KINGMAN — The Mojave County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to cancel the Topoch/Golden Shores development zoning changes that were approved by the same narrow margin a little over two months ago.
District 2 Supervisor Hildy Angius changes positions, reverses in a 3-2 vote, to build Lakebound Custom Storage & RV Park on 160-acre land adjacent to Topok/Golden Shores residential area I accepted the change of partition to allow this. The project to build an outdoor concert venue and his RV and warehouse park is still far from breaking ground or starting construction, but zoning changes were necessary to move the planning process forward.
A vote at Monday’s meeting will return the land to its former agricultural housing and residential recreation designation. The April 3rd vote approved changes necessary for special development/commercial use.
This zoning change was clearly problematic for the Lakebound project after the planned developer pulled out of the project, but not for the land owned by Telos Venture Partners LLC.
“Telos wants an update from the supervisory board … that the contract for the sale of private property that Telos had planned with a potential buyer is no longer proceeding and has been canceled,” said Titus Bruckner Spitler. Andrew C. Spittler, Attorney at & Scherz, writes: In a letter dated May 31 to Ryan Esplin, the county attorney’s chief civil affairs deputy secretary, he said:
However, attorneys representing the group Telos, including Rep. Leo Biacicucci of the City of Lake Havasu, said the rezoning would not take place until 30 days after Telos received formal approval, before any action was taken to revoke it. said it “appears to be permanent”. Letter from the Mojave County Department of Development Services. That letter was dated the day after the April 3 meeting, long before anyone had the opportunity to challenge the board’s rezoning decision. That means Telos, or the future owner of the land, will be zoning for a wide range of special/commercial developments, including plans similar to the Lakebound Proposal, or plans that are completely different.
As of Monday evening, Biacicucci has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the land, the development or his role in it.
Topok residents persuaded Angius and supervisor Gene Bishop to bring the matter back to the board for review.
Angius was the only supervisor to change the vote, along with Travis Lingenfelter and Buster Johnson in favor of reversing the zoning change. Bishop and Ron Gould voted against the reversal. They, along with Angius, supported the rezoning at their April meeting, despite a unanimous recommendation by the Mojave County Planning and Zoning Commission to reject it.
This recommendation was at least part of the reason Angius withdrew its support for the project. The county zoning law language regarding special development designations suggests that such changes “must include” zoning board approval prior to submission to the board of oversight.
“It says it has to be accepted by the committee and recommended to the board,” Angius said in a question to Tim Walsh, director of development services.
“I don’t have a concrete answer as to why it’s in there,” Walsh said of the language. And he said that what is meant by “allowable” in relation to filing may be up to interpretation.
Mr. Angius scoffed at it, suggesting that unanimous rejection by the planning and zoning committee did not fit the definition of “acceptable.”
Before voting, Mr. Angius asked whether there would be any legal implications for reversing the zoning changes. Esplin said it is possible.
“There are risks. Yes,” he said. “The prefecture could be sued. There is a risk there.”
But similar risks could arise if the county neglects the rezoning and legal action is taken by Topok/Golden Shores residents, he added.
Esplin added that he is considering part of a review of the “whole process” regarding zoning changes.
“I don’t know if it’s a winning argument,” Esplin said. “We have concerns. Absolutely.”
Bishop said Topok/Golden Shore residents need to recognize that communities north of Interstate 40 and along Historic Route 66 are changing, whether they like it or not.
“Things are going to be built there,” she said, pointing to growth in Mojave County.
That is why the legal position of inversion is so important. If land is reverted to agricultural housing and residential recreational use, future developments outside of those uses will again have to go through the zoning change process. Otherwise, it is considered ready for special development.
The vote came after 10 people, including Ryan Rodney, manager of Riverbound QOF Management, LLC and developer of the Lakebound project, spoke out about the zoning changes and the project itself.
Rodney said little about the future of the planned development, but said, “Our intention has always been to be part of this community and work together, just as we have done with Lake Havasu. He said.
Riverbound QOF is involved with the existing Riverbound RV park and storage facility in Lake Havasu City, which he said is “a development that was and continues to be built with class, care and craftsmanship.” said.
However, resident Kimberly James said the plans filed with the county and the proposal circulated to potential Lakebound investors include the number of storage units and RV spaces, adjacent to the Topok/Golden Shores residential area. He pointed out that a wide range of projects were involved in terms of the capacity of the concert venue to be held.
“We were all duped,” said James.
Topok resident Joy Bancroft pleaded with the regulator to reverse the zoning decision, even though the Lakebound development was clearly out of consideration.
“I don’t want it to be commercial anyway,” she said of the land use. “I don’t want any developer to have full control over the future. I refuse because no one knows what the project here is.”
