Planning commission continues High Star Ranch preliminary plat after residents raise trails, water and wildfire-egress concerns

The Kamas City Planning Commission on Aug. 4 continued a public hearing on a proposed 120-lot preliminary subdivision plat for High Star Ranch, asking the applicant to revise the plat and return with documentation resolving lot-frontage and other code issues.

Planner Jill told commissioners the application from High Star Ventures requests a major subdivision preliminary plat for 120 single-family lots, six open-space parcels, a water-tank lot and internal roads on Super Lot 7. Jill said staff identified multiple lots that do not meet the minimum lot-frontage requirements in Kamas City Code section 10-050 and recommended tabling the application until those requirements are corrected.

Guy Williams, the civil engineer and owners representative for the applicant, said the developer is working to bring the plat into compliance and to provide the required water infrastructure. "We appreciate all the time of staff as well as the planning commission," Williams said, and added the team is "working on that right now, trying to make sure that we're in compliance with everything, and then also provide the water up there." (Guy Williams, civil engineer/owner's rep)

During public comment multiple High Star residents urged that the revised plat include trails and equestrian access and asked staff to confirm the plat does not impair irrigation rights. Steve Springer said he had no objection to the plat but asked about implications from vacating Super Lot 6; Sanford Melville and Sergio Castellanos both urged the commission to ensure trails connect to the broader Kamas community.

Neighbor Marv Mitchell raised irrigation concerns and asked staff to verify that existing irrigation users will not lose water rights because of the subdivision. "We get our irrigation water out of Beaver Shingle Creek," Mitchell said, asking for maps and assurances that neighbors' water access will be protected.

Commissioner Tammy expressed safety concerns tied to wildfire risk and the current road network: "There's only one way in and one way out of that place, egress," she said, calling the single-egress configuration "very, very scary" given the parcels topography and potential fire risk. Tammy urged staff and the developer to consider reducing the number of homes or providing a second access.

After discussion about frontage, water and emergency egress, a commissioner moved to continue the application to the next meeting so the applicant can submit revised materials; the motion included language to schedule another public hearing when the revisions and compliance information are available. The commission agreed to continue the item and hold an additional hearing when the revised plat is presented.

Next steps: the applicant is expected to submit a revised preliminary plat addressing minimum frontage, water infrastructure details and the public-access/trail concerns; the commission will schedule a subsequent public hearing when those materials are provided and ready for decision.