LINCOLN -- Lincoln Planning Commission recently approved the city's first new residential subdivision in almost 20 years.
The commission on Feb. 3 approved the preliminary plat, with conditions, for Avalon Estates, a single-family development located on 4.76 acres at the corner of West South Street and South West Avenue. The property is owned by Apogree Properties, LLC.
The preliminary plat shows the subdivision will have 18 residential lots, ranging in size from just over 7,000 square feet to 9,233 square feet. Two lots are set aside for detention ponds.
The commission considered the Avalon preliminary plat two times in 2022 and both times it was tabled at the recommendation of the city's engineers from Garver in Fayetteville. The Garver planning staff had concerns with drainage plans, street improvements, design layout and lack of required information.
Commission chairman Terry Bryson said the engineering firm for the development had completed enough work on the submitted preliminary plat at the Feb. 3 meeting for it to continue to the next step.
Courtney Tannehill-McNair with Garver said Garver this time recommended approving the preliminary plat with 14 conditions. She said Garver believes the conditions can be met at the construction plan stage without affecting the overall design of the subdivision. The developer will have to meet all the conditions before the project can move forward, Tannehill-McNair said.
The subdivision will have one entrance from South West Avenue and this street will end at a cul-de-sac. Five residential lots will have access off West South Street.
Bryson said while this is the first new subdivision in many years, Country Meadows subdivision on North Street now is in the process of finishing out that development. Country Meadows was originally approved around 2005 and is the last one approved for Lincoln, until Avalon Estates.
"I think it's great," Bryson said. "I'm happy to see it get past this stage of preliminary. Hopefully, houses will start getting built in six months."
Bryson said Lincoln, with its new municipal codes, is tightening up its rules to make sure everyone adheres to the updated building codes so Lincoln has quality construction.
"Young people come in buying a house, we want to make sure it will last," Bryson said. "They deserve a house that lasts and doesn't fall apart in 10 years. That's not right."
In other action Feb. 3, the commission elected officers for the year: chairman, Terry Bryson; vice chairman, Jim Morris; secretary; Belinda Beasley. Other commission members are Deanna O'Brien, Doug Moore and Harry Swain. Mayor Doug Hutchens serves as advisor.