Peoria City Council on Aug. 5 approved two related actions to bring a strip of state trust land known as Parcel C into city limits and to apply initial zoning consistent with county land-use designations. Both motions passed 7-0.

Planning Director Chris Hawkes told the council Parcel C is a roughly 173-acre sliver of state land that had remained in county jurisdiction while surrounding parcels were previously annexed; the annexation consolidates jurisdictional control ahead of master planning for the Peoria Innovation Corps (PIC). Hawkes said the parcel lies largely in a flood channel and will function as open space in the future PIC master plan.

Under Arizona state law, jurisdictions must apply initial or “translational” zoning within six months of annexation that does not increase allowed density or intensity beyond county zoning. Hawkes said the county zoning for the parcel is RU-43 (rural residential, one acre lots) and that the appropriate equivalent in the city code is Suburban Ranch 43 (SR-43); staff recommended applying SR-43 as initial zoning pending the broader PIC entitlement and master-plan process.

Hawkes said the annexation and initial zoning followed the statutory process: staff obtained required authorization from the State Selection Board and Land Commissioner, held the required public hearings (including a Planning & Zoning Commission hearing on July 17, which recommended approval), and conducted the required notices. No public opposition was received at the Planning & Zoning hearing; one member of the public asked during the council hearing about flood-channel constraints and whether buildings could be placed in the area — staff replied that floodway and hillside rules would limit development and that much of the strip would be designated and preserved as open space.

Council approved ordinance actions to complete the annexation (27R) and to apply initial zoning (28R) by unanimous votes. Staff noted that annexation does not itself commit the city to purchase the land; future purchases that exceed current CIP-authorized amounts would require separate council action.