Farmington Council Adopts Zero-Lot Lines

By Lynn Kutter

ENTERPRISE-LEADER

FARMINGTON -- The city's zoning code now has a new designation that can be used to build single-family homes with zero-lot lines on one side and a 10-foot setback on the other side.

Farmington City Council has considered the new zone for the past three months and voted 7-1 on Oct. 9 to approve a new R-3 zone. Council member Keith Lipford voted against the ordinance.

When discussing the ordinance last month, Lipford made the comment he did not think zero-lot lines would fit in Farmington.

A zero-lot line is defined as a residential lot in which the structure comes up to or very near to the edge of the property line on one side. Types of homes mentioned as suitable in an R-3 zoning district include rowhouses, garden homes, patio homes and townhomes.

Permitted uses are only single-family residences. Multi-family developments are not permitted in an R-3 zone.

Lots must have at least 5,400 square feet. The zone requires a 20-foot front setback, a 20-foot rear setback and 35 feet for lot frontage. It allows a maximum of eight houses per acre.

Mayor Ernie Penn has supported the new zone and said he agrees with what others are telling him. It's good for Farmington "in the right location."

Any requests to rezone property to R-3 would first go through the Planning Commission and then have to be approved by the City Council.

Alderwoman Diane Bryant said she would like the city to require a certain percentage of a home in an R-3 zone to be brick.

"I'd like to improve the overall appearance," Bryant said.

Melissa McCarville, city business manager, said the Planning Commission could consider design standards if the Council wanted to request that.

Lipford, however, objected to Bryant's suggestion.

"I don't believe it's our job to tell people how to design their homes," Lipford said. "We don't need to play Big Brother."

No one from the public addressed the Council about the new zone, either in support or in opposition of it. Several Farmington residents showed up at the first meeting in August to speak against the ordinance but they have not been back since then.

The zone will fall under all requirements for residential subdivisions in Farmington, including a drainage plan, streets, curbs and gutter and sidewalks. A developer would have to submit a preliminary plat for approval before proceeding.

In other action, the Council approved a contract with McGoodwin, Williams and Yates for engineering services to improve drainage in Southwinds subdivision. The contract will cost $41,442 and will include engineering services for two sections of Southwinds.

Chris Brackett will serve as project manager and he said the first phase of Southwinds was built in the early 1990s and does not have curb inlets as required.

About 70 percent of this area drains all the way to Southwinds Drive and the street floods during heavy rains, Brackett told Council members.

The second section that will be improved is along Rainsong where storm water continually floods one of the yards in that development.

Brackett already serves as the city's engineer and Penn said it was the logical choice to use McGoodwin, Williams and Yates engineering firm because it is familiar with Farmington's developments and Farmington's drainage requirements.

By state law, cities do not have to request bids for professional services. For actual construction, the city will advertise for bids.

Farmington will use proceeds from its new bond money to pay for the engineering contract. The estimated cost to make the improvements is about $300,000.

The Council also passed an ordinance to provide regulations for a digital billboard in Farmington. Farmington only has one billboard and this ordinance would apply to that billboard located at 245 E. Main St.

The ordinance allows only one digital billboard in Farmington along the highway. Its maximum height cannot exceed 45 feet, shall not exceed 300 square feet in sign area and can only display static messages.

The billboard also will be available to be used for emergency messages and public service and community charitable advertisements.

In other business, the Council passed the annual tax levy ordinance for 2018. Farmington collects a 5-mill tax rate.