Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

We have screen. Yeah, she's working on it.

It's just been crazy. Thanksgiving.

Sorry about that. I I should have put it on my calendar, but Daniel said your sister. Okay. The only reason why I didn't because I was here and there like not like a request but

All right. I appreciate. I'd like to call the December 4th, 2025 meeting of Cascan Planning and Zoning Commission to order. If you all would rise and please join me for the pledge.

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. Very good. Erica, would you call the role? Member Iber here. Member Kle here, member Smith here, member Hubard here, and Chairman Benedict here. Mr. Chair, I'd like to note for the minutes that member Alderette and Vice Chair Garza are absent this evening.

Very good. Thank you. Um, okay. Changes to the agenda.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Uh, there are going to be some changes to the agenda. Unfortunately, due to a technical issue with posting the agenda, items G2 through G6 um will not be heard this evening and would be postponed to another meeting possibly in January, but I encourage you to check our web page. Um because you've all come to speak tonight, you may still speak at the uh public comment period, but uh please note that your time will be limited to three minutes. And also your testimony will not be part of the public record for that item, although it will be part of the public record for public comment for this meeting.

Any questions, Mr. Chair? Very good. Thank you, Mr. Chair. If I may just Yes. Go ahead. Just to be clear, the public hearings will still be heard uh at the future planning zoning dates. So, if you want to be heard at the public hearing, very good. So, that you are part of the record. Um we encourage you to show up when those are agendaized for the future uh planning zoning dates. And the other thing with the public comments, um staff and the board are not or the commission are not allowed to respond to anything that you say during public comments. So, just so everybody's clear.

Very good. Thank you, Mark. Appreciate that. Okay. Sorry for the confusions here, folks. Um, that hope that's about as clear as mud because that's about as clear as we are on what's happened to us. We're trying to get through. Appreciate your patience on it. Okay. So, we only have two items, G1 and G7 to address tonight. Correct. That is correct. Very good. Thank you. Okay, commissioners. Oh, first I get to introduce new planning commissioner, Isaac Ibraim. It's perfect. Thank you.

I'm trying to listen, my friend. Anything you'd like to to do to introduce introduce yourself? Uh, I just want to say, you know, my name is Isaac Ibrahim. Um, I've been a resident for about 20 years. Um, I have a background in planning, uh, scheduling and, uh, data anal analytics and, uh, I just I'm happy to have the opportunity to be up here, uh, to not only watch the city of Castle Grand, but to be a big part of it. So, thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Welcome.

Okay. Now, commissioners, uh, we have a set of minutes in front of us from our November meeting. What's your what's your wishes? Mr. Chair, please. I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes from the November 6, 2025 meeting. Second. All right. Motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? No.

Very good. That passes. Okay. the public comment section uh of our meeting um is upon us. So any of you folks that came for those items in the middle, so G2 through G6, if you'd like to make comments tonight, um we'd love to hear them. U please keep your comments to three minutes. Respect for uh the everybody else's time is appreciated. or anything else that you would like to address the commission about, we'd love to hear it except the two items that we're going to hear. So, G1 and G7, we would love to hear those comments when we come to those particular items. Okay. So, anybody from the public like to address the commission? Please come forward. Give us your name and address for the record.

Hello, my name is Omar Sari. My address is 500 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Hello honorable planning and zoning commission members. My name is Omair Ser and I work for Woda Cooper Companies. Woda Cooper is a vertically integrated developer, general contractor, and property manager. Something that is very unique about Woda Cooper is that in our 35-y year history, only one small portfolio of rural properties has been sold and the rest of the 350 plus communities across 17 states that we own and manage are done so into perpetuity. To that effect, we want to ensure we take the necessary measures on the front end to develop a safe, sustainable, and inviting property well before we begin construction. This includes thoughtful planning in addition to cooperative collaboration with the city and its community members. We are currently proposing the development of independent senior living for individuals and households 55 years and older named Margold Crossing to be located at 465 to 475 North Pier Road. We will appear in front of planning and zoning and subsequently city council with the request for the removal of conditions associated with these parcels. The funeral home to the north of the property instilled these conditions with concerns for a lack of privity privacy and seclusion. Upon our knowledge of this, we have discussed with the funeral home and incorporated their feedback diligently into our site plan, ensuring ample landscape buffers, setbacks, and perimeter fencing. The funeral home has refu reviewed reviewed our most up-to-date site plan and has expressed no concerns over our current design. In addition to this, we have spoken with

Patricia King of the Panal Alliance for Economic Growth, who has keenly expressed support for Marold Crossing and believes the senior population of Kasa Grande would greatly benefit from new attainable housing stock. The affordable housing plan prepared for the city in September of this calendar year specifies that currently 56% of senior residents over the age of 65 spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing and are therefore costbururdened. The plan states that the city's goal is to create or preserve 2,000 attainable units by the year 2030, calling for a quarter of these units to be directed towards senior residents. The 81 unit development of Margold Crossing would contribute to 16% of this senior housing objective. Wa Cooper is excited to work with the city and takes great pride in contributing towards Kasa Grande's long-term housing goals. Thank you all. Hope to see you.

Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Please step up to the podium. Give us your name and address for the record. Kathy Underwood, 1436 North Desert Willow Street, Kasa Grande, Arizona. I live in Ironwood Village. You can't hear me? Oh,

I'm speaking to G4. Um, the zoning changes to our pad. I'm not sure if it's a zoning change or what it is, but the pad changes. I am very much in favor of changing the basins to a grassy or to areas that um have granite. It's cost us a small fortune to try and fix those grassy areas. The grass will not grow. It's just getting to be crazy to continue further enhancements to it when the grass will not grow. It's been too many years. We live in a desert and to have grass is just almost impossible here. So, I would also like to request that the pad be changed to give the board authorization to change any common area from grass to granite without having to put in sidewalks. I don't know that the sidewalks in the east west basins are necessary, but um that would need to be changed as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Anybody else? Yes, sir.

Good evening. Uh my name is Mike Ritter. live at 2011 West Pistona Street here in Kas Grand. Speaking on uh G5 here, um the urban rural or urban ranch zoning when it comes to that uh there's very few parcels here in town that are still bigger than say 10,000 square ft. Um seems like you know all these homes are being built on top of each other. Not everybody wants to be like Phoenix or Tempe. you know, we've had a lot of apartments coming in, um, things of that nature, and, you know, some people do like a little bit of space. We love our neighbors, but we just don't want to be on top of each other, looking at each other, hearing each other, smelling each other, whatever the case may be. So, we're not really in favor of this um, just due to the fact of that zoning change. There's other issues to be considered as well. Um, most of that property is in a major flood plane. Uh, I don't know how that would affect having construction there, uh, whether it's walls or asphalt, how that would affect water and, you know, when we have some of these bigger storms with flooding. We already have issues, uh, particularly on our property and the neighboring properties, how all that runoff will change the hydraulic dynamic of all that and how that can affect the surrounding community and property. So, again, we're not in favor of it. It's something to be considered. Um, we appreciate your time and thank you.

Thank you. Appreciate you coming talking to us. Please come back when that's presented again. What's that? Please come back when it's presented again. Hopefully, it's the January meeting. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Yes, sir.

Hello. Uh, my name is Ryan Goodliff. I'm uh 9134 South Riverwood Drive, Duchain, Utah, 84021. Uh I'm just here tonight uh representing Goodl Life Investments in G5. Um just wanted to introduce myself. I was in town um for the meeting and and uh wanted to give a face to the name and and introduce myself. Um I'm looking forward to working with City of Cassagran and the neighbors. um to come to common ground on something that works for both. Um I have no desire to to cause riff or problems with any neighbors or or cause issues. And uh I think there's some easily some common ground that can be made to uh to please both sides and and uh work things out so that we can enhance that piece that those parcels that are there so they can um provide positive services for the residents around this area and uh and also not impact the the neighbors um in a negative way. And I just wanted to share that and and thank you for the opportunity.

Bet. Thank you, Ron.

Okay. Anybody else like to address any of those issues or anything else general? Okay, seeing none, I'll close the public comment section and then we'll go to new business. And um with a pretty good sized group here, our normal process is that we will have the staff make a presentation to the commission. Commission and staff will have a little bit of a discussion. Then we'll ask the applicant or their representative to come forward and um make a presentation. We may have questions back and forth and then we will open it up to the public for your comments. We really like to hear your comments and um again we'll hopefully you can keep it to three minutes and to respect everyone's time and we appreciate you being here and contributing. So let's get started. We will do G1 have a public hearing and consider the following request located at 115 West Main Street. a conditional use permit for residential dwelling units, landscape variance from the city code um DSA 2500143 and 00151.

Okay, here we go. Hey, good evening commission. Hi.

There again, there are two requests before you tonight. Again, the first request is a conditional use permit for residential dwelling units within the B3 zoning district. The site is approximately 2.4 acres. It's located between Florence Street on the east side, top and bottom street on the west side, Main Avenue on the north, and Second Avenue on the south. Um the site consists of 64 uh units. Here's a conceptual site plan for you tonight. And then the second request is a landscape variance from the city code requiring a 15 foot um street frontage landscape area. Little overview on this project. Um Gorman & Company um has partnered with the city of Caster Grand to develop low-income housing tax credit housing in the downtown area on property owned by the city. Uh this is the first of three phases um of the sites to go forward. uh these sites were um as well as the others was well was reszoned to B3 in 2022 in preparation of these projects and these projects have been in the works for many years prior to that as well. Uh the site also um includes the Shaughnessy House which is uh listed on the local and national register of historic places and um will be uh have adaptive reuse to utilize it as the leasing office for the property and it will go to historic preservation commission um that's anticipated to go in January for the certificate appropriateness and adaptive reuse portion of that project. Regarding the conditional use permit review criteria, um these are the criteria that is covered in the staff report provided to the commission. I will um staff finds that all of these have been met. Um I will be covering um how this proposed use is in conformance with the general plan and zoning code.

Again, the site is in the downtown land use category of the 2030 general plan. And one of the main goals um is to establish additional residential units within the downtown area. A goal for downtown uh number five is to focus on reintroduc reintroducing housing and residential opportunities to downtown Cassagrand to take advantage of demand for desirable urban living and action steps is to be proactive with infield development in neighborhoods near downtown to insert new residential units into existing neighborhoods in appropriate manner and action set D5.4 Four is to use recommendations from the life on main master plan to encourage high density developments and or misuse development on city- owned properties. Initial step in the downtown area also includes action step D3.3 which encourages development of land uses on the city-owned property adjacent to the Shaughnessy House and the Cascan Hotel that complements the historic nature of these structures which this project um is um actively doing. Again, the general plan has also has design um standards for the downtown which encourages development of multif family buildings to be as close to the public sidewalk as possible. Incorporate patios, porches on the ground floor as well as upper level elevations that provides visual interest to building um elevations from the street. Um here's an example of that east facing elevation. With regards to the landscape variance request, um that scan is requesting a variance from the landscape code requiring a 15 foot landscape buffer along all street frontages. Um currently landscape code does not provide for alternative landscape provisions for sites within the downtown area. And as per general plan goals and objectives for the downtown area, one of the action steps is to modify this landscape code. um staff is in the process of um revising the landscape code and part of

that process will be including downtown provision to recognize the urban nature of the downtown. Um staff's in favor of this request that applicant has provided ample landscaping and um meets the overall um um landscape provisions. um per our landscape code only 10% of the site is required to be landscaped and um their current plan shows that 39% of landscaping with regards to the stakeholder process um staff and the applicant held a neighborhood meeting in July. However, no one attended that meeting. Um, and then staff and the applicant has met all the other uh notices regarding tonight's meeting. And I have not received any inquiries or comments uh regarding this request. So, with that, staff recommends the commission approve the landscape variance request DSA 2500151. Sacramento recommends commission approve the conditional use permit and associated resolution DSA 2500143. Happy to answer any questions the commission may have.

Very good. Commissioners, questions for staff. I just have one. Yes, sir. Uh, in regards to the property on First Avenue between the a street between the two, is the sidewalk on both blocks all the way down to Florence and also to is that top and bottom bottom of the street? Top and bottom street. Yes, there will be sidewalks there.

Okay. because I was just looking at the the drawing that you have now on our screen and it looks like that that was shrubbery there and I couldn't tell if it was a sidewalk in between just maybe with the conceptual plan but we would okay I think maybe it'll address that a little better too

okay any other questions for Stephen none would the applicant or their representative like to address the commission Hello, I am Kristen Sanford. I'm the project architect uh with Gorman for this project. And just to address your question in a little more detail, there are uh every street facing side has sidewalks throughout the whole property. And so there it is a little confusing in that detail. It's hard to see, but there's also shrubbery as well. So there'll be shrubbery between the street and the sidewalk and then shrubbery also from the sidewalk to the building.

Cool. Very good. Okay, questions, commissioners. Wow, you got off easy.

Any other comments you'd like to make to us or? Um well in regards to the the landscape variance, we did know going in from the start that we would have to request a variance. Uh with this, we made sure that we provided lots of trees. As you can see the trees and the shrubbery, we have more than double the amount of trees needed and almost five times the amount of shrubbery. So we also wanted to make sure that we could bring the buildings a little bit closer to the street to have more of that urban feel. That also allowed us to have more amenities on site. Uh, so we were able to provide a large playground for children of different ages. We're also able to provide the a um, excuse me, a fenced pet area as well as at the Shaughnessy House, we have ample outdoor space there in our grilling areas. We have got a cornhole uh, area. So really, by bringing these buildings closer to the street, we're able to provide more amenities for the residents and the community of this area.

Okay. Very good. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it very much. Okay. Now, I'd like to open the public portion of the meeting for this uh particular item. Anyone that would like to address this, come on up. Give us your name and address for the record and try to keep your comments to three minutes. And you've seen this several times. So,

I see a familiar face or two up here. My name is Mike Henderson. I live at 1343 East Kingman Place in Kas Grande. Um, as much as it isn't needed, I'll just say I've been interested in this project. I think things close to it since I participated in the life on Maine project which was 2012. From that I got pretty interested and I eventually wound up as somebody sitting in one of your seats there. And I've watched this neighborhood pretty closely. Um have actually owned property in there at one time and I just think that we need the development. This is a place that has space around it. Um it can support downtown business. There just isn't anything to the negative about it. So, needless to say, I'm strongly in favor and I hope that you will go to the council with a strong recommendation. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Thank you, Mike. Anybody else like to address this particular item? Okay, seeing none, commissioners, it's back to you. I motion to approve the landscape variance for request DSA-25-0000151. Okay, I'll second. Very good. Okay, I have a motion and a second for Yeah, looks like that's very well said, complete. I think

the attorney will yell at me in just a minute if it's not. He's sleeping over there. Never mind. It's good. Okay. Any discussion on the motion? We have a motion. We have a second. Very good. None. Please call the role. Member Ibraham. I. Member Kle. I. Member Smith. I. Member Hubard. Yes. And Chairman Benedict. Yes. Okay. The landscape variance passed. Commissioners, we have another step. I motion to approve the conditional use permit and associated resolution uh DSA-25-0000143.

I'll second. Very good. All right. Motion and a second. Any discussion? I'm excited for this. I'm really I am really excited. This is nice to see something going downtown. Yes. And thank you to Gorman for starting there. Absolutely. That's what that's absolutely. I'm excited. So with that, any other discussions? Okay. Hearing none, please call the role. Member Ibraham. Hi. Member Kle. Yes. Member Smith. Yes. Member Huard. Yes. And Chairman Benedict.

Yes. Please. Okay. Motion's passed. Next is all the way down the list G7. We'll have a public hearing consider a forwarding recommendation to city council for request by the city of CA Grand Planning and Development for sign code text amendments DSA2000154. Oh, the director's on.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the commission. This is a text amendment to the city sign code specifically um se amending section 6043A which regulates political and campaign signs. The purpose of this uh amendment is to bring our local sign regulations into alignment with Arizona revised statutes to clarify the time frames when political signs can be displayed before and after elections. Currently, the sign code allows political signs to be placed no earlier than 60 days prior to an election and requires them to be removed within 10 days after the election. The proposed language updates these time frames to reflect the state statute. Under the amendment, political signs could be displayed up to 71 days before the election and must be removed within 15 days after. In addition, there is a new provision for candidates who advance from the primary election to the general election. Their signs could remain in place through through that period and must be removed within 15 days after the general election. To summarize the changes, the pre-election period increases from 60 to 71 days and the post-election removal window extends from 10 days to 15 days. And with that, um, well, let me just say that as required, we did publish a public hearing notice in the dispatch on November 15, 2025, advertising this item for tonight's meeting, and we received no public comment. And staff does recommend that the planning and zoning commission forward a recommendation of approval to the city council for this text amendment.

All right. Very good. Questions for staff? Oh, and the applicant while we're at it. No. Very good. Okay. We'll open the public portion of the meeting for this particular item. Anybody from the public like to address this issue? Please come forward. Give us your name and address for the record. Okay. Anybody want to speak to this issue? Okay. All right. once gone twice. Very good. Okay, I'll close the public portion meeting. Bring it back to the commission.

You got to say something here, Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. I'd like to mo make a motion uh that the planning commission forward a recommendation approval to city council for a request by the city of Kasagrani Planning and Development Department DSA 2500154 to amend the sign code um section 6043A political and campaign signs. Okay, I'll second and a second. Guess she's all right. Okay. Any discussion? Seeing none, please call the role. Member Ibraham. I. Member Kle. Yes. Member Smith. Yes. Member Hover.

Yes. And Chairman Benedict. Yes.

Got to have to anyway, don't we? Okay. Next. Uh, planning director reports. Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the commission. Just to inform you, the staff is currently working on the city's sign code. Um we're hoping to do a work session with council next year and then bring those um a draft amendment to the planning and zoning commission thereafter. Uh we are also working on the city's landscape code um updating and modernizing that um and I anticipate that the commission will see that again um sometime early next year January, probably February or March. With that, I have no other comments except to say thank you for volunteering to be on this commission. I do appreciate it and uh to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

You too. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Absolutely. And back to you. Okay, commissioners. I think he's done all he's going to do. I think Does everybody know the meeting is going to be January 8th for January because the first is the first Thursday. So Oh, that's right. The the meeting will be January 8th. Thank you very much. Good man. He might he might be worth keeping. That's true. Thank you, Bert. Um they quarter at the end. Commissioners, anything else for the good of the order? No.

Seeing none, we are ajourned with the hammer. Dude, that was quick. All my questions are mine, too. Mine too.