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M. BRENNAN RAY OFFICE: 602.558-9934 E-MAIL: BRAY@RAYLAWAZ.COM February 13, 2026 VIA ELECTRONIC SUBMITTAL City of Glendale Development Services Department Planning Division 5754 West Glenn Drive Glendale, AZ 85301 RE: Variance Request for 5670 West Peoria Avenue To whom it may concern: On behalf of Par 7 Holdings LLC, we are requesting a variance to reduce the required side yard setback for an existing storage room located at 5670 West Peoria Avenue, APN no. 148-25- 630E (the “Site”).1 As set forth below, the variance is necessary, fair and appropriate given the storage room’s history and location. REQUEST: This application requests a variance to decrease the east side yard setback to 7 feet. The Site is zoned C-2. C-2 requires the minimum side yard setback to be 15 feet when adjacent to non-residential uses. Zoning Ordinance §35.2.503 Table 2.500-2. BACKGROUND: The Site is the home of Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, a family-owned business that opened its first restaurant in Phoenix in 1964. The Peoria Avenue store first opened in 1994 and has served the Glendale community continuously since then. In 2017, the building received approval for an exterior remodel2; no structure changes were proposed. At the time of the remodel, the east elevation contained a small storage room and an approximate 3-foot high screen wall, which are setback approximately 7 feet from the eastern property line:3 1 See Exhibit 1, Aerial Map. 2 See Exhibit 2, Remodel for Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant. 3 See Exhibit 3, Setbacks for Storage Area. Received 2-17-2026 Re: Variance – 5670 W. Peoria Ave. February 13, 2026 Page 2 The parcel to the east of the Site is owned by the City of Glendale Parks Department which has no buildings on site. In 2024, the existing 3-foot wall in the east side yard of the Site was enclosed to create an extension of the existing City approved storage room4, which is setback less than required 15 feet from the eastern property line. This storage area was enclosed to create a space for a new walk-in refrigerator to be installed, which was needed due to changes in the restaurant’s operations and inability to continue to rely on an offsite commissary for fresh food. This change necessitated the 4 See Exhibit 4, Photo of Enclosed Storage Area. 2024 Enclosed Storage Area for Walk-in 2017 City Approved Enclosed Storage 2024 Enclosed Storage Area for Walk-in 2017 City Approved Enclosed Storage Received 2-17-2026 Re: Variance – 5670 W. Peoria Ave. February 13, 2026 Page 3 installation of a new walk-in refrigerator to store more food on site. There was no other space within the building footprint to add the walk-in refrigerator. Other portions of the eastern building façade—including a kitchen storage area and a patio seating area are also within the required 15-foot setback, as permitted by previous approvals for the Site. The 2024 enclosed storage area for the walk-in refrigerator is located toward the rear of the Site and is screened from street view by existing portions of the eastern building façade, which are also within the side yard setback.5 The City determined the storage area that was enclosed in 2024 was not in compliance with the setback requirements for C-2. As such, this variance is being requested to bring the storage area into compliance with the City requirements. VARIANCE STANDARDS The request for variance in this application satisfies the standards for issuance of a variance: 1. There are special circumstances or conditions applicable to the property including its size, shape, topography, location, or surroundings which were not self-imposed by the owner; The existing conditions on the Site include prior site plan approvals for structures that are between 5.5 to 14 feet setback from the property line in the eastern side yard. Enclosing the area did not change the location of the approved 3-foot wall that is aligned with an existing exterior building wall, it merely added a roof and enclosed the wall within this area, creating the setback condition contemplated under this application. This variance request involves a unique circumstance where the Site already has City approved structures within the 15-foot setback. There is existing storage room, kitchen, and patio seating area located within the required setback area on the east side of the building that were permitted through prior City approvals. The setback of this 3-foot wall that was recently enclosed matches the setback of an existing approved storage area directly adjacent to it. Due to the location of the building on site, which was developed in compliance with the Zoning Ordinance, there are limited areas for expansion of the building to meet the evolving business needs of the restaurant. The kitchen is in the eastern portion of the building with limited space between the building and property line. The parking lot is north of the kitchen space, preventing expansion of the building in this area. The only space available for expansion is into the eastern setback area, where other portions of the building are already encroaching. A unique circumstance also exists where the adjacent property to the east is owned by the City of Glendale Parks Department, containing only trees and a screen wall with no structures. This public ownership and minimal development create a special condition that distinguishes this property from others in the C-2 district where commercial properties typically abut other intensive commercial uses. The unique aspect of this variance request is that it involves very minimal expansion of the building footprint—the storage room enclosure merely added a roof to a small area with an existing approved 3-foot wall, maintaining the 7-foot building setback at this area of the Site that has existed for years. 5 See Exhibit 5, Approximate Setbacks Prior to Storage Area Enclosure and Exhibit 6, Streetview of Existing Approved Side Yard Conditions. Received 2-17-2026 Re: Variance – 5670 W. Peoria Ave. February 13, 2026 Page 4 2. Due to the special circumstances, the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would deprive the property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the same classification in same zoning district; Approval of this variance is consistent with the existing conditions on the Site within this side yard setback. There are other C-2 zoned parcels within the same commercial shopping area that have building setbacks well within the current Zoning Ordinance required 60-foot setback directly adjacent to residential uses. These reduced setback conditions on the adjacent site and those on this Site are likely due to the change in the Zoning Ordinance development standards for commercial uses after they were developed. Nonetheless, reduced setback conditions exist on this site and an adjacent site. This request is necessary for reasonable use of the Site consistent with existing conditions on this and other similarly zoned properties, and to preserve substantial property rights. 3. Granting the variance will not have a detrimental effect on the property, adjoining property, the surrounding neighborhood, or the City in general. Approval of this variance will not be materially detrimental to the Site or any adjoining property. The use on the adjacent parcel to the east is a City park with trees along the shared property line, and as such, the location of this storage area does not impact the park parcel. This variance will allow the reduced side yard setback to the new storage area that is an extension of a portion of the building that was built with the same side yard setback through prior City approvals. This storage area cannot be seen from street view and is consistent with the other existing building setbacks on the eastern portion of the Site. CONCLUSION The requested variance seeks only to legitimize the enclosure of a storage room by extending an already approved wall within a portion of the building previously allowed to be in the required side yard setback. This area, screened from the street and adjacent to a City park, remains unchanged in its footprint, with no new expansions or encroachments proposed. The minimal scope of this request addresses operational needs and follows the setbacks existing on site . By aligning the current plan with previous approvals for minor modifications to this building, this request simply ensures that enclosing the wall meets health and safety requirements. There is no impact on the neighboring City park, and granting this variance supports the continued operation of a longstanding community business without causing any harm to public welfare. We believe the request satisfies the variance requirements and respectfully request approval of this application. Very truly yours, RAY LAW FIRM M. Brennan Ray Received 2-17-2026 N EXHIBIT 1 - AERIAL PARCEL MAP SITE Received 2-17-2026 EXHIBIT 2 – REMODEL FOR MANUEL’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT Received 2-17-2026 Received 2-17-2026 Area in question Received 2-17-2026 Addition went here Received 2-17-2026 SITE N EXHIBIT 4 - SETBACKS FOR STORAGE AREA ENCLOSURE 2024 ENCLOSED STORAGE AREA FOR VARIANCE RELIEF 7 ft Setback Received 2-17-2026 N EXHIBIT 4 - PHOTO OF 2024 ENCLOSED STORAGE AREA 2024 Enclosed area for Variance relief 2017 City approval of elevation and site updates Received 2-17-2026 N EXHIBIT 5 – APPROXIMATE SETBACKS – PRIOR TO STORAGE AREA ENCLOSURE 3-FOOT WALL WHERE STORAGE AREA WAS ENCLOSED / EXTENDED EXISTING APPROVED STORAGE AREA EXISTING APPROVED PATIO SEATING AREA 7 ft Setback 7 ft Setback 5.5 ft Setback Received 2-17-2026 EXHIBIT 6 - STREETVIEW OF EXISTING APPROVED SIDE YARD CONDITIONS 2024 STORAGE AREA IS SCREENED FROM STREET BY EXISTING APPROVED PATIO SEATING AREA Received 2-17-2026