Council requires fuller street improvements for Trade Pro development, takes mixed action on waivers

Councilors addressed several development-waiver requests and struck a balance between encouraging development and protecting the public right-of-way.

A Trade Pro large-scale project seeking to waive required street improvements along a roughly 140-foot Oak Grove frontage prompted extended debate about whether partial improvements would leave gaps if adjacent lots remained undeveloped. Planning staff said the developer proposed improving Track 2 (the middle tract) and requested waivers for Tracks 1 and 3; the council voted to deny the waiver for lots 1 and 3 so the developer will be required to provide full street improvements across all three lots when developing (motion approved 6–0). Planning staff and the developer’s engineer said the developer had provided detention for multiple tracks and had executed shared access arrangements.

Earlier, council approved a waiver (option 1) for a small, non-large-scale development in North Springdale that seeks relief from curb/gutter/sidewalk/streetlight requirements on the grounds that surrounding roadways currently lack those improvements.

Council also approved a waiver tied to Paramount Metals’ large-scale development at 2350 Old Wire Road; staff said primary vehicular access would remain to Route 265 while Old Wire would be retained as an emergency or backup access via an existing easement.

On Dixon Street, councilors raised safety concerns because students currently walk in the roadside ditch toward Bayard Elementary. With no project representative present to address whether sidewalk construction was feasible, council voted to table the Dixon Street sidewalk waiver to the Dec. 9 meeting so engineering can evaluate feasibility and cost.