On January 4, 2016, Trails West Homes, LLC applied for preliminary major plat approval for Trails West Subdivision, 3^rd Filing. The proposed subdivision would create 55 lots for single-family residences and one large remaining lot for future development. The first filing of this subdivision and a master plan of the entire development was first submitted and reviewed by the Planning Board in 2009. The subject property is generally located on the south side of Grand Avenue, just west of 56^th Street West.  The property is zoned Residential-6,000-Restricted (R-60-R) and Residential-9,600 (R-96).  The Yellowstone County Board of Planning will review the plat at this meeting and conduct a public hearing on February 23, 2016.
 

Staff recommends that the Planning Board recommend conditional approval of the preliminary plat of Trails West Subdivision, 3^rd Filing, to the City Council and adopt the Findings of Fact as presented in the staff report. 

PROPOSED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
Planning staff recommends the following conditions of approval:

1. To minimize the effect on local services with regard to the drainage system in the subdivision, prior to final plat approval the applicant will add the following language to the SIA under V. Storm Drainage: The maintenance of the ponds, including any mechanical systems, is the obligation of the HOA.  The ponds will be privately owned and maintained by the HOA.  The ponds shall be improved with underground, automatic sprinkler systems and grass.  Privately owned ponds shall be covered with a blanket stormwater easement.  If the HOA fails to maintain or replace the ponds, the City reserves the right to create a maintenance district in the subdivision to maintain the ponds.
2. To minimize effects on local services, prior to final plat approval the final cash-in-lieu contributions toward the intersection improvements at 54^th St. West & Grand Ave., 56^th St. West & Grand Ave., and 56^th St. West & Central Ave. shall be approved by the City Traffic Engineer and the table in the SIA under F. Off-Site Intersections will be filled in with the correct dollar amounts.
3. To minimize effects on local services, prior to final plat approval the developer will be required to submit a cash contribution for the construction of 56^th Street West.  It shall include half of a residential street (given credit for what is constructed), curb and gutter, sidewalk, and design and construction administration.
4. Minor changes may be made in the SIA and final documents, as requested by the Planning, Legal or Public Works staff to clarify the documents and bring them into the standard acceptable format.
5. The final plat shall comply with all requirements of the City of Billings Subdivision Regulations, rules, regulations, policies, and resolutions of the City of Billings, and the laws and Administrative Rules of the State of Montana.

None

• A pre-application meeting was held on August 13, 2015 to discuss the proposal.
• The preliminary plat application was submitted to the Planning Division on January 4, 2016.
• A departmental review meeting was conducted on January 14, 2016.
• The preliminary plat was resubmitted with revisions based on department reviews on January 21, 2016.
• The Planning Board will review the plat on February 9, 2016.
• The Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on February 23, 2016, and forward a recommendation to the City Council.
• The City Council will consider the preliminary plat on March 21, 2016.
• The 60 working-day preliminary plat review period ends March 30, 2016.

The proposed subdivision re-plats a large lot originally platted in the Trails West Subdivision, 1^st Filing into 55 lots for single-family residences and one large lot for future development. The subject property is located on the south side of Grand Avenue, just west of 56^th Street West.  The property is zoned R-60-R and R-96.  The subject property is bordered on the north by developed single-family lots within Trails West Subdivision, 1^st Filing, and on the south, east, and west by irrigated agricultural land and large lot single-family development in the County.  School District #2 owns the adjacent 40 acres north of the subdivision at the southwest corner of Grand Ave. and 56^th Street West.
 
General location:                                             On the south side of Grand Ave., between 56^th St. West and 60^th St. West
 
Legal Description:                                           Lot 1, Block 10, Trails West Subdivision, 2^nd Filing
 
Subdivider/Owner:                                         Trails West Homes, LLC
 
Additional Owners:                                        Ronald Frank, Douglas Frank and Deborah                                                                                                             Frank
 
Engineer and Surveyor:                                  Sanderson Stewart
 
Existing Zoning:                                             R-96 and R-60-R
 
Existing land use:                                           Irrigated agricultural land
 
Proposed land use:                                         Single-Family Residential
 
Gross area:                                                      36.67 acres
 
Net area:                                                          32.83 acres
 
Proposed number of lots:                                55
 
Lot size:                                                          Max:    17.5 acres (Lot for future development)
                                                                        Min.:    6,030 square feet
 
Parkland requirements:                                   0.894 acres of parkland is required for the developable lots and cash in lieu
                                                                        of land dedication is proposed