Last October a developer requested to rezone a parcel of land right on Lake Kilby Road (RZN2021-00018). The developer wished to rezone the land from agricultural to medium density residential and build a housing development of 225 homes on 106 acres of farmland.  

The development in the request would be built just south of a development called Pitchkettle Farms. Pitchkettle Farms is zoned low residential density and has 112 houses, some with half-acre lots. To secure the support of the Pitchkettle Farms HOA, the developer agreed to ask for a variance, which was another item on the October Planning Commission agenda. 

Good city planning practices require an interconnectivity of streets. So new neighborhoods built next to established neighborhoods connect by way of connection stubs. When Pitchkettle Farms was approved, it included the required connection point to join any future development. 

The developer requested this a variance to normal city planning requirements because the Pitchkettle Farm neighborhood was, understandably so, not excited to be connecting to a new development with twice the number of homes, all of whom could be using their main street, Pitchkettle Farm Lane, to access Pitchkettle Road. Who wants to add that much traffic to their small neighborhood street?

However, there are many good reasons to make sure in city planning that roads connect. It reduces traffic congestion, provides continuous and more direct routes, increases safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, improves EMS vehicle access and response times, improves quality of utility connections and increases efficiency for public services like school buses and trash collection. For all of these reasons, the variance request was denied, and rightfully so.