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Planning commission backs amendment to Sweetgrass PUD to formalize 45‑acre city park, allow private build-out of remainder
Summary
The commission recommended approval of an amendment to the Sweetgrass PUD that would dedicate a 45‑acre city‑maintained community park and permit roughly 27–30 acres to be privately developed for recreation or other uses; staff and the parks planner supported the change while residents asked for clearer timelines.
Commissioners recommended the governing body approve a major amendment to the Sweetgrass planned unit development that narrows the city’s maintenance obligation to a 45‑acre community park while leaving the remainder of the originally dedicated 72 acres available for private development or future dedication.
Casey Palma, agent for the owner, told the commission the amendment “changes the PD to allow for a 45 acre public park” at the originally planned intersection and would let “the remainder of, you know, 28 acres plus or minus be developed privately.” Palma said the change preserves the total recreational acreage in the project while reflecting the city’s request that it manage only about 45 acres.
Planner Connor White said staff and the parks and greenway planner reviewed the amendment and recommended approval, noting the amendment does not change the park’s location or the PUD’s internal zoning districts but does reduce the acreage the city is expected to develop and maintain. “Staff does recommend approval of the PUD amendment,” White told the panel.
Several residents pressed for a clearer timetable. Tammy Shepherd of Sweetgrass said she worried the leftover acreage could become high‑density housing: “I don’t wanna see us surrounded with more apartments or condominiums or townhouses,” Shepherd said, asking when the use of the approximately 30 acres would be decided. Seth Medina (Zoom) asked when the city expected to break ground on the 45‑acre parcel.
Palma said obstacles remain — including a gas‑metering station on Avenue C — but he anticipated a plat could come to the commission within about three months to establish ownership boundaries, and he repeated that “there’s no intent to submit a zone change for that” acreage at this time. Palma added that uses outside city maintenance would be limited to what the recreational zone allows unless a landowner initiates the separate zone‑change process spelled out in the amendment.
The commission voted to recommend approval; staff will forward the recommendation, application materials and public comments to the governing body for final action. If approved by council, the amendment will establish the 45‑acre community park as the city’s maintained parcel while allowing development options for the remainder subject to the PUD and any future zone‑change process.
The planning record shows staff and Parks support for the amendment; residents asked for a clearer schedule for park development and for continuing notice about any future proposals for the privately held acreage.
