Buckeye unanimously approves 77-acre mining operation and 85-acre business park rezoning

I'd like to welcome everyone and I'd also like to call this meeting to order. Will you stand with me and join in with me the pledge of allegiance? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Will you please take the role? Chair Burton, present. Commissioner Puppy here. Commissioner Ragstale here. Commissioner Cupsick. Vice Chair Damasio here.

Commissioner Bassler here. Commissioner Trupiano. Alternate Hester here. Alternate Manuel. Thank you. Next on the item is the approval of the minutes from the March 24th, 2026 Planning and Zoning Commission regular meeting. May I have a motion to approve the minutes? Make a motion to approve the minutes from March 24th, 2026. I'll second that. It's been moved and second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Item number three, a continuence agenda.

Agenda item 3A, GFT ready mix concrete conditional use permit case number PLZU-25-00006. There will be a public hearing and request that the planning and zoning commission approve a conditional use permit for aggregate extraction on approximately 77 acres generally located about 1300 ft east of the southeast corner of Brooks Road and Hazen Road subject to conditions A through T. Presentation by Mr. Copeland. Hello every. It's great to see everybody.

I'm actually covering for Joe uh Miller and and Kangelica. So I'm doing double duty here. So I should get a lunch out of this. I think at the end of the day, that's my my opinion at least. When they come back, that's what I expect. But uh good to see everybody. Um those of you who have not met, um I'm Adam Copin. I'm deputy director in development services. Uh I manage the planning team. I'm happy to be here um to present on behalf of Joe.

Uh I understand this project was continued from the last meeting. So I'll just kind of do a quick recap. Um and chair if you're comfortable, if you're okay with it. Um when I go through the recap, I'm going to ask the applicant to come up and give give some updates regarding discussions with uh the adjacent property owner um as a result of the last meeting. Um have them go through some of those details uh and then happy to discuss that um when he's done if that works for you.

Uh so I'll uh jump right into it. Uh so you you uh already gave the intro really on the site and the location. Um as I mentioned, Jeff Blley with Gilbert Blly is the applicant. Uh he's uh the applicant on behalf of MP Hazen Sand and Rock. Uh and this is a conditional use permit. Uh so this is associated with the use on the property. Uh the site plan for the sand and gravel uh facility is going through the city process, but that will not move forward until the conditional use permit is approved.

Uh but this is purely on the use for the particular property. Uh we already mentioned the location. Um it's uh highlighted there on the screen for the audience. They can see it's located adjacent and west of the equestrian center uh just off of Hazen Road uh 1300 feet exactly probably because Joe is very particular uh west of the Miller Road corridor.

Um so in any event u this particular property stretches from an a two-lane rideaway which is Hazen Road south to the Hila River uh uh the north side of the Hila River uh banks. Uh so the zoning district um it's uh within the rural residential zoning district. Uh we say the word obsolete zoning but the zoning is still in place.

um folks that come in in today's uh time, they're not able to reszone new properties to the older obsolete districts, but those that reszone to an obsolete district back in the 90s, the early 2000s, those zoning districts are grandfathered in and they're in place. So, this particular property is zoned uh rural residential. Uh and as part of that zoning category, um the commensurate zoning with that category is agriculture. Um and uh it includes resource extraction as a conditional use permit.

Uh what that does is it goes through uh a process. It requires a public hearing. It requires more d requires more dialogue uh neighborhood meetings as such. And so this particular property owner went through that process uh went through the outreach process. Um and then some obvious some comments uh from the adjacent owner came up in the last meeting. Uh and there that was a reason for the continuence.

But it's all part of that conditional use per permit process to allow more outreach opportunities and more discussion. So this is a good example of one that that you know works well through that process. Um the site here um those that are familiar with sand and gravel operations. It's very pretty vanilla and standard across the valley. Uh it's uh 63 acres um of the total 77 acre site will be developed to include a pit that will fill with water.

Um that there's a very high water table in that area. So many of the sand and gravel operations that you'll see there that mine it uh after mining. There'll be uh surface water that'll be there after they uh take out the minerals. Um there's also a a batch plant that's associated with that. Um that will process the material. Uh and the east half of the site will remain farmland.

Um that area will be continue to be farmed until the the the mining operation gets to a point where they'll expand further into the western area. Uh and there is landscaping proposed along Hazen Road and batch plant processing uh will be moved around the site as it's uh as the operation continues which is common with most uh sand and gravel operators. It's it's mobile. It's not a fixed uh with a permanent foundation or anything of that nature.

Uh the northern ports of of the site as I mentioned will be landscaped with an earn burm and trees uh every uh uh 30 feet or so uh just to allow some buffering and screening along that corridor. Uh the east half of the site will remain farmland as I mentioned before, but when the expansion of the farm pit moves forward, uh there'll be landscaping required on the uh east side as well. Um as conditioned that I'll go over uh in a little bit here.

Um and I think uh Joe probably went over some of these details before, but those of you that are aware, uh most of the sand and gravel operations in the valley are in the county. Uh they're they're usually not annexed in the city. That's probably 99% of them. Uh those sand and gravel operators that are located in the county, they're exempt from all zoning standards. Um so they they typically just set up shop, move forward, and they start mining.

Well, the city of Buckeye, we do in areas where it's annexed in the city where a sand and gravel operator wants to process through the city.

We don't have zoning exemptions, uh, but we didn't have a lot of depth in our code in handling these types of facilities, but we do we did have enough to be able to work with this this owner in regard to landscaped areas and some of those and access and those types of things that are important to the city with any uh uh use that has that is long-term temporary uh with those types of operations. Um, and so uh we we came up with some standards.

We have some sand and gravel reclamation guidelines and other things that that are important to the city that we went over. Uh but we're uh we're comfortable at least where this is at in the process regarding some of the land planning uh and some of mitigate some of the mitigating efforts that we overtook on some of these things. It's a nice song. You should get like a more of a hit song on there instead of the standard ringtone.

So, um, so some of the conditions, uh, the staff reports that you guys have for the meeting tonight, uh, there's a couple of modified conditions, um, regarding the landscaping, as I mentioned before, uh, to be installed on the eastern portion of the site. That's to occur prior to the expansion of the mining site. Don't know how many years that is, but when the time comes, the city will will require that landscape along that edge. Um, and full civil permits.

Also, lighting must comply with our development code, which is standard. um some of the lighting it'll be important where they're pointing and um and and those types of things. So, we have opportunity to make sure the lighting on the site meets all of our standards. Um and we have an opportunity to analyze that over time. Um also uh some of the updates to the conditions. Uh the uh applicant owner uh has agreed to uh certain hours of operation.

Um, you can see in this stipulation here, mining operations may not operate between 6 pm and 5:00 a.m. Uh, the batch cement operations may continue during these hours if all loading equipment is equipped with lease with the least disruptive safety alarms permissible by applicable safety regulations to mitigate nighttime noise trespass. Uh, and so that stipulation is added uh to the staff report um specific to those hours of operation.

Um, and also condition T, just for the record, that condition was removed. um that that condition is really more appropriate for when you have a permanent developer coming in like a like a bricks and mortar, Taco Bell, Costco, those types of things. Uh the surface water rights is um is vacated and and given to the city at that time, but since this isn't a a permanent uh type of operation, that'll that'll occur at a later time. So that boilerplate uh stipulation t regarding that was removed.

Um and so uh that those are the updates that you'll you'll see to the staff report. Uh no other conditions beyond those have been modified. Uh so it was just those two. Um so public participation uh there was neighborhood meeting held on December 18th, 2025 uh with the required 300 foot mailings. Uh it it looked like when Joe attended that there was no attendees at the meeting at that time. Um all required postings and millings have been completed.

Um and uh the applicant as I mentioned before met with the equestrian center property owner uh several times before the meeting tonight. So there'll be some updates um that he'll provide the commission as well as staff. Um as of over the last couple hours, they've had discussions that we'll we'll see uh if they've come to a compromise on some of these items for your consideration.

Uh so with that, before we get into the um the motion, u chair, if you're comfortable, ask the applicant to come up and uh go over the updates from our last meeting. And he nodded yes. So at this time, Jeff, if you want to come up and I'll be I'll be here. I'll I'll be happy to answer questions as they come up and Jeff Blly will also be there. So, thank you. Jeffy, 71 North 44th Street. Real briefly just to go over what Adam did. I mean, we had the hearing a couple weeks ago.

Uh the stipulations that Adam brought up that have been added are the things we discussed at the hearing at the the last hearing, the hours of operations and and some of the noise mitigation that we can possibly do. We were fine with those and those all got added to the staff report. Right at the end of the hearing, we heard some issues with maybe the the Duncan operation next door.

So, we continued it and we've gone back and had a chance to to meet with them, go over some things and and u the operator, John Casey, is the one that's actually done most of the meeting with them. So, I'm going to let him go over give you a synopsis of what he's gone over with them and we will wrap with that. Okay. Thank you, Mr. BL. Everybody for your time. Um, we have been able to meet I think we've met with some conf Excuse Just a second. Could you give me your name and your address, please?

Just for the record. Yes. John Casey. Thank you, John. Mr. Casey, GFT Ready Mix. Thank you. Sorry about that. Um, so we have been able to meet. We've had good dialogue and emails going back and forth. Um, I believe we've we've kind of come to some compromises. Um, I'll kind of give you a quick highlight and then I'd like to give the floor to Jason because he had some questions directly for the city. Um, and some concerns. Um, one of the so, um, I'll go through the ones that we've got.

Um, one of the stipulations that they've requested and that we we've agreed in addition to the other conditions were that, um, that, uh, when the center has a major event, they'll notify us in 30 days. And um in that time we will reroute our traffic to um to so we won't run any truck traffic on Miller Road or east of the property line to Miller Road. So we would route everything either to MC85 or below and around to avoid congestion. It's uh absolutely fine with us.

It's in our benefit as well to avoid those congestions. Um, I think the other major concern is the construction of Hayden Hazen Road. So, what they've requested, and I'll read this I'll read this verbatim and then I'll let Jason ask some questions on that. Um, the concern is is that they don't want that construction of the the two turning lanes and the widening of the road um to take longer than 14 days. Their concern is congestion of traffic on Hazen Road.

Um, unless that construction takes place between uh basically between uh 71 of 26 and 9:30 of 26, in which case um they they they want the completion to be within a time frame of 45 days. Um don't have a problem with that. However, some of those things are a little bit out of our control. Um but um I would certainly agree to it and um those are our major one. Those are our ma those those are really our two issues. I think Jason has a few anything else. Did you have some more?

You had some specific questions. Josh, I'm sorry. Um would it be okay if he came up? He had some more direct questions about um about vibrations and noise limits that I didn't have answers for. will not and and chair if that is that a comment for the public hearing the speak a speaker request card for this gentleman. Yes sir. Yeah ma'am. Yes. Okay. Um then you may wish to defer the comment to the public hearing. Thank you. I'm going to defer that comment until the public hearing.

So was was was that it? Yeah, that's really all I had other than that. I believe we've got got this got into a good uh good working relationship there. Okay. Have any questions for me? Not at this time. Okay. Thank you very much. Don't go far. The commissioners going anywhere. Uh at this time, start with you, Rebecca. Have any comments? I don't believe I have any comments at this time. No. Maxdale. No comments. Thank you. Mr. Hester, no comments, Mr. Mr. Debasio. No, chair. No comments. Mr.

Basselor, I think at this time we're waiting for the public hearing because we knew that we heard the concern about the people from the equestrian stable and u that was left unfinished. So to have any other questions and we really need to find out where they stand. So thank you. At this time I will open it up for a public hearing. Madam Secretary, I already know that I have speaker request cards. So uh Josh Wilma, you come please. Uh, good evening council members.

For the record, my name is Josh Wilmont and I represent the Buckeye Quest Western Event Center, the adjacent property next to the proposed GFT Readymix operation. Um, I just want to clarify our position. We're not opposed to responsible development. However, we cannot support approval of this conditional use permit without specific enforcable conditions that pro protect our existing equestrian operations as well as our 80 RV spots and uh that are less than 300 ft from the proposed site.

Um, as uh Mr. Casey mentioned, we did come to several agreements. Um, again, we're definitely not opposed to responsible development. um a couple of those uh things um he had mentioned um as far as the easing of traffic during our events. Um he said that that's something that we can easily come to an agreement on. Um we've come to an agreement as well from the for the operating hours um only during the evening times for the extraction portion um of his operation.

Um during the those times, I think one of the big issues that the city was concerned about uh as well as that we were concerned about was the noise level of those backup alarms. Uh Mr. Casey stated that um they could install white noise alarms uh at the last meeting. Um at that time he was unaware of the decel levels of those uh backup alarms. Um, in the meantime, he's found out they were approximately 90 dB.

So, we were first off wondering if the city currently has any decibel regulations for any other uh operations that were not mining related that could be adjacent to a residential property or an existing business property. I cannot answer, we cannot answer any questions at this time, but I can connect you with someone or get you the answer if not tonight. And and chair, uh, as part of the public hearing, if you have questions of staff and if any comments, um, if you'd like some followup, uh, Mr.

Copelan is prepared to respond to that question. Thank you, Mr. Copeland. Are you are you prepared? Uh thank you uh chair. Um the city does not have any decibel regulations for uh truck backing up uh or for trucks that back up because we have quite a few grocery stores and different things that are in residential areas, but we have no regulations specific to the decibel levels for trucks.

Um, I know the police department, they do have general noise ordinances, you know, noise nuisance type deals, but I don't believe that anything specific to those types of uh those types of circumstances that uh we have in our development code. Thank you.

One of the points that I continued to hear mentioned um during the previous meeting as well as this meeting um is the fact that this property um falls outside of a loophole per se um for the county property that is adjacent next door and currently operating and that there will be a mine operating regardless. So the process has already begun and again we're not opposed to responsible development. Um at the same time this is a conditional permit that's uh being viewed um by the city.

So, um, we're hoping that in this process, if there are opportunities to set limits for something like this, that maybe this could be a time for other conditional use permits that may come up within the city, limits that might further help um the the process of these things go smoother and go quicker um for both Mr. Casey or any other um properties in the future. Um, as he said, the construction for the roads kind of our um, biggest thing.

We're coming into our non busy season, so we would prefer that that construction gets done um, before the fall and before, you know, traffic really starts ramping up. Um, in addition, we are not the only traffic that uses Hazen. Um it's a definitely it's a main throughway and exit way into the city of Buckeye outside of Main Street. So it it's used by many other um commuters and truck traffic outside of even just GFT.

So we just believe that that would help the city along with us the faster that that construction was able to be completed. Um and I the only other question that I had, which if there's no decibel, this might be beating a dead horse, but if the city had any um requirements for uh vibration monitoring for commercial projects that we're currently running, Mr. Copelan, and pardon, I had thought the speaker was done with his comments.

So, at the conclusion of the speaker's comments, uh, if you have questions, uh, that you'd like Mr. Copeland to respond to, then that would be appropriate. Thank you. So, does the city have any specific vibration monitoring requirements for current construction projects, mining or not? Be the question. Is that your Yes, sir. That's the final qu. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for your time, council. Thank you for your time, chair. Mr. Copelan. My daughters are watching. They're going to laugh at me.

Okay. Right. Um, chair, members of the commission, um, regarding, uh, the question on vibration, uh, we don't have anything specific on vibration ordinances that we're aware of. Um, I think it's probably, um, uh, a case by case if it's actually causing damage or, you know, things like that. There could be a civil matter between owners if there's vibration. Uh, but I'm not aware of any ordinances on vibration.

Well, we did uh I want to expand a little more on on the uh comment regarding the noise um that I'm trying to find in here. Here we go. Oh, here we go. So um the stipulation specific to the hours of operation and the noise which I I think the these are excellent concerns you know for any property owner just to um you know uh they want to watch out for and protect their their investment. So I think uh it's very well very well stated.

Um but for our the stipulation that we added specific to the noise is uh the batch plant cement operations may continue during the hours that I mentioned before the 6 pm to 5 am. Um and if all loading equipment uh all loading equipment is equipped with least disruptive safety alarms permissible by applicable safety regulations.

So we did condition specific to the alarms uh that um that those alarms uh if they have that suppressed model or that white noise model um these conditions will require the operator to look into those for their backup alarms. Um so we we would ask uh the owner or the operator to to look into those and make sure they install the the quietest ones available that meet all the safety precautions.

Um, but since we don't really get into like the the branding and those types of things, I think it's uh the probably the best way we can condition is what we have in here spec specific to those backup alarms since we don't really have any code regulations or direction on any specificity to the amount of decibb that those give off. Um, we would have to do a probably a pretty in-depth study in order to look at that. So, that condition I think addresses that um component of it to an extent.

Um, and so just wanted to mention that as well, part of which was part of that first question that came up on the noise. Um, but with that, happy to answer more questions the commission may have um, regarding the any comments that you guys got. Mr. Copeland, thank you. I have a question. Who's going to be monitoring and making sure that all these conditions are being adhered to? Yeah. So um uh good good question chair members of the commission. So the city has a code enforcement division.

Uh they are a division within within the police department. So what ends up happening if uh if any type of uh build uh any any project in the city that builds on a as a sand gravel operation or it could be a Taco Bell any any pro a residential community um our code enforcement division will go out and monitor if there's complaints.

And so typically uh if they if folks are out there, as an example, putting out big signs and banners that they're not supposed to, that's pretty clear that they're in violation. So code enforcement will will go out there and and violate uh and give them a violation. Uh but in the event that most of these conditions that are with conditional use permits and site plans, most of them are are are inspected at the time of if there's a complaint, that's when they really can go out there.

They'll monitor it during evening hours. Um, sometimes we get complaints from projects on lighting that they're too bright or they'll actually go out and and see if they're if they're too bright and they have a meter to measure the lighting and those kind of things. So, it's really that's typically how it works.

Um, but we don't uh have any process in place for like uh specific to going out and measuring noise levels and those types of things within certain dimensions because we don't have anything in our code that regulates it. Um, but I think if there's um uh if there's a noise issue, we would probably have code enforcement go out there and we we would work with the owner uh collaboratively to try to um update their uh their backup systems to to have more of that white noise.

Um, and we would probably have to see that they made an attempt to do that. But, um, not to speak for code enforcement, but that's these conditions will allow them to be able to go out and question that, address it, and try to work with each owner on a case by case to try to mitigate it. So, that's typically what we see with projects. They're they're very busy every day of the week. They go out with a lot of different complaints and things and we work with them quite often.

Um, and we'll we'll have to go over the conditions on the project so our code enforcement official officer will know what they can and can't provide a violation for. So, that's typically how it works. Hopefully that answers your question on that. It did. Thank you very much. Uh, I believe we have one more speaker, Don Narang. Don Narang. I represent the equestrian center. U, I'm the one that came and spoke last time and brought these concerns forward.

And I can tell you guys, we've had great uh, meetings back and forth with the owners of the property. And like Josh stated, we're not against responsible development. uh we agree to what's what we have talked about and what they've agreed to do.

But one thing I want to get on the record that we they didn't bring up is they have guaranteed us that they will put a landscape burm down the east side of the property separating it'll be on their property but separating a buffer wall between us and and the mining operation itself. So, with that said, I mean, as far as everything that we've went through and we've been back and forth, um, we we we would vote to approve this operation if these conditions are met. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Marine.

All right. At this time, if there's no further uh speakers, we'll close this public hearing and before I do this, the uh is what he just talked about having the landscape on the east side, is that something that we can condition Yes. Uh, chair, members of the commission, I could speak to that. Um, there's a couple things I want to clarify. Um, I think there is a condition that's specific to the landscaping on the east side when the mining operation starts to continue in phase two.

But specific to the burm, I believe there is a planned overburden burm that you guys are planning on the east side. Um, and if chair, if I could request the applicant to come up to speak to the how the burm and the overburden usually they have mounding. maybe they have a um they can speak to that and we're happy to add a condition uh specific to the burm um if uh if everyone's okay with that, but I believe they're already planning on something like that.

But let me if you would uh uh support the applicant coming up and speaking to that, that would that would help address that. Certainly. Yeah. So, within the process of the mining, there's a lot of what he described as overburden, which is what it is. It's it's the dirt that um isn't really of use. It's used for reclamation. So, it's kind of stored on site and moved around.

So, we have the ability to to store that overburden or provide a burm as we say on the east border of the property between these two properties. The goal would be to build that up, use that dirt because we have plenty. um build that up to create both a visual shield, a sound and a sound shield um from primarily from the whole property, but primarily um from the uh RV park um on the south side. So, that's one of the things we've agreed to.

Um, rather than storing it on the south side, we're going to give up and uh we can store majority of that on the on the east side of the property to create create shielding both from sound and uh and visual of course. Uh uh chair, if I I think uh we could add a condition.

U I'm doing with the alphabet in my my mind condition U that could state that an over a BM that it that's associated with the overburden of the mining operation will be strategically placed between the operation and the equestrian center on the east side to help uh mitigate noise and other impacts. Does that work? That's fine with me if you were asking me. Um, so we I could uh for the record I I said that on the record.

We can just uh approve this case if the commission is comfortable with it with uh added condition U as stated and then when we go back and listen to the minutes, we'll go we'll make sure it's worded in that way. I should have wrote that down, but it's on the record now. Okay. So, Men, I got to be honest with you, I'm kind of lost in the process where I am. I believe that I'm either call for a motion. So, so chair, are there any additional uh questions or discussion items from the applicant?

And if not, the then the applicant may go ahead and be seated. You have closed the public hearing. So, now if there are any other discussion uh to be had by the commissioners or you can call for the vote. I'll ask you guys one more time, Mr. Basselor. I guess if the people in the equestrian area are are satisfied with what's there, I don't think that uh I can object. Um I am concerned about the horses. That's was the big concern before.

I didn't hear much about dust and dust abatement because there was concern about the dust getting into the equestrian area. Um, so I don't know whether that's been addressed other than the potential for the burum. So, uh, that would be the one area that I did not hear anything about was the dust control. And again, if the equestrian group is okay um guess we're okay. But I would like to hear about the dust debatement and I would like to hear the impact that this might have on the horses.

So, um, chair, members of the commission, I'm happy to address a portion of that and happy to have the applicant come up to speak a little more to the operational side of dust control. Um, so the city does, we utilize Maricopa County dust control standards as the enforcement wing of dust control operations.

Uh so the county actually will go out and they'll inspect and the county is the one that um will violate a property owner uh for dust control issues if they're not keeping the dust down per uh state, federal and local laws. Um so that's at least answering maybe a portion of that question. But as for the operation on how the dust and the control of dust is uh is done on site, I would ask the applicant to come up to speak a little bit to that.

And then for the horse portion, if it's to the pleasure of the commission, uh after the applicant speaks, um if the uh owner would like to come up and speak to the question about the the horses or or what have you, that's to the perview of the chair. Um so if that works, um the applicant can speak to that first part if that works for you, chair, please. Um, so, so to his point, we are regulated by by Maricopa County Air Quality and Dust Control.

Um, we have to submit for dust control permits, which we have and have been awarded. Um, they oversee all the way the traffic, the traffic, how it moves on site. Um there it it is a public process and I assure you they are very diligent in their enforcement on that within our operation. We have to maintain trained um they have to go through training that we call it it's called smoke school to identify um uh dust levels visually um self-reporting.

We have to report all of our dust control devices within our machinery itself. Um and so it is it is a fairly it's a very diligent process that um that all these facilities obviously including ours have to go through and it is a separate permit that is actually issued by uh Maricopa uh air quality and dust control um and then before we are they come out and they inspect and then we then you know we we maintain and improve that that also includes trackout. I know the question has hasn't come up.

That also includes trackout on that would go onto Hazen Road which includes things like wheel washers, truck wash, um which have been implemented on this site, shakers, which are the cattle guards, the grates that I'm sure you guys are familiar with driving over. Um so it's it's a very detailed process and they they police that they visit every site um at least quarterly. So they do a inspection of every site quarterly to make sure that we're maintaining those things.

Um they also respond to complaints um as the county does or as the city would. Um so if there are any dust complaints um they go to them and then they they can they come out and they'll do an immediate inspection on the facility that is generating generating the emissions. Okay. Thank you. And chair, if the owner would like to speak to the question on the um uh the horse the horses. Uh is that happy to do it. Mr. Mox. Thank you chair and council for your time.

Again, um we we've discussed with Mr. Casey um the concern of dust um as well as our concern of dust. Um we run our water trucks consistently like Mr. Narang had said during the last testimony. Um, so we understand that dust is an issue out there. Mr. Casey has assured us that he will run his dust trucks just as much as ours. And if he needs ours to come over, we're more than happy to help him out to keep some of that dust down. At the same token, we are very familiar, at least Mr.

Duncan, the owner of the property with dust control, um, and his other businesses. They're also monitored by Maricopa County for their dust regulations. Um, I think they're a little bit more strict probably in the Phoenix area where he operates that business. So, I don't know if there may be a potential opportunity to get a a portable dust monitor, a a permanent setup dust monitor out there maybe in that area um to maybe give a little bit more um alleviation of the concern to the board.

Um, I know that we have something like that next to one of our Phoenix operations. then you don't have to worry about somebody coming out once every four months and there is a lot of dust and it's just not getting taken care of. But also and allude um to the monitoring of both dust and noise um as the gentleman had stated um there really um isn't a noise regulation opportunity.

Um, as many of us know, our officers, um, I don't think that that would be at the top of their priority list when it came to something to do at night with our growing city is go and sit next to a property to monitor sound or light. So, if there was some op option to um, have an outside agency monitor that, I think that would be in everybody's best interest. Thank you, Mr. Wilmer. All right, Mr. No questions. There's no questions at this time. No questions, sir. Thank you, Commissioners.

May I have a motion to approve case number PLZU-25-00006 subject to conditions A through U as stated? All in favor? I'm I'm sorry. Fair. I'd like to make a motion to approve PLZU-25-00006 subjects to conditions A throughU. Can I have a second? I'll second. It's been moved and second. Motion passes. I'm sorry. All those in favor? I'm just All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Jesus Christ. a lawyer. I'm not getting there, though. All right.

Next on the agenda is item number 4A, Buckeye 83, Reszoning to Business Park. Case number PLZ-25-00002. There will be a public hearing and request that the planning and zoning commission recommend approval to the city of the reszoning of approximately 85 acres generally located at the southeast corner of Interstate 10 and State Route 85 subject through conditions or to conditions A through K. Presentation by Sean Banda, senior planner. Well, good evening.

Um um I'm going to go ahead and do my little preface since they're exiting out of the building right now. So, uh thank you. Uh so, this evening's case is called Buckeye 83 Reszone. Just to make it more complicated, it used to be called Buckeye 90. And you know, typically there's acorage tied to everything. Trust me, I went over this with with uh their their planning staff too.

who is going at one point in time it was 83 and a half acres and we actually looked at the legal description it was actually 85 acres it's not related to SR 85 it's just it is Buckeye 83 reszone because at one point in time it was 83 acres on the original narrative so there's a little bit of history there uh but this case here this evening uh it went to the the companion case for this project went to council uh for an annexation I'll talk talk about that a little bit briefly.

Uh the applicant this evening is here and it's Wendy Redell of Barry Redell LLC and behalf of the property owner. Um and it's located on the southeast corner of SR85 and Interstate 10. The pointer doesn't work. So you're going to see me waving my arm randomly because I keeping a little a little magnifying glass work. This is my favorite thing to do. Um a little bit of tibbit fact too.

There's a whole website that was dedicated to planners back in the day says planners pointing because in every over the years planners are always pointing at things. I don't know why, but we do. We go in public places and I'm pointing at corners of buildings and my daughters now do it and my wife can't stand it. Um, so it it is what it is. So, contextually, I apologize for the aside. Contextually, uh, the north side of this is is vacant, not developed at this point in time.

The south is the future West Park CMP. It's undeveloped. East of this is actually the current uh West Park single CMP, but it's the single family park that you see that's being developed right now. And to the west, it's also vacant. So, there's a lot of stuff going on in this particular area. Um, related to that, we're here's the general plan land use. This is kind of giving us the definition of what's going on in this particular area. The land use for this property is business commerce.

uh business commerce leads right directly to the the allowances for zoning. The current zoning uh is single family residential 43 and that was as of last week. So related to that it was before it was in the county it was uh rural 43 or RU43 and it was processed. When that fully gets vetted through its u uh referendum period it'll 30 days from now. So in May, it'll actually be adopted per ordinance and be zoned officially as single family 43.

So this evening we are the the request is to reszone the property from the single family 43 to the business park uh land use or BP as we call it for short. Let me give you a little bit of analysis. Now I borrowed the applicants uh exhibits. You'll find them in your packet. I think it was exhibit E is the one that you're seeing right here before you. Uh notification was done on this property. So this is a long time coming.

Uh we initially met with this I want to say end of 2024 talking about this whole area of the 90 approximately 90 acres uh this whole corner development. An application was made early last year of 2025. What we are seeing here is a process that has involved staff, has involved a lot of discussion, has involved the adjacent property owners to get where we are this evening.

Uh we are here this evening with uh a project or a zoning case that a proposal that makes sense for the area and it meets those requirements. So there are no outstanding issues from any of the reviewing departments. But more importantly, what you're seeing here this evening, this proposal meets the intent of the general plan. the general plan within business commerce allows for a business park. Business park, it's a straight zoning case.

Over and over recently, we've been seeing what's called Pads or planned area developments. Means they have their own specific standards, their own specific requirements. That is not the case here. What we are seeing here this evening is a straight zoning case with minor conditions to address uh the neighbors to the east and that was per the request of staff. So continue on from the analysis.

Um the reasonzoning uh to BP also enables the developer to specifically go back to create a master uh plan employment center and it is uh limited light industrial uses. It's lower intensity than I with no crosstock warehouses. So what you're seeing here is merely a concept. Now this concept uh may or may not come to fruition but that is not related to today. That is going to be a requirement for future site planning.

Uh but based on that you're seeing a concept that would meet the overall intent as far as a a a buffering uh the way it lays out. In no way, shape or form is this at its final form. The the actual site plan will actually address more of the building articulations, more of the building uh parking. um if they want to make one building into five buildings, that's the allowance of it.

Because it's business park zoning, if they want to take some of these buildings and make them all into smaller office complexes, that's allowed. Right now, we're not talking about the site plan, but we are talking about the use being changed to business park and we're talking about if they develop this use of business park or developing this, they will have to meet certain requirements that the applicant has agreed to.

So continuence of that analysis um as I was mentioning the orientation is there to reduce impacts and the question I was getting from uh from staff uh actually had only one question since we've been talking about this project is are they going to have uh access through West Park CMP? Uh they will not. Uh the access is going to be based on this roadway on the west that's that runs uh directly adjacent to the freeway and it's called 266th Avenue.

That has been in discussions for almost two years now. Um but like I said, how it how it lives, how it breathes, how it's designed, that will have to get worked out later. What is more important about this particular exhibit is the actual buffering. Um so you'll see I created this little red little red kind of buffer line. I called it buffer area. very clever name for this thing and it is adjacent to the residential park. Now it ranges the buffer from 150 to 400 feet.

So that far exceeds the requirement of BP of of of business park. So business park and you guys are familiar with general commerce it's only 50 feet. Business park is actually less than. So they're looking at doing substantial landscape buffers 65 ft and greater throughout here, but creating buffers between the building, the actual use itself, and the actual residence. And so it it ranges quite significantly, but the average is more than 200 ft of a buffer.

Uh the also the other part of this too, taking in consideration the residential part of this, they're not doing any cross facing any type of residential. So what you're seeing is typically the ends of these buildings. So they'll have the cross docks on there at the end of the buildings. That's usually where your enhancements are. It's usually where your office entrances are.

So it's trying to be uh uh very much cognizant of what's around them and being aware of how to how can they soften any type of light industrial uses adjacent to residential. Um like I said and I keep stating the same thing. Um the full review of traffic, drainage, we talked about noise just recently, noise, lighting will be addressed at the site planning stage. So that will be an administrative process that'll be actually processed uh with staff.

Um but like I said, conceptually this is just a concept plan. It may or may not look like this uh at its at its finality. So at this time we are um we are comfortable uh as staff. We've taken this through all the departments. Uh we are uh comfortable the applicants can comfortable with all the conditions that were actually written here as well and we recommend this if you are so comfortable to have this taken to uh the city council on May 5th Cinco de Mayo. That's a perfect taco Tuesday.

So um it with that being said we do have the applicant here. They have a presentation if you wish to hear more or if you have any additional questions for them as well. Thank you. I I think Do you have you want to Oh, do you have one there too or no? Oh, okay. We can borrow the same one. If someone would be so kind as to pull up our presentation, this doesn't work. Uh, Mr. Chair, members of the commission, Wendy Redell with the law firm Barry Redell 6750 East Camelback.

My pleasure to be here this evening. Um, frankly, Sean did a wonderful job. So, I've got a a few other details that I can share, but I will do my best not to take too much of your night. Of course, very happy to answer any questions that you have. So, um, it's my pleasure to be here this evening on behalf of Via West Group, these lovely folks that are sitting back here with me as well. Uh, VIA West has frankly been around since 2003.

They're a very well-known developer um involved in a lot of top office and industrial projects. These are just a few here you see from the city of Phoenix Chandler. Give you an idea of what they do. U site here we've talked about uh 85 acres. It's true. It was 90 when we started all of this. Um I can also tell you when we originally filed this application we filed for a much more intense zoning district. Uh so Sean is correct when he tells you staff staff leaned into us.

We did listen and we have now come back with a business park as a result. So here we are requesting the business park um designation. Um this has been part of an annexation property that has been in the county for a long time and hence now our request to bring it into the city of Buckeye and to reszone it to business park. just shows you what that looks like. Ultimately, changing the color on the map also tells you that it is entirely consistent with Buckeye's general plan.

Um, that was the 2040 general plan showing this site as business and commerce. Very appropriate designation we would suggest right there along the confluence of two freeways. We also know from the policy document of the general plan that it is also consistent with their policies. It will stimulate the local economy. It will provide new jobs. Uh business commerce suitable for large scale office park and industrial activities.

It provides an economic opportunity here at the intersection of two freeways supporting that larger regional. Our proposal here is to develop an employment center. Some uses that would go there. A variety of commercial uses, light manufacturing, assembly, office, wholesale, and more. There are some conditions that staff has placed on us that the average building floor area is not to exceed 200,000 square feet.

But where you go out there where you where you see the five belows in the world, that's that's not us. We are significantly, frankly, a quarter the size. Um when you see those, think of this much more as business park employment. Um there are no cross stocks that are permitted here. Our proposal, um you'll see seven different structures. It's correct that this is a conceptual site plan. We see this likely to weigh out to lay out a very similar to this.

Uh it is at its closest point where you see the site plan 166 ft from that planned residential to the east. Very significant buffers. I'll drill down on a little bit more here. Um as Sean also mentioned, uh this site is accessed from 266th Avenue from Broadway Road. Importantly, there is no access into the West Park neighborhood here. It really is separate and apart.

The buffers that you see planned, you see the setbacks that we have made sure as as generous as we can um to that residential to the east, pulling those buildings to the west. But you'll also see that the proposed buildings will be set back from the residential uses at varying degrees from 166 feet to nearly 400 ft. Really significant setback. Uh we also have increased the landscape setbacks on our side ranging from 62 feet to 85 ft.

Again, really substantial buffering and setback landscaping that will be included within that. and you jump over to the West Park side, you will see they also have a landscape track between the two. That's a that's 55 to 155 varing and range landscape. Again, very significant landscape open space setback between these two uses. Um, you'll also notice that the dock doors have all been placed where possible to the interior the project.

So, uh, as Sean also mentioned, we've had quite a significant amount of outreach involved in this project. We spoke over the West Park Community Association board member. We do have an email of support from one of their board members. Did have a neighborhood meeting. There were two attendees there. Uh we also have gone out and talked to some of the businesses in the area and we are grateful to have letters of support from them. So with that, Mr.

Chair, I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have. We would otherwise respectfully request your support to staff stipulation. Thank you. Started this in this time, Mr. Bassley. I think it adds an additional buffer from the highway to the residential area and I can't believe that a lot of people would want to have a residential house in that area that you're going to use for business district. So, I think this is welld deserved and a good change. Thank you, Mr. Masio.

I have no questions. Chair, no question. I have one question. Um, in the first slides that you were showing, it had a comment about historic Buckeye, and I was wondering how that tied in with this project. Uh, chair, Commissioner Ragsdale, if it did. I don't remember historic Buckeye being in there. Maybe I had to zoning. Oh. Oh, historic zoning. I'm sorry. I'm like, historic Buckeye, man. So, zoning. So, when when I put this presentation together, let me give a little bit of history there, too.

When I put this presentation together, uh we were doing this as concurrently as possible. uh and then we went for an additional uh notification trying to reach the 500 feet because zoning is different than annexation zone uh uh notification. So those applications that were running exactly concurrently are now separate. So when I did that it says hey it says zoning being proposed historically is was this what it was is that that is now annex that property.

So I'm sitting there giving you a little bit of history on it. Historically it was in the county. It is not in the county anymore. it when it got annexed, it went to the zoning of F of single family 43 or SF43 from the county's RU43. So that was the only reference to the history of it was that. So there there's no historical implications. Yeah, no historical implication. Exactly. Thank you. I should have just said that. That's a lot. Yeah, you should have. Thank you. W plus.

Don't worry about it. It's puppy. I have no questions, but I do want to say that I think there was a lot of forethought from you, Mr. Bonda, and Miss Redell. Um, it looks like, you know, you really thought about a lot of factors with residents and everything there. So, great job. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Red. Thank you. All right. At this time, I will open up public hearing. I have one speaker card and that is Chris Mans or you'll tell me if I'm right or wrong. I'm sorry if I messed it up.

Chris, chair, commissioner, Chris Manis, Buckeye resident. Um, I don't have any prepared remarks today, but I thought it was necessary to come up and at least advocate in opposition uh, this recommendation. Um, I am the original owner of a house in West Park since 2006, which is a few months short of 20 years, which depressing to think about because that means I'm older than I want to be. Um, my house is on the north side of West Park, so I am not directly impacted by any sightelines of this.

I still have undeveloped commercial desert uh to the west of my house. Um but I am up walking around my neighborhood and this property line um multiple times a day and I come in and out of Buckeye multiple times a week for work.

Um, when I moved into Buckeye in 2006, the plan was, as referred to, I believe in the presentation for a phase three western side of West Park that had lighted uh, baseball fields and volleyball pits and dog parks and things which would inspire someone to want to live in that master plan community.

Um, the economy of course shelved that plan and the new plan came in to put three warehouses on the east side of the subdivision and a school district bus depot on the north side of the subdivision and a heavy construction uh machine depot on the north side of the subdivision. And then we transition back to developing the rest of the West Park residential that flows west. And before these people even move into those houses, now we're going to build another light industrial park.

Um, it just is a patchwork of indecision from my perspective as just someone that lives here. If you ask me what district I'm in an hour ago, I don't think I could have told you that. I'm not involved in local politics by any means, but just as someone who's been here 20 years, it's hard to put your hands around what it is we're trying to be in Buckeye. Are we embracing residential and life and experience and community? Are we embracing technology and industry?

And it just seems every five or six years we kind of weave in and out and we end up with these sort of patchwork neighborhoods that I don't really know what to make of.

So I mean my closing and remarks would be I understand this is zoned particular way or the request to meet uh to converge with the mass the general plan right um my hope was that the space could be used your comment earlier uh commissioner Basselor about we're not going to put homes in this space I agree with that it's right next to the 85 but we can hope for something better something that inspires the residents there to be outside or be with each other engage with their community.

We don't have to settle for something that's the least ugly option that we've seen in the last 10 years. We can hope for something better and open desert is just fine. It's beautiful. Let's not pursue more of this type of environment. Thank you. Thank you, Madison. I'm sorry for butchering your name. I apologize. If there is no one else to speak, I will close this public hearing. And I will go down the row once more. Misters, starting with you, Miss Puppy. No comments. Thank you. No comments.

Mr. Damasio, no comments. Mr. Basselor, no comments. Thank you. Then may I have a motion to approve case number PLZZ-25-00002 subject to conditions A through K. Um Mr. Chairman, I will motion to approve the reszoning to a business park uh case number plzz-25-00002. Second conditions. Yeah. A through K. Conditions A through K. Sorry, I was looking for it. Do I have a second? It's been moved. and second. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bounder.

We have come to the end of the road. Agenda item number five, comments from the public or any members of the audience may comment on a non-aggenda item. However, the open meeting laws do not permit the commission to discuss items not listed on the agenda. The commission may direct inquiries to the city staff. Are there any members of the public public wishing to speak? Seeing none, we are rolling to the planning manager report. Thank you, chair, members of the commission.

Um I think um we have uh uh the next commission meeting may be cancelled, but we'll confirm. Uh if we don't have any items on that agenda, we'll ask Carrie to send out a cancellation. So we we'll probably do that this week once we confirm there's no items on that agenda. Um we do have our airport plan. Um we've we had it on hold for a little while. Uh but we're picking we're picking that back up with a a new consultant. Uh so it'll be a very collaborative process.

Um so in the next couple months we'll be coming before the commission uh with a presentation workshop uh that will coordinate with you guys. Uh it's probably going to be sometime in May. Um so we'll look forward to doing that with your team. Uh the uh the um the consultant is Logan Simpson and so Terry Hogan is with Logan Simpson who you guys know. So it'll be good to work with her and I'm sure she'll look forward to seeing everybody that she worked with before.

So we we'll look forward to to having that and send you any information obviously ahead of time uh regarding that workshop. But other than that um it's great to be here and uh be part of this uh group and this presentation. So thank you guys. Good to see everybody. And that's all I have. Thank you. Thank you. It is good to see you as well. All right, Rebecca. Any Oh, it's just really good to see you. You as well, Mr. Copeland.

I was going to say your first name, but I see some I see one of you guys at church sometimes over there, so I see him more often than you guys. Distract. I went to the um spring Easter festivities at the U park in Sundance and it was wonderful. I took my grandchildren and they had a wonderful time. It was a wonderful event. I've never been to an event at that park. It was really nice. It's really big. It's just beautiful. Yes, it is. Mr. should come in. Yes, Mr.

Damasio, Vice Chair, I have no comments or current report. Thank you so very kindly. Mr. Bassler, I'd like to thank the individual that did come and speak up to express his concerns and interest. Uh we need more citizens who come and speak up when they have a concern. So, I want to thank you for being here. Thank you very much. I do too. I do too. What a night. All right, let's go home.