BROOKINGS – The Brookings City Council approved annexing nearly 100 acres of land and held a first reading to rezone some of the property at the request of the landowners Tuesday.
Councilors this week were also asked about adding parks to the property and how they planned to handle storm water that might flood certain areas.
Annexed; rezoning next
The council discussed annexing and rezoning Blocks 21 and 22, which is about 13 acres, just north of the Timberline Addition, off Steamboat Trail, (the blocks are sandwiched between two sections of land already in Brookings city limits); and annexing 80 acres of Section 34, Township 110 North, just south of the Timberline Addition. Both parcels are between Eighth Street South and 20th Street South, and west of Western Avenue South.
Mike Struck, director of Community Development, explained the areas to be annexed.
The council approved annexing both parcels of land. The public hearing on rezoning the smaller piece of property is set for June 9.
Andrew Ellsworth asked if the council planned to put any parks in that area.
“Timberline’s getting kind of large,” he said, adding he and his neighbors thought “it would sure be nice to have some parks nearby.”
“There were some parks identified in this area as part of the parks master plan,” Struck said. “It’s something that we can certainly talk with the developer about. There are also plans for some linear parks closer to West 16th that would maybe provide an opportunity for some future trails, as well.”
Putting a park into that area can be part of future discussion, said City Manager Paul Briseno, adding the last park master plan update was done 10-15 years ago.
He cautioned about the impact of adding more parks without adding more personnel to maintain them.
“Right now, as we’ve noted in the past, we’ve added 300 more acres of park with very little (additional) employees. And so, we really have to prioritize where and when we add parks,” Briseno said.
Councilor Ope Niemeyer asked how many lots would fit on the 80 acres, and whether they’d be square or feature more cul de sacs.
They’ve been working with the developer to “provide more connectivity,” Struck said.
“There are some limitations on the western portion of this property as far as just low areas, just difficult to serve,” Struck said. That will be where they incorporate linear green space and ponds.
“We are limiting some of the cul de sacs,” he said, adding there may be one or two, but they won’t be as prevalent as in other areas of Timberline.
Rezoning
Struck explained why Blocks 21 and 22 needed to be rezoned from an Agricultural A District to a Residence R-1C Single-Family District.
Rick Intermill said he has property just to the south of this land. “I’m not against the project in itself,” he said, but has concerns, because “we have a water problem being caused by that already.”
Intermill said he’s consulted with real estate developers and requested that the councilors go view the area “so that you can understand.”
“The property I live on has been declared in the flood plain, but the flood plain isn’t our concern; the water coming off of the city is,” Intermill said, adding a sand-bottom retaining pond is there, but he has pictures of “how much water is coming out of it.”
“My concern is about water. As far as the project itself, it’s good to see the city grow,” Intermill said, adding he was bringing it up in the early stages and asking for help “to get the water under control before anything goes on.”
“There has to be a drainage study done anyway, right?” Niemeyer asked.
Yes, Struck said, clarifying that the rezoning was actually for the 13 acres to the north of the 80 acres which is near Intermill’s property.
Niemeyer knows storm water is a problem in several areas of town.
“We don’t need another Windermere thing,” Niemeyer said.
“There is a storm water plan submitted with any development,” Briseno said.
“The drainage plans really aren’t prepared and submitted until you get to the preliminary planning stage,” Struck said. Annexation and zoning come first so they know what development standards they have to work with for that particular property.
Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.
