City P&Z panel backs Driftwood final plat.
Plans for subdivision call for 227 lots, new school
The final plat for the first phase of a subdivision being planned since 2005 received the backing of the Yuma Planning and Zoning Commission after a July 23 public hearing, which drew no speakers.
The Driftwood Ranch subdivision initially received strong opposition from several neighbors concerned with density, traffic and potential negative impact on the area’s rural lifestyle.
Plans for the subdivision call for 227 residential lots ranging in size from 8,699 square feet to 24,469 square feet, and a new school on land donated by the developer, Avenue 6E Land LLC/ Hall’s General Contractors.
The proposed Driftwood Ranch Units No. 1 and 2 Subdivision will be located on 89.8 acres at the southwest corner of South Avenue 6E and East 44th Street. The first phase will include 140 single-family lots as well as the new Dorothy Hall Elementary School. The plat for the remaining 87 residential lots will be presented later.
The commission gave the final plat a thumbs up with a unanimous vote. It will now head to the City Council for final approval.
The commission’s recommendation for approval included a change to one of the conditions, which originally called for the final plat to be recorded within a year after being approved by the council. The amendment now allows the developer two years to record the final plat or else it will be void. Dan Symer, assistant director of community development, said staff approved of the change.
The city recently rezoned the property from agriculture to lowdensity residential. The property is surrounded by large county residential lots to the south and west, the low-density residential Ocotillo Subdivision to the east, and a Yuma County Public Works operation to the north.
The developer has been trying to develop the property for years but has faced opposition along the way. John Weil, attorney for Hall’s General Contractor, previously noted that the developer has made considerable efforts to address neighbors’ concerns, such as increasing setbacks for a larger buffer with neighbors.
The developer also donated land valued at $2 million for the new school. Yuma School District 1 is planning for construction to be completed in time for the fall 2019 school year.