Committee amends Sweetgrass plat condition to delay infrastructure assurances until development action

The Public Services Committee recommended that the final plat for A&H Park at Sweetgrass be approved with conditions after amending staff recommendations to change the timing of infrastructure assurances. Planning staff had recommended that a plan for required roads and utilities or financial assurance (bond, certified check or development agreement) be provided prior to recording the plat; the planning commission asked council to review whether that requirement could be satisfied later.

Casey Palmer, the applicant's planning agent, told the committee the primary purpose of the plat is to create parcels to be donated for public and private recreation and to memorialize rights-of-way so conveyances can occur. "There are about 7,500 ft of road, water and sewer, not to mention power and gas that would be part of this loop around the park," Palmer said, adding there are no salable parcels in the plat to fund immediate construction. Palmer asked that the assurance requirement be allowed at certificate of occupancy or at development action so the plat can be recorded and the parcels donated.

City engineer Cobb and planning staff said they want to make sure the city and taxpayers are not left responsible for constructing adjacent roads and prefer the obligation be memorialized in an agreement. After discussion, the committee approved an amendment to move the condition so it applies "prior to any development action" (the committee's amendment renumbered staff conditions accordingly). The main motion as amended to recommend approval with technical corrections and the revised condition passed and will be forwarded to the full council.

The committee also clarified lot uses: Lot 1 is a 45-acre city park, Lot 2 is a private recreational-development lot, Lot 3 includes an existing Black Hills electrical substation, and Lots 5 and 6 are remainder lots with multiple easements. Planning staff and the applicant agreed that technical corrections must be completed prior to recording.