Council approves Carter Development office at Ellsworth and Happy amid neighborhood opposition

The Queen Creek Town Council on Feb. 5 approved a rezoning and site plan that will allow Carter Development to build a single‑story office building on a two‑acre parcel at the northwest corner of Ellsworth Road and Happy Road, voting 7‑0.

The approval follows a major general‑plan amendment the council adopted last year that allows limited commercial and office uses on select rural frontage properties along Ellsworth Road. Town staff said the annexation for the property was approved earlier in the meeting and will be effective March 7; the development will proceed under Queen Creek standards once annexation is final.

Chris Webb, attorney for the applicant, told the council the project would deliver “over 17,000 square feet of brand new Class A office space” and would be parked and operated as general office, not retail or restaurants. Webb said the applicant redesigned the building as single‑story, kept the bulk of the building at about 22 feet high with small roof peaks to 26 feet, and located the building toward Ellsworth to maximize separation from the nearest homes. “We are providing large perimeter…