Mesquite Trails RV Park Gains Approval

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The Mesquite City Council had no problem approving two items last week that gave the green light to a new Recreational Vehicle (RV) park proposed at the west end of Hafen Lane just north of the Sunset Greens neighborhood.

In a meeting held Tuesday, Feb. 23, the council approved a Conditional Use Permit allowing 9.58 units per acre on the parcel; as well as an Architectural and Site Plan for the layout, buildings and amenities at the new facility.

City Planner Richard Secrist explained that the park was planned to offer 193 RV pads on the 19.5 acre parcel.

Earlier in the process, the strongest concerns posed by neighboring residents were regarding traffic impacts along Hafen Lane. The proposal showed the main entrance to the site on Hafen Lane at the southeast corner of the property. A second emergency-only access would be provided on the northeast corner as well.

Secrist said that the developer had been required to hire an engineer to do a full traffic impact study. “The study showed that the park would generate only 64 vehicle trips during the peak hour of 4:00 to 5:00 pm,” said Secrist. “So that is less than one vehicle per minute.”

In comparison, Secrist cited that a general commercial shopping center at the same location would cause 671 vehicle trips during the same peak hour.

The study also showed that traffic generated from the RV park would add virtually no congestion at the nearby intersections in approaching the park.

“Based on the low levels of traffic and congestion they recommended no mitigation measures to accommodate the traffic,” Secrist said.

Even so, City Engineer Travis Anderson reported that his department had already made plans to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Riverside Rd. and Hafen Lane. This was expected to alleviate pressure on that intersection from the growth that is expected in the neighborhood in the next few years, he said.

In addition, Anderson reported that a separate agreement had been reached with the developer to facilitate traffic flow to and from the site. While not specifically connected to this agenda item, the agreement would alleviate the long-standing problem of traffic along the private “No Name” Road which winds through the area, Anderson said.

The plan was to extend Leavitt Lane, from its intersection with S. Falcon Ridge Parkway, over Pulsipher Wash, then arching south and connecting in with Hafen Lane somewhere to the east of the proposed RV park.

Anderson said that he had not finished engineering the exact alignment for the new road yet. But the developer, who also owns the property where the road is being planned, would dedicate a 60 foot right of way to the City for the road. The developer would also be responsible to put in a box culvert across the wash, Anderson said.

The City would then use Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) dollars to construct the middle lanes of the road that would provide access to the area. Later on, the developer would be responsible to build the other half of the roadway when they were ready to develop that area.

“Then the City can make sure that the road is kept good so that we don’t have potholes and such,” Anderson said. “We can put in streetlights so we don’t have the lighting issue and make sure that it is a safe, viable road.”

In the matter of the Architecture and Site Plan, Secrist talked about the design aspects of the site. He said that 20 percent of the site is being left as open landscaped and common areas.

Three buildings are planned on the site. The first, just inside the entrance would be a leasing office which also would include showers. A clubhouse at the center of the property would include a large swimming pool, three pickleball courts, laundry, meeting rooms and other amenities. A small building on the west end of the property would provide laundry facilities and showers.

City council members spoke highly of the project stating that it would add value to the neighborhood and to the community and that it was in keeping with the strategic planning goals set by the city.
Both items received a unanimous vote of the council.