Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Planning Commission approves Heron Lakes 18th Final Plat

By: Rudy Hemmann | The Surveyor | July 01, 2021 | Local News

The Berthoud Planning Commission held a regular business meeting on the evening of June 24, 2021, and acted on two agenda items presented to the commissioners.

Concerning the Heron Lakes Final Plat (FP):

The applicants, Jon Turner, Jim Birdsall, et al requested approval of a FP on 3.328 acres to create six residential lots from three current residential lots. The three existing lots were originally platted with the Heron Lakes 11th Preliminary Plat, which was approved by the planning commission and the town board in the spring of 2019 and the Heron Lakes 11th FP, which was approved by the Planning Commission in the summer of 2019.

While this is a new FP, the applicant is only required to submit materials that have changed from the previous FP, so a new traffic study, drainage study, etc. were not required. The applicant for this project has provided a new landscape plan, utility plan, grading plan, and plat, which have been reviewed and approved by staff and all necessary outside agencies.

The addresses of the three current lots are 3361 Denzante Bay Court, 3375 Denzante Bay Court and 3383 Denzante Bay Court. The properties are zoned R-2, Limited Multifamily and the applicants wish to retain the R-2 zoning.

Jim Birdsall, representing Heron Lakes Investments, LLC was present to give a very brief presentation and answer questions from the commissioners.

Following a few questions from the commissioners a motion recommending the town board approve the Heron Lakes 18th filing Final Plat was made, seconded and passed unanimously.

According to an information sheet, an update of the town’s Comprehensive Plan got underway in early 2020, and to that end, town staff secured BHA Design and Plan Tools to develop and implement the plan. Several work sessions were held with a steering committee comprised of staff members, town board and planning commission members. These work sessions spawned revisions which were incorporated into the draft document.

A Comprehensive Plan is required by the state before any community may establish zoning or other land-use restrictions. Comprehensive Plans set the land use vision for a community for typically a 5–10-year period. “This vision includes future land use types for all existing developed properties in the town, and for undeveloped land which may be developed in the future.

The proposed Comprehensive Plan is a substantial departure from previous Comprehensive Plans approved by the town. The current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2014, prior to the recent growth the town is now experiencing, and thus reflective of a far different vision. The proposed draft is a transect-based New Urbanist plan with principles of design and form overuses and densities; or more specifically design and road layout dictate development patterns, not zoning uses and density. Staff is currently working on zoning changes and a new set of guidelines that correspond with this new plan.

A final Comprehensive Plan survey is currently open for all residents (see posters with QR codes posted throughout town).

After listening to a presentation by BHA design representatives which hit the high points of the draft proposal a motion to approve the draft proposal was made, seconded and passed unanimously.

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