Developers and city staff presented a revised tentative subdivision map for the Grant Line 220 Regional Town Center (RTC) and asked the Planning Commission for direction on reducing the site’s commercial footprint, refining residential density, and resolving design and connectivity issues.

Staff said the application, submitted December 12, 2024, proposes a significant reduction in the commercial area — from roughly 54 acres identified in earlier plans to about 8.1 net acres of neighborhood-serving commercial — and includes about 292 single-family residential lots, two multifamily lots (one of which is proposed to meet affordable housing obligations), a 4.3-acre park (meeting Quimby obligations via land dedication), a fire station sited to improve response times, and a 10.1-acre drainage easement and regional detention corridor that is already recorded and unavailable for development.

Nick Sosa, Senior Planner, summarized the project background and asked the commission for feedback on the applicant’s revised plan. Stan Mette, a principal planner with Wood Rogers representing the applicant, described the economic and physical constraints that motivated the change: the Army Corps of Engineers’ drainage canal, a lack of interest from retailers for the originally envisioned town-center scale, an oversupplied regional retail and office market identified in a market study prepared by the Gregory Group, and competing large-scale developments across Grant Line Road (the Braden project and Cordova Hills).

The applicant and market consultant concluded the site can reasonably support up to about 100,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail; the submitted map reserves an 8.1-acre commercial parcel sized to that approximate square footage. The market study noted 194,000 square feet of existing retail in the subject market area with a roughly 22% vacancy rate and substantial commercial supply approved or under construction in nearby projects. The applicant emphasized the plan’s higher-density residential products (alley-loaded homes, cottage products and multifamily) as a way to provide more attainable housing while preserving connectivity and a park amenity.

Commissioners asked detailed questions and raised concerns before giving general direction to staff. Key discussion points included:

- Parking and visitor access for alley-loaded homes and east-west Paseos: Commissioners asked where guests would park for units that front onto interior Paseos rather than streets. The applicant responded that guest parking is expected to be accommodated on-street at primary residential frontages but the commission requested a more detailed parking analysis.

- Homes adjacent to Grant Line Road and sound mitigation: Several commissioners said backing residential lots up to a major thoroughfare could be poor long-term planning and expressed concern about noise and visual impacts. The applicant stated homes are set back roughly 250 feet and will be elevated; staff noted that future environmental analysis (including a noise study) will determine if sound walls or other mitigation are required.

- Long-term community uses and commercial flexibility: Commissioners urged retaining flexibility for future community needs (for example, places of worship or community gathering spaces) and questioned whether the sharp reduction from 54 to 8.1 acres of commercial land might limit options in the long term. Staff and the applicant noted the market study’s finding that the larger town-center uses are unlikely to be viable at this location and that an 8.1-acre, up-to-100,000-square-foot neighborhood-serving parcel better matches current market realities; commissioners asked staff and the applicant to consider phased or design approaches that preserve some future flexibility.

- Connectivity and public benefits: Commissioners who supported the plan cited the proposed park, trail connections, pedestrian paseos, and the dedicated fire station as community benefits. Staff said the proposed park meets the city’s Quimby requirement through land dedication and that trail and detention maintenance roads will provide multiuse connectivity.

After discussion staff said it would continue working with the applicant to address the commission’s concerns, including performing more detailed parking and noise analyses, reconsidering edge treatments along Grant Line Road, and evaluating whether adjustments to the commercial acreage are warranted. Staff also noted that a specific-plan amendment and ordinance will be required to change the Sun Creek specific plan density requirement; any amendment would be forwarded to city council after the commission’s recommendation.

The commission provided feedback but took no final vote on the map or on a specific-plan amendment at this meeting. Staff will return with more detailed studies and a formal recommendation package when the application is ready for a decision hearing.