PLZU-25-0006-GFT_Ready_Mix_Concrete_-_Staff_Report_-_PZ20260324.docx
Extracted text (via pymupdf)
14953 characters
GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 1 of 7 Conditional Use Permit Report to the Planning and Zoning Commission CASE NUMBER: PLZU-25-0006 TITLE: GFT Ready Mix Concrete MEETING DATE: March 24, 2026 Applicants: Jeff Blilie and Marcela Mora-Yatko, Gilbert Blilie PLLC Owner: MP Hazen Sand & Rock LLC Request: Conditional Use Permit for aggregate sand and gravel excavation and ancillary batch plant. District Location: Council District 2 Generally located 1,300’ east of the southeast corner of Rooks Road and Hazen Road Site size: Approximately 77 acres Public input: None received Recommendation: Approve subject to conditions “a” through “t” GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 2 of 7 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1. The applicant is seeking a Conditional Use Permit to operate an aggregate (sand and gravel) extraction operation and ancillary cement batch plant on approximately 63 acres of a 77-acre site located approximately 1,300 feet east of the southeast corner of Rooks Road and Hazen Road. 2. The site will be mined over an approximate 20-year period. During the life of the mining operation, ancillary structures, equipment, and parking will be periodically moved around the site to allow for excavation on different parts of the property. Site operations will typically run 24 hours a day, depending on varying demand. The site will be illuminated with portable lights that will be required to meet all development code requirements. The operations on site will be wet aggregate mining which consists of a large, excavated pit that will fill with natural ground water. 3. The site is currently farmland. The narrative states that a portion of the eastern half of the site will remain agricultural land until mining operations transition to that portion of the site. The site will provide a landscape buffer along Hazen Road, which will initially only cover the western portion of the site. To allow the irrigation ditch to remain in place so the eastern portion of the site can be farmed, the landscape buffer on the eastern portion of Hazen Road will not be installed until such time that mining moves to the eastern portion of the site. The applicant will be required to obtain all appropriate permits prior to expansion to the eastern portion of the site. 4. The subject site is within the Rural Residential zoning district, which is identified as an obsolete zoning district within the Development Code. While aggregate extraction is not listed as a use in Appendix C. Obsolete Districts Permissible Uses, it is categorized as a Conditional Use within the Agricultural zoning district, a commensurate non-obsolete district to the Rural Residential zoning district. As such, staff interpreted the proposed use to be a conditionally allowed use within the existing Rural Residential zoning district. AREA CONTEXT 5. Table 1: Existing Land Use, General Plan Designation, and Zoning District LAND USE GENERAL PLAN ZONING Subject Property Agriculture Neighborhood Rural Residential North Future APS Substation Neighborhood Planned Residential South Gila River Open Space Rural-43 (Maricopa County) GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 3 of 7 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SUMMARY: 6. An advertised neighborhood meeting was held at the Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce on December 18, 2025. With the exception of City staff and the applicant team, no persons attended the neighborhood meeting. 7. The applicant team completed all required mailing, publishing, and posting requirements of this public hearing, as outlined within the Buckeye Development Code, as follows: BACKGROUND: 8. June 2006: The subject property was annexed into the city via Ordinance No. 51-06 and assigned Rural Residential (RR) zoning. ANALYSIS: 9. Most sand and rock extraction operations occur on unincorporated properties, as Arizona statute gives these types of operations wide exemptions from county zoning and building authority. These exemptions are limited to unincorporated parcels and do not extend to an incorporated city’s governing authority. As such, all City of Buckeye Development Code regulations and requirements are applicable to this property. Unaware that City requirements would apply, the operator of the proposed facility began bringing equipment to the site in June 2025 prior to seeking guidance from City staff on the required path forward. 10. Realizing the unique circumstances, City staff allowed the applicant to seek a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) for storage of the equipment that was already on site while they worked towards preparing submittal for a Conditional Use Permit. The TUP (SE-25- East Equestrian Neighborhood Rural Residential West Aggregate Extraction Neighborhood Rural-43 (Maricopa County) Notification Element Date Published in AZ Central March 7, 2026 Site Posted March 9, 2026 Mailing to Property Owners w/in 300’ March 9, 2026 GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 4 of 7 0028), which allows only for temporary storage of equipment but does not permit commencement of mining operations, was approved on October 30th, 2025. 11. The subject site is in an area that is currently rural in nature but is located only about a thousand feet west of the southwestern border of the Downtown Specific Area Plan (DSAP). As such staff had some initial concern over long-term quasi-industrial use of the property that may be incompatible with planned future uses identified within the DSAP. Upon further review, however, staff determined that the facility will be compatible with surrounding uses, including an existing aggregate/earth product site and a large equestrian facility to the west and east, a future APS substation to the north and the Gila River to the south. 12. As noted, this type of use is uncommon within incorporated areas, as such operations are typically located on unincorporated land with certain regulatory exemptions. Staff worked with the applicant to ensure compliance with applicable code requirements while maintaining the site’s functionality as an aggregate extraction operation. Landscaping illustrates this balance. Interior landscaping is not feasible due to future excavation, and full installation along Hazen Road at project outset is constrained by continued agricultural use on the eastern portion of the site. However, required landscaping will be installed in phases along Hazen Road and will serve both aesthetic and screening functions. Staff therefore recommends condition “b,” allowing landscaping along the eastern frontage to be deferred until extraction activities commence in that area. The applicant is in agreement with this condition. 13. Staff identified potential lighting impacts as a concern, as mining operations often utilize lighting that does not comply with Development Code standards. The applicant’s examples included portable lighting that would not meet code requirements. Staff notes that the Development Code applies to all exterior lighting, not just permanent fixtures. Given that lighting will move throughout the site over time, staff recommends condition “c” to clarify that all exterior lighting, including portable lighting stacks, must comply with code requirements for the duration of the operation. The applicant is in agreement with this condition. 14. Upon conclusion of the use, in approximately 20 years, the mining pit will be filled with water. Staff believes that the resulting pond will pose a great opportunity for the site to be redeveloped as a natural, water-based amenity that will be an asset to future downtown residents. The proposal to convert the future pit into a pond aligns with the City of Buckeye Sand and Gravel Reclamation Guidelines. RECOMMENDATION: GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 5 of 7 15. Staff recommends the Planning and Zoning Commission motion for approval with conditions “a” – “t” of PLZU-25-0006 for the following reasons: The proposed use of the property is an allowed conditional use within the existing zoning district on the subject property (Rural Residential), which is consistent with the General Plan future land use designation. The proposed conditional use is compatible with existing adjacent land uses and will be compatible with planned future land uses in the area. The proposed use is not anticipated to negatively impact neighboring parcels. There are no outstanding issues for reviewing departments. The applicant has provided documentation that all relevant State, County, and Federal permits and approvals have been obtained. Project Specific Conditions/Stipulations a) A landscape plan depicting location of each plant and tree type must be submitted with civil permits. Landscaping along Hazen Road must consist of a minimum of one tree and five other plantings per every 30 linear feet. b) Landscaping along the eastern portion of the site, as delineated on the site plan, may be deferred until the cessation of farming operations on site. Prior to commencement of mining operations on the eastern portion of the site, the operator must obtain all applicable permits which shall include landscaping plans for the eastern site frontage along Hazen Road. Landscaping must be installed along entire Hazen Road frontage prior to expansion of operations to the eastern portion of the site. c) All exterior lighting, whether fixed in place or on portable equipment, must comply with all City development code requirements including shielding, correlated light temperature, and maximum light trespass requirements. At no time may lighting be positioned in a manner that makes the illumination source visible offsite. d) Site plan approval includes all boundaries, locations, easements, and other information depicted on the ALTA survey. e) Per Chapter 9 of the COB Development Code, proper dust control measures shall be taken throughout the operation of the Site. f) Civil Construction Plans for the Hazen Road improvements including tapers and right and left turn lanes shall be submitted to the City for review, approval and permitting. Tapers and turn lanes shall be designed in accordance with COB, AASHTO and MUTCD Standards. g) Right turn lanes serving industrial developments shall be constructed of 9” thick, fiber strand reinforced, Class ‘A’ Concrete. h) The Irrigation canal along the north end of the site shall be undergrounded the length of the right turn lane. If adjacent sites develop and underground the irrigation canal, the canal shall be removed and placed underground along the entire length of the site. GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 6 of 7 i) A Fee in Lieu for the required half street improvements to Hazen Road shall be collected when Hazen Road is improved by either the City or adjacent developers to the east, west or north of the site. General j) Development of the property shall be in general conformance with the Site Plan titled “GFT Plant 4”, consisting of “3” pages, dated “February 25, 2026”, and stamp received “February 26, 2026”, except as modified by the following conditions/stipulations. k) This project is subject to a Street Light Improvement District (SLID) in accordance with City of Buckeye Ordinance 43-05. This shall be established prior to the issuance of the first permit for the property. This will include a gross boundary legal and exhibit of the ownership parcels for the following APN 400-37-003L. Please contact Jennifer Traynor, Project Engineer, jtraynor@buckeyeaz.gov to complete the SLID process. l) All existing overhead power lines less than 69 kV capacity, or any other overhead utilities within the project area or along its boundaries, shall be installed underground. m) Any irrigation District-owned facilities to be located within the right-of-way shall be located near the rear of the right-of-way and the right-of-way shall be extended at least five (5) feet, unless otherwise determined by the City. Any additional easements for District-owned facilities shall be placed outside of the right-of-way and the public utilities easement. n) The property owner/s and their successor waive any and all claims for diminution in value of the property with regard to any action taken by City of Buckeye as a result of this approval. o) All trash, and construction debris, shall be collected through a private waste hauler that has a City of Buckeye business license to haul trash. Drainage p) The project shall be constructed in accordance with Floodplain Use Permit SG2500004, approved July 1st, 2025. Streets q) The Property Owner/Developer shall submit a Minor Subdivision Plat or City approved road conveyance instrument to the City of Buckeye for dedication of twenty seven-foot Roadway Easement to support a sixty-foot half road section for Hazen Road and an additional five feet of additional Roadway Easement at right turn lanes along with a parallel eight foot PUE. Roadway Easements shall be dedicated to the City at no cost to the City. Roadway Easements shall be dedicated prior to permit issuance for Hazen Road Improvements. r) At the time of need, as determined by the City, the Road Easement property held by the owner and/or successor’s shall be granted to the City for ROW by means determined by the City at no cost to the City. GFT Ready Mix Concrete – Conditional Use Permit - PLZU-25-0006 Page 7 of 7 s) It has been determined that a portion of the required improvements may not be constructed as part of this Development. The Developer shall be responsible to design all of the required improvements, including landscaped medians and/or gateway signage in accordance with the Buckeye Arterial Gateway Guide, if applicable, and then coordinate with the City to define the portion of improvements that will not be constructed as part of the development. Hazen Road is classified as a Nature River Theme Tier 2 per the Arterial Gateway Guide. A fee-in-lieu agreement will need to be completed to cover the omitted improvements, and the Property Owner/Developer will be required to provide payment to the City to cover the costs prior to Project Closeout. Water / Wastewater t) The Property Owner/Developer shall allocate any surface water rights to the City prior to the issuance of any building permits. ATTACHMENTS: Exhibit A – Vicinity Map Exhibit B – General Plan Land Use Map Exhibit C – Existing Zoning Map Exhibit D – Narrative Exhibit E – Citizen Participation Report Prepared By: Joseph Mueller, Senior Planner Reviewed By: Ken Galica, Planning Manager