Planning panel backs rezoning request to allow church at South Show Low Lake Road site

At its February 2025 meeting, the Show Low Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve zone change request 60503124, submitted by White Mountain Bible Church, to rezone roughly 6.5 acres at 3171 S. Show Low Lake Road from R-27 (single-family and multifamily residential, 7,000 sq. ft. minimum) to C-2 (general commercial).

The rezoning would allow a church and associated school and campus facilities as a permitted use. Planning staff told commissioners that the applicant proposes a new building of about 19,500 square feet with classrooms, a chapel and additional parking. The property was combined from adjacent parcels earlier this year and is described in county records as a portion of APN 212-07-005 C.

Changing the zoning matters because it converts allowable land uses and removes the conditional-use timeline that would apply if the church pursued a conditional-use permit under the current R-27 designation. Planning staff recommended approval and told commissioners the proposal represents a lower-intensity use than what is currently permitted by the R-27 zoning, which previously allowed up to 70 condominiums on the site under an earlier rezoning ordinance.

Planning Director (staff) said the church and related school uses would likely generate less overall traffic than a 70-unit condominium project, noting traffic peaks for residential development differ from those for a church and school. "In general, I would anticipate that the overall traffic impact would be less with the church than it would be with the condominiums," the planning director said during the staff presentation.

Rick Franel, representing White Mountain Bible Church, told the commission the congregation aims to have the facility completed by spring to summer 2026 in time for the church's 40th anniversary. "Our goal is to have a facility that we can dedicate by spring to summer of next year," Franel said.

Vice Chair Roberts moved to recommend approval subject to staff recommendations; Commissioner Wilson seconded the motion. The commission voted in favor, and the recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for a public hearing next week. Staff noted a standard condition that "all development shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local requirements." Staff also said adjacent property owners within 300 feet had been notified and that staff received no formal objections in the mailed notices or posted notice period.

The commission's recommendation is advisory; final action on the rezoning will be taken by the Show Low City Council at its scheduled public hearing.

Planning staff and the applicant were available to answer commissioner questions during the hearing. No members of the public spoke during the rezoning public-hearing period.