Over traffic concerns, board OKs subdivision
The Yuma Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday approved a final plat for a subdivision previously tabled pending a traffic study. The commissioners tabled the item last month following protest from neighbors who urged them to consider the traffic impact.
The sole nay vote came from Chairman Chris Hamel, who voiced concerns with a turn lane that might cause confusion.
The commission on Feb. 8 asked for a traffic study before it would consider approving the final plat for the Terra Bella Unit 2 subdivision, located at the southwest corner of Avenue 5½ E and the 36th Street alignment. Plans call for dividing the 6.9acre subdivision into 25 lots, ranging in size from 9,120 square feet to 12,328 square feet. Dahl, Robins and Associates made the request on behalf of Perricone Arizona Properties.
Staff last month explained that a study had been conducted some years ago, but it could not be found. However, staff has now uncovered the traffic study, completed in 2005.
Jason Watson of Stantec, an engineering firm, studied the traffic volume for the Terra Bella and Belleza developments. “It appears to me that none of the intersections will exceed the City’s threshold of 100 vehicles,” Watson wrote in a 2006 email to the city’s then traffic engineer Fred Orcutt, who replied, “I agree with your analyses and also agree that no further traffic study is required.”
Chad Brown, the city’s associate planner, noted that Unit 2 has been downsized since the original plan, which includes future units 3, 4 and 5, from 112 lots to 105 lots. In addition, the proposal now has a southwest access point.
Andrew McGarvie, the city’s engineering manager, explained that the 2005 study included all future units. He noted that although the study is now 16 years old now, “I’m contending the traffic study isn’t that far off due to lack of growth” following the 2008 economic crash.
In addition, McGarvie said, a stand-alone subdivision does not require a traffic study.
Hamel then brought up his concern with the corner of Terra Bella Parkway and Avenue 5½ E, which includes in and out lanes and turn lanes. He fears that the turnouts coming in and out of Terra Bella Parkway will cut across each other.