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Commission grants preliminary plat for Arroyo Mesquita subdivision; residents warn of arroyo flooding
Summary
The commission conditionally approved the preliminary plat for Arroyo Mesquita (SD25-050), a 16-lot subdivision on roughly 28 acres, while residents urged denial or stronger mitigation because of historic arroyo flooding, visibility at intersections, and downstream impacts; staff said drainage and flood-commission comments must be addressed before final plat.
Dof1a Ana County Planning and Zoning Commissioners voted to conditionally approve the preliminary plat for the Arroyo Mesquita subdivision (SD25-050), a proposal to create 16 residential lots on about 28 acres north of Sunland Avenue.
Staff described the design as one-acre minimum lots served by on-site septic (Moon Gate Water proposed as water provider), underground utilities except solid-waste collection, and roadway designs that include 24-foot asphalt pavement and swales for drainage. Staff recommended conditional approval with the requirement that outstanding engineering, flood-commission and roads comments be resolved before final plat.
Numerous residents opposed the plat during public comment. Neighbors from Sunland, La Reina and Pueblo Trail described historical arroyo flooding and said recent nearby subdivisions have increased downstream erosion and culvert clogging. Patricia Flores told commissioners she has seen the arroyo inundate roadways and yards and worried that proposed ponding might fail in major storms. A 209-page drainage study was submitted to the record late in the week; residents said they received limited time to review it.
Applicant engineer Tony Trevino said no development is proposed within the special-flood-hazard area and explained that the subdivision design includes swales and cascading ponding along the roadway to retain predevelopment flows and reduce downstream discharge. Trevino and the engineer-of-record said designs will be reviewed and approved by county engineering and the flood commission and that the subdivision must be sized so it does not increase historic downstream flows.
Commissioners asked detailed questions about pond sizing, canalization, and who would review and sign off on the drainage calculations. After deliberation the commission approved the preliminary plat by roll-call vote with the condition that all outstanding comments from county departments and the flood commission be addressed prior to final plat.
Next steps: Applicant must resolve outstanding road, flood-commission and drainage comments; final plat and engineered drainage designs must be approved by county engineering and flood reviewers before building permits can be issued.
