Queen Creek council approves rezoning for 20,000‑sq‑ft office at Ocotillo and Ellsworth

The Queen Creek Town Council on a 6-0 vote approved rezoning a roughly 2-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Ocotillo Road and Ellsworth Loop Road to the Downtown Core zoning category with a planned area development (PAD) overlay for a two‑story, 20,000‑square‑foot professional office building.

The project, described by Les Johnson, principal planner, would place a 20,000-square-foot, two‑story office building oriented toward Ocotillo Road with parking to the south and southeast. Johnson told the council the parcel is "an approximate 2 acre vacant parcel located at the Southeast Corner Of Ocotillo and Ellsworth Loop Road" and that the applicant is seeking the Downtown Core designation and a PAD overlay to accommodate site-specific deviations.

The rezoning matter advanced after a presentation by the applicant's representative, Adam Baugh, who said the lot has zero direct access to adjacent streets and that cooperation with the adjacent property owner to the east makes the proposed development feasible. "To drive into this property, you actually have to drive through other people's properties," Baugh said, noting an easement and an agreement to use overflow parking on the neighboring site.

Why it matters: Town officials said the parcel represented a long-vacant "donut hole" in the downtown core and council members emphasized that the proposal fits the town's vision for pedestrian‑oriented development close to the street. Mayor Wheatley and council members repeatedly praised the design and the addition of office space to the downtown area.

Project details and considerations: According to staff, the proposed building features a large second-story covered deck and balconies on three sides, desert‑contemporary design elements and a public‑art component consisting of three decorative panels along Ellsworth Loop. The application proposes 86 parking spaces in total: 58 on‑site and 14 newly created spaces on the adjacent property, with access to an existing surplus of 17 spaces on that property. Staff reported the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval 5-0 at its July 23 hearing and that a neighborhood meeting on May 20 had one attendee, who expressed interest in tenancy rather than objection.

Council discussion and vote: Council Member Alex Padilla moved to approve item 10A; Council Member Benning seconded. Council Member McClure, Council Member Oliphant, Council Member Brown, Council Member Benning, Council Member Padilla and Mayor Wheatley voted yes. Council members described the project as the type of development intended for the downtown core and said the building will add much‑needed office and medical office space.

Next steps: With the rezoning approved, staff and the applicant will proceed with final plan details and any necessary building permits. The applicant indicated coordination is already in place with the neighboring property owner to the east to finalize parking and access arrangements.