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Planning commission approves Shepherd of the Hills replat and companion rezoning
Summary
The Casper Planning and Zoning Commission approved a two-parcel replat and companion rezoning for the Shepherd of the Hills Addition at 4600 South Poplar, including a city takeover of a church-owned columbarium to expand cemetery capacity; both actions were unanimous among members present.
The Casper Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve a replat and a companion zoning change for the Shepherd of the Hills Addition at 4600 South Poplar, allowing the Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church to subdivide its property and transfer a church-owned columbarium to city ownership.
The staff report said the vacation and replat will split the property into two parcels: a westernmost parcel (lot two) that fronts Chinook Trail and currently contains the columbarium, and a smaller church parcel (lot one) that will be roughly 2.37 acres after the division. Planning staff told the commission that the existing R1 zoning requires a three-acre minimum for churches, so the application included a request to rezone the church parcel to R4 (high-density residential) and to designate the columbarium parcel PH (Park Historic). Staff recommended approval with a condition that the zoning change be approved.
Dale Warren, identified in the record as the applicant’s administrator, answered commissioners’ questions about access and confirmed the church has been working with the city to transfer the columbarium so it can be owned and managed as part of the city’s cemetery system to provide additional capacity at Highland Park Cemetery.
Commissioner Elston moved to approve the replat with the condition that the rezoning be approved; Commissioner Hutchinson seconded. The commission voted with all members aye and the motion carried. The commission then voted to approve the rezoning request after a separate motion by Commissioner Ruble and a second by Commissioner Plocek; that motion also carried with all members voting aye.
Staff said the city will follow up with the applicant to complete paperwork and that future improvements to the property — such as landscaping or irrigation — would be considered as part of a study or plan the city expects to develop over the next year or two. Staff also confirmed the city will maintain the property for fire-hazard mitigation until a long-term plan is adopted. Notices for the cases were mailed to owners within 300 feet of the property, staff said.
The commission recorded no public comments on the replat or rezoning during the hearing. The applicant and city staff will complete the ministerial steps needed to finalize the replat and zoning change.
