Development and Zoning Challenges
- A commercially zoned property behind Hunt Highway was poorly subdivided by developers who sold pieces without considering long-term retail viability
- Businesses on Hunt Highway are doing well, but no one wants the backside lots
- Developers now want to convert the unused commercial space to housing despite the community not needing more houses
Population and Growth Context
- Johnson Ranch alone has approximately 6,300 homes, roughly equivalent to Florence’s residential count
- Johnson Ranch’s population likely equals or exceeds Florence’s actual resident population (excluding prison population)
- San Tan Valley is projected to reach roughly 320,000 people when fully built out and is currently one-third of the way there in terms of population
Business Development Disparity
- Florence has more businesses serving its population compared to the entire San Tan Valley community
- Florence achieved better commercial development because it has city government and people who were fighting to attract businesses
- San Tan Valley and Queen Creek do not have enough businesses to sustain their populations
County Governance Limitations
- When residents opposed rezoning the Hunt Highway property for 180 additional residential units (apartments and duplexes), the County Board of Supervisors had no legal basis to deny the request
- The county had no ordinance or law giving it authority to block the rezoning, whereas a city ordinance could have prohibited adding high-density residential development to certain intersections without road widening
- The Bella Vista and Hunt Highway intersection cannot be widened further, creating inevitable traffic bottlenecks
Lack of Local Representation
- County Board of Supervisors vote breakdown: 2 members opposed the rezoning, 3 approved it
- The 3 supporting members have no ties to San Tan Valley and have probably never driven in the area except possibly to visit the county office
- This voting pattern consistently disadvantages San Tan Valley, essentially silencing the community’s voice because the three members outnumber the other two
Municipal Services and Maintenance Issues
- Basic property maintenance suffers under county governance, with weed-filled easements going unaddressed
- County government is unaccustomed to proactively maintaining urban area properties and services
- City incorporation would provide better ordinances and maintenance standards
Future Planning Needs
- San Tan Valley requires proactive planning and zoning to ensure adequate commercial and retail development keeps pace with residential growth
- Proper municipal governance is essential to meet future community needs as the population continues expanding