St. George


Planning Commission

Tuesday, September 13,2011
Minutes



PLANNING COMMISSION
CITY OF ST. GEORGE
WASHINGTON COUNTY, UTAH
September 13, 2011 ¡V 5:00 p.m.



PRESENT: Chairman Ron Bracken
Commissioner Ron Read
Commissioner Julie Hullinger
Commissioner Kim Campbell
Commissioner Ross Taylor
Commissioner Nathan Fisher

CITY STAFF: Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth
Community Development Coordinator Bob Nicholson
Development Services Manager Wes Jenkins
Planner I Craig Harvey
Administrative Professional Linda Brooks

EXCUSED: Council Member Ben Nickle
Planner II Ray Snyder
Commissioner Ro Wilkinson


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 roadway dedication final plat request for ¡§Desert Canyons
Parkway Extension 1¡¨ located on the north and south of Exit 6 of the Southern Parkway. The applicant is Desert Canyons Development and the representative is Mr. Roger Bundy, R & B Surveying. Case No. 2011-FP-004

Wes Jenkins Development Services Manager said this request is to consider approval for a roadway dedication. This area is located on the north and south of Exit 6 of the Southern Parkway. He said on the north side there will be a couple of medians and the client has asked for the City to maintain those medians. The City Parks said they would be willing to maintain those medians once the roadway is complete, and upon approval of the City Council.

Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth asked if there will be plants in the medians while the roadway is under construction.

Curt Gordon Desert Canyons Development replied they probably won¡¦t plant in the medians until the City is ready to maintain it. There are under drains and irrigation sleeves they need to put in now but not plants.

Commissioner Campbell made a comment that a pedestrian trail adjacent to a road is not a good plan. There needs to be some negotiation, for a planter strip between the curb and trail. He feels the trail will not be useable unless it has some separation from curb.

Curt Gordon replied they are making an extra wide sidewalk so they are required as a developer to have an average 15 ft. of landscaping along the frontage. The landscape strip the City is asking for and the extra wide sidewalk takes up the entire 15 ft. width. They would be happy to put landscaping along both sides of the sidewalk. But they want to make sure they can count some of the landscaping within the right-of-way to receive credit for it.

Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth said the ordinance state¡¦s there needs to be a 15 ft. average width of landscaping outside of the right-of-way.

Curt said he doesn¡¦t believe as part of their dedication plat they are required to have landscaping. But they want to do correct planning. He would not like to see his dedication plat held up because of this. They would be happy to work with City staff on this issue.

Commissioner Campbell asked Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth if the board could approve the final plat with a notation that the developer will work with City staff on this issue.

Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth replied they could.

MOTION: Commissioner Campbell made a motion to recommend to City Council approval for a roadway dedication final plat request for Desert Canyons Parkway Extension 1 located on the north and south of Exit 6 of the Southern Parkway and in addition a recommendation for the developer and staff to work on the issue of the trail proximity to the roadway also the recommendation the developer will not plant the median¡¦s until the completion of the roads after which the City will maintain the landscaping strip and authorize Chairman to sign. Commissioner Taylor seconded the motion. All voted aye.

B. Consider approval of an amended sixteen (16) lot single family residential subdivision
final plat request for ¡§Whisper Ridge Phase 2, second amend and extend¡¨ Located on the northeasterly side of Indian Hills Drive at approximately 1020 West and 1040 South in the Whisper Ridge development (across Indian Hills Drive from the Riverwood and Brookfield Estates developments). The representative is Mr. Jim Raines, Bush & Gudgell. Case No. 2011-FPA-027

Todd Jacobsen Project Manager presented this item. He said the purpose of amending Whisper Ridge Phase 2 Amended and Extended is to change Note 10 in the General Notes and Restrictions. Note 10 used to read ¡§Lots 3-5 and 9-17 are to be built as ¡¥walkout basements only.¡¦ The note now reads ¡§Lots 18-24 are to be built as ¡¥walkout basements¡¦ only, Lot 19 is to be built as ¡¥walk-up¡¦ only, unless otherwise approved by the City of St. George Community Development Department based on a site plan that meets all applicable City Standards, including but not limited to grading and setback standards and requirements. No other changes are made or intended with this plat.

C. Consider approval of an amended eight (8) lot single family residential subdivision final
plat request for ¡§Whisper Ridge Phase 3 amended¡¨ located on the northeasterly side of Indian Hills Drive at approximately 1020 West and 1040 South in the Whisper Ridge development (across Indian Hills Drive from the Riverwood and Brookfield Estates developments). The representative is Mr. Jim Raines, Bush & Gudgell. Case No. 2011-FPA-028

Todd Jacobsen said this final plat needs to be tabled and will be heard at the next Planning Commission meeting on September 27, 2011.

D. Consider approval of a six (6) lot single family residential subdivision final plat request
for ¡§Sun Valley Phase 4¡¨ located in Little Valley east of Little Valley Road at 3580 South. The applicant is KDQD, LLC (Quality Development) and the representative is Roger Bundy, R & B Surveying. Case No. 2011-FP-023

Todd Jacobsen Project Manager said this is a six (6) lots single family residential subdivision. Sun Valley Phase 4 is located in Little Valley east of Little Valley Road at 3580 South.

E. Consider approval of a ten (10) lot single family residential subdivision final plat
request for ¡§Sun Valley Phase 5¡¨ located in Little Valley east of Little Valley Road at 3580 South. The applicant is KDQD, LLC (Quality Development) and the representative is Mr. Roger Bundy, R & B Surveying. Case No. 2011-FP-024

Todd Jacobsen Project Manager said this is a ten (10) lots single family residential subdivision. Sun Valley Phase 5 located in the Sun Valley Development. He said the final plats are ready for Planning Commission¡¦s consideration for approval.

MOTION: Commissioner Hullinger made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of the final plats B, D, and E read into record and authorizes Chairman to sign. Commissioner Campbell seconded the motion. All voted aye.

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT

Consider a request for a conditional use permit to extend the height of an existing fifty foot (50¡¦) high wireless tower to a total height of ninety feet (90¡¦). The site is located approximately at 2585 East 1800 North atop a hillside north of the Serenity Hills subdivision. Case No. 2011-CUP-013


Bob Nicholson Community Development Coordinator said this is a request to extend the height of an existing fifty foot (50¡¦) high wireless tower to a total height of ninety feet (90¡¦). The expanded tower would be co-locatable with related equipment enclosure(s). This project is called the Atlas Tower Stone Cliff site ¡§UT004¡¨ and would consist of expanding the height of one existing (1) co-locatable wireless tower by adding forty feet (40¡¦) to it, and to provide the required unmanned communications facilities. The original monopole was constructed in 2006. This site is atop of a hillside north of the Serenity Hills subdivision. The site is best accessed through the Stone Cliff subdivision. The site has legal access from East Rasmussen Drive across the Dixie REA property and across the Bateman property to the cell tower site.

Bob suggested instead of having four equipment shelters perhaps they could provide a building where three or four tenants can be housed with individual locked doors. Bob mentioned there was no opposition letters received. He said Kay Traveller sent a letter in support for the tower.

Bob pointed out on the slide presentation there is a pager tower and a shelter on the site. He said the recommendation is to take it down if it is not being used. He said extending tower would be steel and painted tan to match the existing fifty foot (50¡¦) coloring.

Commissioner Campbell asked if this is the beginning of an antenna farm similar to Webb Hill. Will there be other sites that will want to hook onto this.

Bob said the 90 ft. antenna would allow additional 3-4 users to co-locate on one pole.

Jerome Gourley representative said the approach is an extension for the existing tower. The idea of constructing an equipment shelter to accommodate more than one provider is acceptable. They have an interest request from Verizon to place antennas on this tower. They don¡¦t envision this will become another Webb Hill.

Commissioner Taylor said there seems to be an uncertainty on what you will do with the pager tower. Can that be firmed up?

Jerome said they will be removing the pager tower and its shelter.

Commissioner Read asked about the ordinance for fencing. He said it states ¡¥Monopoles shall be fenced with a six foot (6¡¦) vinyl coating chain link fence or other fencing as approved or required by the Planning Commission.¡¦

Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth said they would have to condition the motion without coating for the fencing.

Bob read a proposed draft motion based on conditions and findings.

It is recommended to the City Council by the Planning Commission that approval be given to extend the existing fifty foot (50¡¦) high monopole by forty feet (40¡¦) for a maximum height of ninety feet (90¡¦) for the Atlas Tower Stone Cliff ¡§UT004 site, to allow construction of the new associated equipment enclosure, to paint the extended steel monopole tan to match the existing color, to arrange removal of the obsolete pager antenna tower if no longer in service along with its associated equipment enclosure, to construct one (1) enclosure large enough to accommodate all tenants and improve site aesthetics, and to apply the following findings;
„Ï Planning Commission to determine if this location will meet any city aesthetic concerns.
„Ï Meet related fire and electrical codes.
„Ï A CUP is required for a height of 90 ft.
„Ï Planning Commission determine if the monopole location is consistent with the character and purpose of the zone.
MOTION: Commissioner Read made a motion to recommend to City Council approval for a conditional use permit to extend the height of an existing fifty foot (50¡¦) high wireless tower to a total height of ninety feet (90¡¦). The site is located approximately at 2585 East 1800 North atop a hillside north of the Serenity Hills subdivision and to allow chain link fencing without coating and recommend to City Council to allow equipment enclosure to be painted tan, also remove the pager tower if no longer in service and its associated building. Commissioner Taylor seconded the motion. All voted aye.

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

Consider a zoning regulation amendment to Title 10 ¡§Zoning Regulations,¡¨ Chapter 13 Overlay Zones Article E ¡§Density Bonus Overlay Zone¡¨ to eliminate Article E in its entirety. Case No. 2011-ZRA-011

Bob Nicholson Community Development Coordinator said this is a request to consider deleting Chapter 13E from the City Zoning Regulations, Title 10 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 13E to eliminate the Density Bonus Overlay Zone provisions. The Density Bonus Overlay Zone was adopted on February 7, 2008 with primarily two objectives:

Have neighborhood parks and trails (i.e., subdivision amenities) provided by developers concurrently with new subdivision development, and

Transfer the burden of providing neighborhood parks and trails from the general taxpayer to the subdivision developer.

This chapter was applied to two areas; 1) in the southern portion of the city near Utah-Arizona state line and 2) in a future annexation area known as the Tonaquint Valley annexation area (primarily SITLA land).


Bob said some of the problems they see with this is that regulations are not City wide, small parcels, complicated, and much of the land area within the DBOZ area is already zoned R-1-10 as a result of the zoning which was approved for the area when annexed into the city in 1982.

Bob said due to the various problems mentioned above, staff recommends that the present ordinance be modified to address the problem areas or deleted entirely. A more equitable and efficient alternative to the Density Bonus Overlay Zone provisions would be to amend the present Parks Impact Fee to cover the cost of neighborhood park land acquisition. Since Impact Fees are city-wide, all new development would contribute equally to the development of the park system and the size of the parcel would not be an issue since the impact fee is applied to the dwelling unit building permit.

Bob said he spoke with the City¡¦s Legal Dept and they agree that the Bonus Density Overlay Zone should be deleted.

Assistant City Attorney Joseph Farnsworth confirmed that Legal Department agrees that the ordinance should be deleted.

There was discussion on whether or not there would be a cost for parks and recreation placed on the Impact Fees.

Stacy Young Quality Development said they are impacted by this ordinance. Their support is to delete this ordinance as well. One real issue with the smaller parks was putting them in with your first phase it became a financial burden. The other issue this ends up being a private park. This created a sea of private parks and trouble with neighbors.

John Tebbs said he owns 13 acres in Little Valley and 4 years ago they tried to rezone the land to PD-Residential. He went on to express his concerns and how this deletion of this ordinance would affect his position in trying to rezone his land in Little Valley.

MOTION: Commissioner Taylor made a motion to recommend to City Council approval of a zoning regulation amendment to Title 10 ¡§Zoning Regulations,¡¨ Chapter 13 Overlay Zones Article E ¡§Density Bonus Overlay Zone¡¨ to eliminate Article E in its entirety. Commissioner Hullinger seconded the motion. All voted aye.

MINUTES

Consider approval of the Planning Commission minutes for July 12th and July 26th, 2011

MOTION: Commissioner Read made a motion to recommend approval of the minutes for July 12th and July 26th, 2011. Commissioner Campbell seconded the motion. All voted aye.

Meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.