CAREFREE TRUTH
Carefree Truth #447
Carefree Truth
Issue #447, December 14, 2015
Planning director Stacey Bridge-Denzak presented the staff report for the proposed Keystone Homes "Eastwood" development west of the southwest corner of Pima and Cave Creek Roads, which would require a minor General Plan (GP) amendment, and a re-zoning that would replace the existing Garden Office (GO) and Low Density Residential (LDR) zoning with a Residential Unit Planned Development (RUPD) designation and an underlying R-3 zoning.
The GP is a land use document that guides growth and development. Mechanisms are in place to reevaluate and amend the GP under certain circumstances. The proposed development encompasses 2 full lots and a portion of a 3rd lot, totaling approximately 10 acres. To the north are non- residential uses including the Heritage, an assisted living facility, and Pima Norte, a garden office development. Other areas around it are LDR. Sky Ranch, an attached townhome community, is across the street on Cave Creek Road. Non- residential uses are considered more intense, intensity being determined by the number of people frequenting a site, which correlates to traffic and vehicular trips. LDR allows one single family home per acre. The requested change is to Medium Density Residential (MDR), and if approved, the site would contain 7 per single family homes per acre. MDR development is considered a good transition between GO and LDR, as most do not want to develop or buy homes on 1 acre that abut an office complex. MDR is a less intense use than GO. This proposal would also provide "roofs" to support the downtown businesses.
Next, Ms. Bridge-Denzak presented the zoning. See the slide at 9 minutes on the video for the existing zoning. Currently on the GO portion is the old TV/movie studio that has been deteriorating, unused for many years. RUPD is a custom zoning district. The slide with the proposed preliminary plat plan can be viewed at 11 minutes on the video. 39 lots would face onto Cave Creek Road, with heavy landscaping around the borders and at the well designed entry. The average lot size would be 5912 square feet, with lots ranging from 5,000-8,000 square feet.
The streets would be private. A landscape buffer of 35' along Cave Creek Road will be provided to improve the public view from the road. The design, colors, and materials of the gates and theme walls are contextual to the area. The proposed single family homes are single story. The Sonoran Desert Ranch style elevations can be seen at 13 minutes on the video. There is diversity with the features, and no identical elevations will be built beside or across the street from one another. There is also more variety than usual on the back facades of the homes. The fronts will all include some brick or stone, and be desert colors, with enhanced styling on the garage doors. Some off site traffic improvements will be made. All utilities and services will be available to the Eastwood residents.
The noticing requirements and citizen participation meetings have been completed, the application has been heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at a public meeting. Some opposition was expressed by residents and by a Sky Ranch Homeowners' Association at that meeting. The Commissioners felt many concerns and questions were addressed and answered, so they unanimously recommended approval of the application to the Council. The applicant requested a continuance at the November Council meeting so they could reach out to the Sky Ranch HOA, which continued to have concerns. They addressed some of the opposing points and came away with a compromise acceptable to both. The buffer has been increased from 25' to 35' along Cave Creek Road, and landscaping has been enhanced along the border. The Board of Directors of the Sky Ranch HOA has withdrawn its letter of objection.
Mrs. Bridge-Denzak felt it was important to touch on a few points of contention. RUPD is a valid zoning district in the zoning ordinance. There is no issue with the density or the
acreage. The Zoning Administrator made the interpretation that this project is viable and meets the intention of the ordinance.
Vice Mayor John Crane asked how many HOAs are in Sky Ranch. Mrs. Bridge-Denzak told him there are three, but the only one involved was within the 500' notification boundary. She assumed they had spoken with the others but they have not commented. The Vice Mayor asked who pays for the median break and the turn lanes that will be added on Cave Creek Road for left and right turns into Eastwood. Mrs. Bridge-Denzak replied that the developer would pay for those improvements, as well as being required to underground the overhead power lines. Mayor Les Peterson noted that undergrounding the power lines is an expensive undertaking. Vice Mayor Crane asked if there was anything in a RUDP contrary to the normal zoning standards, such as height restrictions. Mrs. Bridge-Denzak assured him that the standards are consistent. Councilwoman Melissa Price questioned the dip by the road. Mrs. Bridge-Denzak explained that the project was designed so that no drainage would go off site other than historic flows in and out, and that the drainage plan had been reviewed by the Town Engineer.
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
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