The Goodyear Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 3 recommended approval of an amendment to the Celebration Plaza planned area development that will revise medical‑office parking requirements and leave the current limit of one stand‑alone drive‑thru in place.

Senior Planner Justin Gabrielson told commissioners the 66.6‑acre Celebration Plaza site near Interstate 10 and the City of Hope hospital had been returned to the commission with adjustments after concerns at a previous City Council hearing. Staff offered three options: (1) approve the ordinance as drafted (staff recommendation), which reduces medical‑office parking and retains the one drive‑thru limit; (2) approve without stipulation 21, which would both reduce medical parking and allow up to three drive‑thrus (two stand‑alone plus one end‑cap); or (3) deny and keep existing zoning.

Applicant Mark Reddy said developers and prospective tenants had told him the drive‑thru restriction made it difficult to attract food service businesses within walking distance of the hospital. Reddy said the revised request limits drive‑thrus to two stand‑alone units and one end cap (three total) compared with an earlier proposal that included unlimited end caps. On parking, Reddy cited peer cities and national industry guidance and asked the commission to change the medical‑office ratio from one space per 150 square feet to one per 200.

Several commissioners and residents raised concerns about precedent: allowing a reduced parking standard in one PAD could invite similar requests elsewhere. Staff and the applicant said the change would be limited to the Celebration Plaza PAD and would not automatically rewrite the citywide zoning ordinance.

Public speaker Jeff Levy, identified as a Goodyear resident, urged the commission to allow more drive‑thrus, saying developers and businesses want them. Vice Chair Maria Sambito moved to adopt staff Option 1 (retain the one stand‑alone drive‑thru limit while accepting the parking adjustment in the PAD); Commissioner Wang seconded. After brief additional discussion about precedent the motion passed and the commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for its Jan. 26 meeting.

Next steps: City Council will consider the ordinance and stipulations; if council modifies stipulations, the applicant or staff may return to the commission or council as required by the code.