Commission endorses rezoning for storage units along US 191 despite neighbor concerns about road access and dumping

The Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday voted to recommend approval of rezoning case REZ 940-25, allowing a 5.5-acre portion of a larger parcel to be rezoned from general use to commercial manufacturing for development of storage units along U.S. Highway 191.

Applicant’s plan and access

Applicant Shauna Taylor told the commission she and her family purchased the property last year and plan to build a residence on the northern portion of the parcel and storage units along the highway frontage. Taylor said she spoke with the Arizona Department of Transportation and that ADOT granted permission to use an existing paved access easement about 800 feet south of Morning Dove Lane; “Nothing would be off of Morning Dove as it would be completely fenced in around there,” she said.

Neighbors’ objections

Several neighbors spoke in opposition at the public hearing. Marlene Flowers, who lives at 639 East Morning Dove Lane, said Morning Dove Lane is a primarily single-lane private road that the county does not maintain and that additional traffic would worsen existing problems with illegal dumping and road damage. “Putting a storage unit out there is gonna increase that,” Flowers said, adding that the lane has only one or two places to pull off and that children from nearby homes walk the road to South Stafford School District stops.

Michael Bertoldo, representing family interests in a nearby estate, said his family owns part of Morning Dove and asked the commission to require a deed restriction ensuring future development would not be able to access the property from Morning Dove. “I’d like to request a deed restriction to state in the future that that can happen,” Bertoldo said.

Project details and mitigation measures

Taylor told commissioners the development would start small and expand if demand warranted; she estimated possible buildout at up to 800 individual units over time but said she would begin with a smaller number of buildings. Unit sizes she cited include mostly 10-by-10 units, some 5-by-10s and a few 20-by-20s; she said the facility would not offer RV or boat storage. Taylor described planned security measures including a perimeter chain-link fence with barbed wire, automatic gates with keypad access, lighting and security cameras, and said she is willing to follow county lighting restrictions to preserve the night sky near her proposed house site.

Commission action and next steps

A commissioner moved a favorable recommendation and the motion was seconded. The commission voted by voice to forward a positive recommendation to the Graham County Board of Supervisors. The commission advised the applicant to attend the supervisors’ meeting; the commission announced the supervisors will hear items on Monday, Sept. 2 at 8:00 a.m.

Clarifying details from the record

- Parcel and location: 5.5-acre portion of a larger parcel east of U.S. Highway 191, highway frontage near Morning Dove Lane. - Access: ADOT-granted easement approximately 800 feet south of Morning Dove Lane; applicant said all access would be off the highway easement. - Proposed uses and limits: metal storage buildings (no RV/boat storage); majority 10x10 units, some 5x10 and 20x20 units; applicant said facility would start small and could expand (applicant cited up to 800 units as a maximum buildout scenario). - Security and operations: chain-link fence with barbed wire, automatic keypad gate, lighting and cameras; applicant indicated willingness to comply with county lighting ordinances. - Concerns requested by neighbors: deed restriction to prevent future access from Morning Dove Lane; concern over increased illegal dumping and road safety on the largely unmaintained, single-lane Morning Dove Lane.

Speakers