The Florence Planning and Zoning Commission approved the preliminary plat for the Monarch planned unit development on February 6, 2025.
The 513-acre Monarch development, located at the southeast corner of Arizona Farms Road and Felix Road, will bring 2,050 single-family homes to the area. The project, being developed by Communities Southwest Inc., will include various amenities such as a pool, playgrounds, pickleball courts, and neighborhood parks connected by sidewalks and bike lanes. The development will also feature sites for a fire station, elementary school, church, and regional water campus.
The property has undergone several transitions since 1998, when it was originally part of the 2,542-acre Arizona Farms Planned Unit Development. In 2005, it became part of the Aspen Farms PUD through annexation into Florence, and in 2020, it was modified to create the 714-acre Monarch PUD.
Traffic concerns continue to be a major issue in the growing Florence area. During the public comment period, resident Courtney Ramirez expressed concerns about increasing traffic pressures in the area. She noted that the roads are already at capacity and cited safety concerns, particularly regarding recent fatalities on Hunt Highway. Ramirez urged developers to pause new projects until infrastructure improvements can be completed. During the previous month’s meeting, Commissioner Proulx had raised similar concerns about Hunt Highway being over capacity and referenced a recent fatal crash, requesting updates on potential improvements to the roadway.
According to the traffic impact analysis, the development is expected to generate approximately 21,205 weekday trips when completed. The analysis projects that by 2030, traffic signals will be warranted at three intersections: Felix Road and Arizona Farms Road, Felix Road and Access A, and Arizona Farms Road and Access B. The development has also incorporated space in its southern portion to accommodate the future North-South Corridor, a planned 55-mile transportation route that would connect US 60 in Apache Junction to Interstate 10 in Eloy. While the corridor’s planning is underway through ADOT’s Tier 2 studies, there is currently no timeline or funding for construction.
Communities Southwest plans to develop the project in six phases, starting at Felix Road and moving eastward. Infrastructure improvements, including road expansions and public service sites, will be constructed alongside each residential phase. The developer estimates the total infrastructure investment at $180 million for the project, which will maintain 124.68 acres as open space – representing 24.31 percent of the net acreage and exceeding the town’s 15 percent requirement for planned unit developments. As Florence continues to grow, the Monarch development represents one of several major housing projects reshaping the area’s landscape while highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges.
