Farmington Approves Preliminary Plat For New Subdivision

FARMINGTON -- For the first time in possibly 10 years, the Farmington Planning Commission has approved a preliminary plat for a new housing subdivision in the city limits.

A preliminary plat for a second subdivision called Farmington Heights also was on the Commission's Jan. 23 agenda but has been postponed until Feb. 27, per the request of project engineer, Ferdi Fourie, with Civil Design Engineers.

In addition, the Planning Commission recommended changes to the city's zoning ordinance to allow the sale of on-premise and off-premise alcoholic beverages in C-1, C-2 and Residential-Office (R-O) zones.

Alcoholic beverages would be allowed for on-premise consumption in dine-in restaurants but not fast food and drive-in style restaurants in commercial zones and R-O zones.

The off-premise sale of alcoholic beverages would be allowed in retail grocery stores, liquor stores and convenience stores in C-2 (or highway commercial) zones and as a conditional use in a C-1 zoning district.

Changes to the city's zoning ordinance must be approved by Farmington City Council. An ordinance to designate zoning districts for on-premise and off-premise alcoholic beverages will be considered by the Council at its Feb. 13 meeting.

The preliminary plat approved by planners is a development called The Windgate Subdivision and would be located on Rheas Mill Road past Lynch Middle School and east of South Bellwood Drive.

The property is currently owned by William McAllister. Mike Pennington with Gateway Homes is the developer and Bates Associates is the engineering firm for the project.

According to the preliminary plat, the subdivision will have 27 lots that range in size from .24 acre to a corner lot with .47 acre. A half-acre detention pond is planned near the entrance off Rheas Mill Road.

Farmington's landscape ordinance requires a neighborhood park for subdivisions or a payment in lieu of green space. Windgate will pay $16,200 to the city's park fund in lieu of conveying land for a park.

Friday, Bates said the developer proposes to build homes with a minimum of 2,000 square feet. Work should begin on the infrastructure for the project in about a month, Bates said.

According to minutes from the commission's Jan. 23 meeting, several property owners adjacent to the Windgate development had questions and concerns about the project.

Some of the concerns included drainage questions and fencing in the subdivision.

City engineer Chris Brackett with Goodwin, Williams and Yates in Fayetteville explained that final drainage plans are not required on the preliminary plat but he would thoroughly evaluate the drainage design before the development receives final plat approval.

Pennington told residents the subdivision's covenants would require fences to be the same in the development and they would be maintained by the property owners association. Adjacent property owners would not have to install fences, Pennington said.

Another concern was how 27 additional houses would affect traffic on Rheas Mill Road. The residents specifically talked about traffic backing up because of parents dropping off and picking up their children from the middle school.

Commission Chairman Robert Mann told residents traffic questions and concerns should be taken up with the Farmington School District and Farmington City Council.

General News on 02/01/2017