West Consolidated Zoning Board approves Smith Reserve plat for two residential lots

The West Consolidated Zoning Board on a unanimous vote approved preliminary and final plat applications W25-518-PP and W25-519-FP to reconfigure two existing parcels into two residential lots to be called Smith Reserve Plat. Bob Paulson moved for approval and Craig Connell seconded; all five present voted to pass the motion.

Planning staff (identified in the record as Diane/Planning staff) told the board the two existing parcels total about 40 acres and would be split into Lot 1 (about 30 acres) and Lot 2 (about 10 acres). Staff said the applicant will remove one of two existing single-family homes on Lot 2 prior to recording if the plat is approved and that a new shared driveway entrance will replace multiple existing driveways, meeting site-distance and minimum street-frontage requirements.

Staff recommended two plat exceptions for Lot 1: an exception from the lot depth-to-width ratio (existing conditions would make the lot about 5:1, exceeding the 4:1 standard) and an exception from the minimum lot width (proposed width roughly 215 feet versus the 300-foot minimum for the rural zone). The planner described the requested changes as continuing existing nonconforming conditions and said similar plat exceptions have been granted nearby. Planning staff recommended approval subject to stipulations listed in the staff report.

Brandon Smith, who identified himself as present for the applicant, thanked planning staff, saying, "Diane has been so helpful...she's answered all my questions," and praised staff for working with the applicant to resolve issues. No members of the public spoke during the public-comment period.

Bob Paulson, in moving the application, said the shared driveway represented an improvement because the single shared entrance meets site-distance requirements where prior entrances did not. The board approved the motion and staff announced the application will be considered by the Board of County Commissioners on March 26 at 9:30 a.m. in the County Administration Building at 111 South Cherry.

The board packet and staff report list recommended stipulations and conditions for the plat and the plat-exception rationale; those stipulations remain part of the record and will accompany the referral to the Board of County Commissioners.