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MINUTES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - 5:30 P.M. 155 N. TEGNER STREET WICKENBURG, ARIZONA 85390 A. CALL TO ORDER - Chair Green called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM B. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE – Led by Chair Green C. INVOCATION – Led by Member Pollei D. ROLL CALL Present: Bill Green, Chair Terrence Belieu, Member Kristi Henson, Member Tom Pollei, Member Darcy Wekell, Member Art Rubash, Council Liaison Absent: Verne Crissman, Member Mitch Jackson, Member Staff Present: Steve Boyle, Community Development Director Amy Brown, Town Clerk E. CALL TO THE PUBLIC – No Response F. ITEMS OF BUSINESS 1. Consideration and Action to Approve the Minutes of October 29, 2024 MOVED BY Member Belieu to approve the minutes of October 29, 2024 SECONDED BY Chair Green VOTE: 5 - 0 (Yes – Chair Green, Members Belieu, Henson, Pollei, and Wekell) (Absent – Member Crissman and Jackson) Members then introduced themselves to the other commission members. 2. Presentation and Discussion on Planning and Zoning Protocols in Arizona Steve Boyle, Community Development Director, reported that the Community Development department is made up to four people: • Steve Boyle- Community Development Director • Kevin Bruce- Chief Building Inspector Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of February 26, 2025 Page 2 of 5 • Dee McGarey- Community Development Specialist • JT Stone- Community Development Specialist Planning is the continuous process to guide the preservation, development, or redevelopment of a neighborhood, community and region. Planning is also the process of designing and managing the physical development of a town, including land use, infrastructure, transportation and public spaces, with the goal of creating sustainable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing communities that meet the needs of its residents while considering social, economic, and environmental factors. Planning actually began in ancient Greece with the design of cities to grow properly and establish roads strategically. In the late 1800’s there was a public health movement to establish water and wastewater facilities. The focus then changed to city beautification, which then moved into city functionality. Eventually zoning and environmental issues were reviewed and established. In 1998, Arizona passed the Growing Smarter Act. Now Strongtowns.org is the latest movement for more functionality with a pattern of development that is financially strong and resilient, with an emphasis on safety, livability and inviting. The functions of planning include the following: • Preparing for the future • Tool of identifying land use problems and developing sound solutions • First things first (land use inventory) • Sound development policy • Coordinate decisions • Educating and informing The functions of planning should not include the following: • Be a one shot deal • Solve all problems • Correct all past mistakes • Be used to promote special interests • Be used to exclude others from the community The Planning and Zoning Commission is established in Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) to have at least five members and have meetings to recommend decisions on rezones, use permits, development review and text amendments. Members are appointed to their positions by the Town Council and serve as an advisory board to the Council to decide what it best for the Town of Wickenburg. Usually, approval of a majority of the members is required in order to approve an item. For a General Plan Amendment, it will require a super majority vote. The town’s police power is established in the tenth amendment. The General Plan, Zoning Laws and subdividing regulations are all areas that the commission will review as guiding documents for a decision. Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of February 26, 2025 Page 3 of 5 The commission has the responsibility to inform and educate the community on the purpose and benefits of planning. Well run meetings and open public participation are vital to the ability of the commission to make informed and effective decisions. • Public business must be conducted in public (don’t ask each other about opinions outside of a meeting) • Public body and quorum of members (4 members) • Public Notices – Agendas are posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting • Community Outreach • Overloaded Agenda not ever recommended • Call to the Public – no discussion on items raised • Executive Sessions – very rare for the commission • Meeting Decorum – to have well run meetings • Public Hearings – time for public input on the item The role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is as follows: • Civic-Mindedness • Should have an interest in bettering one’s community as a whole • An interest in planning and development • Open minded and objectivity • Team player • Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely in public • Enough “free” time to prepare for meetings • Conflicts of interest minimal – They might happen, check with staff on any concerns. • Read and familiarize with General Plan – at wickenburggeneralplan2045.com • Advisory Body to Town Council • Working Relationships • Stay in your lane – Don’t answer questions that staff should be answering The General Plan shows the vision for the town for the next 15-20 years. The Council approved the General Plan on September 2, 2024. There are certain elements that are required to be in the General Plan. The town has more elements than are required, including Land Use, Circulation, Economic Development, Environmental Planning, Open Space, and Public Facilities and Services. Zoning gives the town some control over its land uses, appearance, and quality of life in the present and future. Zoning can work against historic mixed-use neighborhoods in older areas of town and housing affordability. • Legally binding document of land use regulations • History - 1953 first adopted in Wickenburg • Provides the development standards for land uses such as building setbacks, lot sizes, building height, parking requirement, landscape, signs, etc. • Conserve property values, Orderly growth, Regulating aesthetics Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of February 26, 2025 Page 4 of 5 • Update Zoning Ordinance - Change is inevitable • Ask not which rules should be changed, but what outcomes we want to achieve • Relationship to General Plan • Zone Changes vs Text Amendments • Mixed Use evolution - Ancient/Old vs New – Cities used to have mixed uses in the downtown so that you could live and work there. Urban sprawl changed that with people moving further out into the suburbs. Many cities are now looking to add that back in so that people can live, work, and play in the downtown. • Sustainability – Arizona really has to look at water to determine development • Innovation and Technology changes • Signs – Neon signs used to be how you attracted people to your business. Now most people put a business address into their GPS to find it, so signs are evolving. • Design/Development Review – The Planning and Zoning Commission is the final decision for development review of new commercial buildings. The subdivision code will let someone know if they can split their lot to sell it. Anything with four or more lots is considered a subdivision, subject to certain standards that need to be reviewed. The development review process will include a plot and technical review. There are certain street standards if they are public roads and less if they are private roads. Lot standards are also reviewed. The Council has stated that growth needs to pay for itself, so that is the goal with any new development. Land ownership around Wickenburg shows most of the land outside the town limits as being either owned by Arizona State Land Department (blue) or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) (yellow). BLM land is primarily for hunting and recreation purposes. State land can be sold, but they want to sell it for the highest and best use. There is less than 10% of the land in Wickenburg that is still available for development. The white areas are private property. Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of February 26, 2025 Page 5 of 5 Chair Green requested that when an item comes to the Commission, the members drive by the property prior to the meeting so that they know what is being discussed when a neighbor comes in with questions or a comment. He stated that there might be 50 residents in attendance at a meeting to fill the room, but the commission needs to represent the best for all 8,000 residents in the town. If someone contacts a member prior to the meeting to discuss the item, don’t give any commitment, because you are only hearing one side of the issue. On most items the commission is advisory to the Council who has the final decision; however, the Planning and Zoning Commission will usually take a deeper look at the item due to it being the focus for the commission. Member Belieu asked when the updated Zoning Code is expected. Director Boyle stated that it is hopeful that we will receive it in early March. Once it is received, staff will review it and provide feedback. After that, it will come to the commission, probably in sections. Town Clerk Brown stated that the packets will be online and all previous packets since 2015 are viewable online. The commission members are private residents, not elected officials, so you will not receive a town email address and private email addresses will not be released. Open meeting law training will be held in March for all members. Members can’t discuss items amongst themselves outside of meetings, but they are able to meet with staff regarding their questions. Any information to the commission will be sent to the members with them blind copied so that you don’t have an open meeting law violation by replying to all members. Chair Green concluded that there will be consultants that will present a project with their ideas. The commission members need to look at what is best for Wickenburg, not just what is presented. G. NEXT MEETING DATE – March 25, 2025 H. ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY Member Henson to adjourn at 5:41 PM SECONDED BY Member Belieu VOTE: 5 - 0 (Yes – Chair Green, Members Belieu, Henson, Pollei, and Wekell) (Absent – Member Crissman and Jackson) Bill Green, Chair Attest: Amy Brown, Town Clerk