1411 - November 20
PLANNING & DEVELOPME NT DEPARTMENT
102 WEST MAIN STREET PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA 36067 334-595-0500 334-361 -3677 FACSIMILE
planning.prattvilleal.gov
C ITY O F P RA TTV ILLE
P LA N N IN G C OMM IS S IO N
A GEN D A
November 20, 2014
3:00pm
Call to Order:
Roll Call:
Mayor Gillespie, Councilman Boles, Chairman Smith, Vice-Chairman Gardner, Chief Johnson, Mrs. Carpenter,
Mr. Hall, Mr. McAuley, and Mr. Nelson.
Minutes:
September 18, 2014 and October 16, 2014
Old Business:
None
New Business:
1. Preliminary Plat: Rochester Hills
Location: Heather Drive
Owner: Rochester Hill, L.P.
Engineer/Representative: Larry Speaks & Associates
Public Hearing
District 5
2. Final Plat: Oaks of Buena Vista Plat 4-A
Location: Buena Vista Boulevard
Petitioner/Owner: Oaks of Buena Vista, LLC
Engineer/Representative: Larry Speaks & Associates
Miscellaneous:
Adjourn:
CITY OF PRATTVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
November 20, 2014
Call to order:
Chairman Tim Smith called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m.
Roll Call:
The secretary called the roll.Present:Chairman Tim Smith,Mrs. Paula Carpenter,Chief Dallis
Johnson,Mr.Roy McAuley and Mr. Bobby Nelson.Absent:Mayor Bill Gillespie,Councilman
Ray Boles, and Mr. Gene Hall.
Vice-Chairman Reuben Gardner arrived at 3:16.
(Quorum present)
Staff present:Mr.Joel Duke,City Planner and Ms.Alisa Morgan, Secretary.
Chairman Smith changed the order that the agenda items were heard.
Minutes:
None
Old Business:
None
New Business:
2.Final Plat: Oaks of Buena Vista Plat 4-A
Location: Buena Vista Boulevard
Petitioner/Owner: Oaks of Buena Vista, LLC
Engineer/Representative: Larry Speaks & Associates
Mrs. Carpenter introduced a resolution recommending approval of the final plat of the Oaks of
Buena Vista Plat 4A and moved for its approval. Mr. Nelson seconded the motion.
Greg Gillian of Larry Speaks & Associates,petitioner’s representative, introduced the final plat of
the Oaks of Buena Vista Plat 4A.He stated that Plat 4A is part of the 50 lot preliminary plat that
was approved June 19, 2014. He stated that this is the first phase of Plat 4.He stated that the
subdivision is substantially complete by the city’s standards.
Mr. Duke provided the staff report for the final plat of the Oaks of Buena Vista Plat 4A. He stated
that the proposed Plat 4A is a 24 lot plat. He stated that the proposed final plat is recommended
for approval.
The motion to approve passed unanimously.
1.Preliminary Plat: Rochester Hills
Location: Heather Drive
Owner:Rochester Hill, L.P.
Engineer/Representative: Larry Speaks & Associates
Greg Gillian of Larry Speaks & Associates,petitioner’s representative, introduced the preliminary
plat of Rochester Hills. He stated that the proposed plat continues Heather Drive to McQueen
Smith Road. The street extension will include a connection to Dee Drive.
Chairman Smith opened the public hearing.
Public comments were offered by adjacent property owners and concerned citizens in opposition
to the rezoning request.The comments may be summarized as concerns for safety of the
neighborhood and decrease in property value. They also voiced their displeasure to see the
extension/connection of Heather Drive to McQueen Smith Road.The disgruntle neighbors also
expressed concerns that some amenities promised by the developer of Pecan Ridge that have not
been completed.
Robert Mayes, 845 Dee Drive
Paul Gardner, 816 Dee Drive
Jon Lee Finnegan, 211 Deer Trace Street (comments attached and made a part of the minutes)
Holley Dunigan, 1926 Tara Drive
Claire Smith, 845 Heather Drive
The public hearing was closed.
Mr. McAuley introduced a resolution approving the preliminary plat of Rochester Hills and
moved for its approval.Mrs.Carpenter seconded the motion.
Brad Smith, representative of the Rochester Hill, L.P. stated that the property was purchased with
present stub outs to connect Heather Drive. He stated that the proposed apartment development on
Lot 1 will contain 96 units much less than allowable under the present R-4 zoning.
Mr. Duke presented the staff report for the preliminary plat of Rochester Hills. He stated that the
proposed connectivity of Heather Drive to McQueen Smith Road will provide residents of Pecan
Ridge secondary access and will bring the subdivision into compliance with regulations regarding
access and connectivity. Because of the conflicting dates in the newspaper legal advertisement, he
requested that the item be tabled until the next meeting to clear up the conflicting meeting dates
and allow for a correctly advertised hearing.
Mrs.Carpenter moved to table the request until the next meeting to allow for a new hearing to be
scheduled.Mr. McAuley seconded the motion.
The motion to table passed unanimously.
Miscellaneous Business:
Mr. Duke reminded the Commissioners of the neighborhood study for Martin Luther King Drive
on December 4, Thursday, 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m. at North Highland Community Center.
Adjourn:
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Alisa Morgan,Secretary
Prattville Planning Commission
Planning & Development Department
102 West Main Street Prattville, Alabama 36067 334-361-3613 334-361-3677 Facsimile
planning.prattvilleal.gov
MEMORANDUM
DATE: November 14, 2014
TO: Prattville Planning Commission
FROM: Joel T. Duke, City Planner
RE: November 20, 2014 - Agenda
Please accept this memorandum as the Planning Department staff report for items on the
November 20, 2014 agenda.
1. Preliminary Plat: Rochester Hills – between west end of Heather Drive and McQueen
Smith Road: (This preliminary plat was initially reviewed and considered by the Planning
Commission on September 18, 2014. Following a public hearing and discussion, the
Commission voted 5-1 in favor of a motion to approve the plat as submitted. The plat was
declared disapproved since it did not receive the required six affirmative votes needed to
approval a subdivision plat. The applicant has reapplied for hearing and approval on
November 20, 2014.)
In May 1992, Aronov Realty received approval for a sketch plan and zoning configuration for
the Prattville East Addition subdivision, which would later be known as Pecan Ridge. The
sketch plan included two connections to McQueen Smith Road – one at Tara Drive and one
at Seasons Drive – and a connection to Cobbs Ford Road. The Planning Commission’s
recommended a zoning scheme which divided the property into business, low and medium
density single-family residential, and multi-family residential. The zoning plan was approved
by the City Council in June 1992. Aronov Realty modified the sketch plan in 1997 to
eliminate a connection to Cobbs Ford Road and to extend the street developed as Heather
Drive west to McQueen Smith Road. Of the initial sketch plan, roughly 25 acres in the
northern portion of the subdivision has remained undeveloped for over 10 years. The
predominately zoning classification in the undeveloped northern section is R-4, Multi-family
residential with a lesser portion zoned as B-2 and R-5.
November 14, 2014
Prattville Planning Commission
Page 2
The current applicant, Rochester Hills, LP, is requesting approval to divide the remaining
section of Pecan Ridge into large lots and to add approximately 1,590’ of new street
connecting the western end of Heather Drive to McQueen Smith Road. The subdivision
extends Dee Drive northward a short distance to create an intersection with the new
Heather Drive section. The streets create a large lot (10.52 acres) north of the new street
section corresponding to the R-4 zoning and leaves the remainder divided between R-3, R-5
and B-2 zoning.
In April 2014, the Commission heard a request from petitioners MHL, LLC and TBG
Residential to rezone a portion of the undeveloped Pecan Ridge subdivision for additional
multi-family residential. Following a public hearing and a meeting with a Commission
subcommittee, the rezoning application was withdrawn. The current petitioner, Rochester
Hills, LP, is also a division of TGB Residential. (At the time of the September 18, 2014
preliminary plat review, no plans for development of lots in the proposed subdivision had
been presented for permit. Plans for the Rochester Hill Apartments are currently under
review by relevant city departments. A copy of the proposed apartment complex is included
with this report as Attachment 4)
The proposed street design, widths and locations correspond with the Aronov sketch plan
approved in 1997 and meet city development regulations. By connecting to McQueen Smith
Road, the proposed plat completes the planned street network and eliminates the single
access violation of the city subdivision regulations and fire codes which has existed since
development stopped in the subdivision over 10 years ago. The proposed connection to
McQueen Smith Road will provide residents of Pecan Ridge secondary access and will
reduce congestion at the Tara Drive/McQueen Smith Road intersection. A review of the
subdivision plat by city staff generated several of technical comments and corrections. Staff
recommends approval of the subdivision on condition that all staff comments and
corrections are satisfied.
Included with this memorandum for your review are:
Attachment 1: Rochester Hills - Location Map
Attachment 2: Rochester Hills, preliminary plat layout
Attachment 3: Staff Review Comment Letter
Attachment 4: Site Layout – Rochester Hills Apartments
2. Final Plat: Oaks at Buena Vista, Plat 4-A – North end of Buena Vista Boulevard: On
June 19, 2014, the Oaks of Buena Vista, LLC received Planning Commission approval for a
preliminary plat containing 50, R-3 zoned residential lots on an extension of Buena Vista
Boulevard. The petitioner is requesting approval of a final plat, Oaks at Buena Vista, Plat 4-
November 14, 2014
Prattville Planning Commission
Page 2
A, containing 24 of the approved lots. The subdivision is substantially complete. Staff
recommends approval.
Included with this memorandum for your review are:
Attachment 4: Oaks at Buena Vista, 4-A - Location Map
Attachment 5: Oaks at Buena Vista, 4-A, final plat layout
If you have any questions concerning these items, please do not hesitate to contact me or stop
by the office.