Hunn Development Company is proposing to develop Cherry Road Vineyards, an approximately 300-acre winery, resort, mixed residential, RV, hospitality and commercial center master plan on unincorporated Yavapai County land west of I-17 and SR 169.
The company has requested Yavapai to rezone the site as a Planned Development Area from its current status as rural single-family residential.
According to the PAD request narrative, “The project will create the largest vineyard in the area supplying grapes to local wineries and to a new winery producing 20,000 cases per year of estate wines when up to full capacity. The location is ideal for needed highway oriented commercial retail; a quality Recreational Vehicle Resort; year round and vacation homes; all while providing a highly accessible location for a local winery and food experience with opportunities for wine tastings, festivals, and other events that can serve as a gateway to the Northern Arizona wine country.”
The developer claims project benefits will include:
- A local food and wine attraction with statewide draw,
- Providing commercial services in a critical transportation corridor,
- Providing land for a future fire station in an underserved area,
- Providing a variety of housing options,
- Efficient water management and use,
- Access to outdoor recreation in Prescott National Forest, and
- Facilitating a new Arizona Public Service substation.
If the PAD is approved, the project will be developed in at least two phases. Phase I will focus on the area north of SR 169 and include half of the housing and planting half of the vineyard. All the primary infrastructure, including roadways and utilities, will be developed in Phase I. Final parcel configurations will be determined by market demand for each development unit.
Since the infrastructure investment will be significant and include the APS substation, public roads, an SR 169 connection, water and wastewater systems, Hunn is requesting that Yavapai County create a County Improvement District for infrastructure financing to facilitate the development.
Themes and Vision
Hunn describes its vision for the Cherry Road Vineyards Winery and Resort as “a destination within a destination region.” The location is surrounded on three sides by the Prescott National Forest. The vineyards and winery will make up the core of the development and serve as “an uplifting leisure experience.” The winery, dining area and shops will be the initial exposure upon entering the site, which then transitions to a less urban feel as residents and visitors travel farther south through the development, culminating in the resort living area and boutique resort at the site’s south end.
“With the rugged mountains to the south, vineyards to the north, and overlooking the Cienega Creek running thru the canyon below with its large mature cottonwood trees; the resort will present a beautiful peaceful venue for weddings, business retreats, family gatherings or romantic getaways from the busy Cities surrounding,” the narrative says.
Site Breakdown
A technical memorandum prepared by Waterworks Engineers and attached as an appendix to the PAD submittal gives a clear breakdown of the project as envisioned in early January.
The 68.3-acre North Area will feature:
- Two fast food restaurants with drive-thru service,
- A 100-room hotel or motel,
- A high-turnover sit-down restaurant with a 250-person capacity,
- A gas station with convenience store,
- A fire and rescue station, and
- A 380-space RV resort.
The 232.1-acre South Area consists of
- A 20KSF shopping center,
- A 100-person sit-down restaurant,
- A second shopping center of 11KSF,
- The 2KSF winery,
- A 55-acre vineyard,
- A resort hotel with 50 casitas and 50 standard rooms,
- 80 attached homes with eight units/acre, and
- 421 single-family homes with densities between 1.2 and four units/acre.
Hunn Development Company is the master developer. Land planning is through RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture. Survey and civil engineering duties are being performed by Shephard-Wesnitzer, Inc. Westwood Professional Services is handling drainage and water resource details. CivTech Inc is the traffic engineer, and Cuningham Architects is the design firm.
The request is scheduled to go before the Yavapai County Planning and Zoning Commission on June 16th.
