Planning commission approves land change

John and Jane Jeffs appeared before the Hot Springs County Planning Commission recently to request a variance of a road easement, a land use change and a preliminary subdivision plat to establish one six-acre lot with a remaining 56-acre property.

The property in question is a place just under 63 acres at 1287 Jeffs Road.

What they are asking to do is a simple one-lot subdivision of about six-acres which contains their residence. They plan to move an existing guest cabin onto the remaining 56 acres and make that their personal residence instead. There is also a two-story residence being built by their son on the larger acreage.

Because changing to the residential land use category is an automatic part of the subdivision process when lots are smaller than 35 acres, the change will apply to the six-acre lot but not to the remaining 56 acres.

Although all surrounding land owners were notified of the meeting along with fire districts, conservation district and irrigation district, no one attended the meeting and county planner Bo Bowman said he had not received any written comments.

Bowman recommended the planning commission approve the request with a few conditions.

The preliminary plat approval will expire one year after the date of its approval and a final plat will be submitted for the county’s review and approval prior to that expiration date.

A weed management plan for the six-acre lot must be submitted for approval and the plat itself will read “no proposed central water supply system” and “no proposed central sewer system.”

Any future septic system must be permitted through the Hot Springs County Planning Office.

The Planning Commission did approve the variance and land use change and it will now come before the Hot Springs County Commissioners for final approval.