BLYTHEWOOD – A first reading (vote) on a combined request for annexation and R-5 zoning for 377 acres with permission to build as many as 725 homes will be heard by Blythewood Town Council at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at Doko Manor.
The Blythewood Planning Commission voted 3-2 on Sept. 28 to recommend denial for the annexation of 315.75 of the 377 acres. That vote also included a recommendation of denial for the high-density (R-5) rezoning of that property as well as for a 61.26-acre property that is already in the town. The two properties (totaling 377 acres) lie between and border Fulmer and Mount Valley roads.
Without accounting for infrastructure and open space, Blythewood’s R-5 zoning allows 8.71 homes per acre or about 3,000 homes total on 377 acres.
Town Hall staff provided the planning commission a prepared motion to read calling for a vote to recommend approval of the annexation and rezonings “with conditions” on the entire 377 acres that include:
- limiting the number of homes to 725
- minimum lot widths of 50 to 53 feet
- minimum side setbacks of homes from property lines set at 6 feet
- requirement for two-car garages
- minimum 1,400 square feet of heated floor space (not including garage) for single-level homes
- minimum of 1,800 square feet of heated floor space (not including garage) for two-story homes
Councilman Rich McKenrick told The Voice that the town will require the developer to provide walking trails, a dog park, a community pool, trees and sidewalks along the streets, and other amenities. A roundabout is proposed where a realigned Mt. Valley Rd. will meet Valley Estates Dr. and Abney Hills subdivision.
The applicant for both properties is South Fork Ventures LLC, represented by Brandon Pridemore of R. Joe Harris & Associates.
The requested R-5 zoning allows for single-family detached units, duplexes, multifamily units, and manufactured homes.
During the meeting, Commissioner Marcus Taylor said he thought that R-5 zoning had been eliminated from the town’s zoning designations.
Town Manager Doug Polen shook his head “no” without further explanation.
But in June 2017, council adopted a zoning ordinance downsizing selected parcels in the R-5, R-8, and R-12 districts that allowed minimum lot sizes of 5,000, 8,000, and 12,000 square feet, respectively, to the D-1 zoning district. While the vote to downsize those parcels took effect, council at that time followed legal advice and kept R-5 zoning on the town’s books.
“The goal in downsizing to D-1 zoning in 2017 was an effort to slow high-density growth in the town and to eliminate large developments of small-lot residential subdivisions within the town limits,” said then-Mayor Mike Ross. “We wanted to stop approving zoning districts less than 20,000 square feet.”
Sept. 28 was the second time Pridemore requested R-5 zoning on the 61.26 acres. He said he will build only 97 homes on small lots, leaving 50% of the acreage as green space if he is allowed by the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals to incorporate cluster housing in the project. However, he will not be able to apply for the cluster housing until after the property is rezoned by council.
Council previously denied the May 4 rezoning request in a 4-1 vote.