STAFF REPORT
TO: Planning & Zoning Commission Members
FROM: Planning Division Staff
REQUEST:Title
Request for a Rezone of Tract 2302, Block 1, Parcels A and C, 360 Cypress Drive, 340 Mulberry Avenue and 1873 Walnut Drive, Approximately 21.4 Acres, from Single Family Residential District (R-1) to Public Lands and Facilities District (P-1) (Chris Gilbert)
Body
GENERAL INFORMATION:
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Application No.: |
24-4583 (P&Z 2024-00134) |
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Property Legal: |
Tract 2302, Block 1, Parcels A and C |
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Address: |
360 Cypress Dr., 340 Mulberry Ave., and 1873 Walnut Dr. |
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Lot Size: |
21.4 Acres |
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Applicant: |
Lake Havasu City |
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Owner: |
Lake Havasu City |
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Staff Project Manager: |
Chris Gilbert |
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Current/Proposed Zoning: |
Single Family Residential (R-1) to Public Lands and Facilities (P-1) |
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Existing/Proposed Use: |
Public Facilities, primarily Mulberry Wastewater Treatment Plant |
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Proposed Number of Lots/Units: |
N/A |
SITE ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION BACKGROUND:
Tract 2302, Block 1, Parcels A and C, comprised of 360 Cypress Drive, 340 Mulberry Avenue and 1873 Walnut Drive, is owned by Lake Havasu City and contains the Mulberry Wastewater Treatment Plant. The property is currently zoned Single Family Residential District (R-1). The abutting properties in all directions are zoned R-1. Cypress Park is located to the north of the property.
Lake Havasu City is considered a full‐service City and provides a wide range of services including police, fire, planning, building and safety, roads, engineering, water and sewer, airport, code enforcement, recreation, and parks. All these services require public buildings and lands upon which these facilities can be placed and expanded as needed to continue serving what is a growing community. The Mulberry Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of these facilities, and the need for a new water quality laboratory on this property has been recognized and budgeted by the City Council. A new water quality laboratory will enable the City to provide safe and modernized lab space for our lab team as well as expand our capabilities to meet the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality testing requirements for both potable and reclaimed water.
A zoning map amendment rezone of the property from R‐1 to P‐1 is necessary to help facility the needs of the City. This change will allow for the construction of a new water quality laboratory adjacent to the Mulberry Waste Treatment Plant and allow for future expansion as needs arise.
A Citizens’ Meeting was held on November 19, 2024. Five invitees attended the meeting. The primary concern of the attendees was regarding fixing the overflow of event parking from Cypress Park when sports activities are ongoing. The neighbors claim the overflow onto all the nearby streets including Cypress blocks access to driveways, mailboxes, fire hydrants, etc. and is not safe. One email was received from a neighbor after the meeting asking for heavy landscape screening to be installed across from the homes on Cypress.
Area and Zoning Maps, Neighborhood Meeting Invitation materials, and Citizens’ Meeting Summary are included as attachments.
GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE:
The Future Land Use Map of the General Plan designates this area as Low Density Residential. The subject property and all surrounding properties are also within this land use category. The proposed zoning classification, as it is a zone that only provides for public facilities to serve the residents of the City, can be located in areas with different underlying land uses in order to provide the needed public services, so it is in conformance with the General Plan. When the upcoming 2026 General Plan Update is completed, this facility (and other public facilities) will be assigned the correct land use map category for all such facilities Citywide, including Cypress Park.
The following are goals and policies within the General Plan, which support the proposed rezone:
Goal LU.1.1: Promote a compact and efficient pattern of growth that is compatible with the City’s existing development pattern. Adding public facilities to existing facilities complies with this goal.
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. The proposed rezone complies with this goal.
FINDINGS REQUIRED FOR REZONING:
Section 14.05.04 of the Lake Havasu City Development Code sets forth the criteria to be used in the evaluation of all requests for rezoning. Staff findings for each of the criteria are as follows:
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(a)(1)
The proposed amendment is consistent with the policies of the General Plan and would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or general welfare of the City.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(a)(2)
The proposed rezoning is consistent with the applicable provisions of the Development Code as many City public facility uses already exist in the vicinity of the subject property, including the Mulberry Treatment Plant. Any specific development placed on the property such as the new testing laboratory will be required to secure planning and building permit approval and meet engineering requirements.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(c)(1)
The area under consideration is of adequate size and density to allow for the development of any permitted uses within the proposed zoning district, being over 20 acres in size.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(c)(2)
The need for public services in a growing community is constant and supported by the General Plan and is best met on existing City owned properties containing public facilities such as the proposed location for the planned water testing laboratory.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(c)(3)
The public need for this type of development is best met by property being zoned appropriately for public facility uses in appropriate areas of the City, including the subject property.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(c)(4)
Surrounding properties have a single-family residential zoning designation and will not be adversely affected by this rezone as the Mulberry Treatment Plant has operated on the property for decades already and planned new testing laboratory will not substantially increase the impacts of the treatment plant on the surrounding neighborhood.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(c)(5)
All utilities are available to the subject property in all directions.
Section 14.05.04(K)(6)(c)(6)
The rezone will have no adverse impact to existing drainage or wastewater systems. Any development on the property will have to meet all engineering standards for drainage. Wastewater treatment is already occurring on the property.
COMMENTS FROM OTHER REVIEWERS:
No objections were received from any other reviewing agencies or departments.
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ACTIONS:
This item will be scheduled to be heard by the City Council at its January 14, 2025, meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Area Map
2. Zoning Map
3. Neighborhood Meeting Materials and Summary
4. Testing Lab Preliminary Drawings
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action
I move to recommend that the City Council approve Land Use Action No. 24-4583, rezoning Tract 2302, Block 1, Parcels A and C, from Single Family Residential District to Public Lands and Facilities District.