City considers land use change for 1,600 incorporated acres tonight

Sixteen hundred acres of incorporated Maricopa land will be re-designated from “Employment” to “Master Planned Community” if approved by city officials at a council meeting tonight at Maricopa High School.

This move comes after Volkswagen applied for an amendment to the city’s General Plan in June because of its decision to move its proving grounds to a more remote, secure location.

If approved, the measure will not change the area’s zoning but rather its designated use, which has already been sited as a “special planning area” by city planners.

“We don’t want to see 1,600 acres of employment,” said Maricopa Planning Director Amy Haberbosch, “We want to see percentages (of land use),” she said.

Maricopa Planning Director Amy Haberbosch, City Council Meeting Nov. 30.

The percentages she refers to are the mixed use of land that combine residential, employment and open areas. The city wants to be able to plan for higher education, parks, shopping centers, research and development parks as well as residential homes.

The designation change from “Industrial” to “Master Planned Community” will not have a negative impact on future employment, according to Haberbosch.

But finding consensus for approving the measure won’t come easy, as Councilmember Will Dunn suggests.

“Volkswagen initially came to us with the wrong attitude,” said Dunn, referring to their request for an amendment to the plan.

Maricopa Councilmember Will Dunn at a November council meeting.

Dunn said initially there was much debate in council about land use designation for the General Plan, specifically the commercial-industrial that would create jobs.

He said Volkswagen was opposed to development near their site because of their desire to remain in a remote location. “Which I can understand,” he said.

Dunn said members opposing him argued that VW would keep jobs in the community, so feedlots were designated commercial-industrial instead.

But what frustrated Dunn was that Volkswagen asked council for stipulations on developers in the area, which council granted. Later, VW announced they were leaving Maricopa, which left Maricopa with a land use issue.

Despite their decision, Volkswagen still owns the 1,600 acres designated for employment, and now they have to face a council who might think twice before providing concessions to the automaker.

However, Dunn said VW found top developers and returned to council to show them how they can develop the 1,600 acres into a mixed-use development that can supply up to 8,000 jobs compared to the original 125.

“Now that makes sense,” said Dunn. “This will be done with someone who has an awesome track record.”

Haberbosch said specific development guidelines would accompany this action if approved.

She said the city’s goal is to build a community like DC Ranch in Scottsdale, which has retail facilities like Kierland Commons, and that the re-designation will not hurt employment development opportunities.

“We planned for more employment than necessary (in the General Plan),” she said. “We knew we would lose some land designation over time through rezoning.”

To see the city’s Future Land Use Map or any information about Maricopa’s economic development, visit the city’s web site at www.cityofmaricopa.net.

Tonight’s special city council meeting is at 7 p.m. at Maricopa High School (Room 1), located at 45012 W. Honeycutt Ave.