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Commission recommends major plan and PUD amendments to enable Dobson Farms tech, industrial campuses
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4–0 to recommend multiple major general plan and PUD amendments to allow industrial, technology and data center uses inside the Dobson Farms master plan area, forwarding the proposals to the Town Council.
The Florence Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4–0 to recommend a suite of major general plan amendments and a planned unit development (PUD) amendment to convert portions of the Dobson Farms master‑planned community to industry district and light industrial uses and to create standards for a proposed Florence Tech Park.
What commissioners approved: The commission forwarded recommendations on four related items: Dobson Farms East (case PZ-25-55), Dobson Farms West (case PZ-25-56), Florence Tech Park at Dobson Farms (case PZ-25-34) and a major PUD amendment to create development standards for approximately 780 acres of the Dobson Farms PUD (case PZ-25-35). Each recommendation passed by voice vote, 4–0.
Applicant presentations and reasoning: Julie Vermillion of CVL Consultants, presenting for the property owner Chris Dobson, said Dobson Farms East covers roughly 239 acres and Dobson Farms West about 600 acres; both would change from the 2022 general plan suburban neighborhood designation to industry district to allow general industrial and data center uses. Vermillion estimated the entitlements for the two parcels could support about 800 jobs and projected roughly $10 million in annual sales tax receipts, plus development impact fee revenue estimated at about $500,000 for police, $1.4 million for fire and $2 million for road improvements over ultimate buildout, based on current schedules.
Gary Hayes and Rich Montague, representing Ryan Companies and the Florence Tech Park team, described the Florence Tech Park proposal and a related PUD amendment to establish standards for building form, screening, landscaping and operations. They said the tech/industrial plan would use substantially less water than the residential uses previously allowed: the presenters stated that combined water demand for the revised program across the Dobson Farms area would be about 1.16 million gallons per day compared with a previous plan estimate near 3.2 million gallons per day — a reduction the team cited as a benefit of converting the site to industrial and data center uses.
Development standards and clarifications: The PUD amendment would add permitted uses (data centers, battery/energy storage, training/conference facilities, labs, certain manufacturing and emergency generator fuel storage for backup power). The applicants asked for specific standards commonly used for tech/industrial facilities: higher building heights for some uses (the applicants requested up to 60 feet for light industrial and up to 85 feet for data centers), adjusted landscape and setback standards (e.g., 30‑foot street setback, 15‑foot side setback, and zero interior/rear setbacks where parcels adjoin similar industrial uses), minimum screening and masonry wall requirements, and parking/loading standards tailored to light industrial uses.
Commission questions and staff notes: Commissioners asked about coordination with ADOT and the North‑South Corridor/Central Arizona Parkway alignments; Vermillion said the property owner has been coordinating with ADOT and hopes some development will occur before full corridor construction. Staff noted SRP requested coordination on site designs near electrical infrastructure and the need to finalize how the PUD amendment will be packaged (a separate chapter of the Dobson Farms PUD or a standalone document). Staff also confirmed that landscaping standards would follow Dobson Farms PUD standards but would be adapted for industrial uses; turf would be limited and allowed mainly in employee amenity areas.
Public input and outcome: No members of the public spoke on these items at the hearing. Commissioners emphasized economic development and job creation; Commissioner Lehman and others voiced support for bringing employment opportunities to town. Motions recommending approval for each case were made and seconded; all four items were forwarded to the Town Council for final action.
What’s next: If the Town Council approves the amendments, applicants will return with zoning and design review steps, coordinate with ADOT and SRP for infrastructure and rights‑of‑way, and follow any staff stipulations on PUD packaging and administrative design‑review changes per new state law.
