Amy Malloy, Evolve Ventures

Request a rezone to approximately 4.6 acres, from C-2, General Commercial to R1-A with a PAD Overlay.

1. Conduct a public hearing to consider a rezone of approximately 4.6 acres, from C-2 to R1-A with a PAD Overlay;
2. Recommend approval of the request to rezone the subject property to the Single Family Residential R1-A Zoning District, as set forth in the draft of Ordinance No. 2022-1525. (Alex Lestinsky, Senior Planner) 

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.

The General Plan Land Use Plan designates the subject property as ‘Neighborhoods’ with a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay. The ‘Neighborhoods’ land use category provides areas for the growth and development of neighborhoods and includes a wide range of densities and housing products. The Transit Oriented Development Overlay denotes areas within walking distance to a major future or existing transit route.

The subject property is currently zoned C-2, General Commercial as designated at the time of its annexation in 1964.

Current Policy:
A rezoning request requires public review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council. The proposed amendment must be in conformance with the General Plan and should not adversely impact the surrounding area as outlined in the Zoning Ordinance.

Details of the Request:
The request is to rezone the subject property from C-2, General Commercial to the City’s Single Family Attached (R1-A) residential zoning district with a PAD Overlay to amend some of the R1-A Development Standards. The subject property, located east of the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Van Buren Street, is an infill site within an established area of the city. The subdivision to the north was platted in 1978 and the homes were built over the next 20 years. The Wells Fargo site has been developed since the 1980s. The commercial to the east and west began developing in 2004. The site has not developed as a commercial use since its annexation in 1964. 

The proposed changes to the development standards give the odd shaped parcel more flexibility and opportunity to develop with the attached town home product proposed by the developer. The Zoning Ordinance supports deviations from the development standards with a PAD Overlay for planned developments when warranted by circumstances such as infill development involving a small or irregularly shaped parcel.

The applicant has requested a PAD Overlay to reduce the minimum lot area from 2,800 square feet to 2,253 square feet, reduce the minimum lot width from 35 feet to 28 feet, reduce the rear yard setback from 15 feet to 11 feet and reduce the separation between fences and/or walls from 20 feet to 17 feet along the western boundary. The reductions are being requested in order to make the proposal more feasible within the L-shaped infill site. Staff is supportive of the deviations based on the additional elements provided and the additional information as described below.

• Lot width reduction: A reduction of the lot width from 35 feet to 28 feet will enable the development of traditional attached townhomes which the existing R1-A development standards may not be best equipped for.
• Lot area reduction: Based on the reduced lot width, the lot area adjusts accordingly.
• Rear yard setback reduction: The rear yard setback reduction is only applicable to the lots on the northern boundary within the PAD Overlay based on the constraints of an existing easement reducing the development area of the parcel. All other lots in the community will meet the existing requirement.
• Wall separation reduction: The Zoning Ordinance, Article 5, requires a minimum 20 feet separation between walls when a view fence is provided. A reduction to 17 feet is requested for only the west side of the development, adjacent to the Wells Fargo. A stipulation has been included to require the view fence and only allow the reduction on the west boundary of the site.

Although conceptual plans have been provided for review, no development plans will be approved with the rezone application.

With the requested R1-A zoning, this property will develop in accordance with the standards in the recently updated Article 3-2 of the City of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance. Pursuant to the ordinance, the R1-A parcels must include one amenity element, two connectivity elements, and one streetscape element. Additional elements are provided in order justify a few modifications to the development standards. The applicant has identified which amenities will be provided to allow for the R1-A zoning.

Amenity Elements (1 required)

1. Additional Internal Park Amenities – The development will include a private pool for use by the residents. 
2. Integrated Commercial – This property is entirely contained within 1,320-foot radius of a commercial property, not separated by an arterial road, and is not separated by a subdivision perimeter wall, as required by the Zoning Ordinance elements allowing it to count as an amenity element.

Connectivity Elements (2 required)

1. No Subdivision Perimeter Wall – This development does not have a perimeter wall restricting connectivity from the adjacent commercial developments. 
2. Infill Development – This site is located within a growth area as defined by the General Plan.
3. Internal trail system – The development will provide a minimum 5-foot sidewalk trail that provides connectivity to internal amenities and the adjacent commercial developments. 

Streetscape Elements (1 required)

1. The streetscape elements are demonstrated at the preliminary plat stage; however, the applicant has committed to providing an alternative paving material in the driveway. 

Given the General Plan land use designation (neighborhoods) and transit-oriented development (TOD) overlay along with the satisfaction of the required R1-A elements, staff finds that the proposed rezone and modified development standards are acceptable at this infill location.

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Consistency with the General Plan.

2. Suitability of the subject property’s physical and natural features for the uses permitted under the proposed zoning district.

3. Compatibility of all potential uses allowed in the proposed zoning district with surrounding uses and zoning.

4. Proposed zoning district’s consistency with other land uses within the immediate area and whether uses allowed under proposed zoning district would be better suited to the subject property than the uses allowed under current zoning.

5. Demand for the types of uses permitted in the proposed zoning district in relation to amount of land currently zoned and available to accommodate the demand.

6. Demands for public services that will be generated by the uses permitted in the proposed zoning district.  

Nearest Goodyear Fire Station	Shortest path		Longest path		2nd Nearest Goodyear Fire Station	Shortest path		Longest path
	Mins	Miles	Mins	Miles		Mins	Miles	Mins	Miles
#181	2.63	1.31	2.63	1.31	#183	5.95	2.98	5.95	2.98

7. Potential adverse fiscal impacts that will result from providing services to areas not in proximity to where existing public services are provided; 

8. General public’s concerns.

9. Whether the amendment promotes orderly growth and development;

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