Queen Creek rezones land for commercial center

The Queen Creek Town Council recently approved a site plan and the rezoning of about 4.7 acres of land from rural estate district to general commercial to create a shopping center called Citrus Heights that will include a Dutch Bros. Coffee, other shops and possibly a McDonald’s.

The rezoning would allow the property owner, Glenwood Development LLC, to construct a 5.8 net acre commercial center at the southeast corner of Chandler Heights and Power roads. A Circle K, a future self-storage facility, the Bashas’ Commercial Center and two residential developments surround Citrus Heights.

Glenwood Development is proposing approximately 20,114 square feet of commercial space that will consist of a 4,404-square-foot quick-serve-restaurant with one drive-thru, a 950-square-foot coffee shop with one drive-thru, leaving about 14,760 square feet for shops, according to a staff report.

“At this time the specific user of the quick-serve restaurant is not confirmed, however, the user will likely be McDonald’s, and the coffee shop user will be Dutch (Bros.),” the report stated.

Because the center will have two drive-thru lanes operating from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. near residential areas, Glenwood Development also needed a conditional use permit.

To separate the two residential developments from Citrus Heights, Glenwood Development “will provide a 30-foot wide landscape buffer that includes a double row of citrus trees and a 10-foot wide multi-use trail that runs the length of the south and east property lines. Given the rural and equestrian character of the immediate vicinity the applicant will also provide covered seating for resting and hitching posts at strategic locations along the trail. An 8-foot-high block wall matching the commercial center’s design will also be provided at the south and east property lines,” the report stated.

The developer plans to build the center in an agrarian style that fits with the area, the report stated.

Glenwood Development will construct 6-foot-wide sidewalks along the Power and Chandler Heights roads frontages. The developers will also continue to work with town staff to enhance screening at the drive-thru lanes.

The site plan, rezoning and conditional use permit were unanimously approved by the council as part of the public hearing consent agenda. No members of the public commented on the project.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org.