A new commercial retail plaza is proposed on nearly 18 acres at the southwest corner of east Carefree Highway and North 12th Street in unincorporated Maricopa County.
Preliminary plans have been submitted to the county, but the project requires a rezoning from RU-43 (rural, one dwelling per acre) to C-2 (commercial intermediate district) in order to proceed.
Carefree 12th Street LLC., is proposing that the center would “include retail and restaurants, to meet local demand and create job opportunities,” according to the project narrative.
The conceptual site plan depicts four retail buildings, each ranging in size between 13,000–17,000 square feet, along with three pads at 5,000-square-feet each. The narrative states that prospective occupants for the northern three pads include Chick-fil-A, Raising Canes, Starbucks, Black Rock Coffee, and other similar providers.
A neighborhood meeting is tentatively scheduled to take place in June.
The property is designated as a Commercial Corridor in the Maricopa County Vision 2030 Comprehensive Plan and Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan, according to the narrative.
Carefree 12th Street LLC’s Proposed Site Plans
In order to proceed with the 17.9-acre preliminary site plan pictured above, the project requires a rezoning from RU-43 (rural, one dwelling per acre) to C-2 (commercial intermediate district).
Rendering BY LJA LAND DEVELOPMENT / LJA Engineering, InC
Road Improvements & Center Access
Site access plans show a primary entrance from Carefree Highway along the northern boundary of the site, with three additional access points along 12th Street. Proposed offsite improvements include adding an additional eastbound lane along east Carefree Highway, expanding the roadway to three lanes to improve traffic flow. Right-turn lanes would be added at the property entrances on east Carefree Highway and north 12th Street, per the results of the Traffic Impact Study. The developer would be responsible for installing curb, gutter, and sidewalk within the right-of-way, in accordance with the Maricopa County Roadway Design Manual.
No sewer service exists in the immediate vicinity, so it is expected that a 70-foot by 70-foot septic system will be required at the southeast corner of the site, the narrative states.
By Karen Goveia
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