COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jeff Thuneman, Development Services Director
SUBJECT:Title
Discussion and Action: Ordinance No. 26-1383 Amending Lake Havasu City Code Sections 14.02.04(D) and 14.02.05(G), Mixed Use-Channel Riverwalk District and Island-Body Beach District, to Preserve Shoreline Public Access (Chris Gilbert)
Body
FUNDING SOURCE:
N/A
PURPOSE:
To consider adoption of an ordinance amending the Mixed Use-Channel Riverwalk and Island-Body Beach Zoning Districts in response to comments received from community members and the 2026 General Plan Steering Committee (GPSC) regarding protection of the remaining undeveloped Arizona State Land-owned shoreline around the Island and Body Beach Area.
APPLICATION BACKGROUND:
The proposed text amendments included in this request, and attached as tracked changes, are necessary to persevere shoreline public access. The 2026 General Plan Update served as a catalyst for the current effort to strengthen shoreline protections beyond the 15-foot public access easement currently required in the Island-Body Beach District (I-B) and the absence of any such requirement in the Mixed Use-Channel Riverwalk District (MU-CRW).
The majority of property within the I-B District is owned by the Arizona State Land Department. City staff have been meeting with the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) over the past several months to negotiate an acceptable compromise that will both preserve reasonable public access to the shoreline in these Districts and ensure that the State of Arizona can still obtain appropriate value for its land asset upon sale. Negotiations to date have resulted in this proposed 75-foot public access area parallel to the shoreline and perpendicular access route(s) to public rights-of-way, and ASLD has provided a written statement that they are in general agreement with these proposed amendments.
The GPSC focused on the issue of shoreline protection at their last two meetings, on February 4, 2026, and April 29, 2026, and recommended staff move forward with the public access area agreed upon with ASLD, which is reflected in these proposed text amendments.
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval by a 7-0 vote at its June 17, 2026, Regular Meeting.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The proposed amendments will preserve reasonable public access to the shoreline of Lake Havasu in the two zoning districts that contain much of the shoreline area, most particularly on the island and body beach, that is within the City’s jurisdiction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS:
Ordinance No. 26-1383 (Tracked)
POSSIBLE MOTION:Recommended Action
I move to adopt Ordinance No. 26-1383 amending Lake Havasu City Code Sections 14.02.04(D) and 14.02.05(G), Mixed Use-Channel Riverwalk District and Island-Body Beach District, to preserve shoreline public access.
I move to not adopt Ordinance No. 26-1383 amending Lake Havasu City Code Sections 14.02.04(D) and 14.02.05(G), Mixed Use-Channel Riverwalk District and Island-Body Beach District, to preserve shoreline public access.