PLZU-25-0004 Minor GPA - Employment Land Use Description - 9-16-25 CC.docx
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Case PLZU-25-0004 – Employment Land Use Definition Minor General Plan Amendment Page 1 of 5 MINOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT Report to the Mayor and City Council CASE NUMBER: PLZU-25-0004 TITLE: Minor General Plan Amendment – Employment Land Use Definition MEETING DATE: September 16, 2025 Applicant: City of Buckeye Development Services Department Request: Minor General Plan Amendment to revise the Employment land use category definition to allow limited residential uses within large-scale Community Master Plans or Planned Area Developments (1,280 acres or more) on properties featuring an Employment designation. With the proposed amendment, residential uses would be permitted in these CMPs or PADs, subject to Council’s discretionary approval, only where zoning documents include clear criteria ensuring residential uses are not the primary land use, are not located adjacent to heavy industrial uses, and incorporate design standards—such as setbacks, buffers, building size limits, connectivity requirements, and other measures—to mitigate impacts. Location: Citywide Public input: No comments have been received to date. Recommendation: Adoption of Resolution No. 51-25, approving case PLZU-25-0004 Case PLZU-25-0004 – Employment Land Use Definition Minor General Plan Amendment Page 2 of 5 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1. The Imagine Buckeye 2040 General Plan document (also referred to as “Imagine Buckeye 2040” or simply the "General Plan") is used by the City to guide Buckeye’s future relative to land use, public services, infrastructure, and resource management. The General Plan is designed to guide Buckeye’s future while retaining the community’s distinctive character and culture. 2. The General Plan includes a variety of land use designations intended to guide future rezoning of property, with the goal of ensuring that the character and type of development is location appropriate. The Employment land use designation is intended to foster future development of industrial, office, and limited commercial uses that provide employment opportunities for Buckeye residents and generate revenues that contribute towards robust City services. As currently written, the Employment definition does not allow for consideration of residential uses when a property is rezoned. 3. The City of Buckeye Development Services Department has initiated Application PLZU-25- 0004, a request for a Minor General Plan text amendment to revise the definition of the Employment land use designation on Pages 2-14 and 2-15 of the General Plan. The proposed amendment (Exhibit A) would allow future consideration of limited residential uses within large-scale Community Master Plans or Planned Area Developments (1,280 acres or more) on properties designated for Employment. Residential uses would only be permitted with City Council’s discretionary approval and where zoning documents include clear criteria ensuring they are not the primary land use, are not located adjacent to heavy industrial uses, and incorporate design standards—such as setbacks, buffers, building size limits, pedestrian connectivity, and other measures—to mitigate potential impacts. 4. The proposed text amendment would apply citywide to any property with an Employment General Plan land use designation that is 1,280 acres or larger. Approval of the amendment would not, by itself, permit residential uses on any specific property. Rather, it allows the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council to consider approving CMPs or PADs that include residential uses as a secondary component within Employment-designated areas. 5. Section 1.8 of the General Plan states that “General Plan text changes that are in conflict with or alter the goals and policies of the Plan” must be processed as Major Amendments in accordance with ARS §9‐461.06. Amendments that do not meet this criterion are considered Minor Amendments. The proposed modification does not conflict with or alter the Plan’s goals; rather, it clarifies the range of appropriate uses within the existing Employment designation. By allowing limited residential uses in large-scale developments, the amendment supports a more inclusive and flexible vision for Case PLZU-25-0004 – Employment Land Use Definition Minor General Plan Amendment Page 3 of 5 Employment areas that are unlikely to develop with a single use, promoting development of a more self-sustaining, integrated Buckeye. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SUMMARY: 6. As the request is not property specific, no neighborhood meeting is required. 7. Public notice of this public hearing via a legal advertisement in the Arizona Republic has been completed in accordance with the Development Code and State Statute. The ad was published over 15 days in advance of the hearing date. 8. No public spoke during the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing for this item on August 12, 2025. The Commission recommended approval of the Minor General Plan Amendment, 7-0. 9. No public feedback has been received to date. BACKGROUND: 10. August 2018: The Imagine Buckeye 2040 General Plan was ratified by the City of Buckeye voters. The approved General Plan serves as the City’s long-range policy document, guiding future growth, development, and infrastructure investment. It defines a series of land use categories—such as Employment, Neighborhood, Commercial, and Mixed Use— which establish the general character, intensity, and type of development considered appropriate in different areas of the city. These land use categories are applied geographically through the General Plan Land Use Map, which provides a citywide framework for land use patterns over the next 20+ years. The Land Use Map is used to inform zoning decisions, infrastructure planning, and development review processes, helping ensure that growth occurs in a coordinated and sustainable manner consistent with the community’s vision and goals. 11. June 2022: The City Council approved a staff-initiated General Plan Amendment to the Employment land use definition, establishing a higher standard for design and compatibility when industrial uses are developed near planned or existing residential uses. 12. August 12, 2025: The Planning and Zoning Commission conducted a public hearing and recommended approval of the Minor General Plan Amendment, 7-0. No public spoke during the item’s public hearing. Case PLZU-25-0004 – Employment Land Use Definition Minor General Plan Amendment Page 4 of 5 ANALYSIS: 13. Allowing limited residential uses in large-scale Employment-designated CMPs or PADs promotes the development of a more self-sustaining community. These master-planned areas can accommodate a strategic mix of uses—employment, residential, and commercial—that reduce the need for long commutes and support balanced daily life within a defined area. 14. The amendment applies only to properties 1,280 acres or larger, which are unlikely to develop as a single land use. This scale of development provides a unique opportunity to plan comprehensively and incorporate a diverse mix of compatible uses without compromising the intent of the Employment designation. 15. The amendment explicitly requires that residential uses be secondary and not the dominant land use within Employment-designated CMPs or PADs. This preserves the General Plan’s goal of fostering job-generating development while allowing added flexibility in master plan design. 16. Residential uses will only be considered when zoning documents include clear criteria for buffering, setbacks, building size, pedestrian connectivity, and separation from heavy industrial uses. These requirements ensure compatibility and reduce potential land use conflicts. 17. All proposed residential uses under this amendment would remain subject to City Council discretionary approval. This allows for a case-by-case evaluation of whether the proposed mix of uses is appropriate for the context and whether the development will serve Buckeye’s long-term interests. 18. This proposal builds on the 2022 General Plan amendment that added design and compatibility standards for industrial development near residential areas. It reflects a continuing effort to refine the General Plan in a way that balances growth, livability, and economic development. 19. Incorporating limited housing into large employment centers helps support workforce housing opportunities near jobs, contributing to housing diversity, affordability, and reducing pressure on transportation infrastructure. RECOMMENDATION: 20. Staff recommends the City Council conduct a public hearing and adopt Resolution No. 51- 25, approving application PLZU-25-0004, a Minor General Plan Amendment revising the definition of the Employment land use designation, for the reasons outlined in the ‘analysis’ section of this staff report. Case PLZU-25-0004 – Employment Land Use Definition Minor General Plan Amendment Page 5 of 5 ATTACHMENT Exhibit A – Proposed Employment Land Use Definition Prepared By: Ken Galica, Planning Manager