Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting

Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Agenda Pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.02 notice is hereby given to the public that the Sahuarita Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a meeting at the date and time specified below at the Sahuarita Council Chambers, 375 West Sahuarita Center Way, Sahuarita, AZ. To better serve our community, the Sahuarita Council Chambers is wheelchair accessible. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the Town Clerk’s Office at (520) 822-8801. Requests should be made no later than three (3) working days prior to the meeting to arrange the accommodation. PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING AGENDA MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2024, at or after 6:00 PM 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL Chair Mark Ferguson Vice Chair Daniel Millet Commissioner Lori Brown Commissioner Raymond Maynard Commissioner Kevin Rau 4. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FOR JULY 1, 2024 5. PUBLIC HEARING: MAJOR AMENDMENT TO THE RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN – POD 33 6. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR’S REPORT 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 8. ADJOURNMENT Regular Meeting Agenda- August 5, 2024 Page 1 of 1 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting ACTION Minutes REGULAR AND STUDY SESSION MEETING ACTION MINUTES JULY 1, 2024 The Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town of Sahuarita met in the Sahuarita Council Chambers, 375 West Sahuarita Center Way, Sahuarita, AZ 85629 on Monday, July 1, 2024. 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:04 PM by Mark Ferguson. 2. ROLL CALL Present Commissioner Lori Brown Present Commissioner Mark Ferguson Absent Commissioner Raymond Maynard Present Commissioner Daniel Millet Present Commissioner Kevin Rau 3. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR MOTION was made to elect Commissioner Ferguson as Chairperson RESULT: APPROVED MOVER: Daniel Millet, Commissioner SECONDER: Kevin Rau, Commissioner AYES: Lori Brown, Daniel Miller, Kevin Rau MOTION was made to elect Commissioner Millet as Vice Chair RESULT: APPROVED MOVER: Mark Ferguson, Chair SECONDER: Kevin Rau, Commissioner AYES: Lori Brown, Mark Ferguson, Kevin Rau 4. MEETING MINUTES: APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FOR JUNE 3, 2024 Study Session Meeting Action Minutes- July 1, 2024 Page 1 of 1  PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MOTION was made to approve the minutes as presented. RESULT: APPROVED MOVER: Mark Ferguson, Chair SECONDER: Kevin Rau, Commissioner AYES: Lori Brown, Mark Ferguson, Daniel Millet, Kevin Rau 5. STUDY SESSION REGARDING OPEN MEETING LAW TRAINING: The Open Meeting Law Training was conducted by Attorney Jon Paladini. Commission members participated in the discussion. 6. PLANNING & BUILDING DIRECTOR’S REPORT: Ms. Casadei shared a few announcements with the Commission. 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Ms. Casadei shared a few future items with the Commission. 8. ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 7:11 p.m. Study Session Meeting Action Minutes- July 1, 2024 Page 2 of 2  COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 375 W. Sahuarita Center Way Sahuarita, AZ 85629 sahuaritaAZ.gov Planning & Zoning Commission Staff Report Case No. SA9-24-00002 Commission Meeting Date: August 5, 2024 Agenda Item No. 5 PREPARED BY: Dylan Parry, AICP, Senior Planner REVIEWED BY: Anna Casadei, AICP, Community Development Director RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Commission forward a recommendation of approval to the Town Council. SUBJECT: Public Hearing: Major Amendment to the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan – Pod 33 APPLICANT: Rancho Sahuarita Management Company VIII, LLC PROPOSAL: The Planning Center, on behalf of Rancho Sahuarita, is requesting a major specific plan amendment to the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan (RSSP). The request is to change the land use designation for Pod 33 from low density residential (LDR) to medium low density residential (MLDR) and Public Facilities/Open Space (PF/OS). This would allow Rancho Sahuarita to replat to smaller lots than currently allowed in Pod 33 while the PF/OS portion would be used for a natural open space buffer. BACKGROUND: The Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan was adopted in 1996. The Specific Plan has undergone numerous amendments since its adop�on, the most recent of which was approved in May 2024. Region 9, which includes Pod 33, was plated in 2022. The low-density residen�al land use designa�on for Pod 33 was intended to serve as a transi�on between the Valle Verde Del Norte subdivision and the denser development found in the other areas of the Specific Plan. ANALYSIS: Per Sahuarita Town Code Sec�on 18.90.080.C, a Specific Plan Amendment shall be in conformance with the remainder of the Specific Plan and in compliance with the Town’s General Plan. The applicant must demonstrate that a special hardship has been created that is unique to this property and has occurred due to unforeseen changes in the marketplace, government regula�ons or natural condi�ons since the plan’s adop�on. Market Conditions The applicant has stated that this amendment is necessary as it will allow housing to be built at a lower price point than is possible under the current land use designa�on. The applicant states that narrower lots allow them to spread the cost of the street construc�on between more lots, and the reduc�on in home square footage helps reduce the price point to a level that is more affordable for the average home buyer. They also stated that they have been unsuccessful in marke�ng the property to home builders as the home builders do not believe the larger lots are marketable. The applica�on explains that market condi�ons have changed since the adop�on of the Specific Plan related to decreasing affordability for the median household income. Density Analysis The Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan allows two by-right op�ons for reducing lot sizes. The first is a transfer of density that permits unused density from other areas of the Specific Plan to be transferred to a receiving area. The receiving area is then allowed to develop under the standards of the next highest land use designa�on. The current plat for Region 9 uses a transfer of density, allowing the Low Density Residen�al (LDR) pod to develop at Medium Low Density Residen�al (MLDR) density with a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet instead of the 35,000 square feet required for LDR. In addi�on to the density transfer provision, the Specific Plan allows a 20% lot size flexibility op�on by-right. This op�on allows the developer to reduce lot sizes by 20% with an equivalent area set aside as open space/recrea�on. The current plat also uses the lot size flexibility op�on to further reduce the 8000 square foot lots to 6400 square feet. This amendment will change the land use designa�on for Pod 33 from Low Density Residen�al (LDR) to Medium Low Density Residen�al (MLDR). If this amendment is approved, Rancho Sahuarita will replat the por�on of Region 9 found in Pod 33 to reduce the lot widths from 67’ and 55’ down to 45’ and 40’, decreasing the lot sizes from 6,600 to 4,800 square feet using both the density transfer provision and the lot flexibility op�on. This would increase the number of lots by approximately 43 lots. While the amendment would allow lots as small as 4,000 square feet, the standard lot depth for produc�on homebuilders is 120’. With most of the new home products currently being offered requiring at least 40’ of lot width, it is unlikely that the lot sizes would be plated smaller than 4,800 square feet. A comparison table has been provided below showing the development standards for the LDR, MLDR, and MDR land use designa�ons. Minimum Lot Lot Flexibility Maximum Building Front/Rear Size Option Height Setbacks LDR 35,000 sq. ft. 28,000 sq. ft. 29 ft. 30/40 ft. MLDR 8,000 sq. ft. 6,400 sq. ft. 29 ft. 20/20 ft. MDR 5,000 sq. ft. 4,000 sq. ft. 29 ft. 20/20 ft. Page 2 of 4 August 5, 2024 Buffering As part of a previous administra�ve amendment to remove the selec�ve grading requirement for Pod 33, a 120’ natural open space bufferyard was required along the boundary with Calle de Julio. The southernmost row of lots was also restricted to 20 lots or to a single story. In keeping with this requirement, Rancho Sahuarita will be restric�ng the southernmost row of lots to a single story and will be designa�ng the 120’ buffer north of Calle de Julio as open space. These restric�ons will provide a buffer between the 1-acre lots in Valle Verde Del Norte and the lots in Pod 33. The applicant has also stated that the southernmost lots will be larger 5,400 square-foot lots. The applicant provided a viewshed analysis demonstra�ng that with the 120’ open space bufferyard and the 1-story limita�on, the visual impact to the Valle Verde del Norte subdivision is minimal. General Plan Analysis In their applica�on, the applicant provided several policies from the Town’s General Plan that support this request, including the following: • LU 4.3: Promote new development that is compatible with existing land uses, ensuring that future development continues to promote the character, identity and sense of place that makes Sahuarita a distinct community. This amendment is supported by LU 4.3 as the smaller lot sizes would be compa�ble with the exis�ng development in Rancho Sahuarita. The open space bufferyard will maintain compa�bility with the Valle Verde Del Norte subdivision to the south by providing addi�onal space between the exis�ng homes and the new, smaller lots, reducing the poten�al for impact on the more rural lifestyle of that subdivision. • LU6.1: Continue to support the development efforts of adopted Specific Plans. This amendment would allow the developer to market the lots in Pod 33, suppor�ng the development efforts of the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan. Conclusion Overall, staff finds that this request is supported by several policies in the Town’s General Plan and that the proposal is consistent with the established housing types and paterns in Rancho Sahuarita. The 120’ bufferyard along with restric�ng the southernmost row of homes to single story with minimum 5400 square-foot lots will limit the impact to the Valle Verde Del Norte community. The applicant has demonstrated that Pod 33 has been affected by the changes in the market due to the cost of housing. Housing costs have risen significantly making larger lots more difficult to market. Repla�ng to smaller lots allows the homes to be sold at a lower price point because the cost of the home is reduced with the reduc�on in lot size. Allowing the developer to replat the lots to the size that is currently being developed throughout Rancho Page 3 of 4 August 5, 2024 Sahuarita allows the lots to be developed and sold at a price point that the home builders are seeing a demand for. PROCEDURAL INFORMATION: The Specific Plan Amendment requires two separate public hearings, one before the Planning and Zoning Commission and another to be held by the Town Council. At the first public hearing, the Commission will make a recommendation, which will be forwarded to the Town Council. The Town Council will hold a subsequent public hearing and will make a decision on the request. PUBLIC INPUT: The applicant held a neighborhood meeting on April 30, 2024, at Club Rancho Sahuarita. Four neighbors attended the meeting, and a fifth neighbor contacted the applicant the next day. A summary of the neighborhood meeting was provided to staff with the application (attachment 2). The summary did not indicate that the residents had any major concerns with what was being proposed. Public notice was provided in the Green Valley News on July 21, 2024. The applicant posted signage on the site. To date, no public input has been received. Any input received will be provided to the Commission prior to or at the public hearing. REQUIRED ACTION: The Commission shall hold a public hearing, determine whether the proposed Specific Plan Amendment is in the best interest of the community, and make a motion to forward a recommendation to the Town Council. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Commission forward a recommendation of approval with conditions of the Major Specific Plan Amendment to the Town Council. RECOMMENDED MOTION: “I move to recommend approval of the Major Specific Plan Amendment to the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan for Pod 33, Case Number SA9-24-00002, with the following conditions: 1. The secondary emergency-only access to Calle de Julio must be paved with asphalt in accordance with the Town’s emergency access policy. 2. The southernmost row of lots will be restricted to 1-story maximum building height and 5,400 square feet minimum lot area.” Attachments 1. Applica�on 2. Neighborhood Mee�ng Materials Page 4 of 4 August 5, 2024  Agenda Item 5, Attachment 1 June 19, 2024 Mr. Dylan Parry Senior Planner Town of Sahuarita 375 W. Sahuarita Center Way Sahuarita, AZ 85629 SUBJECT: RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT REVISED AMENDMENT REQUEST (TPC Job No. RSA-33) Dear Dylan: Thank you for your comments from our first submittal of the request for a substantial amendment to the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan (RSSP) to allow Rancho Sahuarita to provide more marketable and lower cost housing opportunities in Region 9C South. The following amendment request is a modified version of our previous submittal letter that responds to your comments/requests for additional information. This amendment requests that the Low Density Residential (LDR) designation in Pod 33 be changed to Medium Low Density Residential (MLDR) without increasing the overall dwelling cap currently allowed. Upon approval of this amendment, Rancho Sahuarita could then amend portions of the Final Plat for Entrada Del Toro recorded in Sequence Number 20222350037. Justification for the Amendment: Housing affordability and supply are major concerns for many residents in our region. Increased demand has led to rising home prices and rents, making it increasingly difficult for the average homebuyer to afford a place to live. Rapidly rising costs of materials, labor, and high interest rates have combined to drive up overall housing costs while the average household struggles to keep up with inflation and cost of living. Rancho Sahuarita has long stood out in the region’s housing market, offering affordable housing in a highly amenitized master planned community. This achievement has been established by providing attractive homes on compact lots at a budget-friendly cost coupled with high-quality open spaces, parks, and amenities for its residents. 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 1 The original RSSP contemplated a density transition with the two southernmost pods designated Medium Low Density Residential (34) and Low Density Residential (Pod 33). In 2021, Rancho Sahuarita worked with Planning staff to administratively amend the RSSP to remove the selective grading requirement for Pod 33 in exchange for a 120’ buffer along the southern boundary of the Specific Plan, where it abuts Calle de Julio. As we discussed then, this 120’ buffer provides a superior transition from the RSSP to the established Valle Verde del Norte subdivision to the alternative of placing homes directly along Calle de Julio. We fully intend to continue to honor this commitment and are proposing to memorialize it within the proposed amendment, both in exhibit and text form. This is a significant consideration to buffer the impacts of residential development adjacent to existing residential properties south of Calle de Julio. It is Rancho Sahuarita’s desire to replat a portion of Region 9, Entrada Del Toro, into narrower lots. The previously platted larger lots are simply too large, and the homes that would be built on them would be too expensive for the average Rancho Sahuarita homebuyer. In the two years since this plat, we have been actively marketing these 6,600 and 8,040 sf lots to homebuilders, including several who have been previously successful building in Rancho Sahuarita. These builders have told us they do not believe their homebuyers would be willing to purchase these larger lots and are unwilling to risk acquiring and developing them. There is, however, high demand for additional 45’ lots where more modestly sized homes are appropriate and would provide housing at a price point that is more accessible to individuals and families who want to be part of the Rancho Sahuarita community. Narrower lots are inherently less expensive for the obvious reason that they occupy less land, but they are also less expensive to develop. Streets are a large portion of subdivision contruction costs, and if more lots can be placed on the same street, it spreads the cost out between those lots. In other words, the street cost remains the same, but the number of lots can be increased with narrower lots. This brings the cost per lot down. Also, the home size that can be built on a narrower lot is smaller. Fewer square feet equates to a lower price point. All these factors make homes on 45’ wide lots more affordable than 50 or 67’ wide lots. The adjacent property east of these lots (La Villita Specific Plan) was recently approved with similar density and lot sizes as we are proposing for Pods 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34. Despite this more compact lot size, the provided open space ensures that the overall density is well within what is generally considered low density single family residential, and the proposed open space and amenities will reflect the high standards established in the rest of the Rancho Sahuarita community. With the 120’ natural open space buffer, the appearance and impact of the additional homes will be indistinguishable from the previous plat for residents across Calle de Julio. 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 2 In the 2021 amendment request, staff added a provision that the southernmost row of lots be either limited to 20 lots or restricted to single story. In keeping with this, we will limit the southernmost row of lots to single story. While this is considered a substantial amendment to the RSSP, it is in keeping with the community's established housing types and patterns. It is an efficient use of land in a successful, popular community rapidly approaching build-out. When the RSSP was conceived and entitled in 1997, 50’ and 60’ wide lots were the smaller end of the lot size range for homebuilders. There were also more small, local homebuilders building more custom and semi-custom homes. The lot sizes proposed in the LDR designation were not unusual then and were still relatively affordable to buyers. The median price of new homes in the 4th quarter of 1997 was $143,000. In May of this year, that figure climbed to $385,000. Household incomes have not kept up with these rising costs. Per the University of Arizona’s MAP Dashboard, in 2023, only 38.2% of homes sold were affordable to a family earning the median income vs. 60.1% in 2000 (the earliest date shown on the dashboard). This was an unforeseen change in the market. The proposal to reduce lot sizes will allow builders to put additional homes on the market at a lower price point than would ever be possible on larger lots. Several policies in Aspire 2035, Sahuarita’s General Plan support this request: LU-1.1: Encourage high-quality building and landscape design in new development. Rancho Sahuarita maintains its high standards for design throughout the community, and this subdivision will be no exception. LU-4.1: Strongly encourage a wide range of housing types, densities and prices within new developments to support the current and projected populations and to ensure the future stock of affordable housing. Affordability continues to be a challenge throughout the country. This request will result in more homes available in a highly desirable and amenitized community that are affordable to the average homebuyer. LU-3.1: Ensure that all land uses incorporate safe vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle connectivity when and where feasible and appropriate. Region 9 is fully multi-modally connected to the rest of Rancho Sahuarita, and it creates a new roadway connection to the south, improving public safety by providing better emergency access between the existing community to the south and the rest of the community rather than relying on the frontage road as its only connection. 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 3 LU-4.3: Promote new development that is compatible with existing land uses, ensuring that future development continues to promote the character, identity and sense of place that makes Sahuarita a distinct community. The proposed changes will be seamless within Rancho Sahuarita with similar proposed lot sizes as are already platted. The large buffer to the property to the south will continue to provide a transition to the lower density neighborhood to the south. LU-5.7: Where feasible, preserve and integrate regulated riparian and natural areas into site design as an amenity. The preservation of the 120’ buffer along the southern border creates a natural desert transition from the Rancho Sahuarita community to the existing neighborhood to the south. LU-6.1: Continue to support the development efforts of adopted Specific Plans. This proposal will support the efforts of Rancho Sahuarita to get lots in the hands of homebuilders and continue to provide quality housing at an affordable market rate in a highly desirable community. GA-1.1: Prioritize growth in areas with planned or existing infrastructure. All infrastructure is in place to fully support this proposal. Amendment Request: The specific request entails amending Pod 33 from the existing LDR to MLDR. The open space buffer along Calle de Julio would also be memorialized by designating it as PF/OS/Dr in the Land Use Plan and other exhibits in the Specific Plan. This is a significant consideration to buffer the impacts of residential development adjacent to existing residential properties south of Calle de Julio. Specifically, we propose to replat this area to 40’ and 45’ wide lots. We will maintain the 120’ depth, allowing us to use the same lot depths and road network. Only the lot widths would be modified. Therefore, the requested amendment will not change the overall layout shown in the approved plat nor increase the amount of graded land. We also propose to make the southernmost lots (currently platted as lots 806-814 and 891-954) the larger 45’x120’ (5,400sf) lots. These changes would result in an increase of approximately 34 lots in the amendment area. The anticipated lot sizes of 5,400sf would be achieved in the MLDR through the transfer of density provision (RSSP Section VI-G). This would allow units under the overall community cap of 11,680 to be transferred to Pod 33, changing the MLDR density to align with the next highest classification, which is MDR. MDR has a minimum lot size of 5,000sf. The 40’ wide lots (4,800sf) would use this same transfer of density option, plus the Lot Size Flexibility Option (RSSP Section IV.C.9) to reduce the lot size by the additional 200sf. This option requires the provision of active 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 4 open space in an amount equal to the net reduction of lot size. Detailed calculations demonstrating this compliance will be shown in the revised plat. Again, the 120’ buffer will remain platted, providing a large natural open space buffer along Calle de Julio. An exhibit showing the proposed area to be replatted is attached. In the 2021 amendment request, staff added a provision that the southernmost row of lots be either limited to 20 lots or restricted to single story. In keeping with this, we propose to limit the southernmost row of lots (currently platted as lots 927-954) to single story. Also attached are the proposed amendments to the RSSP document, including the amended maps showing the land use designation changes and the open space buffer. Thank you for the opportunity to request amendments to the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan. We are happy to address any questions regarding this request. Upon approval, we will prepare and submit an amended plat for Entrada Del Toro. Sincerely, THE PLANNING CENTER Linda S. Morales, AICP CEO 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 5  LEGEND AREA TO BE REPLATTED LAND USE BOUNDARY EXISTING ENTRADA DEL TORO PLAT 40' WIDE LOTS LOT SIZE BOUNDARY 45' WIDE LOTS PROPOSED PF/OS/DR 40' WIDE LOTS 45' WIDE LOTS PROPOSED NUOS ENTRADA DEL TORO REPLAT 0' 110' 220' NORTH PROJECT: RSA-33 DATE: 06/10/24 FILE NAME: RSA-33_RSSP_REPLAT_AREA_061424.DWG SCALE: 1"-220'-0"  CONCEPTUAL VIEW FROM THE WEST END OF CALLE JULIO LOOKING NORTHEAST AT THE FUTURE HOMES UNDER THE EXISTING ENTRADA DEL TORO PLAT CONFIGURATION 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 1  CONCEPTUAL VIEW FROM THE WEST END OF CALLE JULIO LOOKING NORTHEAST AT THE FUTURE HOMES UNDER THE PROPOSED ENTRADA DEL TORO REPLATTED CONFIGURATION 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 2  CONCEPTUAL VIEW FROM MIDPOINT OF CALLE JULIO OF LOOKING NORTH AT THE FUTURE HOMES UNDER THE EXISTING ENTRADA DEL TORO PLAT CONFIGURATION 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 3  CONCEPTUAL VIEW FROM MIDPOINT OF CALLE JULIO OF LOOKING NORTH AT THE FUTURE HOMES UNDER THE PROPOSED ENTRADA DEL TORO REPLATTED CONFIGURATION 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 4  Development Plan TABLE III-1 RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN LAND USE BY POD MINIMUM LOT SIZE DWELLING POD ZONING ACRES (SQ. FT.) RAC UNITS 1 MDR 38 5000 6 228 2 MDR 18 5000 6 108 3 MDR 97 5000 6 582 4 MDR 20 5000 6 120 5 MDR 67 5000 6 402 6 MDR 59 5000 6 354 7 PI 15 22 * 8 PF/OS 249 0 9 MDR 145 5000 6 870 10 MDR 136 5000 6 816 11 MDR 307 5000 6 1782 12 E 10 0 13 RC 219 22 * 14 MDR 35 5000 6 162 15 MDR 52 5000 6 312 16 MDR 40 5000 6 240 17 MDR 60 5000 6 360 18 MDR 45 5000 6 270 19 MHDR 18 3500 10 140 20 RC 22 22 * 21 E 29 0 22 TC 25 22 * 23 TC 42 22 * 24 TC 63 22 * 25 TC 19 22 * 26 PI 66 22 * 27 PI 155 22 * 28 TC 67 22 * 29 MDR 134 5000 6 768 30 MDR 112 5000 6 550 31 MDR 24 5000 6 98 32 MDR 27 5000 6 138 33 MLDR 41 8000 3 123 34 MLDR 21 8000 3 63 35 MU 265 1500 22 946 36 MDR 9 5000 6 54 37 RC 5.51 22 * DRAINAGE 204 0 RIGHT OF WAY 129 0 TOTAL ACRES 3089.51 TOTAL DWELLING UNITS 11,680 GROSS DENSITY 3.79 * The combined total dwelling units for, PI, RC and TC shall not exceed 2,271 unless density transfer provisions utilized. Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan (Revised 8/97; 11/02; 2/03; 4/06, 4/09, 9/10, 5/18) 46  Development Plan TABLE III-2 RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN LAND USE SUMMARY MIN. LOT MAXIMUM GROSS TARGET LAND USE DESIGNATION SIZE DENSITY DEVELOPABLE DWELLING (SQ. FT.) (RAC) ACRES* UNITS*** MLDR: Dev. Pod 33 & 34 8,000 3.0 62 186 MDR: Dev. Pods 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, 5,000 6.0 1405 8,214 31, 32 & 36 MHDR: Dev. Pod 19 3,500 10.0 18 140 MU Dev. Pod 35 1,500 265 946 RC: Dev. Pods 13, 20 & 37 246.51 TC: Dev. Pods 22, 23, 24, 25, & 28 216 PI: Dev. Pods 7, 26 & 27 25,000 22.0** 236 2,271** E: Dev. Pods 12 & 21 59 0 PF/OS: Dev. Pod 8 249 0 Right of Way 129 0 Drainage - PF/OS/dr 204 0 Maximum Dwelling Cap 11,680 Total Gross Developable Acres 3,089.51 * Gross acreages are approximate. ** The combined total dwelling units for, PI, RC and TC shall not exceed 2,271 unless density transfer provisions utilized. *** Target dwelling units may change depending on actual developable area. Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan (Revised 8/97; 11/02; 2/03; 4/06, 4/09, 9/10, 5/18) 47  Development Regulations Exhibit IV-B.9: Lot Size Flexibility Table MINIMUM REDUCTION OPEN SPACE LOT SIZE DWELLING OPTION (20%) CREDIT TOTALS POD ZONING ACRES (SQ. FT.) RAC UNITS (SQ.FT.) (SQ.FT.) (ACRES) 1 MDR 38 5000 6 228 4000 1000 5 2 MDR 18 5000 6 108 4000 1000 2 3 MDR 97 5000 6 582 4000 1000 13 4 MDR 20 5000 6 120 4000 1000 3 5 MDR 67 5000 6 402 4000 1000 9 6 MDR 59 5000 6 354 4000 1000 8 7 PI 15 22 * 8 PF/OS 249 0 9 MDR 145 5000 6 870 4000 1000 20 10 MDR 136 5000 6 816 4000 1000 19 11 MDR 307 5000 6 1782 4000 1000 41 12 E 10 0 13 RC 219 22 * 14 MDR 35 5000 6 162 4000 1000 4 15 MDR 52 5000 6 312 4000 1000 7 16 MDR 40 5000 6 240 4000 1000 6 17 MDR 60 5000 6 360 4000 1000 8 18 MDR 45 5000 6 270 4000 1000 6 19 MHDR 19 3500 10 140 2800 700 2 20 RC 22 22 * 21 E 29 0 22 TC 25 22 * 23 TC 42 22 * 24 TC 63 22 * 25 TC 19 22 * 26 PI 66 22 * 27 PI 155 22 * 28 TC 67 22 * 29 MDR 134 5000 6 768 4000 1000 18 30 MDR 112 5000 6 550 4000 1000 15 31 MDR 24 5000 6 98 4000 1000 4 32 MDR 27 5000 6 138 4000 1000 3 33 MLDR 41 8000 3 123 6400 1600 5 34 MLDR 21 8000 3 63 6400 1600 2 35 MU 265 22 946 36 MDR 9 5000 6 54 37 RC 5.51 22 * DRAINAGE 204 0 RIGHT OF WAY 129 0 TOTAL ACRES 3,089.51 TOTAL DWELLING UNITS 11,680 GROSS DENSITY 3.79 *The combined total dwelling units for these pods shall not exceed 2,271 unless density transfer provisions utilized. Residential use not allowed in Pod 35 until 2003 General Plan is ratified by voters. Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan (Revised 10/03; 4/06, 04/09, 5/18) 93 The following day, Percell Felton, a neighbor who was unable to attend the meeting, contacted The Planning Center office to inquire about the project. Adam Call spoke with him, described the purpose of the amendment request, and highlighted the plan's major elements, including traffic mitigation, single-story restriction, and natural buffer. Mr. Felton asked about the lot configuration and if any of these homes would be used for low-income housing. Adam explained the lots would remain the same depth and only be narrowed, and that the project would consist of market-rate housing. Mr. Felton had no other questions and expressed support for the project. 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 2  Agenda Item 5, Attachment 2 April 17, 2024 Hello Neighbor, On behalf of the property owner, we invite you to attend a neighborhood meeting to discuss a proposed amendment to the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan (RSSP) to allow narrower lots in Pod 33 at the southern end of the Specific Plan (highlighted in red in the map to the right). Rancho Sahuarita has long stood out in the regionЯs housing market by providing attractive homes on compact lots at an attainable price with high-quality open spaces, parks, and amenities for its residents. In 2021, the subject property was platted with 6,600sf and 8,040sf lots. While the rest of the community was in high demand, these lots have not sold. Rising construction costs and higher interest rates have made these larger lots less attainable for the average new home buyer in Rancho Sahuarita. However, the demand for homes for slightly smaller lot sizes remains strong. For this reason, the property owner is seeking to amend the RSSP and the approved Entrada Del Toro plat to allow for narrower lots. The lot depths and the proposed streets will not change from the approved plat, only the widths. And, most importantly, 120Я of undisturbed desert will be maintained along the entire southern boundary of Rancho Sahuarita, providing a natural buffer between Calle de Julio and the homes. The proposed RSSP amendment will change POD 33Яs land use designation from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Medium Low Density Residential (MLDR). The MLDR designation allows for smaller lot sizes that align with the current demand. Despite this more compact lot size, the provided open space ensures that the overall density is well within what is generally considered low density single family residential, and the proposed open space and amenities will reflect the high standards established in the rest of the Rancho Sahuarita community. TURN PAGE 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 1 Please join us: TUESDAY, APRIL 30 T H 5:30 PM CLUB RANCHO SAHUARITA 15455 South Camino Lago Azul Representatives of the owner will be present to discuss the proposed project and site plan, the specific plan amendment process and answer any questions you may have. If you cannot attend the meeting and have questions, please donЯt hesitate to contact me at the information provided below with your questions or comments, and we can arrange an alternative time to discuss the proposal. Comments on this proposal may also be submitted to the Town of Sahuarita Planning and Zoning Division by Mail: 375 West Sahuarita Center Way, Sahuarita, AZ 85629; or Phone: (520) 822-8857. Additionally, comments may be made verbally and/or in writing at an upcoming public hearing to be announced. I appreciate your time and look are to discussing this project with you. Sincerely, THE PLANNING CENTER Linda Morales, AICP CEO (520) 623-6146 lmorales@azplanningcenter.com 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 2 RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN Major Amendment Neighborhood Meeting April 30, 2024 PROJECT LOCATION W Sahuarita Road Boulevard S Rancho W El Toro Road RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN BOUNDARY PROPOSED AMENDMENT AREA LEGEND Subject Property (+/-70 AC) Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan Parcels EXISTING CONDITIONS PROPOSED AMENDMENT AREA RANCHO SAHUARITA SPECIFIC PLAN BOUNDARY S Avenida Valle Calle de Julio S Avenida De LEGEND Subject Property (+/-70 AC) Verde del Norte Augusto Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan Parcels EXISTING SPECIFIC PLAN DESIGNATION SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT ENTRADA DEL TORO REPLAT PHOTOSIMULATION – CURRENT LARGE LOT CONFIGURATION PHOTOSIMULATION – PROPOSED REPLAT CONFIGURATION PHOTOSIMULATION – CURRENT LARGE LOT CONFIGURATION PHOTOSIMULATION – PROPOSED REPLAT CONFIGURATION PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS Amendment Planning& Initiation, Mayor and Neighborhood Zoning Application Council Public Meeting Commission Submittal and Hearing Hearing Review RANCHO SAHUARITA Linda Morales, AICP – CEO lmorales@azplanningcenter.com SPECIFIC PLAN 520.623.6146 Major Amendment Neighborhood Meeting April 30, 2024  MEMORANDUM DATE: May 3, 2024 CASE NO: RSA-33 TO: Anna Casadei, Planning and Building Director FROM: Adam Call Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan Major Amendment Neighborhood Meeting SUBJECT: Summar y (SA9-24-00002) This memorandum summarizes the public outreach efforts for the proposed major amendment to POD 33 of the Rancho Sahuarita Specific Plan. A neighborhood meeting was held on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, to discuss the proposed amendment and subsequent replat at the southern end of Rancho Sahuarita. Property owners within 400 feet of the proposed amendment area were noticed by first-class mail 13 days in advance of the meeting. The meeting was held at Club Rancho Sahuarita (15455 South Camino Lago Azul). The meeting began at 5:30 p.m. with Linda Morales and Adam Call of The Planning Center hosting the meeting. Representatives from Rancho Sahuarita attended the meeting in person. Four neighbors attended the meeting: Paul and Mabel La Valley, Alex La Valley, and Tom Elias. Linda gave a presentation on the proposed amendment, detailing the reason for the land use change to allow for a narrower lot width that is more in-line with current home builder demand. She also highlighted the drainage improvements and how the amendment will codify a natural buffer between the subdivision and Calle de Julio to the south and limit the southern row of new homes to one story in height. She also presented a viewshed simulation showing the proposed one-story homes from Calle de Julio, and outlined the Town’s plan amendment approval process. Linda and Adam, along with Mike Bowman from Rancho Sahuarita, answered the neighbor's questions throughout the presentation. The topics of discussion included: • The density and layout of the subdivision with narrower lots, including the limit to one-story along the southern row of houses • Traffic management and pedestrian circulation between the new subdivision and the neighborhood to the south • Wildlife movement along the natural buffer north of Calle de Julio • Drainage and stormwater management and how it relates to groundwater • The timeline for construction After concluding the discussion and with no other questions remaining, the meeting ended at 6:45 p.m. 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com The following day, Percell Felton, a neighbor who was unable to attend the meeting, contacted The Planning Center office to inquire about the project. Adam Call spoke with him, described the purpose of the amendment request, and highlighted the plan's major elements, including traffic mitigation, single-story restriction, and natural buffer. Mr. Felton asked about the lot configuration and if any of these homes would be used for low-income housing. Adam explained the lots would remain the same depth and only be narrowed, and that the project would consist of market-rate housing. Mr. Felton had no other questions and expressed support for the project. 2 E Congress Street | Ste 600 | Tucson, AZ 85701 520.623.6146 | azplanningcenter.com Page | 2