Commission approves subdivision plat, recommends ordinance
GENTRY — The planning and zoning commission, on Thursday night, approved a special use permit, a lot-line adjustment and a tract split at its regular meeting in the city council chambers. The commission also will recommend to city council an ordinance changing the way subdivisions must be built and approved in the city.
The commission accepted a revised preliminary plat for the Sunset Ridge Subdivision, naming streets in the subdivision and allowing the subdivision to be completed in phases, with the first phase split in two parts. According to Ron Homeyer, civil engineer from Siloam Springs who spoke for the owners of the subdivision, work is ready to begin almost immediately after commission approval. The city’s primary concern was that each phase or portion of a phase would fully comply with city code in regard to streets and utilities and not leave requirements incomplete should there be a delay or failure to complete future phases.
A special use permit was approved for Johnny McKain to build a second shop with living quarters on his property at 428 Pine Avenue in Gentry. McKain said the second shop and living quarters would be for his son.
A tract-line adjustment was approved for David Hastings on Taylor Orchard Road. The adjustment of the property line between Hastings and a neighbor will make the tracts more usable for both parties.
A tract split was approved for Jose and Tammy Romero on Taylor Orchard Road, making the one tract which already contains two homes into two separate tracts. The split, according to Tammy Romero, is ordered by the court in a divorce agreement. The split will require the second tract to separate its water line from the first within 30 days, meaning that the owner of the second tract would need to request a tap and meter into the city water lines if he wishes to receive city water.
The commission approved recommending a proposed ordinance to the city council which would modify current code to require a preliminary plat for each phase of a subdivision if a developer wishes to complete a subdivision in phases so that the city can ensure that each phase meets the full requirements of city code in regard to streets, water, sewer and other utilities. It also adds requirements for the placement of street lamps and signatures of authorities in connection to compliance with city code regarding street, utility and fire code issues. It adds the certificate of the fire chief to the other certificates already required under city code. The proposed ordinance is expected to be brought before the council for a first reading at its June 5 meeting.
The commission began discussion on the relationship between building height and setback requirements and determined that current city code already provides sufficient regulation for the present time, so the matter was dropped.