TOWN OF GILBERT PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, WORKING SESSION

GILBERT MUNICIPAL CENTER, 50 E. CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, GILBERT, ARIZONA

APRIL 7, 2004

COMMISSION PRESENT: Chairman Brigette Peterson, Vice Chairman Michael Monroe, Commissioner Karl Kohlhoff, Commissioner Dan Dodge, Commissioner Joan Krueger, Commissioner Shane Leonard, Alternate Commissioner Scott Simas

COMMISSION ABSENT: Commissioner James Beene

STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Jerry Swanson, Planning Manager Linda Edwards, Planning Manager Maria Cadavid, Senior Planner Jim Cronk

ALSO PRESENT: Town Attorney Phillis Smiley, Recorder Trasie Johns

CALL TO ORDER:

Chairman Brigette Peterson called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M.

Z03 - 44 - Discussion of a 74 acre zoning request for R - CH and C - 1 on the southeast corner of Recker and Warner Roads. Jim Cronk 503 - 6815

Senior Planner Jim Cronk informed the Commission that Z03 - 44 was a zoning request of a 74 acre parcel for R - CH and C - 1 on the southeast corner of Recker and Warner Roads. He noted that on the property they were proposing 457 units with a density of 6 units per acre, which was in conformance with the General Plan density range for the property. They were proposing a mixture of residential units within the three different zoning types.

Mr. Cronk explained that that applicant was proposing a triplex product. He used the visual aid to show that the units with two car garages go with the units on the ground floor and the single car garage owner has the upstairs unit. Therefore there were three units within the one building. He noted that this was a new type of housing product in Gilbert. The zoning category was what the Staff wanted input from the Commission. He noted that as part of the P.A.D., the applicant had identified the exceptions to the ULDC that they wanted to be included in the product. He stated that staff had some concern that in order to make the zones and product fit, there were a lot of exceptions to the ULDC being requested. He questioned whether the Commission approved of the exceptions to the ULDC. He explained that the Staff didn’t have an objection to the product type; it was finding a match between the product and the zoning.

Mr. Cronk pointed out that the southern property boundary was the Santan Freeway. He used the visual aid to show the row of units that would need to be single story units adjacent to the freeway. The staff had suggested that they eliminate that row of houses and redistributing the units elsewhere on the site so that people wouldn’t be living so close to the freeway.

Commissioner Karl Kohlhoff questioned where the R1 - 5 properties were located.

Mr. Cronk used the visual aid to point out the different housing types and zoning designations that were requested.

Commissioner Shane Leonard questioned if the Staff had a better zoning designation than what was being proposed. He was a little concerned about where they deleting landscape requirements, and other deviations. Regarding the last row of homes next to the Santan Freeway, he felt that they should delete the homes. He referred to the noise associated with the freeway. He suggested that they don’t redistribute the homes, but add to the landscaping that was requested to be deviated from.

Mr. Cronk replied that they had a discussion about going to the R - TH category since it contemplates attached units. He felt that a townhouse was more similar to the proposed project than the R - CH or R - 3 zoning districts.

Commissioner Shane Leonard noticed several long straight streets and felt that they might need to add some traffic calming devises. He referred to the public street on the southwest side and noted that it was at least a quarter mile long. He noted that there were county residents to the east and assumed that the applicant would be meeting with them to address any concerns that they might have.

Mr. Cronk replied that the applicant had placed a buffer between the houses and the street as well as placing their largest units on the eastern property line.

Commissioner Karl Kohlhoff referred to the commercial parcel on page five and pointed out that the entrance to the north coming from the commercial parcel goes right into the residential street. He was concerned about the common street between the residential and commercial parcels and the connections to the commercial property. He added that they had always tried to keep the streets separated between commercial and residential developments.

Mr. Cronk stated that it was suggested in the staff report that instead of having it be a perfect square commercial parcel that they could change it so that the street could line up across the way enabling it to be signalized. He discussed the proposed change using the visual aid.

Vice Chairman Michael Monroe commented that on the R - 3 zoning district he was concerned about the deletions of the open space, the placement along the street requirements, and certain perimeter landscape requirements. He added that it was difficult to understand what was being deleted from what they received in their packets and how that affects the streetscape and design of the facility. The rest of the deletions in the R - 3 zone he wasn’t opposed to. Regarding the entry feature requirement, he wasn’t sure that the parcel warranted an entry feature. He was also concerned about the location of the commercial parcel and felt that it could be worked out better. He wasn’t opposed to the lot width reduction or the rear setback reduction in the R1 - 5 zoning district. It was hard for him to determine whether the reduction in the side yard would be appropriate. He also wasn’t opposed to reducing the minimum lot size.

Z04 - 5 - An amendment to the Spectrum at Val Vista Planned Area Development to allow a change in the zoning designation of parcel 4 from (R - 2) Duplex to (R - CH) Residential Cluster for the development of a residential project proposed at 7Ǔ du/ac.   Maria Cadavid 503 - 6812

Planning Manager Maria Cadavid informed the Commission that Z04 - 5 was a request to amend the Spectrum at Val Vista Planned Area Development to allow a change in the zoning designation of parcel 4 from (R - 2) Duplex to (R - CH) Residential Cluster for the development of a residential project proposed at 7Ǔ du/ac. She announced that the Council approved in January the Val Vista Classic eighty acre project, which was a Trend Home development in an R - 3 zoning designation with three different types of housing products. She pointed out that Val Vista Road south of Williams Field would have a lot of intensity in the residential component of land uses as well as commercial. She discussed the surrounding land uses as being the hospital, the auto complex, and a large commercial property across the street. She indicated that the density was not an issue in the proposal. She stated that they were not requesting any deviations from the R - CH, which was very limited in development standards in the Code.

Ms. Cadavid explained that Staff felt that it was necessary for the Town to request some additional room along the street frontage along Val Vista in order to maintain the same window of view that was required from Val Vista Classic.   The Staff felt that the distance of 30′ must be maintained behind the right - of - way to be devoted to landscaping and transition from the high intense arterial corridor. In general, the Staff felt that the zoning proposal was reasonable, but the development standards needed to be changed to have wider frontage of open space along Val Vista, wider on the collector street, and better distribution of the open space to open up the connectors. In addition, the staff felt that the minimum space between the houses that face the patio courtyard should be 25′ as it was approved to the north in other developments. She felt that this should be measured from the two story balconies or the porches but not to the face of the wall.

Commissioner Karl Kohlhoff referred to page five of the staff report and questioned if 65′ was the right - of - way on Val Vista. He asked if this was typical of all the Town’s streets.

Ms. Cadavid replied that he was correct.

Commissioner Karl Kohlhoff questioned why they would have to be wider.

Ms. Cadavid clarified that they were requesting that the landscaping transition between the right - of - way and the row of houses be widen, as they had required it for Val Visa Classic in the two story and three story housing units.

Vice Chairman Michael Monroe commented that it was a very good plan.

Commissioner Karl Kohlhoff agreed and added that he liked the 3 - D representation.

ADJOURNMENT

Chairman Brigette Peterson adjourned the meeting at 5:58 P.M.

ATTEST:

Recorder Trasie Johns