Steering Committee in conjunction with City of Yuma to create better transparency with community development in collaboration with Southwest Contractors Association and Yuma County Chamber of Commerce.
Review of City of Yuma overlay designation.
Project Job Creation "Jumpstart" review and support in collaboration with Yuma County Chamber of Commerce.
Union Pacific Railroad and Arizona House Bill 2020.
Education and review of City of Yuma candidates for Mayor and City Council.
Arizona State Registrars of Contractors.
City of Yuma implementing a one-year moratorium on City "Impact Fees".
City of Yuma Water & Sewer Capacity Fee Schedule
Establish Goals & Objectives for 2015
Impact Fees
Building Code Revision
Water/ Sewer Capacity Fees
Credit for Development Fees
Landscaping Ordinance
City Staff Cooperation with Developers
Arizona / Colorado River Water Rights
Accomplished Projects
City of Yuma desired to increase impact development fees in excess of $7000.00 per single family residence. BetterYuma.org successfully engaged the services of Scott Mussi, Consultant, and settled the fee structure for less than $2732.00 per single family residence. Therefore, after a year of serious negotiations at the City Of Yuma, BetterYuma.org successfully represented it's members by creating a savings.
Impact/Development Fee Committee Appointed by Greg Wilkinson, Yuma City Administrator. Greg has requested the participation of three (3) BetterYuma.org members, to wit; Bob Kammann, Ken Rosevear and Harvey Campbell, to sit on a City Staff Committee to give guidance to the Yuma City Council. In that regard, BetterYuma.org has engaged the professional services of consultant Scot Mussi, of Reliant Consulting from Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Mussi authored Senate Bill 1525, regulating city and town development fee statutes. The Committee is working hand in hand with the City Staff to obtain a City Ordinance that will be implemented in mid-2012. The City of Yuma's consultant firm of TischlerBise and Scot Mussi are working in concert to obtain the best, fair and equitable development fee ordinance in the State of Arizona. Kudos to the joint efforts of the City of Yuma and BetterYuma.org
City of Yuma Charter Review: BetterYuma.org member Paul Muthart served on the 2007 City of Yuma Charter Review Committee. The Committee's work resulted in proposed Charter amendments presented to Yuma voters in the November 2007 General Election.
City of Yuma landscape Review Committee: In 2006 Ms. Laurie Lineberry (City of Yuma Director of Community Development) requested that certain members of the development community meet with her to revise the City of Yuma Landscape Ordinance. BetterYuma.org has been represented at the series of meetings by Paul Muthart, Tom Pancrazi, Rob Ingold, Kevin Dahl, and Bobby Kammann.
Members of Paul Muthart, Jeff Snow, Rob Ingold, and Tom Panctrazi gave testimony to the Impact Fee Committee regarding the proposed Limited area Transportation Fee (around the Yuma Palms Mall). The City of Yuma Council gave this Committee responsibility to make a recommendation to the Council for the proposed fee, especially in light of the broader question of fair and reasonable city wide impact fees, which this Committee is studying.
Members Paul Muthart and Tom Pancrazi testified to Yuma City Council about the onerous provisions of the proposed Limited Area Transportation Impact Fee (around the Yuma Palms Mall).
BetterYuma.org was represented at the Council meeting by Paul Muthart. Also in attendance was Howard Gwynn, Ken Rosevear, Kevin Dahl, and Harvey Campbell. By a 5-2 vote the City Council implemented rate increase plan "I". This plan increases the hook up fee from the current $1,950 to $2,594 for permits pulled after 8/20/04. In one year the rate goes to $3,440 and in two years up to $4,300. The BetterYuma.org Board worked many hours on minimizing the increase in the fee. While we were not very successful in holding down the fee, we were successful in getting the increase phased in over a 3 year period. Councilman Paul Johnson voted against this option stating he preferred plan "B", which would have increased the fee to the maximum allowed ($4,300) immediately, with no increase to the monthly user fee. Councilman Scott Johnson voted against the "I" option, but did not state why.
Three BetterYuma.org members (Paul Muthart, Ken Rosevear, and Tom Pancrazi) were asked to serve on a selection committee for the position of Director of Community Development necessary as Michael Steele retires.
Members testified in front of the Yuma City Council about the proposed sewer hook up and monthly fee recommendations given to them by the Water and Sewer Commission. We pointed out the negative impact of placing too much of the shortfall burden on new development.
Members met with the Roadways Committee and 3 members of the Yuma City Council to express our concerns regarding the process of the committee work.
Members of BetterYuma.org testified to the City of Yuma Water & Sewer Commission regarding the proposed sewer rate and hook up increases. We agreed that the development community would accept an increase in the hook up fee, but that it would not be appropriate to put all the burden of the necessary increases on the back of new development. We made arguments why current users should accept an increase also.
Formally Requested City of Yuma staff to revert to 4' sidewalks in residential subdivision, and to analyze current retention basin requirements.
Members and the engineering community met with City of Yuma department heads and staff to discuss subdivision issues including: width of sidewalks, street light poles, review of subdivision plat process, retention basin requirements, and electronic submission of plans.
Our guest was Laurie Lineberry from the City of Yuma Department of Community Development. We discussed building height limits in the R-2 district, and proposed restrictions on the use of shipping containers. The Organization voted to publish an ad in support of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.
Met with City officials from DCD, Engineering, Public Works, Fire and Parks. Discussed: quicker releases of assurances, earlier setting of water meters, appropriateness of water fees relating to public areas, streetlight pole standards, reducing sidewalk width back to 4 feed, mailboxes, proposed height limit in R-2, and "education" of zoning commission regarding clearly defined responsibility.
Working with County staff, we had constructive input to the proposed Yuma County Zoning Code Ordinance changes relating to: Performance standards, Visual corridors, Hillside overlays.
Asked City Staff to demonstrate the need to change the light poles used in residential subdivision. The proposed poles cost more money, and the benefits have not been articulated.