Board approves Happy Jack Lodge expansion with larger buffer after neighbor concerns

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors voted Feb. 11 to adopt Ordinance 2025-1, rezoning 47.79 acres near Happy Jack from Open Space (OS) to Resort Commercial (RC) and approving an expanded master development plan for Happy Jack Lodge that adds up to 250 additional RV campsites and 240 additional RV-storage spaces.

Community Development Deputy Director Jess McNealy summarized the application and background: the parcels at issue were created through a previous federal land exchange and historically carried an OS designation. "The proposed expanded master development plan would add 250 additional RV camping sites and 240 additional RV storage spaces, beyond what is already developed on the existing portion of the development," McNealy said. The county's review updated the applicant's as-built counts and found the expansion would increase the overall development to a total of roughly 631 RV campsites and 812 storage spaces countywide if fully built.

Staff advised the board that the applicant had completed two tasks the board requested in a previous continuance: a revised, more detailed master development plan and a traffic-impact analysis (TIA). Public Works reviewed the TIA and determined the expansion would require new left- and right-turn lanes at the lodge entrance on Lake Mary Road; the applicant must construct those improvements before the expanded sites operate.

The ordinance carries multiple conditions recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission and amended during the board hearing. Key conditions include: - Demonstration of compliance with state fire code for commercial development (which may be satisfied by the State Fire Marshal or a cooperating fire district), plus an updated emergency operations plan coordinated with local fire and law enforcement. - A minimum compatibility buffer between campsites and adjacent residential parcels; the board increased the minimum buffer along the subject property's north boundary to 350 feet in response to neighbor testimony about smoke and noise. - Screening of the RV-storage area with an 8-foot metal fence or an alternative solar-panel fence and wildlife-friendly perimeter fencing; signage to mark private-property boundaries and discourage trespass. - A voluntary signed guest agreement limiting one off-highway vehicle (OHV) per campsite, distribution of National Forest and Game & Fish information and required educational materials for campers; staff noted the county cannot prohibit licensed OHVs on public roads but the applicant's signed agreement is a management tool.

Happy Jack representatives said the lodge has long provided services to forest users, including two public RV dump stations, potable water sales, food and supplies, and a water tank and hydrants that lodge management has made available for firefighting. "We do collect trash for the surrounding areas," Julie Pendergrass, general manager of Happy Jack Lodge, said, noting the facility's role in waste disposal and public safety coordination. Owner and corporate manager Mike Longini described the property's history as a former mining and logging site with substantial on-site infrastructure, including a large water tank and a sewage-treatment system.

About 190 public comments were included in the hearing materials and dozens of residents spoke or submitted letters. Supporters argued the lodge is a managed alternative to dispersed camping, offering waste disposal, sanitation, supplies and an organized quiet-time policy. Opponents raised concerns about wildfire risk, dust, generator noise, OHV traffic spilling onto nearby private roads, and proximity of new campsites to existing homes. Multiple residents urged a larger setback from neighboring properties to reduce smoke and noise impacts; the board's 350-foot north-buffer requirement reflects that request.

After extended public testimony, Chair Judy Begay moved to approve Ordinance 2025-1 with the amended conditions and the increased north boundary buffer; the motion passed on a recorded voice vote with four supervisors present (Supervisor Fowler was absent). The board also required that the applicant submit an updated master plan showing the revised buffer, and that the TIA-required roadway improvements be completed before the expanded sites can be used.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 2025-1, Happy Jack Lodge zone change and master development plan update — approved (motion by Chair Judy Begay; second: not specified on record). Vote: Begay yes; Therese Horstman yes; Geronimo Vasquez yes; Tammy Ontiveros yes; Supervisor Fowler absent. - Consent item: appointment of Tina Berger to the Planning and Zoning Commission (District 2) — approved (motion carried).

What happens next: the applicant must revise and submit the master development plan to reflect the new 350-foot north buffer and any minor site adjustments, secure required permits, and construct the TIA-mandated turn-lane improvements on Lake Mary Road before the county will allow the additional campsites and storage yards to operate.