Queen Creek Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting and Work Study Session - October 22, 2025
Queen Creek Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting and Work Study Session - October 22, 2025
Training and zoning commission held a regular meeting and subsequent work study session on October 22, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Community Chambers. The meeting was chaired remotely by Chairman David Gillette. New commissioner Ashley Baldwin and new Town Attorney Cliff Mattis introduced themselves. The session addressed two public hearings on zoning text amendments, received a planning activity update, and concluded with a work study session featuring a Transportation Master Plan update and communication skills training.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the August 13, 2025 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting minutes.
- Adopted the 2025 Planning & Zoning Commission Policies and Procedures Manual. (Both items passed by unanimous roll call vote)
Public Comments & Testimony
No members of the public spoke during the public comment period or submitted comments for the public hearings.
Discussion Items
- Middle Housing Text Amendment (P25-0126): Principal Planner Sarah Clark presented a staff-initiated text amendment required by HB2721, which mandates municipalities (population ≥75,000) to allow duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and townhomes as permitted uses on single-family zoned lots within one mile of the central business district and on at least 20% of new developments over 10 contiguous acres. Queen Creek's 2020 census population was under 75,000, so the amendment will become effective with the 2030 census. Commissioners discussed parking limits (1 space per unit), floor area ratio minimum (50%), and the amendment's compatibility with existing processes. No public comments were received. The commission voted unanimously to approve.
- Utility Buffer Text Amendment (P25-0106): Planning Manager Eric Swanson presented a staff-initiated amendment requiring enhanced buffering for new utility well sites adjacent to residential development, including an 8-foot wall, 50-foot landscape buffer, single-story homes next to the buffer, and disclosure statements on plats and purchase agreements. For non-residential, a 20-foot buffer is required. The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona opposed all requirements except disclosure. No public comments were received. The commission voted unanimously to approve.
- Planning Recent Activity Update: Eric Swanson reported 92 single-family home permits issued in the previous month, a 4% decrease year-over-year. He noted the approval of a contract with Michael Baker and Associates for the General Plan update, and several staff-approved projects including Rusty Buckle tenant improvements, Homestead Malting (a grain malting facility), and LG Energy Solutions solar panel installation.
- Transportation Master Plan Update (Work Study): Deputy Public Works Director Julian Dresang presented the draft 25-year plan, which envisions accommodating population growth to ~150,000 by 2050. The plan identifies 96 potential projects prioritized through public outreach (800+ survey responses, events). Commissioners discussed traffic projections, particularly the impact of Box Canyon development on Hunt Highway and Power Road. The final draft is expected to be presented to the Town Council in November 2025. No action was taken.
- Communication Skills Training (Work Study): Consultant Cary Pfeffer led a training session on public presence, effective communication, and managing public meetings. Topics included the importance of citizen civics education, conversational explanation of processes, word choice (7%) vs. voice tone (38%) vs. body language (55%), consistent meeting rules, and active listening. Commissioners discussed the value of acknowledging public speakers and representing the town professionally.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous approval of the Consent Agenda.
- Unanimous approval of P25-0126 Middle Housing Text Amendment.
- Unanimous approval of P25-0106 Utility Buffer Text Amendment.
- Received updates on planning activity and the Transportation Master Plan; the TMP will proceed to Town Council in November.
- Participated in communication skills training; no decisions made during the work study session.
Meeting Transcript
Hey, David, can you hear us okay? That's a little bit better. So we'll start just a minute. And then when you need to speak, obviously just unmute it. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Before we call the uh call to order the meeting, uh, we'd like to acknowledge that Chairman David Gillette is meeting is uh meeting remotely with us, and he'll put participate tonight um via telephone. David, can you can you hear us? Are you are you there? I can, yes. Excellent. Uh we're gonna miss you, David. We the uh chairmanship will be less handsome and less smart without you tonight, but we do appreciate you not sharing your pathogens with the rest of us. You're welcome with us all relative, though. Also, we'd like to acknowledge that we have a uh a new chair person, Ashley Baldwin. Uh would you mind taking a moment to just introduce yourself briefly? Let's talk? Okay. Yeah, just talk. Go ahead. Yep. Um yes, my name is Ashley Baldwin. We are we own the Naughty Barn, which is a wedding venue. We've owned this. This will be our fourth season. We've lived in Queen Creek for five and a half years, and in Arizona for thirteen. We love being here. We love the uniqueness of Queen Creek. Um we love raising our family here. We have si I have six kids. My oldest is twenty and my littlest is six. So big it's fun to play adult and little kid. And um we're both Meme Hasner from Idaho, I'm from North Idaho standpoint, husband's from kind of Blackfoot, Rexburg area. And yeah, we're here to stay, and I'm excited to be a part and learn and get to know different things that I didn't. So great. Thank you. Appreciate that very much. Uh, we'd also like to um acknowledge Cliff Matisse, um, the new town attorney, and you'll be attending our our meeting tonight. And uh Cliff, would you like to take a moment to briefly introduce yourself? Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the commission. Uh yes, Cliff Mattis, new town attorney. I'm in my third week. Uh and I'm honored to join you on a regular basis. And so we'll see more of each other. And uh quite pleased with uh meeting all the staff over the last couple of weeks, and I look forward to our work together and serving you and serving the community. So thank you for having me. Thank you, and thank you for the correction of your uh uh the pronunciation of your last name. Mattis, is that correct? Uh yes, I'll try to remember. Thank you.
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