Commission tables proposal to allow preliminary engineering in lieu of final plans, seeks revisions

The commission opened a public hearing on a city-led amendment to subdivision regulations that would permit the city engineer to accept preliminary engineering plans with a preliminary plat at an applicant’s request, instead of requiring full, detailed final engineered plans at the time of preliminary plat submission. Commissioners then voted to table the item to the next meeting to allow staff to revise the draft language and address concerns about treating residential and nonresidential development differently.

Planning staff told the commission that the change responds to increased interest in commercial development and the practical difficulty of reviewing full engineering sets within the city’s 30-day preliminary plat review deadline. Staff said the proposed change would allow engineers to accept preliminary engineering to determine feasibility and then require final engineering plans prior to construction. "If the city engineer says, I need more information, I need a full detailed set, he can still request that," a staff member said. Staff added that preliminary plats would still expire in two years if the applicant does not proceed.

Several commissioners raised concerns about applying the same flexibility to single-family subdivision review versus commercial projects and asked staff to return with language that separates residential from nonresidential processes where appropriate. One commissioner noted that the city’s unified development code (UDC) work is under way and that the final UDC may provide clearer separation of processes.

After discussion, the commission voted to table the amendment and continue the public hearing to next month so staff can return with revisions. Staff said they will consult with legal counsel and consider language that preserves protections for the city while reducing unnecessary upfront engineering costs for developers.