Farmington planners table Goose Creek Village plats

FARMINGTON — The final plat for Phase 1 of Goose Creek Village and the preliminary plat for Phase 2 of Goose Creek Village were tabled by the Planning Commission last week because members were not happy some neighbors’ concerns had not been taken care of in a timely manner.

The subdivision, owned by Red Canyon Development, is north of the intersection of Double Springs and Goose Creek Roads.

Phase 1 has 51 lots on 18 acres. The preliminary plat for Phase 2 shows it will have 57 lots on about 20 acres.

In all, Goose Creek Village will have about 300 houses on 126 acres when it’s completed, according to information provided by the developer at a commission meeting in 2018.

Two neighbors of the Phase 1 development addressed the Planning Commission on Nov. 23 with their concerns.

Phyllis Young, who lives on Goose Creek Road, said she was concerned about the drainage on her property from the subdivision, particularly because she said the drainage wouldn’t be dispersed across the field as it was pre-development but would be diverted all to one area.

Young said she met with representatives of Riggins Construction and Jorgensen & Associates engineering firm about her concerns.

“They told me they would get right on it,” Young said, noting some work has been done but not everything.

Young became emotional as she talked about her concerns, saying she understood progress would happen, though she didn’t like it.

She said she didn’t want her land destroyed because of erosion from storm drainage.

Another resident, Diamond Olivas, said he lives across the road from the development on North Double Springs Road and has complained about the noise and litter from construction.

He said the contractor has one piece of equipment with a beeping noise that’s being used at 5 a.m. In addition, trash from construction is “all over the place” and being blown onto his property.

After hearing the neighbors’ complaints, commission Chairman Robert Mann asked questions to help respond to the public comments.

City engineer Chris Brackett with Olsson Inc., said Goose Creek Village has a “huge” detention pond that will serve the entire development when it is completed. The drainage system has pipes coming from the pond and a berm has been installed adjacent to Young’s property for erosion control. In addition, a structure, similar to a “level spreader” will be built beyond the pipes so drainage has a more natural flow, Brackett said.

Brackett said there already is a ravine in that area and the developer is using the natural ravine as part of the drainage system.

The “level spreader” structure is what still has to be installed, Brackett said.

“This should have been done,” Brackett said. “A level spreader is needed. We asked for it.”

Brackett said the city hasn’t had a final walk-through on the project and he will not sign off on the final plat until everything is finished.

“I’m aggravated it’s not been done,” Mann said to Jared Inman of Jorgensen. Inman attended the meeting through Zoom on behalf of the developer.

Inman said he assumed the work had been finished. He said he has talked to the contractor and, “They are getting on that as quickly as they can.”

Mann said Young shouldn’t have to come to the commission to get the work done.

Commission member Bobby Wilson asked when the meeting took place between Young, Jorgensen and Riggins. Inman said it was probably in mid-summer.

“And you guys have not followed up on it to make sure it was fixed?” Wilson asked. “I’m not inclined to vote for it tonight. I can drag my feet, too.”

Inman said there are not any signs of additional erosion on Young’s fence line from storm drainage.

He told commissioners those involved with the project have been working together to get the work done. He pointed out the “level spreader” is in the plans and will be installed as required.

“It’s not like we’ve been sitting on our hands,” Inman said.

In reference to the complaints from Olivas, Inman said he would talk to the contractor about not starting work until later and cleaning up the construction site. The city has a noise ordinance that says noise from construction should not occur from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. The commission advised Olivas to call the Police Department if the early morning noise happens again.

Commission member Keith Macedo made the motion to table the final plat until the drainage work has been finished and the contractor has complied with the complaints about noise and trash. He asked city Building Official Rick Bramall to report to the commission about the progress at its December meeting.

The commission unanimously voted to approve the motion to table. Commissioner Chad Ball said he was voting to table because a significant part of the drainage system was still “missing.”

As the commission turned to the next item of business, the preliminary plat for Phase 2 of Goose Creek Village, commissioners said they were not inclined to approve the preliminary plat until issues with Phase 1 have been resolved.

Wilson made a motion to table the preliminary plat and the commission unanimously approved his motion.

Another item on the agenda, an expansion for Tractor Supply into its side parking lot, was postponed because the applicant did not advertise the large-scale development plan as required by city ordinance.

The Planning Commission will have a special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, on the Tractor Supply plan.