In a special zoning board meeting on April 30, a recommendation was made for the Kemmerer City Council to approve the final plat for the Gateway PUD housing development, with conditions. One of those conditions is to include a plat notice to the future purchasers of the lots that natural gas is not being provided in the all-electric development.

Previously, at a March 19 zoning board meeting, the developers — Sean Coyle, Chris Mooney, and Mark Germain of Gateway Development Kemmerer LLC — had requested an amendment to the plat that included eliminating the need for the developer to install natural gas lines.

A majority of the zoning board recommended that the city deny the request to amend the plat. With a close vote in an April 22 city council meeting, a majority of the council members voted to override the zoning board’s recommendation and amend the plat and allow the developer not to provide natural gas.

Germain, the spokesman for the developers, estimated adding infrastructure for natural gas lines would cost more than $800,000, which would increase lot prices. The developer plans to use a Colorado-based company called Fading West to build the all-electric homes.

On the one hand, eliminating the requirement for gas lines will make the individual lots more affordable, but some are concerned that this will drive up utility costs for homeowners.

Kemmerer City Administrator Brian Muir acknowledged the need to move forward with housing and be accommodating to the developer but said he’s concerned about affordable utilities.

“We also need to think about the future of the citizens in the area,” Muir said. “It’s not just about affordable housing; it’s about affordable utilities and having choices.” 

Other topics during the meeting regarding the final plat approval were drainage and soil conditions. Kemmerer City Engineer Brian Gray with Jorgensen Engineering said the housing development drainage report complies with code requirements, but individual lots may require more information about onsite drainage.

“It is worth noting when someone goes to build on a lot, the Geotech report may not provide enough information needed for onsite lot development,” Gray said.

Kemmerer City Planner Allison Thompkins with JUB Engineering also commented about drainage, saying that, while developers account for runoff from hard surfaces on the property such as sidewalks and roads, they do not always account for areas on the actual house such as the roof or driveways.

“The developer is required to address runoff on hard surfaces that they build, but that doesn’t account for roofs, driveways and additional hard surfaces that the homeowner is responsible for,” Thompkins said.

The city council made the final plat approval decision that there be added verbiage in the plat for “buyer beware conditions” and recommendations for buyers to do their due diligence about how suitable the ground is for building.   

Muir said, “I’m pleased with the recommendations of the zoning board to include the conditions about ‘buyer beware’ for soil conditions, drainage and lack of natural gas lines. Some on the zoning board and the city council have suggested that we amend our zoning code to require both natural gas and electric in subdivisions, which I agree with, and which I will be putting on the agenda for a future zoning board meeting.”