Planning Commission Report

City of Glendale — Regular Meeting (2022-06-28)

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Po
© PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
Glendale

ZON22-06- Airpark 30 / The Base Industrial Park / South - South of SWC

CASE: Bethany Home Road and Litchfield Road

CASE #: ZON22-06

MEETING DATE: 05/26/2022

FROM: Tabitha Perry, Interim Planning Manager, Planning,
: tperry@glendaleaz.com, 623-930-2596

SUBJECT

ZON22-06 - A request by Jack Gilmore, on behalf of Gilmore Planning and Land Architecture,
representing Airpark 30 LLC, for rezoning of 60.7 acres from M-1 (Light Industrial) to PAD (Planned
Area Development). The site is located at the Southwest corner of West Bethany Home Road and
North Litchfield Road; and is in the Yucca District. Staff Contact: George Gehlert, Senior Planner
623-930-2597.

REQUEST

This is a request to rezone 60.7 acres from M-1 (Light Industrial) to PAD (Planned Area
Development) in order to accommodate the development of 780,600 square feet of (primarily)
industrial development.

APPLICANT/OWNER
Jack Gilmore / Gilmore Planning and Land Architecture, for owner Airpark 30 LLC.

REQUIRED ACTION

The Planning Commission must conduct a public hearing and determine if this request is in the best
long-term interest of this neighborhood and consistent with the General Plan.

SUMMARY

The Base Industrial South PAD is a proposed rezoning from M-1 (Light Industrial) to PAD (Planned
Area Development) to enable 780,600 square feet of commercial and industrial development on
60.7 acres.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

General Plan Designation:
The property is designated by the Glendale General Plan as Light Industrial Development.

Zoning:
The current zoning is M-1 (Light Industrial).

Property Location and Size:

The 60.7 acre site is located west and south of the intersection of West Bethany Home Road and
North Litchfield Road; and is in the Yucca District. The property encircles a 4.38 unincorporated
County island current subject to annexation.

Adjacent Uses and Zoning:

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Areas to the north are either part of the North PAD proposal; or the Ultimate RV & Boat Storage and
Unlimited Collision and RV (zoned M-1).

The southeast corner of Litchfield Rd and Bethany Home Rd is 4.8-acre vacant parcel zoned
Commercial C-2. Further east beyond this vacant site, the land area has been developed as single
family residential within the (unincorporated) Dreaming Summit master planned community (zoned
R1-6).

To the east is a 4.0-acre vacant parcel intended for a self-storage facility that is zoned M-1. At the
southeast corner of this South PAD area is the (unincorporated) Turning Leaf Church, a new church
facility on 8.0 acres fronting onto Litchfield Road (zoned RU-43).

The land south of the Subject Property is vacant and currently zoned Residential Estate (RE) within
the City of Litchfield Park. This area is part of a larger site intended for a mixed use medical and
retirement housing complex that extends to Camelback Road. The land area immediately west is
part of Luke AFB. This portion of Luke AFB is under the jurisdiction of Maricopa County and zoned
RU-43.

History:

The property is predominantly vacant. Both the north and south PAD sites were annexed and
rezoned to M-1 on June 25, 2013 (ZON12-03). The proposal featured a 6-lot industrial subdivision
centered around a produce facility. The project was never developed.

Project Details:

The combined PAD properties are situated somewhat west of the intersection of North Litchfield
Road and West Bethany Home Road. The south PAD is bounded by Luke AFB to the west; and
accessed via the intersection at Bethany Home and Litchfield roads; as well as from a secondary
accessed to be developed roughly 725 feet south of that intersection.

Although the project would provide for a mix of commercial and industrial uses, no residential
development is proposed. The south project would produce eight warehouses totaling 780,600
square feet, accessed internally by a series of perimeter and internal private drives, including an
internal north-south connection to Bethany Home Road. The project narrative suggests the
developer also intends to submit a proposal for a plat as part of the development process.

Development Standards: The South PAD narrative includes specific requests for adjustments to
district standards otherwise required in the existing M-1 zoning. Adjustments to development
standards would include the following:

1. Adjustment of allowed building height from 30 feet to 56 feet.

2. A 45% lot coverage allowance. Lot coverage is not formally prescribed in the M-1 zone; rather
a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of .3 is the requirement. Under an FAR allowance, the resulting lot
coverage is affected by the number of stories. This request would simply allow for 45% overall
lot coverage allowance.

3. Elimination of the screen wall requirement along the north and west boundaries. This is largely
a response to the need for a clear zone adjacent to Luke Air Force Base. Military security
issues associated with the base mandate a 50’ wide observable clear zone at the perimeter of
the base. There is 30 foot of clearance on the base property. The developer has agreed to
provide the other 20 feet at the perimeter of the project site.

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4. Luke has also requested that the developer make certain adjustments to perimeter
landscaping (in order to maintain visibility through this area). The bulk of the landscaping will
be placed 20 feet inside the property boundary to ensure the observability of this corridor.

5. Allowance of certain C-2 type commercial uses along major roads (restaurant, retail, offices,

business schools, financial institutions).

The proposed district standards are as follows:

Bulk Regulations

Minimum Lot Area
Maximum Lot Coverage: Maximum

Building Height

Minimum Building Setbacks

Litchfield Road (Front):

North PAD Boundary

West PAD Boundary

South PAD Boundary

Interior Front Yard on Private Street
Interior Side Yard on Private Street
Interior Rear Yard on Private Street
Interior Side Yard

Interior Rear Yard

Minimum Landscape Setbacks

Litchfield Road (Front):

North PAD Bdry - Bethany Home Rd.
West PAD Boundary (1)

South PAD Boundary

Interior Front Yard on Private Street
Interior Side Yard on Private Street
Interior Rear Yard on Private Street
Interior Side Yard

Interior Rear Yard

Parking

Warehousing & Storage Office

Reference Notes

1, M-1 requires a 15’ building setback or 60’ adjacent residential zoning. As the adjacent owner,
Luke AFB will not develop any residential projects, but requested an additional 30’ of clearance

on-site.

Light Industrial M-1 PAD Standards
6,000sf 6,000sf

.3 FAR 45%

30 ft 56 ft

25 ft.. 60 ft.

15 ft. 30 ft.

15 ft. / 60 ft. 30 ft. (1)
15 ft. / 60 ft. 60 ft.

Per Fire Code 30 ft. (2)
Per Fire Code 20 ft. (2)
Per Fire Code 30 ft. (2)

15 ft. / 60 ft. 15 ft. (2)
15 ft. / 60 ft. 15 ft. (2)
25 ft. 25 ft.

10 ft. 10 ft.

10 ft. 30 ft.

10 ft. 10 ft.

NA 10 ft.

NA 5 ft.

NA 5 ft.

10 ft. 10 ft.

10 ft. 10 ft.
Parking Ratio - Req'd. | Parking Ratio - PAD
1/2,000 SF 1/2,000 SF
1/300 SF 1/300 SF

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2. Setbacks will be imposed based on the Glendale Fire Code depending on the floor area of the
structure and building construction type, to be resolved with the Site Plan Approval.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION TO DATE:

Applicant’s Citizen Participation Process:

On April 6, 2022, the applicant mailed notification letters to adjacent property owners and interested
parties regarding the proposal as well as a related neighborhood meeting to be held (online) on April
20, 2022. No members of the public attended the meeting and no responses have been received by
either the applicant or the Planning Staff. The applicant’s Citizen Participation Final Report is
attached.

Planning Commission Public Hearing:

A Notice of Public Hearing was published in The Arizona Republic on May 4, 2022. Notification
postcards of the public hearing were mailed to adjacent property owners and interested parties on
May 9, 2022. The property was posted by May 5, 2022.

STAFF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

Section 5.901 of the Zoning Ordinance states that the purpose of the PAD (Planned Area
Development) district is to:

A. Encourage creative and effective use of land and circulation systems to accommodate

changes in land development technologies.

B. Encourage residential development to provide a mixture of housing types and designs.

Cc. Encourage innovative development or redevelopment concepts for all land use types to

provide a greater variety and intensity of uses.

D. Provide a process which relates the urban design and scale of project to the unique
characteristics of the site.

E. Require the nature and intensity of development to be supported by adequate utilities,
transportation, drainage, and common open spaces to serve the development and to minimize
impact on existing or future adjacent development.

F. Encourage development that is consistent with the policies and the guidelines established in
any specific plan and the General Plan.

Required Finding of Planning Commission:

Section 5.913 of the Zoning Ordinance requires the Planning Commission to find that the PAD
application is consistent with the purpose of the district. The Commission evaluation shall include
land use mixture, land use categories, land use intensities, and the proposed development
standards.

Staff Findings:
« The request is consistent in substance and location with the development objectives of the

General Plan; and with those of Luke Air Force Base; and will be compatible with other existing
and planned development in the area.

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e The project provides a mix of development with commercial and industrial uses which meets
the intent/purpose of a PAD.

e The proposal will provide economic viability to the community by developing an underutilized
vacant property; and establishing a streetscape for this portion of Litchfield Road.

Analysis:

e The submitted traffic study suggests that at build-out, the resulting Level of Service associated
with access points would still be considered adequate (LOS D or better).

e The development would provide dedications and traffic improvements for safe travel in and out
of the project site. The traffic study determined that a signal is warranted at the Bethany Home
/ Litchfield Road intersection; and that the developer should provide 50% of the cost for design
and development of the signal.

e Proposal observes and contributes to security issues of neighboring military base by providing
additional clear zone at the base perimeter.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval subject to the following stipulations:

1. Development shall be in substantial conformance with the PAD Booklet dated May 2, 2022.

2. Dedication of an additional 10° of right-of way along Litchfield Road; and installation of related
% street improvements.

3. Construction of right turn, deceleration lanes on Litchfield adjacent to both access points, per
City standards.

4. Review and approval of traffic study by Maricopa County Department of Transportation prior to
Design Review approvals.

5. Developer to provide 50% of the cost of the signal design and construction at the Bethany
Home and Litchfield Road intersection.

PROPOSED MOTION

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e Move to recommend approval of ZON22-06, subject to the stipulation(s) contained in the staff
report.

Attachments

PAD Narrative

Citizen Participation Plan / Final Report
Traffic Study - Executive Summary
Zoning Map

Aerial Photograph, dated October, 2020
Power Point Presentation

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