City Planning and Zoning -10.3.22

10.3.22 - The City of Mountain Home Planning and Zoning commission met on Monday night in regular session to tackle their agenda. The agenda included public hearings for two developments, as well as four action items to approve the findings of fact for developments already acted on.

After approving the minutes for the meeting on September 19th, the commissioners heard from Brock Cherry and developer Tim Mokwa of Hayden Homes regarding a proposed development south of the Silverstone subdivision and at the end of South 5th West Street. The development has been named the Fall Creek subdivision and would be comprised of 176 detached single-family homes to exceed or equal 5,000 sq. ft.

After presentations from Mr. Cherry and Mr. Mokwa, members of the community were invited to share their thoughts and concerns in a public hearing. The most significant issues addressed included the smell produced by nearby sewer ponds, local school district overload, road conditions, emergency service overload, and nuisance construction byproducts such as garbage and noise pollution.

Mr. Cherry and Mr. Mokwa were then given the opportunity to address concerns posed by members of the community before the commissioners made any motions. With regard to smell concerns, the developer noted the implementation of a gap between the sewer ponds as well as a 12’ tall berm between the homes and the ponds. Mr. Cherry and the city’s legal counsel made reference to a handful of city codes that allow the city to enforce restrictions on construction noise pollution, as well as the way in which construction waste is contained and disposed. Mr. Cherry also noted that the Mountain Home School District was made aware of the proposed development, and did not provide a form of response. Lastly, Mr. Cherry noted that on top of impact fees, the developer has also provided a dedicated portion of the proposed development to EMS for on-site storage and other uses.

Ultimately, a motion was made to approve the preliminary plat for the Fall Creek Subdivision, and it was approved unanimously.

Next on the docket was an action item regarding a conditional use permit for a mobile food truck yard at 2010 American Legion Boulevard. Mr. Cherry explained that this site is in a unique position because it rests in an area deemed a floodway by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This means that no permanent structures can be developed on the property. For this reason, the applicant/owner cannot place permanent structures on the property. The project proposed would create a local space for small entertainment events, games, booths, markets, musical performances, and of course, food trucks. After the owner’s presentation, members of the public were invited to share their thoughts or concerns.

The primary repeated concern was noise pollution for local residents and businesses. Mr. Cherry and the owner noted that in the terms of the conditional use permit, it was agreed that any noise produced by a venue on the property would not surpass a level of 60 decibels. The owner also noted that there were no plans for events after daylight hours, and that should performances occur, they would be more acoustic in nature. The other primary concern addressed was the safety of the site. The site’s current conditions make it somewhat dangerous for haphazard drivers due to an embankment and limited visibility due to trees. The owner agreed that it would be prudent to create a safer environment on the property. A motion was made to approve the conditional use permit, and it was ultimately approved unanimously.

Following this, the commissioners moved on to old business, approving the findings of fact for a conditional use permit, preliminary plat, annexation, and a planned unit development, all with unanimous approval.

After these approvals, the meeting came to a close. The next city planning and zoning meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 17th at 6pm in the Mountain Home city council chambers.