Lake Havasu City Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - July 17, 2024
Lake Havasu City Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – July 17, 2024
The Lake Havasu City Planning & Zoning Commission held a regular meeting on July 17, 2024, at 9:00 AM in the Council Chambers, 92 Acoma Boulevard. The meeting was called to order by Chair David Diaz and adjourned at 12:16 PM. The Commission elected new officers, heard public hearings on a parking-in-common masterplan amendment, a major General Plan Amendment (GPA) and Planned Development (PD) Rezone for 1850 Bahama Avenue, and approved two city code text amendments. Eight members were present; one was absent.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Unanimously approved (7–0) the minutes of the June 19, 2024, regular meeting.
Selection of Chair and Vice Chair
- Chair: Commissioner Jim Harris was elected Chair (6–1) after nominations from Commissioners Ballard and Dzuro. Commissioner Harris accepted. Commissioner Dzuro's nomination of Paul Lehr failed for lack of a second.
- Vice Chair: Commissioner Tiffany Wilson was elected Vice Chair (7–0) upon nomination by Commissioner Ballard, seconded by Commissioner Harris.
Public Hearing – Parking-In-Common Masterplan Amendment (ID 24-4372)
- Item: Request to approve Resolution No. 24-08 amending the PIC Masterplan for 1780 McCulloch Blvd N, Tract 2345, Block 1, Lot 3, to restore a building pad and provide parking for future development on the lot.
- Applicant: Ivan Betencourt (Selberg Associates) presented a parking calculation confirming sufficient parking for the proposed office use; the plan provides 494 spaces (22 fewer than the approved plan). The owner obtained approval from three of four property owners in the PIC area.
- Public Comment: None.
- Outcome: Approved unanimously (7–0) with staff-recommended conditions (substantial match of site plan, design review, deed restriction recording, 10‑foot landscape area).
Public Hearing – Major General Plan Amendment (ID 24-4378) – 1850 Bahama Avenue
- Item: Request to revise the Future Land Use Map designation for 14.08 acres at 1850 Bahama Avenue from High Density Residential (HDR) to Resort Related-Mainland (RE-MLD) to allow a mixed commercial/residential resort with a surf pool, cliff diving, restaurants, and residential units.
- Staff Presentation (Chris Gilbert): The property is currently HDR (permits up to 20 du/ac ≈ 280 units). The proposed change would consume approximately 9% of the City's remaining vacant multifamily land. Staff noted support from the General Plan and recommended approval.
- Applicant (Austin Springer, Studio KDA; Cole Cannon, developer): Presented a three‑phase, 221‑unit resort (first phase 46 units). Addressed traffic (15% winter traffic increase addendum; 2030 intersection of Lake Havasu Ave N & Bahama Ave will fall below acceptable service level even without this project), water conservation (drought‑tolerant plants, StormTech basins), noise (100‑foot landscape buffer, 24/7 management), fire safety (Type 3‑A construction with sprinklers), and density (75% of allowed density). No timeshares. Clarified the GPA is needed to open amenities to the public.
- Commission Questions: Discussions on traffic study dates (September, Thursday), winter visitor impact (Commissioner Diaz noted 45% population increase, not 15%), parking for boats/RVs, and developer’s site selection rationale.
- Public Testimony (18 speakers, letters from David & Joy Stumbo and John Lawson read into record): Repeated concerns including: light pollution, noise, traffic safety (deadman’s curve, Lake Havasu Ave/Bahama Ave intersection), water use, staffing shortages, building height (5‑story), obstruction of views, property values, soil contamination, and potential use for undocumented immigrant housing. Some residents supported the project noting current zoning allows denser development; others strongly opposed.
- Outcome: Motion to recommend denial passed 4–3 (Ayes: Dzuro, Lehr, Stevenson, Diaz; Nays: Ballard, Wilson, Harris). The recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final decision on August 13, 2024.
Public Hearing – Planned Development Rezone & General Development Plan (ID 24-4379) – 1850 Bahama Avenue
- Item: Request to rezone 14.08 acres from Residential Multiple‑Family (R‑M) to Residential Multiple‑Family/Planned Development (R‑M/PD) for a resort‑style development with six residential buildings up to 65 feet above approved building pad height, plus commercial and residential uses.
- Staff Presentation (Chris Gilbert): The conceptual plan was reviewed by city departments; fire chief confirmed capability for 5‑story buildings. Conditions include 65‑foot height limit per building pad, substantial match to site plan, permits and design review required, noise ordinance compliance. The PD/Rezone is contingent on Council approving the GPA.
- Applicant (Austin Springer): Presented a comparison showing the proposed development (≈430,000 sq ft) is less dense than the 60% lot coverage allowed (≈750,000 sq ft). Height exception allows concentrating buildings, preserving buffers and parking (≈2.5 spaces/unit plus 50 RV/boat spaces). Redesigned ingress/egress away from “deadman’s curve.”
- Commission Questions: Discussion on building pad height calculation (45‑foot elevation change across site; combining lots reduces height limit from 30 to 18 feet adjacent to R‑1).
- Public Testimony: Several residents reiterated height and privacy concerns; one resident (Martin Standsberry) shifted to support after seeing the alternative max‑density scenario. A resident asked about construction timeline (phases not specified).
- Outcome: Motion to recommend denial passed 7–0 (all members). The recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council.
Public Hearing – Text Amendment: R‑3 Density & R‑SGD Height (ID 24-4380)
- Item: Amend City Code to increase maximum density in R‑3 (Limited Multiple‑Family) District from 10 to 16 dwelling units per acre, and increase maximum height in R‑SGD (Southgate) District adjacent to single‑/two‑family uses from 18 feet to 30 feet.
- Staff (Chris Gilbert): The R‑3 change facilitates more affordable housing on small lots (example: 4 units instead of 3). The R‑SGD change aligns with the R‑M district height (30 feet) and promotes development of vacant R‑SGD lots (~30% vacant). The change does not affect R‑1 or R‑2 zones. Parking standards for multifamily were increased last fall.
- Public Comment: Martin Stansbury supported more units but urged adequate parking; Bonnie Toy asked about garage definitions and code enforcement.
- Outcome: Approved unanimously (7–0) to recommend adoption by City Council.
Public Hearing – Text Amendment: Backyard Fowl (ID 24-4396)
- Item: Amend City Code to permit backyard chickens (fowl) on single‑family detached residential properties, in compliance with Arizona HB 2325 (effective September 14, 2024). Regulations: up to 6 hens (no roosters), enclosure ≥20 ft from property lines, ≤200 sq ft, manure management, feed storage, etc. Definition: “Fowl. A cock or hen of the domestic chicken.”
- Staff (Chris Gilbert): City cannot prohibit chickens; adopting regulations prevents unregulated use. Ordinance will be presented to City Council on August 13, 2024.
- Commission Questions: Commissioner Stevenson clarified lot size applicability (state law applies to ≤½ acre, but city’s minimum lot sizes mean all residential lots are affected). Side yard definition and parking concerns discussed.
- Public Comment: None.
- Outcome: Approved unanimously (7–0) to recommend adoption by City Council.
Key Outcomes
- Chair & Vice Chair: Jim Harris elected Chair (6–1); Tiffany Wilson elected Vice Chair (7–0).
- PIC Masterplan Amendment (1780 McCulloch Blvd N): Approved recommendation (7–0).
- Major GPA (1850 Bahama Ave): Recommended denial (4–3) to City Council.
- PD Rezone & GDP (1850 Bahama Ave): Recommended denial (7–0) to City Council.
- Code Amendments (R‑3 density, R‑SGD height): Approved recommendation (7–0).
- Backyard Fowl Code: Approved recommendation (7–0).
- Next Meeting: August 7, 2024, at 9:00 AM; City Council hearings on the Bahama Avenue items on August 13, 2024, at 5:30 PM.
Meeting Transcript
In zoning commission for July 17th. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under Justice Coral. Ms. Hannigan, please call the roll. Commissioner Susanna Ballard. Present. Commissioner Joan DeZero. Commissioner Paul Lair. Sure. Commissioner Tiffany Wilson. Here. Commissioner JP Thornton. Commissioner Lonnie Stevenson. Commissioner Jim Harris. Here. Vice Chair Gabriel Medley. Commissioner David Diaz. Here. And Commissioner Mary Costa. All right, thank you. Seeing that we need a alternate to please come up to the diasp, Mr. Stevenson. Would you please come up and sign in? Mr. Gilbert, correspondence and announcements, please. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um the only uh correspondence I have an announcements I have for tonight or today is the action by the uh city council on July 9th. The 100 inlet drive minor general plan amendment was approved by the City Council, and the development code text amendments removing uh maximum lot coverage in residential zones throughout the city. That was removed as well. So uh there's a 30-day waiting period before that takes effect, but that's going to benefit a lot of uh uh single family, mostly single family property owners as they try to add accessory buildings additions to their properties by using setbacks to maintain open space instead of a 50 percent lock coverage requirement, or in some cases slightly higher. Um the next uh item, Mr. Chairman. If I may, it's the it's the that time of the year when the uh chairman and vice chairman are elected for the planning commission in July. So um the chair and vice chair are chosen by the commission, and uh thank you, Chairman Diaz and Vice Chair Medley for serving as the chair and vice chair over the past year. The selections will be done as two separate items today. The commission will begin by selecting the chair first with the following process. The chair will ask for nominees. Let's see, is this the updated one? Okay, the chair will ask for nominees. A member may make a motion to nominate a member for chair. Um the the idea here is to get the nominations first onto the floor. Uh so if there's gonna be multiple nominees, the those can all be nominated. And uh the chair will ask for nominees board members who will provide nominations. Once nominations are complete, a member may make a motion to nominate a member for chair. Only one motion can be active at a time. A second will be required. If the motion is not seconded, the motion fails, and another motion can be made.
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