibson Farm master‑plan concept, discusses river setbacks, open space and municipal service funding

Planning staff and the applicant team presented the Gibson Farm master‑plan rezone concept during the Feb. 11 work session, framing it as a conditional neighborhood (TN) master‑planned community guided by a concept plan and a development agreement. The presentation focused on community design principles — compact, walkable streets; mixed residential and commercial nodes; and concentrated open‑space corridors — and described a conceptual ‘‘emerald necklace’’ of parks and river nodes.

Key features and staff proposals: - Concept and form: The applicant’s concept plan concentrates higher‑intensity mixed‑use and multifamily development in a central ‘‘mainstreet’’ district while tapering to single‑family and lower‑intensity housing at the edges to preserve homeownership opportunities. - Open space and river corridor: The development agreement would require roughly 92 acres of open space. Staff proposed a minimum 100‑foot river setback on the concept plan, with a 300‑foot buffer triggering additional studies for flood hazard, hydrology and bank stabilization if development is proposed closer than 300 feet. The applicant indicated willingness to undertake selective riverbank recontouring and maintenance in exchange for flexibility where appropriate. - Schools, parks and phasing: The applicant and staff discussed cooperative approaches with the school district to site schools within the master plan and to share amenities; staff indicated the value of developers contributing land for schools to reduce long‑term taxpayer impacts. Phasing will be tied to infrastructure and service requirements. - Municipal services funding: Staff and the commission discussed a municipal services tax overlay (a site‑specific additional property tax) as a financing mechanism to pay for higher levels of municipal services in newly developed, unincorporated areas; staff also noted the municipal services fund is currently limited and cannot fully absorb all new service costs.

Commission discussion centered on transportation phasing and intersection impacts, ensuring the river corridor is protected while allowing concentrated riverfront nodes, and confirming that developer commitments — road dedications, park acreage and infrastructure guarantees — will be captured in a development agreement before a public hearing.

Next steps: staff said a March public hearing is anticipated and that commissioners and staff will circulate detailed comments on the draft development agreement. The applicant was asked to provide additional studies on flood risk and a refined phasing and transportation plan before the public hearing.