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Glendale planning board forwards Steve Mechke rezoning request to town council after resident objections
Summary
Residents at a Glendale planning and zoning hearing objected to a rezoning request from Steve Mechke—citing short-term rentals, traffic and road-safety concerns—while the board voted to forward the application to the town council for a final decision.
Glendale’s planning and zoning board voted Oct. 8 to forward a rezoning application from Steve Mechke to the town council after multiple residents raised concerns about short-term rentals, traffic congestion and road safety in the Berryville Hills area.
At the hearing, residents described a surge in vacation homes and short-term rentals. “We are saturated with vacation homes,” an attendee identified in the transcript as Unidentified Speaker 4 said, warning that motor homes and trailers block narrow lanes and have nearly caused accidents. Another resident urged the board to restrict lots to a single dwelling, saying allowing two units per lot would “change the town” over time.
Mechke, the applicant, told the board the rezoning request was driven by financing concerns and discussed potential site-sharing with the town for water infrastructure. “I would love better water pressure in the town, especially in Berryville Hills,” Mechke said, and said he would be willing to give the town a portion of land for a water tower if needed.
Board members acknowledged neighborhood concerns but noted several constraint points: hillside ordinances and flood-zone restrictions limit how many new structures can be built on remaining lots, and future construction would still require approvals beyond rezoning. A member summarized current dimensional limits discussed during the meeting: the primary dwelling’s maximum was cited as 12,000 square feet, a secondary dwelling maximum of about 5,000 square feet, with a minimum in the neighborhood of 800 square feet.
Residents also recounted a history of changing covenants and developer actions, saying prior restrictions had been modified repeatedly. Speakers referred to a developer named Milo in describing past changes to neighborhood rules; some attendees said those changes were not consistently recorded.
After public comment and board discussion, a motion to forward Mechke’s rezoning application to the Town Council passed by voice vote; board members present responded “Aye.” The board concluded the hearing and adjourned. The Town Council will make the final decision on the rezoning application.
Next procedural steps: the planning board record will be submitted to the Town Council, which will schedule consideration and a vote. The transcript does not record a council date; that scheduling is to be determined.
