Lake Havasu City Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting - October 2, 2024

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 9:01 AM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included approval of previous minutes, a public hearing on a major planned development rezone, and updates from City Council actions. The key agenda item was a request to rezone and approve a general development plan for a 10-acre property at 2801 Highway 95 North from Limited Commercial/Planned Development (C-1/PD) to General Commercial/Planned Development (C-2/PD) for a powersports dealership. The Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval to City Council.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval (ID 24-4494): Vice Chair Wilson moved to approve the minutes of the August 21, 2024, regular meeting, seconded by Commissioner Dzuro. The motion passed unanimously (7-0).

Correspondence and Announcements

• Planning Division Manager Chris Gilbert reported on recent City Council actions:
  • On September 10, 2024, the City Council remanded the Bahama Avenue Major General Plan Amendment and Planned Development back to the Commission for further review; the applicant has not yet submitted new documents.
  • City Council approved the Development Agreement for the amended Trinity at Havasu Foothills Estate subdivision plat.
  • On September 24, 2024, City Council approved the Minor General Plan Amendment and Rezone for 2450 Plaza Hermosa.

Public Comments & Testimony (Public Hearing on ID 24-4488)

• Dennis Bucolo (resident): Opposed the rezone, stating the 2008 PD conditions (including a 10-foot perimeter wall and 50-foot buffer) were tied to the land, not the project. He argued the proposed building would be too close to homes and that the 10-acre parcel offers room to move development away from residences.
• George Jimenez (resident): Expressed concern that the building placement, justified by the applicant as necessary for future expansion, would place noise and activity directly behind homes. He noted the 50-foot easement promised in 2008 is not being honored on the south side.
• Scott Stillman (resident): Had no objection to development but requested greater setbacks, stating the building would be only 20 feet from his property.
• Tricia Gagnon (resident): Representing neighbors, she detailed that the 2008 rezoning was fought and eventually agreed upon with promises of a 50-foot buffer, setback, and 10-foot wall. She argued the proposed building is not an adequate buffer, questioned future development of Phase II under C-2 zoning, and stated the conditions were tied to the land.

Discussion Items

• ID 24-4488 – Planned Development Rezone and General Development Plan for 2801 Highway 95 North:
  • Staff (Chris Gilbert) presented the project: a 10-acre site sold by the City to Anderson Powersports in February 2024. The previous PD (2008) for a big-box retailer was never built. The proposed use (vehicle sales) is consistent with C-2 zoning and the General Plan’s Commercial Mixed Use-Nodal (CMU-N) category. The site plan includes a 25-foot showroom building along the west and south sides to buffer residential neighbors, with a 36-foot main building and a 45-foot tower feature. The applicant requests nine variations from the Development Code, including setbacks of 20 feet (south) and 35 feet (west), and use of the showroom building as a buffer instead of a perimeter wall.
  • Applicant Mychal Gorden (Desert Land Group) explained that Anderson Powersports has outgrown its current locations and aims to consolidate. The design addresses site constraints (elevation changes, drainage) and neighborhood feedback, with building placement on the south 70% of the parcel to provide certainty for residents. Light and noise mitigation includes no windows or lights on the rear wall, service bays facing north toward the highway, and landscaping in setbacks. Two neighborhood meetings were held, and the setbacks were increased from 10 to 20 feet on the south based on concerns.
  • Commission questions addressed lighting (downcast, no rear lighting), perimeter walls (screen wall extending from showroom to enclose the site), and the 85-foot total buffer on the west side (including a 50-foot utility easement). Commissioner Medley asked about repositioning the building further north; the applicant cited grade constraints and the desire to keep Phase II land on the north adjacent to existing commercial uses. Hours of operation were stated as 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday.
  • Staff concluded the project meets General Plan and Development Code criteria for Planned Developments.

Key Outcomes

• Motion and Vote (ID 24-4488): Vice Chair Wilson moved to recommend approval of the Planned Development Rezone and General Development Plan to City Council, including the specifically requested deviations as stated in the staff report. Seconded by Commissioner Dzuro. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0 (Aye: Dzuro, Wilson, Stevenson, Thornton, Harris, Medley, Costa). The recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final decision.
• Next Meeting: The regular meeting scheduled for October 16, 2024, has been cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for November 6, 2024, with no items pending as of the meeting date.

The meeting adjourned at 10:07 AM.