Sierra Vista Herald: Weds., Jan. 4, 2006
SV home proposal concerns residents
By Gentry Braswell
SIERRA VISTA — Homeowners expressed concerns Tuesday about the possible rezoning of property near their neighborhood that would allow for a multiple-family residential development. Severe traffic impact at the already stressed intersection of Avenida Cochise at Buffalo Soldier Trail, property devaluation of the nearby upper-middle class homes, and drainage worries topped the neighbors' list during the city Planning and Zoning Commission's meeting.
The 14-acre parcel is across Avenida Cochise from the new Gas City station next to Buffalo Soldier Trail. A rezoning from commercial to high-density residential would facilitate the land owner, Jack Lane, to proceed with a plan to build out the acreage to include “fourplex” style homes.
A required neighborhood meeting, with notifications sent to immediate neighbors of the proposed development, was held in November. Many of the concerns raised at the neighborhood meeting surfaced again at the Planning and Zoning public hearing, though the commission will not vote on the proposed land-use change until its next meeting.
“In the event that it is rezoned from commercial to multi-family, the product that would be going in there would be a really high-end townhouse,” Lane said. “It would not in any way bring down the value.”
The neighboring homeowners lined up to voice concerns about the negative impact feared of the proposed development. LuRue Troyer, who lives next to the undeveloped land, said she would prefer office buildings rather than multiplex housing. Several other neighbors showed the same sentiment against the high-density zoning.
Sterling Wasden said statistics show such high density housing is likely to cause a higher incidence of drug and crime problems, adding all the residences that exist or are under way in that area are expensive, single-family homes.
“I'm for single-family homes, but I'm not for high density at all,” Wasden told the commission.