Affordable Housing Proposed for Prescott Valley

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX 
A new 144-unit affordable multifamily development is being proposed for the Town of Prescott Valley. 
Owner, Matthew Hepperle is requesting a zoning map change for the approximately 5.4-acre site encompassing the Baja Circle right-of-way and Prescott Valley Unit 24 (Lots 1-3, 7-10), from Commercial; general Sales ad Services-Planned Area Development to Residential and Services-Planned Area Development. The owner is also requesting approval of the preliminary development plan for the project, called Baja Professional Apartments. 
The Baja Professional Apartments is proposed to comprise six, three-story buildings housing 24 dwelling units each. Buildings two and five will consist of one-bedroom units, while buildings one, three, four and six will consist of two-bedroom units. 
According to the documents submitted to the Town, the apartments will target, “professional workforce tenants such as first responders, medical professionals, teachers, police and fire personnel as well as the student market,” and the target rental price will be $1,000 to provide the area with, “much needed affordable housing.” 
The buildings will have a maximum building height of 35 feet and will be strategically placed to allow for increased distance between them and surrounding residences. 
A new private road will be constructed to provide access to the project as well as access to three currently occupied lots at the south side of Baja Circle. The preliminary development plan shows parking all around the development and near a small centralized courtyard. 
“Landscape screening will be provided around the perimeter of the site and a six-foot masonry wall will be placed as an additional screen on the west and south sides of the project,” the documents state. “Landscaping will include low water use drought tolerant landscape plant species.” 
The zoning map change and preliminary development plan were both heard and approved at the Prescott Valley Planning Commission meeting on July 13th. The development still needs to go before the Town Council.