An Apache Junction fraternal club has purchased four adjacent parcels and plans to use two buildings as a private dining area, the Apache Junction Planning and Zoning Commission was told recently.
The commission voted unanimously Dec. 13 to recommend that the City Council rezone the parcels from general commercial and industrial by planned development to general commercial by planned development, and approve a minor General Plan amendment from industrial to commercial.
The City Council meeting on the rezoning and General Plan amendment will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the council chambers, 300 E. Superstition Blvd.
“This is a request by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles to rezone four parcels for a minor General Plan amendment to facilitate a future ... lot combination,” Planner Erika Hernandez said at the commission meeting.
An in-person neighborhood meeting was held May 18. City staff members have also met with three residents who had questions regarding the rezoning request and were generally supportive, she said.
The four parcels — originally 16 lots of 0.09 acres each — are in the Superstition Villa Subdivision, which was established in 1964, according to a written staff report.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles, Lost Dutchman Post No. 3850, has been at 2315 S. Coconino Drive since 1984, Mike Reed, a trustee, said to the commission Dec. 13.
“We purchased this property about a year and a half ago and we are looking to expand it so we can use it for ... private dining area,” he said.
Two buildings on the parcels are 10 feet, 11.5 inches apart from each other, Reed said.
“I measured them the other day... We have a lot of elderly members and so we want to be able to have them get from one building to the other without walking through the parking lot, walking through the alleyway. So that’s our main concern,” he said.
The Eagles plan to join the two existing buildings with a small breezeway/corridor, Maxwell J. Mercer of Projects By Trinity LLC said in a written project narrative.
The primary duties of the planning and zoning commission include community contact regarding items including a zoning change request, to an application from a developer for a shopping center development or housing project. Also included are conditional use permits with the final decision being handled at the planning and zoning commission level, according to the city’s website.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
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.
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