3 commercial-business areas added in south Apache Junction

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

The legal description of the boundaries of Superstition Vistas Community Facilities District No. 2 in south Apache Junction has been changed to add areas for future commercial development.

The Apache Junction City Council on Dec. 17 unanimously approved the change in the first amendment to the amended and restated district development, financing participation, waiver and intergovernmental agreement to which the city is a party.

The Brookfield Homes LLC area is within the Elliot Avenue alignment to Ray Avenue and Ironwood Drive to Idaho Road, according to the city council packet, and includes three parcels set aside for commercial development:

• The northeast corner of the Warner Road alignment and Ironwood Drive;

• The southeast corner of the Warner Road alignment at Ironwood Drive;

• The northeast corner of Ray Avenue and Ironwood Drive.

When the council originally formed the district, the property developer said the boundaries would have to be amended eventually to carve out areas to encourage commercial development, said Zach Sakas of Greenberg Traurig, outside counsel for Superstition Vistas Community Facilities District No. 2, prior to the Dec. 17 council vote.

“The city is a party to that development agreement. We’re asking for your approval to amend the legal description that’s attached to that development agreement to match up with what the county has requested,” he said. “Nothing proposed tonight or being asked of this city council or what was asked of the district board will raise property taxes or create an additional burden for homeowners within the district.”

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.