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ITEM #: 11.
DATE: 12/15/2025
AI #:2855

CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT

SUBJECT:

REZONE APPROXIMATELY 1.940 ACRES FROM KING RANCH PAD TO RIO 1900 PAD

STAFF PRESENTER(S):

Christian M. Williams, Planning Manager

OTHER PRESENTER(S):

Brian Greathouse, Burch & Cracchiolo

SUMMARY

This is a public hearing to request a rezone of approximately 1,940 acres, extending east to west from Estrella Parkway across Cotton Lane to approximately the alignment of 187th Avenue, and north to south from Gila River to the northern edge of the Estrella residential community, from King Ranch Planned Area Development (PAD) to Rio 1900 PAD with multiple underlying zoning districts, and to request the item be continued to a date certain on January 26, 2026.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT

RECOMMENDATION

Conduct the public hearing and continue the item to the January 26, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting. (Christian M. Williams, Planning Manager)

STIPULATIONS

The complete list of stipulations is contained within the draft Ordinance, included as Attachment A.

FISCAL IMPACT

Although a fiscal impact analysis has not been conducted on this specific project, all new development will have an ongoing fiscal impact on the city. The development is responsible for construction of all infrastructure necessary to serve the site and will generate one-time revenue for the city through payment of permits, construction sales tax, and development impact fees. Longer term fiscal impacts include increased demands for municipal services, the costs of which may or may not be offset by increased property values/tax levies, city sales tax, state shared revenues, and the increased demand for commercial and retail development. Any areas that will be maintained by the city are constructed by the developer and then conveyed to the city two years after construction. Additionally, as part of the Development Agreement for King Ranch approved by City Council on September 11, 2023, the owner of the Property is required to repay the city for the construction of the Cotton Lane Bridge. Such repayment may include land donations, construction of recreational facilities and/or amenities or the cash payment of $4,000 per vertical building permit (residential or commercial) issued for development within the Property until the city receives full repayment for the Cotton Lane Bridge.

BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS

On December 3, 2025, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing for this item. After staff presented the Minor General Plan Amendment and Rezone request, the applicant followed with a presentation focused on water and infrastructure. Commissioners expressed support for trail development and discussed roadway construction across the Gila River, intersections in northern Estrella, and the adequacy of water sources to support the proposed development, including potential impacts on city resources.

During the Public Hearing, eight residents spoke or submitted speaker cards. One speaker expressed general support, while others raised questions and comments regarding BLM land impacts, visuals of the development, buffers between Rio 1900 and Estrella, roadway access between Cotton Lane and Estrella Parkway, entitlement status, infrastructure and budget awareness, Arizona state land parcels, water resources, stormwater impacts, lot sizes, and building coverage. In response, the applicant presented a conceptual land use map illustrating higher density to the north and lower density to the south, explained residential buffers and potential uses, and provided information on the development process and the potential for a resort. One resident voiced support for the graduated density approach after reviewing the conceptual plan.

At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval, subject to the proposed stipulations which are reflected in the Ordinance included as Attachment A.

A Public Hearing notice for the City Council Meeting was published in the Arizona Business Gazette- Republic Edition on November 26, 2025, at least 15 days prior to the meeting; postcards were mailed to 423 adjoining owners, located within five hundred (500) feet of the Property, on November 22, 2025; and signs were updated on the site on December 1, 2025.

Additional details regarding the previous actions are provided in the Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report, included in Attachment F.

STAFF ANALYSIS

Please note that there is a scrivener's error in the proposed Stipulation #4 in Ordinance 2025-XXXX. As it is currently written, the stipulation mentions a water allocation cap of 1,900 acre feet per year, but then states that should the actual water demand exceed 1,400 acre feet per year, the applicant will be responsible for procuring additional water for the project. Both figures in this stipulation should read as 1,900 acre feet per year, so the second figure in the stipulation should be corrected from 1,400 to 1,900.

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the Ordinance, consistent with the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation with a modification to Stipulation #4 to correct the scrivener's error which would replace 1,400 with 1,900.

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