By BEX Staff for AZBEX
Plans from the JR Carlson Company to enable a major mixed-use development on 353 acres at Florence Blvd. and Overfield Road will require a major plan amendment to move forward. The Casa Grande Planning and Zoning Commission was scheduled to hold the first of two required meetings about the requests this week.
Meeting details were not available at press time, but no action was taken.
The requested amendment would change the major plan’s land use designation from Neighborhood to Large Mixed-Use. Zoning is not directly affected by major plan status, and the site will retain its current Urban Ranch zoning for the time being.
According to the submitted project narrative, “Since 2013, the surrounding area has undergone significant transformation, highlighted by the success of the Casa Grande Promenade at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Highway 287, less than one-half mile west of the Site. This commercial hub has become a destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment, generating increased demand for complementary development in the area. The proposed Large Mixed-Use designation reflects the area’s evolving land use context and the City’s vision for continued economic and residential growth.”
No specific projects for the Overfield and Florence Mixed-Use plan are identified with the submitted requests. The narrative asserts the Large Mixed-Use designation will allow “for a flexible mix of commercial, residential, and employment uses that respond to market conditions and community needs. This supports the continued evolution of the area surrounding the Casa Grande Regional Shopping Center and positions the Site to contribute to a resilient, economically competitive regional activity center.”
The second meeting is planned to take place Nov. 6. Planning staff intends to recommend that the Commission forward a recommendation of approval to the Casa Grande City Council in that meeting, according to the staff report.
JR Carlson Company is the project owner. Project and landscape planning are by ABLA. The civil engineer is Colliers Engineering and Design.
