By CARA LORELLO
Staff Reporter
Changes are being proposed to the city of Airway Heights' current zoning code that could affect how residents put up fences, how business can landscape their property and use signage.
The current city code doesn't have separate regulations for resident and commercial zones when it comes to these, and other types of land use.
Some references contained in sections of the code conflict with other allowances for different zones, and not always do code rules pertain to specific job requests.
To eliminate these inconsistencies and better articulate different regulations as they pertain to specific zones, the city's planning department is proposing several changes to the code, which are expected to go before the planning commission in early February.
Zone code changes will also be open for discussion at an upcoming public workshop on Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. in City Hall, the workshop offers city residents and business owners a chance to hear how proposed changes could affect the way they currently use their land.
City planner Brook Guthrie said the updated code could be approved as soon as March or April, but until then, the current code still stands.
“These changes are just what's being proposed [for the city].
We're still following the approved code until a new one is approved. And anything the public would like to recommend, we'll consider that as well,” Guthrie said.
Updating the city's zoning code is an important project, public input being an important element in that process so the rules encourage orderly growth and provide for compatible land use.
It explains how land in each zone can be used, “whether you're a resident or a business owner,” Guthrie said.
Major additions being proposed include adding three new overlays over existing zones to match the city comprehensive plan.
These overlays are tentatively named Village Square, SR-902 Corridor and Hayford Square, the latter two of which are still in development.
Overlay areas cover mostly commercial properties located along or off Highway 2.
Overlays add extra land use rules to those of the existing zone.
Proposed new rules include allowing retail building to begin at property lines, central parking, and prohibiting fences in the front of a property, and pole signage.
Existing properties within the overlay areas not meeting approved code will be “grand-fathered” in accordingly.
A new added section also encourages mixed-use development providing the option of incorporating residential development into any existing commercial zone.
Several clarifications pertaining to landscape regulations are included in the updated code, which include visuals for reference, a tree list, and a table that explains the total amount of landscaping required for specific zones and in the buffer areas between different zones.
Current city code allows for a mix of deciduous, evergreen and shrub vegetation, but no specifics on how much can be used.
The new code explains this more thoroughly, plus there are added sections that require preservation of existing vegetation and use of natural materials.
The natural material refers to “native” plants and use of rock in landscaping.
The section, Guthrie said, was added primarily to save on water as natural vegetations tend to have a better survival rate, requiring less irrigation than ornamental vegetation.
Other additions include clarifications and sketches added to sections in the code explaining building regulations for residential, commercial and temporary types of fencing.
The new code is expected to go before the city Planning Commission in February, and could undergo further change before it reaches council.
“What we come up with could be a completely different product.
It's going to go through several revisions,” Guthrie said.
Zoning classifications, map and land use regulations currently listed in Chapter 17.05, pages 16 through 24 of the proposed zoning code, which can be viewed online at
http://www.cawh.org/documents/planning/Zoning%20Code%20Draft.pdf.
Copies are also available for a fee through the city planning department.
Call (509) 244-2552 for further information.
Cara Lorello can be reached at [email protected]
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