Planning and Zoning - Regular Meeting

Meeting of the planning and zoning commission for the city of Apache Junction. Today's date, 06/10/2025. The time is 7PM. Please stay please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

I

pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Talking to us.

Rudy, can I get a roll call, please?

Chairman Hansche. Here.

Vice chair Barker.

Here.

Commissioner Gage. Commissioner Starr. Here. Commissioner Bigelow. Here. Commissioner Mikeland. Here. Commissioner Callan. We had a

a technical error and it says that he got dropped from the call. So I'm trying to figure that part out.

Okay. We'll we'll mark him as present. Okay.

We have a quorum, mister chairman.

Thank you, Rudy. Do we have a motion to approve the agenda and minutes? Mister chair. Mister Parker.

I move that the planning and zoning commission accept the agenda as presented and approve the minutes from the 05/27/2025 regular meeting. Second.

Rudy, we have a motion and a second. Can I get a roll call, please?

Commissioner Callan?

Yes.

Chairman Henschey?

Yes.

Vice chair Barker?

Yes.

Commissioner Starr? Yes. Commissioner Bigelow?

Yes.

Commissioner Mikeland?

Yes.

Someone, mister chairman.

Thank you, Rudy. There's a public hearing this evening. Major general plan amendment case p dash two five dash one zero dash g p a to amend the general plan land use map for Parcel 102 Dash 20 Dash 008 A And 102 Dash 20 Dash 008, C As In Charlie, and the rezoning by planned development case PDash25Dash11DashPZ to rezone parcels one 02Dash20Dash008A102Dash20Dash008C. Nick, take it away, please.

Alright. Thank you, chairman Hatchie. Good evening, Planning and Zoning Commission. So tonight, I I will be presenting this case, the general major general plan amendment and the plan or rezoning by plan development regarding sun construction sun construction on the noted parcels. So just to note, this is the fur the first meeting tonight is held here at the Superposition, Fire, and Medical District because of the major general plan amendment.

We are required, to hold two separate public hearings in two separate locations. And, tonight will just be the presentation, discussion, and a public hearing, but there will not be a vote or consideration at this time. That will be in two weeks on June 24. That will be held again at City Hall in the normal council chambers. So to review this, the applicant's request, Sun Construction is requesting a rezoning of 36.6 acres at the Northwest corner of Auto Center Drive and Cactus Road, just West of Tomahawk and South Of The US 60.

In order to develop a light manufacturing facility with an administrative and a training office. And this will support their national contracting and construction work. So as this involves a land use change that is greater than 10 acres, that is what triggers the major general plan amendment requirement. The subject site that they're looking at developing is only about nine acres, but because the rezoning in total is this whole 36.6 acres, we go through this process. So the zoning of the property is currently general rural low density single family residential or RSGR, which is more of a a holding zoning.

Historically, the county kind of had a quasi agricultural GR district and that was used for a lot of these very large parcels that were undeveloped. And in this case, this is one of those properties that still has it's never been developed, and so it still has that RSGR general rural zoning. But it's situated in the middle of industrial properties. We see the baseline industrial park immediately to the west, all Zone B 5 or B 5 P D Industrial. We have industrial property to the south.

There's also a county island. All of the county zoning in that area is also the the county's analog for our industrial districts. And then to the east, we have a manufactured home park also located within the county island. And then we also have the Horn auto dealership properties. Horn is actually the property owner, at this current time of this property as well, and they are looking to sell it to Santa as part of this process with the approval.

So these land use patterns are also reflected in the general the general plan future land use map except noteworthy is that this property is designated for commercial use as opposed to any kind of residential use that it's currently zoned. And it's not designated for industrial class which is why there is a major general plan amendment to this. It is commercial more in line just because it was one of those horn properties again. It's like they've been the owner for a couple decades. And as the they had a rezoning of their properties a couple decades ago.

But this property, they don't have any plans to develop. It's just never been touched. And we find that a industrial use conforms with the area, again, as we see the industrial to the West and to the South. A land use map change to an industrial use still conforms with keeping those kinds of important employment uses, bringing jobs to the area, and furthers other general plan goals that I'll get into in a moment. So at the current time, the development plan again is only focused on this section of the property.

It's about nine acres. They are proposing, an industrial building as seen here. So we've been working with our architectural team and and are pleased with with the effort they've made in order to make a pretty building as seen from the freeway. We have elevations here. I will note that the one item of the plan development asking for deviation from typical zoning standards is an increase in the building building's maximum height from 35 feet to 45 feet in order to that is necessary for some industrial clearances on the inside as they within their manufacturing line.

To note the public input and the efforts of of the applicant, as this is an industrial rezoning, they had an increased notification radius. They have complied with all the necessary notification standards, posting a sign, sending mailings out. We have that in the newspaper. Everything's standard for this. They did hold a neighborhood meeting at the Apache Junction High School on Wednesday, March 19.

And we had one neighbor attend. It was a business owner immediately to the south of this property and he expressed support for the rezoning and for the development. So looking back again with the general plan, as there's been a lot of discussion about the general plan and keeping to the goals that were originally formulated, we find that this proposal, the major general plan amendment and the rezoning are compliant with the general plan goals and policies. So a noteworthy here. And we find that it as this is a prime infill site, you know, it's a lot of land right next to the freeway, but it's one that just has never been developed.

It's an awkward spot for a lot of different uses, but in employment, an industrial use of this sort is a golden opportunity for this. There's a general plan goal and policy specifically to encourage industrial uses along our transportation corridors and then that's further clarified even further in a later chapter to encourage this kind of employment and industrial use along The US 60. So we find that it really is a prime spot that even though this has a general plan land use designation of commercial, the industrial classification is exactly what the general plan was aiming for within this area. It's right next to the baseline industrial park. And so ultimately, we find that this proposed amendment is compliant with the general plan goals.

And as such, staff recommends the approval of the major general plan amendment case p twenty five ten GPA and the associated rezoning by plan development p twenty five eleven p z. So again, there will be a second public hearing which is and when the Planning and Zoning Commission will ultimately vote on it in two weeks, Tuesday, June 24, following which the city council will have their public hearing on Tuesday, July 15. And if there are any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. The applicant is also here. They have a short presentation also prepared and we'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have tonight.

Mister Berger?

I just have one question at this point. I noticed in the report that the wash was going to go down the east boundary of this property to the driveway, which is on Otto Drive. And I'm wondering where is that gonna dump then?

So I know that they are required when it comes to maintaining historic, outfall. Mhmm. So I don't believe they will be changing the water pattern that already exists and they will be engineering it. They'll capture any on-site retention as necessary or on-site flow for within their retention basins as necessary. But when it comes to that wash, I believe they as they are required by our engineering standards to maintain the the in fall and or the outfall. So

According to the report, they are taking that down the east side of the property to the driveway, and it doesn't say where the rest of that water's gonna go. Does it stop there? Is it damp there? Does it puddle out on the road? Does it yeah. What does it do at the end of their picture that they use to pull that wash down the east side? You know, it just kinda ends at the driveway.

Vice chair. Vice chair, we're gonna defer that to the applicant.

Okay. He can Works for me. Thank you.

Bring that. Not sure

how how you want me to do this chair. I can pull my chair up

here in the middle of

the room. Do we need

to do that? Or Feel free to use that table. Okay.

Perfect. I'll go over here.

And I'll I'll move the presentation along as you need.

Alright. Chair, members of the commission, Brennan Ray, 2335 East Kalabakra here on behalf of SUNT Construction. We're certainly very excited to present this to you tonight and look forward to coming back on the twenty fourth and hearing your recommendation as well as

the city council. Council.

SUNT, if you're not familiar, is a is an employee owned construction company that does a lot of construction across the entire country and in a number of places. They are really excited about this opportunity to build a state of the art facility where they can self perform some of the manufacturing for the equipment and other things that they need on their construction job sites. And I have Alex Charland with Sun Construction here tonight as well if we need to answer any additional questions or that I can't relative to what we're doing. Now I do have a full presentation that is going to touch on a lot of the things that Nick presented. And if you would like, chair, members of the commission, I can certainly go through that, but it is gonna be very similar to what Nick presented, Highlighting the site plan, highlighting how this is an appropriate development for the area adjacent to a freeway with industrial to our West and to our South and the Horn auto dealership and potential future expansion East of us.

And so I can go in there and I can talk about how staff has been great to work with. We've worked hand in glove with them as we usually do whenever I come before you on a lot of the other developments and making sure that the site plan meets the expectations of the city and its residents. We can talk if you want about the architecture and quality, that this isn't just a simple tilt up building, but that it has architectural articulation, plane changes, massing changes, something to provide legal interest, as you enter in off of Auto Center Drive or along the 6 E, and we worked very closely with that. But what I'd I'd like to do again, if you want me to go in more depth than what I've just done, I'm more than happy to. But I would just like to say thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

This is the exact development in the exact right location, something that's going to bring jobs to the city and to an area that staff has highlighted and the general plan highlights as being a very important corridor for jobs and for future growth. And we're, again, very excited to be the first here. Now if I may, chair, I will answer the vice chair's question about the drain. So relative to the site, Nick, if you would like to go to Slide 4, it's probably the best one. Yeah.

This one. So This one would work. Either one works. So you kinda can't see it on this, but it's your in packet. This is the overall site plan, and you can see overlaid on the area there is a historical wash that kinda runs from the Northeast to the Southwest. And so we are required under state law to and the city's codes and ordinances to ensure that any water that comes on our property, that we retain the water that exists on our property. Here, where it's a little bit unique when you have a wash, and and the law is that when there is a wash, you have to historical significance, and Joel will correct me where

I'm wrong.

But historical significance, have to kind of keep it in the same place that it comes in and the same place that it exits. So while we're only talking about nine acres and 65,000 square foot industrial building, we will be channelizing undergrounding. We will be doing the necessary things to allow the development of this parcel. What you do not see on your plans is culverts underneath that drive there at Auto Center to where the water will flow underneath that and will maintain kind of this historical pattern south of that drive. So we will not be pooling water at Auto Center there.

We do have a a not only a legal obligation, but for us to develop the site plan. We've got to be able to ensure that water and drainage is going where it needs to go. So we are making the necessary improvements to allow access to the site and that we don't prohibit or prevent access due to some historical rainfall that we might get that it's gonna make it so that nobody can drive there at Auto Center. I think that other street's Cactus, if I remember. Right. Okay.

It's Cactus. Yeah. So as it comes through that culvert here, then it will go back to the Southwest of the the way the channel is running now. Is that what you're saying?

Yeah. Through the chair vice chair. Yes. That is correct. At some point, Sun anticipates additional development development on the land.

I guess that was my next question.

Yeah. This is phase one, and when that future development comes along, we will have to address the either the channelization or undergrounding and piping that drainage through that, what I'll call the southeast quadrant of the site.

Yeah. Because we don't wanna see it channelized to the point that it gets elsewhere and let somebody else out. Okay. Thank you. That was my major question.

K. I got a question. How many people are you in this plan? So

with this initial phase, there's a couple aspects and components. To answer the question directly, 50 to a 100 people in this initial phase. And that's gonna be a combination of people working in the site, administrative offices. They really some sees this as a great opportunity to provide

additional training

on equipment, on processes to other employees. Additionally, SUNCE has a long history of partnering with local colleges and schools and trades to be able to come so that they can come in and whether it's through an apprenticeship or a a brief program, be able to come in and get some real world, real application training. And that kinda goes to the core of what SUN is as one of the few major corporations

that is

entirely employee owned.

Then what's your anticipation for build out on this?

Chair, we don't know. That's it. In terms of this first phase, you

know I'm talking to because I know this is future for the rest. But

Yeah. So through this first phase, we've already kind of gone at risk in preparing. And if we haven't submitted, it is eminent that we will submit building plans to the city for them to review so that we can pull permits. I think once we get through that process, which I would imagine, and staff can correct me if I'm wrong for review times. I know they're excited about it, and so I would anticipate that we're two to four ish, maybe five months of plan review.

And then know Sun is chomping at the bit to get construction underway. If I may, across the room, Alex a question. Alex, how long till build out occurs till you guys are up and

running from one source shovel? We're targeting about a year of construction to get it, you know, fully developed and

up and running. So, you know, if

we get started, I think, late summer, early fall, then we'll be late next year up in up front. Thank you. Anybody

else in the room?

Are those loading docks up in the front of the building?

Chair, commissioner Starks, you give me one sec to double check on my site plan. Nick, if you would like to go down a slide, please. Yeah. So what we've got, this is a view looking from the Southeast to the Northwest. And what you see there on the corner is there is a dock door, which kinda can't see on the backside is that there's another dock door that will allow vehicles, unless I'm mistaken, to pull through this facility to be able to offload materials, offload supplies to

be able

to do that in that fashion. Brandon, if

I could just

Yeah. Help add.

Yeah. So not a traditional loading dock where the truck will be backed up to it and loading outside. It's a the intent is the the truck will pull into the interior of the building where we have overhead cranes and be loading and unloading in there. So that it's a it's really a pass through lane to the interior of the building.

Maybe pull side of the map. From the side. Mhmm.

Yep. Full full size semis will go through there. Going down the the auto drive from the exit from the Freeway.

Okay. Thanks. Yeah. Chair, commissioner Starr, if you can see on the zoom up picture of the site plan, that's what the south that illustrates what Alex was talking about. The same kind of pull through condition on the north side of the building as well.

I noticed that I bike through there often. It just happens. But I know it's an auto drive there going between there to Tomahawk. It's quite, well, dilapidated to say about it. Is there plans in the future for repaving?

Or

Through the chair, commissioner Starr, I'd certainly defer to the area that's outside the scope of this development. But I know that in connection with our development, we will be required to make the necessary improvements for us to get in and out of the site, and that would likely include some improvements at the intersection of Tomahawk or excuse me, of Auto Center and Cactus as well. But as it relates to Auto Center and Tomahawk, I would probably defer to the city on that unless I'm mistaken. That's a public right of way through there. Oh.

Commissioner Star, that's correct. That is public right of way, and we would have to check-in with our public works department to see if there's any plans for improvement at Office Center or Tomahawk.

So it'd be at the expense of the city. Is that correct?

Correct. It's because it's outside of the scope

of of the of the site.

I understand. It's outside the scope, but we gotta consider that this is gonna be a free future expense because those roads are very likely traveled at the current time. Understood.

Well, we will check-in with their public works department.

Okay. Thank you. Anyone

else? Thank you. Thank you.

Mister chairman? Yes. Did commissioner Callan have any questions? Let's let's not forget about him.

Commissioner Callan, you there?

No. No. No. No questions here for me. Alright.

Thank you.

So at this time, I'm gonna go ahead and open it up to the public. Anybody from the public, would you like to speak? So please come up to the area here. State your name and address. You have three minutes to speak.

Going once. Going twice. Three times. Closed. Alright. So we're not gonna vote tonight, so the public hearing is closed. Alright. We have no old business tonight? No, sir. No new business tonight? No, sir. No information in the reports?

Not this evening, mister chairman.

No director's report? No, sir.

Do we have a motion to select the next meeting and date?

I know that planning the and zoning commission hold a regular meeting on 06/24/2025 at 7PM at the City Council Chambers located at 300 East Superposition Boulevard. And if there are no items to be brought forward to the commission, these meetings may be canceled. Notification of cancellation properly posted and the commission notified by staff.

Do we have

a second? Second.

Rudy, I have a motion to second. Can I get a roll call, please?

Commissioner Meikland.

Yes.

Commissioner Callan. Yes. Chairman Hansche? Yes. Vice chair Barker? Yes. Commissioner Starr?

Yes.

Commissioner Bigelow?

Yes.

So moved, mister chairman.

Thank you, Rudy. I now adjourn the meeting at 07:26PM.