City Hall
A proposal for a 1,176-square-foot guest house in the Adams Estates subdivision became controversial Wednesday as planning commissioners weighed neighbors’ concerns against the merits of the request.
Planning commissioners voted 4-3 to approve a special use permit for applicant Tom Metcalf, who is seeking to build a guest house larger than 1,000 square feet for a family member while concurrently building a primary residence. Current code prevents such a guest house from being rented out.
The property is located off Skyview Court and zoned single family one-acre (parcel size) planned unit development. According to a staff report, the Adams Estates subdivision was approved in 2021 with 12 residential lots and common open space.
Neighbors said they fought hard to keep the development at 12 lots and worried guest houses would increase density.
“Our concern is to maintain the integrity of the property,” said residents Bruno and Kelly Bielat.
Planning commissioner Richard Perry asked Metcalf why he couldn’t just add on to the primary residence. Metcalf, who is developing the site as an owner/builder, said it’s better to separate the structures than have one big mass. He also said he’s planning to use insulated concrete forms in construction, which require more square footage.
Community Development Director Hope Sullivan said the issue wasn’t whether Metcalf could have a guest house — code allows one under 1,000 square feet on the zoning — but if the extra size was justified with a special use permit.
Perry and commissioners Nathaniel Killgore and Charles Borders voted against the permit.
Planning commissioner Jay Wiggins said he didn’t think less than 200 additional square feet would be an issue, while commissioner Teri Preston noted the applicant has been “very forthright on this.”
In other action:
• Commissioners denied a variance to reduce the required minimum lot size for property zoned mobile home 12,000 (square feet). The variance would have created four 10,915-square-foot lots on one acre located off Otha Street
The vote was 6-1, with commissioner Sena Loyd voting against denial. Loyd said she could make the findings for the change. She said there’s a loophole regarding density between minor variances, which don’t come to the commission, and major variances that do.
According to planning staff, minor variances require signatures from abutting neighbors but not planning commission review.
Applicant Lee Hutchins said he’d like to have four lots. He said he tried getting neighbors to sign off but couldn’t contact one after sending certified mail and calling.
• Commissioners unanimously approved a one-year time extension for an already approved special use permit allowing for construction and operation of a concrete batch plant and rock-crushing operation with silos exceeding 45 feet in height.
The applicant is Wood Rogers Inc. The project is located off Ryan Way and zoned general industrial airport. The applicant is expected to ask for an additional six-month extension in the future. The planning commission approved the permit in 2020, subject to 19 conditions of approval. In 2021, a one-year extension was approved.
Planning Manager Heather Ferris said the delay is “due to the amount of time taken to get through the FEMA approval process.” The property does contain floodplain area.
Although commissioners granted approval of the extension, commissioner Charles Borders warned the applicant the commission can’t grant extensions indefinitely.