STAFF REPORT
TO: Planning & Zoning Commission Members
FROM: Planning Division Staff
REQUEST:Title
Request for a Minor Amendment to the Future Land Use Map of the City’s General Plan for 39.54 Acres of Metes and Bounds Property, Located at 6590, 6600, 6700 Chenoweth Drive and 1800 & 2200 Victoria Farms Road, to Change the Future Land Use Designation from Employment to High Density Residential
Body
GENERAL INFORMATION:
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Application No.: |
21-3051 (21-00600002) |
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Property Legal: |
Metes and Bounds; APNs 120-03-(042,043,054,060,063) |
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Address: |
6590, 6600, 6700 Chenoweth Dr and 1800 & 2200 Victoria Farms Rd. |
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Lot Size: |
39.54 Acres |
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Applicant: |
North American Assets, LLC |
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Owners: |
Havasu Shores RV Resort, LLC; Petunia Thirteen, LLC; Castle Park Acquisitions, LLC |
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Staff Project Manager: |
Luke Morris |
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Current/Proposed Land Use Designations: |
Employment to High Density Residential |
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Existing/Proposed Use: |
Vacant/Residential |
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Proposed Number of Lots/Units: |
N/A |
SITE ANALYSIS:
The subject property consists of three properties and portions of two others, with a total of 39.54 acres. The subject properties are vacant and undeveloped. They are located east of Highway 95, with access from both Chenoweth Drive and Victoria Farms Road.
The subject parcel is near a signalized intersection of Chenoweth Drive at Highway 95. It is located within the City’s sewer service area with sewer lines at the intersection of Chenoweth Drive and Victoria Farms Road. It lies within EPCOR Utilities’ water service area.
The abutting property to the northwest is developed as storage units. The abutting properties to the north, east, and south are undeveloped.
The subject properties are zoned Light Industrial/Planned Development (LI/PD), Agriculture/Preservation (A-P) and Industrial (I). The abutting properties are zoned LI, LI/PD, A-P, and I.
Area and Zoning Maps are attached.
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 minor 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.
Since the subject property totals less than 40 acres and is considered outside the original platted area, the Commission and City Council can review this application as a minor amendment.
The applicant’s attached Letter of Intent asks to amend the City’s General Plan Future Land Use Map for the subject property from Employment to High Density Residential to facilitate development of residential uses for the property. The General Plan Amendment is the first step in this process. If this request is successful, the applicant then proposes to submit a request to rezone the property to an appropriate residential zoning district.
The letter proposes a “residential community aimed at addressing the current housing challenges that Lake Havasu residents are facing. The community is planned to be 350+ housing units and accompanying amenities.”
The applicant’s attached Villages Site Map shows four Villages distributed across the subject property. Village 1 indicates RV Spaces, Village 2 includes Tiny Houses, and Villages 3 & 4 are set aside for Manufactured Homes. A management office and gated entry are shown near the main entrance on Victoria Farms Road. Various amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, spa, tiki bar, cabanas, sports courts, etc. are also shown on the plan. These residential and accessory uses may be allowed in the Manufactured Home (RMH) District, which is an allowable zoning district for the proposed High Density Residential General Plan category.
A Citizens’ Meeting regarding both the General Plan amendment and the proposed rezoning was held on September 30, 2021. About 10 nearby property owners attended the meeting. The Citizens’ Meeting Summary is provided as an attachment.
GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION/CONFORMITY:
The General Plan Future Land Use map designates the property as Employment. The Employment classification is appropriate for uses such as light manufacturing, research and development, professional office, and office/showroom. In addition, heavier industrial uses such as manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution may be permitted.
The Growth Projections and Capacity Section (pg 40-41) discusses how future zone changes relate to the future land use plan/map. It suggests that changes may be made by the Commission and City Council if proposed land use/zoning proposals are consistent with other goals and policies within the General Plan. Table 4-3 indicates 2,589 total acres currently designated within Lake Havasu City’s incorporated area for Employment (industrial uses). One could make a strong argument that a City of our size would not anticipate the need for more than 2,500 acres dedicated for industrial uses. The lack of land dedicated to low cost housing is a problem for many cities in Arizona, including Havasu. This proposal asks the City to consider changing our philosophy regarding affordable/attainable housing in this specific area by changing the designation to high density residential paving the way for a rezoning to begin to address a housing shortage.
The requested High Density Residential future land use designation allows primary uses such as attached single-family residences, townhouses, patio homes, apartments/condos, co-housing and live/work dwellings, and secondary uses such as accessory structures and high density planned communities. Density may range from 10-20 dwelling units/acre and higher densities may be approved by the City through the City’s planned development process.
The abutting properties to the east, north, and west have a General Plan Future Land Use Designation of Employment and the property to the south, across Chenoweth Drive is designated as Commercial and Low Density Residential.
The Future Land Use Map is included as an attachment.
The following General Plan Goals and Policies support the request:
GM.1.1.b - Adequate public facilities: Allow development outside the Water Resources Boundary (see map on page 20) only if an identified minimum level of public facilities is available or can be made available in conjunction with development.
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.
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.2.1.b - Infill Development: Support the development of new homes on remaining vacant lots available on currently subdivided residential streets to promote the efficient use of existing utilities and services and encourage reinvestment in established neighborhoods.
HN.2.1.d - Housing for Vulnerable Populations: Promote ongoing coordination among all active housing organizations in the Lake Havasu City area to identify targeted needs and opportunities for collaborative efforts or programs to help meet those needs.
HN.2.2.b - Neighborhood Identities: Strongly encourage a variety of features in new planned neighborhoods that contribute to a distinct identity, such as a mix of housing types, a mix of architectural styles, and supporting uses to meet the needs of area residents. In addition, encourage new developments that relate positively to adjacent existing development.
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.
HN.2.2.d - Circulation and Access: Ensure new neighborhoods have reasonable accessibility to existing highways or arterial streets through utilization of the collector street system. Incorporate an onsite network of pedestrian/bicycle connections in new neighborhoods and provide linkages to the overall sidewalk and trail system to facilitate access to nearby community destinations.
PF.2.1.b - Utility Infrastructure Quality: Ensure developers install all public utilities and facilities to state and municipal standards, as required by their proposed development project outside of the subdivided area.
When reviewing this request, it may prove useful to ask if there are other areas of the city where this type of development may be established. Parcels of 40 acres or larger approved for high-density residential uses are not currently found within the original platted area of the City. The majority of the larger parcels are owned by the State of Arizona or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The State and BLM properties are typically cost prohibitive to acquire and develop, and have a Low Density Residential General Plan designation. Since there is so little land already approved for High Density Residential, a development of this proposed scale would require a General Plan amendment regardless of where it is proposed.
CONCLUSION:
The proposed General Plan amendment is in conformance with the goals and policies of the City’s General Plan.
COMMENTS FROM OTHER REVIEWERS:
No objections were received from any reviewing parties. ADOT will require a Traffic Impact Analysis prior to development as the proposed development will have a signification impact on Highway 95/Chenoweth intersection.
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED ACTIONS:
This item will be scheduled to be heard by the City Council at its December 14, 2021, meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
Area Map
Zoning Map
Letter of Intent
Villages Site Map
Citizens’ Meeting Summary
Future Land Use Map
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends the Planning Commission forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for Land Use Action No. 21-3051, a Minor Amendment to the Future Land Use Map of the City’s General Plan for 39.54 acres of metes and bounds property, located at 6590, 6600, 6700 Chenoweth Drive and 1800 & 2200 Victoria Farms Road, to change the Future Land Use Designation from Employment to High Density Residential.
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action
I move to recommend that the City Council approve Land Use Action No. 21-3051, a Minor Amendment to the Future Land Use Map of the City’s General Plan for 39.54 acres of metes and bounds property, located at 6590, 6600, 6700 Chenoweth Drive and 1800 & 2200 Victoria Farms Road, to change the Future Land Use Designation from Employment to High Density Residential.