Planning and Zoning Commission

Lake Havasu City Jim Liesen, Chairman Mychal Gorden, Vice-Chairman Lake Havasu City Police Facility Don Bergen 2360 McCulloch Blvd North Doug Hardy Regular Meeting Minutes - Final Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86403 www.lhcaz.gov Dan McGowan Chad Nelson Lucas Still Planning and Zoning Commission Christy Cunningham, Alternate John Kendig, Alternate Allen Windholz, Alternate Wednesday, May 20, 2015 9:00 AM Regular Meeting 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Liesen called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chairman Liesen lead in the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL Ms. Cunningham was seated Present: 8- Donald Bergen, Jim Liesen, Lucas Still, Mychal Gorden, Dan McGowan, John Kendig, Christy Cunningham and Doug Hardy Absent: 2- Chad Nelson and Allen Windholz 4. MINUTES Mr. Still made a motion to approve the minutes as is from the April 29, 2015, Special Meeting, seconded by Mr. McGowan, and carried by the following vote: Aye: 7 - Bergen, Liesen, Still, Gorden, McGowan, Cunningham and Hardy Absent: 3 - Nelson, Kendig and Windholz 5. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr. Schmeling had no new announcements. Chairman Liesen addressed Mr. Schmeling and stated that you mentioned at the last meeting that there are openings on the Commission. Have you received any applications and is the application process still open? Lake Havasu City Page 1 Printed on 6/17/2015 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes - May 20, 2015 Final Mr. Schmeling stated the application process is still open. I do not receive those directly anymore. They go to the Clerk’s office. I know of people that are interested that have received applications. I don’t know if they have been submitted at this point. Chairman Liesen asked if there was only one opening at this point. Mr. Schmeling responded, no, there are actually three openings. Chairman Liesen stated as a reminder to the community, if you want to serve, this is a great way to do it so get your applications in quick. 6. PUBLIC HEARING ID 15-0191 Planning Commission Hearing to Review and Discuss Concerns and Comments Regarding the General Plan Update from April 29, 2015, Public Meeting and Possible Recommendation to City Council Mr. Schmeling thanked the Chairman and stated this just a continuation of your last hearing, discussing the General Plan. This is the culmination of a long program that we started back in March of 2014. Mr. Schmeling presented a PowerPoint slideshow and narrative including some of the following key points: • General Plan work plan schedule • Current General Plan status • New General Plan elements • Opportunities to participate During the narrative portion of the slideshow Mr. Schmeling stated that Darcie White with Clarion Associates is participating telephonically to answer any questions you may have. At the conclusion of the PowerPoint slideshow, there being no questions for Staff or Clarion, Chairman Liesen opened the public hearing. Hearing none, Chairman Liesen closed the public hearing. Mr. Schmeling stated Staff’s recommendation, as it was at the last meeting, is for the Planning Commission to recommend approval of the proposed 2015 General Plan, which will then proceed to the City Council for their vote and ultimately to the voters for ratification. Mr. Still stated that he had a chance to review the modifications that were made and they were in line with what we requested so I am very pleased with the work that has been done. Lake Havasu City Page 2 Printed on 6/17/2015 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes - May 20, 2015 Final Mr. McGowan stated he had a few questions for Darcie. Yes, I agree with that statement but there are a couple of areas that I would like to address for my own knowledge and for the future. Mr. McGowan’s summarized comments/questions touched on the following key topics: • Second bridge to the island • Water resources • Code Enforcement Ms. White addressed each of Mr. McGowan’s subject topics with the following summarized comments. • Regarding the second bridge, the General Plan does acknowledge it is on the horizon. It is a transportation issue that the MPO plan is focusing on more specifically • Regarding water, the City’s Water Plan was the foundation document used for the General Plan. The General Plan addresses both conservation and long term capacity • Regarding Code Enforcement, the General Plan does contain a number of new policies. Don Elliott is currently working on the Development Code rewrite and that is where the teeth for enforcement will be addressed Mr. McGowan and Ms. White continued further discussion regarding the bridge and water topics. Chairman Liesen asked Mr. Schmeling if he could summarize the changes in the Zoning Code. He stated the Commission has not seen it yet. • Mr. Schmeling responded yes, but he was going to take a moment to summarize first. Mr. Schmeling’s summarized comments included the following: • Ms. White confirmed the General Plan does address the issues that Mr. McGowan expressed concern about • Ms. White identified several specific regulatory documents that provide the tools to address the specific concerns • Ms. White confirmed that there are a number of new Code Enforcement policies but the teeth are contained in the Zoning Code Mr. Schmeling responded to Chairman Liesen’s question regarding the changes in Code Enforcement. He provided a high level description of the current work status of the Development Code rewrite, including the tentative meeting schedule of June 30, 2015, for both the Development Code Review Committee and a public hearing. Following Mr. Schmeling’s comments Chairman Liesen thanked him and stated he was asking if Mr. Schmeling could provide an overview of the changes in the Code Enforcement section. Mr. Schmeling responded that the Code Enforcement section is being streamlined as well as Lake Havasu City Page 3 Printed on 6/17/2015 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes - May 20, 2015 Final providing additional means for fines and other ways in which we can gain compliance. Mr. Bergen had several questions for Darcie, touching on the following key topics: • Bridge is mentioned in Chapter 7 but should also be in Chapter 10 • Not enough mention of MCC • Concern that the goal from Pages 49, 50, and the Implementation section has been removed in its entirety Ms. White responded that the goal has not been deleted. We have reordered the two Guiding Principles in the Housing & Neighborhoods chapter in response to the Commission’s feedback from the last meeting. This is to put a greater emphasis on established neighborhoods before we talk about new neighborhoods. Mr. Bergen had additional comments/concerns, summarized to include the following key points: • Complimented the fact that of his four written reports, many of the comments were implemented into the plan • Would like to see a goal for the City to explore potential reassignment and transfer of State and Federal owned land to City owned for public and private use • Concerns regarding the encouragement of mixed housing types in Chapter 5, Housing & Neighborhoods Ms. White clarified with detailed information regarding the mixed housing types. She stated I will reiterate that the distinction, and part of the reason that we reordered the goals, is that mix of housing types that Housing and Neighborhoods Guiding Principle 2 discusses, really deals a lot with the potential for new neighborhoods that may happen outside of the originally plotted areas. As those opportunities or projects come to you the goal there is that you would want to see some diversity in those new neighborhoods to accommodate your long term needs. That is why we have distinguished between the existing residential areas and the new areas. There are other parts of the community where you might see alternative housing types; but I did hear loud and clear from the community and from our Committee that we want to be clear that it is not encouraged in the originally plotted areas. The mixed-use is there for stuff that might happen down the road. Chairman Liesen reopened the public hearing. Commission member John Kendig addressed Ms. White and his summarized comments included the following key points: • There was a promise made by Don Elliott, Clarion and Associates, early in the process that we were going to see a presentation of Code regulations. I would like to see that presentation • Importance of Code Enforcement • Regulations of Code Enforcement are most important Lake Havasu City Page 4 Printed on 6/17/2015 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes - May 20, 2015 Final Diane Klostermeier addressed the Commission with concerns regarding the General Plan. Her summarized comments touched on the following key topics: • Goals and policies of the old General Plan regarding public access and enjoyment of the shoreline are not fully addressed in the proposed Plan • The English Village site could be a community and tourism site • The City should seriously consider acquiring the English Village site for the community and allow other entities to help improve that site after a master plan is designed Ms. White responded that on Page 96 of the document there is a recommended action that you continue to pursue the acquisition of the Lake Havasu shoreline, placing the highest priority on the channel and the mainland shorelines. The intent to move it to that location is so that it doesn’t get buried in the Plan. Mr. Bruce Hubbard addressed the Commission and his summarized comments touched on the following key topics: • Glad to hear the bridge is being considered • Code Enforcement must be different on the island than it is in the City, the houses are very close together • Made several suggestions for ways to save money to fund the bridge • City Council was going to set aside money each year for the bridge and would like to see that continue Chairman Liesen closed the public hearing. Additional comments by the Commission followed the motion. Positive comments were expressed by Commission members Liesen, Bergen, and Gorden that it is time to forward the General Plan to City Council for their consideration and ultimate approval. Mr. Bergen requested his letter from today’s discussion be forwarded to City Council with the General Plan. Mr. Still made a motion to approve ID 15-0191 to send this issue to the City Council as is, seconded by Mr. McGowan, and carried by the following vote: Aye: 7 - Bergen, Liesen, Still, Gorden, McGowan, Cunningham and Hardy Absent: 3 - Nelson, Kendig and Windholz 7. CALL TO PUBLIC Diane Klostermeier addressed the Commission regarding the purchase price of the English Village site and stated it is the perfect time to have shoreline acquisition along the shoreline at the channel, Lake Havasu City Page 5 Printed on 6/17/2015 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes - May 20, 2015 Final as recommended in the General Plan. Mr. McGowan commented on the fact that in the event the English Village site was acquired by the City, the City would become a large landlord. He raised concerns regarding how this may impact the General Plan. 9. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Liesen adjourned the meeting at 9:40 a.m. ___________________________________ Jim Liesen, Chairman ___________________________________ Diane Libby, Recording Secretary Lake Havasu City Page 6 Printed on 6/17/2015