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Mr. Babbitt replied that the property was already approved under TTK Partnership when <br />he bought it. He indicated that the original intent as custom home sites was the ability <br />for anybody to buy one or more of the lots and to build what they wanted on the lots as <br />long as they met the intent of the design guidelines; hence, the reference to “custom <br />home sites” rather than “custom homes.” <br />Commissioner O’Connor inquired if the TTK Partnership application was approved as a <br />tract development and then moved to a custom development. <br />Mr. Babbitt replied yes to both questions. <br />Commissioner Blank recalled that the Commission wanted to create a process where <br />not every home site had to come before the Planning Commission but only if it were <br />appealed. <br />Commissioner O’Connor stated that this would have been the case with TTK <br />Partnership. <br />Commissioner Narum noted that the Commission typically receives a copy of the plans <br />for homes that the Zoning Administrator approves. <br />Commissioner Blank added that in this way, the Commission would not be required to <br />have a full hearing. <br />Jeff Schroeder, Vice President, Land Acquisition and Planning, Ponderosa Homes, <br />stated that they looked at the project a year-and-a-half ago to determine whether they <br />could build homes on it that were similar to what they were doing on Mohr Avenue. He <br />noted that they took the homes of their Ironwood project and modified them fairly <br />extensively for the seven half-acre lots. He indicated that he has been buying land for <br />Ponderosa for ten years and that when the 34-lot tract received approval, it was out on <br />the street for builders to bid on. He added that the market was not good at that time, <br />and the seller kept raising its price until it eventually got out of range for most production <br />builders. He noted that he could have purchased the property then and built 34 homes <br />on it that met the design guidelines. <br />Mr. Schroeder stated that the homes Ponderosa is building on Mohr Avenue are <br />fantastic and invited the Commissioners to visit them. He noted that they are as good <br />as or better than what some custom homes have, with Sub Zero and Wolf appliances, <br />pine cabinets, and granite slab counter tops. He indicated that there are many custom <br />home site buyers that are not building because they cannot get a loan or they paid too <br />much and may never build on the lots. He pointed out that he believes the fact that <br />Ponderosa is willing to take the risk under this economic climate to bring some <br />single-family homes into the community will help enhance the fact that there are empty <br />lots out there. He concluded that with custom homes, one never knows what will be <br />built. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, February 24, 2010 Page 11 of 17 <br /> <br />