Foothills shopping center gets OK

  Developers of a proposed Foothills shopping center and area residents reached agreement Tuesday at the Yuma County Board of Adjustment meeting regarding parking spaces and building layout.

  Dahl, Robbins and Associates, agent for Larry Ellison, originally filed a request for a variance allowing the reduction in the buffer yard requirement from 25 feet to 10 feet and the allotment of parking spaces from 1,068 to a total between 684 and 770. But the company decided to forgo the buffer yard aspect, a main area of concern for residents and one that could have led the board to decline the variance.

  When officials announced they would adhere to a landscaped area 25 feet wide adjacent to the commercial center's parking lots and main road access, most residents declined to speak out against the variance.

  Dahl, Robbins and Associates did ask for parking space leeway. Developers want to reduce their requirements from 4.5 parking spaces per 1,000 square foot of commercial space to 4.4 spaces. The board unanimously upheld the request.

  The approval allows plans to move ahead for the 19.36-acre zoned lot located on the south side of South Frontage Road and the east side of Fortuna Road off Interstate 8 at Exit 12. The shopping area is expected to have a grocery store, retail stores and other establishments. The board received 25 letters and five phone calls in opposition prior to the developers changing their design requests.

  "I'd like to thank the developers for changing their position on this," said area resident Cathy Sheets. "I would offer another request that they open dialogue with homeowners as to what and where the wall will be on the south property line."

  Officials agreed to the request, noting that they "really wanted to do something that would make the residents happy. That request is more than reasonable."

  The board also passed three additional variances. One was of noise zone use regulations to allow construction of single-family dwellings on two-acre lots at the northwest corner of County 8-1/2 Street and Avenue 5E.

   The others involved setbacks from property lines and road systems. One family of nine requested a front yard setback from 8 feet to 6 feet 9 inches on a 4,818-square-foot lot. The family recently upgraded its housing. The existing structure is 15 inches too long, according to regulations.

  The BOA made an exception, however, as neighbors voiced support for the variance.

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Matt Keller can be reached a mkeller@yumasun.com or 539-6857.