Developers of the "Hunter Ridge" planned subdivision finally received approval for a zone change and tentative subdivision map. The property is located east of the new Offenhauser Drive extension and south of Stewart Street. Efforts to bring the proposed subdivision through the approval process have so far taken over six months and have included four hearings before the planning commission and one before the Winnemucca City Council.
Developers had to make changes to their plans before the Humboldt County Regional Planning Commission was willing to recommend approval.The original proposal to change the zoning on the entire 83.5 acre parcel to 9,000 minimum square foot lot size was recommended for denial by the planning commission.
A nearby property owner said the proposed rezone was not in keeping with its nearest neighbors. Planning commissioners agreed, and recommended that the lots around the perimeter of the proposed development be larger, with zoning to match.
Before the city council considered the recommendation for denial of the zone change, the owner and developer changed the plan to address the objections voiced by planning commissioners. The city council approved an amended zone change request for 12,000 square foot minimum lot size on the perimeter of the property, and 9,000 square foot mininmum lot sizes toward the center.
The proposed development then went back before the planning commission for consideration of the tentative map, which now shows a variety of lot sizes, with larger outside lots surrounding smaller lots in the interior of the property. The owner was required by City Manager/Engineer Steve West to dedicate two lots for possible development of a pocket park (at the discretion of the city) as development standards require for this size development. If the city determines this is a good location for such a park, in addition to donating the land, the owner would pay to develop the park. Developer, John Krompotic said the proposed park area, just over half an acre, is a central location with good visibility.
The tentative subdivision map shows the largest lot at 35,516 square feet - nearly three quarters of an acre; the smallest is 9,400 square feet. The average lot size is 12,992 square feet. There are about 210 lots in the plan. Development will be divided into three, or possibly more phases. The Division of Water Resources has approved the plan, the city will issue a will-serve letter for water and sewer to the subdivision.
Planning commissioners Vickie Rock, Steve Nye, and Lewis Trout voiced their reluctance to approve the tentative map. Rock worried what more lots and homes on the market would do to property values she said had already fallen because there were so many unsold properties. Nye said he doubted the ability of the city infrastructure to be able to handle the increase in population that could come in the area. Trout expressed his own reluctance to approve the smaller lots toward the interior of the property, but reminded his fellow commissioners that those considerations were not within the authority of the planning commission. The proposed development meshed with the master plan and met all development standards.
Planning commissioners Ray Olsen and Giovette Cassinelli pointed out that this proposed subdivision was in position to hook to city water and sewer, dispensing with concerns regarding additional septic tanks and wells. It was adjacent to developed roads and would include paved streets, sidewalks, street lamps, fire hydrants, and other subdivision requirements. Olsen said this is the kind of development that works well with existing infrastructure. Olsen, Cassinelli, Rock, and Trout voted to recommend approval, although Rock and Trout said they did so reluctantly; Nye voted against.
Krompotic and Morrisey said the market will determine when phase one and subsequent phases of the subdivision would move forward. They agreed that current economic conditions didn't appear particularly favorable for additional development, but pointed out how long it had taken to get approval for the zone change and tentative map to put the property in position for future development at a point when Winnemucca starts to grow again.
"We have six months into this process (for approval) so you can see why we might want to get this work completed so we can be ready when the market is there," said Krompotic.
The tentative map approval starts a countdown - the developer has four years to move forward with a final subdivision map for the first phase. The law provides the possibility for one to-year extension.
Contact Joyce Sheen at j.sheen@winnemuccapublishing.net[[In-content Ad]]
