County P&Z looks at two care facilities

BISBEE — The requests of special-use permits for two residential care facilities will be determined at Wednesday’s county Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

John and Shalini Hurbon are requesting the permit to expand the current facilities at Arizona Skyline Assisted Living Home by constructing a 2,500-square-foot residence in an RU-4 (single family residence on four acres) on Saddle Vista Road near Benson. Currently the facility houses six individuals and is considered a permitted use within the zoning designation. An addition of four more people would classify the facility as an institution rather than a “residential care home.”

Senior Planner Mike Turisk says in the documentation provided, “... with an older demographic projected in the future, the demand for this type of development will likely increase.”

Turisk recommends conditional approval.

The second is a request by Monica Vandivort that will permit her to add two more residents to an existing residential care home on 2.9 acres on Labrador Lane in Hereford. The request does not include an expansion of the existing residence, states Planner Keith Dennis in his report.

Though deed restrictions imposed a ban on commercial uses for the property, the commission members approved a permit for the residential care home.

Several residents in the adjoining neighborhoods have opposed the expansion due to traffic and safety concerns. They requested the entrance to the center be moved to the other side of the property with access to the property from Calle de la Naranja. Apparently, Vandivort complied with the request.

However, the health department has stated in a letter that the current septic system of 1,000 gallons is not enough capacity for the current use.

Dennis recommends approval of the request with several conditions.

The commission also will discuss a resolution for waivers of fees for permit applications in affordable housing projects sponsored whole in part by the Housing Authority of Cochise County.

Most of the agency’s affordable housing projects require permits for building, sign and septic. Since the agency’s projects are supported by public funds from Federal Community Block Grants or U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, money is limited. Fees place an additional strain on available funding.

If the commission members agree to the fee waivers, the resolution will come before the county Board of Supervisors for final approval.

A two-year extension on a special-use permit approved seven years ago has been requested by Charles Brown of the 10-acre Stronghold Area Recreational Park on Treasure Road in Sunsites.

Brown sought waivers of three site development requirements in November 2007, according to the documents. One of the waivers, screening around a garbage container, was approved, but the standards for parking and driveway requirements and landscape buffers were not approved. He was given one year to finish the work and that time limit has expired.

An inspection last fall showed the site had not been brought into compliance and now Brown has requested the additional extension.

The park is funded by public donations and the extension would allow him time to raise the funds.

The commission has four tentative plats to discuss before voting on  forwarding them to the board of supervisors with a recommendation of approval. The plats are for Red Hawk III in the J6/Mescal area, Saddle View Estates near Douglas and Legendary Trails of the Ranch and Majestic Skies of the Ranch in Tombstone.