SIDNEY — The Sidney Planning Commission OK’d a request for an extension of Echo Drive during its Monday evening meeting.
The city of Sidney’s proposal for the dedication of right-of-way for an extension of Echo Drive from the current terminus east to an intersection with Folkerth Avenue was approved by the commission.
The right-of-way is 60-feet-wide with a length of 436.54 feet and a total area of 0.612 acres. The extension of Echo Drive to connect with Folkerth Avenue has been planned since the initial approval of the Echo Business Center Subdivision preliminary plat in 2009, said Community Development Director Barbara Dulworth.
The two-fold purpose is to: 1) provide developable commercial property in the Echo Business Center subdivision, and 2) to provide a secondary outlet for the commercial properties on Folkerth Avenue. The Folkerth Avenue – Michigan Street intersection is one of the busiest in the city, Dulworth said, and encouraging some of that traffic to go out to Vandemark Road should relieve some of the congestion at that intersection.
The land to the north and south of the right-of-way dedication is currently undeveloped. The new lot to the south is 1.764 acres, and could be developed as is, or it could be split along the Echo Drive frontage to create two or more lots, she said. The new lot to the north is 11.520 acres, and, while it could be developed for a larger user as a single lot, it could also be subdivided with new streets dedicated and developed as proposed in the original subdivision preliminary plat. The new lot meets the lot size, width, and lot width to depth requirements of the zoning code and subdivision regulations.
This request will appear before the Sidney City Council for consideration of approval at a future meeting.
In other business, Board Chair Tom Ehler and Commission member Merrill Asher were absent and were excused by the commission. It was also announced that Ehler, one of the city’s longest serving volunteers, has resigned from the commission. Dulworth said they will be seeking his replacement soon, and hopefully can fill his seat in September.
