Planning and Zoning Commission

Jim Harris, Chair Lake Havasu City Tiffany Wilson, Vice Chair Council Chambers Suzannah Ballard 92 Acoma Boulevard David Diaz Lake Havasu City, Arizona Joan Dzuro 86403 Paul Lehr www.lhcaz.gov Gabriele Medley Mary Costa, Alternate Lonnie Stevenson, Alternate JP Thornton, Alternate Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, August 7, 2024 9:00 AM 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Wilson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice Chair Wilson led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL Present: 9- Suzannah Ballard, Joan Dzuro, Paul Lehr, Tiffany Wilson, Lonnie Stevenson, JP Thornton, Gabriele Medley, David Diaz and Mary Costa Absent: 1- Jim Harris Vice Chair Wilson invited Commissioner Stevenson to take the vacant seat at the dais. 4. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Development Services Director Jeff Thuneman introduced the Commission's newly appointed Alternate, Mary Costa. He provide an update on the Bahama Avenue project. The Public Hearings for the Major General Plan Amendment and Planned Development/Rezone scheduled for the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, have been postponed at the applicant's request. A new date for the hearings has not been set. City Staff will adhere to all public notification requirements to inform residents when the hearings are rescheduled. 5. MINUTES ID 24-4419 Approval of the Minutes of the July 17, 2024, Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting (Shelby Hennigan) Commissioner Diaz moved to approve the Minutes of the July 17, 2024, Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting, seconded by Commissioner Ballard. The motion passed with the following vote: Lake Havasu City Page 1 Printed on 8/21/2024 Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes - Final August 7, 2024 Aye: 7 - Ballard, Dzuro, Lehr, Wilson, Stevenson, Medley and Diaz 6. PUBLIC HEARING Vice Chair Wilson provided an overview of the Public Hearing process. ID 24-4404 Request to Approve Resolution No. 24-09 Amending the Parking-In-Common Masterplan for 25 & 33 Acoma Boulevard N, Tract 161, Block 3, Lots 7, 8 & 9 (Trevor Kearns) City Planner Trevor Kearns reviewed the Staff Report [displayed PowerPoint]: • The subject property is located on Acoma Boulevard N between Mesquite Avenue and McCulloch Boulevard N. • Along with the abutting lots, it is zoned Mixed Use - Uptown McCulloch Main Street District (MU-UMS) and they are developed as commercial uses. • The original Parking-in-Common (PIC) Masterplan approved in 1995 was designed to establish a shared parking layout for the downtown area and laid out a parking plan for future development. Deviation from the approved masterplan requires an amendment. • The applicant’s Letter of Intent requests an amendment to the PIC Masterplan to allow a drive-thru on Lot 7 and entrance from Acoma Blvd N. • Staff received no objections from any reviewing agencies. • He reviewed Staff’s recommended conditions. Commissioner Diaz asked who would pay for the median installation on Acoma Blvd N. Mr. Kearns confirmed the applicant would be responsible for the costs. Commissioner Dzuro asked how the design and size of the median will be determined. Mr. Kearns stated there is not currently a median in this area. The applicant has been working with the Public Works Department and it was determined a median is needed to prevent northbound traffic on Acoma Blvd N from making a left turn into the drive-thru or onto Birch Square. Specific design details have not yet been decided, but the City Engineer will review and approve the final design. Vice Chair Wilson invited the applicant to address the Commission. Samir Slatewala, of Architecture All & Associates, attended the meeting virtually. He explained they have had several preapplication meetings with the City to discuss the location and traffic concerns. They commissioned a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) to determine the safest way to integrate a drive-thru. The TIA identified left turns from northbound Acoma Blvd N as an existing issue, which the median installation will address. Mr. Slatewala stated they reached out to all property owners on the block and received Lake Havasu City Page 2 Printed on 8/21/2024 Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes - Final August 7, 2024 approvals for the amendment from seven out of eight owners. The only owner that did not sign off is the owner of a small vacant lot, who they were unable to make contact with. They have the required 75% approval for the PIC Amendment. Commissioner Ballard asked if the applicant, Riliberto’s Mexican Restaurant, will replace the current tenant. Mr. Slatewala responded affirmatively. The building is occupied by a BBQ restaurant. His client is in the process of purchasing the building and vacant lot next to it with the intention to turn it in to a Riliberto’s. Minor work will be done inside, as it is already a restaurant. The primary upgrade will be adding a drive-thru window, which will require a building permit. Vice Chair Wilson opened the Public Hearing. Seeing no comments, she closed the Public Hearing. Mr. Kearns stated that based on the findings, the Development Review Committee recommends the Planning Commission approve Resolution No. 24-09, approving Land Use Action No. 24-4404, amending the Parking-In-Common Masterplan for 25 & 33 Acoma Boulevard N, Tract 161, Block 3, Lots 7-9, with the following conditions: 1. The development shall substantially match the Site Plan/New PIC Masterplan attached to the Resolution. 2. Design Review to ensure compliance with all applicable City codes, including driveway locations and parking, is required prior to development of the properties. 3. Any deed restrictions that need to be amended are required to be recorded with Mohave County. 4. The driveway must exit to alley 30. 5. A concrete median installation will be required by Public Works on Acoma Boulevard N, and Birch Square will be limited to a right in/right out access only. Vice Chair Wilson asked if the applicant understands the conditions. Mr. Slatewala responded affirmatively. Commissioner Stevenson asked if the City has concerns about drive-thru traffic overflowing onto Acoma Blvd N. Mr. Kearns explained the applicant has had several discussions with Public Works. They did not have any objections to the proposed site plan, but requested several traffic improvements, which are included in the recommended conditions. Currently, traffic is allowed to turn left onto Birch Square, resulting in traffic flow issues. They believe the Lake Havasu City Page 3 Printed on 8/21/2024 Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes - Final August 7, 2024 median and other improvements will help improve the current situation and manage the drive-thru traffic. Commissioner Stevenson stated the distance from the drive-thru window and menu board is very short. The only design similar that he could find in the City was Habit Burger. He discovered they are contemplating a change to their drive-thru because of traffic congestion and overflow. The drive-thru at Starbucks on Swanson and Lake Havasu Ave also comes to mind. He noted the City recently made major traffic changes to their ingress/egress design to address issues that arose. He is concerned about setting a precedent that will lead to future traffic problems and asked if there were changes to the Development Code relating to drive-thrus in light of the problems at Starbucks. Mr. Kearns stated the Development Code calls for three spaces for drive-thus, but the City Engineering Division can add additional conditions or requirements, if they can be justified for safety. Mr. Slatewala explained they have developed a number of Riliberto’s locations in the Phoenix area and have a lot of data related to peak hours, service times, and drive-thru traffic. This data was provided to the traffic engineer that completed the TIA. Concern was expressed about the few times when a fourth car may be in the drive-thru lane, which is why they are proposing a second lane to the right of the drive-thru. If a car needs to move over, there is room for them to do so. Based on the data related to timing and customers per hour, and the addition of the second lane, the analysis determined there will not be spillover on to Acoma Blvd N. Commissioner Ballard moved to approve Resolution No. 24-09, approving Land Use Action No. 24-4404, amending the Parking-In-Common Masterplan for 25 & 33 Acoma Boulevard N, Tract 161, Block 3, Lots 7-9, with the following conditions: 1. The development shall substantially match the Site Plan/New PIC Masterplan attached to the Resolution. 2. Design Review to ensure compliance with all applicable City codes, including driveway locations and parking, is required prior to development of the properties. 3. Any deed restrictions that need to be amended are required to be recorded with Mohave County. 4. The driveway must exit to alley 30. 5. A concrete median installation will be required by Public Works on Acoma Boulevard N, and Birch Square will be limited to a right in/right out access only. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lehr and passed with the following vote: Lake Havasu City Page 4 Printed on 8/21/2024 Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes - Final August 7, 2024 Aye: 6 - Ballard, Dzuro, Lehr, Wilson, Medley and Diaz Nay: 1 - Stevenson 7. CALL TO PUBLIC Vice Chair Wilson provided a brief overview of Call to Public and opened Call to Public. Emiliano Torres, resident, has observed new landscaping up from Cherry Tree Blvd and would like to ensure the City is keeping a close eye on development in the Foothills, as they are getting close to reaching the maximum approved build-out for the area. Seeing no further comments, Vice Chair Wilson closed Call to Public. 8. FUTURE MEETING The next regular meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission will be Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 4, 2024, has been cancelled. 9. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Wilson adjourned the meeting at 9:17 a.m. _________________________________________ Jim Harris, Chair _________________________________________ Shelby Hennigan, Recording Secretary Lake Havasu City Page 5 Printed on 8/21/2024