Sign of the times

Though the agenda for the August 11 meeting of the Saratoga Planning Commission was sparse, the entire meeting surrounding Octagon Construction and the company’s development of a subdivision west of Saratoga.

Bo and Kristen Stocks, co-owners of Octagon Construction, were joined by Craig Kopasz and Levi Wolfe of Engineering Associates to discuss the preliminary plat for phase two of the subdivision project as well as discuss signage for the development. In the case of Octagon Estates II, the largest point of discussion appeared to center around the current zoning of the property. Meanwhile, precedence played its part in the sign discussion.

Octagon Estates II

With the preliminary plat of Octagon Estates I approved by the Saratoga Town Council, the Stocks returned to the Saratoga Planning Commission to discuss Octagon Estates II. The property being developed sits west of the water towers outside of Saratoga and borders Shively Airfield. The property is currently zoned RD 9000, but the developed area to the east and the undeveloped area to the west are both zoned RD 7200.

As Octagon Construction and the acting zoning officer Kent Smith discussed the next phase of development, he expressed his desire to see the property rezoned. Smith stated that his concern centered around the potential of somebody else developing the property, which could have water and sewer based around single family dwellings, and bringing in multifamily dwellings that could tax the system.

Saratoga Municipal Code 18.18.020 outlines the permitted uses for RD 7200, which includes detached single-family dwellings. Meanwhile, under Saratoga Municipal Code 18.24.020, permitted uses for RD 9000 include not only detached single-family dwellings but duplexes, multifamily residences and mobile home parks.

Bo Stocks informed the planning commission that, at the moment, the property held more value to him as RD 9000 instead of as RD 7200. Additionally, Bo Stocks’ concern also seemed to be, with a limited number of neighbors it would take very few opposing signatures to sink any potential of a zone change. Kristen Stocks, meanwhile, stated she didn’t believe the planning commission or Smith would issue a building permit for a multifamily dwelling unless there was the appropriate sewer in place.

“The person who subdivides the land has to be able to have enough water and sewer in there, if it’s going to stay 9000, to accommodate the possibility,” said Smith.

Tom Westring, vice-chairman of the planning commission, echoed Smith’s statement.

“If it’s being developed at RD 9000, then everything should be modeled, water and sewer, to accommodate multifamily,” said Westring.

Kopasz, who also serves on the Saratoga-Carbon County Impact Joint Powers Board, stated that the property had more than enough sewer capacity. He noted that the bottleneck for the sewer system was right above the Saratoga Hobo Pool and that the model for the sewer system in the development by Octagon Construction utilized eight inch, clay piping. With the discussion about duplexes and multifamily dwellings, the question was asked if the Town of Saratoga was opposed to such dwellings.

“With the additional sewer capacity that we know we have based on the calculations, why is the Town opposed to duplexes on those lots based on the size? That’s basically what this would do, the zone change, would limit us from being able to put duplexes anywhere in that versus putting single family homes even knowing the sewer capacity would handle it,” said Kristen Stocks.

“I don’t think the Town is opposed to duplexes. In fact, the master plan, that was one of the big items in there was we need affordable housing. To me, that falls into affordable,” replied Westring.

Smith requested Kopasz return to the planning commission with numbers to show that the Town of Saratoga could handle the increased demand on water and sewer should duplexes or multifamily dwellings be constructed in Octagon Estates II.

The planning commission voted unanimously to send the preliminary plat Octagon Estates II to the Saratoga Town Council.

Seeing Signs

As Octagon Construction begins development of properties off of Airport Avenue and west of town, the company put in a request to erect two signs advertising the upcoming subdivisions. One sign would be at the end of Airport Avenue and would be similar in size to the one placed by Triple D Construction at the Saratoga Inn Overlook. The second sign would be placed on property owned by Valley Foods.

Initially, Smith stated that he didn’t see an issue with the sign being placed on the property just off of Airport Avenue but that he felt the sign at the grocery store was “kind of pushing it.”

Under Saratoga Municipal Code 18.63.050, there are two sections of the code that would provide guidance to Octagon Construction. Under Section A, the code reads “Advertising Signs. Those signs which direct attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the property are to be no more than two hundred fifty square feet in area.” 

Section C of the code, meanwhile, reads “Unilluminated and nonfloodlighted signs which do not exceed thirty-six square feet in area, announcing the construction, remodeling or demolition of a building, the name of the enterprise to be located therein, the new location of the enterprise formerly located therein and the names of the architect and the contractor; provided, however, that only one such sign may be erected at the site of such work on each street frontage.”

While there is no guidance for signs advertising a development or subdivision in residential areas, the planning commission appeared to agree that precedence had already been set by allowing Triple D Construction to place such a sign in RD 7200.

Both signs were approved unanimously by the planning commission.

The next meeting of the Saratoga Planning Commission will be at 5:30 p.m. on September 8 at Saratoga Town Hall.