Board recommends auto dealership after opposition from nearby condo owners

Mesa’s Planning and Zoning Board discussed and voted 4-2 to recommend a zoning change Thursday evening at the City Council Chambers that could bring an automobile dealership to a three acre site at the Auto Center of Superstition Springs near Power Road and the Superstition Freeway.

This comes after several homeowners of the Superstition Lakes Condominium Association voiced their concerns to the board that an auto dealership will increase traffic, decrease property values and lower the quality of life in the neighborhood. The nearest unit of the condominium community is less than 300 feet from the site.

Superstition Lakes resident Johnette Davidson, who represented a group of residents at the meeting, “vehemently opposes” the plan that would bring a dealership and that the “existing auto mall (already) in the area has severely reduced our (residents’) quality of life,” referring to the Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan and Mazda dealerships nearby.  Davidson added that the lights from the dealerships are bothersome and ruin the aesthetics of the neighborhood.

The owners of the site, Joe and Jeanette Cardinale through their attorney, David Ward, submitted a request to the Planning and Zoning Board that the zoning for the site, 6428 E. Test Drive, be modified to allow the development of an auto dealership, although no dealership has committed to build. 

Zoning for the auto mall was initially approved by the City Council in May 2001 but residents of Superstition Lakes had concerns about the proximity and the possible development of an auto dealership adjacent to the condominiums. Cardinale was not the owner of site during this time. As a compromise, the previous owner agreed to limit those specific lots next to the condominiums for commercial use, not industrial use, which is required for an auto dealership, even though the underlying area would still be zoned for industrial use, according to staff reports.

Ward asked the board to recommend the zoning change to industrial use to allow the development of a dealership.

Ward said he conducted several citizen participation meetings to answer residents’ concerns and gather their input.

“Citizenship participation was an important part of this case,” Ward said.

To mitigate the concerns of residents, Ward’s application included conditions such as creating a significant buffer zone between the site and the condominiums, additional landscaping complementing the design of the community, prohibiting street parking and unloading of inventory on Test Drive and installing speed bumps.

City staff planners endorsed the zoning change with the design conditions.

City planner Rob Dmohowski added that the site is appropriate for use as an auto dealership.

Patrick Murphy, a senior redevelopment specialist for the city of Mesa, also supports the recommendation adding that this $4 million investment will create jobs and bring $320,000 a year in sales tax revenue for the city.

Board Chairwoman Pat Esparza and Boardmember Randy Carter both voted against the ordinance modification.

Esparza said that while the city may face financial difficulties, she doesn’t believe that $320,000 in sales tax revenue is sufficient enough to support the ordinance change. She added that the “integrity” and “investment” of the homeowners need to be protected.

According to staff reports, the city’s Economic Development Advisory Board and the Office of Economic Development have expressed their support for the project.

Efforts to attract other commercial uses, such as restaurants, for the site have failed over the past seven years.

The City Council will consider the board’s recommendation in October.