Maricopa has a new set of eyes on its growth.

Council members unanimously voted Cobblestone Farms resident and local realtor Robert Rowe to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. He will replace the seat previously held by James Singleton, who resigned to run for Maricopa City Council.

Rowe has lived in Maricopa with his family since 2008 and works as a realtor. He said he was inspired to apply by his parents, who volunteer with the city.

“They’ve just always been involved, and they’ve always encouraged me to get involved … Now that my children are older and my business is a little more streamlined, I have time to do this,” he told InMaricopa. “I just want to contribute and be part of the process.”

For Rowe, that includes wanting to see “measured growth” and tapping into his real estate background.

“I’m going to look at use my professional knowledge but also try to look at things from all sides and just give a good, fair assessment of everyone’s wants and needs,” he said. “I would like to look at everything and say, ‘Is this a good fit for our residents? Is it a good fit for the person who owns the property?’”

Mayor Nancy Smith, who appointed Rowe, admitted it was a difficult decision because she considered the four applicants she interviewed all strong candidates.

“What made Mr. Rowe stand slightly ahead was his experience and knowledge of Maricopa’s challenges and how it connects with development,” she told InMaricopa.

During the meeting, she commended “his passion to see [Maricopa] reach its full potential … and coming from a big picture perspective.”

“I’m just looking forward to contributing to the future things that will be happening with our city. Being a part of seeing businesses come to Maricopa and helping to contribute to that, it’s going to be neat,” he said.