Citizen Participation Final Report
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CITIZEN PARTICIPATION FINAL REPORT FOR MANUEL’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA AT 5670 West Peoria Avenue Case No. VAR25-09 Submitted: January 12, 2026 Received 1-12-2026 Failed BY DATE Conditionally Approved Approved Sydney Tirella 1/12/2026 City of Glendale Development Services Department Planning Division VAR25-09 Citizen Participation Final Report Citizen Participation Report for Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant – 5670 West Peoria Ave East of the Northeast Corner of Peoria Avenue and 57th Avenue, Glendale, AZ Case # VAR25-09 Date: January 12, 2026 Description: The purpose of this Citizen Participation Plan (“CPP”) is to inform the citizens, property owners, neighborhood associations, agencies, and businesses of a Variance application submitted by Par 7 Holdings LLC for Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina (“Manuel’s”). NRE Real Estate Holdings LLC is the owner of an approximately 1.15 gross acres located east of the northeast corner of 57th Avenue and Peoria Avenue (the “Site”). Par 7 Holdings LLC is the restaurant owner, and NRE Real Estate Holdings LLC is the landowner. Manuel’s is requesting a Variance for the eastern setback on the Site. 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 remodel; 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. This application seeks variance approval for this setback. The restaurant fronts Peoria Avenue and is within a larger commercial development. To the north of the Site is a shared parking lot with a daycare use which abuts a single-family residential development; to the west of the site is a car wash use; and to the south across Peoria Avenue is a single-family residential development. To the east is a 1.91± acre parcel owned by the City of Glendale Parks Department, containing only trees and a screen wall with no structures. There are several large trees along the shared property line between the restaurant and City owned parcel, screening the area from public view where the storage area was enclosed. 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 zero expansion of the building footprint—the storage room enclosure merely added a roof to an existing approved 3-foot wall, maintaining the exact same 7-foot setback that has existed for years. The newly enclosed storage room is an extension of an existing storage room with the same setback from the eastern property line. Since this setback area is only adjacent to the Park property, which does not have active or programmed recreation areas, and the park is buffered from the storage area by large existing trees, there is little to no impact on the Park or its users. This storage area is buffered from the residential uses to the north with the nearest property line at approximately 224 feet away. The storage area is setback from the north face of the building façade, and is obscured by a fenced mechanical/storage area from the parking lot or properties to the north. The storage area has limited visibility from Peoria Avenue since it is screened by other portions of the building and large existing trees. The location of the storage room does not impact on- site circulation since it is on the east side of the building, setback from the north building Received 1-12-2026 façade by approximately 19 feet and not directly adjacent to the parking lot area. Based on these conditions, consideration has been given to the perspective of individuals that may be affected by or otherwise interested in this project and variance request. The location and buffering of the storage area minimize the impact on other properties or individuals. Citizen Participation Plan: A Citizen Participation Plan (“CPP”) was implemented to inform the citizens, property owners, neighborhood associations, agencies, and businesses of the variance application for Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina submitted by Manuel’s. Notification: A neighborhood notification letter was mailed to nearby property owners, Homeowners Associations, Registered Neighborhoods, and any “Interested Parties” (“Affected Parties”) provided by the Planning Department. A vicinity map, site plan, and description of the proposal was included with the notification letter see Exhibit 1. The total number of letters mailed out to Affected Parties was 552. The map and list of Affected Parties that were notified can be found under Exhibit 2. An affidavit of notification of mailing is included with this report, see Exhibit 3. The Affected Parties mailing list provided by the Planning Department can be found at under Exhibit 4. Contact information including email address and phone number was provided on the notification letter so that Affected Parties had the opportunity to contact the Applicant with any questions, comments or feedback regarding the proposal during the citizen feedback period. The Applicant received 16 returned envelopes as undeliverable. No one contacted the Applicant during the citizen feedback period. According to Sydney Tirella, one neighboring property owner contacted her and was in support of the application. No changes to this proposal have been made to this application given that no feedback was received through the citizen participation process. Schedule: Variance and initial CP Plan submittal – November 21, 2025 CP Plan resubmittal to Planner – December 12, 2025 Application Filing Notice letter – December 22, 2025 Citizen Input time period – December 22, 2025 – January 5, 2026 Citizen Participation Final Report submittal to Planning – January 12, 2026 Contact: Brennan Ray Ray Law Firm 2325 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 400 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 (602) 558-9934 bray@raylawaz.com Received 1-12-2026 Exhibit 1 Exhibit 1 Received 1-12-2026 M. BRENNAN RAY OFFICE: 602.558-9934 E-MAIL: BRAY@RAYLAWAZ.COM December 22, 2025 SUBJECT: VAR25-09 – Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina - 5670 W PEORIA AVE Dear Neighbor: This letter is to inform you that our office is applying for a Variance application with the City of Glendale. The property is located at 5670 West Peoria Avenue (the “Site”) in the Barrel District. 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. A variance has been requested to reduce the required side yard setback for an existing storage room on the Site. The 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. I have included a site plan with this letter for your review. You may write, email, or call using the contact information above or by contacting Sydney Tirella for the City of Glendale at (623) 930-2588 or STirella@GLENDALEAZ.com. Comments must be received by January 5, 2026. For additional details about this project or to be added to the Interested Parties mailing list, scan the QR code: Sincerely, RAY LAW FIRM M. Brennan Ray Encl: Site Plan Notification Aerial Map Received 1-12-2026 NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATION AREA NAME / TYPE OF REQUEST: Manuel’s Restaurant LOCATION: 5670 West Peoria Avenue, Glendale, AZ 8302 REQUEST: Approval to reduce the East side building setback from fifteen feet (15’) to seven feet (7’) for an expansion of the existing restaurant. ZONING DISTRICT: C-2 COUNCIL DISTRICT: Barrel FORMAL APPLICATION SUBMITTED: December 5, 2025 9 Received 1-12-2026 SITE PLAN | 5670 W PEORIA AVENUE | MANUEL’S MEXICAN FOOD AND CANTINA 57TH Ave Saguaro Dr Peoria Ave VICINITY MAP 7’ Setback 3’ PEORIA AVE 2024 Enclosed Storage Room for Walk-in Received 1-12-2026 Exhibit 2 Exhibit 2 Received 1-12-2026 NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATION AREA NAME / TYPE OF REQUEST: Manuel’s Restaurant LOCATION: 5670 West Peoria Avenue, Glendale, AZ 8302 REQUEST: Approval to reduce the East side building setback from fifteen feet (15’) to seven feet (7’) for an expansion of the existing restaurant. ZONING DISTRICT: C-2 COUNCIL DISTRICT: Barrel FORMAL APPLICATION SUBMITTED: December 5, 2025 9 Received 1-12-2026 Exhibit 3 Exhibit 3 Received 1-12-2026 Received 1-12-2026 Exhibit 4 Exhibit 4 Received 1-12-2026