02.Z250021 PZ Staff Report
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Z250021 Page 1 of 6 Report to the Planning and Zoning Commission Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department Cases: Z250021 – Royal Landscaping Hearing Date: January 22, 2026 Supervisor District: 2 Applicant: Jason Sanks, IPlan Consulting Owner: Royal Landscaping, LLC Requests: Zone change from R1-8 and C-3 to C-3 CUPD Site Location: Generally located 335 feet west of the SW Corner of Apache Trl. and Meridian Rd. in the Apache Junction area Site Size: Approximately 4.30 acres Density: N/A County Island: Yes (City of Mesa strip annexation) County Plan: Vision 2030 – Rural Development Area (RDA) Municipal Plan: City of Mesa – Mixed Residential Municipal Comments: None received to date Support/Opposition: None to date Recommendation: Approve with conditions Project Summary: 1. This request is for a zone change for approximately 4.30 acres for the development of a landscaping commercial use. The site is located 335 feet west of the SW Corner of Apache Trl. and Meridian Rd. in the Apache Junction and east Mesa area. It sits within a county island completely surrounded by a strip annexation of the City of Mesa. The site currently has split zoning with R1-8 towards the rear of the lot and C-3 along the Apache Trail frontage. This rezone request would consolidate the site into a unified C-3 zoning district with a CUPD overlay. A Plan of Development (PD250024) was submitted concurrently with the rezone request and being reviewed administratively. 2. The subject site is shaped rectangular with a small horizontal extension from the top-west edge with a north-south dimension of approximately 950’. There are no existing physical or topographic features that appear to have an impact on development of the site. The proposed commercial Z250021 Page 2 of 6 office is permitted in the C-3 zoning district, but the applicant is requesting a unified C-3 zoning with overlay over the site in order to better facilitate development and use of the full site. 3. The applicant is proposing to develop the site with a 4,000 SF office, 12,800 warehouse/maintenance building for storage and maintenance of equipment, and parking for employees, and work vehicles/trailers. Customer parking will be provided in the north portion of the site, near the office with access from Apache Trail through a single driveway. An emergency/employee access will be provided on the south portion of the site through Payton Street. The entire site will be screened with a 6’ block wall with steel security gates at the entries. Landscaping services occur outside of the site. Although the office is available for customers, it is rare for customers to come into the office. It will mostly be employees on site. 4. The applicant is requesting a CUPD overlay in order to waive the required 25’ x 25’ sight visibility triangles (SVT) where the driveway intersects Apache Trail. The applicant states in their narrative that due to the narrowness of the site it is not feasible to provide SVT without impacting the proposed development/layout. It’s also important to not the roadway is within a very wide right- of-way already built out to the ultimate street as a divided multi-land arterial. The edge of pavement if far from the edge of the right-of-way and the actual clear-sight lines for driveway traffic will be maintained. The applicant is not requesting any other deviations, and all development will be in compliance with C-3 development standards. 2025 Aerial image of the subject site. Z250021 Page 3 of 6 C-3 and R1-8 Zoning of the site and adjacent properties with split zoning. Existing On-Site and Adjacent Zoning / Land Use: 5. On-site: R1-8 & C-3 / Vacant North: C-3 / Apache Trail then Commercial Plaza South: R1-8 / Single-family residence East: C-3 & C-2 / Commercial West: C-3 & R-5 / Mobile Home Park Utilities and Services: 6. Water: Arizona Water Company Wastewater: Apache Junction Sewer District Fire: Rural Metro Police: Maricopa County Sheriff Department 7. The applicant will be required to provide “Will Serve” letters for all proposed service providers listed prior to obtaining any building permits. Right-of-Way: 8. The following table includes existing and proposed half-width right-of-way and the future classification based upon the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Major Streets and Routes Plan. Z250021 Page 4 of 6 Street Name Half-width Existing R/W Half-width Proposed R/W Future Classification Apache Trail 50’ 50’ Major Arterial Payton Street 15’ 15’ Local Adopted Plans: 9. Maricopa County Vision 2030 (adopted 2016): Designates the subject site as being outside the area of an Area Plan and as such by default is considered Rural Development Area (RDA) and is appropriate for rural development and rural zoning. However, the proposed C-3 zoning would not be problematic. It is of an urban intensity but the existing R1-8 single-family residential and C-3 commercial zoning are of an urban intensity and the area along Apache Trail is already developed with commercial uses. 10. Tomorrow’s Mesa: Mesa General Plan 2050 (adopted 2024): The site is within the Mesa Municipal Plan, and it is designated Mixed Residential, which denotes areas that contain a variety of housing where lot sizes vary from small to large lots and support innovative development patterns. The land use designations also support a limited amount of public/semi-public, small scale business offices, retail, and commercial uses. The proposed rezone and use is in compliance with Mesa’s land use designation as the commercial use is considered to be a small business office for a landscaping business. Public Participation Summary: 11. The applicant complied with the public participation requirements according to MCZO Section 304, including notification of property owners within 300’ of the subject site and posting. Registered areas of interest were contacted by the applicant and staff regarding the rezone request. To date staff has not received public comments. Outstanding Concerns from Reviewing Agencies: 12. N/A Staff Analysis: 13. The proposed use of a landscaping office would be appropriate for this particular site due to existing commercial uses along Apache Trail and C-3 zoning district; also due to the moderate- density residential development surrounding the subject site. The request would establish a single underlying C-3 CUPD zoning district for the site. The proposed use will not generate heavy traffic volume or other adverse impacts. The proposed CUPD overlay is fitting for the site, staff recognizes the unique shape of the site and finds the applicant justification is appropriate the proposed development will be in compliance with all other C-3 zoning district development standards. Therefore, staff recommends approval for the reasons noted above. Recommendation: 14. Staff recommends the Commission adopt a motion recommending that the Board of Supervisors approve Z250021 subject to the following conditions ‘a’ – ‘j’: a. Development of the site shall be in substantial conformance with the Zoning Exhibit entitled “Royal Landscaping”, consisting of one full-size sheet, stamped received December 31, 2025, except as modified by the following conditions. Z250021 Page 5 of 6 b. Development of the site shall be in substantial conformance with the Narrative Report entitled “Royal Landscaping”, consisting of five pages, dated December 2025, and stamped received December 31, 2025, except as modified by the following conditions. c. The following C-3 CUPD standards shall apply: 1. 25 X 25 Sight Visibility Triangles: None Required d. The following Planning Engineering conditions shall apply: 1. Without the submittal of a precise plan of development, no development approval is inferred by this review, including, but not limited to number of proposed building lots/units, drainage design, access and roadway alignments. These items will be addressed as development plans progress and are submitted to the County for further review and/or entitlement. 2. Payton Street is “public right-of-way” that is has not been accepted by the County; and is therefore not maintained by the County. 3. Apache Trail is maintained by ADOT. The applicant will be responsible for coordinating with the ADOT to review any traffic impact, right-of-way dedication, permitting or roadway improvement requirements. (email redletter@azdot.gov). 4. The above comments do not include identification of utilities or underground facilities within or adjacent to the required right-of-way that may have prior rights and/or require relocation. 5. Engineering review of planning and/or zoning cases is for conceptual design only. All development and engineering design shall be in conformance with Section 1205 of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance; Drainage Policies and Standards; Floodplain Regulations for Maricopa County; MCDOT Roadway Design Manual; and current engineering policies, standards and best practices at the time of application for construction permit. e. Prior to issuance of a building permit, written confirmation will be required from the emergency fire protection jurisdiction having authority that the facility has been designed in accordance with their regulations and requirements, and that emergency fire protection service will be provided to the facility. Prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy, local fire protection jurisdiction review and approval will be required. f. Prior to issuance of a building permit, written confirmation will be required from water and septic providers. g. Administrative approval of a Plan of Development will be required prior to approval and issuance of construction permits to develop and establish use of the site. Prior to issuance of a building permit, written confirmation will be required from the emergency fire protection jurisdiction having authority that the facility has been designed in accordance with their regulations and requirements, and that emergency fire protection service will be provided to the subject site. Prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy, local fire protection jurisdiction review and approval will be required. Z250021 Page 6 of 6 h. Noncompliance with any Maricopa County Regulation shall be grounds for initiating a revocation of this Zone Change as set forth in the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance. i. The property owner/s and their successors waive claim for diminution in value if the County takes action to rescind approval due to noncompliance with conditions. j. The granting of this change in use of the property has been at the request of the applicant, with the consent of the landowner. The granting of this approval allows the property to enjoy uses in excess of those permitted by the zoning existing on the date of application, subject to conditions. In the event of the failure to comply with any condition, the property shall revert to the zoning that existed on the date of application. It is, therefore, stipulated and agreed that either revocation due to the failure to comply with any conditions, does not reduce any rights that existed on the date of application to use, divide, sell or possess the property and that there would be no diminution in value of the property from the value it held on the date of application due to such revocation of the Zone Change. The Zone Change enhances the value of the property above its value as of the date the Zone Change is granted and reverting to the prior zoning results in the same value of the property as if the Zone Change had never been granted. Presented by: Paola Jaramillo, Planner Reviewed by: Rachel Applegate, Planning Supervisor Attachments: Case Map (1 page) Zoning Exhibit (reduced 8.5”x11”, 1 page) Narrative Report (5 pages) Engineering comments (2 pages)