One of the few development items on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ Planning and Zoning agenda for Wednesday’s meeting follows a noted trend.
The Bungalows at Norterra is the name of a proposed bungalow-style apartment development slated for a 17-acre, five-parcel county island in the north Phoenix area. The developer wants a zone change from Rural-43 to R-2 for apartments on the southeast corner of 19th Avenue and Parsons Road, between Jomax and Happy Valley roads.
A hearing on the rezoning request is set at Wednesday’s Supervisors meeting. That meeting is at 9:30 a.m. in the county building at 301 W. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Phoenix.
The applicant has been in annexation discussions with the city of Phoenix to develop the site within the city of Phoenix once the it is rezoned, a staff report states.
The development density indicates there would be about 187 apartments in the complex.
The development has no concerns or opposition from the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County staff. However, there were 31 letters of opposition submitted to the county by 18 residents of the area, along with one petition with 69 signatures.
During a Jan. 13 hearing for the project at the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, there were two speakers in opposition to rezoning. There have also been three appeals of the commission’s 6-0 recommendation to approve the rezone.
A staff report says the opposition’s concerns center on the area’s changing character and the potential increase in traffic and noise. The developer will be required to complete a traffic impact study prior to returning for approval of a development site plan.
Staff has verified there are owners of seven parcels in opposition within 300 feet of the site. However, a supermajority vote has not been triggered for either total parcel area opposition or number of parcels.
County staff said there are no outstanding concerns from reviewing agencies.
Bungalow-style apartment designs have grown in popularity among developers in the past couple of years, especially in the West Valley.
City of Buckeye administrators recently made a presentation to their city council specifically about the growing trend of developers seeking approval of bungalow-style apartments in the Valley. The design is meant to make the best use of land following existing height and density restrictions.
Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.
He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.
Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.
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