Kingman Board of Adjustment approves variance for drive‑through at Stockton Hill Road and Northern Avenue

The Board of Adjustment for the City of Kingman voted unanimously to approve variance VA25‑0001, allowing a drive‑through and adjacent stacking area along a street frontage for a proposed 6,952‑square‑foot convenience store and drive‑through restaurant on about 1.22 acres at the northeast corner of Stockton Hill Road and Northern Avenue.

The variance permits relief from provisions of the Kingman zoning code that prohibit drive‑through facilities located along street frontages and prohibit stacking areas adjacent and parallel to a street or public right of way. The board attached conditions requiring the applicant to pursue right‑of‑way abandonment, combine parcels by parcel plat, and comply with building permits and design standards; the variance will expire if work is not commenced within the time allowed by code.

Heather Rasmussen, a planner with the Development Services Department, told the board the request—filed by applicant Tess Garcia on behalf of property owner RG Gas and Grub LLC—was sought because existing easements and an alley bisect the site and constrain where buildings can be placed. Rasmussen said the site is split zoning: the western portion is C‑3 (service business) and the eastern portion is C‑2 (community business). She summarized staff findings that the easements and alley create special circumstances and that the relief would not establish a new use or expand a nonconforming use. Rasmussen said surrounding property owners within 300 feet were notified and that a public notice was published on July 2 and posted on site; staff reported no agency comments and no public comments had been received at the meeting.

Rob Sampson of Selberg Associates, representing the applicant, described the site as encumbered by permanent utility easements, including high‑capacity transmission lines, and said those constraints make a conventional, code‑compliant layout impractical. Sampson said the applicant considered alternative layouts but was concerned about safety conflicts between patrons and delivery vehicles. He described mitigation measures proposed by the applicant, including a 4‑foot‑6‑inch combination wall and landscape buffer parallel to Northern Avenue and Sierra Road, closing the alley access, and providing an overall setback of about 33 feet with a 10‑foot landscape buffer. “The city has been more than, more than accommodating and trying to help us to navigate through this project,” Sampson said. He told the board the applicant anticipates about four to six cars in the drive‑through during peak use.

Jason (city staff) told commissioners that the project did not warrant a traffic‑impact analysis and that existing ingress and egress on the site would largely remain; one existing alley entrance would be closed if the parcel combination and abandonment proceed. Staff said parcel platting and purchase of abandoned right‑of‑way from the city are conditions of approval; final site work must comply with all adopted codes and design standards except where relief is granted by the variance. Rasmussen also noted the zoning code provision that a variance is void if a building permit has not been obtained within one year unless otherwise stipulated, and that any extension would be processed as a new request.

Board discussion was brief and supportive. Commissioners said the proposed improvements and landscaping would improve the corner and preserve the gas‑and‑convenience function. With a motion on the floor, the board took a roll call vote: Chair Frederickson—yes; Vice Chair Maroney—yes; Board Member Helton—yes; Board Member Russell—yes; Board Member Baumgartner—yes. The motion carried; the variance was approved.

Next steps identified at the meeting include the applicant filing for right‑of‑way abandonment and completing purchase of any abandoned property subject to City Council approval, submitting a parcel plat to combine the parcels and any abandoned right‑of‑way, and obtaining building permits and other approvals required by city codes. The board noted that work must proceed in active processing to remain in good standing with the variance timetable.