Zoning, developing dominate Colorado City Town Council meeting

Colorado City Town Manager Vance Barlow fields questions about requiring developers to pay for some infrastructure, advocating consistency in application, Colorado City, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2021 | Photo by Sarah Torribio, St. George News

COLORADO CITY, ARIZ. —The Colorado City Town Council meeting held Monday included significant discussion of zoning and development, with regards to both specific projects and general policy.

Colorado City Mayor Joseph Allred suggests developers seeking a zone change should be asked to pay for some basic infrastructure improvements at the December town council meeting, Colorado City, Arizona, Dec. 13, 2021 | Photo by Sarah Torribio, St. George News

Council was asked to approve two zoning map amendments requested by landowners who hope to split one-acre lots into thirds and build three houses on the respective sites. The first is located at Johnson Avenue, the second at Colvin Street.

Under consideration was a proposal to change the designation of the parcels from RE1-A Residential Estate/One Acre to R1-8 Single Family Residential. R1-8 zoning allows developers to construct homes on lots that are 12,000 square feet, roughly a third of an acre.

During pre-vote discussion Town Manager Vance Barlow said the proposed zone changes were consistent with Colorado City’s General Plan.

Allred, however, suggested council start asking developers to pay for some basic infrastructure. He proposed council initiate the policy with the two zone change requests at hand. In this case, the landowners would be asked to put in sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

By doing so, he said, they would add value to the community from which they stand to gain a profit. This kind of quid pro quo is standard among most cities but would set a precedent for the area. Allred said he believes it’s time for Colorado City to take this step.

“We’re getting hit with these requests and, in general, a lot of them we aren’t thinking through all the way,” he said.  “We aren’t looking at all the options, we aren’t looking at all the need … I hope that at some point along the way that in doing these improvements and splits and rezones that the property owners would take some responsibility in helping out with street improvements.”

Allred advised that in order to be fair, the city should be consistent about requiring developers to kick in some infrastructure money. “If we’re going to require it somewhere, we ought to require it somewhere else,” he said.

Colorado City Town Manager Vance Barlow fields questions about requiring developers to pay for some infrastructure, advocating consistency in application, Colorado City, Arizona, Dec. 13, 2021 | Photo by Sarah Torribio, St. George News

When asked by Allred if Barlow was comfortable with requiring developers to put some skin in the game, the town manager said it’s as good a time as any to start making reasonable demands.

“I’m as comfortable with it as council is,” he said.  “From the developers’ standpoint, you’ve got to make a decision when you’re going to start requiring certain things and be consistent going forward. And yes, some areas may look like a bad haircut for a while, but they’ll fill in after a while.”

Councilmember Jeffrey Jessop, Sr. agreed with the principal that developers should shoulder some of the town’s infrastructure costs.

“It makes sense to me that they’re splitting these lots for development for monetary reasons,” he said.  “In light of that, I think we ought to put the condition that they do have curb and gutter and sidewalk included in it.”

No community members commented during the public comment period. Two separate votes were then held for the zone change approvals. resulting in that the developers be granted their requested zone changes so long as they completed their lot split and put in utilities within 12 months. Allred and Colorado City Vice Mayor Donald Richter voted alongside the rest of the council in keeping with Arizona statute.

In both cases, the motion passed 4-2 with nay votes cast by Allred and Jessup and council member Alma Hammon abstaining from voting.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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