Council accepts developer's $63,000 fee‑in‑lieu to meet open‑space requirement for Enclave East

The Preston City Council voted to accept an offer from the Enclave East developer to pay $63,000 as a fee‑in‑lieu for required open space that the developer said the subdivision could not provide.

Jordan Seneca, representing the Enclave East development, said the city requires 15% open space and that the proposed plan “meets all of the requirements” but was short about 1.8 acres. He said the developer was proposing a monetary buyout and offered a value “similar” to what the city paid for land in a recent hospital purchase and proposed to pay $63,000 for the remaining land shortage.

City staff advised that resolving the open‑space figure would allow the subdivision to move forward to the Planning and Zoning Commission for preliminary plat approval. Council staff said an agreement would be drafted to specify timing and conditions for payment.

Council President Brent Dodge moved that the council accept Enclave East’s offer: “I move that we accept the offer from Enclave East for their fee in lieu of open space in the amount of $63,000 paid in 1 payment upon approval of the final plat.” The motion was seconded and approved by unanimous roll call.

City staff said the payment would be required as a condition of the final plat approval and that the municipality would prepare a development agreement to record the condition.

The council did not direct a change to the city’s open‑space policy; it accepted a negotiated fee for this subdivision to allow the plat process to continue.