Despite one resident’s concerns about the lot size of the proposed subdivision near the Rolling Green Golf Course, the project is still moving forward.
At a Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting two weeks ago, the group unanimously approved a minimum lot size variance request from Randy Laughter and Lane Fillingim for the Ranch View Estates subdivision. This approval will allow the developers to change the lot size from 2-acre lots to 1-acre lots.
The lot-size variance request is only for phase one of the project, which will now include 52 lots, an additional 12 lots due to the lot-size decrease.
Land Use Director, Eric Bingham, said these lots were zoned R-1 in December, which doesn’t allow for agricultural animals and is most appropriate for smaller lot sizes.
However, Andy Pleasant, who lives near the proposed subdivision disagrees. Pleasant said even though he isn’t against the subdivision, he is against reducing the lot size.
“The main thing I am objected to is this variance,” Pleasant said.
He said if the commissioners grant this variance request, the developers will more than likely come back and ask for the other two phases of the project to be changed from 2-acre parcels to 1-acre parcels.
He said this is contradictory to the Growth Management Plan the county worked hard on creating.
Pleasant said a 13-lot subdivision is already located there and the additional lots would cause congestion on the road and make it hard for him to get his farming equipment and semi trucks to and from his ranch.
He claims this variance will also break international fire codes because the road doesn’t have an outlet it just wraps around the subdivision.
“You’re trapping people in there with the variance,” he said.
Pleasant said the private septic systems will also cause problems for land owners in the future. He said the whole reason for having a 2-acre lot is so there is room for another septic and leach field when the old one fails.
Kael Jasperson, vice chair for the Jamestown Rio Vista Water and Sewer district spoke in favor of the project.
He said the current waterline was tested and met the minimum fire requirements, however as growth occurs they will need to expand the infrastructure.
“I believe the 1-acre is sufficient,” Jasperson said.
As for the septic systems, Jasperson believes that in the future the district will need to expand it’s sewer system. He believes that at some point Green River will want to bring public sewer out to that area to help with development.
“I believe we are going to be forced to provide those services,” Jasperson said about the sewer.
Bingham said a second access doesn’t mean tapping into I-80, but to another highway, however due to the distance of that highway the variance is being allowed because a 38-foot wide road will be constructed in the subdivision to allow for the ranch equipment to get through.
As for the fire codes, the wider road also addresses that concern because the fire trucks will have room to park, while vehicles can still evacuate.
He said in the Gaensslen subdivision existing turnouts will be paved to allow for fire trucks to park on when fighting fires, which will allow for evacuations.
With all of the issues resolved, the county commissioners all spoke in favor of the project prior to approving the variance.
The commissioners also unanimously approved the subdivision’s preliminary plat.
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