Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting, Nov. 3, 2022

For those interested in Planning and Zoning matters, below is a video of the last P&Z Commission meeting held last Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022 at 9:30 am.

Here is a brief recap of the meeting, which ran longer than normal (almost two and a half hours).

The Consent Agenda included a zoning change request for a proposed Black Rock Coffee shop to be located in Anthem. The request was approved by the Commission 9-0.

The Regular Agenda featured a zoning change request by the Brown Family pertaining to a parcel of land adjacent to Gilbert that is currently in a county island located within an immediate area dominated by MotorPlex car dealerships, the Browns being major players. The request by the Brown family has to do with placement of a proposed digital billboard sign on the subject parcel. Following a period of discussion, comments and questions by the Commission, members of the Commission voted 9-0 to approve the change.

Next on the Regular Agenda was a proposed land use change requested by Hyder Energy for an approximately 2,000-acre parcel located in the far southwest part of the Valley — in District 5 (Supervisor Gallardo). The parcel is currently zoned for rural development. The applicant (Hyder Energy) would like to develop a photo-voltaic — solar energy — plant on the site, and so they are seeking to have the land use designation changed from rural development to utilities. Adam Cannon from the Planning and Development department spoke on this. He referred to this item as a “major” Comprehensive Plan Amendment in that it involves a change in land use designation, saying it would allow Hyder to later apply for the necessary zoning change to move forward with their proposed project.

After discussion, comments and questions, the Commission voted 9-0 to approve.

The next item on the Agenda was a nearly identical request by applicant Harqualala Sun, for another photo-voltaic energy plant to be built on a 9,033 acre parcel located (like the previously-considered project) in the far southwest Valley, District 5. The Commission voted 9-0 to approve the proposed land use change.

The last item on the Agenda was a request for approval of a Special Use Permit to allow “mounted cowboy shooting” training on a 4.7 acre parcel located in the Tonopah area (District 5). The applicant gave an in-person presentation with slides and video explaining what her proposed activity will be: training riders on taking their horses around in set patterns on a dirt grounds while shooting special “half-load”, short-range bullets at fixed, designated targets placed around the course: balloons.

There was an extended amount of interest and comment offered from several neighbors of the applicant who attended this meeting, both for and against. Speakers were present both in person (in the auditorium) and online on the webinar. The overwhelming majority of the speakers were in favor of granting the special use permit for the mounted shooting, some offering photos and video in support of their statements.

After public comments were finished and the applicant (she and her husband) had made some final remarks and answered questions from members of the Commission — and before taking a vote — the vice-chairman of the Commission observed that “this is the most exciting case we’ve had” in the four years he has served on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Members then discussed the matter a little further and took a vote.

The Commission decided 8-0 in favor of approval. (One member had to leave early.)

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