Planning Commission Report

PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
CASE:
THOMPSON THRIFT PAD AMENDMENT LOCATED AT
THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 99TH AVENUE AND
NORTHERN AVENUE
CASE #:
ZON23-02
MEETING DATE:
05/25/2023
FROM:
Christina Lavelle, Senior Planner, Planning,
CLavelle@glendaleaz.com, 623-930-2553
SUBJECT
ZON23-02 Entitlement request for approval of a rezoning application to amend an
existing Planned Area Development (PAD).
REQUEST
Planning Commission recommendation to amend the existing Thompson Thrift PAD.
APPLICANT/OWNER
Wendy Riddell with Berry Riddell, LLC. / CC Development LP Series III LLC. 
REQUIRED ACTION
The Planning Commission must conduct a public hearing and determine if this request
is in the best long-term interest of the neighborhood and consistent with the Envision
Glendale 2040 (General Plan).
SUMMARY
The applicant is requesting to amend the existing PAD to eliminate the gross floor area
ratio (F.A.R) of 0.3 and instead establish lot coverage of 60% for parcel 8 only. 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
General Plan Designation:
The property land use designation is BP (Business Park).
 
Zoning: PAD (Planned Area Development)
 
Property Location and Size:
The property (Parcel 8) is located at the southeast corner of 99th Avenue and Northern
Avenue and is approximately 0.75 acres in size.
 
Adjacent Uses and Zoning: 
North-PAD
South-PAD
East-PAD

West-99th Avenue
History:
The property was annexed on November 9, 2021, with AN-225, and Minor General
Plan amendment and Rezoning were approved on November 9, 2021, with GPA21-06
and ZON21-18.  On August 23, 2022, a PAD amendment was approved with
ZON22-04.  
Project Details:
This site is part of a 24-acre (9 parcels), mixed-use project titled “Thompson Thrift” and
was approved with ZON21-18 and includes commercial uses such as a hotel,
restaurants, self-storage facilities, gas and convenience store, retail stores,
convenience uses, and multifamily residential uses. The applicant is requesting to
amend the existing PAD to eliminate the gross floor area ratio of 0.3 (F.A.R) and
establish a maximum lot coverage of 60% of parcel 8 only.   Parcel 8 is planned to be
occupied with a 3-story, climate controlled, self-storage facility. The previously
approved PAD (ZON21-18 & ZON22-04) development standards will remain the same
for parcels 1-7 (commercial site) and parcel 9 (multifamily residential site).  
 
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION TO DATE:
Applicant’s Citizen Participation Process:
On April 10, 2023, the applicant mailed notification letters to adjacent property owners
and interested parties.  A neighborhood meeting was not required for this amendment.
The applicant nor staff received comments for the community. The applicant’s Citizen
Participation Final Report is dated April 20, 2023, and is attached.
 
Planning Commission Public Hearing:
A Notice of Public Hearing was published in The Arizona Republic on May 3, 2023.
Notification postcards of the public hearing were mailed to adjacent property owners
and interested parties on May 5, 2023. The public hearing was posted on site with a
zoning sign on May 9, 2023. 
STAFF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
Required Finding of Planning Commission:
Section 5.913 of the Zoning Ordinance requires the following finding to be met prior to
approval of a PAD (Planned Area Development) district:
The Planning Commission shall 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.
Purpose: 
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. 
Staff Analysis:
Each parcel is uniquely situated and is being developed for a variety of uses while
maintaining an overall Master Development. Parcel 8 is intended to develop as a

self-storage facility that supports the overall master development as approved in the
original PAD. Infrastructure to Parcel 8 has been established, and the proposal will
utilize existing sewer, water and circulation connections.  Access will be taken from
91st Avenue and will connect to the internal circulation of the site.  The proposed
amendment will support the goal and policies of the General Plan and the intent of the
PAD by encouraging a unique use within a developing mixed use project. The
amendment supports a complimentary and cohesive site through common elements in
circulation, access, design, and landscaping. The amendment supports the PAD
through removing the limitations for what can be built on site, by removing the F.A.R
maximums and instead providing a maximum lot coverage of 60%.  By removing the
limitations, the development may build a taller, less massive structure which will
encourage a cohesive and complimentary development throughout the overall PAD. 
 
B.  Encourage residential development to provide a mixture of housing types and
designs. 
Staff Analysis:
No additional housing units are proposed with this rezoning application. However, the
proposal will support the multifamily, residential units by providing the availability to
additional employment and storage options. 
C.  Encourage innovative development or redevelopment concepts for all land uses.  
Staff Analysis:
The Thompson Thrift PAD provides for innovative development of a variety of uses on
individual parcels that are at various stages of approval. The proposed self storage
facility adds to this variety and provides employment and storage opportunities that are
currently unavailable. The PAD amendment is consistent with the goals and policies of
the General Plan by creating a unique and innovative remedy for a specific parcel with
specific needs. The PAD has set the minimum height allowance for sixty (60) feet in
height for commercial buildings.  However, with the F.A.R limitation of 0.3, does not
allow for the size and scope of building needed for the proposed facility. Removing the
limitation promotes development of storage facility that is in-line with current market
trends and will support the intent of the Thompson Thrift PAD.
D. Provide a process which relates the urban design and scale of project to the unique
characteristics of the site. 
Staff Analysis:
The amendment supports the goals of the General Plan because it considers the
unique location of the site, the anticipated and allowed uses for the overall PAD, and
the needs of the project. Located south of the southwest corner of 99th Avenue and
Northern Avenue, Parcel 8 is anticipated to be surrounded by commercial properties.
Parcel 8 takes direct access 99 th Avenue and at full build out, it is likely that visibility
for the business will be limited. The amendment supports the intent of the PAD by
relating the urban scale of the project and planning for a cohesive
approach considering the use and development of all parcels within the master
development. Removing the F.A.R. limitation and instead establishing a maximum lot
coverage (60%), will allow the building to achieve the potential of a sixty (60) foot
height established within the approved PAD (ZON22-04) and will promote a cohesive
master development.

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. 
 Staff Analysis: 
Transportation, Land Development, Engineering, as well as other City departments
have reviewed the proposal to assure adequate utilities, drainage, and transportation
migrations were considered to serve the development and to minimize the impact on
existing or future, adjacent development. The development, as proposed, will be
required to meet the requirements for landscaping, common open space, access, and
circulation that are set forth in the approved PAD. In addition, a traffic study was not
required for the amendment. The development was anticipated and accounted for in
the study that was approved on zoning application ZON21-18 on November 9, 2021. 
F.  Encourage development that is consistent with the policies and the guidelines
established in any specific plan and the General Plan. 
 Staff Analysis:The General Plan Designation for the site is Regional Mixed Use
(RMU). The intent of the RMU Designation is to encourage, new, multi-modal,
mixed use development in regionally significant areas. The Thompson Thrift PAD
meets the intention by allowing for a variety of mixed use projects on one
cohesive site in a regionally important area. The property is directly west of the
Loop 101 Corridor and across from an established commercial center in the City
of Peoria jurisdiction. The location of the PAD makes it a prime site to be a large
scale mixed use hub for Glendale. The PAD amendment supports the goals of
the PAD and the General Plan by opening up the opportunity for a unique and
desirable use that is consistent and complements the master development plan. 
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of ZON23-02, subject to the following stipulations:
  
1. Development for Parcel 8 shall be in substantial conformance with the
applicant’s revised Planned Area Development dated April 20, 2023. 
 
2. All other Development standards for parcels 1-9 shall comply with the original
zoning stipulations that were approved with ZON21-18 (Ordinance number
021-76) and ZON22-04 (Ordinance number O22-51).
PROPOSED MOTION
Move to recommend approval of ZON23-02, subject to the stipulations contained in the
staff report.
Attachments
PAD Narrative 
Transporation Memo 
Final Report 
Prop 207 Waiver 
Zoning Map 
Aerial Map

PowerPoint Presentation