Attachment B - Staff Report - GPA-NG-1-24-1.pdf
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GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT STAFF ANALYSIS November 10, 2025 Application: GPA-NG-1-24-1 Applicant: Mike Hifler, Pulte Homes Representative: Carolyn Oberholtzer, BFSO Owner: Arizona State Land Department c/o Mark Edelman Location: Southwest corner of I-17 and Loop 303 Acreage: 7,377.83 acres Current Plan Designation: Undesignated Area (112.40 acres) Floodplain (172.22 acres) Preserves / Floodplain (193.22 acres) Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned (46.78 acres) Parks/Open Space – Future 1 dwelling unit per acre (du/ac) (2,659.91 acres) Preserves / Residential 0 to 1 du/ac / Residential 1 to 2 du/ac (24.10 acres) Preserves / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac (51.04 acres) Preserves / Mixed Use (Area C & D only) (20.61 acres) Residential 0 to 2 du/ac (1,341.33 acres) Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac (189.76 acres) Residential 2 to 5 du/ac (1,385.16 acres) Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac (0.94 acres) Residential 5 to 15 du/ac (306.67 acres) Residential 15+ du/ac (101.91 acres) Mixed Use (North Gateway and Northwest Area only) (544.28 acres) Commercial (88.03 acres) Commercial / Commerce/Business Park (139.47 acres) ATTACHMENT B Staff Analysis GPA-NG-1-24-1 Page 2 of 7 Requested Plan Designation: Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned (2,283.14 acres) Parks/Open Space – Privately Owned (70.08 acres) Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac (381.25 acres) Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac (1,670.37 acres) Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac (341.83 acres) Floodplain / Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned (596.55 acres) Floodplain / Parks Open Space – Privately Owned (24.57 acres) Floodplain / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac (86.44 acres) Floodplain / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac (41.04 acres) Floodplain / Mixed Use (40.17 acres) Floodplain / Commercial (3.68 acres) Floodplain / Commercial / Commerce/Business Park (72.91 acres) Mixed Use (299.42 acres) Commercial (225.27 acres) Commercial / Commerce/Business Park (827.01 acres) Transportation (non-land use map designation) (414.10 acres) Reason for Requested Change: Minor General Plan Amendment to the Land Use Map, Infrastructure Limit Line, and Trails System Map North Gateway Village Planning Committee Meeting Date: November 13, 2025 Staff Recommendation: Approval FINDINGS: 1) The proposal includes a mix of uses that balance residential, commercial, open space, and employment uses. Staff Analysis GPA-NG-1-24-1 Page 3 of 7 2) Increased residential density will support existing and future employment and commercial uses in the surrounding area. 3) The companion rezoning case, Z-139-24-1, proposes development that is compatible with land uses in the surrounding area. 4) The proposed update to the City Trail System Map provides urban trail connectivity throughout the proposed NorthPark development and beyond. 5) Removal of the Infrastructure Phasing Overlay will allow for continued collaboration between the City of Phoenix, Arizona State Land Department and private development regarding infrastructure financing and installation. BACKGROUND The subject site (General Plan Amendment area) is 7,377.83 acres and is located at the southwest corner of I-17 and Loop 303. The subject site is currently vacant land. The companion rezoning case Z-139-24-1 is requesting to rezone the site from 6,381.49 acres of S-1 (Ranch or Farm Residence) to PUD (Planned Unit Development) for the NorthPark PUD to allow a master planned community including open space, residential, mixed use, commercial, commerce park, and industrial. The General Plan Land Use Map designations of the subject site are 112.40 acres of Undesignated Area, 172.22 acres of Floodplain, 193.22 acres of Preserves / Floodplain, 46.78 acres of Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned, 2,659.91 acres of Parks/Open Space – Future 1 dwelling unit per acre (du/ac), 24.10 acres of Preserves / Residential 0 to 1 du/ac / Residential 1 to 2 du/ac, 51.04 acres of Preserves / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac, 20.61 acres of Preserves / Mixed Use (Area C & D only), 1,341.33 acres of Residential 0 to 2 du/ac, 189.76 acres of Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac, 1,385.16 acres of Residential 2 to 5 du/ac, 0.94 acres of Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac, 306.67 acres of Residential 5 to 15 du/ac, 101.91 acres of Residential 15+ du/ac, 544.28 acres of Mixed Use (North Gateway and Northwest Area only), 88.03 acres of Commercial, and 139.47 acres of Commercial / Commerce/Business Park. The proposed General Plan Amendment is to designate the site as 2,283.14 acres of Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned, 70.08 acres of Parks/Open Space – Privately Owned, 381.25 acres of Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac, 1,670.37 acres of Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac, 341.83 acres of Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac, 596.55 acres of Floodplain / Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned, 24.57 acres of Floodplain / Parks/Open Space – Privately Owned, 86.44 acres of Floodplain / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac, 41.01 acres of Floodplain / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac, 40.17 acres of Floodplain / Mixed Use, 3.68 acres of Floodplain / Commercial, 72.91 acres of Floodplain / Commercial / Commerce/Business Park, 299.42 acres of Mixed Use, 225.27 acres of Commercial, 827.01 acres of Commercial / Commerce/Business Park, and 414.10 acres of Staff Analysis GPA-NG-1-24-1 Page 4 of 7 Transportation (non-land use map designation). The request also includes an update to the City Trail System Map to create a network of urban multi-use trails (MUTs) and shared-use paths (SUPs) throughout the proposed NorthPark development. The trail network will connect all parts of the NorthPark community together and will connect to other designated MUTs and SUPs outside of the NorthPark boundary. The trail network will connect to the future pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the Loop 303 freeway, which will connect to the future Halo Vista development to the north. The SUP connection will then connect to the future pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the I-17 freeway, which will connect east to the North Gateway Village Core. The request also includes an update to the Infrastructure Phasing Overlay and the Infrastructure Limit Line. The North Black Canyon Corridor Plan, adopted by the Phoenix City Council in 1999, established the Infrastructure Limit Line to guide initial growth and development within a concentrated area along the Interstate 17 corridor, to discourage leapfrog development, and to preserve the natural desert character of the area. As time progressed, General Plan Amendments have been processed concurrently with rezoning requests to expand the Infrastructure Limit Line and allow for new land areas to be developed. The request will remove the Infrastructure Phasing Overlay from the entire area bounded by the Loop 303, the I-17, the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal, and western City limits and will expand the Infrastructure Limit Line to this area. The Arizona State Land Department and the City have been working to master plan, and zone the land area north of the Central Arizona Project and west of Interstate 17 known as Biscuit Flats since the early 2000’s. The Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) manages this land to generate revenue for Arizona’s K-12 public schools and 12 other Trust beneficiaries. The City is required to designate a minimum of 1 du/acre on all ASLD lands and cannot legally designate ASLD lands for preservation without their consent. Planning and Development Department staff worked with ASLD staff and their consultant team to master plan this project in order to develop the land in a manner that provides for employment and retail land as well as a diversity of housing types. Another critical benefit of master planning and zoning the land in this manner is that ASLD is able to dedicate the land shown as Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned to the City for inclusion in the Sonoran Preserve without having to purchase the land. ASLD is only legally permitted to do that when the adjoining land is master planned and zoned to increase the value of their adjacent land. In this manner, ASLD maintains their fiduciary responsibility to their beneficiaries and the City avoids costly land purchases that deplete the Parks and Preserve Initiative funding. This allows for that funding to be utilized to improve more parks and preserve lands throughout the City. Staff from the Parks and Recreation as well as the Planning and Development Department worked with ASLD to agree upon the proposed designation area of approximately 2,100 acres of Public Open Space for inclusion in the Sonoran Preserve. In addition, the masterplan requires an additional 95 acres of Parks/Open Space- Privately Owned land Staff Analysis GPA-NG-1-24-1 Page 5 of 7 preservation which will be maintained by a future HOA that will be formed at the time of parcel development. This request also includes areas proximate to the site, but not within the companion rezoning case boundaries. These are clean up items to the General Plan Land Use Map for locations that were either previously undesignated, updated to match parcel lines or within current preserve areas. This includes approximately 375.51 acres to be designated as Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned, 232.92 acres to be designated as Floodplain / Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned, and 1.84 acres to be designated as Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac to Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac. SURROUNDING LAND USES NORTH To the north is designated as Floodplain, Residential 2 to 5 dwelling unit per acre (du/ac), Commercial, Parks/Open Space – Future 1 du/ac, and Commercial / Commerce/Business Park. SOUTH To the south is designated as Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac, Public / Quasi –Public, Residential 0 to 2 du/ac, Parks/Open Space – Publicly Owned, and Residential 2 to 5 du/ac. EAST To the east is designated as Parks / Open Space / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac, Preserves / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac or Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac, Preserves / Floodplain, Public/Quasi-Public, Floodplain, Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac. WEST To the west is within City of Peoria jurisdiction, designated as ASLD Special Land Use, Park / Open Space, Waterways, and Traditional Residential. RELATIONSHIP TO GENERAL PLAN CORE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS CORE VALUE; DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS; LAND USE PRINCIPLE: Communities should consist of a mix of land uses to provide housing, shopping, dinning and recreational options for residents. The proposal includes a variety of land uses including residential, commercial, open space, and employment uses. The NorthPark community will act as its own center where a mix of activities take place. STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY CORE VALUE; JOB CREATION (EMPLOYERS); LAND USE PRINCIPLE: Support General Plan Land Use Map and Staff Analysis GPA-NG-1-24-1 Page 6 of 7 zoning changes that will facilitate the location of employment generating uses in each of the designated employment centers. The proposal includes Commercial / Commerce/Business Park, which will allow for additional employment uses within the NorthPark community and a technology corridor. CONNECT PEOPLE AND PLACES CORE VALUE; CANALS AND TRAILS; DESIGN PRINCIPLE: Plan, design, and develop pedestrian linkages between parks, open spaces, village cores, neighborhood shopping centers, neighborhood schools, and neighboring municipalities. The proposed update to the City Trail System Map will provide pedestrian linkages throughout the NorthPark community between neighborhoods, parks, open spaces, shopping center, schools, and to the neighboring City of Peoria municipality to the west. Additionally, the proposed urban trail system will connect to the proposed Halo Vista development to the north via a future pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the Loop 303 freeway, and to the North Gateway Village Core to the east via a future pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the I-17 freeway. BUILD THE MOST SUSTAINABLE DESERT CITY CORE VALUE; DESERT LANDSCAPE; LAND USE PRINCIPLE: Promote land uses that preserve Phoenix’s natural open spaces. The proposal designates thousands of acres as Parks/Open Space to preserve natural open spaces. COMMUNITY INPUT SUMMARY At the time this staff report was written, staff has received 199 letters of opposition or concerns and nine general inquiries. Concerns include density, traffic, crime, safety, water, proposed industrial uses, environmental impact, potential for nuisances, the heat island effect, loss of recreational space, loss of wildlife habitat, wildlife displacement, and loss of the Sonoran Preserve. Additionally, staff has received four letters of support. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of GPA-NG-1-24-1. The request aligns with multiple goals and policies of the General Plan and will result in land use designations that will maximize the property’s location adjacent to an employment corridor, freeways, and open space. Along with the companion rezoning case, Z-139-24-1, the General Plan Amendment will allow a compatible mix of land uses that will provide additional residential, commercial, open space, and employment to the North Gateway community. Additionally, the update to the City Trail System Map provide enhanced multi-modal connectivity throughout the NorthPark community. Staff Analysis GPA-NG-1-24-1 Page 7 of 7 Writer Adrian Zambrano November 10, 2025 Team Leader Racelle Escolar Exhibits Sketch Maps (6 pages) Community Correspondence (538 pages) GPA-NG-1-24-1 (LAND USE) 7,377.83 +/- 1 HILGARTWILSON, LLC NORTH GATEWAY 11/6/2025 Page 1 of 6 See page 2 for Existing Designations DOVE VALLEY RD CAREFREE HWY SONORAN DESERT DR DIXILETA DR 51ST AVE 67TH AVE Central Arizona Project Canal §¨¦ 17 £ ¤ 74 v w 303 43RD AVE APPLICATION NO: VILLAGE: APPLICANT: COUNCIL DISTRICT: ACRES: EXISTING: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT X X X X X CITY OF PHOENIX PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 200 W WASHINGTON ST PHOENIX, AZ 85003 (602) 262-6882 REVISION DATE: Proposed Change Area Undesignated Area Floodplain Preserves / Floodplain Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned Parks/Open Space / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac Parks/Open Space - Future 1 du/ac Public/Quasi-Public Preserves / Residential 0 to 1 du/ac / Residential 1 to 2 du/ac Preserves / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac or Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac Preserves / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac or Residential 10 to 15 du/ac Preserves / Residential 15+ du/ac Preserves / Mixed Use (Area C and D only) Preserves / Mixed Use / Commercial / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ ac Preserves / Mixed Use / Commercial / Commerce Preserves / Commercial Residential 0 to 2 du/ac Residential 1 to 2 du/ac Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac Residential 2 to 5 du/ac Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac Residential 5 to 10 du/ac Residential 5 to 15 du/ac Residential 15+ du/ac Residential 15+ du/ac / Commerce / Business Park Mixed Use (North Gateway and Northwest Area only) Commercial Commercial / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac Commercial / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ ac Commercial / Residential 15+ du/ac Commercial / Commerce / Business Park Commerce / Business Park Transportation Arterial and Collector Streets Infrastructure Limit Line Freeways GPA-NG-1-24-1 (LAND USE) 7,377.83 +/- 1 HILGARTWILSON, LLC NORTH GATEWAY APPLICATION NO: VILLAGE: APPLICANT: COUNCIL DISTRICT: ACRES: EXISTING: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT X X X X X CITY OF PHOENIX PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 200 W WASHINGTON ST PHOENIX, AZ 85003 (602) 262-6882 REVISION DATE: Page 2 of 6 11/6/2025 Undesignated Area ( 112.40 +/- Acres) Floodplain ( 172.22 +/- Acres) Preserves / Floodplain ( 193.22 +/- Acres) Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned ( 46.78 +/- Acres) Parks/Open Space - Future 1 du/ac ( 2659.91 +/- Acres) Preserves / Residential 0 to 1 du/ac / Residential 1 to 2 du/ac ( 24.10 +/- Acres) Preserves / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac ( 51.04 +/- Acres) Preserves / Mixed Use (Area C & D only) ( 20.61 +/- Acres) Residential 0 to 2 du/ac ( 1341.33 +/- Acres) Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac ( 189.76 +/- Acres) Residential 2 to 5 du/ac ( 1385.16 +/- Acres) Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac ( 0.94 +/- Acres) Residential 5 to 15 du/ac ( 306.67 +/- Acres) Residential 15+ du/ac ( 101.91 +/- Acres) Mixed Use (North Gateway and Northwest Area only) ( 544.28 +/- Acres) Commercial ( 88.03 +/- Acres) Commercial / Commerce / Business Park ( 139.47 +/- Acres) GPA-NG-1-24-1 (LAND USE) 7,377.83 +/- 1 HILGARTWILSON, LLC NORTH GATEWAY Þ n n n Þ DOVE VALLEY RD CAREFREE HWY SONORAN DESERT DR DIXILETA DR 51ST AVE 67TH AVE Central Arizona Project Canal §¨¦ 17 £ ¤ 74 v w 303 43RD AVE APPLICATION NO: VILLAGE: APPLICANT: COUNCIL DISTRICT: ACRES: PROPOSED: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT X X X X X CITY OF PHOENIX PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 200 W WASHINGTON ST PHOENIX, AZ 85003 (602) 262-6882 REVISION DATE: Page 3 of 6 See page 4 for Proposed Designations 11/6/2025 School n Park Þ Infrastructure Limit Line Freeways Arterial and Collector Streets (Proposed by GPA-NG-2-24-1) Transportation Commercial / Commerce / Business Park Commercial Mixed Use Floodplain / Commercial / Commerce / Business Park Floodplain / Commercial Floodplain / Mixed Use Floodplain / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac Floodplain / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac Floodplain / Parks/Open Space - Privately Owned Floodplain / Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac Parks/Open Space - Privately Owned Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned Proposed Change Area GPA-NG-1-24-1 (LAND USE) 7,377.83 +/- 1 HILGARTWILSON, LLC NORTH GATEWAY GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT X X X X X CITY OF PHOENIX PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 200 W WASHINGTON ST PHOENIX, AZ 85003 (602) 262-6882 APPLICATION NO: VILLAGE: APPLICANT: COUNCIL DISTRICT: ACRES: PROPOSED: REVISION DATE: Page 4 of 6 11/6/2025 Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned ( 2283.14 +/- Acres) Parks/Open Space - Privately Owned ( 70.08 +/- Acres) Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac ( 381.25 +/- Acres) Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac ( 1670.37 +/- Acres) Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac ( 341.83 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Parks/Open Space - Publicly Owned ( 596.55 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Parks/Open Space - Privately Owned ( 24.57 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Residential 2 to 3.5 du/ac / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac ( 86.44 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Residential 3.5 to 5 du/ac / Residential 5 to 10 du/ac / Residential 10 to 15 du/ac / Residential 15+ du/ac ( 41.04 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Mixed Use ( 40.17 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Commercial ( 3.68 +/- Acres) Floodplain / Commercial / Commerce / Business Park ( 72.91 +/- Acres) Mixed Use ( 299.42 +/- Acres) Commercial ( 225.27 +/- Acres) Commercial / Commerce / Business Park ( 827.01 +/- Acres) Transportartion ( 414.10 +/- Acres) GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT X X X X X CITY OF PHOENIX PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 200 W WASHINGTON ST PHOENIX, AZ 85003 (602) 262-6882 APPLICATION NO: VILLAGE: APPLICANT: COUNCIL DISTRICT: ACRES: EXISTING: PROPOSED CHANGE: REVISION DATE: Multi-Use Trail Shared-Use Path Freeways Arterial and Collector Streets (Proposed by GPA-NG-2-24-1) Proposed Change Area DOVE VALLEY RD CAREFREE HWY SONORAN DESERT DR DIXILETA DR 51ST AVE 67TH AVE Central Arizona Project Canal §¨¦ 17 £ ¤ 74 v w 303 43RD AVE Multi-Use Trail Shared-Use Path Freeways Arterial and Collector Streets Proposed Change Area DOVE VALLEY RD CAREFREE HWY SONORAN DESERT DR DIXILETA DR 51ST AVE 67TH AVE Central Arizona Project Canal §¨¦ 17 £ ¤ 74 v w 303 43RD AVE Trails Trails Page 5 of 6 GPA-NG-1-24-1 (TRAILS) 11/6/2025 7,377.83 +/- 1 HILGARTWILSON, LLC NORTH GATEWAY Arterial and Collector Streets (Proposed by GPA-NG-2-24-1) Infrastructure Phasing Overlay Infrastructure Limit Line Freeways DOVE VALLEY RD CAREFREE HWY SONORAN DESERT DR DIXILETA DR 51ST AVE 67TH AVE Central Arizona Project Canal §¨¦ 17 £ ¤ 74 v w 303 43RD AVE Arterial and Collector Streets Infrastructure Phasing Overlay Infrastructure Limit Line Freeways DOVE VALLEY RD CAREFREE HWY SONORAN DESERT DR DIXILETA DR 51ST AVE 67TH AVE Central Arizona Project Canal §¨¦ 17 £ ¤ 74 v w 303 43RD AVE APPLICATION NO: VILLAGE: APPLICANT: COUNCIL DISTRICT: ACRES: EXISTING: PROPOSED CHANGE: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT X X X X X CITY OF PHOENIX PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 200 W WASHINGTON ST PHOENIX, AZ 85003 (602) 262-6882 REVISION DATE: Page 6 of 6 Infrastructure Phasing Overlay Removal and Infrastructure Limit Line Expansion ( 15842.93 +/- Acres) GPA-NG-1-24-1 (INFRASTRUCTURE) 7,377.83 +/- 1 HILGARTWILSON, LLC NORTH GATEWAY Infrastructure Phasing Overlay Infrastructure Limit Line ( 8447.39 +/- Acres) 11/6/2025