By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Simpatico Communities is proposing Pinyon Crest—a new 56.5-gross-acre mixed-use community east of Highway 87 and Tyler Parkway in Payson.
The developer has requested a rezoning from C-2 General Commercial and R1-10-MH Single-family and Manufactured Housing to Planned Area Development for the vacant site, which is surrounded by existing land uses consisting of vacant land, church uses and single- and multifamily residential. Because the 2014-2024 Payson General Plan Land Use Map designates the site for commercial and medium-density residential, no General Plan amendment will be required.
The Payson Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hear the request this week.
Simpatico Communities operates on a comparatively unique business model in that it develops mixed-use communities geared toward both short- and long-term living. The company website says, “Simpatico Communities provides easy home living without the worry of maintenance, service and safety that comes with home ownership.”
A key component of Simpatico Communities’ model is the integration of what are usually termed “short-term rentals,” which the company calls “Lifestyle Living.” According to the project narrative submitted for Pinyon Crest, “This concept is designed in a way that integrates traditional hospitality and its associated amenities, but with residence-like accommodations designed for those seeking a longer-term stay experience. It is anticipated that some visitors will seek out opportunities for a mixture of leisure and business for different time periods thus accommodations for these uses may be included to further reinforce the mixed-use lifestyle concept.”
Pinyon Crest Development
The development plan for Pinyon Crest divides the site into four parcels, identified as A, B, C and D.
At approximately nine acres, Parcel A is located on the northwest portion of the site and is proposed for multifamily and commercial uses to support the residential component. Up to 174 residential units would be permitted on this section at a maximum density of 20 units/acre. The commercial component includes all the permitted uses under the General Commercial designation, and the narrative references this fact while specifically noting convenience stores/gas stations, nightclubs and bars, hotels, resorts and “Living Hospitality” among the permitted uses.
The narrative goes on to define Living Hospitality as: “A boutique facility offering living accommodations for overnight stays and up to 365 days that includes two or more of the following lifestyle amenities: food and beverage, co-working space, specialty general stores that may include but not limited to coffee, baked goods, confections, general merchandise. Experiential design, and membership clubs.”
Parcels B (11.2 acres) and C (11.5 acres) form the core of the planned community and are intended for bungalows and attached townhomes under either a standard Build-to-Rent or lifestyle living hospitality use as defined above. Density is planned at 10 units/acre, yielding a maximum of up to 203 total units, with 112 allowed on Parcel B and 91 on Parcel C. The maximum building height will be two stories at 35 feet.
Parcels B and C will be accessible directly from a common collector roadway and may share amenity and circulation elements with Parcel A.
Parcel D (25.1 acres) is planned for detached single-family residential with a density of three units/acre and a maximum total of up to 68 units. Parcel D has some of the site’s most challenging topography, so individual lots will be clustered in the most easily developed areas, with the more challenging areas set aside for both natural and developed open space, which the narrative explains will serve as a benefit for all residents. Parcel D will also serve as the terminus for the primary collector roadway.
In total, the Pinyon Crest development could see a maximum of 445 units with a total overall density of 7.9 units/acre if built as proposed.
The PAD request sets a minimum of 25% of the total site to be reserved for open space, with 15% established as natural open space and 10% as common open space for amenities, landscaped areas, streetscapes and corridors. The amenitized areas will include play structures, seating, shading and walking paths and trails.
Other amenities include a community center planned for the final phase of development in conjunction with Parcel D. All the parcels and residents will have access, and components may include sports courts, covered outdoor barbeque and seating areas, a play structure, a dog park and a community pool.
Project Phasing and Neighborhood Outreach
The development schedule is planned in four phases, with Parcel B’s development as Phase I to include the creation of the initial access to the development area and the first multifamily component to serve as a transition between the commercial and single-family uses.
Phase II will be Parcel A to provide the community’s planned commercial services.
Phase III will be the development of Parcel C and is planned to be comparable to Phase I with the development of bungalows and attached townhomes.
Lastly, Phase IV will deliver the standard single-family development and the community center.
Payson planning staff has recommended approval of the request subject to five primary conditions, including eight modifications to the planned circulation improvements.
A 90-minute neighborhood meeting was held in March with 38 nearby residents attending the presentation and question-and-answer session. Concerns presented and addressed included fire protection, drainage, perimeter buffers and natural appearance, site access, dwelling unit sizes and density, types of planned commercial uses, water and utility service, and the project phasing and timeline.
Simpatico Communities, LLC is the project owner. The design firm is KTGY Architects. Civil engineering is by Vertex Civil Engineering, and Lee Engineering, LLC is the traffic engineer. Land planning services are provided by RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture.
