Martinez Lake Resort improvements move forward

Plans to improve the Martinez Lake Resort moved forward another couple steps with approval of a road improvement district and the subdivision's final plat by the Yuma County Board of Supervisors on Monday.

The resort has been a work in progress for some time, said Supervisor Casey Prochaska, who through the regulatory process has watched the evolution of the lakefront property over the last seven or eight years.

She said development of the area took place in past years without much planning, resulting in congestion and lack of street access that presented a safety hazard for the residents.

The property was then purchased by John Guth, a retired San Diego banker, who came up with various visions to redevelop the area.

It was a challenge, said Prochaska, because of the topography of the resort and the existing development. And so numerous modifications from subdivision regulations were approved by the Yuma County Supervisors in 2005. That included approving narrower-than-standard subdivision streets.

Guth also has installed sewer lines and a stormwater drainage system and removed several old trailers. He also worked with county staff to develop a plat with the maximum number of lots for a return on his investment while making the resort more attractive and safe, Prochaska said.

The result is a plan for 135 lots ranging in size from approximately 1,950 square feet to 1.4 acres to be sold for construction of new homes.

There were going to be more lots, but some smaller lots were combined, while others were eliminated to increase safety, explained Bruce Jacobson, the agent for Guth.

"It's a vast improvement with the construction and the improvements," Prochaska said.

In addition to approving the final plat Monday, the supervisors also authorized a conversion of the Martinez Lake Resort public works improvement district to a road improvement and maintenance district and established a board of directors of area residents.

The road improvement district was needed to provide a mechanism for maintenance by residents of the private roads within the district, Prochaska said. That is similar to private roads within a mobile home park, she added.

A nearby property owner, Peggy Garrett, expressed concern that the roads were too narrow, limiting access by emergency vehicles. Garrett also objected to the proposed three members of the board: Guth, his wife and one of his employees who also is a resident of the area.

Garrett's property falls outside the resort, but is one of 12 parcels of privately-owned property within the road improvement district. She argued that those property owners should also be represented on the board.

As a compromise, Prochaska moved that the initial board be comprised of Guth, his employee and Garrett. She said the supervisors were hampered by a lack of other names to consider for appointment to the board.

The motion was approved.