Payson Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Summary – October 5, 2026

The Payson Planning & Zoning Commission met on October 5, 2026, in the Town Hall Council Chambers at 303 North Beeline Highway, Payson, Arizona, scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. per the agenda. Roll call showed six commissioners present and one unexcused absence. The commission approved prior meeting minutes, held a public hearing on a request to rezone about 26.85 acres near the Payson Golf & Country Club, and received staff updates on future agenda items.

Minutes Approval

• The commission unanimously approved the minutes of the September 14, 2026, meeting by voice vote after a motion and second.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Robert De Bell, a 40-year resident and real estate broker, opposed the project, saying it looked like a commercial manufactured-home park and would not benefit local workers, builders, or sales-tax revenue; he preferred site-built homes.
• Eric Bean, a resident near the golf course, appreciated the lower building height but raised traffic and light-pollution concerns, asked about dark-sky lighting and street widening, and said traffic should be handled before approval.
• Melissa Durbin raised concerns about traffic, storm water, and lighting, and cited a high-density small-home development in Pine Strawberry with one-way, limited access.
• Bob McQueen, a Fairway Lane resident and commercial broker, said he did not oppose the project, but cautioned the town against imposing costly off-site road requirements that could discourage development.
• Dorothy Gosard expressed significant concern about added traffic on two-lane roads, evacuation capacity, and access via Vista and Doll Baby Ranch Road.
• Ashley Bean asked that the 55-plus occupancy be made a binding zoning requirement if lots remain very small, because small lots lack family play areas and children could end up in public streets.
• Aaron Hutton, who lives on Doll Baby Ranch Road, supported the zone change because a 20-foot single-family neighborhood would be better than a 45-foot condo building and would preserve views and quiet.
• Al Capestrant asked whether residents on leased lots would pay real estate taxes and expressed concern about 250 additional cars and fire evacuation on narrow streets.
• Bart Walski, speaking online, cited the area's 1977 no-mobile-homes zoning notation, argued the staff report showed the project was not compatible with surrounding subdivisions, and requested independent property-value and traffic studies and clarity on whether the project was aimed at East Valley second-home buyers or long-term local seniors.

Discussion Items

• Staff presented case P26-002, a request by Bowman Consulting, on behalf of Bob Jackson and Payson Golf & Country Club LLC, to change the zoning at 1504 W Country Club Drive (tax parcel 304-13-001F) from R-3 Multiple-Family Residential to Planned Area Development with a Manufactured Home Overlay. The project would create a 125-lot, gated, single-family manufactured-home community with a maximum density of 4.8 dwelling units per acre. Applicant representatives Hunter Callender and Bob Jackson presented the proposal.
• Staff noted the applicant completed the required citizen participation process: 121 notification letters were mailed, and a neighborhood meeting was held on August 19 with 50 to 60 residents. The primary concerns raised were potential impacts on property values, preservation of the golf course, and traffic congestion.
• Proposed development standards include a minimum lot size of 3,920 square feet, minimum lot dimensions of 49 by 80 feet, 10-foot front and rear setbacks, 5-foot side setbacks, maximum lot coverage of 60%, maximum building height of 20 feet, and no accessory structures. Staff compared this with R-3 standards that generally require 6,000-square-foot lots, allow 50% lot coverage, and allow up to 45-foot buildings.
• The project includes private 30-foot streets, no internal sidewalks, about 30% open space (roughly eight acres), a multi-use trail along Doll Baby Ranch Road, and resident amenities such as a pool and fitness area. The applicant described it as a 55-plus community with no short-term rentals; staff and the town attorney noted the PAD documents do not currently make the age restriction a zoning requirement and that lease and ownership details are generally outside the commission's purview.
• The applicant said the zone change was needed because the proposed manufactured-home product is not permitted under the existing R-3 zoning and to reduce the permitted height from 45 feet to 20 feet; site-built homes had not attracted builder interest.
• During discussion, commissioners raised concerns about land ownership and lease security if the property is sold, the definition of long-term leases, affordability, traffic, and the reason for the zone change. The applicant said the land would probably be leased rather than sold, described lease terms at different points as three to five years with renewals and as 10 to 30 years or more, estimated home prices at roughly $240,000 to $250,000, and estimated monthly lease, property-tax, and amenity payments at $800 to $900. The applicant also stated the project could have a $75 million to $100 million economic impact and that the owner has absorbed about $150,000 per year in golf-course losses. He said the property was not currently for sale, but interest from large builders in site-built homes had been limited.
• Staff said its approval recommendation was based on legal consistency with the General Plan and applicable codes, not a choice between projects. Staff said a traffic study was not included with this application and would be reviewed during the later subdivision and civil-review process. Staff's recommendation was approval with 12 conditions, including caps of 125 lots and 4.8 dwelling units per acre, a minimum 30% open space, parking requirements, an HOA or equivalent maintenance mechanism, permanent foundations for manufactured homes, and a requirement that substantial PAD changes go through town review.

Future Agenda & Staff Information

• No commissioner requests for future agenda items were made. Staff indicated there were no official applications ready for November, with potential December items including a code amendment and a conditional use permit for a gas-station expansion. Staff also mentioned an upcoming comprehensive UDC update and noted status updates for U-Haul, Circle K, and Juniper Pines projects.

Key Outcomes

• After closing the public hearing, the commission voted 5 to 1 to recommend approval of P26-002 to the Payson Town Council, subject to the 12 staff-recommended conditions of approval. One commissioner dissented. Several members who voted yes expressed reservations about leased-land ownership and traffic but said the proposal was preferable to a taller, denser R-3 development and could help sustain the golf course. The Town Council will make the final zoning decision.