Florence planning commission approves rezoning for 2‑acre lot over neighbor access objections

The Town of Florence Planning & Zoning Commission on Nov. 6 recommended that the Town Council rezone a two‑acre parcel (APN 202‑10‑0030) from single‑family ranchette (R1R) to single‑family residential (R1‑18), a zoning change that staff estimated could allow up to four lots under current code. Vice Chair DeRosa made the motion to recommend approval with staff stipulations; Commissioner Lehman seconded. The measure passed with three ayes and one nay (Commissioner Wooley).

Applicant Mitch Clough, who said he has owned the property since 2006, told the commission he and his family seek rezoning to keep family close and that he had meetings with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the San Carlos Irrigation Project about canal‑bank access. "We're hoping that we'd be able to rezone it, build a maximum of ... 3 homes if necessary," Clough said during his remarks.

Neighbors Cheryl and Dawn Kimpton, who live at 972 S. Scholastic Drive and are owners of an APN within 300 feet of the subject parcel, urged the commission to deny the rezone. Cheryl Kimpton said the assessor's maps show a conflict over legal access and stressed safety concerns about ingress and egress from the canal bank, saying, "The canal bank is not maintained on a regular basis... We consider it to be not safe for ingress and egress and unsafe during inclement weather." The Kemptons also raised worries about a shallow six‑inch town water line near the canal and past damage caused by contractor work.

Staff responded that the Technical Advisory Committee reviewed the rezone at a broad level and identified utilities and access as issues to be resolved during the subsequent planning and subdivision process. Planning staff told the commission zoning approval does not itself create marketable legal access or title insurance and that final access, utility relocations and right‑of‑way dedications would be addressed during the platting stage.

Commission discussion focused on whether approving zoning now could leave the applicant unable to obtain approvals later if access or utility conflicts were not resolved. Planning staff told the commission that zoning is a prerequisite for a plat and that any developer would proceed "at his risk," including securing title assurances and complying with town codes.

The commission's recommendation now goes to the Town Council; approval of the rezoning would not guarantee that multiple building lots are ultimately created, because access, utility depth and title issues must be cleared before a final plat is approved.