PC Staff Report

PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
CASE:
GPA24-03 & ZON24-04 60TH AVE ASSISTED LIVING
LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF 59TH
AVENUE AND MERCER LANE
CASE #:
GPA24-03 & ZON24-04
MEETING DATE:
10/24/2024
FROM:
Sydney Tirella, Planner, Planning,
stirella@glendaleaz.com, 6239302588
SUBJECT
GPA24-03 & ZON24-04  A request by Joshua Oehler on behalf of Arc One Associates,
LLC, for a Minor General Plan Amendment from OFC (Office) to PC (Planned
Commercial) and Rezone from PAD (Planned Area Development) to C-1
(Neighborhood Commercial). The 1.61 acre-site is located at the northwest corner of
59th Avenue and Mercer Lane and is in the Barrel District.
Presented by: Sydney Tirella, Planner 
REQUEST
Planning Commission recommendation to amend the General Plan Land Use
Designation and Rezone classification for 60th Avenue Assisted Living (GPA24-03 and
ZON24-04). 
APPLICANT/OWNER
Joshua Oehler, Arc One Associates, LLC / ARK Arf Re Investment Partners 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 General
Plan.
SUMMARY
The request is for a minor amendment to the General Plan from OFC to PC, and a
rezone from PAD to C-1. The 1.61-acre site is currently vacant and is a remnant parcel
within the Northwest Corner of 59th Avenue and Peoria Avenue PAD (Z-85-15). All
other land included in Z-85-15 is developed with a mix of single-family residential,
multifamily residential, and commercial uses.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

General Plan Designation:
The property is designated as OFC (Office). 
Property Location and Size:
The 1.61-acre property is located at the northwest corner of 59th Avenue and Mercer
Lane and is in the Barrel District. 
History: 
The subject property is a remnant parcel within the Northwest Corner of 59th Avenue
and Peoria Ave PAD (Z-85-15); this PAD provides for a mix of single family residential,
multi-family residential, and commercial elements. Approved as a part of the PAD was
a development plan which designated six (6) general land use categories which loosely
aligned with the then current 1983 Zoning Ordinance. The development plan
designated the subject property “Commercial Office” which aligns with its General Plan
Land Use Designation of OFC. A specific use table and associated development
standards were not included in the PAD narrative. 
A PAD Amendment (Z-00-03) was approved for the southern, commercial parcels of
the PAD to designate land uses and amend stipulations as a response to the
surrounding development. As a result, the site was developed as a big box store and a
multi-tenant pad. The subject property was not included in this PAD amendment. 
The surrounding General Plan land use designation, zoning districts, and land uses
include:  
North: PAD (Z-85-15), MDR 5 (Medium Density Residential 3.5 - 5.0 du/ac),
Oakhollow single family subdivision. 
South: PAD (Z-00-03 and Z-85-15), PC (Planned Commercial), Home Depot and
multi-tenant commercial building. 
East: A-1 (Agricultural), LDR 2.5 (Low Density Residential 1-2.5 du/ac), single
family residential. 
West: PAD (Z-85-15), HDR 20 (High Density Residential 12.0 - 20.0 du/ac,
Galleria apartments.
Project Details:
The applicant is proposing a Minor General Plan Amendment from OFC to PC and
Rezoning from PAD to C-1. The PC General Plan land use designation provides for a
mix of commercial uses that are essential to citizens, while the C-1 zoning district
furthers this intent to provide these commercial services in a manner sensitive to the
surrounding property owners to minimize potential impacts incoming development may
present. 
Concurrently with the General Plan Amendment and Rezoning applications, the
applicant has submitted a Conditional Use Permit application for an Assisted Living
and Memory Care Facility. The subject property is located directly adjacent to an
arterial road – 59th Avenue – and is bounded to the South by Mercer Lane which
transitions into 60th Avenue as the street continues North into the single-family
residential subdivision. Stipulations and conditions specific to the proposed use are
addressed in the Conditional Use Permit application. 
STAFF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

Required General Plan Amendment Findings:
Section 35.6.206(G) of the Unified Development Code requires the following
General Plan Amendment Findings:
1a. The amendment is consistent with the policies and objectives of the rest of the
General Plan; and 
Staff Analysis:
Goal CRR-2: Infill development is a top priority.
Policy CRR-2.5: The City should protect established areas/neighborhoods by
promoting context appropriate infill development, redevelopment, and
rehabilitation; sensitive neighborhood and property assemblage; and innovative
adaptive reuse of existing community resources and historic properties.  
 
The subject property is a remnant parcel within a built-out PAD which does
not list permitted uses, development standards, nor performance
standards. The property was originally intended to function as an
extension of the commercial area to the South, but each site within the PAD
developed and functions separately. The proposed C-1 zoning district
encourages a mix of low impact, commercial uses that provide for sensitive
development in context to the surrounding land uses. 
 
Goal LU-5: Glendale implements a cohesive land planning approach throughout
the Municipal Planning Area.
Policy LU-5.1: The City shall review existing area and specific plans to determine
relevancy and amend, consolidate and or eliminate redundant plans, goals and
policies as necessary.
 
The PAD was originally adopted with a conceptual development plan to
guide the development within the PAD. Adopted under the 1983 Zoning
Ordinance, the City has updated permitted uses, performance standards,
and added specific use regulations in the 1993 Zoning Ordinance and
subsequently through the Unified Development Code adopted on January
12, 2024 which provide context appropriate land uses and conditions per
zoning district which have evolved with the urban fabric. These uses and
the accompanying standards are proposed to be utilized by the applicant
for contextually relevant development. 
1b. The proposed amendment furthers the public health, safety, and general welfare of
the citizens of Glendale. 
Staff Analysis:
Goal HE-4: Glendale has appropriate housing options and housing assistance for
special needs populations.
Policy HE-4.4: The City shall promote safe, efficient, and affordable housing and
neighborhoods that support aging in place.  
 
The suggested rezoning introduces a transitional zoning district between
the existing single-family homes and the multi-family residences to the
North and West, while also acting as a buffer to the more intense
commercial shopping center to the South. Within the C-1 zoning district,

uses that could potentially detrimentally affect the established
developments require additional entitlements to ensure Staff has the
opportunity to add use-appropriate conditions and/or stipulations to
mitigate these impacts. 
 
Goal HE-6: Residential areas relate to work places.
Policy HE-6.1: The City should attract corporate / institutional employment
development proximate to quality housing. 
 
As the property is surrounded on the North, East, and West by residential
development and located directly adjacent to an arterial, the commercial
uses permitted in the C-1 zoning district provide a variety of industries for
employment, including professionally staffed medical facilities and low
impact commercial uses. The applicant proposes to develop an
institutional use to service the immediate surrounding population and
Glendale as a whole on a larger scale. 
2. If the amendment is to the Land Use Map, an additional finding must be made that
the proposed change will be compatible with other land uses, existing or planned, in
the vicinity. 
Staff Analysis:
Goal LU-2: There are transition and buffer areas between unrelated land uses.
Policy LU-2.4: The City shall ensure that adequate buffers between residential
and non-residential uses are included, except in cases where the residential is a
part of a mixed-use development where it relates to the adjacent use.  
 
The proposed zoning district requires increased setbacks between
commercial and residential developments as well as increased setbacks
from arterial roads dependent upon the overall height of the proposed
building. Existing improvements provide additional buffering through
roadways, sidewalks, and rights-of-way. Staff encouraged the applicant
throughout the concurrent Conditional Use Permit process to utilize a
combination of these buffering techniques as well as creative site planning
to ensure adequate buffering is provided. The conceptual site plan
illustrates building massing nearest the intersection as opposed to near the
established single family residential subdivision to the North, and
substantial passive open space directly adjacent to the aforementioned
subdivision. 
 
Goal ED-2: Promote locations that are appropriate for future commercial, office,
and industrial development
Policy ED-2.1: The City shall examine zoning and develop a strategy to
encourage appropriate zoning for areas that would be well suited for future
development. 
 
The previous zoning district and General Plan land use designation limited
the potential end users with a PAD based on an outdated Zoning
Ordinance. The proposed zoning district provides for a mix of uses which
encourage future development appropriate to the surrounding land uses.
The proposed land use designation encourages connectivity of the site to

function in harmony with the existing commercial site to the South and
East across 59th Avenue.  
Findings:
Section 35.6.207(I) Amendment to the Unified Development Code text and official
Zoning Map of the City of Glendale shall be approved only if:
a.    The amendment is consistent with the policies and objectives of the Glendale
General Plan; 
Staff Analysis: 
The intent of the C-1 zoning district states development is on a smaller
scale more appropriate to the surrounding neighborhood than potentially
detrimental uses which are omitted entirely from the use table (Unified
Development Code Section 35.2.501). As an infill site, these sensitive land
uses are consistent with and in response to the objectives of the General
Plan (Goal CRR-2).
     
The General Plan amendment revises the land use designation from OFC
to PC. The current land use designation of OFC is ideal for support
services to surrounding businesses, while the proposed PC land use
designation provides for development that operates independently within
an established area which share roads, pedestrian connectivity, and
common theming. 
b.    The proposed amendment furthers the public health, safety, and general welfare of
the citizens of Glendale; and 
Staff Analysis: 
The proposed rezoning proposes a transitional zoning district between
existing single family and multi-family residential to the North and West,
respectively, and the more intense use of the commercial shopping center
to the South. Within the C-1 zoning district, uses that could potentially
detrimentally affect the established developments require additional
entitlements to ensure Staff has the opportunity to add use-appropriate
conditions and/or stipulations to mitigate these impacts. 
c.    If the amendment is to the official Zoning Map, the proposed change will include
any conditions necessary to mitigate any adverse impacts on businesses, persons, or
properties adjacent to the requested amendment. 
Staff Analysis: 
The applicant is proposing a straight zoning to C-1 which updates the use
table from the C-O (Commercial Office) use table, which was the use table
inferred to be applied to guide development of the subject property. Uses
within the C-O zoning district are limited to low-impact, professional office
uses, while the C-1 zoning district mirrors these uses while also including
additional uses. 
Staff worked closely with the applicant regarding the most appropriate
zoning district for the subject property, discussing the potential of updating

the current PAD versus straight rezoning to C-1. As the subject property is
a remnant parcel, revising the zoning map to C-1 is more appropriate than
updating the existing PAD as established land uses are not anticipated to
change in the near future. Uses and development standards sensitive to
developed areas such as the subject property are codified in the Unified
Development Code. 
RECOMMENDATION
Should the Planning Commission recommend approval of GPA24-03, it should be as
written in the staff report.
Should the Planning Commission recommend approval of ZON24-04, it should be as
written in the staff report.
PROPOSED MOTION
Move to recommend approval of GPA24-03, as written. 
Move to recommend approval of ZON24-04, as written. 
Attachments
Narrative 
Site Plan 
Citizen Participation Plan Final Report 
Prop. 207 Waiver 
General Plan Map 
Zoning Map 
Aerial Map 
PowerPoint Presentation