PLH24-0045 Beach House Narrative

The Narrative for the Planned Area Development of the BEACH HOUSE 
 Requested by Anni Beach (Revised 2-27-25) 
Anni and her husband Vincent Beach, retired United States Airforce bandsman, relocated 
from the Navajo Reservation after many years of serving in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and 
bought their home at 603 East Carla Vista Drive 85225 in 1985. They entered into an active 
community life; Vincent as an adjunct professor of Psychology and Political Science at 
Chandler Gilbert Community College and a substitute teacher for Chandler Schools, and 
Anni as Religious Education Coordinator for Williams Air Force Base Chapel and also a 
substitute teacher for Chandler Schools. Anni joined up with the newly formed South 
Chandler Self-help Organization in 1989.  
Anni and Vincent were both musicians and played church music at Willims Air Force Base 
and at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Queen Creek. The goal for their home was to create an 
oasis here in the desert for their family. In 1994 a crossroads, totally unexpected, occurred. 
Anni had begun to play mandolin at age 50 and took it to all the schools playing and singing 
for the children. One day after playing for the second graders at Galveston Elementary, just 
a block north of their home, two little boys came to the door and wanted to play more 
music. Six children met in the yard a week later already armed with the name “Jam Pak”. 
The joy in playing harmonicas and singing bluegrass songs along with Mrs. Beach on the 
mandolin, could not be denied. And so began an incredible journey for the past 30 years for 
the neighborhood children, many of them first generation immigrants. Bluegrass music on 
stringed instruments is practiced twice a week in the Beach House. Life skills and 
character building are an integral part of the community of musicians. The fact of inclusion 
and diversity in the Jam Pak community has made the band a frontrunner on the 
reclamation of the roots of Bluegrass.  
The small and humble Beach House has remained the sole place for practices, gatherings, 
shows (Beach House Reviews) and community-building. A book has been published by 
Jam Pak titled: Home Grown Bluegrass-A Guide to Making People Happy with Music. 
The band is invited to perform at most of the Arizona bluegrass festivals as well as 
community events. The band has created a center at Tempe Festival of the Arts twice a year 
since 2015 now called The Bluegrass Experience with Jam Pak. Volunteer performers and 
bands are invited to play non-stop for three days. Jam Pak coordinates other festivals as 
well in order to create venues for Jam Pak and other musicians who play Bluegrass, Old-
Time, and Gospel music on string instruments.  
Jam Pak has consistently, since the beginning in1994, had between 20-30 young 
musicians. It became necessary to have additional space so that they could have lessons, 
small band work, and day camps for more intense instruction and practice. A small 
structure was built in 2001 to accommodate the band when Anni’s 93 year old mother 
needed to relocate to their home. She took the big bedroom where lessons happened. In

2012, following the death of Vincent Beach, Father of Jam Pak, the Beach House Reviews 
were established in the back yard as an honor to him for his unfailing support. A small stage 
was built and other structures that were deemed temporary were built. Musicians were 
invited to play along with Jam Pak bands about four times a year. A Tuff Shed replaced the 
home-built shed in 2017 and is called The Woodshed. Another small Tuff Shed was added 
to hold the tools and equipment displaced by the new practice building.  
Anni Beach is now 81 years old. She has created a Living Trust whereby all properties at the 
603 East Carla Vista Drive location will become the holdings of the Jam Pak Band and 
managed by the Jam Pak Band Board of Directors upon her death. The house will remain a 
residence. More small buildings are needed to give room for instruction and practice for the 
young musicians. The program will not expand and will remain with the same focus it has 
had for the past 30 years. The philosophy is clearly stated in the book Home Grown 
Bluegrass as well as the reasons why the program is so successful in the home setting.  
After research and discussions with Chandler City Planners and some council members, it 
was suggested that the most efficient and effective way forward to secure the property for 
the use of the Jam Pak Blues ‘N’ Grass Neighborhood Band, and to add some vital 
structures, would be to apply for Rezoning. This request is to allow for additional 
structures in the rear yard with reduced setbacks, as we will be using the zoning 
change to allow for existing buildings on the property that do not meet the zoning code 
as well as the three new additions. Thus, this proposal includes two Tuff Sheds to be 
added to the existing plan.  Anni Beach is requesting an 8’x14’ Tuff Shed which will 
take the place of the small “Tacoshop” type trailer, and a Tuff Shed barn which is 
12’x14’ and 14’ at the highest point. A bathroom, which will be constructed according 
to Chandler Codes, with dimensions of 5x6’ will be built onto the existing  ADU. These 
three new additional spaces will be located on the alley side of the property. The 4x6 
handbuilt Jam Pak Club House will be relocated by The Woodshed.  The buildings will 
be painted and finished to fit in with the other attractive and unique buildings already on 
the property.  
Any parking overflow needs, which are rare, will be available at the Galveston 
Elementary School auxiliary parking lot located off of Hamilton and Oakland Street. 
This is available to neighbors when there is an additional need for temporary event 
parking in the community. 
Anni Beach can be reached at (480)316-7154 to resolve any issues or noise complaints 
related to the property. 
At the close of 2016, Jam Pak Band became a Non-profit 501c3 organization and shortly 
after was designated an Arizona Charitable Organization for the Tax Credit program. All 
programs are free for everyone. For further information and understanding it is suggested 
that the readers visit www.jampak.org and see the documentations that have been created

over the years. One of the best was done by Cox Communications titled, “La Musica” which 
gives a fine three-minute overview of what Jam Pak is about: Making people and ourselves 
happy with our music.