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Council reapproves Enclave at Wooded Point preliminary plat after ownership change and debate over trails and parkland
Summary
Johnston City approved the preliminary plat for the Enclave at Wooded Point, a previously approved development whose approvals expired after permit delays and ownership transfers. Council debated tree removal, whether Lot D or Outlot W should serve as parkland (staff said Lot D will be dedicated, ~0.92 acres usable), trail width (8 ft vs 10 ft), and stormwater/pond safety (staff and engineer said DNR reviewed and did not raise hazard-level concerns).
Johnston City’s council on July 23 approved the preliminary plat for the Enclave at Wooded Point, a residential development whose earlier approvals had lapsed amid federal permitting delays and changes in ownership.
Rose, a city planner, told the council the preliminary plat had initially been approved in April 2022 but expired April 18 after permit delays tied to federal 401/404 processes and a change in property ownership. Ownership has since transferred to JJ Larson Properties LLC and the current applicant is J. Larson Homes, LLC; staff said there are no substantial changes to the previously approved layout.
Rose and staff described a two-phase project with single-family detached lots, areas for potential attached homes, Outlot Y for stormwater detention and Outlot Z as a wet pond. Council members noted substantial tree removal already occurred on the site; staff said most tree clearing has already taken place and only minor underbrush cleanup may remain.
Council members raised questions about parkland dedication and trail configurations. Melissa Hills of Civil Engineering Consultants clarified that the parcel the developer intends to dedicate as parkland is Lot D (a roughly 0.92-acre cleared, level area adjacent to the trail on Northwest 70th Street), not Outlot W as earlier misstated in staff notes. She also said the dam/pond had been reviewed under prior 401/404 permitting and that the DNR verified the improvements did not increase the dam’s hazard classification.
A major point of debate was trail width. The prior construction drawings showed an 8-foot trail; staff said they prefer 10-foot trails where possible but that an 8-foot trail is appropriate along Northwest 88th Street because the existing 60-foot right-of-way leaves little room for both a 10-foot trail and required utilities such as water mains and hydrants. Options discussed included widening the right-of-way (which would reduce lot depth) or securing a separate trail easement to the east to provide additional separation from utilities.
Council members also discussed zoning and acceptance of dedicated parkland: Lot D is zoned C-2 commercial but staff said the city can accept dedication for park purposes without rezoning and that the city is not required to accept a dedication. Several council members requested that future staff reports explicitly state whether parks staff support accepting any dedicated park parcel.
After discussion the council moved, seconded and approved resolution 25-195 to adopt the preliminary plat for the Enclave at Wooded Point. Votes recorded in the transcript show affirmative roll-call votes from multiple council members.
