By Melissa Rosequist | Scottsdale Independent
Paradise Valley Town Council kicked off its fall session Sept. 8 with a discussion about a new resort development proposal.
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows is seeking approval to develop a vacant 5 acres with 10 luxury one-story guest units with private pools. The stand-alone units are proposed for the southwest corner of the resort’s property.
According to the development application and submitted plans, the units are planned to offer guests an option similar to single-family properties.
The Town Council’s objective was to put forth a statement of direction, which sets up parameters for what the Planning Commission should focus on during its application evaluation. At the onset, Town Councilor Scott Moore said he was concerned about noise that may come from these 10 units, impacting the adjacent neighborhood, calling the idea a nonstarter.
“We’re talking about the SUP (Special Use Permit) guidelines with 100-foot setback; the swimming pools are 20 feet from the property line,” Moore said. “The specific use is vacation rental, daily, yet it’s backed up to owner-occupied 1-acre residential that already hear noise and complaints from the resort. With an event house like this, with a swimming pool in the backyard and patios in the backyard…I just can’t get behind something like this. For the purpose of the statement of direction, this is really a nonstarter for me.”
Moore said the units are “dangerously close” to a housing cluster.
Andaz’s owner, PV Hotel Venture SPE LLC, seeks an intermediate special-use permit amendment to incorporate and develop the 5 acres at 6041 N. Quail Run Road into the resort.
In an Aug. 15 letter to Paradise Valley’s Senior Planner George Burton, applicant Gary Stougaard outlined some aspects of the Andaz’s plans. Plans feature:
- Four two-bedroom units approximately 2,150 square feet each;
- Five three-bedroom units approximately 2,600 square feet each; and
- One four-bedroom unit of just over 4,000 square feet.
“Our plan to develop these luxury residential-style units will address increasing demand for luxury residential accommodations to resort settings — both in the Paradise Valley/Scottsdale market and across the country from users that can easily afford but would prefer not to purchase second homes in resort markets due to the cost and time necessary to maintain second homes on a full-time basis,” Stougaard wrote in the narrative.
“Because of the nature of these units, we believe that they will be attractive to a wide variety of prospective guests — whose length of stay is likely to vary depending on the nature of the guest, time of year and other factors.”
Stougaard also contrasted Andaz’s proposal with the proliferation of short-term rentals in the area, which he said are “increasingly creating friction” within neighborhoods.
“Residential-style accommodations at resorts provide higher levels of control and security,” Stougaard wrote.
With these 10 proposed units, the resort’s total guestroom inventory will be 195, which is less than the 201 units previously approved for Andaz by the Town of Paradise Valley in 2015.
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