Commission approves Harvest Grove neighborhood commercial corner zoning; staff recommended conventional commercial

The Gilbert Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a neighborhood‑commercial general‑plan amendment and rezoning (GP 2502 / Z 2508) for a roughly 12.5‑acre parcel at the northeast corner of Val Vista Drive and Queen Creek Road.

Planning staff presented the request as a conventional neighborhood commercial rezoning: the applicant sought a change from Residential 2–3.5 dwelling units per acre to Neighborhood Commercial and a rezoning from Single‑Family 35 to Neighborhood Commercial. Because the applicant does not yet have tenants or a building concept, staff said the parcel was better rezoned conventionally; any future development will require design review and site‑specific review under the Town’s land‑development standards.

Keith Newman, planning staff, said the corner is a desirable commercial location: “Town staff is recommending approval of the general plan amendment to change it to neighborhood commercial. And we also are recommending approval of the zone change to neighborhood commercial, creating another commercial corner.” The applicant representative in the meeting, who identified as Brennan Wright (on behalf of Lennar Homes), told the commission the applicant agreed with staff’s recommendations.

The commission voted 6–0 to forward both the general‑plan amendment and rezoning to Town Council with a staff recommendation for approval. Conditions in the staff report were described as standard technical conditions (dedications and design‑review timing) that will be enforced at the design‑review stage.

The commission’s actions are recommendations to Town Council; final approvals will be at a future council hearing.

Sources: Staff presentation by Keith Newman; applicant comment by Brennan Wright; Planning Commission roll call recorded in the meeting transcript.