Commission approves three zoning text amendments for employment uses, lot coverage and bank drive‑throughs

Queen Creek planning commissioners approved three zoning text amendments during the public hearing portion of the meeting: an amendment to employment-area permitted uses to allow certain office and medical uses, a uniform 10% lot-coverage increase for several large single-family residential districts, and removal of the conditional‑use permit requirement for standalone banks with drive‑through teller lanes.

The first amendment changes the town’s use table to allow general offices and medical/dental clinics in EMP‑A (light industrial) — currently permitted only by use permit — and to allow general offices in EMP‑B (heavy industrial), where such uses were previously prohibited. Staff explained the change followed a market review of neighboring municipalities and aims to modernize employment-area flexibility. The amendment also removed section 4.64’s limit that businesses shall not receive more than three commercial deliveries in a 24‑hour period; staff said the town lacks a practical way to monitor or enforce that limit.

The second amendment raises allowable lot coverage across the R1‑35, R1‑43 and R1‑54 zoning districts by ten percentage points. Planning staff said the change responds to homeowner inquiries following recent accessory‑structure and ADU amendments and aligns Queen Creek more closely with neighboring cities while retaining the town’s equestrian and rural character. Staff described the 10% increase as intended to allow accessory structures, ADUs, and barns without substantially changing neighborhood character.

The third amendment eliminates the conditional‑use permit requirement for standalone banks with drive‑through teller lanes. Staff said the town has processed several of these applications without opposition and that the CUP requirement added an extra discretionary step that was not producing substantive public benefit; the town will retain CUP review for standalone ATMs with drive‑through lanes or other configurations where circulation impacts warrant extra scrutiny.

All three text amendments were presented without public speakers. Motions to approve passed by voice vote in each case; record notation indicates approval and no public opposition.

Votes at a glance: - P-5-7 (text amendment to allow offices/medical in EMP‑A/EMP‑B and remove three‑deliveries limit): approved (motion passed by voice vote; recorded ayes). - P25‑0078 (zoning text amendment increasing lot coverage by 10% for R1‑35, R1‑43, R1‑54): approved (motion passed by voice vote; recorded ayes). - PP20579 (zoning ordinance text amendment to eliminate CUP for standalone bank drive‑throughs): approved (motion passed by voice vote; recorded ayes).

Each item will move forward to the permitting and code‑administration steps specified by town procedures.