CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

 

 ORDINANCE No. 3011

 

 Ordinance Zoning the Westwood Ranch Annexation

 

 

Recitals.

 

 Property near the northwest corner of F 1/2 and 25 1/2 has been annexed to the City of Grand Junction as the Westwood Ranch Annexation. The state Annexation Act requires that the City determine an appropriate City zoning designation for the property within ninety days of the annexation.

 

 After public notice and public hearing, as required by the Grand Junction Zoning and Development Code, the Grand Junction Planning Commission recommended approval of Residential Single Family with a maximum of 4 units per acres (RSF-4) zoning. The Planning Commission’s decision followed a discussion concerning the competing options and choices presented by the zoning of the property. On the one hand, the recently adopted Growth Plan recommends a density of 4-7.9 units per acre for this property and others in this neighborhood. On the other hand, the previous county zoning was AFT. The closest City zone equivalent is RSF-R, which allows residential uses on five acre parcels.

 

 The developer of the property has not obtained neighborhood consensus about, nor City approval of, a plan for the property. The Planning Commission struggled with these competing values and debated whether giving an RSF-4 designation for this property would allow for development of the property in a manner inconsistent with the neighborhood and the public interest. It appears, based on the staff discussion before the City Council and the minutes of the Planning Commission, that the Planning Commssion felt compelled to follow the Growth Plan direction.

 

 However, the City Council, recognizing the dilemma faced by the Planning Commission, finds that the City and the neighborhood will benefit, and be protected, if the first City zoning more closely equates to that previously assigned by Mesa County. The ‘rules’ which apply to property zoned RSF-4 may not result in adequate open space for this area. The City Council, as was the Planning Commission, is concerned lest an RSF-4 zoning would result in a ‘cookie-cutter’ approach to the development of this property which would not be in the public’s best interest. Rather, aspects of a “planned development” process, and requirements, which would occur as part of a subdivision approval of a planned development, are viewed as beneficial. Both the Planning Commission, City staff, and the Council conclude that if the property is presently zoned RSF-R, the developer will propose a rezoning request for urban densities greater than one unit per five acres; such a request would properly result in additional process which could evaluate the developer’s proposal. Such a process would benefit the developer, the future owners of the subdivided property, the neighbors and the City because the City would retain a better ability to obtain adequate open space and specific design features that will make the development compatible with surrounding development. On the other hand, if the developer proposed a development consistent with the RSF-R zoning, the neighbors and the City would benefit from the sense of openness and greenery which would likely result.

 

 Therefore, after public notice and public input at the several hearings, including the hearing held June 4, 1997, the City Council finds that the Residential Single Family Rural with a maximum of 1 unit per five acres (RSF-R) zone is appropriate, at this time, for the Westwood Ranch property.

 

 The City Council finds that the RSF-R zone district is in conformance with the stated criteria of section 4-4-4 and section 4-11 of the Grand Junction Zoning and Development Code.

 

 The RSF-R zone district is compatible with existing Mesa County zoning for this property.

 

 

 NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION THAT:

 

The following described property is hereby zoned Residential Single Family Rural with a maximum of 1 unit per acres (RSF-R):

 

A parcel of land situate in the SE 1/4 NW 1/4 of Section 3, Township 1 South, Range 1 West of the Ute Meridian, County of Mesa, State of Colorado, and being more particularly described as follows:

 

Commencing at the Center 1/4 corner of said Section 3, thence S 90°00’00” W along the east-west centerline of said Section 3 a distance of 25.00 feet to a point on the west right-of-way line for 25 1/2 Road; thence continuing along the east-west centerline of said Section 3 S 90°00’00” W a distance of 5.00 feet to a point on the west right-of-way line for said 25 1/2 Road; thence leaving said east-west centerline S 00°00’00” W along said west right-of-way line a distance of 20.00 feet to a point on the south right-of-way line for F 1/2 Road; thence S 90°00’00” W along the south right-of-way line for said F 1/2 Road a distance of 1173.17 feet to a point; thence crossing F 1/2 Road and along the west line of a parcel of land as described in Book 1480, at Page 789 of the records of the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder and extending to the northeasterly right-of-way line for the Grand Valley Canal N 00°02’16” E a distance of 1114.77 feet to a point on said northeasterly right-of-way line; thence along the northeasterly right-of-way line for said Grand Valley Canal the following 4 courses:

 

1) S 14°00’04” E a distance of 27.18 feet;

 

2) S 35°45’52” E a distance of 133.95 feet;

 

3) S 60°45’20” E a distance of 142.94 feet;

 

4) S 69°02’21” E a distance of 94.09 feet to a point on the west line of a parcel of land as described in Book 1305 at Page 141 of the records of said Mesa County Clerk and Recorder; thence

N 00°00’00” W along the west line of said parcel of land a distance of 26.77 feet to the northwest corner of said parcel of land; thence S 69°02’21” E along the northeasterly line of said parcel of land a distance of 97.49 feet to a point; thence continuing along said northeasterly line S 77°38’37” E a distance of 807.66 feet to a point on the west right-of-way line for 25 1/2 Road; thence S00°00’00” E along said west right-of-way line a distance of 675.27 feet to the point of beginning.

 

 

Introduced on first reading this 21st day of May, 1997.

 

PASSED and ADOPTED on second reading this 4th day of June, 1997.

 

 

 

             /s/ Janet L. Terry    

                 Mayor

ATTEST:

 

 

/a/ Christine English    

Acting City Clerk