City Council last week approved a 12-lot subdivision while requiring the developer to construct a sidewalk along Denver Street adjacent to the property.

FNB Investments requested a preliminary plat for the subdivision off Colorado Avenue and Denver Street.

The Public Works Department recommended that the developer provide cash-in-lieu of sidewalks for along the Denver Street frontage of the project since Denver is likely to be reconstructed in the next five years.

However, Council felt the developer should provide the sidewalks as part of their project.

Councilor Andy Feury said five years was too long to wait for a sidewalk there.

“A number of people use that street,” he said. “We’re not getting a whole lot of money for the sidewalk and I think we’d be better off with the sidewalk there.”

FNB Investments plans to develop a mixture of 10 townhomes and two single-family lots on the property. The gross density would be 10.22 dwelling units per acre.

The property is located at 540 Colorado Avenue. It is zoned WR-3.

The majority of the lots would have frontage along either Colorado or Denver. However, they would be accessed from an internal privately maintained dead-end alley.

One of the single-family lots would be accessed from the private internal road.

Letters submitted to the city raised issue with the project causing the loss of several mature trees on the site.

Leo Keane said there should be a plan to retain trees.

“We’re losing the character of our town,” he said.

Council updated a condition of approval that a tree retention and preservation plan be submitted to the city prior to work on the site.

Feury said Council is sometimes forced to approve projects that aren’t perfect.

“This is a good natural spot for infill,” he said. “We don’t have all the tools to deny something if it meets all the requirements.”