MONROE — The City of Monroe Common Council on Monday signed off on the preliminary plat for new residential development, slated for an unincorporated area in Clarno Township.

The Field Stone Subdivision is just south of the city limits at the northwest corner of Mings and Jeffrey Roads. The site, more than 60 acres, that is currently in use as farmland and will be eventually divided into 40 residential lots.

While the property is in the county/township zoning jurisdiction, Monroe officials were asked to sign off on the plans as part of an “extraterritorial plat review” process, under which neighboring localities review the document for any potential impacts on the city or its infrastructure.

The city’s primary concern, said City Attorney Dan Bartholf, was to “make sure the size of (the development) doesn’t impact the extension of road,” into the area, if necessary, in the future. 

The new subdivision will not be annexed to the city or serviced by city utilities. And the roads will be maintained by the township, officials said.  

The subdivision is not the first residential project in the area — there is an as-yet, undeveloped, 4-lot subdivision just west of the proposed Field Stone property.

The city’s plan commission also has reviewed and approved the Field Stone subdivision’s preliminary plat. 

In other business at the March 20 meeting, the council set April 3 as the date for a public hearing on the annexation of more than 37 acres of property into the city owned by Alphorn Ford, N 2985 18th Ave. City officials are reviewing materials related to the annexation project created by Freeport-based Fehr Graham.

The petition for zoning would permit remodeling and alterations to the Alphorn Ford dealership, and to facilitate its connection to city water and sewer lines.