Florence council approves major amendment to Skyview Farms planned unit development
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Summary
The Town Council approved a major PUD amendment that consolidates Skyview and Aspen Farms parcels, adds roughly 605 acres, up to 9,975 dwelling units and a mixed‑use district, and updates the circulation and trail network.
The Florence Town Council on Oct. 21 approved an ordinance (No. 773-25) to amend the Skyview Farms planned unit development, combining adjacent PUDs and adding acreage, updated circulation and a mixed-use designation.
The amendment consolidates previously separate PUDs and brings roughly 2,465 acres under a single master plan. The applicant told the council the combined plan would accommodate up to 9,975 residential units (about four dwelling units per acre), roughly 100 acres of new mixed-use and commercial land and about 26 miles of internal trails, including a multi-use Paseo Trail around the project perimeter.
Planning staff told the council the amendment followed required neighborhood notification, a technical advisory committee review and a Planning & Zoning Commission hearing on Oct. 2, where the commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to council. Staff said the amended circulation plan provides a stronger north–south arterial and a robust internal collector loop to reduce internal reliance on regional arterials. The amendment also preserves a right of way for Magma Road where the Arizona State Land Department expressed concern about access to its parcel north of Magma Road.
Rob (Colliers Engineering & Design) and Ty Lesweyr (Lesweyr/Lesware Investments), representing the applicant, described the project history (original entitlements from 2005–06), their intent to square off the project boundaries, and the plan for parks, trail connections to the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal and two school/park joint-use sites. Lesweyr said the family has farmed the land since 2004 and intends to develop a cohesive master-planned community.
Council members asked about park amenities, pickleball and noise, and commercial uses along Arizona Farms Road; the applicant said mixed-use parcels must include at least 25% commercial area to ensure retail and service options would be available. No members of the public spoke during the public hearing.
After a brief council exchange and a clerical correction to the ordinance text, the council moved, seconded and approved the ordinance consistent with staff stipulations.
The council directed staff and the applicant to continue follow-up meetings to reconcile the new PUD text with existing documents and to coordinate future plats, traffic studies, funding for emergency service locations and trail connections.
The vote was recorded as an affirmative council action and the ordinance will be codified in the town records.
