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Planning commission approves MRD‑2 rezoning on McDowell Shortcut with wetlands buffers and stormwater easements
Summary
A 99.66‑acre rezoning to MRD‑2 for 138 homes was approved after applicant commitments to remove lots from flood zones, increase wetland buffers, add sidewalks and convey public stormwater easements; residents continued to press traffic and drainage concerns.
The planning commission approved a rezoning request for 99.66 acres on McDowell Shortcut Road to MRD‑2 to permit 138 single‑family units, staff reported. The plan includes an average 50‑foot wetland buffer (20–80 feet in places), sidewalks and multiple points of access designed to spread traffic; staff also noted two small proposed wetland impacts that the applicant identified and committed to manage.
“We pulled every single lot outside of not only the 100, but the 500 year flood zone,” an applicant representative said when describing revisions made since the last review, adding that the design retains roughly half the predevelopment tree canopy and will provide new stormwater easements for county maintenance. Staff said they received support from the Burgess Community Association and recommended approval.
Residents expressed concerns about traffic volumes, a historically dangerous corner on McDowell Shortcut, ongoing flooding and beaver dams blocking ditches; county stormwater and engineering staff described limited maintenance access in some reaches and said the project will provide additional easements and downstream analysis during review. The commission voted to approve the rezoning after motions and hand votes.
