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Neighbors press Navajo County to resolve water, traffic and access concerns; board tables Starlight Ridge amendment
Summary
After a public hearing in which neighbors raised emergency access, traffic and water-capacity concerns, the board tabled a master-plan amendment for Starlight Ridge Estates and asked the applicant to return with required engineering studies and agency approvals.
The Navajo County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 20 tabled consideration of a master development plan amendment for Starlight Ridge Estates after residents and some supervisors raised concerns about emergency access, traffic impacts and water-system capacity.
Tyler from Planning and Development described the amendment as a change from a previously approved 80 single-family units to a plan for 49 single-family lots and 74 townhome units on roughly 53 acres. Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval subject to 11 conditions, including a traffic impact analysis, master drainage plan and water-distribution design report.
Multiple neighbors objected during the public hearing. Ronald Monette asked whether the planned southern access would cross or require permission from the Fort Apache reservation; the planning engineer said the applicant must secure any such approvals or the project could not proceed. James Gerard and Maria Gerard told the board they worry a concentration of units will create congestion on Wagon Wheel Lane, increase dangerous driving and complicate evacuation during wildfires. "How are we all gonna get out if there's an emergency in that area?" Maria Gerard asked.
Planning staff said the southern access now shown would require paving and connection work before any development could proceed, and several county and external agencies (including the City of Show Low and the U.S. Forest Service where rights-of-way exist) must clear improvements. The City of Show Low subsequently flagged that its earlier will-serve letter had not anticipated the larger unit count and requested an engineered study to confirm capacity; the board and staff said that deficiency must be resolved.
Supervisor Weisinger and others expressed support for development that meets county standards but emphasized being "good neighbors" and protecting the expectations of current property owners who purchased with the understanding of earlier unit counts. Because the water and roadway concerns remain unresolved, a motion to table the amendment carried without recorded objection, allowing the applicant time to address the outstanding conditions and seek necessary approvals before returning to the board.
Next steps: Planning staff will work with the applicant to complete the traffic, drainage and water studies required by staff conditions and to secure any third-party approvals (reservation, city, Forest Service) before the matter returns to the planning commission and board.
