Andrew Pirrone, Water Conservation Coordinator
Marissa Pellegrini, Kimley-Horn

This is a staff-initiated request to amend Article 2-2 (Definitions) and Article 5-1 (Landscaping Standards) of the city of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance to modify definitions and landscape standards applicable to properties within the city. The general intent of this text amendment is to update the city’s landscape standards, ensure enhanced landscape designs, and to promote water efficiencies.
 

There is no direct budget impact associated with the approval of this Zoning Ordinance text amendment.

The City of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance regulates the development of all land within the city. Regulations set forth in the Zoning Ordinance may be amended when deemed necessary to best serve the public interest, health, comfort, convenience, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of the city. The current Zoning Ordinance was originally adopted by the City Council in May 1999 and has been revised a number of times.

The Water Conservation Committee, established in 2016 to provide recommendations for the reduction of outdoor water use, issued their Recommendation Plan Report in May 2018. One of the 12 recommendations in the report was to develop a new set of landscape design standards and guidelines for all development within the city.

A joint City Council/Planning & Zoning Commission worksession was held on September 9, 2021. During the worksession, Councilmembers and Commissioners addressed the need to promote water efficiency while still ensuring aesthetic landscape designs within the city.

This Zoning Ordinance text amendment was considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission at a public hearing held on November 30, 2022. At the hearing, the Commissioners voted 6-0 to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.

Current Policy:

The following policies contained within the city of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance are applicable and relevant to this requested text amendment:

• Article 1, Section 1-3-1, of the Zoning Ordinance establishes the process for the review and approval of text amendments to the Zoning Ordinance.
• Article 2-2 (Definitions) of the Zoning Ordinance; this text amendment proposes to revise certain definitions.
• Article 5-1 (Landscaping Standards) establishes requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of landscaping within the city and is being revised with this action.

Details of the Request:

This request for text amendment will modify certain definitions and standards within the Zoning Ordinance related to landscaping design, installation and maintenance. To achieve this intent, the text amendment includes the following sections and revisions:

• Article 2-2: Removes some definitions;
• Article 5-1-1: Sets forth the purpose of the landscape standards;
• Article 5-1-2: Sets forth the applicability of the standards. As proposed, the standards would be applicable to all properties within city limits;
• Section 5-1-3: Sets forth the general provisions of the Article,
• Section 5-1-4: Sets forth landscape design objectives and standards, with subsections addressing design objectives, amount of landscaping required in each zoning district, landscape buffers, use of turf, tree planting, ground cover, parking areas, retention basins, and water efficient design. The water efficient design subsection proposes to establish a maximum percentage of the total onsite landscaped area that can be used for turf or other high water use plant material within the city’s zoning districts, as follows: industrial (1%), commercial (5%), multi-family (10%) and single family residential (15%);
• Section 5-1-5: Sets forth standards for landscape maintenance and enforcement;
• Approved Plant Matrix: The matrix includes trees, shrubs, groundcover, vines, succulents and perennials that are permitted within the city’s landscaped areas. The matrix also includes descriptive criteria, such as height, growth rate, and water use, to assist staff and the development community with landscape design. The proposed Approved Plant Matrix conforms to the Arizona Department of Water Resources Low Water Use Drought Tolerant Plant list.

Evaluation Criteria:

As previously noted, Section 1-3-1 (Amendments) of the Zoning Ordinance provides evaluation criteria for text amendments. The criteria and accompanying staff analysis (italics) are provided below:

A. Documentation indicating inconsistencies in terms of the Ordinance or problems and/or conflicts in implementation of specific sections of the Ordinance that will be resolved by the amendment;

The Zoning Ordinance was originally adopted in 1999, the last update to the landscape standards adopted in 2011 (revised maintenance standards). Given the time since this last amendment, and the recommendation from the Water Conservation Committee, an update was deemed appropriate.

B. Whether amendment is needed to respond to changes in the law, statutory or case law;

This amendment is not in response to any changes in law. It does respond to a recommendation from the Water Conservation Committee to update the city’s landscape standards and promote water efficiencies.


C. Whether amendment is needed to address zoning and/or development issues or to improve processes for addressing such issues;

The amendment will provide an update to the city’s landscaping standards and addresses water efficiencies. Some of the measures addressing water efficiencies include maximum areas for the use of high water use plant material in industrial and commercial zoning districts and limiting the use of such plant material in residential areas to active recreation areas and focal points. The use of turf will be specifically limited to those areas intended for active recreation, such as play fields and dog parks. The use of turf solely for ornamental purposes is proposed to no longer be permitted. However, individual homeowners on a single family residential lot may plant turf without restriction.

D. Whether amendment will to promote implementation of goals and objectives of the City’s General Plan;

The amendment will promote the following goals, objectives and policies of the General Plan:

Objective CC-1-3 and CC-1-15 Policy A: Encourage the use of regionally appropriate, attractive, and diverse architecture and landscape treatments and unique identities.

Goal GD-6: An adequate volume and reliable supply of high-quality potable and non-potable water resources that meets both current and future needs.

Objective GD-6-1, Policy B: Attempt to: 2) develop, protect, and sustainably use current water resources.

Objective GD-6-6: Commit to water conservation.

Objective GD-9-1, Policy C: Reduce the heat island effect.

Objective GD-9-2, Action Item A: Explore programs that encourage developers to reduce water consumption.

E. Any other factors related to the impact of the amendment on the general health, safety or welfare of the citizens of the City and the general public.

The text amendment should not have any adverse impacts on the general health, safety or welfare of citizens or the general public. The proposal provides an update to the landscape standards and is intended to balance community aesthetics and water efficient design.


Public Participation:

This Zoning Ordinance text amendment requires public hearings before the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council. Notice for these public hearings included a full-size legal notice published in the Arizona Republic on November 11, 2022. Information on this text amendment was provided to the development community through correspondence from the Development Services Department via email notification on June 8, 2022. Additionally, the notice and information related to the text amendment were posted to the current development applications section of the city’s website.

As mentioned above, a draft of the landscape standards was provided to the development community in June of this year. Several members of the development community responded, with such comments as adding flexibility to the standards given current market conditions and supply chain issues, providing additional clarity, allowing more turf in residential areas, and ensuring recommended tree spacing provided for healthy canopies.

Staff responded to each comment and met with a representative from the Home Builders Association on July 15, 2022. The meeting was collaborative, and staff and the representative were able to incorporate several of the requested changes into the draft standards. However, one item that was not incorporated was a request for a higher percentage of turf in residential subdivisions. Staff finds the current proposal allows for a balance of aesthetics, active use and water efficiency, so the maximum turf area was not changed. No opposition to the draft landscape standards has been received to date.

This Zoning Ordinance text amendment was considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission at a public hearing held on November 30, 2022. Commissioners discussed the importance of pollinator friendly plants and the opportunity to provide such plantings within large retention areas. Upon close of the public hearing, the Commissioners voted 6-0 to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council. There was no opposition to the item voiced at the public hearing.