June 1, 2022 Study Session Minutes

Meeting Minutes
Planning and Zoning Commission
Study Session

June 1, 2022 | 5:00 p.m.

Chandler City Council Chambers C..> CHANDLER
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88 E. Chicago St., Chandler, AZ Community of Innovation

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Heumann at 5:00 p.m.

Roll Call

Commission Attendance Staff Attendance

Chairman Rick Heumann Kevin Mayo, Planning Administrator

Vice Chairman David Rose David de la Torre, Planning Manager

Commissioner Erik Morgan Lauren Schumann, Principal Planner

Commissioner Sherri Koshiol Ben Cereceres, City Planner

Commissioner Jeff Velasquez Mika Liburd, Associate Planner

Commissioner Kyle Barichello Thomas Allen, Assistant City Attorney
Julie San Miguel, Clerk

Absent

Commissioner Michael Quinn

Scheduled/Unscheduled Public Appearances

Members of the audience may address any item not on the agenda. State Statute prohibits the
Board or Commission from discussing an item that is not on the agenda, but the Board or
Commission does listen to your concerns and has staff follow up on any questions you raise.

Consent Agenda and Discussion
1. April 20, 2022, Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes

Move Planning and Zoning Commission approve Planning and Zoning Commission meeting
minutes of the Study Session of April 20, 2022, and Regular Meeting of April 20, 2022.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN confirmed there were no questions or comments from the Commission
regarding this item.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN announced Item No. 3. PLH22-0016 Thomas Wellness Center will be
presented before Item No. 2. PLH21-0094/PLT21-0063 Alta Uptown.

3. PLH22-0016 THOMAS WELLNESS CENTER

BEN CERECERES, CITY PLANNER presented details regarding the request for Use Permit for the
operation of an outpatient treatment center. The business is located at 7030 W. Oakland Street,
Suite 101, % mile north of the northwest corner of Chandler Blvd. and 56th street.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN confirmed there were no questions or comments from the Commission
regarding this item.

2. PLH21-0094/PLT21-0063 ALTA UPTOWN

LAUREN SCHUMANN, SENIOR CITY PLANNER presented details regarding the request for Rezoning
from Regional Commercial (C-3) district to Planned Area Development (PAD) for multi-family
residential with Mid-Rise Overlay, Preliminary Development Plan approval for site layout and
building architecture, and Preliminary Plat approval on approximately 10.2 acres located at the
southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Corporate Place, more generally located 1/4 north of the
northeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Warner Road.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN asked what is the height of the front buildings on Uptown Commons.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER replied Uptown Commons requested a mid-rise
overlay for up to 50-feet, but at that point with the building massing and grass turf feature, it is
approximately 48-feet.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN pointed out the proposed is twelve spaces under parked and asked for the
number of tandem garages.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER responded there are seventy tandem parking spaces
per the site plan and explained, tandem spaces are a garage with a parking space behind it. She
further explained each tandem space is assigned to one unit.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN gave an example, if David arrives first and parks in the front space, then |
park behind him, David will be blocked in if he tries to leave. He stated the tandem spaces are
being counted into the total parking spaces and asked staff how often do people use both spaces.
He asked if there were concerns regarding tandem parking and the missing twelve parking spaces.

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LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER replied that question is better directed towards the
Applicant, but in the past years of reviewing projects and seeing them come to fruition, staff has
not had many concerns; however, she echoed, this question is better directed towards the
Applicant.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN stated he recently went to a meeting on workforce housing and one of the
challenges is that rent is high, therefore, multiple people are living in one apartment now. He
further stated he sees a lot of overflow parking when he looks around town. He asked the
Planning Administrator where overflow parking will go because the location is surrounded by
business park.

KEVIN MAYO, PLANNING ADMINISTRATOR replied specifically to this case, the overflow parking
would go on Corporate Place. He explained, it is an 80-foot-wide collector Street that allows
parking on both sides and there is plenty of parking available as it is not used by the businesses
in the vicinity. He stated, there is ample area for overflow if needed. He explained, the entire valley
is watching what is happening with housing and what is happening with multifamily both with the
rental rates and the diminished supply. He further explained, we are in the same position as the
Applicants as they do not want to build something that is under parked, or they will have a hard
time leasing it. He stated this Applicant is evaluating their existing complexes and working with
staff to make sure there is enough parking today and in the future. He further stated in the past
staff used to be supportive of far greater parking reductions, citing high-capacity transit corridors
and a lot of that is not coming to fruition so staff is working with Applicants on parking on a case-
by-case basis to make sure there is enough.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN thanked the Planning Administrator for his input. He stated there would
be more apprehension on the issue of parking spaces if this project was next to residential, but
since location is industrial, the overflow parking will not be neighborhoods. He further stated the
Applicant is going to have to deal with their clients if they are tired of parking blocks away.

VICE CHAIRMAN ROSE stated he is happy with the appearance of the project and the architecture.
He is pleased to see the 10-foot sidewalks and wants to see more of that in north Chandler. He
commended the Applicant on the outcome and mentioned this is a good use.

COMMISSIONER KOSHIOL asked staff or the Applicant to elaborate on the details of the tandem
parking spaces outside of the garages. She asked what is the distance from the face of the garage
to the drive aisle.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER replied when staff reviews a parking space, it must be
a minimum of 19-feet to meet the requirement for a parking space. She further explained they
are showing 22-feet for the garage; 21-feet for the parking space in front of the garage; and the
drive aisle meets the standard of 24-feet to allow for full movement on either side.

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COMMISSIONER VELASQUEZ asked if the street parking along Corporate Place is counted in the
overall parking study.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER stated per the Zoning Code, parking spaces adjacent
on street, if developed, can be counted towards required parking. She further stated the Applicant
has these parking spaces counted towards their numbers.

COMMISSIONER VELASQUEZ pointed out there is a notation for accent feature along Arizona
Avenue and asked if it will be developed with this site.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER explained on the landscape plan there is a dotted-out
feature and on the memo, it notates the ability for a shade structure or art feature to encroach up
to 5-feet into that building setback or 5-feet from setback. She further explained staff is still
working with the Applicant on what it is and stated it will be something to meet the goals of
Economic Development's eclectic uptown place setting.

DAVID DE LA TORRE, PLANNING MANAGER stated the Applicant's goal is to build it at the same
time they build the rest of the project.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN presented concerns regarding the landscaping along Arizona Avenue and
asked the modify the stipulation on the landscaping. He stated he would like to see it changed to
25% of trees from a 48-inch box with height of 15-feet on planting and 50% of trees from a 36-
inch box with height of 12-feet on planting. He mentioned this would only affect 24 trees along
the street, but it is important to get height early for shaded and help break up the buildings. He
brought up the use of date palms to break up the massing and stated he rather see mature trees.
He stated he likes the project overall as this will be a great use for North Chandler and the high-
capacity transit corridor. He further stated he has concerns regarding the elevations along the
west side and asked if staff could work with the Applicant to break up the massing.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER presented the westside elevation and asked for
clarification on the massing and if it was from the undulation of the push and pull or the massing
of the parapets.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN stated he sees a long run of mass on Arizona Avenue and asked to add
something to the middle to break it up. He further stated it is not his intent to redesign the project
and he will leave it up to the architect and staff, but there are other projects they have done
around town that look heavy. He mentioned he liked that this project is 50-feet away from the
curb as oppose to other projects from the Applicant are close to the street and very urban.

LAUREN SCHUMANN, PRINCIPAL PLANNER stated she will discuss this with the Applicant during
the break.

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CHAIRMAN HEUMANN stated this is a great use of that land and since the car dealership is going
away other things will come in. He mentioned staff stated there is not a traffic study that warrants
a light at Corporate Place and asked what is the potential for that. He explained, there will be 425
units with potentially 600 people trying to get in and out of there and the corporate center. He
asked if the corner is not wired for a traffic light.

KEVIN MAYO, PLANNING ADMINISTRATOR responded the intersection is not currently wired for a
signal and Arizona Avenue is unique because there is a flushed median the entire way. He
explained the traffic engineer does believe there will be an issue as there are many ways out and
the traffic pattern is not bad. He mentioned since staff is working with the Applicant on the art
feature if it could be used to potentially break up the mass of the building, therefore we are not
changing the building anymore, but breaking up the visual mass with whatever the art feature will

be.

CHAIRMAN HEUMANN stated that would be great idea and echoed it is not his intent to redesign
the project during the meeting. He further stated he believes staff and the Applicant can work
together to come up with a solution.

Calendar
The next Study Session will be held before the Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in
the Chandler City Council Chambers, 88 E. Chicago Street, Chandler, Arizona.

Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

aoa Lh—

Kevin Me ir’ Mayo, Secretary Rick Heumann, Chairman

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