Council delays Harvest Grove zoning after staff flags traffic, character and safety concerns
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Summary
Gilbert staff recommended denying Lennar’s Harvest Grove general plan amendment and PAD rezone, citing traffic, collector‑street design and conflicts with the San Tan Character Area; council continued the case to Dec. 16 to allow more work on TIA, visibility and stipulations.
Gilbert planners and engineers urged caution on a proposed 311‑acre Harvest Grove master plan and PAD rezoning at the Nov. 18 council meeting, and the council granted the developer more time to resolve traffic and character issues.
Staff presented a multi‑disciplinary review that said the applicant’s requested general plan amendment would change roughly 179.37 acres of land use and yield about 1,741 dwelling units. Planning staff and the town engineer identified a series of unresolved issues: traffic and circulation concerns centered on the project’s central spine (Rome Street) and the signalized Rome & Germain intersection; the need to include a Coronado collector alignment to relieve regional congestion; a high concentration of small lots (many under 6,000 sq. ft.) and 125 alley‑loaded houses fronting a collector, which staff said is inconsistent with the San Tan Character Area’s intended rural‑suburban transition; and several technical engineering variances tied to sight distances and substandard street/alley spacing.
Town Engineer Susanna Struble told the council the development could add upwards of 27,000 vehicle trips to the area and, absent mitigation, accelerate capacity problems at Val Vista/Loop 202 corridors by roughly a decade. Staff said recent applicant submittals (including a traffic memo delivered shortly before the meeting) had made progress but had not yet resolved queuing and signal‑timing issues at Rome and Germaine. Planning staff recommended denial unless required conditions (attachment 20 in the staff packet) and further traffic modeling and variance approvals were completed.
Lennar representatives said they have worked with staff for months, added a Coronado alignment after staff pressed the point, and proposed additional mitigation: Lennar said it would fund three traffic signals (Coronado & Germaine; Rome & Germaine; Partridge & Veil Vista) if required, reserve a town well site on the property subject to a defined timeline, and continue working with staff on technical variances. Attorney Brennan Ray and Division President Alan Jones emphasized open space (about 69 acres) and estimated developer contributions including millions in impact fees and projected annual sales‑tax gains.
Multiple residents and former town officials opposed the proposal at public hearing. Concerns included that the plan’s density departs from the San Tan Character Area’s rural intent, that fronting two‑story homes could create light and privacy conflicts with nearby sports fields, and that increased traffic would endanger school and soccer complex users.
After public comment and council discussion, the applicant asked for additional time. The council voted to continue the Harvest Grove general plan and rezoning items to the Dec. 16, 2025 council meeting to allow staff and the applicant to finalize stipulations and the TIA (motion as amended carried 7–0).
