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Board approves Stringfield Ranch Phase 3 final plat and waiver despite resident complaints
Summary
The board unanimously approved the Phase 3 final plat for Stringfield Ranch at Granite Mountain and a waiver reducing pavement width from 30 to 24 feet, subject to stated conditions. A resident urged the board to table the item citing alleged county employee misconduct and outstanding complaints.
The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the final plat for Phase 3 of Stringfield Ranch at Granite Mountain and granted a waiver to reduce pavement width from 30 feet to 24 feet on Jan. 21, 2026.
Planning Manager Matt Blake presented the application: Phase 3 would create 41 single‑family lots and five tracts on about 49.27 acres within an existing planned area development (PAD) zoning district and included infrastructure commitments such as a centralized wastewater system and fire suppression measures. Staff said the final plat is consistent with the previously approved PAD and recommended approval subject to listed conditions.
Public Works Director Roger McCormick told the board that a 24‑foot pavement width "does not meet a county standard" and would not be accepted as a county road unless upgraded in the future, but his office recommended the waiver based on the developer’s engineer's design showing safety needs met for the reduced width. CAFMA (the fire authority) submitted a letter dated Jan. 5, 2026, outlining construction and fire‑safety requirements the applicant must meet to comply with the International Fire Code.
Developer Jeff Davis described completed and planned infrastructure: booster pump and lift stations for water service, intersection striping, hydrants that reportedly deliver 750–1,000 gallons per minute, and recorded emergency ingress/egress easements he said provide additional access. Davis also said the PAD’s density has not increased since the 2020 approvals and that fire sprinklers will be required in the homes as shown on the plat.
During public comment, Larry Jacobs, a resident who said he has maintained property in the area since 1997, asked the board to table the hearing until February 2026. Jacobs alleged an unresolved citizen complaint filed 01/03/2025 that raised multiple counts of misconduct by a county employee and said he had provided packets of emails and public records to county offices for review. The county attorney said the materials had been distributed to the board and management and offered to assist members with next steps offline; the complaint itself was not an agenda item.
After deliberation the board approved the final plat and the roadway‑width waiver on a unanimous vote. Staff said conditions and the CAFMA requirements are part of the approval and that future phases and additional waivers will be reviewed in subsequent hearings.
The board recorded no immediate changes to county policy on private‑road acceptance; engineering staff reiterated that roads built to the 24‑foot specification would remain private unless upgraded to county standard in the future.
The developer and CAFMA cited secondary access and hydrant installations as mitigations for safety concerns raised in discussion; supervisors emphasized public‑safety considerations and requested that staff continue to coordinate on code compliance and infrastructure verification.
