By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Back in April, we reported on one of the most complex rezoning requests ever to come before the City of Surprise. Surprise officials had requested that developers combine six projects into one grand case, but the complexity of the multi-faceted request and the degree of resident opposition to some portions proved too cumbersome for the Planning and Zoning Commission, which ultimately recommended rezoning for only one of the six parcels. (AZBEX; April 28)
In May, the Surprise City Council tabled the request after extensive back and forth, in which members made it clear the only portion it would approve rezoning was a commercial parcel where Home Depot is planning a new store. The requested use for that 70.2-acre parcel (Parcel 11) had been to split it into 41.93 acres for commercial (Parcel 11-A) and 21.88 acres for Medium-high Density-to-High-density Residential (Parcel 11-B), where a 398-unit multifamily development was proposed.
A Fry’s grocery store and an EOS Fitness location are planned in the same power center as Home Depot.
According to a June 10 Independent Newsmedia article, Council voted 6-1 to rezone both portions of Parcel 11 after developers reduced the intended multifamily unit count down to 328.
Representatives of Home Depot had expressed support for multifamily development to the south of their planned store, while Sycamore Farms residents opposed any apartment development, saying they wanted a park or, at most, a 180-200-unit Build-to-Rent development instead.
With the revised unit count, the density of approximately 14 units/acres now approaches that of Build-to-Rent communities, according to developer representatives. Residents attending the June 6 meeting said that was still too dense, with one speaker saying an acceptable compromise would have been to cut the unit count in half.
The overall Sycamore Farms area is bounded by Cactus Road and Peoria Avenue to the north and south, Cotton Lane on the West and Sarival Avenue to the east. The Loop 303 freeway runs nearly through the center of Sycamore Farms, which proved to be one of many complicating factors in discussions over the history of the case.
