The Holbrook City Council convened Thursday, Feb. 23. During the meeting, the council held first readings Ordinance 23-01, which is an ordinance regarding residential units in commercially zoned buildings and Ordinance 23-02, which is an ordinance regarding residential care services in commercial zones.
Current ordinances do not allow for residential living the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial or C-2 General Commercial zones, although they are allowed in the RRC-1 Railroad District Commercial Zone. The modification under consideration would allow for residential housing above commercial buildings in those zones. This was noted by the city administration as a response to scarcity of housing within the city.
City administration is also seeking to modify city ordinance sections that are believed to be in conflict. The change would modify City Code Section 6-1-14, C-1 Neighborhood Commercial Zone, removing residential care services as a principal permitted use, and adding residential care services to City Code Section 6-2-1 General Regulations Y for conditional use.
This modification came with a review of ordinances when Change Point Integrated Health, a behavioral health treatment organization, requested to convert the Howard Johnson hotel on Navajo Blvd. to a 41-bed residential care facility. That request will be going before the Holbrook Planning and Zoning Commission in a public meeting at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 16.
In other business, David Smith was appointed to another term on the Planning and Zoning Commission by Vice President Francie Payne. There were no other applicants.
Tome Belshe with the League of Cities and Towns was scheduled to be present at the meeting for discussion on council best practices and open meeting law but that item was postponed due to inclement weather.
City Manager Ted Soltis also informed the council that Barbara Blythe has been hired as the city’s new code enforcement officer. Blythe has previous experience with Mohave County as a grants manager, with her most recent employment with the Bread of Life Mission as a case manager.
After the regular meeting a work session was held regarding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfield Assessment grant overview with Dave Laney and Ryan Givens with Stantec, informing the council regarding the status of the grant received by the city. This grant is used to inventory, assess, and provide reuse planning for Brownfield sites and underutilized properties. Brownfield sites are properties which may be compromised due to the presence of hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
Brownfield Grant Area-Wide Planning (AWP) is focused along Hopi Drive and Navajo Blvd, between First Street and 12th Avenue, as well as south of the railroad tracks.
Some main points that the council hopes to focus on from Holbrook’s 2007 strategic plan are community image, tourism development, diversified economy and downtown revitalization.
Some participation feedback received in earlier community meetings mentioned a need for improved community gathering spaces and community connections.
Assets mentioned that community members felt are needed in the town were skilled labor, medical services, housing, outdoor dining, event space, children’s activities, buildable lots and other daily services.
Near-term opportunities that were highlighted were tourism amenities, a cultural center, business center, redevelop of abandoned properties, new tenants for historic buildings, and capitalizing on Route 66 history.
The grant provides funding for assessments but does not provide funding for abatement or building improvements.
