Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Industrial Rezone Saltworks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves Salt Works industrial rezoning despite Avondale opposition
Summary
Maricopa County supervisors approved an industrial rezoning and IUPD for a Salt Works indoor salt distribution facility after the applicant and staff described site history, removal of silos, and controls on operations; Avondale officials urged denial citing plan inconsistencies and traffic concerns.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a rezoning to IUPD (industrial) for a Salt Works indoor salt distribution facility located along Lower Buckeye Road, despite formal opposition from the City of Avondale.
Avondale Development Services Director Jody Novak told the board the proposal conflicts with the City of Avondale’s adopted general plan and a specific area plan for that older portion of the city. Novak said the project materials understate the scale of operations — including square footage — and that a traffic study needs updating due to nearby development. She also said recent code enforcement had resulted in demolition of existing silos and that the application still referenced height waivers for structures that no longer exist.
Applicant representative Jessica Sarkisian said the building is roughly 24,000 square feet, that the owner has cleaned up debris and transient encampments on and near the property, and that no outside salt storage is proposed. Sarkisian said truck trips to the site are limited — the traffic study estimated about seven to eight site truck trips per day — and that operations, bag transfers and truck loading occur inside the enclosed building. She said the rail spur is not a guaranteed immediate improvement and would be used only during normal operational hours if installed.
Planning staff explained the site’s split zoning and the need for an industrial zone to accommodate the proposed use. The applicant agreed to perimeter screening, a north‑side block wall requested by a resident, and limitations intended to reduce off‑site impacts. Supervisors discussed the site’s long industrial history, its isolation behind a double‑track Union Pacific line, and the surrounding industrial uses and recent cleanups.
The board approved the rezoning and IUPD with conditions, including required screening and compliance with ingress/egress stipulations noted in the staff report.
