COCHISE COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION

MINUTES

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

 

The regular meeting of the Cochise County Planning & Zoning Commission was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Chair Corey at the Cochise County Complex, 1415 Melody Lane, Building G, Bisbee, Arizona in the Board of Supervisors Board Room.

 

Members Present

Staff Present

Karen Corey, Chair

Susan Buchan, Planning Director

Lee Basnar, Vice Chair

Susana Montana, Planning Manager

Jim Martzke

Michael Turisk, Planner

Al Haralson

Beverly Wilson, Planner

Duane Brofer

Keith Dennis, Planner

Cruz Silva

Debra Meyer, Recording Secretary

Don Hudgins

Karen Lamberton, Transportation Planner

John Wendle

Ron Durgin, Building Official

Rusty Harguess

Britt Hansen, Deputy County Attorney

 

Jim Vlahovich, Assistant County Administrator

 

Others Present

Member Absent

(see attached list)

 

 

Chair Corey noted the presence of a quorum. She then introduced the Commissioners to the public. Chair Corey then explained to the audience the procedures for considering a docket.

 

Chair Corey explained to the Commission that the Planning Department was requesting item 2 be moved ahead of item 1.

Vote 9-0 to move item 2 to the first docket.

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

 

A motion was made by Commissioner Martzke to un-table and approve the July 9, 2008 minutes as mailed; it was seconded by Commissioner Brofer.   Vote 8-0 to approve, with 1 abstention.  A second motion was made by Commissioner Martzke to approve the July 23, 2008 minutes as mailed; it was seconded by Commissioner Basnar. Vote 7-0 to approve, with 2 abstentions.

 

 

CALL TO THE PUBLIC

 

Chair Corey opened the meeting to the public.

 

Daniel Simmons, Co-Chair of the J-6 Mescal Community Association, stated they supporting postponing in the Rincon View Subdivision for further assessment of the subdivision.

 

Chair Corey closed the “Call to the Public”

 

Docket SUA-03-04: Planner Keith Dennis explained to the Commission that the applicant was requesting the docket be tabled for 6 months, and that the Planning Department is requesting it be tabled until the January 2009 meeting.

 

Commissioner Basnar made the motion to table docket SU-03-04 until the January 14, 2009 meeting, Commissioner Hudgins seconded.  Commissioner Brofer stated the docket number is SUA-03-04, Commissioner Basnar amended his motion to add the “A”, and Commissioner Hudgins amended his second. Vote was 9-0 to table the docket until January 2009.

 

Commissioner Hudgins excused himself from docket Z-08-11 as he is an employee of the applicant.

 

Docket Z-08-11: Planner Keith Dennis presented the docket for an application to rezone a 10-acre parcel from RU-4 (Rural – 1 dwelling per four acres) to HI – Heavy Industrial, in order to locate a regional service center. The proposed facility would house equipment, vehicles and fuel storage, as well as a regional customer service center.  The subject parcel (Parcel # 407-61-023L) is located along State Highway 80, near the intersection with Paul Spur Road, approximately halfway between Douglas and Bisbee, AZ.  The applicant is Arizona Public Service Corporation.

 

Chair Corey asked for the applicant’s statement.

 

Brian McClure, Representative for the applicant, presented a Power Point presentation explaining the proposal.

 

Commissioner Brofer asked what refrigeration management meant.

 

Mr. McClure explained that it meant CFC refrigeration can not be used in the refrigeration units. 

 

Commissioner Basnar asked if they planned to capture grey water.

 

Mr. McClure stated not at this time.

 

Chair Corey asked if the solar array would be similar to Cochise Colleges.

 

Don Hudgins explained that they haven’t chosen the solar array at this time.  They have considered using the system similar to the colleges, and also considered installing it on covered parking over the employee and guest parking lot.

 

Chair Corey opened the meeting to the public; there was no one who wished to speak, so she closed the meeting to the public.

 

Mr. Dennis stated staff recommends forwarding a recommendation of approval to the Board of Supervisors with the conditions presented to the Commission.

 

Commissioner Wendell wanted to know if 1 year was an adequate time period.

 

Mr. McClure stated that had no issue with the condition.

 

Commissioner Martzke made a motion to forward a recommendation of approval with the conditions stated by staff to the Board of Supervisors.  Commissioner Brofer seconded the motion.  

 

Vote 8-0 to forward a recommendation of approval to the Board of Supervisors.

 

Docket R-08-03:  Planning Manager Susana Montana presented the docket to revised amendments to the “Cochise County Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule” and the Cochise County Highway and Floodplain “Use of Public Rights-of-way Fee Schedule” found as Attachment A of Ordinance 035-06 which was considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission on May 14, 2008.  The revised fee schedules (1) clarify that there will be no fee for subdividers who choose the option to submit required subdivision Improvement Plans that have been “self-certified” by a Professional Civil Engineer registered by the State of Arizona, rather than reviewed and approved by the County Engineer; (2) clarify that there is no fee for Minor Expedited Subdivision applications although other fees will apply; (3) update the fee for County staff review of Improvement Plans from $125 per sheet to $158 per sheet; (4) establish a new fee for County consulting engineer review of Improvement Plans and Drainage Reports, including a new fee for an "expedited" review of Improvement Plans by the County consulting engineer; (5) establish a new fee for County staff review of subdivision drainage reports; (6) establish a new fee for required weekly meetings in the field with County staff and subdivider's engineers and contractors to review construction of subdivision improvements subject to self-certified Improvement Plans; and (7) establish a new fee for County staff and County consulting engineering staff participation in required Subdivision Committee meetings.  The fee schedule amendments are summarized as follows:

 

Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule Amendments:  (1) The current Improvement Plan Review Fee of $125 per sheet would be replaced with the following:  "No charge if Improvement Plans are self-certified by a Professional Civil Engineer registered to practice in the State of Arizona.  If plans are submitted for County Review, the fee would be $158 per sheet if qualified County staff is available to review them.  If staff vacancies or workload constraints dictate, the County will submit the plans to the County's designated consulting engineer for their review and the full cost of this review by the consultant will be paid by the subdivider, typically $200 per sheet. The subdivider may elect to pay a fee for an "expedited review" of the Improvement Plans by the County's consulting engineer; the cost for this review would be double the normal fee charged by the consultant, typically, $400 per sheet, and the timeframe for the consultant's expedited review would be half the normal time, typically, less than one week.";

(2) A new section would be added as follows: "Up to $350 for the 1st and 2nd Review; plus $200 for each additional review of subsequent revised reports if the reports are reviewed by County staff.  If , due to staff vacancies or workload constraints, the County submits the report to the County's designated consulting engineer, the full cost of the review will be paid by the subdivider, typically $500 per review."; and

(3) A new section would be added as follows: "No charge for pre-application review of plats by County staff.  The fee for Subdivision Committee meetings is $125 if the County's consulting engineer staff does not participate in the meeting; the fee will also include the full cost charged to the County by the Consulting engineer if staff of the County consulting engineer reviewed and commented on the plat and participates in the meeting, typically an additional $350 which includes travel expenses."

 

Highway and Floodplain “Use of Public Rights-of-way Fee Schedule” found as Attachment A of Ordinance 035-06 Amendments:    (1) A new fee for Subdivision Improvement Plan Review to state:  “Subdivision Improvement Plan Review-- No charge if Improvement Plans are self-certified by a Professional Civil Engineer registered to practice in the State of Arizona.  If plans are submitted for County Review, the fee would be $158 per sheet if qualified County staff is available to review them.  If staff vacancies or workload constraints dictate, the County will submit the plans to the County's designated consulting engineer for their review and the full cost of this review by the consultant will be paid by the subdivider, typically $200 per sheet. The subdivider may elect to pay a fee for an "expedited review" of the Improvement Plans by the County's consulting engineer; the cost for this review would be double the normal fee charged by the consultant, typically, $400 per sheet, and the timeframe for the consultant's expedited review would be half the normal time, typically, less than one week.";

(2) A new fee for County review of subdivision plats or Improvement Plans for compliance with County road, drainage and floodplain-related standards, or by the County’s designee consultant review, of subdivision Drainage Reports is proposed to be: "$350 for review of the first and second review (first revision), and an additional $200 for each additional review of subsequent revised reports if the reports are reviewed by County staff.   If, due to staff vacancies or workload constraints, the County submits the report to the County's designated consulting engineer, the full cost of the review will be paid by the subdivider, typically $500 per review.  Please note that there will only be one charge for review of Drainage Reports, not one from Planning and Zoning and one from Highway and Floodplain"; and

(3) Clarification that the current $50 Subdivision Inspection Fee includes the required weekly on site meetings with County staff for subdivisions subject to self-certified Improvement Plans.

 

Commissioner Wendell asked if the fee schedule would be revised yearly.

 

Ms. Montana stated this request is basically a one time request, but the overall fee schedule may be updated yearly.

 

Commissioner Wendell asked if the County was going to actively monitor costs.

 

Ms. Montana stated the department is trying to get a time management program to help track time on each project.

 

Susan Buchan, Planning Director, stated this was the first time the Planning Department, and Highway and Floodplain looked at the overall cost of permit reviews, and it is likely that with the subdivision load and staffing issues reviews will continue to be done by Willdan, and that the new Engineer will only have time to be a coordinator of sorts. 

 

Chair Corey stated she feels the fee schedules may need updating more frequently, with costs rising as they are.

 

Chair Corey opened the meeting to the public,

 

Jack Cook stated he has concerns about the general fund. 

 

Chair Corey closed the meeting to the public.

 

Ms. Montana stated staff recommends forwarding a recommendation of approval to the Board of Supervisors.

 

Commissioner Martzke made a motion to forward a recommendation of approval for R-08-03 to the Board of Supervisors, Commissioner Basnar seconded.

 

Vote 9-0 to forward a recommendation of approval to the Board of Supervisors.

 

PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT

 

1)      The Board of Supervisors actions: Board of Supervisors denied Z-07-21 the Kokopelli rezoning, and Z-08-10 the rezoning in Bowie, and the Kamp rezoning in Portal.  The third extension of the San Pedro Ranch Subdivision assurance agreement was approved, along with the Morning Star Final Plat, and the Copper Sky Development was all approved unanimously.

2)      On September 9th, there will be a continuation of the Green Building work session.

3)      On October 8th the will be a three hour study session on Solar power prior to the Commission meeting.

4)      The September meeting will consist of three dockets.

5)      The October meeting will include the Rincon View subdivision which is not usually a public hearing but in this case are allowing public comments.  There may need to be two meetings in October.

6)      The Envisioning work session will be on September 23rd, at 1:30.

 

                                                CALL TO COMMISSIONERS

Chair Corey asked if the Commission would want to have a second meeting in October.  The Commission stated they would prefer two meetings with the second meeting on the 22nd.

 

Commissioner Martzke will not be at the September and first October meeting.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Brofer, Commissioner Hudgins seconded. Vote 9-0 to adjourn.

 

Adjourned at 5:58 p.m.