On April 1, 2016, Northern Engineering and Consulting Inc., agent for Felton Associates, Inc., applicant, applied for preliminary major plat approval for Emma Jean Heights Subdivision, 3^rd Filing. The proposed subdivision creates 37 new lots to be completed in two phases for single-family residential development. This proposal is the third filing of a master planned subdivision that was originally reviewed in 2006. The subject property is generally located on the west side of Bitterroot Drive, south of Wicks Lane in the northeast Billings Heights.  The property is zoned Residential-7000 (R-70). The Yellowstone County Board of Planning will review the plat at this meeting and conduct a public hearing on May  24, 2016.
 

Staff recommends that the Planning Board recommend conditional approval of the preliminary plat of Emma Jean Heights 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 effects on the BBWA ditch company access to perform maintenance, prior to final plat approval the applicant will coordinate easement locations with the BBWA, show them on the final plat, and provide the applicable easement documents.
2. To minimize effects on the BBWA ditch company and to ensure legal use of water, prior to final plat approval the applicant will add to the paragraph in the SIA under Conditions That Run With The Land, E. ‘Residents of Emma Jean Height Subdivision are not allowed to pump water from the BBWA ditch without a permit from the BBWA’.
3. To minimize effects on local services and to ensure proper water distribution and pressure equalization within the subdivision, prior to final plat approval the applicant will provide construction drawings to the County Water District of Billings Heights (CWDBH) showing the connection of new water lines in Tania Circle to the new water lines in Jean Avenue to provide a looped water system going through Tania Circle and Jean Avenue.
4. To minimize the effects on local services and to ensure proper water line installation and the ability to perform repairs or make connections in the future, prior to final plat approval the applicant will provide to the CWDBH ‘As Built’ drawings of the existing water lines installed in Emma Jean Heights Subdivision, 2^nd Filing, both phases 1 and 2.
5. To minimize the effects on local services and ensure proper sewer line installation and the ability to perform repairs or make connections in the future, prior to final plat approval the applicant will provide to the City of Billings Engineering Division ‘As Built’ drawings of the existing sewer lines installed in Emma Jean Heights Subdivision, 2^nd Filing, both phases 1 and 2.
6. To minimize the effects on public health and safety and meet the City of Billings Subdivision Regulations and City of Billings Fire Department Regulations that require two ways into and out of a major subdivision, prior to final plat approval the applicant with remove the gate and fencing that is across Columbine Drive between Emma Jean Heights Subdivision and the subdivision to the south, Shamrock Acreage Tracts, to allow full access between the two developments.
7. To mitigate the effects on local services and ensure park land is dedicated for public use per the Emma Jean Heights Master Plan updated with the 3rd Filing, prior to final plat approval language shall be added to Section VI of the SIA stating that: “Park land shown on the subdivision master plan for the 3^rd Filing will be dedicated either in whole or in part as further filings of Emma Jean Heights Subdivision are platted until the total park land dedication of 4.5 acres that is shown on the master planned has been provided."
8. Minor changes may be made in the SIA and final documents, as requested by the Planning, Legal or Public Works Departments to clarify the documents and bring them into the standard acceptable format.
9. 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.

No variances from the City Subdivision Regulations have been requested.
 

• A pre-application meeting was held on December 10, 2015 to discuss the proposal.
• The preliminary plat application was submitted to the Planning Division on April 1, 2016.
• A departmental review meeting was conducted on April 14, 2016.
• The preliminary plat was resubmitted with revisions based on department reviews on April 21, 2016.
• The Planning Board will review the plat on May 10, 2016.
• The Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on May 24, 2016, and forward a recommendation to the City Council.
• The City Council will consider the preliminary plat on June 27, 2016.
• The 60 working-day preliminary plat review period ends June 28, 2016.

General location:                                 Near the southwest corner of Wicks Lane and Bitterroot Drive
 
Legal Description:                               Emma Jean Heights Subdivision, 2^nd Filing Lot 1, Block 19 
 
Owner/Subdivider:                             Felton Associates, Inc.
 
Engineer and Surveyor:                     Northern Engineering and Consulting, Inc.
 
Existing Zoning:                                 R-70
 
Existing land use:                               Vacant
 
Proposed land use:                            Single-family residential
 
Gross and Net area:                           9.81 acres; 6.79 acres
 
Proposed number of lots:                   37 (19 in Phase 1, 18 in Phase 2)
 
Lot size:                                              Max:    22.52 acres
                                                            Min.:    7,500 square feet
 
Parkland requirements:                       Parkland requirements for this filings are 0.75 acres the applicant is providing the land.