Skyview Ridge Subdivision, 1st Filing is a proposed subdivision that would create 15 lots on approximately 63 acres of land, south of Wicks Lane, west of Governor's Boulevard, and north of Constitution and Kootenai Avenues in the Heights.  The property is part of a larger master planned area (288 acres in total) owned by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and managed as school trust land. City Council granted conditional approval of the preliminary plat of Skyview Ridge Subdivision, 1st Filing, on August 13, 2007. Section 23-302(M) of the City Subdivision Regulations stipulates that the conditional approval of preliminary plats shall be in force for not more than three years, unless a request for an extension is received and approved by City Council. The City Council may issue more than one extension. 

The three-year preliminary plat approval period was to expire August 13, 2010. At its meeting on July 12, 2010, City Council granted the DNRC a request for a one-year extension of the preliminary plat approval period to August 13, 2011 (at that time state law only allowed for a one-year extension). In late June 2011, after updates to state law allowed for further extensions, the DNRC requested a second extension to the preliminary approval period, for two additional years, in anticipation of better market conditions. City Council granted this extension on July 25, 2011, moving the new preliminary plat approval expiration date to August 13, 2013. 

The owner has completed many of the conditions of approval for the final plat, including a Park Master Plan for the entire master plan area. Additionally, they have entered into a contract with Sanderson Stewart to prepare the final plat and documents for immediate processing. However, it is unlikely that these final documents will be completed prior to the August 13th expiration date. As such, the owner requests one additional six-month extension to the preliminary plat approval (see attachment). The new expiration would be January 13, 2014.

The City Council may: 

• Approve the request to extend the preliminary plat approval for six more months; or
• Deny the request to extend the preliminary plat approval for six more months. 

Platting 15 lots that are currently tax exempt and reselling them to private individuals would increase the tax revenues for the City. Allowing the subdivider up to six more months to prepare the final plat documents for approval and recording should not have any direct financial impact to the City.

Planning staff recommends that the City Council approve the request for an extension of the preliminary plat approval date for Skyview Ridge Subdivision, 1st Filing, for six months, and set the new expiration date to January 13, 2014.