Stonecrest developer appeals city's cul-de-sac definition for 36-home Palisade at Arabia Mountain; ZBA hearing Jan. 20

On Jan. 8, at a City of Stonecrest community planning information meeting, developer Brenda Strickland of TWS Holdings LLC presented the "Palisade at Arabia Mountain" proposal — a 14.05-acre project (about 12.1 developable acres) proposing 36 single-family detached homes — and formally filed an administrative appeal challenging city staff's definition of a "cul de sac," a determination staff said will go to the Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 20.

The appeal matters because the city's cul-de-sac definition determines lot geometry and minimum lot widths; the applicant said adopting her team's broader interpretation is necessary to allow lot sizes under RSM (residential small-lot mix) zoning. Staff told the meeting that rezoning (from C-1 to RSM) and variance requests are on hold until the appeal is decided. The applicant requested that the engineers who prepared the project analysis appear at the Zoning Board of Appeals hearing.

Brenda Strickland said the project is intended to be "environmentally sensitive," citing cluster-lot layout, preservation of riparian areas and tree canopy, and stormwater detention measures to protect downstream ecosystems. She said five borings across the site indicate "no hard granite near the surface" and that "no blasting is expected," while adding that if blasting were required it would trigger state and local permitting and monitoring.

Neighbors pressed multiple concerns. Charles Alexander, who lives across the creek at 4029 Evans Mill Road, said his home required blasting when built and asked who would be responsible if nearby construction caused damage: "They had to dynamite to put my basement in. ... If my house is cracking, who's gonna take care of that?" The developer replied that her statements reflect the geotechnical professional's findings.

Several attendees, including an outspoken resident who identified herself as Miss Cofield and other neighbors (Levi Goffin, Marcus, a longtime resident and Andy Verneau), criticized the applicant for not bringing the project's engineer to the CPIM and for insufficient community outreach. One resident asked whether a crosswalk or other funded pedestrian improvements would be provided for safe access to Arabian Mountain trails; another said the site's rocky topography and proximity to wetlands made it a poor fit for higher-density zoning.

Staff read the city's cul-de-sac standard (Section 14-194) into the record, noting limits such as a maximum closed-end area of 1,200 square feet, an outside radius of 40 feet, a minimum paved clear width of 24 feet and a right-of-way radius no less than 50 feet. Staff explained the administrative appeal is limited to the definition of "cul de sac," and that a decision at the Zoning Board of Appeals will determine whether the applicant's proposed lot measurements can be used; only after that decision would the rezoning and variance applications proceed to subsequent hearings.

The meeting closed with staff confirming the administrative appeal will be heard at the Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m.; no formal vote or decision was taken at the CPIM.

Next steps: the applicant is expected to present engineer-backed technical information at the Jan. 20 ZBA hearing; rezoning and variance requests will remain pending until the appeal is resolved.