Significant number of projects moved toward reality in November

The month of November saw a significant number of major housing projects, both single- and multi-family crop begin moving toward reality here in Maricopa. Here is a look at some of the most prominent projects currently in the approval process:

P&Z approves Copa Flats apartments
The Planning & Zoning Commission gave the go-ahead to the Copa Flats apartments, a proposed 13-acre, 312-unit multi-story, multi-family project east of N. Porter Road at the intersection of N. Porter Road and W. Applegate Road, north of Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.

The project has been designated as affordable housing, which is designed to accommodate municipal workers, entry-level professionals and others who are working but may not have enough money to purchase a home.

The measure was approved unanimously, with the stipulation that when presented to city council the site plan will call for a minimum of 592 parking spaces, which would bring it into compliance with the city code.

Copa Flats features a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units with 48 one-bedroom, one-bath units; 108 two-bedroom, two-bath units; and 156 three-bedroom, two-bath units. Real Estate Equities’ pre-application narrative calls for 13 buildings, all of which will be three stories and about 35 feet in height. There will be 24 units per building.

Pecan Grove to bring nearly 300 homes to southeast part of city
The area near the city’s second high school is seeing the benefits of a school in the area as developer Emmerson Holdings, LLC of Scottsdale is planning a community of 296 single-family homes for sale at the northwest corner of Steen and Murphy roads according to pre-application documents filed with the city.

The location is less than a mile south of the new school. The property lies within Maricopa’s city limits so annexation would not be required.

Former Anglin Dairy could be site of 2,200 homes, apartments
Moonlight Ridge is proposed as a 489-acre community being developed by Forestar USA Real Estate Group on the former site of the Anglin Dairy Farm. The company is seeking to rezone the area from Industrial to a Planned Area Development that would include about 1,350 single-family homes and 850 multi-family units. With that mix of 2,200 total dwelling units, the community would be home to about 5,700 residents.

The proposed project is at the northwest corner of W. Smith-Enke and N. Green roads, east of Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course.

Initial plans show the development also will include mixed-use zoning as well as 180,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial. The commercial portion of the community will be in the southeast corner of the parcel, at the intersection Smith-Enke and Green.

P&Z approves 995 acres for Santa Cruz Ranch
The Planning & Zoning Commission has approved an amendment to the city’s General Plan Future Land Use Map, converting 995 acres from undesignated land use to Master Planned Community, clearing the way for the Santa Cruz Ranch project to move forward to review by the city council.

In total, Santa Cruz Ranch includes 1,886 acres. Of that, 891 acres already have been zoned for master planned community, which can include residential, mixed-use, commercial, and light industrial uses. When completed, the Santa Cruz Ranch project could be the site of more than 6,600 homes and 17,000 people.

Planning & Zoning denies apartments
The Planning & Zoning Commission denied the application request of Lincoln Avenue Capital, LLC for a zoning change from commercial to mixed use and also approval of the site plan, landscape, photometric and elevation plans for a 228-unit apartment community planned for the Seven Ranches area of the city.

Commission chair Linda Huggins and members Jim Irving, Rachel Leffall and Dan Frank voted against the request, while Ted Yocum and Bill Robertson voted in favor. Vice chair Michael Sharpe, who has moved out of the city but still sits on the commission, was absent.

The proposed project is a residential, multi-family project with nine 3-story buildings at southwest corner of W. Honeycutt Road and N. Continental Blvd., just west of White and Parker Road. The property on the corner of the main intersection is zoned commercial.

The objections from those voting against the project were two-fold: the lack of input afforded to the other property owners in the Seven Ranches area, and the single use plan for an area the developer is asking to be converted to mixed use zoning.

Century Communities to develop 141 acres north of SR238
Century Communities has filed pre-application documents with the city to develop 141 acres north of Smith-Enke Road at 47726 W. State Route 238. According to the documents, Century plans to build 448 single-family residential homes on lots ranging from 4,000 to about 6,000 square feet.

Century currently is under contract to acquire the land from Angel Investors, LLC. The pre-application documents state the Colorado-based homebuilder plans to build in five phases on the land, which lies just east of Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course.

Century currently has built, or is in the process of developing, eight other communities in central Arizona in cities including Casa Grande, Eloy, Coolidge, and Arizona City. The company is proposing lots of 40, 45, and 50 feet wide. In areas zoned RS-4, the lots would be a minimum of 6,000 square feet; in RS-5-zoned areas, the minimum would be 4,000 square feet.

With 448 houses, the community would home to 1,165 people, using the U.S. Census Bureau’s formula of 2.6 people per household.

This story was first published in the December edition of InMaricopa magazine.