FARMINGTON -- Farmington City Council on Monday approved the city's first Planned Unit Development, which calls for 128 lots for single-family homes in a subdivision called The Grove at Engle's Mill.
Mark Marquess with Riverwood Homes submitted the request to rezone about 41 acres from an R-1 zone to a PUD zone for Phases 1 and 2 of his planned development.
In other action, City Council approved:
• A request to accept a low bid of $519,999 from Oelke Construction for an expansion to the police department and a new mechanical heating/air unit for City Hall.
• A request to waive competitive bidding and purchase Estey library shelving from Innerplan Office Interiors for the public library for $56,261. The city is purchasing the shelving with a donation made to the library.
• A request to purchase a replacement of the traffic signal controller cabinet for the Main and Hunter street intersection for $20,785 from Signal Tek.
• A resolution to support an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to continue a levy on a .50% sales tax for state transportation projects, county transportation projects and city transportation projects.
• Six resolutions that are required so Farmington Senior Activity and Wellness Center can apply to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for a Community Development Block Grant to help with expenses to expand the center.
Marquess has a contract to purchase the land contingent on the property being rezoned.
Farmington Planning Commission gave its OK to the PUD request at its Feb. 24 meeting.
The Council suspended the rules Monday to adopt the ordinance on three readings and then approved an emergency clause so that it would go into effect immediately.
The Grove, as explained by Marquess, will be a planned subdivision with three communities: cottages, manors and estates.
Smaller homes will be called cottages and range in size from 1,350-1,700 square feet and start in the $180,000s. Manors will start around $220,000 and range from 1,750-2,300 square feet in size. The largest homes will be called estates. These will start around $330,000 and range in size from 2,300-3,000 square feet.
The subdivision will be similar to Riverwood's development called Sloanbrooke in Fayetteville between Broyles Street and Rupple Road. Marquess said he started Sloanbrooke about five years ago and when finished it will have 600-650 homes.
Marquess' Farmington project includes three more phases for a total of about 125 acres. When completed, The Grove could have 350-400 homes, but Marquess said the "market will drive" the progress of future phases. These phases will have to be approved by the city.
According to the preliminary plat, which was approved as part of the PUD request, Phase 1 of The Grove is located east of Folsom Elementary School and will have 22 manors and 58 cottages. Phase two is located north of Twin Falls and it will have 16 estates and 32 manors.
Marquess said the Sloanbrooke subdivision is a mix of young people and older adults who are wanting to downsize. It also has a mix of families and grandparents. He said he believes The Grove will develop the same way.
In answering questions from council members, Marquess said houses will be "fully brick or stone," have two-car garages with two trees planted in the front yard of each lot. The side setback will be five feet and houses will have a 25-foot front setback.
The development includes an underground storm-drain system to alleviate major flooding that comes from the northeast corner of the property and flows into Countryside Drive, according to Marquess.
In addition, the development will have a property owners association with annual POA fees and will have restrictive covenants.
Residents in Phase 1 will access their neighborhood from Angus Lane and from a new street that will be built along the north edge of Folsom Elementary from Grace Lane to the development. This street, which will be built by Riverwood Homes, also will be connected to Bonnie Lane and Angus.
Marquess said his company has had the most success with compatibility and continuity within a subdivision.
The Grove will be a "traditional neighborhood that blends seamlessly" and will have connectivity to the elementary school, high school and ballpark, Marquess told council members.
Two people at the meeting addressed the council giving their support to Marquess and the project.
Al Harris, who is the husband of planning commissioner Gerry Harris, said he was retired from an engineering firm in Rogers and Marquess had been one of his clients. He spoke about Marquess' integrity, saying, "He's a man of his word."
Norm Toering, who lives in Twin Falls subdivision, also said he supported the project.
Three planning commission members addressed the council.
Planner Jay Moore said the commission wanted to move slowly in developing the land located around Folsom, Twin Falls and behind the sports ballpark.
"This is the best piece of land in Farmington and we want to do it slowly and do it right," Moore said.
He noted the commission would consider future phases for The Grove in a serious manner.
Moore said the city wants to be proud of the development five years from now.
Commission member Judy Horne expressed a few concerns. Angus Lane will be one of the ways to access Phase 1 and Horne said the city needs to start thinking about ways to improve Angus.
Commissioner Gerry Harris said the use of PUD zones gives the city the opportunity to control what's coming into Farmington.
"People who own the land have a right to develop it but we want it developed in the right way," Harris said.
For PUDs, the city and developer have an agreement on how the land will be used, and once the agreement is finalized and approved by the Planning Commission and City Council, the plan cannot be changed. If the property owner sells the land, the PUD stays with the property.
City Council member Linda Bell thanked Marquess for making changes to his preliminary plat to meet concerns expressed by people in Twin Falls and Southwinds subdivisions.
"I'm very impressed," Bell said.
After all the discussion, Marquess thanked the council.
"In my 30 years, this has been the most refreshing meeting I've been in," Marquess said.
General News on 03/18/2020