Applicant seeks zoning text amendment and conditional-use permit for mixed‑use project on Carefree Drive

An applicant representing property owner Scott Whelan told the Carefree Planning & Zoning Commission that he is proposing a mixed‑use condominium and retail project on a vacant parcel on Carefree Drive and is seeking both a text amendment to the town zoning ordinance and a conditional‑use permit to allow the development.

Alex Hayes, the project presenter, said, "We're discussing AscenaCareFree. This is a proposed mixed use development commercial and residential in the within the Village Center redevelopment area." He described seven buildings containing two condominium units each, with three storefronts fronting Carefree Drive and four buildings oriented to the rear, and said the design preserves an on‑site wash, boulders and existing desert foliage.

Why it matters: The parcel sits inside the town’s Village Center redevelopment area and was identified in the 2023 redevelopment plan as a high‑potential site for residential development. The applicant and staff said the project aims to add residents to support the town center’s retail and services, while retaining street‑front commercial on Carefree Drive.

Project details and zoning request

Hayes said the proposal would allow ground‑floor commercial spaces of about 900 square feet and second‑floor residential units (one‑bedroom units around 900 sq ft; two‑bedroom units about 1,500 sq ft). The project concept shows 33 parking spaces: 11 commercial spaces along Carefree Drive and 14 spaces for residents/guests, with a small requested parking reduction of roughly three spaces. Hayes described materials and massing intended to match the town’s Southwest desert aesthetic and said building heights would remain below the commercial district 25‑foot standard.

The application includes a text amendment to Section 5028(b) of the Carefree zoning ordinance to broaden where new mixed‑use construction is allowed in the Village Center redevelopment area. Hayes said current code permits new mixed use only on buildings that front Easy Street and that the amendment would remove that Easy Street frontage requirement while keeping other guardrails (minimum lot size, setbacks, parking approval method) limited to the Village Center area.

Process and outreach

Staff said the developer held the required neighborhood meeting and that no residents attended. Planning staff and legal counsel have already exchanged comments with the applicant; staff indicated they are generally aligned but will continue refinements. The legal counsel explained the review sequence: a neighborhood meeting, a Planning & Zoning public hearing and recommendation, and then a final decision by the Town Council on any text amendment.

Commission feedback and concerns

Commissioners praised aspects of the design and the preservation of on‑site natural features, but several commissioners questioned the viability of small, mid‑block retail spaces and whether the three commercial storefronts would generate pedestrian traffic or sales tax revenue. Commissioner Lehi said the three front buildings "look exactly like" residences and suggested reconfiguring the frontage to make commercial activity more visually apparent. Commissioners also raised questions about security for units that access from the alley, the choice of carports versus enclosed garages, signage, possible conversion to short‑term rentals, and traffic and circulation tied to driveway alignment with Sidewinder Drive.

The applicant responded that the front units are expected to be retail or small service uses (coffee, yoga, studio) but acknowledged the potential need to allow some office uses if retail demand is limited. He said the project team will continue to refine driveway location and parking during site plan review and that engineering analysis (including wash treatment and drainage) will occur at the later site‑plan stage.

Next steps

The applicant asked the commission for feedback and indicated they will resubmit revised plans after addressing staff comments and commissioner input; staff estimated another few months before the project returns for formal hearings. Planning staff noted the town is simultaneously undertaking a comprehensive zoning ordinance update and that the timing of this private text‑amendment request may require coordination so the new language will apply broadly and not be tailored only to a single proposal.

Quotes (selected)

"They did all the proper notifications, and, nobody attended the meeting," Stacy (town staff) said of the required neighborhood meeting.

"I'm the owner of the property," Scott Whelan said, describing the three commercial storefronts as 910–930 sq ft for two spaces and about 1,100 sq ft for the third.

What remains unresolved

No formal action was taken on the project at the meeting; the item was presented for information and comment. Key technical issues to be resolved before hearings include final parking counts and any requested parking reduction mechanism, driveway alignment with Sidewinder Drive, the detailed treatment of the on‑site wash during site engineering review, and whether the front commercial module should be redesigned to better signal retail use to pedestrians.