The Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on March 20 to consider rezoning approximately 19 acres of land in Gold Canyon’s Superstition Mountain area. The proposal would transform vacant desert land into a luxury subdivision of 44 single-family homes.
Development Details
Camelot Homes, represented by agent Sean Lake of Pew & Lake PLC, seeks to rezone the property from CR-1 (requiring 20,000 square foot lots) to R-9 (allowing 9,000 square foot lots) with a special development plan that modifies standard zoning requirements. The site sits at the southeast corner of East Cloudview Avenue and South Superstition Mountain Drive.
According to Mr. Lake, the homes will be high-end luxury properties: “We think the homes are going to probably start around a million and a half and sell around two million for these homes in this area.”
A key feature of the development is that all homes will be single-story, with the proposed plan actually reducing the maximum building height from the allowed 30 feet to 28 feet. The proposal includes three lot configurations: three lots at 115′ x 125′, 33 lots at 56′ x 160′, and eight lots at 65′ x 140′.
The development requires reduced setbacks, including front and rear setbacks decreasing from 25 feet to 20 feet, and side setbacks shrinking from 10 feet to 6 feet. During the meeting, Vice-Chairman Robert Klob raised concerns about the 20-foot front setback potentially causing parking issues. In response, Lake suggested a potential compromise of 22 feet for garage setbacks, while maintaining 20 feet for the home front.
Site History
The property was originally zoned as part of the Superstition Foothills Master Planned Community in 1994. It remained vacant until 2003, when preparations for residential development began as part of the Silver Cholla Estates at Superstition Foothills, including grading and staged lot preparation. However, the project halted in 2008 and appears to have been abandoned after 2010.
Currently, the site shows evidence of previous grading, unpaved roads, stockpiled materials, and existing boundary walls and fencing.
Traffic and Infrastructure
The proposed subdivision will access South Superstition Mountain Drive via two access points. According to the submitted Traffic Impact Statement, even after adding 44 new homes, the total traffic volume on Superstition Mountain Drive will remain at just 39% of its maximum capacity.
Lake addressed construction traffic concerns raised by residents: “We will repair and replace any damage that occurs during construction. We’re going to be utilizing what they call the back gate or back entrance to minimize the disruption to the residents of the area.”
The development will incorporate adequate drainage provisions for both on-site and off-site needs, including setbacks from regulatory washes. The property has access to essential utilities including water, sewer, gas, fire protection, electricity, solid waste disposal, police, and schools.
Open Space and Amenities
The proposed development includes approximately 19% open space, consisting of retention basins and conservation areas. The plan incorporates pedestrian pathways and a multi-purpose trail along the northern edge of the property, although the proposal doesn’t indicate connections to this trail.
Rather than creating separate amenities, the development will join the existing Superstition Mountain Homeowners Association, allowing residents to use the community’s existing facilities.
HOA Support and Opposition
The project has garnered strong support from the Superstition Mountain HOA board, with President Gerry Byrne appearing at the hearing to voice his approval.
“The single largest real estate sales we have had over the last five years have been for assessment village units,” said Byrne. “We sell over 30 assessment village units a year over the last five years. That’s not just a COVID phenomenon. That’s the fact that people like me get old, and I can’t afford to go up and down stairs. I can’t afford to take care of a 4,000 square-foot house anymore. I can do it financially; I can’t do it physically.”
The HOA board views the development as a way to complete the community as originally envisioned and provide housing options for residents looking to downsize.
However, some residents expressed concerns. A resident who lives on a one-acre lot directly south of the proposed development opposed the increased density: “It’s essentially trying to make another village density,” he said, arguing it would diminish the open space that attracted him to the community.
Residents voiced apprehension about the proposed development’s density compared to surrounding properties. The homeowner from the south expressed concern that the 9,000 square foot lots would create a “row housing” effect that contrasts with the more spacious, acre-plus lots in the vicinity. This layout, he argued, would fundamentally change the character of the area that initially attracted homebuyers seeking open spaces and larger properties. Another resident noted the stark contrast between the proposal and existing standards, pointing out that her neighbor had previously been denied permission to subdivide a two-acre lot, yet the new development would create much smaller 9,000 square foot lots.
Another resident expressed worry about water pressure fluctuations, utility disruptions, and potential parking issues with higher-density housing: “I’m concerned about the high density and right now with our water situation… Right now in my own house, the water fluctuates in pressure a lot. With a lot more housing, we’re going to probably be restricted on how much water we can use. Water prices have gone up.”
Target Market and Design
Lake described the project as “a very nice high-end project and community, and quite frankly, I think it’ll be a lot of empty nester type community where you’ve raised your kids and your big home, and it’s time to move into something more for your empty nester years.”
The development aims to complement the existing Superstition Mountain aesthetic with native desert landscaping, trails, and open spaces. Lake emphasized that Camelot will work with the HOA on landscaping: “As you drive around Superstition Mountain, it’s got a very beautiful theme of landscaping. We want to follow that and work with the HOA to make sure that our landscape palette meets or matches that so that we’re part of the community and not standing out.”
Next Steps
The Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation will move to the Pinal County Board of Supervisors for final consideration. If approved, Camelot Homes expects to begin infrastructure development in the third or fourth quarter of 2025, with construction taking approximately twelve months to complete. Home building would likely commence during the third or fourth quarter of 2026.
Vice-Chairman Klob expressed confidence in the developer before the commission’s vote: “I am very familiar with this developer. They are one of the few developers in the valley that consistently do it right and do it well. They build a good product. I think their customer service is also right up there with some of the best in the business.”
