By Bill Short
The Millington Planning Commission has approved the Engineering Plats for Phases 1 and 2 of the Huntington Estates subdivision southeast of the intersection of Shelby and Quito roads.
Commission members took the actions on separate motions during their July 19 regular monthly meeting.
Each motion was passed by five affirmative votes, with Mayor Terry Jones and Curtis Park absent.
The commission approved the Design Plat for the subdivision at its March 15 meeting.
Charles Goforth, planning consultant for the city, said Huntington Estates will consist of 283 residential lots on 94.25 acres. He noted that it will tie in on the south to the Woodmere and White Oak subdivisions.
Because Field Oak and Hickory Meadows are both 60-foot “collector” roads south of the subdivision, Goforth said the “circulation” in there is very good.
He noted that Hickory Meadows Road dead-ends at the corner of Lions Park. So, a portion of the park will have to be taken for extension of the road.
Goforth said the planned subdivision is “almost half-divided.” The western half is zoned R-1, Low-Density Residential, and the eastern half is R-2, Medium-Density Residential.
He noted that the “typical” R-1 lot will be 80-by-140 feet and the R-2 lot 65-by-125 feet.
Goforth acknowledged that Royster Creek on the east side of the subdivision has a flood plain, where the floodway is contained within the “ditch.” But because it extends out slightly to the “fingers” of the ditches, it will have to be addressed.
At the July 19 meeting, Goforth said each Engineering Plat includes approximately 50 lots, with Phase 1 covering the extension of Hickory Meadows Road “up to and improvements to” Shelby Road.
On a motion offered by Leanna Dagen and seconded by Vice Chairman Brett Morgan, the commission approved the Engineering Plat for Phase 1 with the following conditions:
(1) The area identified as common open space must be dedicated to Lions Park.
(2) A detailed Site Plan must be submitted for any entrance treatments and landscaping, the cluster mailbox site, the improvements to Lions Park to replace the trail, and the parking removed by the road extension.
(3) An easement must be provided on the Final Plat for any entrance signs.
(4) The water and sewer plans must be reviewed and approved by Tim Verner, the city’s engineering consultant. Fire hydrant and other water and sewer details must be consistent with the Millington Subdivision Regulations.
(5) The plat must be corrected to include Millington certifications, not Shelby County’s.
(6) A new driveway must be provided into the park across from the street and the on-street parking removed.
(7) The common open space designations and the right of way on the cluster mailbox lot must be corrected.
(8) The sequence of construction on the erosion control must be revised, including construction of the detention basin, and where the dirt will be stored and/or spread.
(9) A copy of the Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit must be provided for the slope drainage pipe in Royster Creek.
(10) An overall drainage map must be provided that indicates the areas planned to be drained to the detention basin and area to bypass the basin.
Goforth said the Engineering Plat for Phase 2 extends Field Oak to the west and ties into the White Oak subdivision. He noted that the cluster mailbox kiosk will be on a street going to the north.
On a motion offered by Morgan and seconded by Chairman Chuck Hurt Jr., the commission approved the Engineering Plat for Phase 2 with the following conditions:
(1) A detailed Site Plan must be submitted for the cluster mailbox lot, and the right of way must be corrected on the lot.
(2) The water and sewer plans must be approved by Verner.
(3) The plat must be corrected to include Millington, not Shelby County, certifications.
(4) The 40-foot setback along Shelby Road must be labeled on the plat.
(5) An overall drainage map must be provided to verify that Lots 241-250 are included in the area where drainage bypasses the detention basin.
(6) A temporary turnaround must be provided at the end of “Street A” before that street is extended into the next section.
Although the U.S. Postal Service has declared that cluster mailbox kiosks must be installed in all new single-family subdivisions, Goforth said Congress has never approved anything that requires them.
He noted that 8th District U.S. Rep. David Kustoff is a “signatory” to the proposed Easy Access to Mail Act that has been introduced in Congress.
It would give cities the right to determine whether they want cluster mailboxes before the post office could require them. So, Goforth said residents who oppose them should call Kustoff’s office.
“Even though we’ve got to plan for them right now,” he acknowledged, “we’re hoping that something will be done on that.”
