St. George


Planning Commission

Tuesday, October 26,2010
Minutes



PLANNING COMMISSION
CITY OF ST. GEORGE
WASHINGTON COUNTY, UTAH
October 26, 2010 – 4:00 p.m.



PRESENT: Chairman Ron Bracken
Council Member Ben Nickle
Commissioner Julie Hullinger
Commissioner Chapin Burks
Commissioner Kim Campbell
Commissioner Ross Taylor
Commissioner Ron Read
Commissioner Mike Nobis

CITY STAFF: Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth
Community Development Director Bob Nicholson
Planner II Ray Snyder
Planner Craig Harvey
Secretary Linda Brooks



CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Ron Bracken called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance. Chairman Ron Bracken led the flag salute.

FINAL PLAT

Consider a final plat request for “Tonaquint Heights Phase 1,” a three (3) lot residential subdivision plat, located at about 2600 South Tonaquint Drive. The owner is Quality Development and Mr. Brett Burgess is the representative. Zoned R-1-40 (Single Family Residential 40,000 square foot minimum lot size). Case No. 2010-FP-017

Project Manager Todd Jacobson said this is a 3 lot subdivision located on Chandler Drive at approximately 1100 West and 2400 South. All aspects of this final plat have met all of the preliminary plat conditions and approvals.

MOTION: Commissioner Burks made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of a final plat request for “Tonaquint Heights Phase 1,” a three (3) lot residential subdivision plat, located at about 2600 South Tonaquint Drive. Commissioner Nobis seconded the motion. All voted aye.


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REQUEST TO BUILD WITH A PRIVATE LANE (A)

Consider a request to build a home without public street frontage using a private lane located off of 2800 South Street (west of the Coyote Springs subdivision). Mr. Warren Hannig is the applicant. Case No. 2010-LF-001

Planner II Craig Harvey pointed out this request only has to go before Planning Commission. The request is to build a home without public street frontage with a private lane. The site is located off of 2800 South Street. Craig read Zoning Code 10-7B-2: Permitted Uses for Single Family dwelling under Section 10-14-4 Lot Standards into the record. The property owner would have a 25 ft. access and utility easement. Staff recommends approval.

Commissioner Taylor asked if there was any plan for an extension to 4110 East in the reasonable future.

Craig believed maybe in five years or more.

Commissioner Nobis if this extension is approved will the private lane then be abandoned?

Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth replied if the private lane is owned by the owner then it would not need to be abandoned. In this case the lot owner also owns the private lane therefore no abandonment of the lane would be necessary.

MOTION: Commissioner Taylor made a motion to recommend approval of a request to build a home without public street frontage using a private lane located off of 2800 South Street (west of the Coyote Springs subdivision). Commissioner Nobis seconded the motion. All voted aye.

LOT SPLIT

Consider a lot split request to legally divide one parcel into two for property located at 1081 East 700 South. The existing lot is 0.88 acres (38,332.8 square feet). The proposed parcels would be; Lot 1 = 0.40 acres (17,640 square feet) and Lot 2 = 0.48 acres (20,975 square feet). The property is zoned C-2 (Highway Commercial). The owner and applicant is Mr. Verden Hannig. Pope Engineering is the representative Case No. 2010-LS-002

Planner Ray Snyder said this request is permission to split one 0.88 acre commercial lot into two individual lots. Lot 1 would be 0.40 acres and Lot 2 would be 0.48 acres. The parcel is located at the corner of 700South and 1100 East. The address is 1081 East 700 South. Public utility easements are required around each parcel created which would run along the property lines. The applicant has met and received approval from the Joint Utilities Committee.

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Ray said staff recommends the following standard conditions be applied:

1. Provide separate deeds for each created parcel to be recorded with the County pending City Council approval and stamped approved by Planning Staff.
2. In addition to the legal descriptions that appear on the Record of Survey the applicant shall provide the city with legal descriptions for each parcel.
3. A utilities and drainage easement shall be completed, notarized, and recorded for each parcel.
4. The applicant shall submit for review all legal documents to the City Attorney’s Office.
5. Plans approved by the JUC shall be completed for each parcel.

MOTION: Commissioner Campbell made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of a lot split request to legally divide one parcel into two for property located at 1081 East 700 South. The existing lot is 0.88 acres (38,332.8 square feet). The proposed parcels would be; Lot 1 = 0.40 acres (17,640 square feet) and Lot 2 = 0.48 acres (20,975 square feet). Commissioner Hullinger seconded the motion. All voted aye.

REDUCED SETBACK

Consider the reduction of the required side yard setback of ten feet (10’) located along the east property line to a six foot (6’) side yard setback. The property is located at 1081 East 700 South. The property is zoned C-2 (Highway Commercial). The owner and applicant is Mr. Verden Hannig. Pope Engineering is the representative. Case No. 2010-RS-002

Planner Ray Snyder said this item is in conjunction to the Lot Split that was just heard. This project is to create two legal commercial lots; one with a reduced setback. Tentatively it has been proposed to have a funeral home business on the south lot and a future veterinarian business on the north lot. The applicant is asking for a reduction along the north side of property line to be a 6 ft. setback instead of the required 10 ft. Ray stated that setbacks in the C-2 or C-3 zones may be reduced or eliminated where the Planning Commission determines such setback is unnecessary.

Ray said staff supports the request of the reduced setback. The motion is only acted upon by the Planning Commission there is no City Council action required.

1. Removed existing canopy on north side of existing building and meet six feet (6’) of clearance.
2. Meet landscaping requirements.


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3. The development of the north lot will require a twenty-foot clear area. The site will require a fourteen-foot by fifty-foot ‘No Build Easement’ as noted on the record of survey (6’ on south lot and 14’ on north for a total clear are of 20’). The Fire Department has requested this separation to meet code requirements.

MOTION: Commissioner Taylor made a motion to recommend approval of the reduction of the required side yard setback of ten feet (10’) located along the east property line to a six foot (6’) side yard setback. The property is located at 1081 East 700 South. Commissioner Campbell seconded the motion. All voted aye.

ZONING REGULATION AMENDMENT – PUBLIC HEARING (5:00 P.M.)

Consider a zoning regulation amendment to Title 10 “Zoning Regulations,” Chapter 7 Article A – Residential Estate Zones (RE), Section 6 “Modifying Regulations” to add ‘Lot Size Averaging’ as a permitted use. Case No. 2010-ZRA-006

Planner II Craig Harvey said this is to amend the St. George City Code, Title 10 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 7 Article A – Residential Estate Zones, Section 6 Modifying Regulations to add ‘Lot-Size Averaging’ as a permitted use.

He said with lot size averaging this would give property owners and developers, in agricultural areas, the option to choose agricultural friendly zoning that allows mixing of lot sizes in a development without having a one acre minimum lot size requirement. Lot size averaging will not increase the overall density of a project but it allows for smaller lots mixed in with larger lots.

The proposed new language is below:
10-7A-6: MODIFYING REGULATIONS:
D. Lot Size Averaging:
1. Purpose: Lot size averaging is an alternative to traditional minimum lot size standards and encourages a mix of lot sizes within a subdivision. The overall density of the zoning district remains approximately the same, but flexibility is provided in the mixing of lot sizes.
2. Standards:
a. Lot size averaging is a permitted use within the RE-20, and RE-37.5 zones.

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Project density shall not exceed the following: - RE-20 1.9 du/ac & - RE-37.5 1.2 du/ac
b. No lot size shall be reduced to less than sixty-five percent (65%) of the required lot size for the applicable zoning district.
c. No lot frontage (width) shall be reduced to less than eighty percent (80%) of the required lot frontage for the applicable zoning district
d. Exterior or perimeter lots shall be consistent with abutting developed lots when platting a new subdivision.
e. Lot size averaging shall apply to new subdivisions and not to existing recorded plats.
f. Smaller lots shall be dispersed throughout the subdivision rather than congregated together.
g. Subject to approval of the planning commission and city council, open space and/or trail easements may be included in the subdivision density calculations for the purpose of complying with subsection D2a of this section.
MOTION: Commissioner Nobis made a motion to recommend to City Council approval for a zoning regulation amendment to Title 10 “Zoning Regulations,” Chapter 7 Article A – Residential Estate Zones (RE), Section 6 “Modifying Regulations” to add ‘Lot Size Averaging’ as a permitted use with the change that the RE-20 to be 2 du/ac instead of the 1.9 du/ac. Commissioner Hullinger seconded the motion. All voted aye.

ZONE CHANGE REQUEST – PUBLIC HEARING (5:00 P.M.)

Consider a zone change request to rezone from A-1 (Agricultural 40,000 square foot minimum lot size) and A-20 (Agricultural 20 acres minimum) to RE-12.5 (Residential Estates 12,500 square foot minimum lot size). The area consists of approximately 11.89 acres and is located approximately near the south-east corner of the intersection of Little Valley Road and Crimson Ridge Road. The applicants propose a project to be called ‘Sun Valley Estates at Meadow Valley Farms.” This zone change would allow the future platting of twenty-two (22) residential lots. Quality Development is the applicant and Mr. Ken Miller is the representative. Case No. 2010-ZC-011

Planner Craig Harvey said this is a request to rezone an A-20 to RE-12.5. The property is
located at the south-east corner of the intersection of Crimson Ridge Road and Little Valley
Road. The area is 11.89 acres and the applicant is proposing 22 single-family residential lots.

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The density would be 1.85 du/ac. The lots that will back on Little Valley Road are .5 acres average and range 200’ to 250’ feet in depth. All streets will be public streets. If the Planning Commission finds that this project is in the best interest of the City, then staff recommends approval with a condition that the project density shall not exceed two dwelling units per acre.

Ken Miller with Quality Development said they have reviewed a great deal of development options for this parcel and feel this would be a good fit for this area.

Chairman Bracken asked if the lots are all the same size.

Ken replied they are not especially the lots along Little Valley Road; those lots are about ½ acre.

Curt Gordon said he supports the project and feels it is a good plan.

Paul Gooch said he appreciates that the development is at 2 du/ac.

MOTION: Commissioner Read made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of a zone change request to rezone from A-1 (Agricultural 40,000 square foot minimum lot size) and A-20 (Agricultural 20 acres minimum) to RE-12.5 (Residential Estates 12,500 square foot minimum lot size). The area consists of approximately 11.89 acres and is located approximately near the south-east corner of the intersection of Little Valley Road and Crimson Ridge Road with the limitation of 2 du/ac and the equestrian trail be made public. Commissioner Nobis seconded the motion. All voted aye.

PRESENTATION

Report on the September 2010 U.L.C.T. (Utah League of Cities and Towns) conference.

Bob Nicholson wanted to share some information with Planning Commission on the conference that was held in September. Bob spoke on Alternative Patterns of Development one of the session’s he attended. He talked about walk able neighborhoods, bike trails, and provides a variety of transportation choices. Bob handed out a Sunset magazine article on ‘The 20-Minute Good Life’.

Ray Snyder presented a talk on Utah League of Cities and Towns.

MINUTES

Consider approval of the Planning Commission minutes for September 14th and 28th, 2010.


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MOTION: Commissioner Hullinger approved the minutes for September 14th and 28th, 2010. Commissioner Burks seconded the motion. All voted aye.

ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Hullinger made a motion to adjourn the meet at 5:30 p.m. Commissioner Read seconded the motion. All voted aye.