What's Hot

    Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

    May 9, 2025

    Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

    May 9, 2025

    Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

    May 9, 2025
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    AZBEX
    NEWS TICKER
    • [May 9, 2025] - Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District
    • [May 9, 2025] - Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’
    • [May 9, 2025] - Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres
    • [May 9, 2025] - Bureau of Reclamation Moves Red Gap Ranch Pipeline Forward
    • [May 9, 2025] - Arizona Projects 05-09-25
    • [May 7, 2025] - First Development Planned in Maricopa Industrial Triangle
    • [May 7, 2025] - Mixed Residential Development Planned in Maricopa
    • [May 6, 2025] - 302 Apartments Proposed on Phoenix-Scottsdale Border
    Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
    • Home
    • News
      1. View Latest
      2. Planning & Development
      3. Local News
      4. Classifieds
      5. Editorial Analysis
      6. Budgets & Funding
      7. Commercial Real Estate
      8. People on the Move
      9. Arizona Projects
      10. Legislation & Regulations
      11. Trends

      Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

      May 9, 2025

      Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

      May 9, 2025

      Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

      May 9, 2025

      Bureau of Reclamation Moves Red Gap Ranch Pipeline Forward

      May 9, 2025

      ASPE Panel Discusses Tariffs, Uncertainty and Optimism

      May 2, 2025

      Small & Disadvantaged Business Transportation EXPO is May 20

      May 2, 2025

      Arizona Water Professionals Remain Hopeful Despite Colorado River Struggles

      April 29, 2025

      Casa Grande Considering More than $65M in New Rec Facilities

      April 29, 2025

      Legislation Would Effectively Strip NIMBYs of Referendum Tool

      February 11, 2025

      2025 Forecast Tries to Clarify an Uncertain Market

      February 7, 2025

      KOREPlex Buckeye Site Quietly Listed For Sale

      January 31, 2025

      Axon Says it will Open Search for New Location

      January 10, 2025

      Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

      May 9, 2025

      Phoenix Releases $11.5B, 5-Year CIP with Nearly 1,000 Projects

      April 1, 2025

      Buckeye Starts Planning Bond Funding Outlays

      February 26, 2025

      $400M of Federal Funding in Limbo for Phoenix Plans

      February 14, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 05-06-25

      May 6, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 04-29-25

      April 29, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 04-22-25

      April 22, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 04-15-25

      April 15, 2025

      Industry Professionals 05-06-25

      May 6, 2025

      Industry Professionals 04-29-25

      April 29, 2025

      Industry Professionals 04-22-25

      April 22, 2025

      Industry Professionals 04-15-25

      April 15, 2025

      Arizona Projects 05-09-25

      May 9, 2025

      Arizona Projects 05-02-25

      May 2, 2025

      Arizona Projects 04-25-25

      April 26, 2025

      Arizona Projects 04-18-25

      April 18, 2025

      Executive Order Will Streamline Federal Acquisition Regulations System

      April 26, 2025

      Legislation to Save Axon Plan Continues to Advance

      April 16, 2025

      Court Issues Summary Judgment in X Phoenix Case

      April 16, 2025

      House Bill Would Expand LIHTC Credits

      April 15, 2025

      U.S. Construction Added 11,000 Jobs in April

      May 6, 2025

      Jobsite Safety Can Improve 7x with Best Practices

      May 6, 2025

      March Construction Job Openings Down by 38,000

      May 2, 2025

      Ariz. Construction Gained 2,000 Jobs in March

      April 22, 2025

      Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

      May 9, 2025

      Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

      May 9, 2025

      Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

      May 9, 2025

      Bureau of Reclamation Moves Red Gap Ranch Pipeline Forward

      May 9, 2025
    • AZBEX
      • Subscribe
      • Classifieds
      • Advertising
    • DATABEX
      • Webinars
      • Monthly Snapshot
    • Events
      • Housing Projects on the Horizon
    • About Us
      • Meet the Company
      • Meet the Sales Team
      • Meet the Editorial Team
      • Meet the BEXperts
    AZBEX
    Home » Planning & Development » 249-unit Bella Encanta Moving Ahead in Mesa
    Planning & Development

    249-unit Bella Encanta Moving Ahead in Mesa

    BEX StaffBy BEX StaffDecember 14, 2018No Comments6 Mins Read
    Credit: City of Mesa
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange

    After a tenacious lobbying attempt to persuade Mesa planners to revise a 30-year-old land use designation that never bore fruit, negotiations with city staff have resulted in a turnaround for developer Bela Flor Communities, LLC. The company is moving with its intent to build its proposed mixed-density residential community Bella Encanta at Hampton Avenue and Crismon Road.

    A narrative and request submitted in July by Pew & Lake, PLC, on Bela Flor’s behalf sought a change in the designation from Employment to Neighborhood Suburban. As originally proposed, the project would have consisted of “139 single-family detached homes that will range from 1,718SF-2,347SF” with one single-story and five two-story configurations. “The project also contains 119 condominiums which range in size from 830SF- 2,148SF,” with 13 dedicated parking spaces for each building. At some point the plan was revised downward to a total of 249 units.

    The developer requested a rezoning from NC-BIZ, NC-PAD and PEP-PAD-CUP to RSL-2.5-PAD and RM-3-PAD, Site Plan Review, and Preliminary Plat. A PAD overlay was requested to allow development standards deviations and use of a private streets.

    The Argument For

    Despite the city’s designation of the land as Employment at the time of the submittal and for more than 30 years prior, no commercial or employment uses were ever undertaken. In detailing the request, the narrative stated, “Based on the evidence…, and the past 30 plus years of experience dealing with this property, we strongly believe the intersection of Southern Avenue and Crismon Road is a good place for commercial, employment and retail uses, but not at the scale and intensity that is currently shown on the Mesa General Plan. Rather, for the SWC of Southern Ave. and Crismon Road, the historical land use development, and the lack of sufficient demographics in the area, do not sustain nor support the amount of employment land as currently shown. Therefore, the amount of commercial/employment land should be reduced and a high quality, residential, ownership project should be carefully considered as the highest and best use.”

    Multiple sources and statements of support for the change were submitted with the request, including a statement in a previous zoning case from Susan Demmitt, attorney for the previous property owner, who stated, “Crismon Superstition Partners has owned its land for 30 years… During our 30 years of ownership, we never received serious or legitimate offers to develop our property with employment uses, despite its considerable frontage along the US 60 freeway. The market and demographics have never provided support for this type of development.”

    Additional support was provided in the form of a report from CRE broker Terry Glass of Insight Land & Investments, who provided seven key points explaining why the land had never been — and likely would not be —developed for commercial use. Analysis also was provided by Troy Glover of Glover Valuation Group and by Brent Moser of Cushman & Wakefield, all of whom reached similar conclusions.

    Moser wrote,” “Office parks in better locations than yours that were built in Chandler and Gilbert in the last few years [and they] are struggling right now, and office developers are aware of this. Your location is inferior to these locations. Why would they buy the Property when better locations in Chandler and Gilbert are struggling? . . . To be candid, Phoenix metro has a surplus of office space now, and will for the foreseeable future. While I would like to tell you that the Property could be sold to an office developer, that just isn’t going to happen, in my opinion, for a very long time, if ever.”

    Statements from homeowners associations and businesses in the area also supported the request. A letter from Clint Gumm, president of the nearby Muirfield Village Community Association was representative of the collection. He wrote, “The Bella Encanta development offers opportunities for residential ownership, which is also our preference and is exactly what is needed for this vacant property that is currently and historically a homeless camp site, dumping ground and a general place for mischief.”

    The Argument Against

    Despite the site’s multi-decade fallow status and extensive support for the plan, an October staff report prepared for the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board showed either optimism in the area’s commercial potential or obstinance in yielding to change, depending on the observer’s perspective, and recommended denial of the Minor General Character Amendment, Rezone and Site Plan, and the Preliminary Plat.

    In arguing its point, the staff report said, “The applicant’s project narrative provides ample data to show that this property will not likely development with Class A offices and similar uses that were envisioned in 2010. Given the increase in residential development on the north side of Hampton and the existing RM-3-PAD development to the west, staff can agree that this property may not have the potential for large Class A office development. However, with access to Crismon Road and grade level position at the US-60 Superstition Freeway makes this site highly visible and a good location for other nonresidential activities. There are other employment subtypes such as Business Parks. This site, in conjunction with the 15-acre PEP-PAD site at the east side, could incorporate a Business Park layout.”

    The report also said, “The applicant also points to the fact that this property has been marketed for 30 years for non-residential development but has not received any significant interest. While this is true, this is not the only place where development has taken time.”

    Staff also expressed concerns the Bella Encanta design would not create a “lasting neighborhood.”

    The Coming Together

    Between the October recommendation and the beginning of December, representatives of the developer and the city were able to reach some consensus, at least on the General Plan Amendment.

    According to a Dec. 12 staff memo to the mayor and council from Development Services Director Christine Zielonka and Planning Director John Wesley, “The developer has indicated that they are willing to make significant changes to their site plan in order to adhere to the City Council direction… for staff to enforce the design and construction of high quality, sustainable residential development. Staff has also had further discussions with the applicant regarding the potential for future economic development in this area, and the relationship of residential development of these parcels to the planned non-residential uses that are being preserved along the Crismon Road frontage.”

    The memo also notes, “The developer has expressed a willingness to work with staff to make major changes to their site plan that would ultimately result in providing a creative, high-quality, sustainable development that will be supportive of the non-residential uses along the arterial corridor and the planned employment areas across Crismon Road.”

    The council approved the Minor General Plan Amendment unanimously at its Dec. 3 meeting. Because of the significant changes to the site plan, the rezoning case will go back before Planning & Zoning for additional consideration.

    Bela Flor Communities Bella Encanta Crismon Superstition Partners Cushman & Wakefield Insight Land & Investments Mesa Planning and Zoning Board Muirfield Village Community Association Pew & Lake
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

    May 9, 2025

    Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

    May 9, 2025

    Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

    May 9, 2025

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Our Picks

    Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

    May 9, 2025

    Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

    May 9, 2025

    Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

    May 9, 2025

    Bureau of Reclamation Moves Red Gap Ranch Pipeline Forward

    May 9, 2025
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    Don't Miss
    Planning & Development

    Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

    May 9, 20250

    By Roland Murphy for AZBEX A pair of affordable multifamily apartment developments are under consideration…

    Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

    May 9, 2025

    Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

    May 9, 2025

    Bureau of Reclamation Moves Red Gap Ranch Pipeline Forward

    May 9, 2025

    BEX serves architecture, engineering and construction firms as well as all the ancillary product and service categories that market to them. These include manufacturing representatives, public agencies and private real estate organizations, specialty subcontractors and services providers related to our industry.

    Our Picks

    Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

    May 9, 2025

    Scottsdale Water Needs $50M for ‘Toilet to Taps’

    May 9, 2025

    Goodyear Okays Residential to Industrial Rezone for 267 Acres

    May 9, 2025
    Contact Us

    Phone: 480-709-4190
    Address: P.O. Box 12196 Tempe, AZ 85284
    Email: sales@azbex.com

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.