Riverbend townhome plan draws denial motion amid floodplain and compatibility concerns

Council members debated an amended PMDP for the Riverbend residential development, focusing on floodplain exposure, setback exemptions and neighborhood compatibility, and a motion to deny the proposal was put on the table.

Planning staff described the request as an amended PMDP for about 16.57 acres proposing 146 townhomes. The plan included requests for reduced front and rear setbacks (from 20 feet to 15 feet in front and 5 feet in the rear for certain units) and noted a portion of the site lies within the hundred-year floodplain. Staff explained the applicant would likely pursue a CLOMR-F/LOMR-F process to bring some land out of the mapped floodplain by filling and would need a floodplain development permit before grading would be allowed.

Council members and residents raised repeated concerns that filling the floodplain could displace flood waters onto neighboring properties, that reduced setbacks would be incompatible with adjacent single-family lots, and that private street/PUD designations and private access easements needed careful review. One councilmember commented that granting repeated exemptions from zoning undermines the zoning ordinance.

After extended discussion the motion to deny the PMDP was made and called for a vote at the meeting. The transcript shows a motion to deny was put forward by a council member citing floodplain and compatibility issues; council then proceeded to vote on the motion during the session. The record of the final vote tallies was not fully clarified in the committee discussion excerpted in the transcript; the motion concluded the committee-level debate and will be reflected in the official minutes and council packet for next steps.

Because the item involved potential changes to flood elevations and required floodplain permitting to proceed, council members emphasized the need for careful engineering analysis before any approval could be considered.