David Cisiewski of Land Development Consultants LLC describes the proposed Circle K property to the Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission. Photo by Raquel Hendrickson

A unanimous vote advanced a fuel station project in Maricopa at Monday’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.

Commissioners recommended a development review permit for a proposed Circle K at the southeast corner of Honeycutt and Porter roads. Representing the project, Land Development Consultants principal David Cisiewski estimated a late-winter groundbreaking.

The fuel station and convenience store, which already has a liquor license, occupies part of a parcel that was subdivided. Establishments that sell liquor must be at least 300 feet away from schools and churches. The closest school to the property is Sequoia Pathway Academy, which is outside the 300-foot requirement.

Because it is a corner lot at a busy traffic signal, senior city planner Rodolfo Lopez said, “Access has been a hot topic.” He said it would not be possible for southbound traffic to make a safe left-hand turn into the Circle K property because drivers would be interfering with the northbound left-turn lane traffic at the intersection.

According to plans shown to P&Z, the property will have right-turn-only entrances and exits on Porter and Honeycutt. Those two accesses will have triangular dividers preventing left turns. Added to the project is another driveway “arm” extending farther east to adjacent property and accessing Honeycutt Road without the right-turn restriction.

Predicting the future, Commission Chair Linda Huggins pointed out the number of parents who already make U-turns on Porter to drop off their children at school.

The convenience store is currently planned to be 5,881 square feet. The property is 1.8 acres.