Pasco council assigns R‑4 zoning to Desert Bloom site despite resident traffic and privacy concerns

The Pasco City Council voted unanimously to adopt ordinance 4796, assigning R‑4 (high‑density residential) zoning to an 8.6‑acre Desert Bloom LLC parcel in the Broadmoor annexation area.

Director Haley Mattson told the council the hearing examiner recommended approval after finding the request consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and the Broadmoor master plan. "This ordinance, if approved, would finalize zoning for approximately 8.6 acres located South of Burns Road," Mattson said during the closed‑record hearing, adding that the zoning action does not approve a specific development.

Residents who appealed the hearing examiner’s recommendation argued the designation would worsen traffic on Burns Road, harm neighborhood character and reduce privacy for existing homes. Nathan Graham, a nearby resident, said: "The answer is not to say every project just gets a pass and we never have to fix it. That is lunacy." He urged council and staff to address the underlying roadway capacity rather than rely on incremental project review.

Other residents raised property‑value and privacy concerns. Broker and resident Piper Barton said buyers who purchased homes near the site were told the area was "medium density," and that a move to higher density could depress nearby home values. Resident Robin Dilworth asked why council was moving to R‑4 when R‑3 could meet the applicant’s stated goals: "Why change the designation to high density 4 when 3 would accomplish what he says he's building?"

Applicant Cody Fielding, who spoke at the earlier hearing, said the land use has been established in the 2018 comprehensive plan and reiterated that the R‑2 through R‑4 zones share the same density range. He said the applicant favors R‑4 for the flexibility it provides when creating single‑family lots and townhomes: "The reason we chose R‑4 is because it allows the greatest level of flexibility for creating single family lots."

Staff and the hearing examiner noted the Broadmoor master plan and its environmental review (EIS) examined area‑wide impacts, including transportation, and said project‑level traffic analyses would be required when specific development applications arrive. Mattson reiterated that if a future development exceeds the scope of the Broadmoor EIS, additional SEPA review and traffic studies would be required.

Council members discussed the option of a concomitant agreement that could limit the form of development (for example, to detached or townhome units) or require landscaping buffers, but staff cautioned such an agreement could bind future owners and that procedures for such agreements differ when zoning is assigned on annexation. Mayor Pro Tem Grimm noted council could direct staff to draft any desired agreement for later consideration.

Votes at the meeting recorded the motion to adopt ordinance 4796 by Mayor Pro Tem Grimm, seconded by Councilwoman Blaisdale. Roll call votes were recorded as: Councilwoman Blaisdale — yes; Councilmember Cata — yes; Councilmember Morales — yes; Councilmember Barajas — yes; Mayor Pro Tem Grimm — yes; Mayor Milne — yes.

The ordinance assigns R‑4 zoning to the Desert Bloom LLC parcel and will be recorded with Franklin County; any subsequent subdivision or development proposals will be subject to project‑level review and required mitigations.

Ending: The decision finalizes the city’s zoning for the annexed property but does not authorize any specific site plan. Future developers must comply with the Broadmoor master plan, the city’s development regulations and any additional SEPA or traffic mitigation if a project exceeds the scope of the area EIS.