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Council schedules work meeting, moves Balance of Nature PDO/zone change to August 7
Summary
Developers behind the Balance of Nature project presented a mixed‑use, walking‑village vision and asked for private streets. Council and staff raised concerns about utilities, private‑street maintenance and ownership; a joint work meeting was scheduled and the zone change was continued to August 7 to allow technical issues to be resolved.
The council heard a lengthy presentation and discussion on ZC‑25‑11, a proposed zone change and PDO update for the Balance of Nature property that would remove a planned 27‑acre light industrial portion and replace it with a mixed‑use, R‑1‑10 PDO and a walkable town center.
Neil Terry, the project architect, described an envisioned ‘‘walking village’’ with orchards, a town center, and low‑impact private streets designed to limit parking within the village core. Terry said private streets would support the pedestrian experience by keeping cars on the perimeter and providing private control for events and circulation.
Council and staff repeatedly cautioned that private streets have historically posed maintenance and double‑taxation concerns for residents and that public utilities and maintenance obligations must be clearly defined. Staff noted private streets are expressly prohibited in a PDO under current code and urged that utility access, easements and long‑term maintenance be resolved. Councilmembers asked for a joint work meeting with the planning commission and staff to resolve outstanding technical issues before final action.
Action: a work meeting was scheduled (proposed June 24; final coordination led to a plan to return the item to the council agenda on August 7). The council voted to move the item to the August 7 meeting to allow the work meeting and staff coordination.
Next steps: the applicant will continue to work with staff on utility, street and PDO language; council requested public‑versus‑private street design options, utility easement details, and clarity on which portions would remain public if homes are sold.
