TO: Chair and Planning Commission
FROM: Eva Cutro, Community Development Director
DATE: July 21, 2015
CONTACT:
Staff Contact
Eva Cutro, 480-348-3522
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Work Study Session - Special Use Permit Major Amendment
Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley
7000 E Lincoln Drive (SUP-15-01)
Body
Background
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the study session is to review the Open Space Plan and EPCOR Will-Serve letter for the proposed amendment to the Ritz-Carlton Special Use Permit.
The Statement of Direction states:
E. Perimeter Setbacks/Open Space
An Open Space Element shall be provided by the applicant. It shall address both private and public open spaces, passive and active recreation, and undeveloped/natural areas. The Resort Guideline for open space is 40%. The Commission shall review this element and also consider landscape buffering as a transition from the large scale development along the eastern border with the City of Scottsdale.
The Resort Guidelines state:
Open space, which shall consist of land and water areas retained for active or passive recreation purposes or essentially undeveloped areas retained for resource protection or preservation purposes, a minimum of 40%
The applicant provided the attached Open Space Plan. It illustrates total open space at 57% or 60.3 acres. This satisfies the Open Space Guidelines and Statement of Direction; however, this plan will need to be updated should other site plan revisions occur. Staff believes there is ample open space on the site and future site plan revisions should not bring the open space percentage below 40%.
The Statement of Direction states:
G. Additional Review Items
Any necessary upgrades for potable water supply shall be explored.
The applicant provided the attached Will Serve Letter for Water Service from EPCOR to satisfy this SOD requirement.
Background:
History
The property located at 7000 E. Lincoln Drive was annexed into the Town in 1964. In 1987 the Town Council granted a Special Use Permit and re-zoning for Sun Valley Resort a mix of resort units, residential lots, and a golf course. The SUP allowed for up to 500 resort keys, 39 R-43 cluster plan lots, and a golf course. Although an entrance circle on Indian Bend Road was constructed, no further development occurred.
In 2008 the Town Council granted an amendment to the existing Special Use Permit to allow for a resort community, including: a resort hotel with 225 rooms, spa, restaurants, and meeting space; 100 resort patio homes; 46 luxury detached residential homes, 15 one-acre home lots; and, site improvements including parking, landscaping, and lighting and, improvements to site infrastructure. No development occurred.
In 2012 the Town adopted a new General Plan. The General Plan categorized this property as one of the new Development Areas, intended to focus resort development into targeted areas that are most appropriate for accommodating the variety of land uses associated with such use. The General Plan further states, Development Areas are meant to encourage new resort development that reflects the Town’s needs for fiscal health, economic diversification, and quality of life.
Request
On May 4, 2015, Five Star Development Resort Communities applied for a major amendment to the Ritz-Carlton SUP. The amendment to the SUP includes a mix of resort, residential, and retail uses on the approximately 105 acre site.
Detached single family homes are proposed on the 50 acres bordering Mockingbird Lane and the western portions of Lincoln Drive and Indian Bend Road (Areas B & C). 160 homes are proposed on lots ranging from 9,000 to over 12,000 square feet. Heights are proposed at 24’ maximum.
The center 30 acres is proposed as the Ritz-Carlton Resort and Villas (Areas A & A1). 200 resort units are planned with an additional 80 resort villas to be privately owned, but with the fit and finish of the hotel so they can be part of the hotel rental pool. The resort will also contain a lobby, ballroom, and other resort amenities. Up to 22’ of fill is proposed under the resort allowing the lobby to reach a maximum height of 48’.
The east side of the property bordering the City of Scottsdale contains a mix of stacked residential, mixed use product, and retail (Areas D & E). This 25 acre portion of the site serves as the transition area from the denser uses in the City of Scottsdale. Heights are proposed from 24’ to 48’ and densities include 543,000 square feet of residential and 209,700 square feet of retail including 42,700 square feet of food & beverage and a 36,400 square foot grocery store.
The overall density is proposed at 1,844,650 square feet and 25.7% lot coverage based on “conditioned space”. The Town does not recognize the term “conditioned space” and has encouraged the applicant, going forward, to use the true lot coverage and full square footage including all portions of a structure.
SCHEDULE
A recommended schedule for reviewing this project is referenced in the Statement of Direction. It gives the Planning Commission 120 days from Council approval of the SOD to complete their review and forward a recommendation to the Town Council.
NEXT STEP
The next work session is scheduled for August 4, 2015. At that time the applicant will provide a revised site plan addressing the acreage and lot sizes of Areas B & C (single family residential) and a reconfiguration of Areas A1 & D (resort villas and attached residential). Coverage percentages, lot sizes, and lot setbacks will also be discussed.
The applicant has also submitted an Off-Site Hydrology and Hydraulic study. This study, the updated Traffic Impact Report, and the Parking Study are tentatively scheduled for the August 18, 2015 Planning Commission Work Session.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Open Space Plan dated June 8, 2015
Epcor Will-Serve letter dated July 9, 2015
Statement of Direction - Check List, prepared by Chairman Strom
Neighbor Setback plans and Road Sections dated July 6, 2015 (presented at July 7, 2015 Work Session)
CivTech Power Point on traffic (presented at July 7, 2015 Work Session)
C: - Jason Morris (Applicant)
- Case File: SUP 15-01