In what proved to be a thorough and lengthy Tuesday night discussion at the Renaissance Center, the Cadiz Trigg County Planning Commission and the team representing the Stonegate subdivision got one step closer to a public hearing for the finality of the proposed construction.
Set to potentially be a 48-plat location for modern homes constructed by Justin Reynolds and his company, Reynolds Homes, at the corner of the Hwy. 68/80 Business Loop and Canton Road, only one major hurdle stands in the way of a set date for review.
According to Christian County Attorney Steve Underwood, counsel for the planning commission, Reynolds needs a fully-fleshed Homeowners Association guideline — giving specific details for upkeep and maintenance of the 40-plus houses and its designed and engineered lagoon-based septic system and storm water control.
Reynolds noted that, according to state law, his already proposed HOA documents would require the fees necessary for the consistent pumping-and-cleaning of both the septic chambers and filters leading to the nearly two-acre water basin and four-acre drain. The HOA would also require the funds necessary to create three separate bank accounts driven toward maintenance, major repairs and total replacement — not just for the lagoon, but for the property as a whole.
However, Underwood countered — noting that any final HOA needed extremely precise verbiage not only to meet the county’s subdivision regulations, but also should create a set of stipulations that outlines accountability, and the ramifications for failure to comply. Underwood said those could be surety bonds, liens against property, or in some severe cases — a call to the local health department.
But the reason for said language, Underwood added, is to make sure both the residents within the HOA — and those with property bordering the proposed subdivision — have a defendant they can point to, if a civil or criminal suit should ever be filed.
Reynolds, surveyor Matthew Clark, lagoon architect Paul Cloud and subdivision architect Roger Colburn have already completed a 16-page preliminary plat ready for submission. It’s been reviewed by Cadiz/Trigg Engineer Frank Williams and seen at length by the commission, and there’s a general go-ahead from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the right-of-way of a turn lane into the development off of US 68/80.
It’s this lagoon, however, and lifetime of storm water control that kept, and keeps, getting questioned. Reynolds, Cloud, Colburn and Underwood each took tuns answering about who’s at fault if detention basins aren’t mowed, if septic tanks aren’t cleaned or if the lagoon itself didn’t receive its proper diligence.
Underwood repeated consistently that it all comes down to one thing: a consistent and thorough HOA.
Nearby residents Lisa Champion, Tammy Sallier, Nathan Phelps and Dottie Hiter all posed a myriad of questions regarding fire hydrants, property values, volunteer fire response times, storm water site tests and erosion control, trash collection — all of which, again, fall to HOA adherence, accountability and construction compliance.
Champion summed it up, with Reynolds trying to ease concerns.
By an official certified letter, Commissioner Josh Adams has recused himself from being in the presence of, or voting on, anything related to the Stonegate subdivision discussion.
Public notice for the hearing will be given at a later date.
In other news:
— Chairman Todd Wallace had three particular updates of interest for Trigg Countians.
First and foremost, the planning commission recently received both a copy of the permit and the engineering plans for a two-lane drive-thru for the Montgomery’s McDonald’s, which will soon begin work on this widening. Wallace said the change would remove some of the burger joint’s parking, but would create a faster to-go experience.
Secondly, the city continues to work with the property owner of the I-24 RV Park, which still isn’t officially annexed into the city limits. Wallace mentioned that Cadiz City Council has already had two readings of the ordinance to accept it, but a singular document to meet the filing requirements needs to be completed before it’s submitted to the Kentucky Secretary of State and added to the zoning map at the PADD office.
Thirdly, Wallace noted that both the inquiry and preliminary stages for multiple plats within the Jolly Drive subdivision have been warming for sometime. Most recently, officials within the Five Star organization — in the business of gasoline and petrol products — has begun basic discussions about preliminary plans of locating at the newly-developing business-plex. Wallace said a variance approval for a dumpster should be anticipated for the May meeting.
Full discussion:
