Attachment C - VPC Summary - Z-47-23-2.pdf

City of Phoenix — Formal (2023-12-06)

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City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
Z-47-23-2
Date of VPC Meeting 
October 12, 2023 
Request From 
R1-8 NBCOD (8.67 acres) 
FH NBCOD (1.11 acres) 
Request To 
R-3 NBCOD (9.78 acres)
Proposal 
Multifamily residential townhomes
Location 
Approximately 670 feet south and 1,270 feet east of 
the southeast corner of North Valley Parkway and 
Sonoran Desert Drive 
VPC Recommendation 
Approval, per staff recommendation 
VPC Vote 
8-0
VPC DISCUSSION:
No members of the public registered to speak on this item. 
Staff Presentation: 
Adrian Zambrano, staff, provided an overview of rezoning case Z-47-23-2, including 
the location of the request, surrounding zoning and land uses, and the General Plan 
Land Use Map designation. Mr. Zambrano displayed the site plan, landscape plan, and 
elevations for the proposed project and shared that the proposal has not received any 
letters in support or in opposition to the project. Mr. Zambrano shared the staff findings 
and stated that staff recommends approval subject to stipulations.  
Applicant Presentation: 
Paul Gilbert, with Beus Gilbert McGroder, PLLC, introduced himself and provided an 
overview of the project. Mr. Gilbert shared the proposed site plan and elevations. Mr. 
Gilbert discussed surrounding land uses, building heights, and densities that have been 
approved. Mr. Gilbert stated that the project is consistent with various plans and 
initiatives. Mr. Gilbert concluded that the proposal is a small-scale and well-landscaped 
townhome community that is compatible with surrounding land uses and zoning with no 
neighborhood opposition and has staff recommendation of approval. 
Questions from Committee: 
Mr. Johnson asked if the presentation was the same as the one that was provided at 
the neighborhood meeting. Mr. Gilbert responded affirmatively, noting that it is more 
ATTACHMENT C

North Gateway Village Planning Committee 
Meeting Summary 
Z-47-23-2 
Page 2 of 3 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
refined now with the recommended stipulations. Mr. Johnson asked if the number of 
units was the same. Mr. Gilbert responded affirmatively. 
 
Ms. Krieger stated that the site plan looked different than the one that was shown at the 
neighborhood meeting. 
 
Vice Chair Ricart stated that the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board 
approved an agreement for $1000 per unit for up to 127 units to be provided by 
Sonoran Reems Holding, LLC, to give back to the school district. Mr. Gilbert concurred. 
 
Mr. Johnson stated that the current for the wash on the southeast corner can get very 
heavy and asked if there is a wall on the southeast corner to protect the units from 
flooding. Mr. Gilbert responded that there will be protection from the wash, noting that 
they will have to submit a detailed grading and drainage plan. 
 
Ms. Krieger asked if there will be another road connecting to the property to the east. 
Mr. Gilbert responded affirmatively, noting that they have an agreement with the 
homebuilder Toll Brothers. Ms. Krieger expressed concerns with a school bus not 
being able to make turns within the community. 
 
Chair Read stated that the school bus stop is at 22nd Drive and Sonoran Desert Drive. 
 
Chandra McCarty asked if the pathway along the wash would be installed with this 
development. Mr. Gilbert responded that they would be paying for and constructing a 
road across the property to the north. Ms. McCarty asked for clarification that they 
would build that road even if the property to the north does not develop. Mr. Gilbert 
responded affirmatively. Ms. McCarty asked for clarification that the multi-use trail 
along the wash would be a dead end until the property to the north develops. Mr. 
Gilbert responded affirmatively.  
 
Ms. Simon asked if the community would be gated. Mr. Gilbert responded 
affirmatively. Ms. Simon asked if there is coordination with the property to the north to 
not be gated. Mr. Gilbert responded that they are coordinating with the property to the 
north but are unsure of their timing. 
 
Ms. Krieger asked if the property to the north would be a 55+ community. Mr. Gilbert 
responded that there are currently no plans for it to be a 55+ community.  
 
Chair Read asked Mr. Gilbert to explain how the homes would be platted for sale at a 
later date. Mr. Gilbert responded that they have carefully structured this project so that 
they would have the flexibility in the future to plat the townhomes and make them for-
sale units, noting that the units would initially be for rent. Chair Read asked if access to 
the trail would be by a key through a pedestrian gate. 
 
Dawn Fortuna, Principal Planner with Bowman Consulting, responded that there would 
be a fence along the backyards of the units adjacent to the wash and the trail would be

North Gateway Village Planning Committee 
Meeting Summary 
Z-47-23-2 
Page 3 of 3 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
located on the other side of the fence. Ms. Fortuna stated that residents would have a 
key to access the trail through a pedestrian gate. 
 
Chair Read stated that there is a small hill on the property to the north and asked if the 
road for 22nd Drive would go through the hill. Ms. Fortuna responded that the City 
wanted that alignment and that the property will be graded appropriately to allow for that 
access. 
 
Ms. McCarty asked if the developer will be contributing to offsite improvements to 
Sonoran Desert Drive. Mr. Gilbert responded affirmatively, noting that it is part of their 
arrangement with the property to the north. 
 
Vice Chair Ricart asked if the developer has other rental properties around the Valley. 
Mr. Gilbert responded that they do have several build-to-rent properties around the 
Valley. 
 
Mr. McGill asked if there would ever be road access along the south from the property 
to the west. Mr. Gilbert responded that there would not be due to separation by the 
wash. 
 
Public Comments:  
None. 
 
Applicant Response to Public Comment: 
None. 
 
MOTION – Z-47-23-2: 
Vice Chair Ricart motioned to recommend approval of Z-47-23-2, per the staff 
recommendation. Ms. Krieger seconded the motion. 
 
VOTE – Z-47-23-2: 
8-0; motion to recommend approval of Z-47-23-2, per the staff recommendation, passes 
with Committee members Johnson, Krieger, McCarty, McGill, Simon, Stein, Ricart and 
Read in favor. 
 
STAFF COMMENTS REGARDING VPC RECOMMENDATION: 
 
None.