Planning commission splits lots

The planning commission approved two lot splits and moved its work session in 10 minutes during the Monday, May 14, regular meeting.

The first split on the agenda was to convert one lot into four at 13816 Rolling Hills Road, a 3.8-acre parcel in the city’s planning area.

Associate planner Sarah Bingham said that portions of the existing lot are in the floodplain. The northernmost lot created in this split is expected to have a house placed on it.

The applicant, Jim Collins, said that he was doing this lot split to ensure his home was not built on a lot that’s partly in the floodplain.

“The reason for this is to get out of the floodplain,” he said.

Chairman Ellis said this was certainly an option to obviate the need for flood insurance.

“This is an easy way to do it,” he said.

The commission voted unanimously in favor of this split before moving on to the next item: splitting the 5-acre lot at 15809 Looney Road, which is outside of city limits but inside the planning area, into two parcels.

Bingham said that the applicant had already met all easement and dedicated right-of-way requirements.

The applicant, Larry Force, said that he wanted to keep the existing house on the smaller .68-acre parcel proposed in the split and either rent or sell it and build a home on the larger remaining portion of the lot.

“I’m just planning on building a house on the larger 4 acres,” he said.

The commission approved this split unanimously.

Ellis suggested during open discussion that the commission move its May 31 work session to May 24, which will allow commissioners to meet and look at two upcoming large-scale developments before everyone heads out on vacation for Memorial Day. The commission agreed and voted in favor of moving the work session prior to its adjournment at 6:40 p.m.