Neighbors Push Back at San Tan Valley's First-Ever Annexation Hearing
Neighbors of a 3.3-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Gantzel Road and Lone Star Lane told the San Tan Valley Town Council on July 15 they oppose bringing the land into the town for commercial development — the first annexation hearing in the town's history.
The council took no vote. The hearing, on annexation case ANX2026-01, was for public comment only; the council won't consider the annexation until the state-required process is complete, including gathering petition signatures, advertising in a newspaper, posting the site, and notifying other governments, including the Town of Queen Creek.
Background on the Parcel
Community Development Director Gilbert Olgin said the vacant parcel sits in unincorporated Pinal County directly against the town's boundary. A representative for the property owner, Alex Hayes, said the owner wants to rezone the land to commercial — a request the town is processing at the same time — for retail, restaurants, or possibly medical offices. Hayes said the site fronts the Gantzel Road commercial corridor across from the wastewater treatment plant, and that development there would broaden the town's tax base.
Neighbors Cite a Private Road and Deed Restrictions
The owner of the property directly west of the site said Lone Star Lane is a narrow private road serving four homes under a private road agreement, and that the properties carry Sun Valley Farms deed restrictions (CC&Rs). He said an early plan shown at a neighborhood meeting would have routed a parking lot across Lone Star Lane, that the meeting drew strong pushback, and that he never received notice of a second meeting. He said the same ownership group had previously failed in rezoning attempts through Pinal County, and that he has filed a public records request with the town.
Hayes said notice letters went to property owners within about 1,000 feet and that two neighborhood meetings were held at the Queen Creek Library. He said the plan changed after the first meeting to address parking concerns, and that the second meeting drew two attendees with no opposition.
A Question About Queen Creek's Planning Area
Town staff said Queen Creek had removed the area from its municipal planning area — the land a town identifies for possible future annexation. Two residents disputed that, saying Queen Creek considered the change but dropped it after objections, leaving the parcel inside its planning area. Council members asked staff to check. Town Manager Brent Billingsley noted Queen Creek receives formal notice of the annexation and would send a letter if it objects.
Other Comments
One nearby resident opposed the annexation, citing traffic that already backs up near the Dairy Queen on the new Pecan Creek road and the difficulty of crossing Gantzel Road from the Lone Star properties. A Johnson Ranch resident said she supports annexing commercial property but asked whether the town should wait until the deed-restriction questions are resolved. Another resident asked whether the landowner approached the town or the town sought the annexation — a question staff recorded for follow-up.
What Happens Next
Staff said the deed restrictions are a civil matter between the property owners and the neighborhood, not something the town enforces. Even without annexation, the owner could seek commercial zoning through Pinal County, though staff said the county's comprehensive plan likely would not support this level of commercial use there. Annexing the land would put any project under town rules, which typically require screen walls and landscape buffers where commercial projects meet homes. If the petition phase succeeds, a rezoning case would come next, followed by a site plan. The council will take up the annexation at a later date once the statutory steps are complete.
Source: SanTanValley.com, “Neighbors Push Back at Town's First Annexation Hearing on Gantzel Road,” July 17, 2026.