Commission recommends annexation of 5599 West 19th Avenue into city with RSS zoning

On July 7 the Planning Commission recommended City Council approve annexation ANX-2601, a petition to annex about 33.64 acres at 5599 West 19th Avenue and zone it RSS (small-lot single-family residential) to align with the adjacent Golden Oaks neighborhood.

Henry Biebelheimer of Development Services explained the property abuts the city limits on three sides and that the annexation would update the future land use map under Envision Stillwater 2045 to designate the area as low-density residential. "The petition to annex includes 33.64 acres, which abuts the city limits on 3 sides," he said.

Aaron Ferguson of Bancroft Design, representing the property owner, said the annexation is planned as an expansion of the existing Golden Oaks planned unit development; any PUD requirements or detailed design would be reviewed in later hearings.

No members of the public spoke during the public hearing. A commissioner said the annexation aligns with prior planning discussions about accommodating more housing but asked that staff and developers address Range Road’s poor condition when the preliminary plat is presented. "Range Road...is in very poor condition," the commissioner said, and asked that a plan for improving the road accompany future plats.

A motion to accept findings and recommend City Council approve the annexation passed 5-0.

Next steps: staff will forward the recommendation to City Council and the developer will bring preliminary plat materials, at which time infrastructure issues such as Range Road will be examined.