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Commission denies request to allow sub‑one‑acre lots in Hunter Chase subdivision
Summary
Jefferson County commissioners denied VAR26‑0007, rejecting a request to allow approximately 30 lots under the R‑1 one‑acre minimum in the Hunter Chase subdivision; vote was 4–1, with Commissioner Arnell dissenting who cited vested‑rights arguments.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4–1 on June 17 to deny VAR26‑0007, a variance sought by Rigby 191, LLC to allow roughly 30 lots sized 0.9–0.96 acres in the Hunter Chase preliminary plat. Commissioner Lacy Barney moved to deny the variance under Section 112‑98; Warren Albertson seconded and the motion carried with Commissioner Jared Arnell the lone dissenting vote.
Applicant representative Kip Archibald said the plat had undergone multiple iterations, increased the public right‑of‑way from 60 to 100 feet at the County’s request, and argued the smaller lot sizes do not include the dedicated right‑of‑way. Neighbors including Chuck Boehm, Amber Kent and Jerry Matthews urged resizing lots to avoid the variance and cited precedent, water availability, traffic, and infrastructure capacity. Commissioners debated whether hardship was self‑imposed, the effect of code changes adopted in May 2026, and whether administrative approval could have handled limited deviations; several members said the number of sub‑one‑acre lots (29) was too high to authorize by variance. The applicant may appeal the denial to the County Commissioners or redraw the plat to eliminate the need for variances.
