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Planning commission approves Cedar Valley Estates preliminary and final plats, with conditions on trees and lighting
Summary
The De Soto City Planning Commission approved the preliminary and final plats for Cedar Valley Estates, requiring sidewalks, an initial streetlight at the entrance, and staff authority to approve an alternative landscaping plan if the city council later amends the street-tree standard for rural subdivisions.
The De Soto City Planning Commission voted to approve the preliminary and final plats for Cedar Valley Estates on a motion that included staff-recommended conditions for sidewalks, streetlights and landscaping.
Brad, a planning staff member, told the commission the developer’s engineer and staff had reviewed stormwater and concluded the development “won’t change the potential for flooding.” He said the preliminary plat shows sidewalks that will be installed by the developer and maintained by the homeowners association, and that staff had recommended streetlights at three locations along Cedar Creek Road and within the subdivision.
The applicant, Brad Tigger, told commissioners the project’s preference for fewer streetlights was about preserving a rural feel, not cost. "Not because of cost, just because of the feel," he said, adding the HOA might require accent lighting on homes as a compromise.
Commissioners asked for clarity on the sidewalk alignment, mailbox placement and whether the landscaping plan could be clustered rather than strictly spaced. Staff noted the city code currently requires a large deciduous street tree every 40 feet of frontage; staff proposed that rural subdivisions be allowed to cluster trees while keeping the same total number of plantings.
A commissioner moved to approve the preliminary plat with staff recommendations and to allow staff to administratively approve an alternative landscaping plan if the city council subsequently approves a text amendment changing the street-tree requirement for rural subdivisions; the motion carried by roll call with all present voting yes and one commissioner absent. The commission then approved the final plat, finding it met standards for rights-of-way and easements and forwarding it to city council for acceptance and recording at the county courthouse.
The approvals carry conditions noted by staff: sidewalks as shown on the plats, homeowner association maintenance of sidewalks and right-of-way maintenance per the staff report, and placement of a common mailbox area on the preliminary plat. The commission’s action preserves staff flexibility to implement a clustered-tree approach if the council enacts the proposed text amendment.
The planning commission is expected to forward the final plat to city council for formal acceptance and recording.
