Land Use Authority approves Hartwood Farms preliminary plat; requires public right-of-way easement for 1410 South

The Washington City Land Use Authority on Nov. 5 approved a preliminary plat for the Hartwood Farms subdivision, which creates two residential lots and leaves roughly 7.06 acres for future development. Staff recommended approval subject to standard findings and conditions and noted the developer will be required to provide a trail easement adjacent to the Rip Rap/armor berm and that rip-rap work would occur at the developer’s expense.

Staff described Lot 1 as approximately 5.44 acres and Lot 2 as approximately 1.19 acres, with the remaining acreage reserved for a future phase. The proposal conforms to the site’s zoning designations, and staff asked the land use authority to consider the applicant’s request without requiring immediate road improvements for the north portion of 1410 South because the parcel to remain undeveloped in the short term. Public works staff advised that a major storm drain trunk (a larger regional project) is planned for the area and that constructing a permanent road before the trunk line is installed could increase costs because the city anticipates future excavation for that project.

Multiple neighbors spoke at the public hearing and urged that 1410 South, a narrow road used by current residents, be finished; they described tight conditions for large vehicles and emergency access. The applicant (a family that has owned the property for many years) said their intent is to build a home for family and retain pasture land; they said immediate construction of a full road is a financial hardship and prefer not to fully develop the north parcel at this time. Commissioners discussed options, including requiring immediate construction of the road or requiring that the property owner dedicate the full-width right-of-way now so the city can build or require construction later. Several commissioners and staff favored requiring dedication of the public right-of-way easement at final plat while postponing physical road construction until either the city’s trunk-line project or future development makes construction appropriate.

Commissioner Anderson moved to approve the preliminary plat with staff findings and conditions and to add a condition requiring that a full-width public right-of-way easement for 1410 South be shown and dedicated on the final plat. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Tupelo and carried by voice vote.

The decision requires the applicant to dedicate the full right-of-way on the final plat; the city will not require immediate construction of the full road as a condition of preliminary approval, but public works retains discretion to require improvements at final plat or during subsequent development stages. Staff noted the developer is responsible for required rip-rap and trail easement work described in the staff report.