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AGENDA ITEM #:22-350-00008
DATE: June 28, 2023
CAR #:
CASE #: {Case#}
Planning & Zoning Commission ACTION REPORT
 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A MINI-STORAGE FACILITY (ABERNATHEY HOLDINGS MINI-STORAGE)
 
STAFF PRESENTER(S): Guadalupe Ortiz Cortez, Planner

OTHER PRESENTER(S):

Michael Buschbacher, Earl & Curley

SUMMARY:

A request for a Special Use Permit for a mini-storage facility on an approximately 2-acre parcel, located at 1770 N. Litchfield Road, west of North Litchfield Road and north of West McDowell Road, within the Palm Valley Commerce Park and designated for commercial uses within the Palm Valley Phase II Planned Area Development (PAD) District.

RECOMMENDATION:

  1. Conduct a public hearing to consider a request for a Special Use Permit for a mini-storage facility on an approximately 2-acre parcel, located at 1770 N. Litchfield Road, west of North Litchfield Road and north of West McDowell Road, within the Palm Valley Commerce Park and designated for commercial uses within the Palm Valley Phase II Planned Area Development (PAD) District.
  2. Recommend approval of a request for a Special Use Permit for a mini-storage facility on Lot 8 of the Final Plat of Palm Valley Phase II Commerce Park recorded on February 13, 2007 in the official records of Maricopa County at Book 900 of Maps Page 33 (Instrument 2007-0178682) (“the Property”) subject to stipulations. (Guadalupe Ortiz Cortez, Planner)

STIPULATIONS:

1. The site plan submitted with the application for the Special Use Permit is not approved.  All future development on Lot 8 of the Final Plat of Palm Valley Phase II Commerce Park recorded on February 13, 2007 in the official records of Maricopa County at Book 900 of Maps Page 33 (Instrument 2007-0178682) (“the Property”) will be subject to site plan review and approval by city staff, at which time all elements of site development will be reviewed, including, but not limited to, architecture, landscaping, grading and drainage, lighting, infrastructure, parking, access and circulation;

2. The City of Goodyear reserves the right to initiate revocation of the Special Use Permit in the event that the Special Use is not operated in compliance with the stipulations stated herein or as represented in the Special Use Permit application;

3. The Special Use permitted herein shall be developed in substantial conformance with the attached “N. Litchfield Storage” Site Plan, the “N. Litchfield Storage” Landscape Plans, and the “N. Litchfield Storage” Conceptual Building Elevations, attached hereto.  Any changes to the improvements, as shown on the attached plans, may require an amendment to the use permit as determined by the Development Services Director or designee;

4. The Property shall conform to the standards designated for Lighting Zone 2 as established in Article 10, Outdoor Lighting Standards, of the City of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance and shall comply with the following:
a. No wall mounted lights, on the west side (rear side) of the property, may be placed higher than 8 feet above the building foundation;

5. Signage is not being approved with the approval of this Special Use Permit. All signage on the Property shall comply with the Palm Valley Commerce Park Comprehensive Sign Package and Article 7 (Sign Regulations) of the city of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance and shall comply with the following:
a. No signage shall be placed on the west side of any building on the Property;

6. Prior to the issuance of any building permits for any building on the Property, Owner shall provide, at no cost to the city, lien free and free of all encumbrances not expressly agreed to by the city, all easements required to be provided by applicable development regulations, which may include, but is not limited to, an emergency services access easement.  All conveyances shall be in a form approved by the city attorney or his designee;

7. Prior to the issuance of any building permits for any building on the Property Owner shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the City Attorney or his designee that there is legal access to and from the Property from Litchfield Road.  If such legal access does not exist, Owner shall, at Owner’s sole cost and expense, obtain legal access in a form acceptable to the City Attorney or his designee.  No building permits for any building on the Property shall be issued until owner has submitted documentation acceptable to the City Attorney or his designee that legal access exists.

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 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.

BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS:

The Property is part of the Palm Valley Phase II Planned Area Development (PAD). The PAD zoning was approved by the City Council on January 11, 1999, with the adoption of Ordinance No. 99-636. The Property has an underlying C-2 (General Commercial) zoning.

The property is on Lot 8 of the Final Plat of Palm Valley Phase II Commerce Park according to the plat of record in the office of the County Recorder of Maricopa County, Arizona in Book 900 of Maps Page 33 (Instrument 2007-0178682). The final plat was approved by the City Council on October 23, 2006.

A Site Plan for the mini-storage, Case No. 23-600-00003, is currently under review.

This application for Special Use Permit has not been previously presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission nor City Council.

STAFF ANALYSIS

Current Policy
Pursuant to Section 4-1-3 of the Zoning Ordinance (Special Uses Considered in Specified Districts) a storage facility may be considered as a Special Use in commercial districts.
Pursuant to Section 1-3-4 of the Zoning Ordinance (Special Use Permits), a Special Use requires
review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval from the City Council through the public hearing process.

Details of the Request
The applicant is requesting a Special Use Permit for a mini-storage facility proposed on an approximately 2-acre parcel within the Palm Valley Commerce Park. As previously noted, the Property is designated for commercial uses and will be developed in accordance with the PAD’s design guidelines and the city’s C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district.
The proposed mini-storage facility, as shown on the site plan submitted with the Special Use Permit, will consist of a three-story, 124,616 square-foot building. The mini-storage facility will have loading facilities on the first floor of the south and north sides of the building. On-site parking is being provided and as reflected in the Site Plan, conforms with applicable city standards.
As shown on the building elevations submitted with the Special Use Permit, the design for the building conforms to the Design Guidelines established within the Palm Valley Phase II Planned Area Development (PAD), including colors and materials existing in the Palm Valley Commerce Park.

The following evaluation is being provided in conformance with Section 1-3-4 (Special Use Permit) of the Zoning Ordinance:
  1. The Special Use Permit will be desirable or necessary to the public welfare;
Mini-storage facilities provide residents’ additional storage space for items that cannot be stored in their home or business. The applicant indicates that this storage facility supports the increasing need for off-site storage as many homes today are built with limited storage space.
  1. The proposed use will be harmonious and compatible with other uses adjacent to and in the vicinity of the selected sites;
The site is currently zoned PAD (Planned Area Development) and has an underlying C-2 (General Commercial) zoning. The proposed storage facility is approximately 30 feet from the nearest residential neighborhood, Vistas at Palm Valley. However, there is a total setback of approximately 76 feet between the nearest residential property line and the proposed storage facility building. The 76-foot setback includes a 30-foot-wide landscape strip within Palm Valley Vistas and a 46-foot building setback provided by the applicant. The Palm Valley Commerce Park includes Montessori in the Park, Old Chicago Pizza and Tap Room, Haymaker restaurant, and Hampton Inn & Suites among other users. In addition, storage facilities are typically less-intensive, low-impact uses compared to other typical commercial uses. Storage facilities generate low traffic and are quiet buffers between residential properties and roads or other commercial uses. In addition, this storage facility has been architecturally designed to be consistent and compatible with the architecture in the area. As such, the use of the Property for indoor storage purposes should be compatible with other uses in the area.
  1. The proposed use is in accordance with the adopted General Plan and any adopted Area Plans, and;
The Property is located within the Neighborhoods land use as designated by the city’s 2025 General Plan. The Neighborhoods land use provides for growth and development of neighborhoods including commercial uses that support and complement neighborhoods. The Neighborhoods land use designation allows for C-2 (General Commercial) zoning. Both the General Plan and current zoning designation of the property provide for commercial uses, including personal property storage with a Special Use Permit. As such, the use of the Property for indoor storage will be in conformance with the General Plan.
  1. The proposed use will not be detrimental to surrounding properties or persons in the area due to:
  1. Impact on the circulation of the adjacent neighborhood;
The circulation of the personal property storage use is entirely within the commercial center and will not impact any adjacent properties. The property will be accessed from N Litchfield Road and W McDowell Road from various center drives.
  1. Excessive noise or light generated from within the site;
Self-storage facilities are typically less-intensive, low-impact uses compared to other commercial type uses that would be permitted on the Property. The development is required to comply with the City’s Zone 2 lighting standards, which are designed to protect adjacent developments by requiring full cutoff lights designed to not spill over to the residential parcels. In addition, staff is recommending a stipulation that limits lighting on the rear of the Property, facing the Vista’s at Palm Valley neighborhood. The office for the proposed storage use is located in the front side of the building facing the rear of the Haymaker restaurant. The proposed storage use has loading facilities in the north and south sides of the building. There are not proposed uses to take place in the west side of the building, and the west building elevation does not include any windows, facing the Vistas at Palm Valley neighborhood. Additionally, staff is recommending a stipulation that prohibits lighted signage and lighting 8-foot or higher on the west elevation to further protect the residences.
  1. Excessive scale or height in relationship to surrounding properties;
The mini-storage building is proposed to have a height of 48 feet. The maximum building height allowed in the C-2 General Commercial zoning districts is 56 feet. For comparison, the approved Home 2 Suites has a height of 59 feet to the peak, including additional height for parapet. The proposed building is approximately 76 feet from the residential properties to the west, with said separation comprised of a 46-foot setback within the Property and a 30-foot-wide landscape buffer within the Vista’s at Palm Valley subdivision.
  1. Hours of operation:
The proposed mini storage facility will have an office open from 8 AM until 6 PM seven days a week. Customers will have access to the storage building from 6 AM until 10 PM. Staff does not recommend any restrictions to the hours of operation given the Property’s location within a commercial center and given that all storage use will be contained within the building.
  1. Inadequate parcel size to provide adequate buffers or mitigation measures to surrounding properties;
The proposed parcel size is appropriate for the storage facility. As provided on the attached site plan, the development will provide adequate buffers and setbacks from surrounding properties.
The proposed site plan meets the C-2 General Commercial setbacks. While the C-2 General Commercial only requires a 0-foot setback along the rear (west) property line, the applicant is providing a 46-foot setback, including two 10-foot landscape strips and 26-foot fire access lane, from the residential properties to west.
  1. Inconsistency with the development character or architecture of the adjacent properties
The proposed mini storage building is compatible and consistent with the architecture in the Palm Valley Commerce Park and adjacent properties, and includes desert colors along with stone and stucco design elements.

Phoenix-Goodyear Airport and Luke Air Force Base
The site is subject to noise from aircraft flying to and from the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport and Luke Air Force Base. Given the non-residential nature of the proposed Special Use, airport and base operations should not be negatively impacted by the operation of the proposed use.

Fire Department
Emergency response times and distances are provided below:
Nearest Fire Station Shortest path Longest path   2nd nearest Fire Station Shortest path Longest path
Mins Miles Mins Miles Mins Miles Mins Miles
# 183 2.50 1.25 2.50 1.25 Station #181 3.26 1.63 3.26 1.63

Public Participation
In accordance with the city’s Citizen Review Ordinance, a citizen review meeting was held on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 6:00 PM at City Hall, Rooms 118 and 119 (Canyon Trail Rooms 1 and 2). A sign was posted on the Property and notices were sent to all property owners within 500 feet of the Property. As a result of this notice, staff has not received any inquiries on the project.
The neighborhood meeting on May 25th was attended by one resident in the surrounding area. The resident supports the mini-storage project. The resident also provided general comments about the city’s growth and traffic congestion. In addition to holding the neighborhood meeting, the applicant sent letters to residences adjacent to the project.
Notice for the public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council included the following: a notice mailed to property owners within 500 feet of the property; a sign posted on the property; and a legal notice published in the Arizona Republic, Southwest Edition, on June 9, 2023. To date, staff has not received any inquiries on the project.

STAFF FINDINGS
As outlined herein, staff finds the proposed request for Special Use Permit to not be materially detrimental to persons residing or working in the vicinity adjacent to the Property, to the neighborhood, or to the public welfare and that the proposed use is reasonably compatible with uses permitted in the surrounding area.

Attachments