The Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a special use permit (SUP) to allow for a residential housing project on property zoned for commercial use near Shea and Saguaro boulevards in Fountain Hills.

The property is just north of Shea next to the MCO Realty offices on the corner. The site is part of the Redrock Business Center to the east of the intersection and is zoned C-1, neighborhood commercial and professional.

Town Senior Planner Farhad Tavassoli said the developer is proposing 17 two-story residential units within six buildings on the 1.62-acre parcel. He said a garage, great room and kitchen would be on the lower level with bedrooms on the second floor.

Tavassoli said the developer is planning condominiums for sale.

In 2020 the same parcel was the subject of an SUP request for a 67-room hotel on the site. This met with significant neighborhood objection and the P&Z Commission voted unanimously to deny that request.

There was one speaker to the commission, Larry Meyers. He said the congestion at this intersection makes the potential additional traffic an unsafe situation. He also said there were too many unanswered questions regarding the proposed development that should be addressed before allowing the SUP.

As part of the development process, it would not be unusual for an applicant to have incomplete design information at this stage. They would want to know the town was going to allow the SUP before making the significant investment in additional design and study work. It is common for many issues to be addressed administratively during design and plan review by the town engineer.

Commission members did ask staff to consider restrictions for accessing Saguaro Boulevard from the parcel, including a possible one-way in or right turn only onto Saguaro from the driveway, which is fairly close to the intersection.

Residents of the development would have the option to access Shea directly through the Redrock Business Center or off Monterey Drive at the east end of the business park.

The commission voted unanimously to recommend the Town Council approve the permit when it takes up the issue.