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11/01/2006PZMinutesCITY OF AMMON PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION November 1, 2006 AGENDA I.Pledge of Allegiance: Minutes: II.September 6, September 20, 2006 III.Public Hearings: 1.Annexation/Initial Zoning RP-A, Casa Hills 2.Annexation/Initial Zoning R1, Empey and Rockwell 3.Annexation/Initial Zoning RP-A, Grandview Estates IV.Action Items: ? Action on Public Hearings ? Preliminary and final plat, Casa Hills ? Preliminary Plat, Grandview Estates ? Preliminary Plat, Cortland Ridge Phase II V.Discussion Items: ? Wind turbines VI.Reports: ? City Council actions ? City of Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning actions – Cindy Donovan ? Bonneville County Planning and Zoning actions - Tom Hunsaker VII. Call for Adjournment: MINUTES The meeting was called to order by Chairman Cindy Donovan at 7:00 p.m. in the City Building at 2135 South Ammon Road, Ammon, Idaho Members Present : Cindy Donovan, Chairman Jarin Hammer, Vice Chairman Tom Hunsaker Robert Gustafson Rodney Allen Richard Jaussi Leslie Folsom Greg Maeser Members Absent : Steve Crandall City Officials Present : Ron Folsom, Planning Director Gay Leming, Deputy Clerk City Officials Absent : Bill Manwill, City Engineer Richard Jaussi led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. MINUTES: September 6 - Chairman Cindy Donovan questioned the time of Jarin’s arrival at 8:00 pm and her departure at 8:30 pm and the reason that Greg was acting Chairman due to Cindy’s migraine. Greg suggested that we make mention in the minutes. Ron Folsom mentioned that we correct Gay’s spelling of her last name to Leming. Planning & Zoning 11/1/2006 - 1 Tom Hunsaker corrected the Hawkes Landing zoning on the first public hearing to be RP. Tom Hunsaker moved to approve September 6 minutes as amended. Bob Gustafson seconded. All in favor, motion passed. September 20 – Leslie Folsom requested the commission’s opinions on the detail of the minutes. The commission liked the greater detail. Greg Maeser moved to approve September 20 minutes. Leslie Folsom seconded. All in favor, motion passed. PUBLIC HEARINGS : Annexation/Initial Zoning RP-A Casa Hills: Chairman Cindy Donovan went over the hearing process for the th constituents and advised the items discussed tonight will be heard at Council on November 16. Planning Director advised the property is located East of Crowley Road and directly West of Cottonwood Hills Estates. These two properties have dedicated 25 foot easements each for the flood channel, if and when we build it. Each parcel is just over 1 acre each. The surrounding areas are zoned RE and RPA and they are requesting RPA which is compliant with the comprehensive plan. Alan Cunningham stated the two owners of the properties are Bob Skinner and Blair/Catherine Stucki they would like to be able to hook up to city water and sewer with single family detached homes. The properties are located in the floodplain and will have to adhere to floodplain regulations. There are currently no buildings on the land, however, there are some trees. There was no further public input. The hearing was closed. Leslie Folsom made the motion to accept the annexation/initial zoning of RPA for Casa Hills. Jarin Hammer seconded. All in favor, motion passed. Annexation/Initial Zoning R-1, Empey and Rockwell: Planning Director Ron Folsom stated the property is directly South of Cortland Ridge Subdivision and is compliant with the comprehensive plan. Alan Cunningham stated that Bruce Empey and Rockwell’s are swapping pieces of land of equal size. Leslie Folsom inquired about the piece that Bruce Empey will take over from Rockwell’s that is currently annexed R1 in the City. Alan confirmed that the piece will remain in the City but will not be part of Rockwell’s development and Empey’s are aware of this. Bruce Empey supports this change. He wants to straighten out the lines and retain buffer zones from each others property. There was no further public input. The hearing was closed. Jarin Hammer made the motion to accept the annexation/initial zoning R1 Empey and Rockwell as shown. Bob Gustafson seconded. All in favor, motion passed. Annexation/Initial Zoning RP-A, Grandview Estates: Planning Director Ron Folsom stated the property is ndst located south and east of the Villa’s, west of 52 and North of 21. There is a house that will remain in the County and there are two letters from property owners in the packets. The requested zoning is the same that is currently in the Villa’s. Leslie Folsom questioned that, if we do this, there are properties that will be surrounded - are they objectionable to being annexed. Ron stated that one inquired why we didn’t include them in the annexation and he advised them that it’s not our policy to approach people for annexation. The one gentleman was concerned about his well. Kirk Rowland from Schiess and Assoc. stated that he is representing Paul Mangelson. Nancy Pinnock was neutral. Nancy described that her property is left of the triangle on the map. There is a field along the North boundary line and she is concerned about the properties east of the boundary line when she flood irrigates and it runs west. There is a drainage ditch that catches this water and takes it to the flat section at the bottom of the hillside and floods this property. She wants to be sure the developer is aware of this and puts it in his planning. She has two wells and is concerned where they are going to get the water for the subdivision. Leslie Folsom inquired if they would hook into the Quailridge water line. Ron Folsom said yes and we hope to be putting another well in the Villa’s. Mary Taylor was neutral. Kirk gave the rebuttal. He stated as far as the flood irrigation, it seems like a pretty simple fix into putting a burm along the backside of the north end lots to prevent flooding. There are two different canals that the developer’s are going to bury with culverts. Jarin Hammer inquired concerning the letters that were in the packets and wanted to go through their questions so the developer would have a chance to respond. It was decided that only the items that would be concerned with annexation be addressed, at this time. Charles Maggert’s letter inquired concerning his well and the proposed City well which is only 300 feet from his well and much less than the 1000 feet that the Ammon City Planning & Zoning 11/1/2006 - 2 Engineer said was the zone of impact. He requested that we relocate the well. Bill Manwill said that it could affect those wells. Mary Taylor said that when the Villa’s were being annexed she questioned Bill if the City’s well made them go dry would the City redrill them or the developer. Bill stated that they would have to prove it first. Leslie Folsom stated that the City Council takes into consideration what a well’s going to do before they start to drill a well and they try to make sure that things aren’t affected. This is not a Planning and Zoning consideration but a City Council issue and she would want to bring it to their attention. She can put herself on the agenda or during the section items not on the agenda. The council will also get the minutes. Mary Taylor said she has seen our minutes and all it will say is Mary Taylor was concerned about her well. Cindy stated that the minutes are being done more thorough now. Mary was concerned that she wouldn’t be allowed to talk in Council since it wouldn’t be a public hearing. Leslie Folsom advised her, that the City is still small enough and the Council was very good at letting the public speak when they had a concern. Tom Hunsaker inquired if the City monitors the depth of the wells. Bill Manwill stated we know the drawdown of all our wells. If they had a problem with their wells and they were the only wells that were going dry at that time, Bill thinks the City would more than likely step up to the bar and say they are creating a problem. But what has happened in the last year or two people have come in and said your well is causing a problem with mine and yet all over the entire area wells are going dry so they are reluctant to say wells are going dry everywhere else but this one is because of the City. If the City steps up, generally the solution is to hook up to City water and generally at no cost for hookup but then they don’t have independence and they would have monthly water charges. Nancy Pinnock asked how deep the City is drilling their wells. Per Bill, we generally go about 50 feet below static water levels and the last test well we did was almost 200 feet which was on Hitt Road. Well #9 at Quailridge is 300-400 feet. We will do a test well before the big well and we will have better data. Jarin explained we appreciate their concern but this is a City Council issue. Richard and Janet Fowler’s letter was concerned with boundary lines. Per Ron, the property will need to be surveyed and this area is famous for having strange surveys. Per Alan, this is part of Snell rock area – the corner of Sunnyside and Crowley. Bill stated that the Fowler’s believe that their lines are running at an angle but their sidelines are running pretty much North and South. The thing that makes them look like they run crooked is that st 21 Street does not run due East and West. Fowler’s other concern was the blasting that could cause damage to his home. Greg Maeser feels that this would be a matter for him to take up with the developer. Bill stated the State has some regulations on blasting operators. They certify the operator but as far as the liability or regulations telling them how to go about the blasting there isn’t any. Leslie Folsom inquired how we would go about getting this accomplished. Is it through an ordinance or a recommendation by Planning and Zoning? It was decided to add this to the motion. Fowler inquired on road improvements. Bill stated the reality of road construction is that you build them after the need is there. This is the standard in the entire country – you put your money where it’s needed the st worse and that’s usually where the problems are the worse. Bill mentioned that 21 is not on BMPO or anybody’s schedule. It is on the City Councils radar screen that it is getting increased traffic but it’s on the outer edges of the radar screen because they are trying to fund the stuff at the center. Jarin Hammer made the motion to approve annexation/initial zoning RP-A Grandview Estates with the following issues to be addressed by the City Council. First, the issue that Nancy Pinnock raised with regards to irrigation – she flood irrigates and the runoff water coming as a result of that outward drain. The developer has agreed to put burms in to prevent flooding of the lots and culverting the canals on the property. Second, the Council to consider what will happen to surrounding residents wells with regards to the City well. Third, make sure the blasting companies are licensed, insured for liability purposes and follow best practices for the industry. Bob Gustafson seconded. All in favor, the motion passed. ACTION ITEMS : Action on Public Hearings: Tom Hunsaker recommended that there are no public hearings to be added to Council but that they solicit public input on Grandview Estates. Leslie Folsom requested that whenever a vote is not unanimous that they do an individual roll call like Council and the nays need to explain their reason. Leslie Folsom motioned to solicit advice concerning the three items that Jarin mentioned – runoff, well drilling, blasting and address the two letters on water and blasting for Grandview Estates. Greg Maeser seconded. All in favor, the motion passed. Preliminary and Final Plat, Casa Hills: Planning Director Ron Folsom presented the plat. Alan Cunningham explained that the owners wanted to be to utilize the City’s utilities. After they take the road right-of-way out that will be dedicating for future widening of Crowley Road these lots will be less than 1 acre so RE wouldn’t be allowed. Leslie Folsom brought up concerns on the accesses and if they should be separate or joined. Bill stated that if the commission wants one access onto Crowley, then we would have to be a condition of the plat approval. Planning & Zoning 11/1/2006 - 3 Tom Hunsaker mentioned that Crowley is going to be part of the belt system surrounding the entire Idaho Falls region. Tom would like to see the access be front in and front out. Bill stated that the County holds them to a single access. Alan suggested if we ask that they share a access along the common lot line which will create a four way intersection. Cindy Donovan hates to put restrictions on private property but due to the safety concerns she feels we don’t have a whole lot of choice. Leslie Folsom asked if we would be better going to the far section lines of each property with one access each or one shared access cross angled from the intersection. Bill stated that we would be better on the center line - the off set of the center line of Mason to the property line going across a 100 feet right-of- way is insignificant. It’s pretty much standard practice throughout the area if they are having an approach onto an arterial street that they limit the number of approaches and require shared accesses. Leslie Folsom made the motion that we accept the preliminary and final plat of Casa Hills with combined access of one for the two lots directly on the boundary line adjacent to Mason. Richard Jaussi seconded. All in favor, the motion passed. Preliminary Plat, Grandview Estates: Planning Director Ron Folsom presented the plat. Bill Manwill stated that st the plat is following the Nelson Road but he would suggest straightening the intersection with Nelson Road and 21. st As he has looked at it further, he thinks the better solution would be to eliminate the access onto 21 altogether. This can be accomplished by making the lower cul-de-sac a through street out to Nelson Road with a 90 degree curve as it comes onto that. This will eliminate this curved intersection which will only get worse with increased traffic. We would need to be sure all the land is annexed so we could vacate the road right-of-way so that none of it is left in the County. Encourage the developer to look at the little house in the triangle on the side and incorporate this into their platting layout so that it will not be an isolated unplatted piece which is too small to do anything except leave the existing house there. Good planning would dictate that this should be included in the plan if possible. Nancy Pinnock, 1896 S. 52 East, stated that she disagrees with this. In the early 1960’s, Bonneville County and Grandpa Nelson moved that road to make the bend for safety. There was a state cop that slid into the intersection so they changed the road. This curve slows down traffic. Bill explained that we will eliminate this altogether so there will be no intersection there at all – the road will go through the new addition. This will slow it down and take care of the safety issue also. st Mary Taylor, 4825 E. 21 South, inquired about the irrigation ditches. She inquired if the subdivision will be using Ammon City water or secondary irrigation water. Bill stated the new state law concerning irrigation water. Tom Hunsaker motioned to recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat for Grandview Estates, subject to the following items. First, runoff for surface water drainage is addressed to protect the area from being flooded by surface irrigation adjacent to the property. Second, City Council address the concerns of the adjacent landowners in regards to the possibility of the well that will service this development may cause adjacent wells to go dry. The well is within 1000’ draw down radius explained by Bill to affect wells within that area. Third, in the event blasting is needed, a licensed and insured blasting contractor does the work and they follow best practice procedures to protect nd adjacent property owners. Fourth, Merrill Circle cul-de-sac be changed to a road that would connect to 52 and nd allow the City to vacate 52 going south. It was recommended that the developer look at purchasing the property nd directly east that has an old farm house on it. If the developer is able to that it would allow for access to 52 stnd through the subdivision rather that with the dangerous curve that angles to 21. The vacation of 52 would connect the suggested house to the currently owned property and gain the developer the land for additional lots. Fifth, ditches be designed to keep access and provide for cleanout with access grates where necessary. Lastly, a road be st punched to the south into one of the properties that are not being annexed that front on 21. Jarin seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed. Preliminary Plat, Cortland Ridge Phase II: Planning Director Ron Folsom presented the plat. Alan Cunningham explained the location and likeness to previous phases. Ditches may need to be addressed with the owners or property near this site. Alan suggested the Commission suggest to the Council that they visually look at the actual division before approving the Preliminary Plat. Bruce Empey spoke about three head gates in the area and the concern of flooding in the area. He does not want to be held responsible for any flooding. He would like to see parks added or planned for in the future. Tom Hunsaker spoke about the current plans for parks in that area. Ron Folsom suggested we consider trail systems on every plat we do. Leslie Folsom motioned that the Preliminary Plat for Cortland Ridge, Phase II be approved with the following conditions. First, drainage throughout the development is taken into consideration with the low points being at the north end of the proposed plat. Second that the Barton Lane cul-de-sac be joined with the High Water Court cul-de-sac to create a through roadway. Third, that a wider right of way for a trail be created on one side of, preferably, South Pointe Drive running from the west boundary directly east and then south to Cortland Ridge Lane Planning & Zoning 11/1/2006 - 4 and exiting onto Crowley Road. This area should be a minimum of 10’ wide similar to what was done in The Villas (5’ sidewalk on one side and 10’ sidewalk on the other). Greg seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed. PUD Ordinance: Planning Director Ron Folsom explained changes and would like to schedule hearings for it, in December if possible. The Council discussed minor changes to the wording of the PUD. Tom Hunsaker motioned that the PUD ordinance, as reviewed and changed tonight, and hold a public hearing next month if possible. Richard seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed. DISCUSSION ITEMS: Wind Turbines: Discussion was held on whether the Commission felt they would want to add turbines as an restricted use. It was unanimous the Commission would not like to add them as an allowed use. REPORTS: City Council Actions – Ron Folsom reported the City Council actions. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 pm. ________________________________________ Cindy Donovan, Chairman ___________________________________ Leslie Folsom, City Clerk Planning & Zoning 11/1/2006 - 5