Mills council advances rezoning of Mountain Meadows after public hearing on stormwater and citation concerns

MILLS — The Mills City Council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 832 on Nov. 12 to rezone Mountain Meadows Subdivision Number 2, Lot 2A (about 27.124 acres) from urban agriculture to Residential 1, after a public hearing in which neighbors pressed the city on stormwater, erosion and apparent citation errors in staff materials.

City staff opened the hearing and said the proposal meets the applicable sections of Title 17 and aligns with the Natrona County 2016 land use plan. A staff presentation described the requested change as a continuity zoning measure to allow low-density single-family homes while accommodating schools and parks.

Sean Gustafson of ECS Engineers, the author of the plat, addressed the council in favor of the rezoning. "We do agree that this is the proper zoning for the area," he said, and told the council that detention areas and subdivision geometry in the engineering plans are intended to address prior stormwater concerns. Gustafson added that the detailed plans will undergo full review.

Several residents spoke in opposition. Property owner Donald Oaks read a written letter and presented a runoff calculation he said shows roughly 197,000 gallons would flow from a half-inch rainfall on the developed portion of the site; he asked, "If the city of Mills approves the rezoning and then approves the subdivision, who's liable for flooding my property?" Oaks also said prior drainage problems have not been addressed by previous approvals.

Francis Ackley, a Latvia Estates resident, urged council to scrutinize staff citations and developer statements. Ackley accused the developer of misrepresenting prior intentions about lot counts and said he could not find the Title 17 citations the staff cited. "If these citations aren't correct, it makes one wonder if Title 17 was consulted at all," he said, and asked that the council table the hearing if the factual record could not be verified.

Council and staff responded that much of the site's runoff routes south and east into an existing detention pond and that the split is roughly one-third to two-thirds; staff said they would review Oaks' letter and the citation concerns. The presiding official also noted that the city's online code has been updated and offered to distribute the submitted letter to council for follow-up.

On the ordinance, council members noted this was the first of three required readings. The motion to approve Ordinance No. 832 on first reading passed by voice vote.

What happens next: Because this was approved on first reading, the ordinance must return for a second and third reading before final adoption; staff said they will investigate the citation questions and follow up with parties who submitted written concerns.