At Wednesday’s meeting, the Powell Planning and Zoning Commission listened to and discussed a preliminary development plan for a subdivision that would be constructed on 5.38 acres at 185 N. Liberty St. The land is located directly south of Powell Pool and Adventure Park Drive, which leads into Adventure Park.
Chris Bradley and The Camber Company are proposing 21 single-family homes that will be either one or 1.5 stories. The homes will specifically be geared toward empty nesters and retirees. The application submitted to the City of Powell shows a projected price range of $425,000 to $525,000, with square footage ranging from 1,700 to 2,300 square feet.
The homes would be constructed by Romanelli and Hughes, whom Bradley called “one of the finest home builders in town.”
A rezoning amendment is also being sought to move the land from Residence District, which it is currently zoned, to the Downtown Residence District. Powell Assistant Director of Development Rocky Kambo said the rezoning would have multiple benefits, including being able to add more houses, which he said would lead to more vibrancy in the downtown core.
In addition to the increased number of homes capable of being built, Kambo said rezoning the land to the Downtown Residence District would mean the developer would have to meet the city’s historic architectural guidelines. In turn, he said, the rezoning would expand the city’s historic downtown footprint, which he called “a great draw.”
As part of the proposal, a “stub” road would be constructed on the south end of the development for future connection to Depot Street. Main access to the development would come from the connection to Adventure Park Drive. Kambo said the connector road to Depot Street would be in line with the “Keep Powell Moving” initiative, which he pointed out recommends “alternative, connector roads.”
A bike path would also be constructed on the west side of the development for future connection north to Adventure Park and south to Powell Road.
The proposed development will be reviewed by Powell’s Historic Downtown Advisory Commission before coming back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for recommendation to Powell City Council.
Pending approval of a final development plan, Jim Ohlin, the land acquisition and development manager for Romanelli and Hughes, said construction of the subdivision is planned for next summer. He said construction is expected to last for two years, making the summer of 2021 a rough estimate for completion.
