Planning Commission Staff Report
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Glendale A R I Z O N A CASE: CASE #: MEETING DATE: FROM: PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT ZON25-13 TALAVI PAD AMENDMENT LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 59TH AND BELL ZON25-13 01/22/2026 Christina Lavelle, Planner, Planning, clavelle@glendaleaz.com, SUBJECT ZON25-13, a request by Adam Baugh of Withey Morris Baugh, representing Peterson and Burge, LLC, for an amendment to the Talavi Planned Area Development (PAD). The site is located at the southeast corner of 59th Avenue and Bell Road (5825 W. Bell Road) and within the Sahuaro District. Presented By: Christina LaVelle, Planner REQUEST Planning Commission to forward a recommendation to City Council for approval for an amendment to the Talavi Planned Area Development ( PAD) to allow an additional drive-through Convenience Restaurant through application ZON25-13. APPLICANT/OWNER Adam Baugh, Withey Morris and Baugh / Peterson and Burge, 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 Talavi PAD allows commercial uses, including restaurants. However, only two “convenience restaurants” (drive-through) are permitted. The applicant requests a PAD amendment to allow an additional drive-through restaurant. BACKGROUND INFORMATION General Plan Designation: The property is designated as Planned Commercial (PC). Property Location and Size: The 0.5-acre property is located at 5825 W Bell Road and in the Sahuaro District. History: The Talavi PAD identifies a northern section of the PAD for commercial uses and a southern section for business park uses. The subject property is identified as Lot 1-C and is within the commercial area. This PAD has been amended 4 times to increase the commercial area, allow assisted care facilities, hotels, and a second drive-through restaurant. Project Details: The applicant requests a PAD amendment to allow an additional drive-through restaurant. The amendment is site-specific to Lot 1-C (APN# 200-50-200), where a 3,450-square-foot existing building will be renovated. Improvements include a drive-through lane and a porte-cochére over the pickup window, as per current design guidelines. Landscaping will also be improved to achieve compliance with the current regulations outlined in Section 35.4.100 of the Unified Development Code (UDC). Access will be taken from Bell Road via an existing driveway adjacent to the site. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION TO DATE: Applicant’s Citizen Participation Process: On November 26, 2025, the applicant mailed notification letters to adjacent property owners and interested parties to attend a neighborhood meeting at Desert Sky Middle School on December 15, 2025. No comments were received regarding the application. The applicants and staff were the only attendees at the meeting. The applicant’s Citizen Participation Final Report is attached. Planning Commission Public Hearing: A Notice of Public Hearing was published in The Arizona Republic on January 1, 2026. Notification postcards of the public hearing were mailed to adjacent property owners and interested parties on December 26, 2025. The property was posted on December 31, 2025. STAFF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS Required PAD Purpose: The intent of this district is to encourage new and imaginative concepts in urban design and land development to promote and improve the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of the city and to create distinct developments with unique urban design, single or mixed uses, and/or substantial additional benefit to the City that would not otherwise be required by this Code. Section 35.2.901(A) of the Unified Development Code states that the purpose of the PAD (Planned Area Development) district is to: 1. Encourage creative and effective use of land and circulation systems to accommodate changes in land development technologies. Staff Analysis: Traffic circulation will not be impacted by the proposed amendment. The property takes direct access via Bell Road. A 20-foot landscape buffer and a 4-foot screen wall are proposed to minimize traffic conflicts into the development, furthering the safety and welfare of the public. 2. Encourage residential development to provide a mixture of housing types and designs. Staff Analysis: No residential units are proposed with this amendment. 3. Encourage innovative development or redevelopment concepts for all land use types to provide a greater variety and intensity of uses. Staff Analysis: The existing building functioned as a Pizza Hut until December 2024. The applicant proposes modifying the building for reuse as a drive-through restaurant. The PAD amendment will encourage redevelopment of the site to meet market trends in the surrounding area and citywide. 4. Provide a process which relates the urban design and scale of the project to the unique characteristics of the site. Staff Analysis: The amendment will continue to comply with the established design guidelines for the Talavi PAD. Site and building modifications will require subsequent Design Review approval. 5. 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: The amendment does not alter the existing utilities, access, drainage, or open space. 6. Encourage development that is consistent with the policies and the guidelines established in any specific plan and the General Plan. Staff Analysis: The amendment forwards the goals of the General Plan with sound growth management (Land Use Goal 1) and achieving growth through reasonable, responsible, urban development (Goal GA-3). The commercial area of the Talavi Development is located on the corner of two arterial roads. The development and surrounding area create a commercial node that includes, but is not limited to, large- and small-scale retail, standalone and drive-through restaurants, personal services, and offices. The addition of a convenience restaurant (drive-through) will allow the use of an existing site that is compatible and complementary to the development and the surrounding neighborhood. The proposed amendment forwards the goals of sound, reasonable, and responsible growth management that the General Plan anticipates. RECOMMENDATION Should the Planning Commission recommend approval of ZON25-13, it should be subject to the stipulation in the staff report. PROPOSED MOTION Move to recommend approval of ZON25-13, subject to the following stipulation: Development shall be in substantial conformance with the Talavi PAD Amendment PAD Narrative, final date stamped December 17, 2025. Attachments Project Narrative Citizen Participation Plan Final Report Prop 207 Zoning Map Aerial Map PowerPoint Presentation