Board approves Penrose Place PUD and conditionally accepts plat with FRICO review required

The Frederick Board of Trustees approved a planned unit development (PUD) rezoning for the Penrose Place subdivision and conditionally approved its preliminary/final plat on a 5–0 vote after a public hearing.

Autumn, a town planning staff member, told the board the proposal would convert a roughly 12.8‑acre undeveloped site at the northeast corner of Highway 52 and Ridgeway Boulevard into 110 lots: 34 single‑family detached and 76 duplex units. The project would provide about 3.34 acres of common open space (26% of the site), three access points off Penrose Boulevard, alley access to the rear of lots, and a trail corridor along Highway 52. Staff recommended approval but included a condition tied to FRICO’s review of an off‑site ADA ramp that may affect ditch access.

The planning presentation said transportation triggers associated with the subdivision include construction of a southbound right‑turn lane from Ridgeway onto Highway 52, widening along Ridgeway Boulevard to a 100‑foot right‑of‑way standard and additional turn lanes where needed. Autumn said town estimates put the total cost of those improvements at roughly $460,000, with the developer’s proportional contribution at about $151,000 and the town’s share near $309,000.

Savannah Benedict Welch, the project planner with Norris Design, described design commitments in the PUD: water‑wise landscaping with no turf requirements, architectural standards, on‑lot landscaping minimums and scattered guest parking. She confirmed the plan shows 42 guest spaces where 36 were required.

Joey Reel, the applicant representing Rizewell Homes, said the proposal mixes product types that the market lacks locally and that the developer has worked with town staff for several years to meet code requirements.

Board members asked staff and the applicant detailed questions about the traffic study (staff noted a February 2025 update with minor corrections), guest parking distribution, and the FRICO review. Autumn told trustees the staff condition requires the owner to obtain written confirmation from Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Companies that FRICO’s review is complete and to provide that letter to the town; no building permits for the project shall be issued until the town receives FRICO’s letter, though grading and right‑of‑way permits for public improvements are not restricted.

Trustees then voted to approve Ordinance 14‑10 (the PUD rezoning) and to adopt Resolution 26‑R‑04, which conditionally approves the Plat and the Memorandum of Agreement for Public Improvements (MOAPI), with the FRICO confirmation requirement incorporated. The motions passed 5–0. The town attorney and planning staff will follow up on final plat documentation and the required FRICO correspondence.

What’s next: The developer may begin public‑improvement work following the MOAPI; no residential building permits will be issued until the town receives FRICO’s written confirmation that their review is complete.