Graham County planning commission recommends rezoning to legalize long-running kennel, schedules multiple rezoning hearings

The Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Supervisors rezone a 5.1-acre parcel at 7716 East Sanchez Road in Safford from A (general land use) to M (general manufacturing) to bring an existing kennel into compliance.

The recommendation applies to a request by Wade and Terry Lineberger for APN 107-30-048. Planning staff said the kennel has been in place for “20, 25 years” and is sited on the applicants’ property on the mesa adjacent to Bureau of Land Management land; staff described the site as having no neighbors other than the applicants’ siblings and said no public opposition was received. Planning staff directed the commission to send a favorable recommendation to the Board of Supervisors; the board is scheduled to hear the rezoning at its March 3 meeting at 8:00 a.m., according to the commission.

Why it matters: the recommendation would legalize long-running, on-site animal boarding and remove a zoning nonconformity for the Linebergers’ property. Planning staff noted the property is otherwise compliant with applicable county requirements; the commission’s favorable recommendation moves the matter to the Board of Supervisors for final action.

Planning staff identified the kennel as located "up on top of the mesa in the corner of their property up up against BLM," and said the county asked the owners to bring the use into compliance once staff learned it existed. The applicants attended the hearing. One commissioner asked whether the owners breed and sell dogs and where they are sold. In response to another question about the number of animals, a commissioner asked, “How many dogs you guys live up there on average most of the time?” and heard the answer “50.”

The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote with no recorded opposition; the transcript records the motion, a second and three successive “Aye” responses before the chair confirmed the item would proceed to the Board with the commission’s unanimous recommendation. The exact number of commissioners voting was not specified in the transcript.

The meeting also handled procedural approvals and set up several separate rezoning matters for future hearings. The commission approved the minutes from its Jan. 15 meeting by voice vote.

Items set up for the next planning commission meeting or for scheduling to go to the Board include (as read into the record): - REZ92625 (APN and address read) — request by Jeff Green to rezone from general land use to RSB (single-family residential) to allow a smaller house behind an existing dwelling. The motion to set the case up for hearing carried by voice vote. - REZ927-25 (APN 106-28-081, 12.2 acres) — request by Donovan Kerr to rezone from SD (special development) to AR (3-acre agriculture/residential). The commission voted to add the item to the agenda for the next meeting. - REC92925 (APN listed in record as +1 043919 at +1 97; transcript listing ambiguous) — request by Guy Nolan to rezone from RR (single-family residential) to RM (multifamily residential) to allow two duplexes. Commissioners discussed proximity to water and sewer; the motion to set the item up passed by voice vote. - RZ930-25 (multiple APNs totaling about 224.5 acres) — request by Peter Velasquez to rezone parcels north of Highway 70 east of Sanchez for future commercial or manufacturing development; commissioners discussed taking frontage for commercial uses and the general location near Sanchez Road; motion to set up passed by voice vote. - REZ93125 (APN 105305180, ~2.2–2.5 acres) — request by Tom Palmer to rezone from a general land use to RSB (single-family residential) to allow smaller lot sizes; staff said city water and sewer from Pima are available and the rezoning would permit lots down to 20,000 square feet; motion to set the case up passed by voice vote.

Commissioners clarified that separate motions are required for each case and that staff will provide case information and materials for the next meeting. The commission set its next meeting for Wednesday, March 19 at 9 a.m.

The commission distinguished discussion from formal action: staff provided background and site specifics, applicants answered clarifying questions about operations and infrastructure, and the commission’s formal actions were (1) approval of minutes, (2) a favorable recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on the Linebergers’ rezoning to legalize the kennel, and (3) motions to set multiple other rezoning cases for future hearings. The transcript records questions and clarifications about wastewater and water service for specific parcels, state law affecting accessory dwelling units (mother-in-law quarters), and the requirement that each rezoning case be handled separately.

Quote attributable to planning staff: "They have a kennel up on top of the mesa in the corner of their property up up against BLM, and they have no neighbors other than their own siblings," planning staff said when describing the Linebergers’ site. A commissioner asked, "How many dogs you guys live up there on average most of the time?" and the response recorded was "50." The transcript does not identify the questioner by name.

The commission’s recommendation will now go to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision at its next stated meeting. Several rezoning requests were set for hearings next month; staff said it will provide full case information before those hearings.