Franklin County approves zoning change for new subdivision northwest of Pasco

Franklin County commissioners approved a zoning change Wednesday that may result in a 37.9-acre subdivision northwest of Pasco.

The site is at the northern edge of Pasco’s urban growth boundary, where a crop circle now sits to the east of Dent Road and north of Burns Road.

Wednesday’s 3-0 vote for a low-density residential designation will allow for two homes per acre. That likely means about 50 homes will go in, with room for streets and utilities accounted for, according to county documents.

The project is being built by Dave Greeno with Big Sky Developers LLC.

The development would be located in a growing part of the county. Four other subdivisions — Pelican Point, Goose Hollow, Pheasant Run and Quail Bluff — are nearing completion along the west side of Dent Road. A city water main was extended along Burns Road earlier this year.

Commissioners may consider another new development along the west side of Dent Road, this one 67.2 acres, at an upcoming meeting, said Jerrod MacPherson, county planning and building director.

“It will create a nice flow of very equivalent zoning within the urban growth boundary,” he said.

Also Wednesday, commissioners:

The extra subsidy is being covered with money from rental car fees, TRAC General Manager Troy Woody said.

The county pays half of TRAC’s annual losses, which were projected earlier this year to reach a record for the 20-year-old facility. Pasco picks up the rest.

The county and city had budgeted TRAC’s loss for 2014 at $315,802, said MacPherson, who is also interim county administrator while Fred Bowen is on medical leave. The county was planning to pay $157,901 of that.

The issue illustrates problems counties across the state are having because residents, and tax base, are being brought into cities, Commissioner Brad Peck said.

“That equation, unless something changes, doesn’t have a good end,” he said.

This story was originally published December 4, 2014 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Franklin County approves zoning change for new subdivision northwest of Pasco."