City staff presented a request for a conditional use permit (P‑25‑28 CUP) on July 14 to permit an event center at the southeast corner of Apache Trail and Lost Dutchman Boulevard. The parcel (APN 1‑25‑043E) is zoned B‑1 (general commercial); the applicant proposes to develop the west half of the nearly 5‑acre parcel with a building of 4,927 square feet that would provide mostly open indoor event space and some outdoor event areas. The city scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Staff told council the property currently includes RV and boat storage on the east half and that the applicant intends to keep some storage on the east while developing the west half for events. The applicant complied with notice requirements and held a neighborhood meeting on June 10 that one neighbor attended; staff said it received two emails opposing the project citing traffic and noise concerns. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5‑0 on June 24 to recommend approval subject to conditions in the staff report.

Council members focused on several operational and mitigation questions. Council member Johnson said she had asked the applicant at the neighborhood meeting whether there would be outdoor amplified sound and was told "no." Sydney Rice, Development Services, told council "what the applicant has noted during the development review process is that there wouldn’t be any outdoor amplified music," and said council could make that a condition of approval or could limit outdoor amplification to ceremony use only.

Council members also discussed fencing and screening. The site plan in the packet showed a six‑foot vinyl fence on the east side to screen storage from the event area; Johnson noted condition 3 in the draft conditions requires a six‑foot opaque fence along the south and west borders but does not explicitly repeat the east‑side fence language from the site plan. Staff agreed it could clarify conditions to match the site plan and that the east side is currently shown with a six‑foot chain‑link fence because the applicant intends to retain storage on that half and views it as a temporary condition pending future redevelopment.

Council members asked whether a single driveway and shared parking between the two uses would permit patrons to carry alcoholic beverages between parcels; staff said the businesses would be separate uses and likely would require separate liquor licenses, but that staff would consult with the State Board of Liquor Licenses and Control for a definitive answer. Staff also noted it could restrict outdoor amplified music via the CUP or leave enforcement to the city’s noise ordinance if no condition is adopted.

No formal council action was taken at the work session. The item is scheduled for a public hearing before the City Council on Aug. 5, when the council may adopt, modify or add conditions to the Planning & Zoning recommendations.