The Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a tentative plat for the Bella Vista Farms Parcels I & J development during their April 17 meeting. The approval allows El Dorado Bella Vista, LLC to move forward with plans for a 737-lot residential development in the San Tan Valley area.
Project Details
The tentative plat covers 200.43 acres located west of Schnepf Road and north of Roberts Road in San Tan Valley. The development will include 737 lots and eight tracts labeled A through H. The property was previously zoned CR-2, CR-3, and MD (Mixed Dwelling) under planning cases approved in 2012 and 2022.
The project falls within the Bella Vista Farms PAD, which was initially approved in 2012 under case PZ-PD-012-11. Parcels I & J overall are zoned CR-2, CR-3, and MD under previously approved planning cases.
Location and Access
The development is located near N. Schnepf Rd. and E. Roberts Rd in San Tan Valley, east of W Hunt Hwy and north of Bella Vista Rd. Primary access to the tentative plat will come from Vista Verde Trail and Schnepf Road. The surrounding area includes existing residential developments zoned CR-2 and CR-3.
During the presentation to the commission, Assistant County Engineer Muhannad Zubi showed photographs of the location. The southern portion of Vista Verde Trail has already been built, with development already present in that area. The northern section, where Parcels I & J will be located, remains undeveloped.
Project History
Bella Vista Farms has a complex development history dating back to 2012 when the original PAD was approved. According to the April 17, 2025 staff report, all previous construction in the project occurred in Development Unit 1. Development Unit 2, which includes Parcels I & J, has not yet seen construction, though entitlement work is progressing in several parcels.
The Bella Vista Farms development has been built in phases over the years. In July 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved a final plat for Bella Vista Farms Parcels G & H, which consisted of 118 lots on approximately 29.8 acres. The property was zoned CR-3 PAD and was part of a larger 555-lot subdivision located north of Roberts Road and east of Gantzel Road in the San Tan Valley area.”
The original PAD allows for a maximum of 7,505 total dwelling units. To date, 2,367 units have already been approved. With this project proposing 737 additional dwelling units, 4,401 units will remain available for future development within the Bella Vista Farms PAD.
Approval Process
The Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval came with 30 stipulations. These include 22 stipulations from the original 2012 zoning case, one from a 2022 zoning case, and seven additional stipulations from the 2022 PAD amendment.
The stipulations address various aspects of development, including road improvements, drainage requirements, right-of-way dedication, and infrastructure standards. Specifically, the project must comply with an approved Traffic Impact Analysis to mitigate impacts on surrounding roadways.
Brandon Sanwick represented El Dorado Bella Vista at the meeting but did not add any information beyond the staff report. No members of the public spoke during the public hearing portion specifically for this agenda item.
Future Outlook
With the tentative plat now approved, El Dorado Bella Vista can proceed to submit their final plat for review and consideration by the Board of Supervisors. According to information in the staff report, the developers intend to start construction document preparation as soon as the Final Plat receives county approval.
The property is intended to be developed by El Dorado Land Development, the master developer of Bella Vista Farms, who will then sell the lots to homebuilders.
The approval represents continued growth in the San Tan Valley area and marks the expansion of Bella Vista Farms into its Development Unit 2 area after years of focus on Unit 1. As development progresses, residents can expect to see further applications for the remaining parcels in the Bella Vista Farms PAD, which still has capacity for over 4,400 additional dwelling units.
