Planning Commission Staff Report

PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
CASE:
Woolf Crossing Planned Area Development Amendment
CASE #:
ZON21-11
MEETING DATE:
06/17/2021
FROM:
Tabitha Perry, Special Projects Executive Officer, Planning,
tperry@glendaleaz.com, 623-930-2596
SUBJECT
WOOLF CROSSING PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT (PAD) AMENDMENT
ZON21-11:     A request by the City of Glendale on behalf of Woolf Family Enterprises,
LTD, to amend the approved 2006 Woolf Crossing PAD.  The proposal will remove
residential, neighborhood park, and elementary school as permitted land uses, allow an
expansion of commercial and Luke Compatible land uses, and establish development
standards for approximately 300 acres.  All other components of the existing PAD will
remain as approved in the 2006 Woolf Crossing PAD.  The site is generally located east
of the southeast corner of Olive Avenue and Loop 303 Freeway (15551 West Olive
Avenue) and is in the Yucca District.  Staff Contact:  Tabitha Perry, Executive Officer,
Special Projects, 623-930-2596.
REQUEST
A request to amend the existing 2006 approved Woolf Crossing PAD zoning district to
remove the residential land use category planned for single-family residential lots;
remove education (elementary school) and neighborhood park land uses; allow
commercial and Luke Compatible Land Uses as permitted land uses, and establish
development standards for parcels C through J. 
APPLICANT/OWNER
City of Glendale / Woolf Family Enterprises, LTD
REQUIRED ACTION
The Planning Commission must conduct a public hearing and determine if this request is
in the best long-term interest of the City, vicinity area and consistent with the General
Plan. 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
General Plan Designation:
The property is designated as RMU (Regional Mixed-Use). RMU designation is designed
to encourage new, multi-modal, mixed use development in regionally significant areas.
RMU’s land use designation permits a cohesive, large-scale, mixed-use planned
development fostering urban, multi-modal opportunities. RMU does not define a desired
land use mix, but a wide range of commercial and office uses is expected.

Property Location and Size:
The subject property is approximately 300 acres located east of the southeast corner of
Olive Avenue and Loop 3003 (15551 West Olive Avenue).  The proposed rezoning is
located in the Yucca District.
 
 Adjacent Uses and Zoning:
  
On-site:
Vacant, agricultural, Woolf Crossing, PAD Zoning District
North of Olive
Avenue:
Vacant, agricultural land, Cactus Lane Ranch Packaging and
Warehousing buildings within Maricopa County jurisdiction,
RU-43, and R1-35, Zoning Districts
South of Northern
Avenue:
Residential and vacant land within Maricopa County
jurisdiction, RU-43 Zoning District  
East of Reems Road: Industrial developments, Woolf Logistic PAD Zoning District;
Falcon Dunes Golf Course, A-1 Zoning District
West of Loop 303:
Developing Residential, agricultural land, within Maricopa
County jurisdiction, R1-6 and RU-43 Zoning Districts 
     
 History:
 
In 2006, an approved Woolf Crossing PAD was intended to develop 738 acres with a
planned community of residential, commercial, industrial, open space and educational
land uses on 13 parcels. The development plan for the PAD proposed the following land
use designations:
Approximately 37% Residential 
Approximately 31% Commercial
Approximately 29% Luke Compatible Land Use (LCLU)
Less than 1% Neighborhood Park
Less than 3% Elementary School
The subject site was part of the General Plan Amendment (GPA05-06), which was a
major amendment approved by Council on November 22, 2005. This General Plan
Amendment comprised of Luke Compatible Land Uses, Low Density Residential, and
Entertainment Mixed-Use land use designations as part of the 2020 General Plan. As
part of the 2040 Envision Glendale, General Plan Update, adopted in 2016, the 738
acres land use designation was changed to RMU.
 
Future Transportation Plans for Northern Parkway realigned Sarival Avenue and
provided a larger commercial node than originally planned for the master development.   
 
Project Details:
 
In 2006, City Council approved a rezoning request for an approximately 738-acre site to
PAD to allow a mixed land use development. At that time, the applicant, Element Homes,
planned to develop a 656-lot single-family residential development in a portion of the
PAD.
 
The residential and supporting land use categories are located east of Sarival Avenue,
west of the LCLU parcels, and extend from Olive Avenue to Northern Avenue. Permitted
uses in these categories includes single-family development, an elementary school and

a neighborhood park.
 
The proposal is to remove the residential (Parcels C, D, E, H, I, and J), neighborhood
park (Parcel F) and elementary school (Parcel G) land use designations as permitted
land uses. Allow Parcels C through J to be developed with commercial and Luke
Compatible Land Uses as described for Parcels A, B, K, L, and M).  
The commercial land use category is designated for parcels A and B. Permitted
uses in this category include employment, retail and residential.  Retail permitted
uses generally include those permitted in the General Commercial (C-2) and
Community Shopping Center (CSC) zoning districts.  
The residential uses permitted in the commercial designated area, parcels A and
B, may not exceed 80 acres. The different types of permitted residential
development includes single-family attached, multi-family, and mixed-use
residential integrated into commercial buildings.  (Parcels C through J are not
intended to extend the allowance of residential uses as described above.)  
The Luke Compatible Land Use categories is designated for parcels K, L, and M
and the permitted land uses are industrial in nature.
Summary of the development standards proposed for parcels C through J are: 
Maximum Building Height
100 feet
Maximum Lot Coverage
60%
Minimum On-site Landscape/Open
Space
10% of the net site area or the ground
floor area of all buildings, whichever is
greater.
 
Private utility companies will provide water and sewer services.
 
Architectural design theme will include varied wall planes, window treatments, accent
features, and the use of varying materials and colors to create distinctive appearance
and strong visual character.
 
The development plan proposes signage in compliance with the most recent adopted
Zoning Ordinance Section, 7.104.C. 
  
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION TO DATE:
 
Applicant’s Citizen Participation Process:
 
On May 7, 2021, property owners within 300 feet of the site and interested parties were
mailed notification letters regarding the proposed amendment. Several responses in
opposition of the proposal were received. In summary, property owners expressed
concerns with traffic due to semi-trucks, additional enormous warehouses being
developed in the area, potential property devaluing due to industrial development,
concerns of protection of farm animals, and beliefs of not being appropriately notified.
On May 19, 2021, Luke Air Force Base provided a favorable letter in support to the PAD
amendment. As a standard requirement and noted in Luke's response letter each
development is subject to submittal of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ) Form
7460-1.

A copy of the Citizen Participation Final Report is attached.
 
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
A Notice of Public Hearing was published in The Glendale Star on May 27, 2021.
Notification postcards of the public hearing were mailed on May 26, 2021 to adjacent
property owners and interested parties.  The property was posted on May 25, 2021.
STAFF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
Findings:
  
The proposed amendment is consistent in substance and location with the
development objectives of the General Plan.
The proposal will be compatible with other existing and planned developments in
the area.
 
Analysis: 
The PAD zoning district remains consistent in substance with the RMU land use
designation and objective of the General Plan. The PAD amendment maintains the
overall development plan to create a development unified by architecture,
landscaping, signage and lighting with complimentary land uses.
The proposed PAD amendment maintains the integrity of the original PAD to
provide opportunities for a mixed-use development that encourage innovative
development concepts for land use types to provide for greater variety and intensity
of uses.
The 2006 Woolf Crossing PAD permitted uses listed for the LCLU, residential, and
commercial land uses were reasonable and appropriate given the location of the
project at the time of approval. As development occurred over the last four years,
development of residential lots no longer provides for a best and highest use in the
subject area.
The eastern boundary of Woolf Crossing is approximately one-half mile west of
Luke Air Force Base. Removal of residential and residential supporting land uses is
favorable to protecting the base.   
The proposed amendment to permitted land uses for LCLU and commercial
instead of residential land use designations are reasonable and appropriate given
the location of the project.
The proposed land uses promote developments to viable, economical use of
property, and as a protection of public health and safety as these uses are near
Luke Air Force Base. As noted in the original Woolf Crossing PAD (ZON05-20);
each use will require a Design Review Application submittal and approval that will
ensure the use complies with state statutes that are in effect at the time of the
development.
The residential land use category established the necessity for a stipulation within
case ZON05-20 requiring the applicant to donate a parcel of land up to five-acres in
size for the development of a public safety facility. The proposal to remove
residential development within parcels C, D, E, H, I and J eliminates the need for a
public safety facility.

Section 6.7, Walls and Monumentation, of the original Woolf Crossing PAD states
the required screen walls for an employment or retail use located along Northern
Parkway, the Loop 303 or the Loop 303 frontage road is limited to the parking lot
screen wall not less than three (3) feet six (6) inches in height as required for any
adjacent parking areas and a truck loading dock screen wall, constructed at or near
the building and limited to a maximum height of 14 feet, to screen any truck loading
dock or outside storage area visible from Northern Parkway, the Loop 303 or the
Loop 303 frontage road. The PAD amendment shall include these regulations to
apply to Olive and Northern Avenues. The final approval of the design and height of
the walls to be approved during the Design Review Application for each project
development.
All applicable city departments have reviewed the application.
RECOMMENDATION
Should the Commission choose to move forward with a recommendation for approval of
ZON21-11, staff suggests the following stipulations which shall replace stipulations
approved within case ZON05-20:
  
Development shall be in substantial conformance with the development plan and
narrative of the Woolf Crossing PAD date stamped, June 5, 2006, and the
amended Woolf Crossing PAD date stamped May 24, 2021.
1.
Dedication of additional right-of-way for Northern Avenue to provide for a total half
width of 55 feet, except within 250 feet of a major intersection where the
right-of-way dedication shall increase to 65 feet. Except for the area between
Sarival Avenue and Loop 303, the half street right-of-way in this area shall be 65
feet and increase to 75 feet within 250 feet of a major intersection. Such dedication
shall be made at the time of development of adjacent parcel.
2.
Dedication of additional right-of-way for Sarival Avenue to provide for a total
half-street width of 65 feet, except within 250 feet of a major intersection where the
right-of-way dedication shall increase to 75 feet. Such dedication shall be made at
the time of development of adjacent parcel.
3.
Dedication of additional right-of-way for Reems Road, south of Northern Parkway,
to provide for a total half-width of 55 feet, except within 250 feet of a major
intersection where the right-of-way dedication shall increase to 65 feet. Such
dedication shall be made at the time of development of adjacent parcel.
4.
Dedication of additional right-of-way for all collector streets to provide for a total
width of 70 feet (90 feet with medians). Such dedication shall be made at the time
of development of adjacent parcel.
5.
Dedication of additional right-of-way for all local streets to provide for a total width
of 50 feet shall be made before issuing any building permits for any part of the
project.
6.
 No parallel utilities will be located in the Northern Parkway right-of-way.
7.
All half-street improvements on Northern Avenue, Reems Road, and Sarival
Avenue, which are adjacent to the parcel to be developed, shall be completed prior
to Certificate of Occupancy for said development. Required improvement standards
are determined by the City of Glendale Engineering Design Construction
Standards.
8.
Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) operates and controls
Olive Avenue adjacent to the development. The developer shall coordinate with
MCDOT on the right-of-way and roadway section requirements as well as the
9.

timing and required half-street improvements for Olive Avenue. Also, the developer
shall be required to coordinate with MCDOT all items related to access to and from
the proposed development(s) onto Olive Avenue.
All irrigation ditches located on the property shall be tiled or abandoned.
10.
All references to a single-family residential development in the original Woolf
Crossing PAD (ZON05-20) shall be non-valid at the effective date of this ordinance
and there shall be no single-family residential development on any property within
the Woolf Crossing PAD. 
11.
PROPOSED MOTION
Move to recommend approval of ZON21-11, subject to the stipulations contained in the
staff report.
Attachments
ZON05-20 approved, Woolf Crossing PAD 
ZON21-11 Woolf Crossing PAD, Amendment 
ZON21-11 CP Final Report 
ZON21-11 Zoning Map 
ZON21-11 Aerial Map