By Pinal Post
CASA GRANDE, AZ — Smaller home lots already appear in some new Casa Grande neighborhoods. But they’re only built when developers request exceptions to the current rules. On Monday, the City Council reviewed a proposal that would make Casa Grande smaller home lots the new default, replacing the current minimums with new standards. In exchange, developments would have to include more recreational space within their required open areas. They would also have to add pedestrian connections through it.
The June 15 study session ended without a vote. Instead, council members offered feedback to Planning and Development Director Dan Coxworth. He is seeking direction before drafting formal code language.
What The Casa Grande Smaller Home Lots Proposal Would Change
Under the current rules for Planned Area Developments, lots are required to be at least 5,500 square feet and at least 50 feet wide. However, developers can request exceptions, and many have. Staff says updating the baseline would reduce the reliance on those exceptions. The proposal would shift the lot-size requirement to a 4,500-square-foot average and the width requirement to a 45-foot average. The current 50-foot minimum on every lot would be replaced by a 35-foot floor.
Side yard rules would also loosen. Today, builders must leave 10 feet on one side of a house and 5 feet on the other — 15 feet combined. For detached homes, the proposal would require 10 feet of total side yard space, with building separation rules limiting how that’s split between the two sides.
