By BEX Staff for AZBEX
Rejecting the recommendations of County staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors has voted to approve a set of rezoning and associated requests for Rancho Bella Vista Mixed-use, a 252-unit workforce affordable housing development on 12.9 acres with an associated 3.9 acres of retail at the SEC of Bella Vista and Gantzel roads in San Tan Valley.
The full site had previously been zoned for commercial and has sat vacant for 20 years. In recommending against the requests, staff expressed the opinion that commercial was a more desirable use for the site than multifamily. Board members said that if the market could justify that degree of commercial use for the site, it would have developed already.
The Planning Commission and nearby residents opposed to the development expressed issues with traffic and noise, damage to area character due to the potential conflict between the planned three-story buildings and existing single-story single-family residences, and potential burdens on infrastructure like streets and sewers.
The Board’s approval grants a non-major comprehensive plan amendment, a planned area development, and a rezoning from general business to community commercial and multiple residences.
The planned unit mix calls for 90 one-bedroom, 54 two-bedroom, 66 three-bedroom and 42 four-bedroom units. Planned amenities include a pool and clubhouse, a dog park, a “tot lot,” open space, shade structures, picnic areas and play structures.
The development team consists of developer Real Estate Equities, landowner Langley Bella Vista LLC, architect Kaas Wilson Architects, designer Scapegoat Design Studio, engineer Atwell Group, traffic engineer Summit Land Management, and project representative Rose Law Group, pc.
Local news outlets report many residents are continuing to express their disapproval of the project. The developer will now seek site plan approval and pursue the necessary building permits.
