At a Farr West Planning Commission work session, commissioners said they need a clear, costed plan from the developer and city staff to address safety and access issues on Far West Drive before they advance a proposed 39‑lot subdivision.

Commissioners, staff and residents spent the session reviewing the existing condition of Far West Drive — described repeatedly as an undersized, badly degraded roadway that is roughly 20 feet wide in places — and possible remedies including adding pavement width, a painted pedestrian/bike demarcation, or a separated path. Commissioners emphasized that winter conditions and school bus loading frequently reduce the usable width, turning the street functionally into a one‑lane facility where pedestrians and vehicles can be forced into the same space.

Why it matters: The subdivision would route additional traffic onto Far West Drive, most from drivers who do not live on the street. Commissioners said that could increase safety risks for residents and children who wait for school buses along the corridor. Because the proposal has 39 lots, it also raises fire/emergency‑access questions tied to the International Fire Code threshold that typically requires a second approved access for more than 30 single‑family dwellings on a single access road.

Most important facts

- Proposed subdivision size and access: Participants said the proposal as discussed in the session would create 39 lots served from roads that connect to Far West Drive. The International Fire Code (as referenced in the meeting) generally requires two separate accesses when single‑family development exceeds 30 units; planners noted some fire officials interpret thresholds differently depending on sprinklers and housing type.

- Road width and winter plowing: Attendees said Far West Drive measures about 20 feet in some straight sections and up to about 30 feet at one corner; snowplowing reduces usable width in winter, sharply constraining space for pedestrians and vehicles.

- Access‑spacing code and local discretion: Commissioners read the city’s access spacing rule aloud during the meeting. The municipal rule requires two access streets placed at least one‑half of the parcel’s maximum diagonal dimension apart unless “extenuating circumstances” are demonstrated; commissioners calculated the parcel diagonal as roughly 1,491 feet, half that roughly 745 feet, and noted the two existing access points are only about 402 feet apart. The code text gives the planning commission discretion to approve alternate spacing when justified by site geometry or similar conditions.

- Fire‑authority review: Staff said the applicant has an approval letter from the Weaver Fire District that indicates the proposed emergency/secondary access meets that district’s operational requirements. Commissioners asked staff to verify whether the fire district’s approval explicitly covers winter accessibility and to provide the letter to the record.

Discussion and options considered

Commissioners and speakers debated three principal approaches: (1) widening the existing paved surface on one or both sides of Far West Drive and resurfacing; (2) adding a separated pedestrian path (raised or offset) and accepting that in winter it might be buried by plowed snow unless the city or property owners maintain it; or (3) adding a painted demarcation/striped shoulder and modest pavement widening (a low‑cost interim treatment that commissioners noted had been used elsewhere).

Participants repeatedly returned to a practical, budget‑aware solution rather than full curb, gutter and sidewalk. One staff suggestion was targeting a roughly 26‑foot roadway cross section so a 20‑ to 22‑foot vehicular travelway could remain and 4–6 feet could be demarcated for pedestrian use; commissioners instructed staff and the developer to test a 26‑foot concept in design and cost estimates. Speakers also flagged utility conflicts (sprinkler heads and an irrigation head gate within 7 feet of the road) and said repositioning those items should be included in cost estimates if widening occurs adjacent to private lawns.

On separated paths, staff and commissioners noted two practical issues: (a) unless the separated path is actively plowed year‑round it will be unusable in winter; and (b) if the path is placed in a park strip, private property owners may be left with maintenance responsibilities that will be inconsistently executed. For these reasons several commissioners said pavement widening plus painted demarcation is the most viable near‑term fix, with a potential future upgrade to an engineered pedestrian facility if funding and rights‑of‑way permit.

Construction traffic and routing

Commissioners asked the developer to plan to route heavy construction traffic away from Far West Drive where feasible, recommending routing to the north or seeking temporary access agreements with adjacent property owners (Associated Foods and Black Pine were discussed as potential access partners). Commissioners stressed that routing heavy construction vehicles onto Far West Drive while it remains substandard risks prolonged deterioration and delayed maintenance by public works.

Direction to staff and next steps

Commissioners instructed staff to work with the developer and the city’s public works team to: (a) produce a concept plan showing where the pavement could be widened (staff and commissioners identified the northeast or west sides at different segments as likely options); (b) calculate cost estimates that include pavement, striping, drainage implications, and potential sprinkler/irrigation relocations; (c) confirm the Weaver Fire District’s letter and whether extra winter‑time improvements are required for emergency access; and (d) draft recommended construction‑traffic routing and temporary access approaches (including whether Associated Foods or other nearby property owners could provide a construction ingress). Commission members agreed to bring a concept and rough pricing back to a future work session for more detailed review.

Attribution note

A public commenter who identified himself as a resident of Far West Drive summarized neighborhood safety concerns: "I don't think there's any question that there's a safety issue here," he said, describing bus pickup patterns, narrow winter conditions and an irrigation head gate close to the roadway.

Ending

Staff and the developer (Matt and Jim, as identified in the session) were asked to return with a concept plan and cost estimate, to coordinate with public works and the Weaver Fire District, and to report back at the commission’s next work session so commissioners can assess whether proposed improvements adequately mitigate the safety and access risks before the subdivision proceeds.