By Roland Murphy | AZBEX
Plans for a 42-acre mixed-use development in rural Yuma County are encountering nearly universal resistance, most recently in the form of a recommendation for denial of a land-use designation change request from County Planning staff.
The Norman Bruce Jacobson & Drucilla C. Trust 2-21-2012 owns 146 acres of rural-zoned land covering all four corners of Highway 95 and Martinez Lake Road in Yuma. The request would change the land-use designation for 42.37 acres to Retirement Community/Planned Unit Development and the remaining 103.64 acres portion to Agriculture/Rural Preservation. A major amendment is required since the site is larger than eight acres.
The County staff report says the owner’s ultimate intent is to rezone the 42-acre portion for a mixed-use development that would include a car service station, self-storage, boat storage and residential uses.
Staff recommended against the land-use amendment, saying the proposal does not advance the goals of the County Comprehensive Plan, would “affect or endanger the public’s health, safety and welfare,” and is not consistent with surrounding land uses.
A key reason for the recommendations of denial comes in the first paragraph covering site conditions in the staff report: “The subject property is currently open desert with Highway 95 and Martinez Lake Road bisecting the subject property. The subject property is within the following military operations for (Yuma Proving Ground): An active firing zone, tank crossing trail, military airspace and emergency landing, and air traffic route.”
