Some north Phoenix neighbors are irked by a Phoenix Planning Commission decision to OK a condo complex in their rural desert neighborhood.
The Phoenix Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously recommended approving a rezoning of 17.5 acres at the southeastern corner of Rancho Paloma Drive and Cave Creek Road. The decision would allow Dallas-based Trammel Crow to build a multi-family development on vacant land currently zoned for a maximum of two homes per acre.
The Dove Valley Coalition, which represents 1,300 homes in several neighborhoods in the area, including Dove Valley Ranch, Dove Valley Estates and Ventana, fears the condo complex will set a precedent for high-density development. The group also cites increased traffic and potential damage to natural washes and the Cave Creek scenic corridor as reasons for their opposition.
"It’s just not appropriate," said Kathy Hulka, co-founder of the coalition. "This is supposed to be rural up here, it’s not supposed to be a mini-downtown Phoenix or a Desert Ridge."
Phoenix Planning staff recommended against Trammel Crow’s original request for up to 10 units per acre, and endorsed approval of a maximum of five homes per acre, noting there is a lack of medium-density housing in the area. Staff stated that the planned condo development respects the surrounding area with its site design, desert theme, amount of desert open space and a "significant buffer" to the adjacent residential properties, according to Jacob Zonn, a Phoenix planner for the area.
The 200 home neighborhood directly to the south of the planned condo complex, Colina Del Norte, worked with the developer and agreed to the condominium plans with several stipulations to the rezoning request, including building height, landscaping, street improvements and pool hours, which the planning commission approved.
The Desert View Village Planning Committee on Oct. 3 voted 5-4 against recommending approval of an amendment to the city’s General Plan but approved the zoning change for that specific area by a vote of 7-2. Village planning committees, like the Desert View group in the north Valley, make zoning recommendations to the city council.
"The committee felt that if the next door neighbors (Colina Del Norte) didn’t have a problem with the development it’d be difficult for people who lived farther away to have a problem with it," said Jerry Barlow, who lives in nearby Dove Valley Ranch and has served on the Desert View village planning group for four years.
Hulka said the condos will set a precedent and affect all the neighboring homes, including where she lives in Dove Valley Estates, across the street from the planned condo complex.
"I feel like I’m getting zoned out of here," said Hulka, who has moved north to more rural areas three times in 25 years. "At first I whimpered a little, now I’m fighting. We’re running out of Phoenix to live in."
The City Council at its meeting on Nov. 1 could ratify the Planning Commission’s decisions without a hearing unless an appeal is filed, which the Dove Valley Coalition stated it planned to do before the Oct. 18 deadline next Wednesday. The council meets at 5 p.m. in City Council chambers at 200 W. Jefferson St.
Rebecca I. Allen – Special for The Republic
