PLZZ-26-0019 Merit Buckeye Cotton Gin - P&Z Final Staff Report - 11-10-26.docx

REZONE
Report to the Planning and Zoning Commission
CASE NUMBER: PLZZ-26-0019
TITLE: Merit Buckeye Cotton Gin Rezone
MEETING DATE: November 10, 2026
Applicant: Nicholaus Fischer of Merit Partners Inc. and George Pasquel III of
Withey Morris Baugh on behalf of Wade Accomazzo
Request: Rezone from Rural Residential (RR) to Light Industrial (I-1)
Council District: 2
Location: Located south of the southwest corner of Baseline and Turner
Roads. Refer to the Vicinity Map (Exhibit A)
Site Size: Approximately 138 acres
Public Input: A neighborhood meeting was held on September 29, 2026, with
two members of the public in attendance. General questions were
raised regarding the proposed development and surrounding area.
No opposition was expressed. All required public hearing notices
have been completed. Refer to the Public Participation Summary
for additional information.
Recommendation: Conduct a Public Hearing and Recommend approval of Case PLZZ-
26-0019 to the Mayor and City Council, subject to conditions a)
through j)
Case PLZZ-26-0019 – Merit Buckeye Cotton Gin Rezone
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
1. Nicholaus Fischer of Merit Partners Inc. and George Pasquel III of Withey Morris Baugh,
on behalf of Wade Accomazzo, are requesting approval of a Rezone of approximately 138
acres located south of the southwest corner of Baseline and Turner Roads (Exhibit A). The
applicant is requesting to rezone the property from Rural Residential (RR) to Light
Industrial (I-1) to accommodate future light industrial development, potentially including
manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution uses. The I-1 District also permits a range
of other industrial and employment-generating uses, including processing, service,
storage, wholesale, and research and development activities. Although no specific user
or Site Plan has been proposed, the Rezone would establish the zoning framework for the
property’s future industrial development.
2. A Minor Subdivision will be required to consolidate the existing parcels, totaling
approximately 138 acres, and a subsequent Site Plan review will be required to
demonstrate compliance with the I-1 standards of the City of Buckeye Development Code.
These applications may be submitted concurrently for review. Located near State Route
85, the property presents an opportunity to transition from agricultural use to
employment-generating industrial development. The Rezoning Narrative (Exhibit D)
provides additional details about the applicant’s anticipated plans for the property. The
proposed Rezone is anticipated to be scheduled for consideration at the December 15,
2026, City Council public hearing.
AREA CONTEXT:
3. Table 1: Existing Land Use, General Plan Designation, and Zoning District:
LAND USE GENERAL PLAN ZONING
Subject
Vacant Rural Property Employment Rural Residential (RR)
Property
Union Pacific Railroad/
North Employment General Commerce (GC)
Agricultural uses
Buckeye Canal/ Rural Residential (RR)/
South Employment
Agricultural uses General Commerce (GC)
Industrial/Residential General Commerce (GC)/
East Employment
uses County- Rural (RU-43)
West Agricultural uses Employment General Commerce (GC)
Case PLZZ-26-0019 – Merit Buckeye Cotton Gin Rezone
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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SUMMARY:
4. A neighborhood meeting, providing an opportunity for interested parties to learn more
about the request, was held on September 29, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. at Holiday Inn Express
and Suites Phoenix West- Buckeye located at 445 S. Watson Rd. The City of Buckeye
Development Code requires written notices to property owners within 500 feet of the
subject site for an area greater than twenty (20) acres. The applicant opted to mail the
notices to property owners within 1000 feet (500 feet beyond the requirement) of the
subject site on September 14, 2026, fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the meeting.
5. In addition to the applicant, City staff, and Councilmember Craig Heustis, two residents
attended the neighborhood meeting. The residents asked general questions regarding
project timing, potential end users, infrastructure, and future development in the
surrounding area. No opposition to the proposed Rezone was expressed. Outside of the
residents in attendance at the neighborhood meeting, staff has not received any written
or verbal feedback from the public pertaining to this request. Please refer to the Citizen
Participation Report (Exhibit E) for more information.
6. All required notifications of this public hearing were completed at least fifteen (15) days
in advance of the meeting date, as follows:
Notification Element Date
Published in the Arizona Business Gazette,
October 21, 2026
Republic Edition
Site Posted October 23, 2026
Mailing Notice to Property Owners Within 1000
October 22, 2026
Feet of Site
BACKGROUND:
7. April 1, 2008: The subject property was annexed into the Town of Buckeye and assigned
Rural Residential (RR) zoning under Ordinance 16-08.
8. September 10, 2026: The applicant submitted a Rezone application under Case PLZZ-26-
0019.
9. September 29, 2026: A neighborhood meeting was held at Holiday Inn Express and Suites;
see Public Participation Summary for additional information.
10. November 10, 2026: The item is scheduled for Planning and Zoning Commission.
Case PLZZ-26-0019 – Merit Buckeye Cotton Gin Rezone
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11. December 15, 2026 (anticipated): City Council is scheduled to consider adoption of an
ordinance approving the proposed Rezone for the subject property.
ANALYSIS:
Conformance with the General Plan
12. The property is designated Employment by the General Plan Land Use Map (Exhibit B).
The Employment designation denotes areas of development that have a focus on
employment opportunities that contribute to the overall local and regional economy. This
may include industrial uses, such as warehouses and manufacturing facilities, as well as
business parks. The proposed rezoning to Light Industrial (I-1) is therefore consistent with
the property’s General Plan land use designation.
13. Portions of the property are located within the General Plan’s Employment Transition
Area (ETA), which applies to Employment-designated properties within one-quarter mile
of a Neighborhood land use designation. While the ETA does not change the underlying
Employment designation or preclude industrial development, it establishes additional
expectations for compatibility with nearby existing and future residential uses. Future
development within the ETA will be subject to applicable design standards intended to
minimize impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, including an upscale, business park-like
appearance along adjacent arterial roadways, landscaping, screening, setbacks, and
building design. Compliance with these requirements will be evaluated during subsequent
Site Plan review.
14. The proposed rezone, if approved, will implement policies of the General Plan, including:
 Expanding the contiguous area for development of employment generating uses
in furtherance of General Plan (“GP”) Policy G-7.1: “The City of Buckeye should
identify and protect areas suitable for large scale office park and industrial
activities, such as distribution, logistics, manufacturing, and other employment
type uses within the City’s MPA”; and
 Furthering the City’s Economic Development related goals of attracting businesses
in the logistics and advanced manufacturing sectors and meeting desired jobs to
population ratios outlined in GP Policy G-1.8: “The City of Buckeye will encourage
commerce and business employment centers that respond to the City’s economic
needs and that correspond with Buckeye’s targeted economic sectors” and GP
Policy G-7.3: “The City of Buckeye will have an average of one to one jobs per
household.”
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Land Use and Zoning
15. The property is currently zoned Rural Residential (RR), an obsolete zoning district
intended to accommodate low-density residential development in outlying areas where
public services may not be available. While the RR zoning reflects the property’s historical
agricultural and rural character, it does not align with the current General Plan
designation of Employment.
16. The proposed Light Industrial (I-1) zoning would facilitate the transition of the property
from its historical agricultural use to employment-generating industrial development,
consistent with the General Plan’s Employment designation. The I-1 District is intended
to accommodate light industrial uses, including manufacturing, warehousing, and
distribution, which are appropriate for the property’s location and surrounding
development pattern.
17. The property’s location is well suited for industrial development due to its proximity to
State Route 85, which provides regional transportation connectivity, and the adjacent
Union Pacific Railroad corridor. The approximately 138-acre site also provides an
opportunity to accommodate larger-scale industrial and employment-generating uses
consistent with the General Plan’s Employment designation. These characteristics make
the property suitable for the manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and other
industrial uses permitted within the I-1 District.
18. The proposed I-1 zoning is also compatible with the surrounding land use pattern.
Properties to the north, south, east, and west are designated Employment by the General
Plan, and much of the surrounding area is already zoned General Commerce (GC). Existing
industrial development east of Turner Road further supports the transition of this area
from agricultural to employment-generating uses. Although some residential uses remain
in the vicinity, future industrial development will be subject to applicable Development
Code standards, including those associated with the Employment Transition Area, to
address compatibility with surrounding properties.
Future Development
19. No specific development project or Site Plan has been proposed as part of this Rezone
application. The requested I-1 zoning would establish the framework for future industrial
development, with the ultimate uses and site configuration determined through
subsequent development applications.
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20. Future development will require administrative Site Plan approval and compliance with
applicable Development Code requirements, including the dimensional standards in Table
4.1-3, site layout, building design, setbacks, landscaping, screening, parking, access, and
circulation. Development within the Employment Transition Area will also be evaluated
for compliance with applicable design and compatibility standards, as discussed
previously in this report.
21. The property will be serviced by City of Buckeye Police, City of Buckeye Fire, and will be
within the City of Buckeye sewer and water service areas.
22. The property is located within the Buckeye Union High School and Buckeye Elementary
School Districts; development of the site with industrial uses will not result in any direct
impacts on either district.
RECOMMENDATION:
23. Staff recommends the Planning and Zoning Commission hold a public hearing and
recommend approval of the Rezone for Buckeye Merit Cotton Gin (Case PLZZ-26 -0019)
to the Mayor and City Council, subject to Conditions a) through j), for the following
reasons:
 The Rezone furthers the goals of the Buckeye General Plan by contributing to the
City’s economic vitality and creating employment opportunities;
 The Rezone conforms to the General Plan land use designation of Employment;
 The Rezone conforms to all Buckeye Development Code requirements; and
 Reviewing City departments have no objections to approval, subject to the
recommended conditions of approval.
Project Specific
a. 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.
b. With respect to a right-of-way declared in the document recorded in Book 3,
Page 16 (Recording No. 19270018723), Official Records of Maricopa County,
Arizona, at the time of, or prior to, the recordation of any new plat or Minor
Subdivision for the property, such plat or Minor Subdivision shall include
language to remove any rights or easements created by the County records in
relation to said Book 3, Page 16.
c. The Minor Subdivision or plat will include the following proposed language, OR
AS OTHERWISE AGREED TO:
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i. The right-of-way proposed in the document recorded in Book 3,
Page 16 (Recording No. 19270018723), Official Records of Maricopa
County, Arizona, was never properly dedicated to or accepted by
Maricopa County or the City of Buckeye. The recordation of this
final plat formally abandons and deems said previous suggested
right-of-way entirely invalid, void, and of no further force or effect.
Traffic
d. Prior to the issuance of any civil permit, the Property Owner/Developer shall pay
a pro rata share cost of up to nine (9) regional future traffic signals to be installed
within this section of land. The pro rata share is based on a ratio of the project
acreage to the developable acreage within the section. The sectional contribution
is to be based on the following allocation of costs: (i) 25 percent share of four (4)
possible signals at arterial street intersections; (ii) 50 percent share of four (4)
possible signals at half-mile collector street intersections or project entries; and
(iii) 100 percent share of one (1) possible signal internal to this project. The cost
shall be based on an anticipated signal cost as determined by the City. The signal
fee will be for the entire parcel of development regardless of any lots that may be
split into different parcels such as a multi pad commercial development.
e. Prior to approval of a site plan or pre-plat, a Traffic Impact Analysis is required to
be submitted and approved. All requirements of the Traffic Impact Analysis shall
be reflected on the approved construction drawings.
f. All non-regional traffic signals that are required by this project shall be funded and
constructed by this project prior to C of O.
g. All regional traffic signals required by this project shall be constructed by this
project prior to C of O. This may have a reimbursable component from the regional
signal fees collected by the City from other parcels per City Engineer approval.
h. All medians required for controlling site access (RI/RO, ¾ (RI/RO/LI)) shall be
constructed with this development.
i. In the event that access to and within the project is deemed a threat to public
safety and security by the City, the City has broad authority to take such action as
it deems necessary to address such a threat until such time as the Property
Owner/Developer eliminates the safety concerns to the City’s satisfaction. The
Property Owner/Developer is responsible for revising the roadway and access
layout to alleviate the City’s concerns with respect to public safety and security.
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Any such changes will be considered a minor change to existing site plan approvals
and shall be approved by the City.
j. ITS conduits (2 7-way micro-ducts) must be installed along Turner Road per City
standards, including any necessary splice boxes.
ATTACHMENTS:
Exhibit A – Vicinity Map
Exhibit B – General Plan Land Use Map
Exhibit C – Existing Zoning Map
Exhibit D – Rezoning Narrative
Exhibit E – Citizen Participation Report
Prepared By:
Sylvia Willem, Planner II
Reviewed By:
Ken Galica, Planning Manager
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