(Photo via City of Surprise)
By Richard Smith | YourValley
To a group of increasingly disconsolate Surprise and Maricopa County residents north of the intersection of 163rd and Grand avenues, the latest developments approved in the area only add to the growth that is already past its tipping point.
During its June 22 meeting, the Surprise City Council approved a rezoning for the Nobella development west of 155th Avenue north of Jomax Road to nearly 200 acres that is mostly medium- and low-density single-family homes but includes a small section of apartments.
Later that night, the council approved a high-density rezoning on 57.53 acres near the southwest corner of Happy Valley Road and 147th Avenue, adjacent to the Rancho Mercado and Tierra Verde communities. The two-parcel plan will have different multifamily concepts that would have a maximum of 810 units.
While growth citywide has prompted resident pleas to fix insufficient arterial roads throughout Surprise, this area is unique in that taking 163rd Avenue to Grand is the only viable way for residents to reach the rest of the Valley.
