Council votes to streamline development processes

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council voted to amend City Development Code to streamline development processes by authorizing administrative approval for specific plans.

In March, Governor Hobbs signed House Bill 2447, amending A.R.S. § 9-500.49 to require all cities to authorize administrative personnel to review and approve, without a public hearing, land divisions, lot line adjustments, preliminary plats, final plats, and plat amendments.

The City’s amendments to the Development Code align with A.R.S. § 9-500.49, and allow the Development Review Committee (DRC) to approve preliminary and final subdivision plat approval, the Director of Community Development to sign final plats, removes the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council from subdivision approval workflow, reassigns modifications authority to the DRC, and standardizes and modernizes subdivision, minor subdivision, and land division procedures.

The amendments are based on the League of Arizona Cities and Towns’ Model Ordinance and were supported by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Council also moved other amendments to the Development Code forward for public comment. The amendments include eliminating redundant annual use permits for mobile food vendors, eliminating conditional use permit requirements for places of worship within general commercial districts, and correcting inconsistency in the use classification matrix for airport zoning and amending the definition of community service use to include emergency medical service providers, allowing sleeping quarters in facilities at the airport for them. These amendments will return to council for final approval after a 30-day public comment period. To review the amendments and provide input, go to Engage.SierraVistaAZ.gov.

In other business:

Mayor Clea McCaa presented Certificates of Appreciation to outgoing or former City commissioners Iris Allison, Berlynda Schaaf, Wesley Hewitt, Alfred Spurgeon, Anthony Isom, and Richard Rhodes. John Moreno received his after the meeting, while Lori Schectman, Debbie Perkinson, Ronald York, Karen Flynn, Bruno Talerico, Steven Spearman, Karen LeMay, Presence Massie, Bradley Snyder, Douglas Phillips, and Gregory Loughran were unable to attend.
Council approved a Series 9 Liquor License for Ryan Anderson on behalf of Safeway for sampling privileges.
Council approved the donation of five surplus handheld radios to the Sierra Vista Company of the Arizona Rangers.
Council approved an amendment to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust for the City of Sierra Vista Employee Benefit Trust, allowing former City employees who reside in Cochise County outside of City limits to be eligible for the resident seats on the trust.
Council approved a settlement agreement in the matter of Andrea M. Peter v. City of Sierra Vista in the amount of $90,000, to be paid by the City’s insurance which negotiated the sum and recommended settlement since the cost of ongoing litigation would exceed the settlement amount.
Council approved an amendment to the City Code of Ordinance allowing construction activities to begin at 5:00 a.m. between May 1 and October 15 in alignment with Arizona Senate Bill 1182 which prohibits municipalities and counties from enacting or enforcing noise ordinances that restrict general construction activities during designated summertime hours.
Council approved an Industrial Development Authority bond for Desert Star Academy Project.
Council approved an amendment to the Personnel Rules and Regulations concerning mandatory holdovers, extending the Sunset Clause from Dec. 28, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2027.
Council reappointed Paul Cimino and Tait Wilcox and appointed Eric Petermann to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Council appointed Venessa Crabtree to the Commission on Disability Issues.
Council appointed Paula Smith to the Environmental Stewardship Commission.
Council reappointed Demetry Simonton to the Industrial Development Authority.