Preliminary plans for the first phase of a development that could eventually add more than 700 homes to Donnelly were approved on Monday by the Donnelly City Council.The proposal by Craig Groves of Donnelly, called Mountain Meadows Ranch, would be built on 272 acres just west of Donnelly between West Roseberry Road and Wallace Lane.The first phase, known as Mountain Meadows Ranch - South, would develop about 47 acres fronting West Roseberry Road between Kassandra Road and Roseberry Plaza.Conceptual plans call for 16 acres of commercial development fronting Roseberry Road and up to 240 homes, apartments, and townhomes.“We really mean for these to be for folks who are living here in the community, raising families,” Project Planner Bonnie Layton said.The preliminary plans were approved by the council, but Groves must still receive the council’s approval on final plans before construction can begin.The exact number of homes and types of businesses included in Mountain Meadows Ranch are still to be determined, Groves said.Groves expects to offer homes and townhomes for sale and apartments for rent, but is unsure of target rental and sales prices.“We’re going to have a preferential sales program for full-time residents,” he said, adding that the details of that program have not yet been developed.Groves will be required to build a 10-foot-wide sidewalk along the development’s Roseberry frontage as part of the council’s approval.He also must complete a traffic study to determine if a new road linking the development to Roseberry Road will trigger additional roadway improvements.A bicycle and pedestrian pathway through the development must be linked with trails in the area planned by Valley County Pathways, under the approval.Current plans also set aside eight acres in the first phase of development as open space.“We think it’s a great opportunity not only for our community, but local residents in general,” Layton said.
