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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-11-27 - Minutes• • • MINUTES OF A SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE MEETING A meeting of the Subdivision Committee of the City Planning Commission was held on Monday, November 27, 1978, at 4:15 P.M., in the Board of Directors Room, City Administration Building, Fayetteville, Arkansas. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Ernest Jacks, Newton Hailey, Keith Newhouse, Bill Kisor and Larry Wood. MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: • None. Bobbie Jones, Gail Biswell, Charles Combs, J. B. Hays, Johnie Bassett, Ervan Wimberly, Harry Gray, Jim Witt, Tom Robinson, Janet McMullen, and other unidentified members of the audience. Chairman Jacks called the meeting to order. Keith Newhouse moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 13, 1978, as mailed. Newton Hailey seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The first item for discussion was the Large Scale Development (LSD) plan of Charles Combs for construction of a cabaret North of 15th Street and East of Morningside Drive. Charles Combs was present to represent. Newton Hailey questioned whether this Committee could consider this LSD since it was actually a Conditional Use which would have to be approved by the Planning Commission. After discussion betweenthe members, Bill Kisor stated that the proposed LSD could and should be discussed since it had al- ready been scheduled, the developer was present, and notification had already been made that it would be heard. Chairman Jacks opened the discussion by stating that the Plat Review Committee had questioned the availability of sewer to the property and had disapproved of the size of the proposed sign. Bobbie Jones replied that she had read the sign wrong and that the proposed sign would meet requirements. Charles Combs stated that he had talked with the City Engineer regard- ing the sewer problem and that an engineer would have to decide whether there would be sufficient fall for sewer. He stated that Steve Cummings had given him an easement to connect on to the Shenandoah Mobile Home Park's sewer, if necessary. Bobbie Jones stated that gas was not available on the property, the closest gas line being East of Shenandoah Mobile Home Park. However, she added, the gas problem was not nearly as critical to development as the sewer was since gas service does not depend upon the grade of the land. Bill Kisor moved to recommend approval of the LSD to the Planning Com- mission contingent upon (1) the Conditional Use being approved, and (2) the sewer service being worked out to the CityEngineer's satisfaction. Keith Newhouse seconded the motion, which passed 3-1 with Newton Hailey casting the "nay" vote. • MINUTES CHARLES COMBS Large Scale Development North of 15th St. and East of Morningside Drive X20 • • • Subdivision Committee Meeting November 27, 1978 The next item for discussion was the EASTWOOD ESTATES preliminary plat of Eastwood Estates, lo- Preliminary Plat cated on Crossover Road between Hwy. 45 and Crossover Road Manor Drive, property zoned R-1, Low Density Residential District. J. B. Hays, Johnie Bassett and Ervan Wimberly were present to represent. Chairman Jacks stated that the Plat Review Committee had recommended dedication of an additional 10 feet off of the West side of Hwy. 265 in order to bring the right-of-way up to master street plan standards. Ervan Wimberly commented that the gas company has a 50 feet easement along Crossover Road and has two large high pressure lines (8" and 10") lo- cated in that easement. He stated that if his developers deeded the extra right-of-way and then sometime in the future the highway department decided to widen Crossover Road, the gas company would have to remove and relocate these lines at its own expense. J. B. Hays explained that he and Johnie Bassett, as developers, had no objections to giving the extra 10 feet easement. Chairman Jacks stated that the only other real problem with the plat was the layout of the lots, which included a long tandem approach to the 3 back lots (6, 7, and 8). He stated that the Plat Review Committee had sev- eral comments concerning the layout, i.e., Larry Wood and Clayton Powell felt public street dedications should be made for north -south and east -west access roads; the City Engineer's office was concerned about availability of sewer; and the utility companies had asked for 10 or 11 easements. He stated that the proposed layout of the lots practically eliminated future development of any of the lots and would shut out the possibility of ever getting any public access through the lots. Mr Jacks asked Bobbie Jones whether she had received the signatures of the adjoining property owners and she stated that she had not. Mr. Jacks then said that it was the policy of this Committee to not approve any plat without the signatures Ervan Wimberly replied that practically all of the signatures had been obtained and that his associate, Harry Gray, was out try- ing to get the rest of the signatures at that very moment. Mr. Jacks then stated that they could not approve the plat without the signatures, but they could review the general layout in order for the developers to understand the Committee'sfeelings on the matter. Mr. Jacks stated that the Tandem Lot Ordinance had been designed for land areas which had topographical problems to overcome, but that he didn't think this development really fit the tandem lot intent. He questioned whether the proposed development would leave any of the surrounding land owners landlocked. Ervan Wimberly replied that it would not. Mr. Wimberly then pointed out the site of this tract of land in relation to the surrounding area on a large map on.the boardroom wall. J. B. Hays commented that several professional people were interested in these large lots and understood that septic tanks would probably be neces- sary on the•3 back lots. He stated that sewer service could be obtained for the front lots if the houses were placed near enough to Crossover Road. c tai • Subdivision Committee Meeting November 27, 1978 - 3 • Jim Witt, a neighboring land owner present in support of the proposal, stated that he and another neighboring land owner who was unable to be present at the meeting (Bruce Armstrong), both were interested in seeing this land developed as proposed since it would be in keeping with the rest of the de- velopment in the area. He stated that he and Mr. Armstrong both had large lots and would like to see other large lots developed around them instead of small lots with many houses. J. B. Hays commented that he presently had six people interested in buying these lots and that he himself had spent $4,000 to $5,000 surfacing the private drive which would be the access for the back lots. He said there was a real demand for large lots where people could have room for a large yard or small pasture for a pony for their kids, etc. Keith Newhouse inquired the length of the proposed private drive and Dr. Hays responded that it was 1,320 feet. Larry Wood, Planning Consultant, stated that the comments he had made at the Plat Review Meeting still held true and that he felt that development as proposed would close off any further north -south movement from Highway 45 south. Dr. Hays questioned whether the north -south access was really needed and Chairman Jacks replied that, although the Committee could not foresee anything for certain, it did not have anything to insure that the lots would never again be divided and that the area would never need city streets. Mr. Jacks asked if the developers were contending that the whole area would never need any city streets and Mr. Wimberly replied that this was the question which the developers were asking of this Committee. Mr. Wimberly further stated that he did not feel the developers should be required to dedicate public street rights-of-way for streets that might never be needed. He said that if the lots were ever again divided, he felt the city could require street dedication at that time. He said that it would be more feasible to build public streets if there were to be many lots, but to require the developers to go to the expense for streets for such a few lots would be unfair. Bobbie Jones stated that the fire inspector was concerned about the distance to the back lots and whether or not fire hydrants would be available. Chairman Jacks stated that he could see both sides to the proposal, and that he felt this Committee should take this on to the Planning Commissiot without a recommendation. Ervan Wimberly suggested that the developers could make a contract with the city giving it the rights-of-way dedications and putting clauses in the deeds of the buyers of the lots that the buyers would agree to build the streets at the city's call. Dr. Hays responded that he would rather not en- cumber the buyers in this manner, if at all possible. Harry Gray announced that he had just been out trying to obtain the last of the property owner signatures and that he had obtained all except three. Keith Newhouse moved to take this plat on to the Planning Commission without a recommendation. Newton Hailey seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Subdivision Committee Meeting November 27, 1978 4 The next item for discussion was the proposed improvements for Sunset Woods by the Property Owners' Association. Sunset Woods is located south of North Street, West of Sunset Avenue, and North of Cleveland Street. Ervan Wimberly was present to represent. Ervan Wimberly commented that he did not understand why these im- provements needed to come back to the Subdivision Committee since they had been covered previously under the Planned Unit Development plat. Chairman Jacks explained that these improvements, although shown as proposed on the PUD plat, had not been definitely and specifically drawn so as to show exactly how they would be developed. Mr. Jacks also stated that the utility companies had asked for certain easements at the Plat Review meeting and Mr. Wimberly replied that the easements asked for would be on the plat. Tom Robinson, present as an interested party, stated that he had two comments, to make on the proposal: (1) The original plat had shown Lewis Lane and Oak Lane as connecting and that there had been opposition to allow- ing through traffic, however, the access drive which would connect the two streets on this plat does "de facto" practically the same thing; (2) He was personally concerned that the area would be cleared off considerably in order to build the pool and courts and that he felt this should not be done, but that the pool and courts should be nestled into as many trees as possible in order to leave the surroundings as natural as possible. Ervan Wimberly responded that a barricade would be built across the two ends of the access drive which would be removed only in cases of emergency. He said this was proposed on the plat since there had been opposition to al- lowing through traffic. He also stated that it was the object and intent of the developer to save as many trees as possible and that the clearing for im- provements was complete and no more of the trees would need to be removed. Bill Kisor moved to approve the proposal subject to (1) easements asked for at the Plat Review meeting be added, and (2) a barrier to prevent through traffic be constructed across the access drive. Janet McMullen, an adjoining property owner, stated that she also was concerned that the area would be stripped and wanted to know if there was any requirement the Committee could make to prevent the developer from removing any more of the trees. Chairman Jacks replied that the City Attorney had ad- vised this Committee in the past they they could not make such a requirement. Ms. McMullen stated further stat Claud Prewitt had stated that the trees would be saved, but several of them had already been destroyed. Ervan Wimberly again stated that the clearing was finished and no more of the trees would need removal. Keith Newhouse seconded Bill Kisor motion to approve, subject to the two contingencies stated above, which passed unanimously. SUNSET WOODS Proposed Improvements By Property Owners' Assoc. The last item for discussion was the feasibility sketch for a replat of a PUD by Comley Finer Homes on Lots 1-20, Johnson Road Addition. Ervan Wimberly was present to represent. COMLEY FINER HOMES Feasibility Sketch Johnson Road Addition • • • Subdivision Committee Meeting November 27, 1978 5 Chairman Jacks stated that the meeting had run over into the time which the Planning Commission meeting was scheduled to begin and that for the sake of brevity and redundancy, he suggested that this item be held off and discussed only at the Planning Commission meeting which would follow immediately. There being no dissention to this suggestion, the meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m.