195 acres annexed at Empire Boulevard, Gary Road

Approximately 195 acres at the northwest corner of Empire Boulevard and Gary Road has been annexed into the Town of Queen Creek.

A residential area with 533 homes and a commercial development of approximately 15 acres are planned, according to a memo to the Town Council from Development Services Director Brett Burningham and Interim Planning Administrator Erik Swanson.

An application was filed in October 2018 for annexation of the property. It extends west from Gary Road to the future Signal Butte Road alignment, and from Empire Boulevard north to the southern edge of the Harvest at Queen Creek single-family, master-planned community.

The Town Council on May 20 voted unanimously to approve the annexation in a consent agenda with other items. On the dais were Vice Mayor Julia Wheatley and Councilmembers Jake Hoffman and Robin Benning. Meeting by WebEx were Mayor Gail Barney and Councilmembers Jeff Brown and Dawn Oliphant. Councilmember Emilena Turley was absent.

Water and sewer service will be provided by the town with service utility lines extended with the development of the site. Electric service is to provided by Salt River Project; and fire protection will be provided by the town. Police protection will be provided by the town through a contract with Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, according to the memo to the council.

The subject area is designated as neighborhood within the General Plan, Mr. Burningham and Mr. Erik Swanson said in the memo.

“State statutes require the annexing jurisdiction to apply zoning categories that permit densities and uses no greater than those permitted by the county immediately before annexation,” they said in the memo.

“The property is zoned RU-43; the equivalent town zoning designation is R1-43. A rezoning application for approximately 180 acres has been filed for the subject site. Upon annexation, the properties will be granted equivalent zoning of R1-43 in the town that was enjoyed in the county,” they said.