Traffic impact gets new emphasis in city planning

How do new commercial and residential areas affect traffic?

In reviewing two developments in Maricopa, the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission may have caused staff to draw a new focus on traffic impact in future. Monday, members were specifically looking at the details of the planned Anderson Farms subdivision and the Sonoran Creek marketplace.

Commissioner Joshua Babb asked whether staff knew how much traffic would increase in the area of Anderson Farms, which would include around 200 homes in phases 1A and 1B. The property is near the southeast corner of Bowlin Road and Hartman Road.

The question came up again as the commission previewed Sonoran Creek, Thompson Thrift’s planned five-pad shopping center on the southwest corner of Edison Road and John Wayne Parkway. City planner Ben Cereceres said traffic flow in the area will be taken into account.

Commissioner Jim Irving echoed Babb’s concern about the increased number of vehicles development would bring.

“We need to put an emphasis on that because a lot of people walk in that area,” he said.

When told the staff report showed planned roads and expected traffic fell within limits, Irving shook his head.

“I don’t think ‘within limits’ is acceptable,” he said.

Babb requested staff create a traffic-flow study for future presentations. Chairperson Linda Huggins said she would like traffic studies to be more transparent within the reports.

Planning & Zoning manager Rudy Lopez said the conversation had inspired city staff to look for appropriate approaches to the question of traffic flow and traffic impact of developments.

The commission voted to recommend approval of the Anderson Farms preliminary plat for Phase 1B. It also gave the nod to a land-use designation change from commercial/employment to mixed use for 30 acres at Copper Sky, rezoning of 20 acres at Copper Sky and rezoning of 4.75 acres near Civic Center Plaza for the new library. All those projects will go before the city council.

The Sonoran Creek project will come back to the Planning & Zoning Commission for the development plan review.