Current Policy: A request to rezone property requires public review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and public review and approval by the City Council. The proposed rezone must be consistent with the General Plan and should not adversely impact the surrounding area. Details of the Request: The purpose of the application is to rezone the 43.93-acre subject property from Preliminary Planned Area Development (PAD) for the Airport Gateway at Goodyear (the “Airport Gateway Preliminary PAD”), in place since the 2007 rezone, to Final Planned Area Development (PAD), to facilitate the development of a large business/commerce park project to be known as Urban District 10, that will accommodate a variety of employment, commercial, and flex industrial uses. The specific allowed uses, accessory uses, and uses permitted with a use permit are as established in the Urban District 10 Final PAD. The land use classification for the Property under the Airport Gateway Preliminary PAD was Business Park, and the Property was to be developed pursuant to the C-2, General Commercial Zoning District Standards. The uses permitted under the Urban District 10 Final PAD are generally consistent with the uses permitted under the Airport Gateway Preliminary PAD. Similarly, except as modified by their respective PADs, the development standards for the Property under the Airport Gateway Preliminary PAD, and under the Urban District 10 Final PAD, are the development standards applicable to C-2 General Commercial Zoning District. The Property is located on the north side of Celebrate Life Way, and extends from Bullard Avenue on the west, to 143rd Avenue on the east (the CTCA hospital is located on the east side of 143rd). Although the uses permitted under the Urban District 10 PAD would allow a variety of uses, the property owner’s attached conceptual site plan with landscape submitted with the rezone depicts five separate light industrial-type buildings, ranging in size from approximately 94,000 to 223,000 sq. ft., with screened truck courts at the rear of each building. Because the Property is likely to be developed for light industrial uses, the Urban District 10 PAD, and the stipulations in Ordinance 2023-1569 include various provisions designed to ensure that the development will have the aesthetics associated with a business/commerce park type development. These provisions include: · Requiring the development to comply with Industrial Zoning Districts Standards related to the screening of all outdoor storage areas for materials, trash, equipment, freezers, vehicles or similar items, as well as the screening of loading, delivery, roll-up/dock doors, and service and wash bays; · Requiring all buildings that provide access for truck loading and/or unloading to be located and orientated so the front of the buildings face the external boundaries of the Property and all access doors to be located on the rear side of the buildings; · Requiring all truck-loading and unloading access courts to be internally located at the rear of buildings; · Requiring enhanced architectural enhancements to the first building that will be constructed on the Property, which is Building A that will front Bullard Avenue; · Requiring the development of a minimum of 2.5 acres of open space identified in the PAD as “Oasis Park”, which will include: o 4 quadrants of open space, divided by drive aisles, totaling a minimum of 2.5 acres of open space. Each quadrant will include, at a minimum: o Turf, gravel, shade trees, and shrubs o Amenities for employees and visitors will include, at a minimum: § Planters, benches, shade structures, lighting, and trash receptacles · Requiring all turf within “Oasis Park” to be artificial turf to support the city’s on-going efforts to reduce water usage city-wide · Requiring the construction of a minimum 6-foot wide pathway consisting of colored (Mohave Brown) concrete extending in a north to south direction from the north property line to the south property line through Oasis Park · Increasing the size of the landscape buffer along Bullard Avenue from the 30-foot landscape buffer required under the C-2 Commercial District Development Standards to a 50-foot landscape buffer that is to be developed in accordance with the Bullard Avenue Corridor Design Treatment Strategies adopted in 2018 In addition, because of the required adherence to the General Commercial Zoning District Standards, the buildings fronting on Bullard Avenue and Celebrate Life Way will have an additional 1-foot of setback above the required 30 feet for every foot in building height over 30 feet, i.e., a 56-foot high building (maximum allowed) will have a 56-foot setback. This requirement is reflected in the Urban District 10 PAD Development Standards table in the Final PAD. Because a rezoning does not constitute site plan approval, if the rezoning is approved, the next steps in the entitlement process will be the submittal, review, and stipulated approval of a site plan application to ensure compliance with the rezoning stipulations as well. Evaluation Criteria: Per the city of Goodyear Zoning Ordinance, the city’s review and recommendation on a rezoning application is to be guided by the following criteria: 1. Consistency with the General Plan The subject property is located within the Business & Commerce land use category of the city’s 2025 General Plan. The category is intended to provide areas for the growth and development of Goodyear’s economic base, including large areas for shopping and entertainment that are regionally significant (typically serving a trade area of 5?10 miles or larger). Business & Commerce does also include uses such as business parks, offices, warehouses, regional hospitals, high density residential that supports the area, and other light industrial uses that are also appropriate, in certain areas. This rezoning to Final PAD proposes commercial and industrial uses that are consistent with the General Plan Business & Commerce land use category. 2. Suitability of the subject property’s physical and natural features for the uses permitted under the proposed zoning district. The subject property is generally flat with no physical or natural features that would hinder the development of a business/commerce park. The proposed rezoning to Final PAD does not alter the suitability of the property for the development of a business/commerce park. 3. Compatibility of all potential uses allowed in the proposed zoning district with surrounding uses and zoning. Uses and zoning surrounding the subject property include: · North – Agricultural land designated as General Retail in the Airport Gateway at Goodyear Preliminary PAD · South – Agricultural land designated as Business Park in the Airport Gateway at Goodyear Preliminary PAD · East – The Cancer Treatment Centers of America Hospital zoned Final PAD · West – The Bullard Commerce Center developed with C-2 and I-1 uses and zoned PAD 4. Proposed zoning district’s consistency with other land uses within the immediate area and whether uses allowed under the proposed zoning district would be better suited to the subject property than the uses allowed under the current zoning. The proposed Final PAD zoning is consistent with some of the future land uses contemplated in the immediate area (the remaining undeveloped land within Airport Gateway Preliminary PAD zoning). However, because of the emphasis on allowing additional light industrial uses within the Final PAD zoning, Staff is recommending stipulations regarding the inclusion of Industrial Zoning Districts screening standards, as well as a 50-foot wide buffer meeting the Bullard Avenue streetscape standards. 5. Demand for the types of uses permitted in the proposed zoning district in relation to the amount of land currently zoned and available to accommodate the demand. The permitted uses list in the proposed Final PAD includes light industrial uses that could be located on approximately 2,600 acres of undeveloped land south of the I-10, from the Cotton Lane area to the eastern boundary of Litchfield Road, already zoned for light industrial uses. 6. Demands for public services that will be generated by the uses permitted in the proposed zoning district. Fire Response: The subject property will be served by Fire Station No. 181 at 450 N. 143rd Avenue, south of Celebrate Life Way, or by Fire Station No. 183 at 3075 N. Litchfield Road, north of Thomas Road.
Nearest Goodyear Fire Station |
Shortest path |
2nd Nearest Goodyear Fire Station |
Shortest path |
Mins |
Miles |
Mins |
Miles |
#181 |
1.00 |
0.43 |
#183 |
5.88 |
2.94 |
Police Response: The property is located within an existing police patrol beat and the current level of service within the beat can accommodate the development of the property as proposed. The rezoning request does not impact the ability of the department to serve the property. Streets/Transportation: If the rezoning request is granted, and the subject property is developed pursuant to the attached conceptual site plan, the owner/developer will be required to complete the construction of full half-street improvements on: · Bullard Avenue (west property line); · Celebrate Life Way (south property line); and, · 143rd Avenue (east property line) The final location of all access points will be determined during the site plan review and approval, in conjunction with the approval of a Traffic Impact Study. Water/Wastewater: The subject property is within the jurisdiction of the city of Goodyear for water and wastewater services. All infrastructure necessary to serve the subject property will be required to be installed by the owner/developer. 7. Potential adverse fiscal impacts that will result from providing services to areas not in proximity to where existing public services are provided. The subject property is in an area where typical public services are currently provided. If the extension or upsizing of any utility lines is needed to serve the property, the extension or upsizing will be the responsibility of the owner/developer as part of the development process. 8. General public concerns. Public Participation: In accordance with the city’s Citizen Review Process, because there is no planned or existing residential development within 500 feet of the subject property (the notification area), a formal neighborhood meeting was not held. However, a postcard was mailed on July 8th to the owners of all property within 500 feet of the subject property notifying the owners of the rezoning request; directing them to the city website for additional information; providing both staff and applicant contact information; and letting them know they would receive a second postcard when public hearings on the request were scheduled. That second postcard was mailed on December 14th, and a revised postcard was mailed on January 4th to inform the property owners that the City Council meeting on January 23rd will begin at 5 p.m. The only inquiries that staff has received to date are monthly phone calls from a contractor outside of the notification area who is interested in knowing if the rezoning request is progressing. 9. Whether the amendment promotes orderly growth and development. The rezoning request, as stipulated, will promote continued orderly growth and development in conformance with the City Zoning Ordinance, Design Guidelines, and Engineering Standards. 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. The rezoning request will not impact the general health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the city or the general public. Findings: Pursuant to the evaluation of this rezoning request, staff finds that approval of the request, as set forth in Draft Ordinance No. 2023-1569 attached hereto, promotes continued orderly growth and development in conformance with the City General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Design Guidelines, and Engineering Standards. |