The Planning Commission on Nov. 6 voted unanimously to forward the final plat for the Derby Water Treatment Plant addition to City Council, including planning‑commission comments and coordination with county officials on Hillside access.

Staff said the 12.8‑acre site (north of 95th Street, east of Hillside) was annexed for construction of a water treatment facility and two wells. The water plant and wells are defined as a public utility use, and the city previously approved a zone change and special use for the site. The applicant and city design team presented a revised site plan that includes two gated driveways to accommodate semi‑truck deliveries (chlorine tanks and large equipment) and proposed that driveway locations be finalized during site‑plan review rather than fixed in the plat.

City staff recommended several waivers and modifications for the final plat: waive the requirement to extend streets and pedestrian connections across rural parcels where such extensions are impractical, waive certain side/rear lot easements that are not needed for the project, permit utilities to be established by separate instrument if required, accept the drainage plan subject to minor revisions, and waive the developer‑agreement requirement while the city is the property owner. Staff also noted that the proposed plant building is industrial in character (tilt‑up concrete walls) and that the M‑1 district was selected to ensure appropriate design exemptions.

Charlie Brown of PEC, the city’s agent on the plat, explained the truck‑maneuvering rationale for two drives and recommended porously locating the openings on the plat while leaving detailed siting to engineering review. Commissioners asked staff to confirm county public‑works expectations for access on Hillside because Hillside is a county road; staff agreed to coordinate with county engineers.

A motion to forward the final plat and staff recommendations to City Council (including the requested waivers and a recommendation to resolve county access questions) passed 8–0.