October 11 2011 Planning Commission Minutes PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF ST. GEORGE WASHINGTON COUNTY, UTAH October 11, 2011 – 5:00 p.m. PRESENT: Chairman Ron Bracken Council Member Ben Nickle Commissioner Ron Read Commissioner Julie Hullinger Commissioner Ro Wilkinson Commissioner Ross Taylor Commissioner Nathan Fisher CITY STAFF: Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth Community Development Coordinator Bob Nicholson Development Services Manager Wes Jenkins Planner II Ray Snyder Planner I Craig Harvey Administrative Professional Linda Brooks EXCUSED: Commissioner Kim Campbell CALL TO ORDER Chairman Bracken called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance. Chairman Bracken led the flag salute. FINAL PLATS A. Consider approval of a final plat for single lot subdivision titled, “Dinosaur Crossing Phase 1” at Riverside Drive and 2200 East Street. Dinosaur Crossing, LC is the applicant and Great Basin Engineering is the representative. Case No. 2011-FP-025 Todd Jacobsen Project Manager said this is an approval for a one lot commercial subdivision for a future LDS Chapel. A portion of 2200 East Street is being dedicated as part of this plat. This final plat is ready for Planning Commission’s consideration for approval. B. Consider approval of a final plat for “The Estates at Hidden Valley Phase 4B” for eight (8) single-family residential lots. Ivory Homes is the applicant and Bush & Gudgell Engineering is the representative. Case No. 2011-FP-026 Todd Jacobsen Project Manager said this request is for 8 single-family lots located west of Barcelona Drive and south of Rome Drive in the Desert Hills area. Todd said the City staff is requesting the name to be changed to from Phase 4B to Phase 5 but we are waiting SITLA approval to do so. This change needs to be mentioned into the motion. This final plat is ready for Planning Commission’s consideration for approval. MOTION: Commissioner Taylor made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of the final plats read into record and authorize Chairman to sign. Commissioner Fisher seconded the motion. All voted aye. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS – PUBLIC HEARING (5:00 P.M.) Consider approval of an amendment to the City’s General Plan for the Little Valley area which covers approximately 3,355 acres of land generally located in the southeast area of St. George City between the Virgin River on the north and the airport ridge on the south. The applicant is the City of St. George. Case No. 2011-GPA-006 Bob Nicholson Community Development Coordinator presented this item. The area encompasses approximately 3,355 acres (5.2 square miles) and extends approximately from 700 South, southward to confluence of the airport ridge and the Ft. Pierce Wash and Schmutz Hill (Stone Cliff) eastward to the Washington City boundary. Bob said the Little Valley Sub-area Plan was adopted in March 2007 but the present City Council has made it known that they do not support that plan and have requested City staff to prepare alternate land use designations which reduce residential densities and provide additional large-lot, equestrian friendly areas connecting the existing large lot subdivision along south Little Valley Road. The majority of the south Little Valley area is non-irrigated and not well suited for agriculture. He pointed out that the City of Washington has changed the designation of the Washington Fields area from agriculture to urban types of development. Bob said a new LDS Stack Center, elementary schools, a middle school, and community park complex now exist in the area. Water, sewer and other utilities exist in much of the area and can be extended as needed by new development. Improved roads area also planned as new development occurs, including widening 3000 East to 4 traffic lanes with a new bridge over the Virgin River connecting to Mall Drive and Riverside Drive. Commissioner Wilkinson asked how many animals and what type could be out in the Little Valley area. Bob replied large animals such as horses, cows, as well as small animals, which would consist of rabbits, chickens. Bob mentioned the committee that was created back in 2009 to discuss possible plan alternatives and make a recommendation to Planning Commission and City Council. The committee met eleven times and did reach a consensus on some issues and most of those consensus items have been adopted by the City. Bob spoke on the land use stating that most of the area is simply designated as “Residential” with allowed densities up to 4 du/ac. All “Medium-High Density” areas are deleted in the revised land use plan. Some “Medium Density” areas are proposed north of 2450 South Street. Small neighborhood commercial centers are proposed at 3 locations along 3000 East Street with approximately one mile spacing, and some along Commerce Drive just east of the Ft. Pierce Industrial Park. The previously planned equestrian trail along 3000 East is now designated as a multi-use trail with the equestrian trail forming a triangle along the Ft. Pierce Wash, the base of the airport ridge, and along the Washington County Conservancy District irrigation canal. Chairman Bracken said they should look at the actual land because there is some property out there that would not be able to be broken up to have ˝ acre lots. He feels they are destroying the value of the land. Loren Nielsen representative for Bonneville Builders owns 13.8 acres the company has asked to have that property shown as Medium Density rather than low. Wes Davis is a resident of the Little Valley area said in looking at the plan it would make sense to have the higher density next to the facilities. He would like to see the Rural Residential area to be changed to Low Density. Bob said they are trying to adopt a specific land use for this area. He spoke on the boom back in 2008 for housing. Chairman Bracken said they should not put in a zone where there is no movement. They should let the Medium High Density be able to blend into the low density residential. MOTION: Commissioner Taylor stated that this is a transition time for Little Valley. One of the major property owners in the Little Valley area has agreed with the City Council regarding the lower density and has requested lower density for his property. Commissioner Taylor states that no portion of Little Valley should be modified to medium density at this point. He supports the present recommendation that the Little Valley area General Plan be changed as proposed today and that the record reflect a desire for a well-designed TND neighborhood that would be compatible with the surrounding area. Commissioner Wilkenson seconded the motion. All voted aye. ZONE CHANGE REQUEST – PUBLIC HEARING (5:00 P.M.) Consider a zone change request from OS (Open Space) to R-1-10 (Single Family Residential 10,000 square foot minimum lot size) located between 973 West Joshua Circle and 956 Cactus Circle on Bloomington Drive East (Bloomington Country Club). The purpose of the zone change is to change a portion of the applicant’s parcels from OS to allow the construction of a garage. The applicants are Mr. and Mrs. Bown. Case No. 2011-ZC-010 Craig Harvey Planner I said this is a request to rezone two separate parcels to R-1-10 from Open Space. The lot is located between 973 West Joshua Circle and 956 West Cactus Circle on Bloomington Drive east. The owners would like to build a garage on that space. Before they build the garage they will merge the lots together. The clients own both lots. MOTION: Commissioner Hullinger made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of a zone change request from OS (Open Space) to R-1-10 (Single Family Residential 10,000 square foot minimum lot size) located between 973 West Joshua Circle and 956 Cactus Circle on Bloomington Drive East. Commissioner Taylor seconded the motion. All voted aye. U.L.C.T. REPORT A report on the 104th Annual U.L.C.T. (Utah League of Cities and Towns) conference held in Salt Lake City September 2011. Ray Snyder Planner II gave a brief synopsis on the ULCT Annual Conference.