Prescott Valley planners forward Pronghorn Unit 21 plan and zoning changes, require paved emergency access and add CAFMA letter

The Prescott Valley Planning and Zoning Commission on May 12 voted to forward a general plan amendment and a zoning map change for Pronghorn Unit 21 to the Town Council, approving a plan to convert about 23.86 acres previously designated for a school into 48 single-family lots and attaching conditions that require the secondary emergency access to be paved and the CAFMA letter dated 09/10/2024 to be included in the approval package.

Chairperson Sandra Griffiths presided as staff and the applicant described the site and the proposal. Chris Norlock, development services urban planner II, told the commission the site (APN 103-01-493) is north of Parkview Drive and east of Antelope Meadows Drive and that the applicant seeks a change from PL (public land) to low-density residential; the proposed preliminary plan shows 48 single-family lots and a development yield of about 2.01 dwelling units per acre. Norlock said the site was originally dedicated to the Humboldt Unified School District, and after the district did not plan a school the land was the subject of a later land swap.

Greg Allen of Allen Consulting Engineers and Ben Snyder, a representative of the applicant, answered technical questions about setbacks, lot sizes and model homes. Allen said the plat shows 48 single-family lots and that setbacks and building envelopes are shown on the plan. Snyder said the developer expects five different model floorplans with multiple elevations and that the homes on the site are intended to be similar to, and in some cases higher quality than, surrounding homes.

A focal point of the public and commission discussion was the secondary ingress/egress that currently is shown as an emergency access adjacent to the retention basin (Tract J). CAFMA's review and the town engineer's comments prompted debate over whether the alternate access should remain an emergency-only road or be opened as a permanent second access. John Latier, the town engineer, said engineering details will be finalized with the final development plan and that staff would review whether the road and any culverts meet fire‑authority load and all‑weather surface requirements. He also relayed a fire-code point offered to the commission: “The current fire code requires a secondary ingress and egress for communities larger than 35 homes. In this case, that’s not a requirement because they’re all sprinklered.”

The applicant agreed to pave the emergency access after commissioners and residents raised concerns about maintenance and usability. Greg Allen said, “So we’d be happy to pave it,” when commissioners pressed the issue. The applicant also said the emergency access would be constructed to the fire authority’s structural requirements; the commission requested that the CAFMA letter from Sept. 10, 2024, be added to the conditions so the authority’s comments are formally part of the approval package.

Public commenters expressed both support and opposition. Resident Dave Arner said the proposed low-density homes would bring larger homes the neighborhood lacks. Several residents who back up to the parcel, including Robin Thomas and Brian Harmon, urged the commission to limit density and raised concerns about traffic, view impacts and RV garages; Thomas said at the microphone, “I object to the 48 homes.” The applicant and staff responded to questions about RV garage allowances, model‑home parking, landscaping along Parkview Drive and how runoff will be handled; Allen said engineers are designing the detention basins to meet town standards and that the design may provide groundwater credits by returning some runoff to the aquifer.

On formal actions, the commission considered and rejected a standalone condition to make the secondary road a full, always-open public access: Commissioner Sandra Laney moved to construct the emergency access as a permanent secondary road; the motion failed 4–3. Separately, the commission voted unanimously to include the CAFMA letter (dated 09/10/2024) in the conditions of approval. The commission then voted to forward GPA 24-004 (Pronghorn Unit 21 general plan amendment) to the Town Council with a condition requiring the emergency access be paved; that motion passed by a 6–1 vote. The related zoning map change, ZMC 24-005 (PL to residential single-family limited planned area development), was approved by the commission unanimously and will also be forwarded to the Town Council with the attached conditions.

The record shows the commission asked staff to ensure final engineering plans address CAFMA standards, the all‑weather surface requirement for emergency access, culvert and detention‑basin capacity for Unit 21, and parking/CC&R restrictions intended to limit overnight on‑street parking. The commission’s conditions require the CAFMA letter be part of the approval package and require pavement for the emergency access; the final development plan and engineered construction drawings will determine the technical details and any additional conditions before the Town Council makes a final decision.

The items will go to the Prescott Valley Town Council for final action; staff said the project must complete final development, engineering and platting steps before building permits can be issued.