Maricopa is about to get a little more space. Commercial space, that is.

A commercial plaza for small retail businesses has been proposed for a parcel in the 7 Ranches area, at Santi and Jericho Roads, according to a public records request returned this week.

The preliminary site plan and project narrative show the plaza anticipates building 20 commercial suites along Santi Road, as well as 41 townhomes behind it.

While a developer isn’t named, paperwork shows the owner is ABC Rentals, an Eloy-based equipment rentals company owned by Oscar Chaparro of Casa Grande, according to the Arizona Corporations Commission.

This is the second project proposed for the area in recent days. Scottsdale-based De Rito Partners Development also proposed constructing a 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station north of the commercial plaza, on the southwest corner Honeycutt and White and Parker Roads.

And last year, a Scottsdale developer showed interest in building a gated rental community next door to the commercial plaza, near Santi and Gunsmoke Roads. The project has yet to be discussed by the Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission.