Farmington Planners Table Preliminary Plat

— The planning commission voted to table a preliminary plat for a residential subdivision in its planning area when it was apparent the engineering firm had the cart before the horse.

Bethel Elm Subdivision is a proposed development located southeast of the intersection of Little Elm and Bethel Blacktop roads. The property is owned by Melissa Sims with MRS Enterprises Inc., and Blew & Associates is the engineering firm for the project.

The preliminary plat shows 12 single-family residential lots that range in size from one acre to three areas on 25.16 acres. Each of the homes would have a driveway coming off either Little Elm Road or Bethel Blacktop Road.

City Business Manager Melissa McCarville told the commission that the developer plans to ask for a variance of street improvements but did not get the request in on time. The request will be on the commission’s December agenda.

Jorge Du Quesne with Blew & Associates acknowledged he was going about it “backwards.”

At previous meetings, the commission has considered any variance requests for a development prior to approving the preliminary plat.

Du Quesne asked if the commission would go ahead and approve his preliminary plat on the condition the variance for street improvements is approved in December

oard member Chad Ball asked if the preliminary plat in front of them was drawn without the street improvements on it. Du Quesne said it was.

The commission decided to table the preliminary plat and asked Du Quesne to return in December with two preliminary plats, one without street improvements and another with the street improvements.

The project will have to be approved by both the city and Washington County since it is in the county but also in the city’s planning area.

In a similar situation in March, the commission voted 4-3 to approve a variance and preliminary plat for Mrs. Jack McClure Subdivision on 16.5 acres for seven lots.

The variance was approved for the McClure subdivision with the exception that the owner install sidewalks and dedicate right-of-way to the city along the development side of Jack McClure and Little Elm roads.