STAFF REPORT
TO: Planning & Zoning Commission Members
FROM: Planning Division Staff
REQUEST:Title
A Request for a Major General Plan Amendment Revising the Future Land Use Map Designations for 1040 McCulloch Boulevard North, Metes and Bounds Parcel #107-15-015, 87.9 Acres, from Open Space and Park (OSP) to Commercial Mixed Use (CMU), Resort Residential (RE-RES), and Resort Related Island (RE-ISL) (Chris Gilbert)
Body
GENERAL INFORMATION:
***NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM AS TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE REQUIRED BEFORE CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL. THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 5, 2025, TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REZONING APPLICATION.***
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Application No.: |
25-4947 (PZ2025-000112) |
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Property Legal: |
Metes and Bounds Parcel ID#107-15-015 |
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Address: |
1040 McCulloch Blvd N. |
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Lot Size: |
Approximately 87.9 Acres |
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Applicant: |
John Berry, Esq. of Berry Riddell |
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Owners: |
Island Land Venture, LLC |
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Staff Project Manager: |
Chris Gilbert |
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Current/Proposed Land Use Designations: |
Open Space and Park (OSP) to Commercial Mixed Use (CMU), Resort Residential (RE-RES), and Resort Related Island (RE-ISL) |
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Existing/Proposed Use: |
Vacant Land/ Mixed-Use Commercial-Residential-Resort |
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Proposed Number of Lots/Units: |
Approximately 320 residential units, 63,000 SF of commercial space, 25 garages and 200 room resort |
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Density: |
Overall total unit density including multi-family dwellings but not garages, commercial, or the resort rooms, is approximately 3.6 units per acre. |
This is the first public hearing on this application, with the second hearing scheduled for November 5, 2025. No action can be taken until after the second public hearing. Please note that while the General Development Plan and Traffic Study are included as informational attachments, this staff report and public hearing are only intended to address the appropriateness of the applicant’s request to amend the Future Land Use Map of the City’s General Plan from Open Space and Park (OSP) to Commercial Mixed Use (CMU), Resort Residential (RE-RES), and Resort Related Island (RE-ISL). This public hearing is not to address aspects of the application related to zoning of the property which will be its own public hearing on November 5, 2025, immediately following the second hearing on the General Plan Amendment.
Area Map, General Plan Map, Proposed General Plan Amendment Map and current Zoning Maps for the property and surrounding area are attached.
The applicant’s Letter of Intent and proposed General Development Plan are included as attachments. The General Development Plan is required for the rezoning portion of the process and is included in this report for the General Development Plan public hearing for reference purposes only.
SITE ANALYSIS:
The subject property consists of a single tract of land previously operated as a golf course under state land lease that was purchased at auction from the state of Arizona on September 29, 2023, totaling approximately 87.9 acres (County Assessor listed size), and being more properly described as follows by the Mohave County Assessor:
T13N R20W SEC 16, 21 & 22 WITH IPR PARCEL 107-00-001 SITUATED ON REVISED AREA 13 PITTSBURG POINT RECRE- ATIONAL AREA NAUTICAL INN BEG AT SE COR OF SEC 16; TH S38 DEG 01'58 E 1527.29' TO TPOB; TH N89 DEG 59'38 W 516.41'; TH N16 DEG 13'44 E 291.39'; TH N 09 DEG 11'58 W 425.71'; TH S80 DEG 34'00 W 733.40'; TH N00 DEG 00'22 E 120.13' TO SLY R/W MCCULLOCH BLVD; TH N89 DEG 59'38 W 334.36' TO THE B.C. W/ R=700'; TH WLY THRU C/A =60 DEG 44'44 L=742.15'; TH N29
This single-parcel property is located in the southeasterly quadrant of the intersection of Beachcomber and McCulloch Boulevard N. on the Island. The Nautical Resort is to the east and the Islander Resort and Nautical Estates are to the west. The property has considerable frontage onto Lake Havasu itself on the southern and eastern sides.
LAND USE: The subject property is presently categorized as Open Space and Park (OSP) on the City’s Future Land Use Map and formerly used as a golf course under land lease from the State of Arizona until abandoned by the operators. The properties to the north are shown as Resort Related Island (RE-ISL) and developed with a large marina and the Nautical Resort, and to the south and west is Public/Semi-Public (PUB), developed with mobile home style residential units, storage units and condominium residential units.
ZONING: The subject property is currently zoned Golf Course (GC), with Island Body Beach Planned Development (I-B/PD) to the north, Island Body Beach (I-B) to the southwest, General Commercial Planned Development (C-2/PD) to the west in addition to a small area of Multi-Family Residential (R-M).
UPDATED TRAFFIC, SEWER, WATER, AND DRAINAGE STUDIES: These studies have been updated and are currently being reviewed again by the City’s Engineering staff. Discussion of detailed findings and recommendations by the City Engineering staff from this review will be part of the Planned Development Rezoning application hearing on November 5.
APPLICATION BACKGROUND:
The 2016 General Plan determines when the City can review proposed changes as a minor or major amendment. The following passage from the plan indicates a major amendment review process for this application:
“Table 11-2 identifies the criterion for determining a major or minor amendment to the General Plan, based on whether the proposed change is located within or outside of the platted areas of the City. The platted areas are those areas that were originally platted at the time of City incorporation as well as any subsequently recorded subdivisions. The platted areas also include the mainland side of the channel but not the island side of the channel or the balance of the island. Outside the platted areas includes the remainder of the City.”
Per Table 11.2, with the subject property being more than 40 acres and outside the original platted area, the Commission and City Council will review this application as a major amendment.
The applicant’s Letter of Intent requests to amend the City’s General Plan Future Land Use Map for the subject property from Open Space and Park (OSP) to Commercial Mixed Use (CMU), Resort Residential (RE-RES), and Resort Related Island (RE-ISL) to facilitate development of an 87.9 acre mixed use residential development including a resort and a commercial component (approximately 63,000 SF of total commercial space) with the residential uses on the property being a combination of single family homes of various sizes, townhomes, bungalows, and apartments totaling approximately 320 residential units at a density of approximately 3.6 units per acre across the entire site, approximately 5 units per acre just within the residential components of the overall project, which excludes the resort and the commercial area. This requested General Plan Amendment is the first step in the development process for this project. A Planned Development Rezone for the subject property is also required following final action on this General Plan Amendment request after the second public hearing. A General Development Plan that is ultimately approved with a rezone would have to be substantially complied with during the development process, but the specific details of the project can be variable and would not necessarily constitute a substantial change to the plan. Any major changes would need to be returned as a General Development Plan Amendment for further review to the Planning Commission and City Council.
GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION/CONFORMITY:
The General Plan Future Land Use Map designates the property as Open Space and Park, likely the result of having been a golf course when the 2016 General Plan was adopted.
The three requested designations allow primary uses such as commercial in the Commercial Mixed Use portion, low- to high-density residential uses, including single family homes, townhouses, and apartments in the Resort Residential portion, and a resort with associated bungalows, parking and boat launch ramp in the Resort Related Island portion. Secondary uses may include various incidental support services, boat rentals, garages and accessory structures. Public access easements along the shoreline and view corridors to the shoreline, consistent with local, state and federal laws, will be incorporated by the developer. The project will not include RV parks, manufactured home communities or campgrounds.
The developer has prepared an exhibit entitled “Project Goals” that is attached to this report which explains how their team intends to meet many of the Goals and Objectives of the 2016 General Plan. Staff has reviewed the proposed application against the General Plan Goals and Objectives that are quantifiable without assuming the developer addresses everything in the manner they state in their document, with the following General Plan Goals and Policies being found to support the request:
GM.1.1.c - Service levels: Allow development in areas that can be reasonably serviced by police, fire, and emergency response services without negatively impacting service levels or increasing costs for current users.
GM.1.1.d - Infill and Redevelopment: Support infill development and the assemblage of small lots, redevelopment of underutilized properties or obsolete uses, the adaptive reuse of vacant structures for new uses, and the promotion of State Trust Land on the Island and adjacent to the perimeter of the originally platted area as a means to maintain a compact urban form and leverage the availability of existing services, utilities, transportation, and schools.
LU.1.1.b - Mix of housing options: Encourage a mix of housing options in Lake Havasu City, including detached and attached single-family, townhomes, apartments, and housing for special populations (e.g., elderly or disabled residents) as appropriate based on goals and policies for individual character areas within the City and the Future Land Use Plan map.
LU.1.1.c - Infill and redevelopment: Support infill development and the assemblage of small lots, redevelopment of underutilized properties or obsolete uses, and the adaptive reuse of vacant structures for new uses as means to maintain a compact urban form and leverage the availability of existing services, utilities, transportation, and schools.
LU.1.1.d - Mixed-use development: Encourage mixed-use development patterns (both vertically and horizontally mixed-use as appropriate given the surrounding development context) based on goals and policies for individual character areas within the City as a means to promote the efficient use of available land, increase the accessibility of goods and services, and support the revitalization of areas such as Downtown Lake Havasu and the Bridgewater Channel area.
HN.1.2.b - High-Density Development Standards: Recognize well-designed and constructed high-density development on appropriate sites as being a worthwhile addition to the community and tax base under conditions established in the General Plan and by zoning, subdivision, and other codes and ordinances.
HN.2.1.a - Mix of Housing Types: Encourage a mix of housing types, including detached and attached single-family, townhomes, apartments, and housing for special populations (e.g., elderly or disabled residents). Support a mix of lot sizes, densities, and housing prices and styles in locations designated for Medium or High Density Residential on the Future Land Use Plan map or as part of a larger planned development in accordance with City Standards and Ordinances.
HN.2.2.a - Location Efficient Development: Strongly encourage new residential development in locations that promote the efficient use of existing utilities; offer reasonable response times by police, fire, and emergency services; provide reasonable access to schools; offer neighborhood or community shopping options within ½ mile and 1-2 miles respectively; reduce the need for long auto trips; and encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation-walking, bicycling, and taking public transit (as available).
HN.2.2.c - Siting of Higher Density Uses: Locate higher-density residential uses near major roadway corridors to promote an efficient transportation system and prevent an excessive amount of vehicular traffic from using minor residential streets.
CONCLUSION:
Staff believes the proposed amendment is in conformance with, and in furtherance of, many goals and policies within multiple sections of the City’s community-developed 2016 General Plan, as previously stated in this report. The applicant has also provided a document that describes how they intend to also meet many of the goals and policies by their actions during this process.
CITIZEN’S MEETING
Two Citizens’ Meeting Open Houses regarding this General Plan Amendment application were held at the Nautical Resort’s meeting hall, on March 19 and March 27, 2025. 131 interested persons attended the open houses which were previously advertised in the Lake Havasu newspaper to encourage attendance. The complete neighborhood meeting documentation is included as an attachment. The applicant also continued outreach to various affected persons and organizations after these two open houses and continues to do so now.
COMMENTS FROM OTHER REVIEWERS:
No objections were received from any reviewing agencies regarding this General Plan Amendment application. Any specific development-related comments will be addressed with the separate Planned Development Rezone application for this property that will be the subject of its own public hearing before the Planning Commission on November 5, 2025.
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ACTIONS:
This item will be presented again at a second public hearing on November 5, 2025, before the Planning Commission in the City Council Chambers at 9:00 AM followed by the public hearing for the Planned Development Rezoning of the property.
ATTACHMENTS:
Area Map
General Plan Map
Requested General Plan Amendment Map
Zoning Map
Letter of Intent
Proposed General Development Plan
Applicant’s Project Goals Exhibit
Neighborhood Meeting Invite and Citizens’ Meeting Open House Summary
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action
No motion available until second public hearing in accordance with Arizona Revised Statutes.