By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
With the Buckeye City Council having approved an 85-acre annexation in its April 7 meeting for ViaWest Group’s planned Buckeye 83 industrial development, the Planning and Zoning Commission will now take up the rezoning request needed to move the project forward.
AZBEX reported on the annexation request last month. (AZBEX; March 6)
The developer wants to rezone the 83.3-acre site at the SEC of State Route 85 and Interstate 10 to Business Park District. The undeveloped site, which was unincorporated Maricopa County land, carried Rural-43 zoning prior to the annexation, which allows for one dwelling unit/acre. The property is designated with a land use of Business Commerce under the Buckeye General Plan.
Upon annexation, the initial municipal zoning had to align with the prior County zoning. The site can then be rezoned. The current Buckeye zoning is noted as SF-43 Single-Family Residential.
The land to the east and south is undeveloped and zoned for a master planned community. The space to the north is zoned General Commerce. To the west, on the other side of SR 85, is vacant land zoned Commercial Center.
ViaWest’s plan for the site is straightforward. According to the rezoning narrative, “The purpose of this rezoning is to develop as an employment center with warehouse and distribution uses. Additional uses that could occur on the Site include a variety of commercial uses, light manufacturing and assembly, office, self-storage, wholesale, and more. The Site will hold seven structures ranging in size from approximately 66KSF to 284KSF square feet in size. Each structure will also contain office space to support the warehouse and distribution operation.”
According to a conceptual site plan submitted in December, the total building area will total 1.3MSF. The planned building sizes are listed as:
- Building A – 282.2KSF,
- Building B – 134.4KSF,
- Building C – 262.1KSF,
- Building D – 237.1KSF,
- Building E – 196.5KSF,
- Building F – 131KSF and
- Building G – 66.6KSF.
To accommodate the planned use and minimize the project’s impacts on existing and future residential development, the plan incorporates significant setbacks starting at 194 feet from the nearest residential site and ranging out as far as 400.
Dock doors are planned toward the interior of the site wherever possible, and large landscape buffers are also included. The site design is laid out to help ensure semi-truck and large vehicle circulation is away from the residential properties.
The narrative notes the presence of the logistical uses will serve as a buffer between the homes and the highways. “Importantly, the proposed use acts as a transitional buffer between the freeways and the planned residential development to the east. The Business Park District is a more compatible use in this context than a traditional commercial-retail center. Compared to restaurants, retail stores, and hospitality uses—which tend to generate higher traffic volumes, noise, and odors—the Business Park is expected to operate more quietly and with less environmental impact.”
Buckeye 83 is planned as a three-phase development. The initial phase will see roughly 600KSF of warehouse uses constructed, followed by another 650KSF in the second and 500KSF in the third. The first two phases are planned as speculative developments, while the third will be constructed as build-to-suit opportunities.
A neighborhood meeting was held in February to introduce the project to the public. Two nearby property owners attended and were reported to be generally supportive. Staff reported the City has not received any statements of opposition.
Staff has recommended approval of the request, subject to conditions.
ViaWest Group is the project owner. Butler Design Group is the architectural firm. Berry Ridell, LLC is the law firm representing the project, and Bilsten Consulting serves as the outreach coordinator.
