Century Communities, the developer of the Alterra community, has submitted a pre-application to the city to develop more than 1,600 homes.

Century has applied to rezone 326 acres at the southeast corner of Murphy and Farrell roads from General Rural to a Planned Area Development (PAD). Approval by the Maricopa Planning & Zoning Commission would allow the company to develop a mixed-use project on the site directly east of Maricopa Unified School District’s new high school under construction.

The proposal letter from Century’s law firm, Gammage & Burnham of Phoenix, said the project could include “mixed-use single-family/retail (multifamily option) within a planned community.”

Century has built 19 other communities in Arizona, primarily in cities similar in size to Maricopa. In addition to Alterra, Century has developed nine communities in Pinal County – four each in Casa Grande and Coolidge and one in Eloy.

The preliminary plan for the initial phase calls for 456 homes on 111 acres with a density of 4.3 homes per acre. Lot sizes will range from 40 feet wide by 110 feet deep to 60 feet wide by 120 feet deep. The second phase would yield 1,152 homes on 215 acres.

Century currently is under contract to purchase the 111-acre parcel from HBE Farms LLC, which will retain the remaining 215 acres in ownership with the R.L. Echeverria Survivor’s Trust, though Century is including the land with the initial request to be rezoned as a PAD.

Century believes it has an element at the northeast corner of Murphy and Steen roads that can set it apart from other developments in the area.

“It is worth noting that a unique opportunity exists by using the NC (neighborhood commercial) zoning district at this corner, which could either be developed entirely with commercial uses, a portion, or none at all depending on the market demand,” Century said in its narrative. “The NC zoning district allows up to 20 (dwelling units)/acre for multifamily residential, which provides a nice option and flexibility for future development.

“The housing market has evolved over the last few years with regard to housing types and consumer choices,” the narrative continued. “Century and the current landowner have determined that this overall 326-acre property is an ideal location for accommodating a diversity of housing types to meet this market demand as well as to be offered within this area of the city of Maricopa.”

Century believes maintaining flexibility in terms of the housing options to offer on the site gives it and the current landowner the ability to quickly adapt to a rapidly changing housing market. This would give them the flexibility to change their offerings to meet the needs of the community, which, they say, is “critical for long-term growth, stability and diversity.”