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Kachina Village neighbors oppose zone change to convert former fire station into five rental units; commission recommends denial
Summary
A proposal to rezone a former Kachina Village fire station to RM‑10A for five units drew extensive public opposition over neighborhood character and evacuation concerns; the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend denial of the zone change and voted against design review.
The Planning and Zoning Commission on May 28 recommended denial of a proposed zone change that would have allowed conversion of a former Kachina Village fire station into a five‑unit multifamily property and denied the associated design review application.
Applicant Marcus Martin and co‑owner Talaya Martin proposed reusing the site at 2838 Kona Trail to replace a collapsed four‑bay apparatus garage with three new dwelling units, creating a total of five units on a 0.5‑acre lot. Staff said the property is eligible for multifamily zoning (RM‑10A) and that the submitted design retains much of the building’s existing form.
Neighbors said the change would be out of scale in the narrow canyon neighborhood, would increase traffic and parking pressure, and could complicate emergency evacuations in PumpHouse Wash, a single‑access canyon. Multiple long‑time residents and property owners said the site has been advertised on short‑term rental sites and urged preservation of the neighborhood’s single‑family character.
Commission discussion focused on public safety and neighborhood compatibility. Vice Chair Wilson and several commissioners said they could not make the required findings for a zone change because the proposed density would be inconsistent with the established scale and character of the immediate area and could exacerbate emergency access and evacuation challenges. The commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors deny the zone change. The commission also moved to deny the design review application.
Why it matters: rezoning would have allowed up to five dwelling units on a lot previously used for a non‑residential civic purpose; the property’s future use will now be decided by the Board of Supervisors if the applicant seeks review beyond the commission’s recommendation.
What the applicant said: Marcus Martin said the owners intend the new units to be long‑term rental housing and that refurbishing the building is preferable to letting the property remain underused. Neighbors countered that the location is not appropriate for denser rental housing and raised safety, noise and infrastructure concerns.
Next steps: the zone change recommendation will be forwarded to the Coconino County Board of Supervisors for a final decision if the applicant pursues a county hearing; the commission’s recommendation against the change will be part of the public record.
