Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – May 8, 2026

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on May 8, 2026, to consider two conditional use permits for restaurants, a rezone request for a church campus, and a work session on a new desert rural zoning district. All votes were unanimous except for the rezone, which passed 6-1.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the April 23, 2026, meeting (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made on agenda items during public hearings.
• Non-Agenda Item: Alex Christ (resident of 175th Avenue) spoke in support of the city staff's work on the desert rural overlay and praised the mayor for improving meeting decorum. He also noted that Surprise was ranked #10 nationally and #1 in Arizona for in-migration.

Discussion Items

• Conditional Use Permit – Chipotle (FS25-0682): A CUP with site plan for a Chipotle restaurant with a drive-through at the southwest corner of 163rd Avenue and Pat Tillman Boulevard. Staff confirmed the proposal meets all LDO and Asante PAD requirements, with no public opposition. The commission approved the motion (7-0) subject to stipulations A–E.
• Conditional Use Permit – Farmer Boys (FS25-0457): A CUP for a Farmer Boys restaurant with a drive-through at the same intersection (a few parcels north). Staff reported similar compliance and no public feedback. The commission approved unanimously (7-0) subject to stipulations A–E.
• Rezone – Pure Heart Church (FS24-1442): A request to rezone 10.7 acres from Rural Residential (RR) to Community Commercial (C2) at the southwest corner of 163rd Avenue and Dynamite Boulevard. The applicant, Pure Heart Church, plans to develop a church campus with two commercial buildings along the frontage to support the church’s mission and offset infrastructure costs.
  • Commissioner Perry expressed concern that the C2 zoning could later be sold and used for incompatible commercial development, citing examples in other cities. He noted the area is currently rural and residents want to preserve its character.
  • Applicant Adam Baugh explained that the commercial component is integral to the church’s plan and helps fund necessary off-site improvements. He and Pastor Mark Hendrix emphasized the church’s commitment to being a good neighbor and that they would retain control over tenant selection.
  • Commissioner Holland discussed potential stipulations to limit building height and require that all other buildings on the parcel support church uses, but staff noted that such restrictions might not be legally enforceable without a PAD. The church agreed to limit building height to 40 feet (as per code).
  • The commission voted to recommend approval to the City Council, with six votes in favor and one opposed (Commissioner Perry).
• Work Session – Desert Rural Zoning Text Amendment (FS25-0039): Staff presented the second of two work sessions on establishing a new Desert Rural (DR) zoning district. Key topics included:
  • Accessory Structures: Staff proposed increasing the maximum size from 3,000 to 6,000 square feet, with a conditional use permit for any larger structures. The commission agreed to this approach and asked for visual examples.
  • Livestock Regulations: Staff proposed distinguishing between large and medium livestock (large: horses, cattle; medium: sheep, goats, etc.) and allowed up to 1 large and 6 medium per half-acre of dedicated space. Commissioner Holland raised concerns about enforcement, and Commissioner Bash suggested using national standards. Community representatives Willie and Michelle provided feedback, noting that Cave Creek uses similar definitions. The commission directed staff to continue refining caps and definitions with community input.
  • Design Standards: Staff proposed allowing more flexibility for fencing, driveways, dust control, and parking of work trucks. The commission supported these changes.
  • Transportation: A new rural roadway cross section was proposed for local roads (minimal paving, no curb/gutter, no streetlights), while major arterials will retain standard improvements.
  • No formal vote was taken; staff will incorporate feedback and present a final draft at a future public hearing.

Key Outcomes

• Approved conditional use permits for Chipotle and Farmer Boys (both 7-0).
• Recommended approval of the Pure Heart Church rezone to the City Council (6-1).
• Directed staff to continue work on the Desert Rural ZTA, with specific direction to: (1) include a 6,000 sq ft cap on accessory structures with a CUP option, (2) develop animal caps based on standards and community input, and (3) provide visual aids and examples in future presentations.
• Commissioner Bash requested a future information item on the city’s stance regarding data centers.

Note: The meeting date provided in the instructions (2026-05-08) differs from the date stated in the transcript (May 7, 2028). This summary uses the date given in the instructions.