Resident and member concerns about traffic, access and egress, and fire safety presented issues for the proposed 100-unit townhome community The Cleveland went before the Goodyear Planning and Zoning Commission last week.
Porter Kyle Multifamily Developers & Builders is requesting a rezone of the six-acre-plus site from agricultural-urban to multifamily to allow the project near Portland Street and Sarival Avenue.
At issue is the often-cited worry about traffic impacts, in this case the fact that the development plans have a single access and exit point onto Sarival. A piece of land that would allow for access to Portland Street is owned by a local homeowners’ association, which does not want a road cutting through its area.
One nearby resident said Sarival is already “choked” with traffic and expressed concerns about the possibility of illegal U-turns in addition to higher traffic volumes.
Worries about fire department access to the property through only one point were also raised.
City planning staff said the currently proposed unit count falls below the minimum that would require a second access point. Project representatives agreed, saying more units were originally planned but that the count was revised downward to accommodate the access requirements.
Even though the proposed volume is less than the cutoff point, the Commission still voted to stipulate a requirement for access to Portland Street.
The project request will now advance to the Goodyear City Council, which may approve the proposal as is, incorporate the Commission’s stipulation or deny the request altogether. (Source)
