The Casa Grande City Council on January 20 unanimously approved rezoning 23 acres from Community Services to General Industrial at the southwest corner of Gila Bend Highway and Burris Road. The area has seen industrial development in recent years, driven in part by semiconductor supply chain companies. Residential neighborhoods lie to the north.
Industrial Growth on the West Side
The rezoned property sits on Casa Grande’s west side, an area the project narrative describes as having light and heavy industrial uses to the east, along with warehouses and business parks. The city’s General Plan 2030 designates this area for manufacturing and industry. Goals in that plan call for expanding industrial land use and identifying locations for manufacturing growth.
“The city’s current demand for general industrial is significant, and this rezone would expand that available area,” Senior Planner Jaclyn Sarnowski told the council.
Among the recent industrial growth, several semiconductor supply chain companies have established operations on the west side, including chemical and gas suppliers serving TSMC, Intel, and Micron. The city is separately studying Burris Road as a potential route for industrial traffic, with plans to extend it from Interstate 8 north around the airport to Pinal Avenue.
Split Zoning Background
The property owner sought to correct a split-zoning situation dating to 2016. At that time, a portion was zoned B-4 Community Services while the southern section became I-2 General Industrial. That decision preceded the 2021 general plan update and the subsequent wave of industrial investment.
The applicant’s representative, Jessica Sarkissian, explained the issue at the January 8 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Potential users wanted highway frontage, making it difficult to develop the B-4 portion separately. With this change, the full 150-acre parcel is now uniformly zoned I-2.
Nearby Residential Properties
A planned residential subdivision lies north of the site within a Planned Area Development approved in 2006. That development calls for single-family homes and duplexes along Gila Bend Highway, courtyard homes along Burris Road, and some commercial along the highway. The development lacks a Certificate of Assured Water Supply.
Western Manner, an existing residential area, sits at the northeast corner of Gila Bend Highway and Burris Road.
Staff cited these nearby homes and the highway’s role as a gateway to the city when recommending conditions on the rezoning. Those conditions address building appearance, outdoor storage screening, and restrictions on volatile or explosive materials or products near the roadway.
Conditions of Approval
Buildings facing Gila Bend Highway should incorporate some if not all of the following: plane changes, elevation changes, embellishments, accentuated lighting, and color variations. Outdoor storage visible from adjacent properties must be screened by a decorative masonry block wall.
No conditional use permits for storage, utilization, or manufacturing of volatile or explosive materials or products will be allowed within 400 feet of Gila Bend Highway.
Public Comment and Votes
Staff reported no inquiries during the notification period. Outreach included pre-scoping letters sent in October 2025, newspaper publication, mailed notices to property owners, and posted signs on the site. No members of the public spoke during the public hearings at either the commission or council meetings.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-0 on January 8 to recommend approval. The City Council approved Ordinance 1178.474 unanimously on January 20 with no councilmember discussion after the staff presentation.
Future Development Review
The property owner has received interest from potential users but has no specific development planned. The project narrative states the owner may seek to sell the property following the zoning change.
Staff will evaluate development proposals during site plan review. That process will apply buffer areas and standards for surrounding properties.
