Supervisors deny Kingman-area rezoning after residents raise water, road and rural-lifestyle concerns

Mohave County supervisors denied a request to rezone several parcels near Calle Castano in the Kingman area on Jan. 6, voting to approve the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation for denial.

The rezoning request, filed as BOS Resolution 2025-7, would have changed several assessor’s parcels from AR-5/AR-10 (five- or ten-acre agricultural‑residential minimums) to AR (one‑acre minimum) to allow a future residential subdivision. The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended denial by a 5–4 vote; the Board of Supervisors approved that denial after a lengthy public hearing.

Residents who spoke at the hearing emphasized groundwater supply, road access and the rural character of the area. “There is no AMA for the basin here that takes care of Kingman,” said Leslie Reed, a Calle Castano property owner, referring to active management areas overseen by the Arizona Department of Water Resources. She added that a 2023 study showed about 100 years of water remains under current conditions but warned that “if continued growth happens, it could cut our water use by 50 years.”

Other speakers said roads in the area are unpaved or only intermittently maintained and noted single access in and out of the area. Kermit Glenn said the local waterline runs down Calabria and “people run out of water out there all the time.” Patricia Powers said she and her husband moved to the area in 2000 for larger parcels and quieter living, and called for denial of the rezoning to preserve that lifestyle.

County staff and the applicant described the proposal differently. Director Scott Hultry told the board the county general plan designates the area as suburban residential consistent with one‑acre lot sizes and noted adjacent developments already permit similar densities. The applicant’s representative said the proposal would produce about 30 one‑acre lots, include paved internal roads and underground utilities, and would not include street lights.

Hultry and other staff members also explained the water adequacy process: a final plat must include a 100‑year water adequacy certificate from the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) before lot sales can proceed, and that determination is made by ADWR. The board pressed for clarity on whether traffic impact analyses and roadway improvements would be required during the platting process.

Supervisor Don Martin, who said he visited the site, and other supervisors cited constituent concerns and incomplete answers at the commission level in supporting denial. The board voted to approve denial of BOS Resolution 2025-7.

The denial does not permanently bar the applicant from returning with a modified proposal: staff said the zoning ordinance requires a one‑year waiting period to resubmit the same proposal, though substantially different proposals could be filed sooner.

What’s next: If the applicant elects to revise the plan — for example by reducing density or demonstrating water and roadway improvements — the matter could return to planning staff and the board at a future meeting.