Gilbert Council Approves Controversial Target

Gilbert Town Council on May 19 approved a rezoning request in a 4-3 vote that clears a key hurdle for a proposed Target store on a long-vacant site in south Gilbert. The vote allows Scottsdale-based SimonCRE to move forward with plans for a retail project on roughly 16 acres at the southeast corner of Higley and Ocotillo roads. The proposal drew weeks of opposition from nearby residents who said the store would add traffic, noise and a big-box use too close to homes. Supporters of the project, including the developer’s representatives, said the site has sat empty for more than two decades and could bring jobs and tax revenue. ### Why did the council have to vote on this at all? The Gilbert proposal required a rezoning because the existing rules on the property did not allow a tenant of the size the developer is seeking. Phoenix Business Journal reporting carried by KTAR said the request would amend the Marbella Vineyards Planned Area Development and change the underlying zoning from Shopping Center to General Commercial. Under the current zoning, a standalone building on the site is capped at 75,000 square feet. (abc15.com) The applicant’s plan anticipates a 128,660-square-foot Target. The 16-acre parcel sits at the southeast corner of Higley and Ocotillo roads, an intersection that has become the focal point of the fight. Reese Anderson of Pew & Lake PLC, who represents the project, said earlier this spring that the land had sat vacant for more than 23 years. ### What exactly is planned for the site besides Target? (ktar.com) KTAR’s March report said the project includes more than the big-box anchor. In addition to the proposed Target, the developer is seeking approval for an 8,100-square-foot sit-down restaurant and a 3,000-square-foot financial institution with a drive-through component. ABC15 reported before the vote that the development near Higley and Ocotillo needed council approval specifically to allow a big-box store. (abc15.com) The same report said the developer argued the project could create jobs and generate millions of dollars in potential tax revenue. ### What were residents objecting to? (ktar.com) Gilbert residents told ABC15 in April that they expected a smaller-scale shopping center on the property and wanted uses they viewed as more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Lisa Florest told the station she did not want “to look at a Target from my front door,” while Andy Hernandez said neighbors had hoped for “a nice grocery store” or smaller retail. John Gherkin said the project “serves no purpose for our neighborhood.” (abc15.com) Traffic was the most persistent concern in the public debate. ABC15 reported that neighbors cited traffic, noise, potential crime and what they described as a shift away from Gilbert’s small-town feel. The developer’s attorney told the station that a traffic study showed the Target proposal could generate less traffic than some uses already permitted on the site. (abc15.com) ### How close was the approval? ABC15 reported that the council approved the rezoning on May 19 by a 4-3 margin, underscoring how divided the case had become. East Valley Tribune described the matter before the vote as a “controversial rezoning case,” and ABC15 had reported in April that council members delayed an earlier decision after seeking more answers from the applicant. (abc15.com) The Gilbert Planning Commission had already recommended approval on March 5 by a 6-1 vote, sending the matter to the council for a final zoning decision. That earlier recommendation signaled support from town officials even as neighborhood opposition intensified. ### Where can residents follow the next steps? Gilbert posts Town Council agendas, meeting information and livestream access through its public council pages. (abc15.com) The town says council meetings are typically held twice per month on rotating Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Gilbert Town Hall, 50 E. Civic Center Drive, and are streamed through Gilbert Live. Public hearing comment cards for agenda items are due by noon on the day of a meeting, according to the town’s website. (ktar.com) The rezoning vote does not end public scrutiny of the site. Future project milestones, meeting dates and any additional filings tied to the development can be tracked through Gilbert’s agenda materials and council records, where residents can also submit comments ahead of meetings under the town’s posted deadlines. (gilbertaz.gov)