The City of Chandler developed the South Arizona Avenue Entry Corridor Study in 2006, setting forth a vision for the development of the corridor between Dr. A.J. Chandler Park and the new SanTan Freeway, ¾ mile to the south. Between downtown and the freeway is the corridor that the City intends to see redeveloped, with mixed residential and commercial uses to create a dynamic new “front door” for Chandler. The purpose of these design guidelines is to guide zoning requests within the South Arizona Avenue Corridor to achieve the objectives of the Chandler General Plan. The overall goal of these objectives is to implement the vision for South Arizona Avenue. The guidelines address the major design aspects of new office, retail and residential buildings in the corridor. Design Guidelines are not building or streetscape designs; they provide design direction so that each project’s architectural design will reinforce the City’s strategic intentions as this important area of the city responds to its new role as Chandler’s “front door.” These guidelines also identify streetscape design principles for South Arizona Avenue with the objective of coordinating public and private design in the Corridor.

The South Arizona Avenue Entry Corridor Study is prompted by a Mayor and Council goal for redeveloping the section of Arizona Avenue from Pecos Road to Boston Street as a new entryway to downtown from the Santan/Loop 202 Freeway. The plan was created with extensive neighborhood participation,which included six neighborhood meetings and individual meetings with property owners.The comprehensive approach to this study can be broken down into four primary areas: Land Use,Traffic Circulation, Conceptual Design Standards, and Neighborhood Planning.

The updated Chandler General Plan presents instructional guidance for coping with the consequences of approaching build-out. This document is not meant to be read from cover-to-cover in a single sitting. However, a user, whether a citizen appearing at a public hearing for the first time or a long-term City official, should become familiar with the Plan's content. A comprehensive planning view encourages the General Plan user to evaluate change on a Citywide basis, directing progress for the good of the community rather than special interests.

Given the context for BRT planning in the Valley, this project, the Comprehensive Arterial Bus Rapid Transit Planning Study, is tasked with identifying demand for BRT and defining operational characteristics, capital infrastructure needs, and fleet requirements. The study considers how operational characteristics and needs of the BRT corridors may change as the regional transit network develops over the life of the 20 year transit program.

The Regional Transportation Plan and Proposition 400 identified funding for 13 regional parkand-ride lots to support transit operations. This study provides recommendations to ensure that park-and-ride implementation are aligned with operational requirements, especially regarding express bus and bus rapid transit needs. The Park-and-Ride Re-prioritization also describes issues concerning the Valley’s overall park-and-ride network and makes recommendations to facilitate implementation.