Apple Valley planning commission backs ordinance changes to site new fire station, approves Jenkins property rezoning

APPLE VALLEY, April 9, 2025 — The Apple Valley Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to recommend an amendment to the town’s institutional zoning rules so a planned satellite fire station can sit on a quarter-acre lot, and approved two separate zone-change applications: one for the Apple Valley Fire Station No. 2 site and one for Jenkins BNB LLC to rezone a parcel to agricultural use.

The commission approved ordinance O-2025-13, an amendment to Title 10.10.130 that lowers the institutional-zone minimum lot area from 1 acre to one-quarter acre and adjusts setbacks to allow public safety buildings. Commissioners said the change is intended to permit a small satellite fire facility in the Cedar Point subdivision. The motion recommending approval passed by voice vote with five ayes and no recorded opposition.

Planning staff told the commission the proposed institutional-zone change is specific to public-safety uses (fire stations, related wells or tanks) and would not alter residential lot rules. Staff said the town currently houses a fire vehicle in a leased private barn in the Cedar Point/Bubbling Wells area and that the amendment would allow the town to site a properly zoned, fenced satellite station on a small town-owned parcel instead of leasing private property. The staff explanation noted the change is intended in part to maintain or improve insurance classification tied to fire-station proximity (the five-mile response/coverage radius was cited by staff as relevant to insurance ratings).

In separate votes, the commission recommended approval of the zone change for Apple Valley Fire Station No. 2 (Ordinance O-2025-14) to rezone parcel AB1366A-8C from Open Space Transition (OST) to Institutional, and approved the Jenkins BNB LLC application (Ordinance O-2025-18) to rezone parcel AV1354 NP8 from OST to Agricultural (AG-10) to allow an accessory building. Commissioners described the Jenkins request as an effort to bring an existing house and a new accessory building into compliance with the town’s zoning map; staff said an AGX incentive program that might have been relevant has closed.

Votes at a glance: - O-2025-13 (Amend Title 10.10.130, institutional zone: reduce minimum lot area from 1 acre to 0.25 acre; adjust public-safety setbacks) — Motion to recommend approval: passed (voice vote: five ayes, zero nos). - O-2025-14 (Zone change: Apple Valley Fire Station No. 2, parcel AB1366A-8C, OST → Institutional) — Motion to recommend approval: passed (voice vote: five ayes, zero nos). - O-2025-18 (Zone change: Jenkins BNB LLC, parcel AV1354 NP8, OST → Agricultural (AG‑10)) — Motion to recommend approval: passed (voice vote: five ayes, zero nos).

Commissioners removed items 2, 3, 7 and 8 from the published agenda at the request of the mayor and set a public work meeting for April 22 at 9:30 a.m. to continue review of those items. The commission also approved the minutes of its March 12, 2025 meeting before adjourning.

Planning staff answered commissioners’ questions about scope and limits: the institutional-zone amendment applies only to institutional uses (public safety, wells, tanks, similar nonresidential uses) and would not permit residential development at the smaller lot size. Staff also explained that the town had been leasing private space for a satellite apparatus and that the amendment and rezoning would allow the town to site a dedicated town-owned satellite facility with appropriate setbacks and fencing.

A resident who identified themself as the landowner of one of the applications said there was no concern from the property owner about the proposed change. The commission did not record roll-call votes by name; the published minutes should be consulted for the official record forwarded to the town council.