The clock seems to be ticking on farmland in the Buckeye area — both within the city limits, and just outside them.
A presentation given to Buckeye Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday showed significant agriculturally zoned land and ag-related businesses.
However, it seems as if a plan for an industrial development on 1,340 acres along the southeastern corner of Buckeye’s city limits. The property is partly within the city limits and partly outside it, with an annexation process planned.
The parcel stretches east from the northeast corner of Dean Road and MC85, across Verrado Way and just north of recently rebuilt Liberty Elementary School, to Jackrabbit Trail, about 4.5 miles south of Interstate 10 and about one-quarter mile south of the Union Pacific Railroad.
The owner/developers are TGV Investments LLC, Resco Nexgen LLC and Rexco Trust.
A hearing was held Tuesday as part of a major plan amendment process. The developers want to convert neighborhood-zoned land to employment for industrial and light manufacturing development.
In his initial presentation, Bart Wingard of the city’s Development Services Department, made no mention of agriculture. He did, however, point out the nearby businesses and the land’s proximity to the railroad, which runs along the northern edge.
Buckeye Vice Mayor Craig Huestis, who serves as the council liaison to the Planning Commission, said he’s advocated for more Buckeye use of the Union Pacific Railroad for years.
“I’ve told this board, and previous boards,” Huestis said. “We don’t use the railroad enough.”
One board member asked Wingard if there would be buffers between existing housing and school areas and the industrial area. Wingard said there would be a site plan process that would follow — if the major plan amendment is approved by council — so the board would have a say over the details of such a site plan.
A virtual neighborhood meeting was held March 30. That meeting revealed concerns about street improvements and how those would affect existing residential developments, as well as buffers being incorporated between existing homes and future industrial property, timing, and proposed uses.
Maryanne Ramirez, who spoke during the hearing, said the city should be reluctant to show loyalty to corporations who she says tend to change plans once approved. She also encouraged the city to aggressively review the plan’s water and buffer aspects.
The developers and city staff both said water needs have been discussed and addressed.
Gina Sanchez said exchanging that much “lush” farmland for steel and concrete is a bad trade — for Buckeye and for Arizona.
“What happens when we have another economic downturn, and these buildings sit empty on top of the fields that produce some of the most hay and other crops in the state?” Sanchez asked. “Please don’t approve this amendment.”
The packet for Tuesday’s meeting included a staff report with a response from the Liberty Elementary School District. Liberty Elementary, originally built in 1910, reopened last fall near the southwest corner of Jackrabbit Trail and MC85.
The representative who wrote a response seemed concerned there might not be as many residences placed close to the school.
“My only concern with the proposed use plan is the reduction or elimination of residential housing north of the Liberty Elementary School,” a district representative wrote. “The school was rebuilt based on information about planned use. This would adversely impact the enrollment at the school. Additionally, there could be concerns about what is built on the north side of Fremont with traffic and visibility ... Is it possible to maintain a portion of the property for residential purposes?”
The board also heard a presentation on a major general plan amendment for a proposed State Route 85 employment corridor. Like the NexGen project, no action was taken on the SR85 plan, either.
Jason W. Brooks is a News editor for the Daily Independent and the Chandler Independent.
He covers the Chandler area for both yourvalley.net and the monthly print edition while writing for and assisting in the production of the Daily Independent.
Brooks is a well-traveled journalist who has documented life in small American communities in nearly all U.S. time zones.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised there and in suburban Los Angeles, he has covered community news in California, New Mexico, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and northern Arizona.
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