By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

An amendment to a Planned Area Development and rezoning of 80 acres for a 219-lot Madera West Estates residential development is to be discussed in a public hearing before Queen Creek Town Council.

The council meets at 5:30 p.m. March 4 at the Queen Creek Community Chambers, 20727 E. Civic Parkway, for ceremonial matters, committee reports and public comment before adjourning to closed-door executive sessions. Public hearings are held at 7 p.m.

Communities Southwest has submitted an application that proposes to amend an existing Barney Park Estates PAD for the property at the southwest corner of Queen Creek Road and 220th Street, according to a memo to the council from Brett Burningham, development services director; and Kyle Barichello, senior planner.

The Town Council in September 2007 approved Barney Park Estates and a 113-lot residential subdivision at the location. The council in October 2009 approved a modification to the preliminary plat to allow the residential subdivision to be built in three phases and for approval of a fence plan. In August 2014 the council approved a PAD amendment to rezone the property and approved a preliminary plat for a 156-lot residential subdivision, according to the memo.

The amendment to be considered March 4 seeks to change the project name from Barney Park Estates to Madera West Estates; increase the number of lots from 156 to 219 lots, for an addition of 63 lots; and increase the net density from 2.1 to 2.99 dwelling units per acre.

“Historically, the project area has been used for agricultural purposes. It is the developers’ intent to continue this existing agricultural use until residential development pursuant to this zoning amendment has commenced,” according to the memo from Mr. Burningham and Mr. Barichello.

“One residential housing unit currently exists on the property and will retain ownership of approximately 1.27 acres as part of the proposed Madera West Estates subdivision,” the memo states.

Madera West Estates is planned to be developed with similar theming and design elements as the Madera project at the southeast corner of Queen Creek Road and Signal Butte Road, Garry Hays of Communities Southwest said in a development narrative sent to the town.

“It is important to note that although the density of the project increases with the proposed land plan, the additional density will not be perceptible to neighboring residents and town residents driving by the project,” he said in the narrative.

This is accomplished by redistributing some of the open space, which is currently concentrated within the interior of the land plan, to more perimeter locations, he said.

Also, the developer is redesigning cul-de-sacs to provide larger open space areas at the ends and adjoining exterior open space areas, Mr. Hays said.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia, Inc.. USA, since 1987. Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. He also is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows