SUBJECT: GENERAL BUSINESS
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Erie Approving the Redtail Ranch Preliminary Plat with Conditions
Body
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Development
PRESENTER: Harry Brennan, Senior Planner
ESTIMATED TIME: 90 Minutes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff finds the Redtail Ranch Preliminary Plat complies with the Approval Criteria and recommends the Town Council adopt the resolution approving the Preliminary Plat with the following conditions:
• At the time of Final Plat, Applicant shall execute a Development Agreement in the form provided by the Town. The development agreement shall include a requirement for Environmental Disclosures as directed by Town staff.
• The applicant shall make all necessary technical corrections and update all application materials as directed by Town staff.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The applicant proposes a Preliminary Plat with 524 residential lots and 32 tracts. The applicant anticipates that these lots will develop with residential dwellings, with associated trails, private open space, drainage facilities, and utilities.
Site History and Prior Approvals
1. Annexation and Zoning
• The Town of Erie annexed this property in 2007. At that time, the Town also zoned the property LR Low-Density Residential.
2. Plat
• The property is not platted.
Preliminary Plat for Redtail Ranch
The Preliminary Plat for Redtail Ranch reflects an updated plan that reduces the number of residential lots originally proposed for the project. Following the Town Council hearing for the original plat of 589 residential lots, the applicant updated the preliminary plat to align with the Town’s standards for oil and gas setbacks. As a result, the proposed preliminary plat includes 524 lots and 32 tracts. Lot sizes range from 2,519 to 19,031 square feet to allow for a mixture of housing types including duplex and single-family detached dwellings. The tracts will accommodate site drainage, private parks and open space, public open space to be dedicated, utilities, and landscaping. The plat includes right-of-way dedication that will connect to the existing street network at three points: one at Vista Parkway, and two on Weld County Road 5. The right-of-way dedications include new local streets and a new collector street. The Preliminary Plat had five rounds of review and submittal; associated materials can be viewed here: <https://bit.ly/retailranch>
If approved, the applicant’s next steps toward development of the property will include application submittal, review, and approval for Final Plat and Site Plan(s) as necessary.
Planning Commission Hearing
The Planning Commission held a public hearing for this application on January 27, 2024. A number of public comments were heard at the meeting. Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat to Town Council. Questions and concerns from public comment and Commissioners included:
• Environmental hazards and clean-up, regarding the legacy of the environmental contamination in the area, the subsequent mitigation efforts, and ongoing monitoring.
• Adjacency to and potential impacts of nearby active and historic landfills.
• Traffic impacts from new vehicular traffic generated by this development, and how that may also impact pedestrian/school safety.
• Oil and gas regulations, acknowledging that the application was filed under the previous oil and gas regulations that are less restrictive than the Town’s current regulations.
• How the project is meeting open space requirements and trail connections.
• Mine subsidence-related recommendations from the environmental report.
• Timing of neighborhood meetings.
Town Council
The Town Council held a public hearing for this application on April 23, 2024. Council voted 3-3 on a motion to continue the hearing, which resulted in the motion failing. Therefore, no action was taken at the meeting. On May 14, 2024, Council moved to reconsider and ultimately approve the motion to continue the public hearing on June 25, 2024.
At the initial Town Council hearing on April 23, 2024, many of the questions and concerns from the public and Councilors echoed those in the Planning Commission hearing, and centered on:
• Oil and gas setbacks.
• Traffic impacts; in particular Redtail Parkway traffic calming strategies, traffic signal warrants, and the Vista Parkway roundabout.
• Spine trail location in relation to the oil & gas facilities.
• Traffic impacts from new vehicular traffic generated by this development, and how that may also impact pedestrian/school safety.
• Environmental disclosures for future homeowners.
Council Priority(s) Addressed:
ü Prosperous Economy
ü Well Maintained Transportation Infrastructure
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution 24-062 - Updated with new conditions to make technical corrections and updates to the application materials as needed, and to require the future development agreement to include Environmental Disclosures as directed by Town staff.
2. Staff Report - Updated with new information.
3. Staff Presentation - Updated with new information.
4. Applicant Response and Update Memo - New attachment.
5. Applicant Presentation - Updated with new information.
6. Proposed Preliminary Plat Exhibit - Updated to reflect 500’ O/G buffer and remove affected lots (63).
7. Redtail Ranch Illustrative Site Plan - New attachment.
8. Preliminary Plat Lot Impact Exhibit - New attachment.
9. Open Space and Trails Exhibit - Updated.
10. Public Comments Received as of June 21, 2024 - One new comment received.
11. Colorado Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund - No updates.
12. Application and Narrative - No updates.
13. Additional Application Materials Part 1 - No updates.
14. Additional Application Materials Part 2 - No updates.
15. Neighborhood Meeting Summary - No updates.
16. Public Hearing Notices - Updated.
17. PC Resolution - No updates.
18. PC Minutes Jan 17, 2024 - No updates.