On Nov. 10 the Fountain Hills Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend adoption of Ordinance 25-12, which would apply a council-approved downtown overlay district to the central Fountain Hills area bounded by LaMontagne Drive, Palisades Boulevard, Saguaro Boulevard and Avenue of the Fountains.

Director Wesley reviewed the overlay’s three subdistricts — Avenue, Business and Innovation — and said the overlay does not change the base zoning underneath. “The base zoning currently allows 40-foot height, and so that won’t change,” he told commissioners. He said the overlay’s intent is to allow a broader set of relatively low-intensity employment and commercial uses in small lots while retaining town design standards.

During public comment Beverly Strusa (Casa Cafetel) asked whether the Innovation District could allow light manufacturing or bioscience uses and whether hazardous operations would be prohibited. She said residents want to know what kinds of companies might locate there. Director Wesley replied that the overlay would allow nonhazardous, nontoxic materials only and that staff was not aware of active applicants in the pipeline.

Resident Dana Hanley said she was concerned about scale and views of Red Mountain if three-story buildings or industrial-type activity were introduced near residential areas: “I’m concerned about noise, emissions, lighting,” Hanley said, noting the site is surrounded on three sides by residences.

Despite those concerns, a commissioner moved to recommend adoption of the ordinance; the motion passed on a roll-call recommendation of 5-1 (one commissioner voted no). The recommendation will be delivered to Town Council for final action. Staff said lighting, noise and other operational impacts remain regulated by existing town ordinances.