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Commission approves exception to sidewalk and streetlight rules for Desert Lakes Estates, orders Everglades Boulevard sidewalk
Summary
Commission granted a petition of exception to avoid sidewalks and streetlights in a late-stage Desert Lakes Estates subdivision phase but added a condition requiring sidewalks along Everglades Boulevard to improve future connectivity.
The Mohave County Planning and Zoning Commission on May 14 approved a petition of exception that exempts the final phase of Desert Lakes Estates from current land-division requirements for sidewalks and streetlights, while adding a condition that full sidewalk improvements be installed along Everglades Boulevard adjacent to the project.
The developer said the subdivision’s preliminary plat dates to 2007 and that earlier phases were built without sidewalks or streetlights; the requested exception would allow the final 40-acre phase to match the earlier built character. John Gull, representing the applicant, said a home builder had purchased the lots and that the proposed homes “come with front yard landscaping and block walls” and were priced in the mid-to-high $300,000 range.
A resident, Dave Hasenwinkle, who lives inside Desert Lakes Estates, opposed the exception and urged sidewalks for safety, arguing the homes planned for the phase would likely attract younger families and add more cars and children to the streets. He said existing lot values and home types in the neighborhood warrant sidewalks for safety reasons.
The county’s Public Works department reviewed the request and reported no objection to the petition of exception. Commissioners debated whether adding a sidewalk along Everglades Boulevard would be a “sidewalk to nowhere” or an important piece of future connectivity. Commissioner Bradshaw proposed, and the commission approved, adding a requirement for full sidewalk improvements along Everglades Boulevard as a condition of approval.
The commission’s action allows the developer to complete the phase under the exception for interior streets while requiring the Everglades Boulevard frontage to be constructed with sidewalks. The applicant said it is acceptable and that further site-plan and engineering details would be handled during the improvement plan process.
Speakers included the applicant’s representative and one resident who testified in opposition. Commissioners questioned where the sidewalk would be constructed relative to existing driveways and right-of-way; staff advised the sidewalk would fall inside the public right-of-way rather than on private driveways.
