Attachment C - VPC Summary NG Info - GPA-DSTV-1-18-2.pdf

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
GPA-DSTV-1-18-2 
INFORMATION ONLY 
Date of VPC Meeting 
December 9, 2021 
Request From 
Preserves / Residential 0 to 1 or 1 to 2 dwelling units per 
acre, Preserves / Residential 2 to 3.5 or 3.5 to 5 dwelling 
units per acre, and Preserves / Floodplain 
Request To 
Residential 2 to 3.5 or 3.5 to 5 dwelling units per acre, 
Preserves / Floodplain, and removal of the Infrastructure 
Phasing Overlay 
Proposed Use 
Single-family Residential 
Location 
Southwest corner of the 24th Street alignment and 
Sonoran Desert Drive 
VPC DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDED STIPULATIONS:
This item was heard concurrently with Item #4 – Information Only – Z-62-18-2, Item #5 
– Information Only – Z-TA-5-18-2, and Item #6 – Information Only – Z-75-18-2.
Committee member Julie Read arrived to the meeting during this item, bringing the 
quorum to 5 members. 
3 persons indicated that they wished to speak. 
Susan Demmitt, representative with Gammage & Burnham, provided information about 
the proposed development, noting the site is a privately owned parcel adjacent to the 
Sonoran Preserve, will have only single-family homes with a maximum of 3 homes per 
acre, and will have 7 miles of trails and community paths.  She discussed the 
application requests to rezone to PUD, amend the General Plan, and amend the Desert 
Character Overlay District.  She also discussed the extension and build out of Sonoran 
Desert Drive. 
Susan Demmitt also discussed the developer’s partnership with the National Wildlife 
Federation (NWF).  She discussed the certified wildlife habitat open space, monarch 
pledge, early childhood health outdoors nature playscape, habitat management plans, 
and homeowner habitat gardens.  She noted the NWF landscape palette, pedestrian 
circulation, and open edge plan. 
Attachment C

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Vice Chair Shannon Simon asked about the timeline for constructing Sonoran Desert 
Drive.  Susan Demmitt stated that the buildout for Sonoran Desert Drive will cost 
approximately $120 million and there is no defined timeline.  She stated that the 
development will complete a Traffic Impact Study to determine the level of service and 
the necessary improvements. 
 
Committee member Michelle Ricart asked whether the applicant reached out to the 
school district.  Susan Demmitt stated that they are working with the school district on 
a donation agreement.  She added that there will be no modifications to the boundaries 
of the school district and students living in the development will be within the boundary 
of Desert Mountain schools. 
 
Gary Kirkilas, a member of Save Our Sonoran Preserve, expressed concerns with 
removal of the Desert Character Overlay.  He stated that areas adjacent to preserve 
areas should be low density.  He also expressed concerns regarding increased traffic. 
 
Paul Grayczyk, president of the Sonoran Gate Home Owner’s Association, encouraged 
larger setbacks from Sonoran Desert Drive. 
 
Bob Thompson, a member of the public, stated that the beauty of the area should be 
maintained.  He added that the developer should honor the Desert Character Overlay 
and keep the preserve areas as is. 
 
Susan Demmitt stated that she had no additional comments or responses at this time, 
but will continue dialogue with the community going forward.