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CHAPTER 3
24
CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Plan Elements
» Land Use
» Transportation
» Environment
» Growth Areas
» Open Space
» Water Resources
» Energy, Utilities, &
Public Facilities
» Cost of Development
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
The WTGA Area Plan establishes
comprehensive and broad goals
and policies for each topic area or
element in the plan.
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
OVERVIEW OF THE ELEMENTS
The WTGA Area Plan establishes comprehensive
and broad goals and policies for each topic area or
element in the plan. These goals and policies support
the core principles of the comprehensive plan and the
community-driven strategic priorities for the WTGA
planning area. The WTGA Area Plan should be read and
used in conjunction with the County’s Comprehensive
Plan. For comprehensive plans, the ARS require
the inclusion of eight plan elements: Land Use,
Transportation, Environment, Growth Areas, Open Space,
Water Resources, Energy and Cost of Development. ARS
allows for optional elements as well. For consistency
with the comprehensive plan, this section will include
these required elements as well as the elective element
of Economic Growth.
Section Structure & Definitions
Each element includes a general discussion of the topic and analysis followed by applicable goals and policies
which are defined as follows:
Goal: A concise statement describing the condition to be achieved. It is derived from the core principles
of the comprehensive plan and the strategic priorities for the area and does not suggest specific actions
but describes a desired outcome.
Policy: A specific statement derived from the goals to guide public and private decision making.
Elements
The following sections contain a detailed discussion of each element.
1. LAND USE
2. TRANSPORTATION
3. ENVIRONMENT
4. ECONOMIC GROWTH
6. OPEN SPACE
7. WATER RESOURCES
8. ENERGY, UTILITIES, &
PUBLIC FACILITIES
5. GROWTH AREAS
9. COST OF DEVELOPMENT
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
LAND USE ELEMENT
The Land Use Element is required per ARS and designates the proposed general
distribution, location, and extent of uses of the land for housing, business, industry,
agriculture, recreation, education, public buildings and grounds, open space, and
other uses within the WTGA planning area. Additionally, in accordance with the
statutes, this section addresses the following:
»
Standards of population density and building intensity for various land use
categories,
»
Specific policies that the County may use to promote compact development
activity and locations where those patterns are encouraged,
»
Policies that address maintaining a broad variety of land use categories
including a discussion of the existing land uses, and
»
Discussion and identification of sources of aggregates from maps available
form state agencies as well as polices to preserve aggregate resources and the
avoidance of incompatible land uses.
The consideration of air quality and access to solar energy is discussed in
subsequent sections of this chapter.
Sun City, Shutterstock
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Existing Land Uses
As shown in the bar chart below, over 190,000 acres or
nearly 51% of land use within the WTGA planning area
is designated rural. A significant portion of land is also
dedicated to open space at approximately 28% and
military-compatible uses at 8%. Single family land uses
make up approximately 11% and the remainder of uses
including employment and commercial make up less
than 2%.
Existing Land Ownership
Existing land ownership as shown in Figure 8 on page
29 is an important factor when determining future
land use. As shown in gray, nearly half, or 46%, of the
land within the WTGA Plan Area is privately owned.
The Arizona State Land Department (ASLD), shown in
dark blue at 29%, manages the state trust lands with
the mission of enhancing their resources for the value
and optimization of economic return for their trust
beneficiaries. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
owns 17% of land within the WTGA Plan Area, and local
or state parks account for 7% of the area. The military
owns 1% of the land in the planning area and these areas,
along with adjacent lands under private ownership, are
regulated by the state defined HNAPZ. The nature and
use of these lands are reflected in both the future land
use designations and on the Future Land Use Map in
Figure 9 on page 32.
Aggregate Resources
According to the Arizona Geological Survey, there are
a number of active mines located within the WTGA
planning area. Most are located along the Agua Fria
River and to the east of Luke Air Force Base. Resources
mainly include sand and gravel, crushed stone, and salt.
While aggregate mining is an important and necessary
part of the economy, the noise, light, dust, and traffic
from mines can impact the quality of life of nearby
residents. To protect aggregate mining and safeguard
residents’ enjoyment of their property, Maricopa County
supports open space buffers, land use transitions and
other techniques that appropriately separate existing
and future aggregate mining operations from residential
land uses. ARS require that existing mining operations
should be preserved for future development and policies
should be in place to avoid incompatible land uses.
While the Future Land Use Map addresses general
location where aggregate can be found, Maricopa
County also encourages developers and property
owners to research the location of existing and future
mining operations prior to purchasing or choosing to
develop a property. Common sources of aggregate
resources are mountains and washes or riverbeds. For
more information on potential locations of aggregate
resources, refer to the Arizona Geological Survey
Document Repository for the current Geologic Map
Database for Aggregate Resource Assessment for the
Phoenix Metropolitan Area and surrounding regions.
Existing WTGA Area Land Use by Category (% Acres)
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Figure 8. Land Ownership
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Future Land Uses
All future land use designations have been updated
since the previous plan was adopted in 2000 to align with
Maricopa County’s Comprehensive Plan and mapped to
illustrate the community’s vision for the planning area.
As described in Chapter 1, the WTGA planning area has
been revised and is now 727 Sq. Miles. The following
reflects significant changes to the Future Land Use Map
illustrated in Figure 9 on page 32:
»
Two potential growth areas, which are more fully
described in the growth areas section, are added to
account for anticipated population and job growth.
»
Land owned by the BLM that changed from rural to
open space to align with BLM’s preferred land uses
for these areas.
»
Land owned by the ASLD changed from open
space to single-family rural to accommodate future
potential development in accordance with the ASLD
mission.
»
Approved Comprehensive Plan Amendments (CPAs)
since the previous plan are identified within the map
along with their associated land use categories.
»
Approved Development Master Plans (DMPs) are
identified.
»
Approve scenic corridors, designated floodways,
and special flood hazard zones.
»
General designation of areas where aggregate
resources are found.
»
All incorporated areas within the planning area are
shown as gray or light blue within the HNAPZ of
LAFB and the Luke Auxiliary Field #1. These areas
are not governed by County land use policy or
regulation but are shown for continuity of the WTGA
planning area.
For ease of viewing, the Future Land Use Map is also
divided into two sections in Figures 10 and 11 on pages
33 and 34.
The breakdown of future land uses within the
unincorporated area of the WTGA planning area includes
nearly 177,000 acres, or 47%, of land designated as
Single Family – Rural. Unincorporated area makes up
590 square miles of the plan area. This rural designation
surrounds the White Tank Mountain Regional Park and
covers much of the area’s northwest quadrant. Open
space comprises over 114,000 acres or over 30% of the
area. The military compatible use accounts for 8% of
the planning area. While some of this area is under local
jurisdiction, the use remains the same given the needs
of LAFB and the regulations outlined in ARS. In addition
to rural development, several other single family land
use types are also represented, including large lot, small
lot, and transitional lot which make up over 12% of the
area. The remaining uses make up less than 2% of the
planning area and include employment, commercial,
zoo, community service, multiple family – low, utilities,
heavy industrial, neighborhood retail, community retail,
and office.
Future Land Use Category
Acres
Percent
Single Family - Rural
176874
46.84%
Open Space
114267
30.26%
Single Family - Transitional Lot
38140
10.10%
Military Compatible
31622
8.38%
Single Family - Large Lot
9172
2.43%
Mixed Use Employment
6139
1.63%
Single Family - Small Lot
368
0.10%
Regional Commercial
355
0.09%
Zoo
154
0.04%
Community Service
100
0.03%
Multiple Family - Low
91
0.02%
Utilities
89
0.02%
Heavy Industrial
79
0.02%
Neighborhood Retail
66
0.02%
Community Retail
37
0.01%
Office
20
0.01%
Total:
377,573
100%
Note: Total acreage excludes incorporated area.
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Future Land Use Designations
The WTGA Area Plan has been updated to reflect the
current future land use designations as identified in
the Comprehensive Plan. Although the Comprehensive
Plan has an all-inclusive list of designations that can be
referenced, the WTGA Area Plan utilizes the following
sixteen (16) future land use designations with their
respective description and characteristics.
Regional Retail
Lead tenant of more than one department store along
with small-scale secondary stores typical of outlet
or enclosed malls; total retail space: 400,000+ Sq. Ft
(anchor ratio: 50% - 70%); typical site area: up to 100
acres.
Community Retail
Lead tenant of one or more department, warehouse, or
specialty retail stores along with small-scale secondary
stores typical of a Power Center; total retail space:
100,000 - 400,000+ Sq. Ft (anchor ratio: 40% - 60%);
typical site: up to 40 acres.
Neighborhood Retail
Lead tenant single supermarket or specialty retail store
along with small-scale secondary stores; total retail
space; 30,000 – 150,000 Sq. Ft. (anchor ratio: 30% - 50%);
typical site area: up to 15 acres.
Mixed Use Employment
Mix of office, research, warehouse, light industrial, and
support employment uses on the same or adjacent
parcels. Residential and general retail uses are not
allowed.
Office
Office space for administrative, professional, semi-
professional, and support activities where no retail trade
is conducted.
Heavy Industrial
Manufacturing, assembly, and fabrication of large
goods requiring heavy raw materials; processing and
refinement of natural resources.
Military Compatible
Applicable only within ARS defined High Nose or Accident
Potential Zone (HNAPZ). It includes only those uses
determined to be compatible and consistent with the
HNAPZ of a military airport or ancillary military facility.
Community Service
Facilities for government, education, religious worship,
cemeteries, social gathering, public safety, residential
care, and large-scale medical care which serves the
general public.
Utilities
Electric generating plants, water and wastewater
treatment
facilities,
and
associated
offices
and
accessory equipment.
Open Space
Unimproved
areas
specifically
designated
for
preservation in an unaltered, natural state which only
offer passive recreation.
Zoo
Zoo, wildlife preserves, exotic animal farms.
Single-Family Rural
Density of 1 dwelling unit or less per gross acre.
Single-Family - Large Lot
Density greater than 1 dwelling unit per gross acre, but
not more than 2 dwelling units per gross acre.
Single-Family - Transitional Lot
Density greater than 3 dwelling units per gross acre, but
not more than 5 dwelling units per gross acre.
Single-Family - Small Lot
Density greater than 5 dwelling units per gross acre, but
not more than 8 dwelling units per gross acre.
Multiple Family – Low
Density greater than 8 dwelling units per gross acre, but
not more than 12 dwelling units per gross acre.
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Aggregate resources
Figure 9. Future Land Uses
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Figure 10. Future Land Use Map - Northern Section
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Figure 11. Future Land Use Map - Southern Section
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Land Use Analysis
Balancing housing and development needs across the
region while maintaining open spaces and the rural
character of the WTGA planning area is a top priority and
challenge for the community. Many community members
recognized the need for more housing and development
to accommodate existing and future residents, but also
expressed their appreciation and concerns for the area’s
retention of a rural and peaceful character and access
to, and protection of, open spaces, viewsheds, and dark
skies. This strong interest in preserving open space and
rural character balanced with needed growth is reflected
in the Future Land Use Map where over 77% of land is
designated as open space and single family - rural.
Future Land Use Strategies
1. Prioritize protection and preservation of open
spaces, views, and rural character. The updated
Future Land Use Map designates all land owned by
the BLM as open space and some of the land owned
by the ASLD as Rural. Rural is also designated
around the area’s largest open space, the White Tank
Mountain Regional Park and interspersed in both
growth areas with guidance to adequately buffer
existing rural and large lot developments. Scenic
corridors, floodways and special flood zones are
illustrated on the Future Land Use Map as a tool
for decision-makers to consider appropriateness of
proposed developments in or near those areas.
2. Accommodate growth where appropriate to address
housing needs. To accommodate housing and to
prioritize growth compactly and most efficiently,
the Future Land Use Map contains two designated
potential growth areas, where higher density
(more compact) and intensity land uses have been
incorporated. These areas lie along US 60 and Loop
303 and are poised for development as they are within
proximity to urban services and infrastructure. The
County encourages development within these areas
to occur in an adjoining municipality with appropriate
water, sewer, police and fire service. Growth areas
are further discussed in the Growth Areas section of
this document.
3. Ensure that development is compatible with Luke
Air Force Base’s mission and operations. Maricopa
County is a longtime supporter of LAFB in the region
and previously instituted a rigorous development
review system to ensure a collaborative relationship
with the base. Policies within the WTGA Area Plan
will continue to ensure that development within
the HNAPZ is both compatible with the mission
and operations at LAFB and compliant with ARS.
Additionally, the areas surrounding the HNAPZ are
also designated on the Future Land Use Map to align
with LAFB’s Graduated Density Concept (GDC). In
short, the GDC supports densities from the 65 Ldn
(noise contours) at 0-2 du/ac to ½ mile, 0-4 du/ac
from ½ to 1 mile, and 0-6 du/ac from 1 to 3 miles.
LAFB Control Tower, U.S. LAFB
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Land Use Goal #1:
Promote
balanced,
efficient,
and
compact
land
development patterns within the WTGA planning
area with the appropriate level of services for water,
wastewater, education, and public safety that is
compatible with adjacent land uses, is well integrated
with the transportation system, and is sensitive to the
natural environment.
Land Use Goal #2:
Protect the mission of LAFB as well as the public health,
safety, and welfare in areas around LAFB and Luke
Auxiliary Airfield #1.
Land Use Policy #1:
Maricopa County supports continued coordination with
federal, state, and local agencies to ensure a balanced
mix of land uses in the region.
Land Use Policy #2:
Maricopa County supports development within the
WTGA planning area with commensurate services
or infrastructure and development that adequately
mitigates negative impacts to surrounding lands or
communities.
Land Use Policy #3:
Maricopa County supports increasing the housing stock
in the WTGA planning area in areas that are supported
by the appropriate levels of services and infrastructure.
Land Use Policy #4:
Maricopa County supports providing incentives, such as
density bonuses, for planned communities that set aside
at least 20% of the total single family residential units
for affordable housing, which shall be defined as single
family housing that is 25% lower than the median sales
price of existing homes in the Phoenix metropolitan area,
as determined by the most recent National Association
of Realtors report.
Land Use Policy #5:
Maricopa County supports high quality commercial
centers and well-designed office, business, and industrial
parks that are properly located within the WTGA planning
and that proximate to populated areas and transportation
facilities.
Land Use Policy #6:
Maricopa County will continue to comply with military
airport or ancillary military facility ARS policies by
continuing coordination with LAFB for developments
within and around the HNAPZ of LAFB or Luke Auxiliary
Airfield #1 to ensure compatibility and consistency with
the base mission and operations.
Land Use Policy #7:
Maricopa County supports the LAFB Graduated Density
Concept (GDC) and will continue to increase awareness
of compatible land use planning in the vicinity of the
military airport or ancillary military facility.
Land Use Policy #8:
Maricopa County supports development that aligns with
adopted scenic corridor policies and regulations.
Land Use Policy #9:
Maricopa County supports existing automobile proving
grounds and aggregate resource extraction that is well-
buffered and encourages new proximate development
that is compatible with the continuing operation of
automotive proving grounds and aggregate resource
extraction.
Land Use Policy #10:
Maricopa County supports development that maintains
the rural and open space land use designations as
buffers or transitions around existing rural and large lot
developments in the WTGA planning area.
Land Use Policy #11:
Maricopa County supports the development of regional
retail and employment mixed uses adjacent to Loop 303.
Land Use Policy #12:
Maricopa County supports efforts to preserve major
floodways as open space and/or in a natural state.
LAND USE GOALS AND POLICIES
The goals and policies described in this section are intended to guide future land use decisions within the WTGA
planning area.
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT
Transportation Network
Roadway Network
The WTGA planning area’s roadway system varies widely in density and complexity.
Primary road networks include:
1. Inside Loop 303 and along I-10: standard one-mile arterial network with
supporting collectors
2. Sun City/Sun City West: curvilinear roadway network with fewer continuous
corridors
3. Northwest of Loop 303: limited continuous roadways, comprised of State
Routes and Sun Valley Parkway, with little other connectivity
Figure 12 on page 38 shows the existing roadway network. Notable aspects of the
WTGA planning area roadway system include:
»
There are seven freight routes in the WTGA planning area, largely on state
routes and major arterials.
»
Concentrations of serious injury and fatal crashes occur on Loop 303, Bell
Road, and US 60. The Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT)
Transportation System Plan (TSP) identifies the US 60 and Bell Road corridors
in Sun City as crash hotspots for all severities.
»
There are 10 miles of congested roadways, including along US 60 and Loop
303.
»
The majority of pavement in the study area is reported as fair or better; 22.6%
of pavement rated as poor.
Multimodal Transportation
The area’s existing multimodal transportation network includes public transit
systems, active transportation infrastructure, and aviation facilities. The
multimodal transportation network is shown in 13. There are 16 bus routes, 83
bus stops and 2 park-and-rides that serve the WTGA planning area. Transit routes
include local, express, and rural routes.
The area has access to 202 miles of active transportation facilities composed of
hiking trails and shared use paths. Newer arterial roadways in the area include on-
street bicycle lanes and sidewalks. Regional connectivity of bikeways is minimal,
present only along US 60 and Sun Valley Parkway. There are three regional parks in
the area: White Tank Mountain Regional Park, the Hassayampa River Preserve, and
the Vulture Mountains Recreation Area.
Although there are no public airports within the WTGA planning area, there is Luke
Auxiliary #1 Airfield and LAFB. LAFB and Luke Auxiliary Field #1 break up the
arterial street grid network for several miles.
Roadway Network
Opportunities
»
Improving freight bottlenecks
and
facilities
to
better
accommodate
freight
will
improve
economic
development,
traffic
operations, and safety.
»
Investment
in
congestion
mitigation
strategies
and
safety measures will reduce
travel time and crashes.
»
It
would
require
minimal
improvement
to
bring
all
roadways up to fair or good
conditions.
Multimodal Network
Opportunities
»
Expand bus service to the
west and north to improve
connectivity and accessibility.
»
Regional active transportation
facilities would make travel
easier for users looking to walk
or bike.
»
Land
use
constraints
in
proximity
to
LAFB
and
the creation of Loop 303
have
created
development
opportunities for warehousing
fulfillment
and
distribution
facilities.
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Figure 12. Functional Classification
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Figure 13. Multimodal Transportation
40
CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Transportation Network Analysis
In the Momentum 2050 Regional Transportation Plan,
Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) modeled
future traffic congestion for the entire region as shown
below in Figure 14. Without major roadway capacity
investments, many of the arterial roadways in the WTGA
planning area will have a “failing level of service” by
2050. Failing levels of service (LOS) indicate severe
congestion.
To address these anticipated congestion issues,
both MAG and MCDOT are planning multimodal
improvements, which are shown in Figure 15 on page 41.
The planned alignment of the future I-11 corridor is also
mapped and runs along the western side of the WTGA
planning area. This plan notes that a future I-11 is not
guaranteed to develop along this corridor and requires
funding opportunities to become available at the state
level to advance to design and construction.
Planned improvements recommended in ADOT’s US 60
Corridor Study are also mapped. The plan recommends
intersection and corridor improvements along US 60 from
SR 74 to Wickenburg. Recommended improvements are
not currently programmed for funding.
MAG-planned improvements include increasing corridor
capacity, along with interchange, and intersection
projects. There are no major transit enhancements
planned by MAG in the WTGA planning area. MAG-
planned
improvements
are
fiscally
constrained,
meaning that these improvements are expected to be
fully funded with revenues collected through 2050.
MCDOT-planned projects are not necessarily fiscally
constrained, meaning that funding is not identified for
all the improvements in the map.
I-11 Intermountain West Corridor
I-11 is a planned new interstate corridor connecting
the Mexican border at Nogales with Las Vegas, also
servicing the Tucson and Phoenix metropolitan
areas. The Tier 1 Environmental Impact Study
was published in 2021 and identifies a 2,000-foot-
wide corridor as a starting point within which the
proposed interstate would be constructed.
Arizona does not currently have funding identified
to construct the interstate; however, upgrades to
US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40 are being
designed and constructed to interstate standards
for future conversion to I-11.
Figure 14. Forecasted 2050 Traffic Congestion (MAG)
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WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Figure 15. Future Transportation Improvements
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CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Transportation Goal #1:
Coordinate land use decisions with transportation
investments to maintain and expand the existing
transportation network to responsibly accommodate
growth.
Transportation Goal #2:
Promote and protect public health by improving roadway
safety and mitigating traffic congestion.
Transportation Goal #3:
Support the development of the WTGA planning area as
a regional logistics and warehousing hub along Loop 303
and around LAFB.
Transportation Goal #4
Promote and improve infrastructure for alternative
methods of transportation for, bicyclists, pedestrians,
golf-cart users and equestrians.
Transportation Policy #1
Maricopa County supports the preservation of the
necessary right of way to maintain and extend the one-
mile grid system and the preservation of the scenic
corridors outlined in the plan.
Transportation Policy #2
Maricopa County supports the enforcement of minimum
street standards and subdivision requirements to ensure
adequate secondary or emergency access for emergency
vehicles as well as applicable MCDOT standards for all
new collector and arterial roads.
Transportation Policy #3
Maricopa
County
supports
developer(s)
taking
responsibility for the construction of new roads that
provide access to new development. Upon completion of
construction, roads that are of regional or community-
wide significance should be dedicated to a local
jurisdiction or Maricopa County, as appropriate.
Transportation Policy #4
Maricopa County supports improvement of the LOS on
congested roadways, including US 60 and Bell Road,
through MAG and MCDOT-recommended capacity
improvements as well as regional signal coordination
through inter-jurisdictional cooperation and the use of
intelligent transportation system (ITS) innovations and
program advancements.
Transportation Policy #5
Maricopa County supports continued monitoring of
intersections with high rates of serious injury and fatal
crashes (including along US 60 and Bell Road in Sun
City) development of appropriate countermeasures to
address them, and pursuit of regional, state, and federal
funding mechanisms to construct safety-oriented
improvements.
Transportation Policy #6
Where feasible and effective, Maricopa County supports
designing new roadways to include pedestrian facilities
with separation from vehicular traffic to improve comfort
and safety as well as safe multimodal crossings on
arterial roadways near trails, schools, and other activity
centers.
Transportation Policy #7
Maricopa County supports Maricopa County Sheriff’s
Office (MCSO) coordinating with local police departments
to develop a coordinated traffic enforcement plan to
ensure high-crash locations are appropriately monitored.
Transportation Policy #8
Maricopa County supports mitigation of truck traffic
noise and pollution impacts on residential communities
through use of a primary freight network, construction of
sound walls, and engine braking prohibitions.
Transportation Policy #9
Maricopa County supports the identification and
evaluation of regional-scale public transportation, such
as an express bus service to connect the WTGA planning
area to the rest of the Phoenix region.
TRANSPORTATION GOALS AND POLICIES
The following goals and policies are identified to aid in improving and expanding transportation opportunities for
residents and visitors of the WTGA planning area.
43
WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Transportation Policy #10
Maricopa
County
supports
coordination
with
WTGA planning area jurisdictions to ensure active
transportation plans provide system continuity and
connections, including multiuse trails and paths, across
jurisdictions and between municipalities and developed
areas of unincorporated Maricopa County.
I-11 Concept, ADOT
Transportation Policy #11
Maricopa County supports the development of on- and
off-street golf cart facilities and parking at activity
centers, particularly in areas with concentrations of
senior citizens and age-restricted communities such as
Sun City and Sun City West.
44
CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENT ELEMENT
The Environment Element is required by ARS and addresses policies and strategies
aimed at anticipated effects on air and water quality and other natural resources
associated with proposed development in the WTGA planning area.
Environmental Features
Maricopa County is known for its warm and dry desert climate, with average high
temperatures ranging from the mid-60s (Fahrenheit) in the winter to an average of
106 degrees in the summer. Most notably, the WTGA planning area is home to the
White Tank Mountain Regional Park shown above, which is comprised of nearly
30,000 acres and the largest regional park in Maricopa County. The region’s major
rivers, the Gila River and Salt River, run east to west through the County just south
of the plan area. The Agua Fria, which provides 83,000 acre-feet of water to Lake
Pleasant annually, runs through the WTGA planning area as does the Hassayampa
River, which flows north to south from Prescott into the Gila River.
Vegetation and Wildlife
Maricopa County includes diverse flora and fauna, including the critically
endangered Sonoran Desert Tortoise, which eats mesquite grass and cactus fruit
and burrows below creosote bushes that give off its distinct musky, earthy smell
after monsoon rainstorms. Maricopa County is home to several endangered and
threatened species that formally had free roam. The Sonoran pronghorn is one of
Mesquite Canyon Trail in White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Mare Czinar
45
WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
a handful of species that survived the ice age. The White
Tanks would have been part of the Sonoran pronghorn’s
historical
habitat.
Now,
roughly
200
individual
pronghorns remain with territory within the Barry M
Goldwater Range and the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife
Refuge. The Mexican Wolf once inhabited the park and
was threatened by extinction from poaching and habitat
loss. Programs to reintroduce the Mexican wolves have
succeeded in increasing wolf numbers to roughly 105 in
Arizona. The iconic bald eagle has seen a resurgence in
Arizona since the species was listed in the Endangered
Species Act in 1978. While at one time, there were only
11 breeding pairs, conservation efforts led to a stable
increase in bald eagles in Arizona and their removal from
the Endangered Species List in 2011.
Common Name
ESA Listing Status
Lead Office
Gila trout
Threatened
Fishes
Gila chub
Endangered
Fishes
Acuña Cactus
Endangered
Flowering Plants
Yuma Ridgway's rail
Endangered
Birds
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Threatened
Birds
Southwestern willow flycatcher
Endangered
Birds
Lesser long-nosed bat
Recovery
Mammals
California least tern
Endangered
Birds
Nichol's Turk's head cactus
Endangered
Flowering Plants
Brown pelican
Recovery
Birds
Ocelot
Endangered
Mammals
Razorback sucker
Endangered
Fishes
American peregrine falcon
Recovery
Birds
Gila topminnow (incl. Yaqui)
Endangered
Fishes
Desert pupfish
Endangered
Fishes
Mexican spotted owl
Threatened
Birds
Spikedace
Endangered
Fishes
Arizona Cliffrose
Endangered
Flowering Plants
Desert Tortoise, National Park Service
Additional Threatened Species Within Maricopa County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Additional Threatened Species Within Maricopa County
46
CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
White Tank Mountain Regional Park Petroglyphs, Roger Hall
Archaeology
The White Tank Mountains in Arizona reflect the region’s
storied history with a range of prehistoric and historic
archaeological
sites,
including
prehistoric
Native
American petroglyphs, canal systems, and habitations
ranging from small farming hamlets to large villages.
Western Archaic People were mobile hunter-gatherers
who inhabited and used the area to procure plant and
animal resources as early as 3,500 B.C. The Hohokam
inhabited the area from about A.D. 500 to 1450 and
established habitations and irrigated farmland at the
west end of a large canal system and used the nearby
highlands for hunting for and collecting upland plants
and mineral resources. In the centuries that followed,
O’Odham, Piipaash, and Western Yavapai Tribes visited
the mountains. Petroglyphs, some as old as 5,000 years,
can be found throughout the White Tank Mountains, with
the largest group along the Waterfall Canyon Trail at
“Petroglyph Plaza.”
47
WHITE TANK GRAND AVENUE AREA PLAN | MARICOPA COUNTY
Air & Water Quality
As shown in the adjacent chart, in 2019, Maricopa
County recorded an annual average of 8.4 micrograms
per cubic meter of fine particulate matter, which is below
the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPAs) annual
average standard of 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter. In
comparison, the State of Arizona as a whole recorded an
annual average of 4.8 micrograms per cubic meter of fine
particulate matter. Policies within this section are aimed
at maintaining air quality in the WTGA planning area
by supporting development that reduces or mitigates
practices that exacerbate this issue.
Maricopa County’s water quality is regulated by the
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
Water supply is primarily from groundwater, accounting
for 54%, while surface water accounts for 39%, and the
remaining 7% comes from reclaimed water. In 2022 the
City of Glendale performed a water quality analysis. The
results showed that the pollutants arsenic, fluoride, and
nitrogen, were below federal maximum contaminant
levels
(MCL)
(http://www.glendaleaz.com/2022ccr).
Similarly, Surprise’s water quality report found no
pollutants in violation of federal MCL levels (surpriseaz.
gov/water reports). Water Quality in the WTGA planning
area appears to be adequate. Water supply and
distribution is further addressed in the Water Resources
section of this chapter.
48
CHAPTER 3: PLAN ELEMENTS
Potentially Hazardous Areas and Noise
Generating Uses
Although there are various noise generators within the
WTGA planning area such as mining operations and
highways, there are two significant sources of noise
and potential hazards which include automobile proving
grounds and military operations. Additionally, although
the nation’s largest nuclear plant is not within the
WTGA planning area, its proximity merits discussion of
potential hazards impacts of the facility. Development
around these important existing uses should maintain
appropriate buffers and compatibility to ensure the long-
term compatibility of these economic drivers for the
region but to also protect the resident’s quality of life.
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS)
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) is located
approximately 55 miles west of downtown Phoenix near
the unincorporated community of Wintersburg. PVNGS
supplies power to approximately 4 million people in
several states making it the largest power producing
facility in the U.S. When constructed approximately 30
years ago few people lived near the plant, and while the
surrounding population is still relatively low several large
master planned communities that could eventually be
home to tens of thousands of new residents are planned
within the Emergency Planning Zone. The Maricopa
County
Department
of
Emergency
Management
(MCDEM) defines the Emergency Planning Zone as a
ten-mile radius surrounding PVNGS where protective
actions could be required to safeguard the public from
exposure to radioactive material should an unintended
radioactive release occur. A larger safety area known as
the Ingestion Exposure Pathway Emergency Planning
Zone extends as many as fifty miles from PVNGS and
does impact the WTGA planning area. Protecting lives is
the highest priority in the event of a radioactive incident
at the plant which is why careful land use planning is
so important. Proper transportation planning is also
needed to help ensure the safe and timely evacuation
of residents if necessary. However, careful land use and
transportation planning must also be combined with
educating residents living in the PVNGS area about the
importance of this issue to their health and safety.
Proving Grounds
Automobile manufacturer Toyota operates a 12,000-acre
proving grounds located west of Wittman and 60 miles
northwest of Phoenix. The proving grounds allow Toyota
to test on and off-road vehicles year-round on 25 miles of
paved roads and 52 miles of dirt tracks. Toyota opened the
proving grounds to the broader automotive industry with
the creation of the Arizona Mobility Test Center (AMTC).
AMTC will allow other automobile manufacturers access
to engineering support services as well as access to a
full range of vehicle evaluation validation processes.
Also located near the town of Wittman is the Ford Motor
Company Arizona Proving Ground (APG) operating at a
size of 1,498 acres.
Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant, Google Earth