Staff recommends council deny Avenue B request
City agreement with spice company on facility also on agenda
Staff is recommending that the Yuma City Council deny a general plan amendment request that would change the land use designation for property located at 1421 S. Avenue B from Medium Density Residential to High Density Residential.
The council will hold a public hearing on the request Wednesday evening. However, the council might discuss the issue as part of a work session set for Tuesday evening.
The applicant is South Avenue B LLC. Representative Barry Olsen has said that his client does not have plans to develop the property but hopes to attract an apartment complex developer.
Citizens have been protesting high density development in the area. Residents filed a referendum petition asking for the repeal a zoning ordinance that would allow high-density residential development on the property. The city and county determined that the petition did not have the required signatures to put the issue before city voters.
Many of their concerns center on traffic congestion and the impact additional high-density housing would have on schools, sewer and public safety.
On March 12, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted to recommend denial of the general plan amendment request.
In other action, the council will consider an economic development and deferral agreement with Botanical Food Company (Gourmet Garden) in support of a new Yuma production facility. Parent company McCormick & Company acquired the Australia-based company in 2016 and plans to build a 100,000-square-foot production facility in the Yuma Commerce Center.
In addition, the agenda calls for a resolution authorizing the city administrator to form a Citizen Oversight Committee and establish policies and procedures for access and use of city data from the anyCOMM nodes. The “smart city” nodes will be placed on streetlights and have the ability to record video and audio, provide lighting control, a city-wide wireless network and allow cellular carriers to use the network to extend service coverage and capacity. The council has been discussing how digital recordings would be handled and how the city will ensure citizen privacy.
For the Tuesday work session, which begins at 6 p.m., Information Technology Services Director Kathleen Fernandez and Brian Lucero, ITS senior business applications analyst, will present an overview of the Lucity software being used citywide.
And Community Development Director Laurie Lineberry and Principal Planner Alyssa Lineville will present an update of development activity in the year following implementation of the Infill Overlay District and provide information about the proposed corner market text amendment to the Infill Overlay regulations.
The council will also discuss other items on the agenda for the regular meeting on Wednesday, which begins at 5:30 p.m. The consent agenda contains several contracts, including for environmental laboratory testing services, with an annual cost of $185,000; asphaltic concrete with an annual cost of $170,000; uniforms with an annual cost of $41,000; and maintenance and support services for equipment used by the Yuma Police Department to scan fingerprints electronically with a cost of $18,694 for 2017/2018 and $22,950 for 2018/2019.
Staff is also asking for authorization to buy $105,290 in Microsoft software required for an upgrade of the Yuma Regional Communications System Public Safety Software System; accept $6,000 in funding from the Tucson High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area grant program; execute an agreement with the Western Arizona Council of Governments providing annual funding for assistance to qualified city utility customers; and acquire the second of two parcels located at 1230 S. 2nd Avenue through an exchange of surplus city property and payment of $90,000.
Several ordinances will be introduced, including amendments to the city code to comply with changes to federal and state laws regarding use of city rights-of-ways and facilities by wireless communications providers. Another proposed ordinance authorizes the acquisition through eminent domain of 254 square feet of land for the purpose of redeveloping the northeast corner of the 16th Street and 4th Avenue intersection.
The resolution consent agenda has preannexation development agreements for properties located at 995 S. Palm Ave., 3319 W. Phoenix Ave. and 948 S. Pagent Avenue.
Both meetings will be held in the Yuma City Hall Council Chambers, 1 City Plaza. To view the complete agenda and staff reports, go to www.YumaAz.gov.