Fountain Hills planning commission continues downtown overlay vote after business owners, residents raise parking and property-use concerns

The Fountain Hills Planning and Zoning Commission on April 21 voted to continue consideration of Ordinance 25-02 — the proposed downtown overlay that would create a three-part downtown overlay, including an Avenue District that emphasizes active ground-floor uses — until the commission’s June 9 meeting.

The ordinance, presented by staff, would consolidate existing downtown overlays, allow active storefront uses along primary streets within 50 feet of the right-of-way, raise allowed upper-floor residential density to roughly 30 units per acre, and preserve a special-use-permit (SUP) pathway for other uses. The commission agreed to a 60-day continuance to allow more work on parking, the treatment of large corner lots and development-agreement conflicts.

The draft overlay would limit certain ground-floor uses along the Avenue to restaurants, cafés, taverns, retail and similar “active” uses within 50 feet of the frontage, while allowing other uses through an SUP. Staff said the change is intended to “promote active use along the…