City approves two-lot subdivision

PRIEST RIVER — City Council members swiftly approved a two-lot subdivision on Monday after tabling the decision two weeks ago due to concerns by neighbors over access to the property.

“I am not going to be changing anything that I represented at the hearing or my recommendations,” said Bryan Quayle, city planning and zoning director.

With the approval by council, Timothy Stevens of Heritage North Investments, LLC, will split a half-acre parcel on Third Street into two quarter-acre lots, with plans to build two single-family homes.

The property is located on the opposite side of Third Street from Warren Avenue, and while there is a proposal to develop and extend Warren Avenue to the east, it is currently a stand of trees and the development of the street is not part of the subdivision proposal, Quayle told council and the public during the initial public hearing on Nov. 18. If the street ever were to be developed, it would run along the south side of the subdivision. At this time, only Third Street is developed for access to the property, so the driveway for both the east and west lots of the subdivision will have to be accessed from the west side. Per the proposal, a driveway along the north side of the property will access both lots from Third.

City water will be accessed from the Third Street direction as well, and sewer will be accessed from the direction of First Street, Quayle said. The only condition Quayle listed in the Planning and Zoning report was that the final plat of the subdivision, named Priest River Estates, be completed within two years.

After listening to a number of comments from community members during the initial public hearing, Quayle said on Monday that one of the main issues that was brought up was the driveway access on the north side of the property, which abuts another property with a home close to the property line. One idea that was floated, he said, was to keep the driveway back five feet from property line. Quayle told council members if that is the way they want to go, they would need to direct staff to amend the ordinance so there is a provision to point to, rather than making arbitrary decisions.

“I think you are going to have to suggest the neighbors work together on this and not have that five-foot requirement,” Quayle said.

A five-foot right-of-way on the south property line was suggested as well, as some of the community members were concerned there would not be enough room for any future development of Warren Avenue between properties. Quayle said staff went back to the site, as well as looked at the map, and believes the current 50-foot right-of-way is adequate to serve the remaining development that might come out of that area.

During the initial hearing, Councilwoman Candy Turner asked to hold off on a decision to give her and other council members a chance to look at the property for themselves. After doing so, however, she and Councilman Greg Edwards said they agree with the original recommendations from the planning and zoning staff as well.

“I just wanted to see it ... I think as long as we are staying within the ordinances that we have now, I’m fine with it,” Edwards said.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.