Planning & Zoning Committee
One of the most important functions of the Big Park Council is working with the Yavapai County Development Services Department (YCDS) on land use issues in our community. Those issues could relate to a new housing development or business, the repurposing of a commercial building, storm drainage issues, requested changes in zoning status, or traffic and safety issues, among others. The Planning & Zoning committee monitors the YCDS website for items of interest to the community. Citizens can also bring concerns about these and similar issues to the attention of the Big Park Council Planning and Zoning Committee (P&Z) at bigparkcouncil.inquiry@gmail.com. The Committee will review and investigate the items and make a recommendation to the Council. If the Council concurs, the Council will provide written and/or oral testimony to the County Development Services Commission for their approval or disapproval of the proposal.
Example:
Verde Valley School applied for a permit for a long-term expansion of the school’s enrollment and size and function of the campus. Adjacent neighborhoods expressed concerns about this expansion. The school modified certain elements of the expansion and a mutually acceptable plan was submitted and approved by the Yavapai County Planning Department and Board of Supervisors.
Current Issue(s):
1. December 2024: There are ongoing issues with the new construction at the Hilton Hotel near the golf course. Yavapai County planning and zoning department has informed the Hilton that they must restore the parking lot as it was originally approved before they entertain issuing any new permits.
2. January 2025: Yavapai County enforcement actions are complaint driven. At their request, BPC P&Z will formally complain to Yavapai County about the extremely bright upwards facing floodlights at the Flagstar Bank at the Collective.
3. In 2019, the owners of the property on the southeast corner of the Hwy 179 and Jack’s Canyon Road intersection proposed building a three story, 156 room, 202,000 square foot hotel on the property. That project has been approved by the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors. That property is adjacent to the Jack’s Canyon Wash. In December 2024, the BPC P&Z Committee connected the developer with the Forest Service’s invasive weeds expert regarding control of weeds on the property.
In the interim, the Las Piedras residential development, which also lies adjacent to the same wash about a block downstream has experienced severe monsoon season and winter flooding that the Yavapai County Flood Control District has investigated. Flood mitigation measures are being explored.
The developers of the planned hotel have applied for federal funds from the USDA for flood mitigation measures for the hotel, as part of the hotel property lies in the Jack’s Canyon Wash floodplain.
