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Planning commission approves Desert Sands storage and commercial preliminary plans, flags water‑use questions for car wash
Summary
Hurricane City’s planning commission approved a storage‑unit proposal and a preliminary commercial site plan for Desert Sands, including space for restaurants and a self‑service car wash, but asked staff to resolve water‑conservation limits and final site‑design and parking details before final approval.
The Hurricane City Planning Commission on Oct. 23 approved two Desert Sands projects — a storage/garage facility and a preliminary commercial site plan that lays out up to six retail/restaurant buildings and a self‑service car wash — while asking staff to tighten requirements on water use and finalize site and parking details.
Brett Burgess, an agent for the Hollows LLC, told commissioners the storage project responds to local demand for boat, RV and personal storage and that the units would be for storage only, not residences. He said the developer preferred gated access and private roads managed by an owners association but said they would accommodate the city’s preference if public streets were required. “We are very water conscious,” Burgess said when discussing car‑wash operations and water use.
Staff and commissioners noted the storage use had previously been approved under a Planned Development Overlay (PDO) even though the current commercial zoning no longer lists warehouse/self‑storage as a permitted use. A planning staff member said the PDO entitlement makes the storage use “an entitled use even though it’s not currently permitted in the zone,” which is why the application advanced.
Commissioners focused substantial discussion on the car wash proposed in the commercial plan. Commissioners and staff pointed to a countywide water‑conservation standard the city adopted that limits potable water use for car washes and requires plumbing for recycling. As staff summarized, “It’s the standard that the water district proposed that the city adopted,” and the commission directed staff to consult the water district about how the 35‑gallon‑per‑vehicle metric applies to self‑service bays and larger vehicles.
Engineering and planning conditions included clarifying parking and drive‑through setbacks, landscaping transitions on Dixie Springs Drive, and ensuring final site plans conform to lighting and sign ordinances. The commission approved PSP25‑21 and PSP25‑23 subject to staff and joint‑use committee (JUC) comments.
Next steps include final site plan submittals addressing staff and JUC comments and clarified water‑conservation compliance for the car wash; the preliminary approvals grant no vesting rights and final engineering and permitting will be required before construction.
