Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I'm going to call to order the Monday, June 9th, 2025 planning and zoning meeting at 6 pm. We'll have the invocation by Commissioner Yokum followed by the pledge of allegiance by Commissioner Robertson. Please rise if you're able to. God of justice and mercy, thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of our wonderful city of Maricopa. Help us to act with character and conviction. Help us to listen and with understanding and goodwill. Help us to speak with clarity and restraint. Give us the spirit of service. Remind us that we are stewards of your authority. Guide us to be the leaders of your people's need. Help us to treat all persons with reverence and creation. And finally, Father, re review re us with the strength of your presence and the joy of helping to build strong and prosperous community. We ask this as your sons and daughters confident in your goodness and love. Amen. being here will remind you of their bravery, their selfless and inspire us to strive for a better world and a stronger nation. I especially want to thank Jim because this dream, this vision all started with him and commissioners additional veterans and then a conversation with our city manager and then it just from there [Music] He would make it happen. All right. Uh, that'll take us to roll call, please. Commissioner B, Commissioner Robertson, Vice Chair Wes here, Chair Singleton here, Commissioner Yokum here, Commissioner Clo here, and Commissioner Thomas. We do have corn. Thank you. That'll take us to the call to the public. If you

wish to speak, please complete a speaker card and submit it to the chairman prior to the start of the meeting. The procedures to follow if you address the commission are commissioners request that you express your ideas in 3 minutes or less and refrain from any personal attacks or derogatory statements about any city employee, a fellow citizen, or anyone else whether in the audience or not. The chairman will limit discussion whenever he deems such an action appropriate to the proper conduct of the meeting. I do have two speaker cards, but they are on agenda item believe it is 5.3. So I will hold off until the that agenda item anybody else that wants to come to the podium, please do he carried the values of honor. Seeing none, I will I will close the call to the public. That'll take us to the minutes 4.1 commissioners. Any questions, comments, concerns on the minutes? Motion to approve the minutes. I do have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Second. All in favor say I. I. All opposed. That motion passes. That'll take us to agenda item 5.1, P A24-07. This is a public hearing. The planning and zoning commission shall discuss a request by the Rose Law Group on behalf of Private Motorsports Group LLC to reszone approximately 263 acres of land from Industrial CI2 to the Apex Motorsports Planned Area Development P A. The subject site is located at the northwest corner of Rston Road and State Route 238. This is for discussion and action and peaceful world. Thank you, Chairman. Members of the commission, u I think a point of clarification is in order here uh simply because um I know y'all saw this item just uh two meetings ago. My name is Sarah Maldonado. I've been a

resop [Music] assistant in the valley. So, as we were putting the I like to put ordinance together moving towards the uh uh council. I work really long hours sometimes early morning with sunrise and driving down home with the sunsetific. And the best part about the commute is the horses when they're out. The traffic could be bumper to bumper. It could be awful traffic as we all know the 347 is. But the second you see those horses out there grazing, it's radius that holds you to the present and reminds me that even though the traffic isn't great, I love living down here and experiencing. We corrected that action. We have updated. I love the opportunity to share personal to me everybody else. I certainly didn't think I would be picked to paint a mural for the city of Maricopa. Um, I just hope it inspires someone to reach out for any opportunity that they don't think. As we know, the Rose Law Group is on behalf of the Apex folks is um requesting to reszone the property from Panal County CI2 uh to planned area development for um private motorsports club. Uh there was an approved CU back in 2017. We're updating the zoning map. We're also capturing the the private motorsports in uh with zoning that will run currently with the with the site. Uh to the north is the Hila Indian Reservation uh Panal County farmland to the south, uh landfill to the east, and uh vacant Panal County uh land to the west. Uh just taking you through the site again. Uh there's a secured entrance in the front there. Uh currently there are two racetracks on the site. Uh they also have the flying lizard team

uh outlined there in green and the garage condos which I just mentioned uh outlined in blue there. Now the ones to the north are currently under construction. The 48 to the south have already been sold and that's the 48 individual owners that we renotified. Uh, Clubhouse is in currently in second review in DRP and we're expecting approval of that shortly. Uh, there will be a helport on site, but that's yet to be determined exactly where that's going to be. Uh, and uh, the proposed uh, on-site villas for those will be individual uh, lots uh, somewhere down the in the future. So looking at the general plan map, the current zoning map and the proposed zoning map. Uh as you can see there, uh the exhibit on the far left illustrates uh the P AD zoning that we're requesting before you this evening. Uh it meets several goals and objectives of the general plan. Uh as I stated, I won't read these for you word for word. Uh but this was just a small sample of of the goals and objectives that it did meet. Uh with respect to the required finding, it is consistent with the general plan. The changes of the boundary is necessary to achieve the balance of land uses uh and the ultimately the amendment will promote the growth of the city uh in an orderly manner. Memorial is a new important part of our with respect to public outreach. I've updated this as I stated. We we renotified including the 48 property owners in there. We updated the sign. Uh we met all the requirements to be here before you this evening for the second public hearing. Selflessness. Uh with that being said, u uh staff is recommending approval of the case before you this evening. uh be happy to answer any questions. Mr. Gillespie with Rose

Law is here uh as well as a representative of Apex Motorsports. Thank you, sir. That concludes my presentation. Thank you, Rick. Uh this is a public hearing, so I will open up the public hearing. If there's anybody in the audience that wants to speak to this manner, please come forward. Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. Commissioners, any questions or comments on this item? Seeing none, do I have a motion? I move that we approve case P A24-C. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Seconded by Commissioner Clobe. All in favor say I. I. All opposed. That motion passes. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. That'll take us to item 5.2 Z24-03. This is a public hearing. A request by Pender Engineering on behalf of ETP Investments LLC to reszone 5 acres of land from the existing general rural zone GR to the general commission commercial zoning district GC. The subject site is generally located at the northwest corner of West Blazen Trail and North Whit and Parker Road. This is for discussion and action. Lorie, take it away. Good evening, chair, vice chair, commissioners, members of the public. Lorie Mason, Development Services here to present Z24-03. Um, again, just going over uh what the chair said. Pender Engineering on behalf of ETP Investments seeking to reszone a property along White and Parker Road uh about five acres. Uh purpose of today is to um We want to review the site for proposed commercial development, future commercial development.

Uh looking at the current zoning, this is the subject site is currently zoned general rural. We're looking to um reszone that to general commercial and Maricopa city of Maricopa zoning district. This is at the northwest corner of West Blazen Trail and North White Parker Road. our just and peaceful word world we can ensure that their staff finds that this proposed reszone is in accordance with the following goals and objectives of the general plan a few of those are uh to promote commercial and office development in close proximity to neighborhood notes along Sarah Maldonado I've been a resident of Maroba a variety of commercial I'm an orthopedic uh physician in the valley that's my day job but I like to paint and draw in my free staff is asking the commission. I work really long hours sometimes early morning with sunrise and driving down home with the sunset. And the best part about the commute is the horses when they're out. The traffic could be bumper to bumper. It could be awful traffic as we all know the 347 is. But the second you see those horses out there grazing, it doesn't even matter. kind of pulls you to the present and reminds me that even though the traffic isn't great, I love living down here and experiencing that. Um, all of the I love the opportunity to share something personal to me with everybody else. I certainly didn't think I would be to paint a mural for the city of Maricopa. Um, I just hope it inspires out for any opportunity that they don't think's available to them because you never know. Staff recommends the planning commission forward a favorable favorable recommendation to approve case Z24-03 as outlined in the report. That concludes my presentation. Does the commission have any questions? Thank you, Lorie. Uh, this is a public hearing, so I will open the public hearing. If there's anybody in the crowd

that would like to speak on this item, please come forward. Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. Commissioners, any questions, comments, concerns? Commissioner Robertson, Lorie, could you um expound a little bit on the opposition regarding the road designation? Uh certainly. So, let's go back to the map as we discuss this. You can see the subject property is along White and Parker. So, um there's also an existing sort of roadway network within the Seven Ranches community um that the city over time seeks to develop and work with property owners on. So, so uh just to be clear, the conditions of approval attached to this reszone is only at the development stage, not in order to approve the reszone. So, uh this is to be clear that this is um along with with the engineering division that these are these are um routine requests uh for commercial development in the city. If that answers your question. Yes, thank you. Um, yeah, I understand this is reszone only and further uh requirements will come forward as it develops. Um, so I just wanted to understand, but is is that Blazing Road, is that a um a paved road at this point or a dirt road? Um, I'm not sure exactly. I I don't think that it's developed at all. I It It may be. I don't I don't know for sure. Okay. Thank you. Any other commissioners? Commissioner Club. Thank you to the chair. Thank you, Larry. And welcome back. You um couple questions on this. Um as it one of the challenges that I've always run into with little zoning projects like this is spot zoning. Spot zoning sometimes looks really good today, 10 years from now.

It's kind of what were we thinking? Um, and there's a lot of valley cities that won't do it. You know, they want, you know, certain number of parcels or a certain acreage to to even entertain it. Being right, you know, essentially across the street from city hall here, um, a little bit to the north. Um, you know, I know that there's some potential developments, especially up closer to to Honeyut. Um, I think one was even advertised senior living facility a couple parcels up. Any thoughts on maybe reszoning a larger bank of properties here versus just this one little spot and maybe another little spot down the road and another little spot down the road that might checkerboard. Uh, Mr. chair uh commissioner club looking at this if I if I were to expand this out you would see that a lot of the commercial requests are happening along the arterials along Honeyut along White and Parker um when it comes to trying to expand contiguous properties and reszoning those um to the same zoning district that that is an effort that the city would need permission to take I think to approach property owners and to do so um but as it as it is right now I would I would say that we are not um against the the statute on spot zoning here because of the arterial where this property is located. It seems to fit uh the overall trend for this corner. I'm just concerned that, you know, I'll pick on the property of the north just because it's handy. You know, they come in and they want completely something completely different, different type of zoning and well, we gave spot zoning here. Why can't we give spot zoning there? Um and I just see it as as potentially problematic. And I know when I've been faced with this on a professional level, it's it hasn't been on the city to go back and and get those other properties to come on. It's as the applicant

commitment to his family. I already own your property. I'll pay for it. You but this is what we need to do. You can stay on it until it's time to develop every a larger variety. Uh it's just always a concern because I've come into these projects 10, 15, 20 years later. It's often times a mess. My uncle passed away. My aunt was present. Do we have any ideas of what the end goal is for this property? Is this retail? Is this office? Is this u Mr. Chair, Commissioner Club? Not right now. Early at the pre-application, um the applicant was pretty clear that this isn't um there's a conceptual idea for development um but there there was nothing planned uh at this stage. This is um simply to turn this into a commercial property along White Parker, which the city saw as um an ask for the public uh that were it to develop and we would get um those road improvements along White Park. Working toward a more and that's kind of my second red flag is there's no plan. Creating a specialized zoning piece in the middle of one of our our prime arterial streets or arterial roads. And we don't know what it's going to be. Hopefully, it'll be something good at some point someday down the road. My name is Sarah Maldonado. I mean, I like the idea for the last seven years. I am an orthopedic physician assistant in the valley. That's my day job, but I like to paint and draw in my free time. Thank you. I work really long hours sometimes early morning with sunrise and driving down home with the sunset. And the best part about the commute is the horses when they're out. The traffic could be bumper to bumper. It could be awful traffic as we all know the 347 is. But the second you see those horses out there grazing, it doesn't even matter. Kind of pulls you to the present and reminds me that even though the traffic isn't gray, I love living down here and

experiencing that. I loved the opportunity to share something personal to me with everybody else. I certainly didn't think I would be picked to paint a mural for the city of Maropa. I just hope it inspires someone to reach out for any opport. Thank you. That'll take us to agenda item 5.3 Z25-03. This is a public hearing. The planning and zoning commission shall discuss and take action on a request for a zoning map amendment on approximately 3.55 acres effectively reszoning the site from the neighborhood commercial NC to the general commercial GC zoning district. The site is located at the southeast corner of West Bolan Road and North Porter Road and this is for discussion and action. Derek, take it away. Thank you, Commission. Thank you, Commissioner Singleton. Members of the commission, Derek Sher with the uh planning department. Uh, as was just read in, uh, applicant on this case, uh, Tim Raznik of Archicon Architecture and Interiors on behalf of Terribles, uh, C Convenience Stores and property owner Elorado part Elorado Partners 27 LLC are applying to reszone the southeast corner of West Boland Road and North Porter Road, approximately 3.55 acres from the existing neighborhood commercial zoning district to the general commercial zoning district in anticipation of developing the site with a gasoline service station with convenience store and car wash. Uh as we can see here on the current zoning maps on the left, current zoning is neighborhood commercial and the applicant is proposing uh general commercial. This site is located at the uh juncture of uh two major arterial roads in the city. Um and it's rather typical uh looking at the zoning map and

uh encouraged by the city to do heavy commercial on these arterial roads as just mentioned in the previous reszone but especially at these corners and these intersections. Um the general plan designates this site as commercial. So the proposed reszone is in conformance with the general plan. Uh conformance with the zoning ordinance. uh since the reszone is uh consistent with the general plan um and that it's going to promote the growth of the city uh the location of it uh being at the corner of uh the two major arterial roads. Um the reszone request is appropriate for this corner. Uh public outreach for this application on May 2nd, notification letters were sent out to property owners within 600 feet of the site. Uh site sign was posted on that same day. newspaper notice was published May 6th. The neighborhood meeting was held on May 22nd. Uh there were a number of attendees uh with that meeting. Uh there was some opposition. Staff has received uh four emails of opposition which are in the commissioner's packets. uh under the citizen participation report. Uh the applicant had uh reached out uh emailed the um uh people that were in opposition with a uh detailed response to uh their um the various issues that they had resp uh opposition to. And it it varied from noise, extra traffic, light, uh some of the the very typical things when a vacant site is converting from being vacant for a very long time to being a commercial use. Um in the u detailed explanation, the applicant gets into how they're addressing those uh uh issues and concerns. Uh applicants representative here as well uh can answer any questions that the commission may have. As we sorry jumping ahead there. So those are the four letters of opposition. Um and the applicant's

response to it. Uh, with all of that said, uh, staff is recommending approval of the reszone, uh, case number Z25-03. And, um, staff is happy to answer any questions that the commission may have. Awesome. Thank you, Derek. Um, this is a public hearing, so I will open up the public hearing. I do have two speaker cards, and I will go in order that I received them. Uh, the first speaker card I have is Ron Anderami. Stepping up to get us here today. My uncle was a man of strength and of unwavering resolve. His dedication to being of service was matched only by his commitment to his family and his community. Thank you, planning and zoning for allowing me to talk about the terrible gas station. Every aspect of his life embodying what it means to I took this picture from my backyard today. It is the before picture. My backyard aligns with Alan Stevens. The view across both Alan Stevens and Porter. I included the projector view including the gas station and now I will have a terrible view when I go in my backyard. That's the after picture. As you can imagine, no one wants to have this view from their home. It's hard to imagine sitting in your backyard to enjoy the serenity of your home while seeing a sign that says terrible. While I appreciate the email response from terrible regarding some of our questions, not all of them were answered. I'd asked about adding trees across the street from both Bowden and Porter and Allen Stevens as well in an effort to block this view from the impacted homes. Those areas are managed by the HOA, not the city. The HOA would be receptive to a proposal from Terrible to help the homeowners hide this view, thus preserving their home value. Please consider requiring the additional landscaping to help keep good neighbors. And finally, you know, we've talked

about the safety issues and concerns of this location and the nearby schools. While Terrible has has provided a response to our questions, um, and that's appreciated, but I'm not sure if it's really going to prevent an accident with a child. Please have Terrible consider another location. Thank you. Thank you, Ron. The next speaker card I have is for Britney Pizzola. Did I say that correctly? Perfect. Hello. Um, I've spoken about this issue several times before, but I see a lot of new faces, so I appreciate you listening. Um, I am worried about the children's safety uh with the amount of traffic that Terribles will uh bring, as well as all the new apartments that are being built in the area. There are six schools located on Bolan and uh Porter and there are kids walking all the time on that road and people are flying down that road doing in the 45 zone doing 50 60 and in the 35 to zone doing 4550 and it's very dangerous. In the past 5 years four children have been hit either on a Porter or Allen Stevens riding their bikes or their scooters or walking. I've almost been hit several times walking my students to school as well. Um I'm worried that people won't know how to use the entrances and exits that they proposed for Terribles because they don't know how to use them at Circle K. People are entering in the wrong direction all the time there and it'll be the same at Terribles. Um I'm not against having another gas station. We need one. But it doesn't need to be on the same road. It needs to be someplace where there are less children walking, less pedestrians. maybe on the other side of Cassagran, Maricopa Highway by the uh apartments that are over there or maybe out by Tortosa. All the people from those areas are coming to the Circle K gas station and causing more

traffic on those roads where our students walk. Um I'm just worried about how people are going to use that intersection because they're already speeding through there, not watching when they turn, not paying attention to the green lights, red lights, especially uh when there are kids in the crosswalk. I also propose that you lower the limit speed limit on uh Porter from Honeyut all the way down to Walmart. It doesn't make sense that the speed limit's 35 in front of Walmart where there's hardly anybody walking and it's 45 in front of three schools and Pakana Park that is very busy during the school year during fall break, winter break, and spring break. There are tons of students walking at that time and people don't pay attention to the crosswalk signs and they are going way too fast. more kids are going to be injured with the increase of the apartments and the increase of another gas station there. I welcome another gas station, but maybe in a different location would be better. Thank you. Thank you. That is all the speaker cards that I have. Is there anybody else in the audience that I'd like to come forward? Yes, come forward. Say your name. My name is Mitchell Mastin. I'm the architect for this project and the only thing I'd like to say is that the only reason why we are looking for a reasonzoning is to be able to put a car wash on the site. We are zoned already for the fuel and the convenience store. So, the only thing that we are looking for is to be able to put a car wash and that's it. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening uh chairman uh commissioners. I just want to share my concern as well regarding uh the safety issue. Understand the change in the

zoning is to expand the radius area that the uh property would serve to five miles. So, regarding uh the prior concerns that have been shared with people coming out from outside driving to that particular area um including the car wash, I think it's an extra hazard given the schools and our traffic that we already have on Porter between uh Honeyut and Maricopa Cross Highway. Um primary issue is is uh safety. So again, my name is Leon Potter and I'm a community member. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anybody else in the audience that'd like to come forward and speak? Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. Commissioners, any questions, comments, concerns? Commissioner Robertson, I've been struggling with this um myself. Um I don't like the location. I do think it adds traffic and safety concerns, but I also understand like the architect said, this is going to develop anyway somehow by someone into commercial operation. That's how it's currently zoned. The zoning change that we're facing tonight is strictly to add the car wash. I attended the neighborhood meeting and listened. Didn't speak. We don't we don't speak, but we do listen. And one of the bigger concerns that I heard was the the turbo noise from the car wash because it would be a 24-hour operation. I went and stood outside the current car washes we have. I stood back 25, 50, 100 and up to 200 feet and you can hear those turbos 200 feet away very loudly. So, that was a concern to the folks and it was mentioned uh to the um the applicant at the time um by the folks that would they consider uh curtailing

nighttime operations of that. They indicated it was a possibility. I know at this point in the game, we're not locking in stipulations that the actual project has to go through several other steps as it develops. Right now, it's strictly zoning. But I do want the people to know that um we do take these things serious. We do listen. I went out personally and and spent some time at two of the car washes we have here just to listen at those um turbo air dryers at and they're always at the end of the tunnel so the noise comes out that I I get it. So I'm struggling with this. Um there are other locations around the city that might be better suited. Um but frankly I I don't see how a negative vote is going to change the outcome for the neighborhood. It's going to be developed by somebody or someone if um tonight if we if we we declare it uh not to be fit for that location. They may decide well we'll leave the car wash out but we're still going to go with 20 gas pumps and the lights and everything else. Um they did talk about um they did their own study had a lighting consultant come in. there will be no light invasion, all the particular um uh statistics that go along with light pollution. Um I just want the people know we do listen. Um sometimes we're painted into a corner. This might be one of those times where no matter how we vote, something's going to be built there. Thank you, Commissioner Yoken. Just a just a thought. Uh, I can certainly empathize with I hope I'm pronouncing your name right, sir. Mr. Angeram, uh, I'm looking at your picture and when I saw the picture, I knew what you were

going to be telling us. And if anybody is caught into this web, it's me. I approved an eight a project of eight apartment buildings, each of them four stories tall, and they are being built now. And when I look out my back window from my swimming pool, I see four I see fourstory uh apartment buildings, and it's not something that I wanted, but it's going to affect perhaps me and seven or eight of my neighbors. And I have always been a strong advocate of the greater good. are am I going am I going to refuse they're building those those apartments because it it it uh interferes with my view or is it going to benefit the other 30 40 50,000 people of the city and in that sense I I do empathize with you but uh I think it's it's progress thank you commissioner commissioner club thank you through the chair Um, I have a challenge with this one and I have a three page three pages of notes that I took as it relates to my challenges with this project. But what we're here to talk about is the land use of the resoning only and not some of the fundamental challenges of the project itself. And I think something that needs to be addressed by or or or understood. There's been a lot of I think mis miscommunication or misinformation that that's out in the in uh out in the public right now regarding social media and so on is this property is currently zoned to allow for a gas station. There's nothing any of us anything the city can do to stop that. Um, Terribles has the right if they had building permits today, they have the

right to start construction tomorrow on that. Nothing that happens tonight or in the future can change that. Um, that issue is as the architect came up and and spoke, they want to add a car wash element to this and that takes it out of the current zoning and puts requires them to either go into a new zoning category or to go to a PUD. Um, I kind of wish I would have gone a PUD rather than straight zoning because I think there's there's a little bit more flexibility that that could be done here to address some of the neighbors and the the community members challenges and and issues with this project. Um, but it is what it is what it is. Um, I need to say also I'm I'm a resident here. I live caddy corner from this. I live a block away from Ron and you know this is something I drive by every day. This is a a site that you know I drove by tonight coming to this meeting and um as I mentioned on the previous case, I'm always reluctant to reszone properties that don't tell me what they're trying to do. And that's this is another case of those. It's we have this blanket slate that says reszone it. We'll take care of you. trust us. And in 40 years of being in the development business, I'm a little gunshy. I've I've seen it. I've been part of it. Um, and doesn't always work that way. Um there's not a lot that we can do to um to change the fact of of a gas station, but should this pass tonight and and the architect and the applicant is here. Um rest assured my three pages will come back and we will have lots to discuss uh

as this goes through site planning and design review. Um there's a lot of issues within the community that I think need to be taken care of. Um and um you know the other part of this is I've designed several car washes. Um and I have a family member that is in the car wash development business. So I know the ins and outs. I know the inner workings of kind of how it's played. And I I intend to bring a lot to the table uh should that time come. So that it's all I'll say for now and we'll see where it goes. Thanks. Thank you, Mr. Thomas. Hello. Um I'm grateful to hear the comments, especially from the community. Um, I'm definitely torn with the um the concerns, but I believe hearing the reasoning of simply the car wash um don't know how much that will cut into your profit, but it definitely uh the noise factor has definitely um urged me to see that this may not be something that I'm so easily swayed to approve. So, I appreciate all the uh ongoing information and I think it's uh something for me to reconsider um not approving. So, thank you. Thank you. Guess that leaves me. Uh I I hear the comments from the community. One thing that we need to keep in mind is this is purely the zoning. This isn't a development review. this isn't. Hey, how are they going to enter and exit this piece of land? Um, as it's been mentioned multiple times, they can go build right now. They could pull permits. They could build the gas

station. There's nothing stopping them. Um, and that's been the majority of the complaints tonight I've seen online. um is the gas station aspect, but currently there's nothing stopping the developer from doing that as it sits. It's just a zoning. It goes because of a car wash. They want to add a car wash. So, we're not even talking necessarily about an issue with gas station being too tall, too bright. It's just there because they want to add a car wash. Uh the city does have no noise ordinance, light pollution ordinance. That all comes later. That's not right here right now. What's before us right now is purely the reasoning of this piece of dirt. So with that said, do I have a motion on Z25-03? Motion to approve. I have a motion to approve Z25-03 from the vice chair. Do I have a second? I will second it. All in favor say I. I. I. All opposed? Nay. Nay. Nay. Three and three. Three. Can we do a roll call, please? Can you just call their names out so we can get your vote for the minutes? Commissioner BMS. Commissioner Robertson. Nay. I'm sorry. Vice Chair Waters. Yes. Uh, Chair Singleton, yes. Commissioner Yokum, yes. Commissioner Clope, nay. Commissioner Thomas, nay. Yeah. Motion fails. That motion fails.

That will take us to item 5.4, SUB24-07, a request by CVL Consultants on behalf of Maricopa Hartman LLP, requesting approval of the sanctuary phase 1 subdivision preliminary plat to accommodate 339 single family homes on approximately 83.02 gross acres. The property is generally located at the norththeast corner of West Maricopa Casa Grande Highway and North Hartman Road. This is for discussion and action. Derek, take it away. Excuse me. Sorry, Commissioner Singleton, members of the commission. Derek Sheer with the planning department. Uh, reading in subdivision case 24-07, uh, preliminary plat application for the sanctuary phase 1 development. Uh CBL Consultants on behalf of Maricopa Hartman LLP is requesting to uh plat a total of 339 residential lots on 83.02 acres uh as indicated on the location map there. This location is at the northeast corner of um Hartman Road and uh Maricopa Cassa Grand Highway. Uh this is this phase of development will have a gross density of 4.08 08 dwelling units per acre and the lot sizes will vary from 40x 120 ft to 45 by 120 ft to 50 by 120 ft. Uh this area of land is part of the sanctuary planned area development zoning district that was approved under P A2-07 as amended um that permitted the lot sizes and the densities. Here we can see a a little bit uh closer in on the development standards for this phase one parcel. As you see on the left, uh the phase one area is outlined in the dashed yellow. I've uh highlighted uh for everyone's interest, uh sanctuary parcel data, uh where on the right hand side

saying where phase one is compared to phase two. Uh phase one will include a the 5.5 uh 5.59 gross acre uh main amenity park. That'll be the main amenity park for the sanctuary development, both phases one and two. Uh there will be a second one, but um that's in the future. We're not quite sure yet there. My understanding is C CVL and the applicant are still solidifying uh their plans for the phase 2 area. Uh we do have a representative from CVL here who can speak uh on behalf of the project and answer any questions that the commission may have. Uh as we see here, the parcels 1, 2, 8, 9, and the main park are being platted uh or proposed for a preliminary plat. Now the next step would be a final plat uh for the applicants for their uh open space and landscaping. Uh that is this exhibit is included as exhibit C in the uh commissioner's packet. Um all the residents within the phase are going to have access uh per the uh subdivision code u 17 uh sufficient access within 880 ft to an open space area. Uh there's one large open space uh main park that you see there with the lake and there's eight open space drainage areas that are also little pocket parks for the neighborhoods that are scattered throughout uh on the landscape plan there. You can see most of them are the green spaces that are rectangular shaped. Some of them are the linear trail parks going in between uh connections for this site. Um, sorry, jumping ahead, but this illustrates better the park and open space areas. Uh, the large yellow with the bluey purple circle, that's that main amenity park. And then we have all these little pocket parks. They're drainage areas, but they're also pocket parks that have been amenitized and activated as usable open space for the residents uh between all of these areas. And I tried to come up with a graph and it's kind of hard to see here but you can see

sort of the dashed lines if you really look. I am color blind so it's difficult for me to see. Uh but those are the pedestrian trail connections going through the parks through the neighborhoods going from dedicated pedestrian trails onto neighborhood sidewalks back onto pedestrian trails interconnection within uh the development but then also exterior to devel development. You can kind of see over on the lefth hand side where uh North Hartman Road is. Uh you can see the pedestrian trails going from the street network through the landscape areas out to Hartman. So uh the future residents, they won't be beholden to just following those sidewalks and going all the way around. We uh worked diligently with CVL anticipating where cutthrough areas may be uh that would benefit the um future residents and they abided and put the pedestrian routes all through uh the community. Uh we hope that this will serve future residents very well. Access and circulation. Uh the main access will be off of uh North Hartman Road. uh secondary main access in the future through phase two will be through Maricopa Casser Grand Highway as indicated there. Right now it's being planned as an all-weather emergency access. Uh the size of this development requires those two points of access for emergency services. However, uh the main development of that spine road is going to occur during uh phase two. Um construction-wise, developing that spine road all the way down with this number of units and this number of parcels really isn't uh feasible at this time. Uh from uh what the applicant has uh explained to us, we've discussed it with this uh city engineer. Uh city engineer agrees with that. So right now it's the all weather access emergency that'll come off of Maricopa Cassag Grand Highway with the main access off of Hartman. When phase two develops, then this whole plan will look and you'll have that main spine road with a uh co

the roundabout in the middle right in front of that main amenity park and that's going to link all of the parcels together to come out on Hartman and Maricopa Cass Grand Highway. Uh the proposed development is consistent with the general plan and the P A for the site uh for uh the lot sizes and densities and staff is recommending approval uh or that the commission motion for approval of subdivision CA preliminary plat subdivision case SUB24-07. Again uh here for any questions that the commission may have and representative from CVL is here as well. Awesome. Thank you Derek. Commissioners, any questions, comments, concerns? Start that way. We'll start this way. All right. Commissioner Club. Thank you through the chair. Um, can you tell me what the difference was in either number of lots in the previous approved uh I don't know if it was a zoning case or what uh or was it a PUG case? Whatever it was. um number of lots approved compared to what where we are today and andor lot sizes. Did any of that change? Yes. Uh the lot sizes did not change. Oh, sorry. Comm uh Chairman Singleton, Commissioner Club. Lot sizes did not change. There was a minor amendment two years ago to the P A that added I believe it was just over 50 additional lots, maybe 75. Uh do you recall exactly how many were Um, no, it I I don't recall the exact number off the top of my head, but it was within the um within the allowable addition of a minor PAD amendment rather than a major PAD amendment that would go back to the commission and go back to the council for approval.

Yeah. did not cross the 10% threshold that would have elevated it to a major. Um here's my concern as as these some of these projects start coming up online. Um and it's kind of even relates back to a little bit of the case we heard before the sins of the past. Um, one of the things that we have, I think, happening in in the city of Maricopa right now is so many of these developments that were approved, platted, reszoned 5, 10, 15 years ago, sometimes even some even older than that probably. Um, early on when Maricopa was really was first starting out back 2003, four, five in that area, there were two things the city had going for it as it developed. One was it was less expensive. The second was lot sizes. You can get, you know, a bigger home for less money on a bigger lot in Maricopa than you could in Chandler, Aatuki, Gilbert, and so on. And now it it most subdivisions that we're seeing coming through are like this. You know, 4,500 foot lots, 4,800 foot lots. A big lot is 6,000 square foot. We've now been pigeonholed into these tiny lot developments, which I agree we need. I have no problem with with small lot developments. My issue is that's all we have. And in another situation, I made an analogy of when your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. We only have a hammer. We have nothing else to offer other

developers, other opportunities. I made the comment during the housing assessment a few weeks ago or a couple months ago as it relates to it was only focused on you know higher density lowerend affordable housing which again I agree that we need there we have a a demand for it but we also need middle inome homes we also need larger homes we also need that higher you know uh income level homes and none of these developments ments that we're seeing lately offer any of that. This, you know, 4,800 foot lot, that's a 12-300 foot home. That's the that's the majority of this phase one. And if you go back to your site plan, it's half of the development. And I don't know that, you know, this is a mile away from our new industrial triangle. This is, you know, we have a lot of commercial space that's coming on board. There's there's a lot of opportunities here for people that we're not meeting. We have people from Intel that are making six-figure incomes that are going to look to Maricopa as the new as the new operations ramp up versus Queen Creek. Queen Creek has that upper level income level of residential developments. We can't offer that. We can't compete. And whereas I understand this is a plat that's kind of already been approved for this. It's more of a statement here. I'm troubled by the direction that we're going that we're going to be so pigeonholed in uh in what's happening within the city, what's happening in the outlying areas in the county of it's all small lot development and that's not serving and that's not going to make a successful city as we go forward. Um, and I don't know what staff can do to help maybe promote some of these parcels

to, you know, trade off. I love the open space. I love the green space that that's in this development. I think it's awesome. But the fact that we're not offering any other product types for a subdivision this size scares the hell out of me of where this community is going. And I think something needs to change. Uh, I don't know that that can happen tonight, but something's got to give. So, I just need to make that statement. Thank you, Commissioner Yokum. It's it's an interesting comment that Bob makes because I'm on the general plan overall committee. And, uh, this topic of having larger homes with that that cost more, have more features and so forth has been quite a discussion point at general plan level. And I'm sure that they're going to be putting something into the general plan to address that issue. What that is, I don't know because we're still kind of at the in the infant stage of the general plan put together. But, uh, I I fully agree with everything Bob said as far as getting more upscale properties and trying to get the developers to go in that direction. Thank you, Commissioner Robertson. I'm not sure I understood the answer to the first question about density. So, I'll try it a little differently. I understand we didn't meet the threshold for a major amendment. I get that. But in fact, density has increased. Yes or no? Yes, the number No, the number of units has increased. I don't believe the density did. I'd have to go back and double check that. The number of units increased approximately 10% or under 10% than what it was before. Uh, I don't have the numbers in front of me of what the density was before, but we're probably talking fractions of a

point, whereas maybe like 4.38 and now it's 4.08 per acre. Yeah. Okay. Just so we're aware, that was an administrative approval in 2024, right? So that's not before you tonight. That's already been approved. Okay, understood. Commissioners, any other questions, comments, concerns? No. Um, Derek, I I did have one question. Could you give a little more explanation on the emergency access? Is that going to be accessible to anyone? Can anybody drive off of Maropa Kaagana Highway and take it straight into their neighborhood or is that going to be gated off like some of the other uh emergency accesses? Chairman Singleton, yes, it will be uh emergency access only. It'll it'll have a I don't think a formal gate uh but some sort of barrier that uh the emergency services can access maybe a NOX box where they can unlock it. Uh usually they're typically about 20 foot wide uh compact uh DG that can maintain uh the weights of I think uh 75,000lb trucks or 80,000lb trucks just for the secondary access should an unfortunate incident happen at that main intersection at Hartman Road that they can access to uh you know get in there. And if that were uh an instance that happened where Hartman Road connection was then the uh residents would be able to use that emergency access to get out and uh traverse out. Thank you Derek. Uh another question I had was you said it didn't meet the number of housing required to fully complete that spine in this phase. What is that number and how far off are we from that number? If Chairman Singleton,

I'd have to defer to uh the CBL representative to get more in detail of where thresholds are for costs of developing a road um and how many houses it takes to offset that cost. Thank you. Good evening everybody. Uh my name is Alex Caravel with CVL. Um I'm not quite sure the yield that would be required to uh improve the entire roadway there. Um but it was agreed per the city engineer and the traffic study that what we're providing right now is adequate to to uh serve this community and the rest will have to come on at a later date. Okay. Thank you commissioners. Any other questions? Go one more. Commissioner club through the chair. Thank you. Uh yeah the the emergency access is a concern. um and and not not having a second point. Um I think the uh I think someone posted the other day about uh being just south of the railroad tracks there on Porter and getting stuck for an hour and a half the other night because of a train. I can only imagine if there was an accident here and if we have to go wait for someone to come unlock the gates to be able to go out, you know, down to, you know, Maropos Cats Grant Highway. Um, I think that I think having that second point of access is is is important to this and important to to the people that may not realize, you know, when they move in there that,

oh, wait, you only got one point to come and go and um if there's a problem, you're stuck. And uh I think I think having that access is pretty important to this development, especially with what we got 300 340 homes coming in. Um that's uh that's quite a few people that telling them they can't leave because there's an accident there or or some other kind of traffic challenge or or road blockage there uh is is an unfair burden to put on them. Thanks, commissioners. Any other questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none, do I have a motion on SCB 24-07? Real quick before the motion, can we add a stipulation to add the emergency access road? Is that within the purview of this? My concern with that is it's been approved by the city engineer and we have standards. So, if the city engineer has determined that that meets our standards, um that would be concerning to me that we're making the applicant do more than the city code requires. So, I don't have a TIA in front of me. The city engineer is not here. So, unfortunately, I can't tell you, but it wouldn't be here if it hadn't been approved. So, if that's something we need to discuss with the city engineer on what those standards are, maybe we can invite him to a meeting to discuss that. Maybe an option would be to continue this until we could have a city engineer present. Commissioner Robertson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, if this phase one was standalone somewhere else, would one access be sufficient? take this phase one and move it somewhere else with no one else around

it. If one chair and um Commissioner Robertson, I think that's a really hard question because it's all depends on the traffic generated. So if this was the only thing, it depends on how you get out the arterials. Maricopa Cascan Highway is going to probably require deline acceleration lanes. So all that is taken into consideration by engineers based on the development. So I don't think there's an answer to that question because it would determine depend on location. Okay. Then I was under the wrong assumption that the housing count is what drives the type and the amount of access points. It's the traffic impact analysis that drives it, not the amount of homes, which is all related because the traffic trip generated is averages of people per home and cars per home. And so it's it's all related, but some of it depends on the size of homes and how many people you expect to be in there. Thank you. But to to tag on through the chair, sorry. To tag on to that a little bit though, I I think if we look at the lessons we those of us that have been around for a long time, the lessons we hopefully learned from 2008 of the zombie developments that do occur. Uh luckily we haven't had any that have occurred, you know, much recently, but uh there were a lot of developments that never got developed. Um, some of them are just getting here we are 15 years later, they're just getting developed now in certain areas of town. Um, should that happen, should we go into another recession and this project stops midstream again it's are we creating an unsafe situation for the next we don't know how many years. I would love to say this whole thing develops out tomorrow but it the reality is it may not. I'm not sure we can say it's creating an unsafe situation when we've had expert engineers look at this and say it meets

our standards and it is safe. So I understand you have concerns and like I said if there needs to be code amendments or city engineers coming in here to tell you what they consider and what they look at but I think there's very I mean there's industry standards, there's code standards um that are all taken into consideration when these are evaluated. So, they've determined that it's safe and that's their job to tell us. They've determined that and and I'm I'm I'm not trying to argue with you and I I apologize if it's coming that way. Uh they've determined it based on the predicated that phase two, phase three is going to be coming along shortly after. Um if if phase two and phase three don't come, you know, that 101 15 years down the road, is it still a safe living environment for the people that the 339 homes that are here? Well, that all weather emergency access that is determined safe today will have to be maintained. So, if it's safe today and it's a zombie, so that all doesn't get built, then um it's actually more safe because there's less people. Your city engineer is telling you today if they build out phase one, all they need is the access to Hartman and the all-w weather emergency access to Maricopa Cas Grand Highway and that is safe. Okay. So, if it gets fully built out, but phase two or phase three doesn't come, then they've determined that that's safe. Okay. And again, if we need to have the city engineer talk about the standards, I think that's something we should definitely do um to address these concerns because obviously I'm not an engineer, so I can't tell you the numbers or anything like that, but we do have standards that they look at this. Uh just to tag on to that who is responsible for maintaining just so we have that on record. Is it the city's responsible or CVL is responsible? It will be the developers and the owners.

Yeah. No, we don't we don't maintain until we accept the road and that's not done until it's an actual road. Perfect. Thank you. Any other questions, comments, concerns from the commission? No. Do you have a question? No. Okay. Do I have a motion on SUB 24-07? I'd like to make a motion to continue this case until we could have a traffic engineer discuss in more detail on the emergency access and the the requirement why it's not needed. Okay. I have a motion to basically table this. Do I have a second? I'll second that motion. Second. All in favor say I. I I All opposed? Nay. That motion passes. [Music] That was Chair Robertson. Okay. Thank you. That's what I thought, but just want to make sure. No problem. Uh that takes us to agenda item six, reports through the chair. Yes. He's no longer chair. You are. You said it was Chair Robertson, man. Old habits die hard. Um that'll take us to agenda item six, reports from commission andor staff. Rick, thank you very much. Um couple of things. Um so we we've got agendas going uh the next two meetings in a row. So we'll meet again in two weeks. U and then I believe a a mid July meeting. Um, so we're we're stacking and racking them and um got good agendas coming uh I believe it's Hartman Ranch that development uh coming to you in two weeks. So just give you an idea that uh we will we will stay busy at least through July it is.

Second thing I'd like to do is um Miss Julie Alvarez sitting down here on the end has you know been kind enough for the last well I guess year plus hadn't it um to help us organize things get the um agendas out and she's done an outstanding job and been a huge help to me um but uh I think tonight's going to be her last meeting. She's staying with the city so she's not going anywhere. We're just kind of reshuffleling duties a little bit. I just would like to uh thank her for everything that she's done and all the help she's been and and just let her know that um Julie is much appreciated. Um and then I'd also like to introduce the the gentleman sitting right next to her. That's uh James. James is a new planner. Came from California. I believe this is his third week here. So, you're going to be seeing a lot more of him. Uh, and he's going to be assisting up here as well. And, uh, I just want to say welcome aboard. We're happy to have him. Uh, good guy and we're looking forward to working with him in the future. Um, chairman, that concludes my updates and, um, I'll turn it back over to you, sir. Thank you. Um, I do not see a need for e session. Uh, so that'll take us to adjournment. Do I have a motion? Motion to have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. We are adjourned. Thank you.