Planning commission backs Mesquite Mountain Ranch 5 rezoning with 975-unit cap

The Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-0 on Feb. 5 to recommend approval of a rezoning request for Mesquite Mountain Ranch 5 (Case FS24-0765), a roughly 264.9-acre site south of Deer Valley Road between 223rd and 231st avenues, with conditions including stipulations A–C and a dwelling-unit cap not to exceed 975.

Planning staff presented the request and said the site, currently part of the Mesquite Mountain Ranch planned area development (PAD), would be rezoned to a mix of residential low density (R1), residential medium density (R2) and open space conservation (OS1). Staff noted the property lies within the Luke Air Force Base Graduated Density Concept (GDC), which limits the theoretical maximum density to six dwelling units per acre, and therefore a theoretical GDC maximum of about 1,589 units across the site. Staff recommended forwarding approval to the City Council; a related development agreement is scheduled for the Feb. 17 city council meeting.

During the public hearing three residents urged caution. "Once it happens, it cannot be undone," said Ashley Westerbeck, whose family has lived in the area since the 1990s, arguing the rezoning would remove rural protections and increase traffic, noise and pressure on water and emergency services. Kimberly Virostek told commissioners the change would introduce dense development near a community that now has roughly 70 homes, and asked that Deer Valley Road be shifted to avoid immediate impacts to existing front doors and to provide clearer infrastructure plans.

The applicant, who identified himself as the property owner and project representative, said the project was originally zoned in 2006–07 as part of Mesquite Mountain Ranch PAD and that portions have since been excluded or rezoned. The applicant said the theoretical maximum under the GDC is about 1,589 units, but he described the current proposal as roughly 950 to 975 dwelling units and said the development agreement secures a set of infrastructure commitments, including participation in wastewater treatment expansion, construction of additional travel lanes and building the south half of the Deer Valley Parkway right-of-way on the project property. The applicant said the team had worked with the school district to relocate planned school sites and identified three school sites serving the broader area.

Commissioners pressed for clarity on the unit count and infrastructure. Commissioner Perry said she had not seen the development agreement and asked for a clearer comparison between the original PAD and the proposed zoning. Commissioner Nash moved to recommend approval subject to stipulations A–C with a dwelling-unit limit not to exceed 975; the motion was seconded and passed with five votes in favor.

After the vote, a second call to the public drew regional water-supply concerns. Alex Chris Lewandell urged long-term planning for water given pending Colorado River agreements and rapid regional growth. A later commenter reiterated disappointment that a commissioner’s comparison question had not been fully answered.

The Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation will go to the Surprise City Council on Feb. 17, where the development agreement and rezoning will be considered. The commission record shows the recommendation includes the stipulations and the dwelling-unit cap; council action will determine final approval and any additional conditions.