Farmington Planners Approve Subdivision

FARMINGTON -- Farmington Planning Commission voted 6-1 last week to approve a preliminary plat for the first phase of a new subdivision with 117 lots for single-family homes.

The commission held its April 27 meeting via the Zoom video app, with most of the people attending the meeting virtually. City staff and a few commission members attended the meeting in person.

Planning Commission member Toni Lindsey attended her last meeting April 27. She has resigned because she’s moving to Bentonville. If you are interested in serving on the commission, call the city at 267-3865 or go to cityoffarmingtonar.… for an application. Members have to live in the city limits.

Commissioner Judy Horne voted against the preliminary plat. Members Howard Carter, Jay Moore, Chad Ball, Toni Lindsey, Gerry Harris and Bobby Wilson voted in favor of the project as presented.

Summerfield Subdivision will be located west of North Hunter Street. The first phase has 55.25 acres, according to Charles Zardin with Jorgensen and Associates engineering firm. Zardin and Blake Jorgensen attended the meeting virtually to answer questions about the project on behalf of the owner/developer, Pitts Dynasty Trust No. 3.

Zardin did not know how many acres the subdivision would have for all phases but said the total buildout for the development would be 429 lots.

The subdivision will have three entrances from South Hunter Street: Watson Lane, Wilson Street and a new street in between those called West Spokane, according to the preliminary plat.

Mayor Ernie Penn told commissioners city staff had met with the developers and were recommending the Planning Commission waive payment for parkland dedication for all phases of the subdivision in exchange for the developer making off-site street improvements as part of the project.

City engineer Chris Brackett with Olsson Associates explained that because the subdivision will be located near Creekside Park, there would not be a need for land designated as a park. City ordinance requires a new subdivision to have land set aside as a park or money paid in lieu of park land.

The commission agreed to the off-site improvements and these will be part of the preliminary plat:

• The developer will improve Watson Lane to city standards with sidewalks, curb and gutter, storm drainage on both sides of the street.

• The project also includes sidewalks, curb and gutter, storm drainage on the west side of North Hunter from Wilson Street to the creek on South Hunter.

• Finally, the developer will bring Wilson Street to city standards with curb and gutter and storm drainage on both sides and sidewalks on the north side of the street from South Hunter to Broyles Street.

Any additional right of way or easements required for the improvements will be at the expense of the city.

Commissioner Chad Ball asked about a crosswalk on South Hunter to Creekside Park and Zardin said he would add that to the preliminary plat.

Horne expressed several concerns during the meeting about traffic that would be generated in the subdivison from 117 homes with two or three vehicles per home and also about the layout or size of some of the lots in the development.

She pointed to accidents at the intersection of Main Street and South Hunter and increasing traffic on Broyles Street.

"Is that being discussed?" Horne asked.

Harris also said she had the same concerns about traffic, especially the intersection at Main Street, and wondered if the city should address this.

Brackett pointed out that traffic from the subdivision would be able to go to Broyles and catch a traffic light at Broyles and Main Street in Farmington or go north to Wedington Avenue in Fayetteville.

"That's why we're proposing improvements to Wilson," Brackett said.

Horne's concerns about the subdivision itself included eight lots that had streets on the front and back of the lots and one lot with a street on three sides.

"I find that appalling," Horne said. "I would like for something like that to never be allowed again. I would like for Farmington to be able to do better."

Ball told her he had the same problem with his own house but that he supported the new subdivision.

"This is a wonderful location," Ball said.

Horne said she also didn't like the fact the subdivision had smaller lots adjacent to existing lots.

"I would like for the Planning Commission to address some of these issues in the future," Horne told her colleagues.

City Attorney Steve Tennant added his own comments to increased traffic from the new subdivision.

"Coming out of Hunter is a very bad intersection," Tennant said. "Let's be realistic. That's a lot of traffic. The first phase is a lot of cars."

He pointed out the development would add a "massive movement to our existing streets and especially Broyles."

In other action, the Commission approved a request for a variance of lot splits for 27.39 acres on Clyde Carnes and Jim Brooks roads. Keith Marrs with Eagle Holdings said city ordinance only allowed four lot splits and he was requesting to split the property into six tracts, with each tract having more than three acres.

The Commission also approved two requests for conditional use permits for fireworks stands over the July 4 holiday. One request was from Meramec Specialty Company for 380 W. Main St., and the other one from Hale Fireworks for 120 N. Holland St.

The city allows fireworks stands to operate within the city limits from June 21 to July 7.

General News on 05/06/2020