Commission approves Route 66 Villas rezoning and PRD concept; staff to refine traffic, Route 66 protections

The Planning & Zoning Commission considered PZ7‑26, a three‑part request to change the town center regulating plan designation, rezoning and a planned residential development overlay for a 12.17‑acre site on Manchester Road to allow roughly 39–40 attached single‑family villas in small 2‑ and 3‑unit clusters. Planning staff recommended approval in principle, noting the proposal preserves the creek and historic Route 66 roadbed and includes front porches and front‑entry garages configured to meet town‑center neighborhood design guidelines.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about traffic, construction‑period protections for the historic Route 66 pavement, mailbox cluster siting and daily parking counts. Staff confirmed the proposal programs four spaces per unit (two in a two‑car garage and two driveway spaces) and intends mailbox clusters at Manchester Road access points. The department also included a condition dedicating right‑of‑way for a future roundabout at Fairway and Manchester and described the likely approach of city‑held escrow funds contributed by adjacent developers to build that improvement; the city would construct the roundabout when funded. After discussion, the commission approved the department's recommendation by roll call (the record shows the motion passed 7–1 with Commissioner Deppler voting No). Staff will return with traffic‑study details and follow‑up responses to design questions prior to the September recommendation letter.