Current Policy:
Chapter 10 of the General Plan defines what type of change is considered a Major Amendment, Minor Amendment, or No Amendment. A change to a property's land use classification affecting more than 160 acres is considered a Major General Plan Amendment. A Major General Plan Amendment requires two public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission (each hearing must be at a different location) and one public hearing before the City Council. All Major Amendments to the General Plan are processed and presented for consideration within a calendar year from application submission. Chapter 10 of the Goodyear 2025 General Plan states that Major Amendments to the General Plan shall address certain criteria in order to be considered for approval which is addressed in the Evaluation Criteria section below.
Details of the Request:
The applicant is requesting to amend the Land Use Classification within the General Plan for approximately 267 acres of property, located at the southwest corner of N. Citrus Road and W. Roosevelt Road, from Neighborhoods to Business & Commerce. The Neighborhoods Land Use Category allows for the following type of developments: Agricultural Urban (AU), Single-Family Residential ((R1-4), (R1-A), (R1-C), (R1-10), (R1-7), (R1-6), Two-Family Residential (R2), Multi-Family Residential (MF-12), (MF-18) Manufactured Home Subdivision (MHS), Manufactured Home Park or RV Park (MH/RVP), Public Facilities District (PFD), Commercial Office (CO), Neighborhood Commercial (C-1), General Commercial (C-2), and Planned Area Development (PAD). The Business & Commerce Land Use Category allows for the following zoning type of developments: Central Business District (CBD), Commercial Office (CO), Neighborhood Commercial (C-1), General Commercial (C-2), Light Industrial (I-1), Multi-Family Residential (MF-18), (MF-24), Business Park (BP), Public Facilities District (PFD), and Planned Area Development (PAD). If approved, the applicant will move forward with their application to rezone the property from the Las Palmas PAD to Business Park District with a PAD Overlay that would allow flex I-1 (Light Industrial Park) and C-2 (General Commercial) zoning in certain areas of the Property.
The following uses and zoning surround the Property:
- North of the Property is Roosevelt Street and an existing residential neighborhood zoned RU-43 that is within unincorporated Maricopa County.
- East of the Property, within the City of Goodyear, is Citrus Road and the Innovation Centre property zoned PAD.
- Southeast of the Property, within the City of Goodyear, is a Roosevelt Irrigation District canal and property zoned MH/RVP Manufactured Home or RV Park and contains the Destiny RV Resort.
- Southwest of the Property is Van Buren Street and an existing residential neighborhood zoned RU-43 across it that is within unincorporated Maricopa County.
- West of the Property, along Perryville Road, is a row of residential homes, zoned RU-43, that is within unincorporated Maricopa County. West of the existing homes is Perryville Road, and property zoned Light Industrial and located within City of Buckeye.
Evaluation Criteria:
Chapter 10, Implementation and Administration, of the General Plan, specifies the Amendment Review Criteria to be used in reviewing a proposed amendment. The following information identifies these criteria and how this proposed amendment to the General Plan complies with the criteria:
- The amendment must forward the vision for Goodyear as described in Chapter 1 of the General Plan.
The General Plan's Vision Statement for Goodyear is to create "a safe, attractive, vibrant community that supports the diversity of its economy, environment, and people… maintain a high quality of life for all to live, work, visit, and play" The vision statement is supplemented by 6 fundamental strategies to guide the city's efforts to achieve the community's expressed vision. The strategies are implemented by thirty-one community goals reflected throughout the General Plan. The proposed amendment supports the Prosperous and Innovative fundamental strategy which aims to create a diversified economy that responds to market shifts. The Property has been zoned for residential for a couple decades and has not been developed, therefore the change in Land Use Classification will allow the applicant to continue their rezoning application to request the zoning be changed from the residential based Las Palmas PAD to Business Park District with a PAD Overlay including Light Industrial (I-1) and General Commercial (C-2) flex zoning and allow the Property to develop in a manner that can support the city's economy today. The applicant Project Narrative is included as Attachment D.
- The amendment must be consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies contained within the General Plan.
The proposed amendment does not conflict with the goals, objectives, and policies in the Goodyear 2035 General Plan, and, more specifically, it supports the following goals, objectives and policies:
Goal LC-1: A compatible mix of land uses that foster a high quality of life in a
distinctive way that is unique to the city.
The proposed Land Use change to Business & Commerce would allow the applicant to continue a rezoning request to change the zoning from residential PAD to Business Park District with a PAD Overlay allowing for flexible zoning and uses extending from commercial to light industrial. This proposed amendment to the General Plan ensures the city has a mix of land uses that will allow for a diversified employment base and stable revenue stream for the city as outlined in Goal LC-1, Policy 3 of the General Plan.
Goal PI-1: A resilient and diversified economy.
The proposed amendment to the General Plan would allow the Property to be rezoned and to develop with a variety of potential commercial, business park, and light industrial uses within the Business & Commerce Land Use category, which are not available within the Neighborhoods Land Use category.
- The amendment must align with at least one of the fundamental strategies established in Chapter 1 and shall not conflict with any of the fundamental strategies.
The proposed amendment to the General Plan does not conflict with the fundamental strategies outlined in Chapter 1 of the General Plan. The proposal supports the Livable and Connected fundamental strategy because the proposed change of Land Use Classification provides a mix of uses that would diversify the city's economy as outlined in Goal LC-1, Policy 3, while also ensuring that the development pays for the on-site and off-site infrastructure required to serve the development as identified in Goal LC-2, Policy 1.
- The amendment must not negatively impact the implementation of any City-approved Master Plan or shall provide mitigation measures to alleviate the potential impact.
The proposed amendment to the General Plan does not negatively impact the implementation of the Water and Wastewater Master Plan adopted by the city. The area within the proposed amendment to the General Plan is close to existing water lines, which shall be serviced by Arizona Water Company, and wastewater lines, to be serviced by the City of Goodyear. Wastewater treatment facilities within the city have sufficient capacity and can be expanded to meet demand if needed. Additional distribution system and collection system lines will be constructed by any new development once construction begins on the Property. The proposed amendment to the General Plan aligns with the current Transportation Master Plan. The developer shall be responsible for developing the half street improvements for Citrus Road and Van Buren Street in compliance with City standards, and the developer shall be required to provide the appropriate street improvements for Roosevelt Street in compliance with Maricopa County. Additionally, the applicant is proposing buffers between the Property and residential uses within proximity to the potential future uses on the Property. Staff is currently reviewing the proposed buffers and uses with the rezoning application that will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council at a later date if the proposed amendment to the General Plan is adopted.
- The amendment must constitute an overall improvement to the General Plan.
Changing the future land use category from Neighborhoods to Business & Commerce to will result in an overall improvement to the General Plan by allowing the Property to rezone to a zoning district that would be more readily developable, once the Property is developed the surrounding area, including street infrastructure would also be developed and the development of the Property under the Business and Commerce designation would bring additional jobs to the city.
- The amendment will not adversely impact a portion of, or the entire community, by:
a. Significantly
reducing the balance of residents and jobs.
The Property has been zoned residential since 2003 and has not developed, if the proposed amendment to the General Plan is adopted it would create the opportunity to provide additional employment and retail centers in Goodyear.
b. Increasing traffic without mitigation.
If the proposed amendment to the General Plan is adopted it would generate additional traffic to the Property and the surrounding vicinity, however, the applicant proposes to complete the appropriate half street improvements for Citrus Road and Van Buren Street, to development full-street improvements for Roosevelt Street and provide a frontage road for the County residents to the north, mitigating any potential traffic impacts to the site and vicinity.
c. Requiring additional and more expensive improvements to infrastructure without mitigation.
The proposed Land Use designation change to Business & Commerce would not require additional or more expensive improvements to City infrastructure. Additionally, the developer would be responsible for their on-site improvements and for their half-street improvements.
d. Significantly altering the existing character of an area in a negative and unplanned way.
The proposed change in land use would not significantly alter the character of the area in a negative way. The Property is in proximity to Business & Commerce Land Use to the east at the Innovation Centre, zoned PAD with a mixed of uses, and has a Site Pan approved to develop the eastern half for warehouses. To the west and northwest of the Property, in the City Buckeye, there are properties approved for industrial uses, including warehouses.
e. Diminishing the environmental quality of the air, water, land, or cultural resources.
The land use change from Neighborhood to Business & Commerce should not diminish the environmental quality of the air, water, land, or cultural resources in this area. All new development will have to meet existing development standards. At the time of zoning, the specific permitted land uses and design guidelines will be established.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
On October 4, 2024, in compliance with A.R.S. § 9-461.06(D), a notice of the general plan amendment proposal was sent to the appropriate agencies, including the Arizona State Departments of Transportation, Water Resources, State Land, and Governor's Office, adjacent municipalities and counties, Maricopa Association of Governments, Phoenix/Goodyear Airport, Luke Air Force Base, Maricopa County Department of Transportation, Flood Control District, and Arizona Commerce Authority inviting the agencies to provide comments by mail. Luke AFB representatives provided staff a response indicating the request will not have a negative impact on their flight operations and that the Property is subject to approximately 165 over flights a day. City staff has not received additional responses to the notice sent.
In compliance with the Citizen Review requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, a neighborhood meeting was held on November 13, 2024, in the Canyon Trails rooms at Goodyear City Hall. A postcard notification was sent to adjacent property owners on October 23, 2024. Eleven county residents attended the neighborhood meeting. The applicant held an open house neighborhood meeting and discussed their proposal with residents as they joined the meeting. During the meeting, residents expressed concerns with increased traffic, blocked views, size of buildings, and landscaping. A resident requested that the Citrus Road and Roosevelt Street corner is softened. Additionally, residents north of the Property expressed concerns with their access into and out of their properties, waiting times to make left turns out of their properties, as well as vehicle and site lighting trespassing into their properties. Residents expressed discontent with services in the area and requested that if anything could be done to improve fiber optics, internet, and television access that it's incorporated into the project. Residents north of the Property and Roosevelt Street expressed concerns with drainage in the area. In addition, a resident also asked for a coffee shop to be included in the proposed retail of the Property. The applicant team explained the proposed Roosevelt Street and frontage road improvements and explained drainage would be alleviated with the street improvements. The applicant team also ensured it will follow-up with residents regarding fiber optics access to their property and to research traffic light timing to ensure they did not have to wait for long time periods to leave their properties and if any mitigation is needed to prevent light intrusion into residential properties.
Notice of the proposed General Plan Amendment two public hearings before the Goodyear Planning and Zoning Commission, and public hearing before the Goodyear City Council as required for General Plan Amendments was published in the Arizona Republic on November 16, 2024, signs were posted on the property at 3 locations on October 25, 2024 and updated on November 15, 2024. Postcards were mailed on November 13, 2024 to the owners of property affected by this proposed amendment and those within five hundred (500) feet of the Property.
The first public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission (the "Commission") was held on December 4, 2024 at Goodyear City Hall. Staff and the applicant gave presentations. The Commission expressed they are concerned with the potential height of buildings and asked for the buildings to be scaled back in proximity to the residential. The Commission asked about the strain that trucks would have on roads and asked about possible street impact fees. Staff did not have an answer regarding street impact fees but said they would research and have an answer at the second public hearing. The Commission asked about the buffers between the future development on the property and existing homes west of the property. Staff indicated that the applicant agreed to a minimum fifty (50) foot landscape buffer, and that the Zoning Ordinance provides larger setbacks for General Commercial (C-2) and Business Park Districts (BPD), for example, a building measured at fifty-six (56) feet tall, would require a one hundred-eighty (180) foot building setback. The Commission asked the applicant to talk about how they are addressing the resident concerns. The applicant mentioned they are limiting the uses within three hundred (300) feet of the property line to Business Park District uses and the more intensive uses would be internal to the site. The applicant also showed the Commission images of the architectural vision for the buildings on site and spoke about the high-quality product the buildings are expected to be. The Commission responded they would like to see the building architecture being broken to provide attention to scale and relieve from the height of the building in close proximity to residential. Additionally, the applicant spoke about the frontage road and landscape median they are creating plans for adjacent to Roosevelt Street. Regarding internet connectivity, the applicant mentioned they are going to include wireless communication facilities in their rezone application to assist the neighborhood with internet access. The Commission also spoke about the trail that was proposed with the Las Palmas PAD and if would be retained. The applicant mentioned a trail will be incorporated with their site design running along Roosevelt Street and Citrus Road. Residents living in the vicinity attended the meeting. Four residents spoke during the public hearing. The residents expressed concerns including safety, height of buildings, noise, and loss of privacy, nature, and views. Residents mentioned the need for retail and restaurants in the vicinity for the high school students and nearby workers. Additionally, a resident expressed concerns for safe crossings for children going to school. A resident mentioned they would like the corner of W. Roosevelt Street and N. Citrus Road be softened. One of out the four speakers expressed they support the proposal stating the property is not appropriate for homes.
STAFF FINDINGS:
As outlined herein, staff finds the proposed request for General Plan Amendment to further the vision of the City of Goodyear and to be in compliance with the General Plan's fundamental strategies, goals and policies, and does not alter the existing character of the area or diminish the environmental quality of the air, water, land, or cultural resources. Resolution No. 2024-2438 which upon approval by the Mayor and City Council would make the General Plan Amendment proposal effective is included as Attachment E.
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