Council OKs rezoning for 20,000‑square‑foot office building at Ocotillo and Ellsworth Loop

The Queen Creek Town Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a rezoning and PAD overlay that will allow a new 20,000‑square‑foot, two‑story professional office building on a roughly 2‑acre parcel at the southeast corner of Ocotillo Road and Ellsworth Loop Road.

The request, presented by Les Johnson, principal planner for the town, and Adam Baugh, the applicant’s representative, would change the parcel from C‑2 (general commercial) to the town’s Downtown Core zoning with a PAD overlay. The applicant said the design includes a street‑oriented building, balconies on three sides and about 86 parking spaces, some of which will be provided via an easement agreement with an adjacent property owner.

“The request is to rezone that property to Downtown Core as they’re proposing a 20,000 square foot professional office building on that site,” Les Johnson said during his presentation. He described two pedestrian connections, a covered second‑story deck, and three decorative public art panels as part of the design. “There are 86 parking spaces proposed for the project. Fifty‑eight of those spaces will actually be on‑site,” he added.

Applicant representative Adam Baugh told the council the parcel’s lack of direct street access had limited prior development and that cooperation with the adjacent property owner made the current design feasible. “To drive into this property, you actually have to drive through other people’s properties,” Baugh said. He said an easement agreement is in place to allow use of 14 overflow spaces on the neighboring site.

Council members who spoke during the public hearing praised the design as consistent with the town’s downtown vision. Council Member Padilla moved approval; Council Member Benning seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The planning commission recommended approval 5‑0 at its July 23 hearing, and staff said one neighborhood meeting drew a single attendee who expressed interest in being a tenant and raised no concerns.

The rezoning includes requested deviations tied to the PAD overlay; specifics of those deviations were described in staff materials presented to the council but were not read into the record in full during the public hearing. The applicant intends to provide pedestrian connections to both Ellsworth Loop and Ocotillo Road and to finalize a more direct access to the intersection corner as design work continues.

Council members and staff emphasized the project’s role in filling a longstanding vacant parcel in the downtown core and adding medical/office space the town needs.

The council’s approval authorizes the zoning change and PAD overlay; building permits and final sitework will follow applicable town review and permitting processes.

Council Member Padilla moved approval of Item 10A; Council Member Benning seconded. The vote was unanimous.