Council delays decision on rezoning request for 106-unit Marina Street project after hours of testimony

Prescott City Council on April 8 tabled a request to rezone three parcels at the southeast corner of Marina Street and LaRue Street and a related minor general-plan map amendment that would allow a developer to expand a proposed apartment project from 90 units to 106 units.

The council heard a staff presentation from Tammy Duet, the city community planner, who said the 0.6-acre parcels in question historically functioned as a county parking area but are currently zoned single-family (SF-9). The developer asked to rezone them to multifamily high-density (MFH) and to change the general-plan designation from low–medium to medium–high density to permit a 106-unit, two- and three-story apartment complex. The Planning and Zoning Commission forwarded the request to council with a negative recommendation after voting 2–4 against the larger 106-unit proposal; the commission previously recommended approval of a 90-unit plan in May 2024.

Developer Mark Van Wormer and representatives including Dane Beck told council the extra 16 units are critical to project feasibility and financing, that the site’s existing utilities can serve the development, and that on-site property management would benefit tenants and neighbors. The developers also said they planned deed restrictions limiting the property to 106 units, and that the demolition of an older vacant county-owned building would remove a locus of recurring calls for police service.

Nearly two dozen neighborhood residents and property owners spoke during public comment, raising concerns about reduced parking, the proposed use of “senior” unit parking reductions, traffic on narrow historic streets, building massing where three-story structures would abut primarily one- and two-story houses, and the lack of outreach and design changes since the earlier 90-unit proposal. Speakers included nearby homeowners and representations from the Summit Pointe Homeowners Association, who urged council to preserve neighborhood character and oppose what they called a density increase inappropriate for the block.

Council members repeatedly questioned whether the developer’s proposed parking would be adequate and asked for more concrete, enforceable solutions. City staff said any reduction in parking based on senior-unit designations must follow the Land Development Code’s alternate-parking procedures and would be reviewed administratively by the Community Development director at the permit stage; staff also noted that a traffic impact analysis was not triggered under the city’s thresholds and that city engineers had reviewed utility capacity and found it adequate.

Given outstanding concerns — including the parking layout shown on the site plan, absence of ADA spaces on the drawing submitted, and neighborhood objections — the council voted 5–0 to continue the matter to the May 13 meeting so the applicant can return with clarifications and possible design adjustments.

The tabling also delayed consideration of a related application for water service (13.24 acre-feet per year) for the same property; council voted 5–0 to continue that item to the same May 13 meeting.

Why it matters: The parcels are an infill site a block from downtown; rezoning them would change the allowed density on a piece of land that neighbors say was historically used as a county parking lot. Council’s decision to table gives city staff and the developer time to address parking, building massing and transitions to single-family neighbors before council votes on a general-plan amendment and rezoning.

What’s next: The applicant may return with an updated site plan and a refined parking proposal. Council directed the applicant to provide clearer information on how many additional on-site parking spaces can be added, how ADA parking will be accommodated, and how any senior-unit parking reductions would be enforced.

Votes: Council voted 5–0 to table the rezoning/general-plan amendment and 5–0 to table the water service application to the May 13, 2025 meeting.