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Real Estate

Goodyear paves the way for 4,000-home development

Posted 10/5/21

The city of Goodyear unanimously approved a zoning request that may bring over 4,000 homes to east Goodyear near Estrella Mountain Regional Park. 

 The proposed development is known as …

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Real Estate

Goodyear paves the way for 4,000-home development

Posted

The city of Goodyear unanimously approved a zoning request that may bring more than 4,000 homes to east Goodyear near Estrella Mountain Regional Park. 

The proposed development is known as Rainbow Valley and will be along Rainbow Valley Road between Willis alignment and Queen Creek Road. 

In late August, the city voted to rezone 1,319 acres at the site. A maximum 4,121 units can be developed, which is expected to include families and possibly an “active adult,” or age-restricted community.

The expansion of the State Route 303 freeway is expected to cut through the property's northeast corner, but zoning will stipulate buffers and sound walls to mitigate noise levels, according to city staff. 

Developer Americor Investment Group plans include 13 separate parks and green spaces, with sizes ranging from 2 to 5 acres or more. At least four of the parks will be on the larger end, 5 acres or more, called “enhanced neighborhood parks” in the plans. 

Information submitted to the council outlines plans for at least two “enhanced amenities” that could be a community center, an aquatics center, splash-pad complex or a “similar type amenity.”

The amenities are planned to the east and west of Rainbow Valley Road. 

Development at the site has been planned for about 15 years. Between 2006 and 2007, about 2,350 acres were sold by Harvard Investments Inc. for $60.3 million. 

At the time, the site was expected to be developed into “a mixture of single-family housing, multifamily housing and a commercial component,” according to a 2006 article from the Phoenix Business Journal.

But the 2008 recession scrapped those plans. 

In 2018, the landowners represented by law firm Tiffany & Bosco came before the council to rezone a little less than 1,000 acres from agricultural to final planned-area development zoning district.

The firm came before the council again in late August 2021 to request to rezone the 1,000 acres plus an additional 319 acres to PAD.

The planned community is “not in proximity to where public services exist,” according to the city. Therefore, the property owner is responsible for creating much of the infrastructure necessary for the development, including “all on-site...and off-site transportation-related infrastructure,” according to city documents. 

While the development site is close to Goodyear Fire Station No. 186, the owner may be required to “fund a second fire station, including making contributions for operating and maintenance costs,” according to the city.   

No members of the public raised any concerns or spoke during the public hearing in August.