Queen Creek council to take up land annexation that could bring new church

More than 4 acres of Maricopa County land at the southwest corner of Signal Butte and Riggs roads could be annexed by the town, bringing with it the development of a new church.

The Queen Creek Town Council will be deciding the annexation issue when it meets on Wednesday. The proposed annexation is on the council’s consent agenda in which all matters are handled through one motion and vote. A member of the council or town staff may pull items from the consent agenda for a separate discussion and vote.

In May, the council held a public hearing on the matter and no members of the public commented on the proposal.

David Toolson of Bowman Consulting is working on behalf of the property owner to annex the 4.4-acre parcel. The property owner has also submitted a proposed site plan to develop a 17,953-square-foot church on the land.

“It is proposed that the undeveloped rural land … be incorporated into the town of Queen Creek and developed into a church building with a parking lot. The proposed development will provide civic benefit to the town of Queen Creek by providing a place of worship for residents in the subdivisions surrounding the site,” the project narrative stated.

The parcel is currently zoned as rural by Maricopa County. Under state statutes, when a property is annexed by a municipality it must receive equivalent zoning. In Queen Creek that would be rural residential.

“The proposed annexation area has been in the town’s planning area since 1996. The planning area identifies areas located outside of the town’s jurisdictional boundaries that may be annexed within the town in future years,” according to a staff report.

Under Queen Creek’s general plan the site is designated as “neighborhood,” which allows for a range of residential densities and neighborhood commercial centers. A church would be allowed on the site.

The Queen Creek Town Council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Community Chambers, 20727 E. Civic Parkway.

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