Goodyear puts new General Plan on May ballot. It calls for a city of 240,000

Goodyear, one of the fastest growing cities in the country, will be having a special election in the spring to decide on the city's 2035 General Plan.

The city's General Plan is updated every 10 years and maps out the city's overall vision and its plan for growth over that time period, helping the city to plan which areas need additional investment and what types of developments could come to which areas.

According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of about 95,000, up 46% from 2010. The city's population is expected to reach 240,000 by 2055, according to the city's new General Plan.

Goodyear's municipal boundaries are about 191 square miles, stretching from Camelback Road to Schumacher Lane. That's about 71% of its 268 square mile planning area, which refers to the areas Goodyear could eventually annex.

Steve Careccia, planning manager for the city, presented the General Plan to the City Council on Monday night. It has been in the works for about two years, Careccia said.

The City Council approved two resolutions: one adopts the General Plan, while the other one calls for a special election in May, where residents will be deciding whether to adopt or reject the plan.

If voters don't approve the General Plan, the current one will remain in place until a new one is passed, according to state law.

According to a Goodyear city spokesperson, a special election was chosen so the General Plan wouldn't get overshadowed in the primary or general election.

Matt Klyszeiko, a General Plan consultant with Michael Baker International, said during the meeting that each of the fundamental strategies, such as "resilient & safe," became the General Plan's chapters.

Spotlight areas, which were decided with help from the community, include making water conservation more prominent and better balancing the use of light industrial zoning throughout the city, Klyszeiko said. The input from residents resulted in 31 goals and 230 policies to define those goals.

"We heard from every corner on multiple topics," Klyszeiko said.

The land use and circulation plan was also refined. For example, some residents expressed concerns over the city's agricultural history. Areas where residents wish to continue farming should be recognized as development continues, Klyszeiko said.

According to the 2035 General Plan, a majority of Goodyear's land use is low-density residential mostly consisting of single-family homes. But the city's goal is to offer urban, suburban and rural characteristics.

The area of Mobile is classified as a rural transitional development, since development of the area likely won't happen for some time and residents wish to continue their rural lifestyle in the meantime, Klyszeiko said.

Mobile, a community located about 27 miles south of Goodyear and home to only about 100 residents, was annexed by the city in 2007 when a developer planned to build 45,000 homes in what was to become the Amanranth housing community. Plans fell through during the economic downturn a few years later, and the area remains a small rural community. But plans for Mobile's future are still up in the air, as the city continues to make steps toward Sonoran Valley Parkway.

More: Goodyear gets the OK to build 15-mile Sonoran Valley Parkway

If built, Sonoran Valley Parkway would provide a more direct route from Mobile to Goodyear, 27 miles to the north. While the city got approval to build the 15-mile parkway across federal land in 2019, a developer will need to fund the project.

The General Plan also identifies growth areas, as well as aligning with the city's Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Identifying the growth areas will help the city plan accordingly and figure out what types of growth are coming to those areas.

Identifying those areas doesn't mean the city is necessarily advocating for growth there, Klyszeiko said. High growth areas in the General Plan include Goodyear Civic Square, Ballpark Village and the Estrella Parkway Corridor.

The city will have a special election on May 21.

Reach the reporter at ahardle@gannett.com or by phone at 480-259-8545. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @AlexandraHardle.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Goodyear to hold special May election for General Plan