CC - Agendas - City Council - REGULAR - 11/28/2017

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Areas appropriate for employment uses include those between Willow Creek Road and SR 89 north of the Pioneer Parkway, and much of the area south of the Airport connector Road near Side Road. Expanding some of the employment (industrial) area around the airport is also advisable — such as on the SE side of the airport to capitalize on the existing Melville Rd. /Larry Caldwell Drive access to the Airport Connector interchange. In short, we as a region need to reserve measurable areas for employment and industrial use within ASAP - given its central location to the growing Tri-cities region, its proximity to the airport and expanding surface road infrastructure, and its flat buildable land. Identifying areas for long- term job creation is important, but doing so does not inherently change land use today. It will take many years for ASAP to build out, and then only if the landowners desire to quit ranching. 8.4 Plan to meet the region-wide need for sites that can house heavy industrial uses. Conversations have been ongoing among Tri-city staffs and others to try and identify sites suitable for asphalt and concrete batch plants, which are an unpleasant though necessary use. One site identified lies within ASAP at the northern end of the Prescott city limits. The vacant, City of Prescott-owned site includes about 24 acres zoned IBD, and 50 acres zoned IA which allows batch plants by special use permit. The site is very isolated from development yet is reasonably close to SR 89. Some view this area as well situated with regard to prevailing winds, separation and visibility from proposed residential areas, access to aggregate sources, and proximity to infrastructure. However, nearby property owners do not wish a batch plant to locate here. Area neighbors and some airport advocates do not wish an asphalt batch near the airport at all. 8.5 Support residential development to the degree compatible with air traffic, terrain, and the planned road system. Lands outside the 60 DNL noise contour are subject to noise and overflights. For this reason, medium-to-high residential densities may be permitted within the influence area but are likely to generate noise complaints that can be detrimental to operations and expansions of the airport. Any residences which may be permitted within the approach and departure corridors may be a concern for the same reason. The predominant county zoning allows relatively low density throughout ASAP at either 1.6 acre or 2 acre minimum residential lot size. This is true for most of the privately owned ranches and the checkerboard State Land sections. Developing in this pattern is problematic because subdivisions in the Prescott AMA must prove a 100-year assured water supply, even for individual wells. Splitting into 36-acre parcels or into 5-or-fewer metes and bounds parcels on exempt wells is possible, however. This scenario is not desirable for several reasons — 1) it would create sprawl and preclude other desirable uses near the airport, 2) it would proliferate individual wells and septic systems, 3) it would create more roads which waste land, 4) it would not approach highest and best use of the land, and 5) it would further fragment antelope and other wildlife movement areas. A more rational approach is to transfer the allowed densities from the approach/departure corridors, the Granite Creek wash, and from areas targeted for commercial or employment users to create residential clusters located in areas least influenced by airport operations. The sending areas would provide desired open space for airport buffering, regional drainage, passive recreation, and wildlife habitat and movement corridors, while the receiving areas would gain densities sufficient to warrant municipal water and sewer service and create real 16