The Casa Grande Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a series of requests to rezone approximately 66 acres of land at the southeast corner of Bianco Road and Illinois Road from rural to industrial use, advancing the city’s vision of becoming Pinal County’s premier industrial and commercial hub while working to protect neighboring residential interests.
Rezone is south-east of Bianco Rd. and Illinois Rd.
The rezoning request, which will change the designation from General Rural to General Industrial (I-2), comes as part of a broader annexation effort. Commissioner Garrett Aldrete emphasized that this is early in the development process, noting that while the exact nature of future development remains unknown, the commission has put conditions in place that will allow for proper oversight.
During the public hearing, residents from the nearby North Lucky Horseshoe Lane community voiced concerns about the change. Bob Kennedy, representing a neighborhood of eight or nine houses on acre-and-a-quarter to two-acre lots with horses, reported that approximately all 15 area resident attendees opposed changing the rural designation at a recent community meeting.
The commission’s decision must also consider Desert Carmel to the west, a very large platted subdivision within unincorporated Pinal County. Planning Director Paul Tice explained that because Desert Carmel was platted pre-groundwater act, it can be developed without Certificates of Assured Water Supply (CAWS). While currently underdeveloped, there has been recent interest in residential development as infrastructure, including sewer lines, extends closer to the area.
To address compatibility concerns, the commission attached specific conditions to the rezoning, including prohibiting conditional uses involving volatile or explosive materials. Additionally, any outdoor storage must be screened by decorative masonry block walls that match or complement the site’s architecture along Clayton and Bianco roads.
“We have to be very careful to make sure that it’s compatible,” Tice said regarding the industrial-residential boundary. “We’re going to have to think about good masonry walls, good trees, additional setbacks. We’re going to be sensitive to the building height, all of those issues which can be considered at the time of the major site plan.”
“When it gets further into it as far as site plan, some of those issues are going to be able to be mitigated,” Aldrete added during the meeting, highlighting the commission’s commitment to balancing industrial growth with residential protection.
Planning staff emphasized that when specific development proposals come forward, they will require additional review through the Major Site Plan process to ensure appropriate buffers and standards protect neighboring properties. While current landscape code requires a minimum 15-foot buffer, Tice indicated that staff and the commission would likely seek more substantial buffers given the transition between industrial and residential uses.
The rezoning request, along with related General Plan amendments, will now move to the City Council for final consideration at their February 3rd meeting.
