On November 1, 2016, the Planning Division received an application for preliminary major plat approval for Sanctuary Canyon Subdivision, 1^st Filing.  The proposed plat creates 22 lots for residential development and 1 large remaining lot for future development from a 77.91-acre parcel of land.   The subject property is generally located in Lockwood on the south side of Trailmaster Drive, east of Hailee Street and east of the Twin Coulee Subdivision.  The property is outside of zoning.  The Yellowstone County Board of Planning will review the plat at this meeting and conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. The Board of County Commissioners will act on the proposal on January 24, 2017.
 

Staff recommends that the Planning Board recommend that the Yellowstone County Board of County Commissioners conditionally approve the preliminary plat of Sanctuary Canyon Subdivision, 1^st Filing, 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 ensure correct location and installation of septic systems in Sanctuary Canyon Subdivision prior to final plat approval, the applicant will submit drawings and obtain approval from MDEQ for their proposed septic systems with the subdivision.  Also, all storm drainage must be approved by MDEQ prior to final plat approval and a copy of the approved storm drain plan provided to the Yellowstone County Public Works Department. 
2. To minimize effects on local services, prior to final plat approval the applicant will expand existing RSID’s on roads that it will connect to in the Twin Coulee Subdivision to the west or create new RSID’s for maintenance of roads for this subdivision. 
3. To ensure public safety and prevent storm drainage problems prior to final plat approval, the applicant will either increase the '20’ wide Park / Trail Easement’ on the plat to 45 feet wide, 22.5 feet on each side of the property line, or in the SIA under Conditions that run with the land insert a paragraph requiring that any fences being built must be installed a minimum of 12.5 feet back from the edge of the ’20’ wide Park / Trail Easement’ shown on the plat. Either option would be for Lots 3 and 4 of Block 2, continuing under Sanctuary Canyon Road, then between Lots 6 and 7 of Block 1, and Lots 8 through 11, Block 3, and future lots on the north and south of the drainage in future filings. 
4. To minimize the effects on local services, prior to final plat approval the applicant will create a Park Maintenance District for the proposed park land within Sanctuary Canyon Subdivision. 
5. To minimize the effects on local service, prior to final plat approval the applicant will coordinate with the USPS for locating and provided the correct amount of space for safely delivering the mail to the residents. 
6. To minimize the effects on the local environment, prior to final plat approval the applicant is required to obtain approval of a weed management plan and complete a property inspection by the County Weed Department. 
7. Minor changes may be made in the SIA and final documents, as requested by the Planning and/or Public Works Departments to clarify the documents and bring them into the standard acceptable format. 
8. The final plat shall comply with all requirements of the County Subdivision Regulations, rules, regulations, policies, and resolutions of the Yellowstone County, and the laws and Administrative Rules of the State of Montana.

No variances have been requested from the Yellowstone County Subdivision Regulations for this proposal.
 

• A pre-application meeting was held on June 9, 2016 to discuss the proposal.
• The preliminary plat application was submitted to the Planning Division on November 1, 2016.
• A departmental review meeting was conducted on November 17, 2016.
• The preliminary plat was resubmitted with revisions based on department reviews on November 28, 2016.
• The Planning Board will review the plat on December 13, 2016.
• The Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on January 10, 2017, and forward a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.
• The Board of County Commission will consider the preliminary plat on January 24, 2017.
• The 60 working-day preliminary plat review period ends February 1, 2017.

General location:                                            Generally located in Lockwood, on the south side of TrailMaster Drive, east of
                                                                       Hailee Street and east of the Twin Coulee Subdivision
 
Legal Description:                                          S28, T01 N, R27 E, FRAC N2 (LESS NWSWNE, Emerald Hills 2ND & 3RD & 
                                                                      Emerald Hills Westgate 2ND & C/S 2674 AMD & Emerald Hills ACRG TR SUB 5TH)
 
Subdivider/Owner:                                         Superior Builders, LLP
 
Engineer and Surveyor:                                  Blueline Engineering
 
Existing Zoning:                                             Outside of Zoning
 
Existing land use:                                            Vacant
 
Proposed land use:                                          Single-Family Residential
 
Gross area:                                                      77.92 acres
 
Net area:                                                          75.68 acres
 
Proposed number of lots:                                20
 
Lot size:                                                           Max:    61.022 acres   Min.:   0.47 acre
                                                                         
Parkland requirements:                                   Parkland dedication is required in the amount of 0.89 acres, actual amount 
                                                                        being dedicated is 1.289 acres.