Commission approves waiver to preserve Sanctuary Lane farm road and tree row

The Planning Commission unanimously approved a waiver March 12 allowing Turner Management's GDK Farm plan to deviate from select collector street geometric standards (maximum grade, crest vertical curve and stopping sight distance) in order to retain an existing farm road and a mature tree row as a pedestrian amenity.

Applicant representatives explained that meeting the standard collector geometry would require about 11 feet of fill in a low sag on the site, which would destroy the preserved farm road and its tree canopy. Staff and the applicant worked through engineering alternatives; the applicant agreed to limit fill (to about two feet in the sag), add two street lights at the low point, and accept additional traffic controls if traffic engineering recommends them. An engineering memo from the applicant's team (Meegle Engineering) was placed in the file asserting that the proposed design meets applicable sight‑distance guidelines when combined with the proposed lighting and possible stop signage.

Staff recommended approval, noting the commission had previously granted an alternate cross‑section to preserve the farm road and that the current waiver request is consistent with that intent. Commissioners thanked staff and the applicant for working through the engineering; the waiver passed unanimously. The approval is subject to denoting the waivers on final plats and securing required engineering signoffs.

Next steps: applicant to finalize construction drawings and obtain engineering/traf fic signoffs prior to recordation and construction.