Rezoning 190.4 acres at the northwest corner of Chandler Heights and Ellsworth roads for a Taylor Morrison housing subdivision will be discussed at the July 15 meeting of the Queen Creek Town Council.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. July 15 in the Community Chambers, 20727 E. Civic Parkway.

Following the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, physical attendance in the Council Chambers will be limited to members of the Town Council and necessary staff.

Public access to the Town Council meeting is to be at QueenCreek.org/WatchMeetings.

Ellsworth Ranch rezone

Town Council is slated to hold a public hearing and vote on a request from Shaine Alleman of Tiffany and Bosco, on behalf of Taylor Morrison, for a Planned Area Development rezoning to allow for future residential development.

The property is an infill piece surrounded by existing neighborhood developments of comparable density and character to the east and west. It is to be developed with a mix of single-family detached homes --- a maximum of 452 lots with a gross density of 2.37 dwelling units per acre, Development Services Director Brett Burningham, Interim Planning Administrator Erik Swanson and Senior Planner Kyle Barichello said in a memo to the council.

“The subject property has a prominent history as a local ranch and farmland operated by the Ellsworth family for decades as the surrounding properties evolved into quality neighborhoods consistent with the General Plan’s intent for the area,” they wrote in the memo. “According to the applicant, the proposed Ellsworth Ranch development provides a distinctive single-family residential community that is designed to preserve the Ellsworth family heritage and implement the town’s rich heritage through the design character of the community.”

Planning commission

The Queen Creek Planning and Zoning Commission on June 10 voted 5-2 to recommend the council approve the rezoning, with Chairman Alex Matheson and Commissioner Troy Young opposed.

Comments from the public included:

• 33 letters of opposition read into the record.
• 22 comment cards in opposition of the project from people who did not wish to speak.
• 24 letters of support read into the record.
• 14 comments sent by e-mail to be read into the record.

A total of 18 members of the public spoke during the online meeting. Among the most debated topics at the public meeting was traffic and density. Residents from the Pecans subdivision felt that added density would cause traffic problems in the immediate area. The residents in opposition did not believe traffic studies that were conducted by the applicant and the town adequately reflected the current conditions of the area, according to town records.

Other comments have been received by the town including from 401 petitions provided by the Montelena HOA stating support of the proposed land use plan by Taylor Morrison, but strongly opposing any possibility for Via Del Jardine to connect the two subdivisions.