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Reserve at Wildcat Creek preliminary plat results in tie vote after residents warn of washouts and flood risk
Summary
The planning board split on the Reserve at Wildcat Creek preliminary subdivision (80.27 acres, 38 lots) after neighbors described recurring washouts on Wright Avenue and board members questioned reliance on a county-owned box culvert; roll call produced a tie and the matter will be appealed to the county judge.
The Washington County Planning Board could not reach a majority on the Reserve at Wildcat Creek preliminary subdivision after public comment and technical questions about flood control and a county-owned box culvert.
Staff described the proposal as an 80.27-acre subdivision with 38 lots (37 buildable and one common-area detention). Applicant Anthony Fredo of Sand Creek Engineering said the project would include septic service for lots and public water connections and that the road arrangement and fire-department requirements were coordinated during review.
Board members pressed the applicant on stormwater: several asked why no detention ponds were proposed for portions of the site in a floodplain. Fredo said engineers modeled detention and that much of the site drains into an existing floodplain; he said the county road department asked the applicant not to alter an existing box culvert under Right Road and that the applicant’s modeling showed no adverse impact from their development.
Residents who live along Wright Avenue urged additional road and drainage work. "It washes around that curve. It washes out the driveways of the residents there," said Barbara Landry (2992 Wright Road), who described repeated washouts in 32 years living there and asked that the sharp 90-degree curve be softened. Marsha Thomas (2950 Wright Avenue) raised sight-line and safety concerns for heavy equipment accessing driveways on that curve.
Developer Skip Anderson (Anderson Custom Homes) told the board the project will tie into a larger 8-inch water line from the south to provide adequate pressure: "We are coming with an 8 inch line ... and have plenty of water pressure for the houses, pressure for the fire." He said the developer plans to soften the corner where feasible and pursue cost-sharing with the Washington County Road Department to extend paving.
When the board voted on a motion to approve, roll call produced a tie (yes: Jay Piercy; Lorna Sheckard Ford — no: Michael Thompson; Chantelle Perrier; several members were absent). The chair explained a tie requires appeal to the county judge. Planning staff reiterated that the proposal meets Washington County ordinances and that road-department feedback had not objected to the submittal.
Because the vote was tied, there was no formal approval; the chair advised the matter may be appealed to the county judge for resolution.
