Public hearing on any and all matters regarding Major General Plan Amendment Case No. 2019-0395. A request by Vega & Vega Engineering, PLC, on behalf of Sam Group Investment Company Partnership to change the land use designation from Business to Neighborhood for 18.44 acres located at the southeast corner of 20th Avenue and County 24th Street. 

A. Open public hearing B. Continue public hearing

This request for a Major General Plan amendment was submitted to the City of San Luis in June 2019 by Vianey R. Vega, P.E. from Vega & Vega Engineering, PLC. The request is to amend the land use designation on 18.44 acres from Business to Neighborhood. The subject property, south portion of Assessor’s Parcel No. 227-15-019, is located on the east mesa of the City of San Luis. The general location of the proposed amendment area is bounded by County 24 Street to the north, Avenue E to the east, 20th Avenue (Avenue E 1/2) to the west and County 24 1/2 Street to the south. 

The property to the west is zoned as Medium Density Residential (R1-6) and is where Bienestar 10 Subdivision will be located. The property to the south is zoned Light Industrial (L-I) and is vacant land. On the east, Southwest Arizona Industrial Subdivision is located with industrial vacant lots and one commercial lot where a future 75,000 square feet medical mall is currently under construction. 

The 20 acres north of this property was originally designated as Business in the City of San Luis 2020 General Plan and was zoned as Light Industrial (L-I). The owner wanted to change the zoning to Medium-High Density Residential (R1-6) for the construction of a residential subdivision to be called Belleza Del Desierto Subdivision Phase 1. In order to do the zoning change, the land use designation had to be compatible with the proposed zoning district. The amendment and rezoning were approved as well as the subdivision plat. 

The reason for the requested General Plan Amendment is to rezone the property to Medium-High Density Residential (R1-6) and develop it as Phase 2 of Belleza Del Desierto Subdivision. 

The current General Plan land use designation of Assessor’s Parcel No. 227-15-019 is Business. The designation is planned for areas suitable for higher intensity commercial, office, employment and appropriate industrial uses. The permitted zoning districts within this land use designation are Neighborhood Commercial (C-1), Community Commercial (C-2), Light Industrial (L-I) and Heavy Industrial (H-I). The property in zoned as Light Industrial (L-I).

The proposed land use designation for this property is Neighborhood. The intent of this designation is to allow residential, neighborhood type commercial, community services/facilities, parks, open space, schools and master planned communities. The residential uses may include single family detached units, single family attached units, townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. The permitted zoning districts within this designation are Low and Medium Density Residential (R1-12, R1-8, R1-6), Medium-High Density Residential (R-2), High Density Residential (R-3), Neighborhood Commercial (C-1), Mixed Use (MU), Residential Planned Unit Development (R-PUD), Manufacture Home (MH), Recreation Vehicle (RV), and Open Space Conservation (OSC) zoning districts. 

The reason for the requested General Plan Amendment is to rezone the property to Medium Density Residential (R1-6) and develop it as single family residential subdivision (Belleza Del Desierto Phase 2).

APPROVAL CRITERIA:
As per San Luis City Code §152.047(E), in determining whether the proposed General Plan Amendment shall be approved, the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council shall assure that the proposed amendment meets all of the following criteria:
CITIZEN REVIEW MEETING:
In accordance with State Statute (A.R.S. §9-462.03) and City Code (§152.040(C)), a Citizen Review meeting was held at City Hall on October 1, 2019 at 6PM.

The purpose of the Citizen Review Meeting is to provide adjacent landowners and other potentially affected citizens an opportunity to ask questions and express any issues or concerns that they may have with the proposed amendment prior to the public hearing. There were no people from the public present.

AGENCY REVIEW: 
As required by State Statute (A.R.S. §9-461.06(D)), this request was referred to all relevant government agencies for a 60-day review period. The 60-day review period ended on September 9, 2019.

During this period, comments were received from the following agencies:

• Arizona Department of Transportation
• Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S. §9-461.06(E)) require that cities over twenty-five thousand in population must hold two public hearings for any Major General Plan Amendment. The two or more public hearings must be held in two different locations on two different dates.

This is the first public hearing for this case where the Commission will hear any comments from the public and will not take action on this item. If either the Commission or members of the public should request further information on this case, it will be provided at the second public hearing. 

The second public hearing will be held on October 15, 2019 at 7PM at City Council Chambers. At that time, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall make a recommendation to the City Council. 

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends CONTINUANCE of the Public Hearing for the Major General Plan Amendment Case No. 2019-0395, a request by Vega & Vega Engineering, PLC, for a Major General Plan Amendment from Business to Neighborhood on 18.44 acres of land located at the southeast corner of 20th Avenue (Avenue E 1/2) and County 24th Street.