Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - December 4, 2025
Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - December 4, 2025
The Planning and Zoning Commission met on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at a regular meeting. Commissioners Perry, Holland, and Bash were present, along with Chair Chapman. Commissioners Leonard and Vice Chair Spotted had excused absences, leaving a quorum of four members. The meeting included approval of the 2026 meeting calendar, tabling of the previous meeting's minutes, and a public hearing on a rezone request.
Consent Calendar
- The Commission approved the 2026 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting calendar (motion passed 4-0). Chair noted that January and April meetings would shift due to holidays.
- The minutes from the November 6, 2025 meeting were tabled until the next meeting because the commission lacked a quorum to approve them (Commissioner Holland had been absent at that prior meeting).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the call to the public on non-agenda items.
- No public testimony was given during the public hearing for the rezone case.
Discussion Items
Rezone Case FS25-0420 - Mandu Ranch (southeast corner of 147th Avenue and Beardsley Canal):
- Staff presented the request to rezone a 14.88-acre vacant site from Residential High (RH-15 with PUD) to Residential Medium (R2 with PUD). Staff noted the recommendation language in the written report was incorrect but the presentation slide contained the correct language.
- The property currently allows up to 115 multifamily units. The applicant, Oakwood Homes (represented by attorney Andrew Yancey), proposed a downzone to approximately 92 single-family lots (92 units), reducing density. The R2 zone with a PUD overlay was requested to allow a reduced garage setback from the drive aisle (3 feet instead of 9), consistent with a recently approved zone text amendment (Case 241275).
- Key features: two access points (full access on 147th Avenue and a local street connecting to the east), a bridge over a natural wash providing connectivity, and amenities including a multi-use sport court, tot lot, cornhole court, ramada, and a trail. The applicant noted the project exceeds the city's PEDs requirement by providing four amenities instead of the required three.
- Commissioner Perry inquired about traffic: a study showed 60% of trips go north on 147th Avenue to Happy Valley Road and 40% east via McMicken Way. The applicant will add a southbound left-turn lane on 147th Avenue. Commissioner Holland asked about ownership; the attorney confirmed homes will be fee-simple ownership (build-to-sell, not build-to-rent). Commissioner Holland expressed support for the project but suggested a splash pad; the attorney cited high costs due to required bathroom facilities. Commissioner Perry asked about timeline; the applicant hopes to start construction in 2026 and have move-ins in 2027.
- No members of the public spoke during the hearing.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to recommend approval of the rezone (Mandu Ranch, Case FS25-0420) subject to stipulations A and B as outlined in the staff report. The motion passed 4-0. The recommendation will go to the Mayor and City Council for final action.
- The meeting was adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Like to call to order this planning zoning commission meeting on this Thursday, December fourth two thousand twenty-five. And a secretary, could we have uh roll call? Commissioner Perry? Here. Commissioner Holland. Here. Commissioner Leonard. He has an excused absence. Chair Chapman. Here. Vice Chair Spotted. He also has an excused absence. Commissioner Bash. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. Do you please uh stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for just stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Um Dr. Abrams, do we have any uh reports or events? Commissioner Chair, no no reports tonight. Okay. Thank you. With that, uh, we'll have a call to the public. Anyone that is in the public that'd like to uh speak on a non-agenda item. This would be the time to do so to Renee. Do we have anyone that would like to speak? No, Chair Chapman. Okay, thank you. We shall start with the consent agenda, and uh this is regarding our minutes. Actually, consent agenda um number one is consideration and action to approve or disapprove the twenty twenty-six planning and zoning commission meeting calendar. Uh would appear that we do not have a quorum to make a vote on this, so we would like to table the minutes until our next meeting, and we have a quorum because I think we can vote on this one. This is the next one we can't vote. Is that correct? Yes. Oh, the next one. Yeah, this one this one we can't for the dates coming up. Oh, I'm excuse me. Okay, we're good. Do we have any questions? Chair. Yes. Chair Commissioners just want to point out uh a few meeting dates on this uh calendar agenda for P and Z meetings, and that's the meetings in January. They're not on our typical first and third Thursday due to the um first meeting would have fallen on New Year's Day. So we're sort of shifting that a lot around in the same thing for April. The second meeting in April is actually um on the fourth Thursday of the month. Okay, thank you. Now we'll get to the minutes, which are usually the first thing.
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