The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended the Town Council adopt a new Planned Shopping Plaza Overlay for the downtown area of Fountain Hills.

The proposed overlay would encompass the area bounded by Palisades, Saguaro and El Lago boulevards and La Montana Drive. This is defined as Plat 208, which is also governed by a separate property owners association.

Smaller properties within the plat, less than 10,800 square feet, are permitted 100 percent lot coverage based on old Maricopa County zoning regulations that were never changed with town zoning.

Staff is recommending that a parking requirement for lots larger than 10,800 square-feet be reduced or eliminated. The recommendation also allows for lot coverage of greater than 60-percent on the lots larger than 10,800 square feet.

The commission sent the recommendation to the council allowing the larger lot coverage, but is asking the current parking requirements remain in place until there is a comprehensive evaluation of the available parking within the plat. The commission may want to revisit the parking when the new data is available.

The downtown overlay would apply specific zoning regulations to properties in the area, including uses, setbacks, building height, etc. The town has a Downtown Area Specific Plan that outlines some of the proposed permitted uses and design guidelines; however, the DASP does not have the force of code. The overlay district would become part of the Zoning Ordinance.

The overlay district code rewrites Chapter 26 of the Zoning Ordinance.

Special use

One of the reasons the Overlay District proposal came forward was to address a request for a mini-storage use in the downtown area.

A property owner has made an application to build an indoor, climate controlled mini-storage facility at Verde River Drive and Parkview Avenue. However, the current zoning does not allow for the mini-storage use within a C-2 zoning district.

A separate provision considered by the commission would allow a mini-storage use in the C-2 zoning by special use permit. The special use permit allows for the commission and council to review the plans and apply specific stipulations to any proposal.

The commission forwarded that zoning amendment to the council with a recommendation for approval. If council approved the change, the applicant would need to return to the commission and council with his SUP application for separate consideration.

The applicant has proposed that the mini-storage facility in the downtown is a good fit to serve small business and apartment dwellers in the downtown.