Next week's biggest vote is set for Mesa, where the city council meets Monday to decide the future of the Legacy Park area. The council will vote on a rezone of 196.3± acres at the northeast corner of South Ellsworth Road and East Williams Field Road to a Planned Community district, which would allow a mixed-use project with up to 2,400 homes and 6.7 million square feet of shops, offices and hotels. City staff and the Planning and Zoning Board both back the change with conditions, and the board voted 7-0 on Aug. 26. The same agenda has a plan to create a 428-acre theme park district with two councilmembers on its board, and a retail sales tax incentive deal tied to the project.

Housing and growth led the week that just ended. Phoenix's council took up Ordinance G-7548, a Meritage Homes rezoning of 20.86 acres about 995 feet south of the southeast corner of 15th Avenue and Baseline Road, changing the land from ranch and farm residential to a Planned Unit Development; the South Mountain Village Planning Committee voted 11-2-1 for it after two residents spoke in opposition, and the stipulations require large shade trees planted 20 feet apart along 15th Avenue. In Tempe, the Development Review Commission heard a plan for a four-story, 376-apartment project called Emerald Center on about 25 acres.

Rezonings and rule rewrites filled out the rest of the week. Tolleson's Planning and Zoning Commission heard Costco's request to rezone 10.55 acres on the east side of 91st Avenue so the land can be added to Costco's existing store site. Maricopa County's Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed a 73-acre distribution center in the Tonopah area that would turn rural and retail land into light industrial space. And Mesa's Planning and Zoning Board took up a rewrite of the city's historic preservation rules that folds three chapters into one new Chapter 74.

Money decisions ran on a parallel track. Maricopa County supervisors changed the 2026 tax levies for six school districts, including a $26.7 million Class B bond levy for Gilbert Unified, and told the county treasurer to change the bills for affected taxpayers. Scottsdale's council took up a resolution to accept an air quality grant of up to $377,676 from the region's planning agency and move up to the same amount in its budget to buy a PM-10 certified street sweeper. Tempe's council worked through a list of contracts and property deals, including a five-year Axon Enterprise contract for police body cameras and video storage, plus new terms with the Regional Public Transportation Authority for the East Valley bus facility and paratransit service.

More is coming up. Mesa's council also takes up a sales tax incentive of up to $950,000 for the Cannon Beach Hotel at Power Road and Warner Road. Chandler's council gets a $14.2 million regional reimbursement agreement for Kyrene Road, Avondale's council holds hearings on a city warehouse and two small home rezonings on Central Avenue, and Surprise's council takes up a 7.52-acre rezone near Happy Valley Road and 157th Avenue. Fountain Hills' Planning and Zoning Commission hears a rewrite of the town's wireless tower rules, Avondale's Planning Commission weighs an amendment to the Avondale Commons plan, and Scottsdale's council on Sept. 22 gets a work study on a new large water user ordinance. Taken together, it was a week about land, housing and tax dollars — what gets built and who pays for it.

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Tempe Development Review Commission — September 08, 2026

  • GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT / ZONING MAP AMENDMENT / PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY: Tempe's Development Review Commission took up a request to rezone about 25 acres to MU-4 with a Planned Area Development overlay for Emerald Center, a new four-story mixed-use project with 376 apartments. View item

BOS — September 08, 2026

  • AMENDMENT TO THE MARICOPA COUNTY 2026 TAX LEVY PACKET: County supervisors amended the 2026 tax levy packet for six school districts and directed the county treasurer to change the affected tax bills. The biggest listed change is a $26.7 million Class B bond debt levy for Gilbert Unified; the other five cover East Valley Institute of Technology, Creighton Elementary, Gila Bend Unified, Madison Elementary and Union Elementary. View item

TOLLESON-PZ — September 08, 2026

  • Public Hearing – Soliciting comments from interested parties regarding Rezone Application PNZ-26-0021, submitted by the applicant and property owner, Costco Wholesale Corporation, to rezone approximately 10.55 acres located along the east side of 91st Avenue and north of Buckeye Road from Planned Area Development (PAD) to Light Industrial (I-1).: Tolleson's Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on Costco's application to rezone about 10.55 acres along the east side of 91st Avenue and north of Buckeye Road from Planned Area Development to Light Industrial. Costco owns the land, listed as assessor's parcel 101-12-739, and wants to combine it with its existing lot; staff recommended approval of Ordinance No. 633 N.S. View item

Scottsdale City Council — September 08, 2026

  • Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Grant to Purchase PM-10 Certified Street Sweeper: Scottsdale's council took up Resolution No. 13766, which would accept a Maricopa Association of Governments air quality grant of up to $377,676, move up to the same amount from the fiscal 2026/27 fleet management fund to a newly created grants cost center, and buy a new PM-10 certified street sweeper. View item

Mesa Planning & Zoning Board — September 09, 2026

  • Amendments to Chapters 23, 44, 66, 74, and 87 of Title 11, Zoning Ordinance, of the Mesa City Code, pertaining to Historic Preservation Overlays, Historic Signs, the Historic Preservation Board, and Historic District and Historic Landmark procedures.: Mesa's Planning and Zoning Board heard a rewrite of the city's historic preservation rules that repeals three chapters — Historic and Landmark Overlay Districts, Historic Signs, and Historic District and Historic Landmark Procedures — and replaces them with one new Chapter 74. The changes also update the Historic Preservation Board's duties, tighten rules for historic signs, add a section on archaeological resources and add new definitions; staff recommended the board forward adoption to the City Council. View item

Phoenix City Council — September 09, 2026

  • Public Hearing and Ordinance Adoption - Rezoning Application Z-112-25-8 (Meritage Homes - 15th Ave. and Baseline Rd. PUD) - Approximately 995 Feet South of the Southeast Corner of 15th Avenue and Baseline Road (Ordinance G-7548) - District 8: Phoenix's council took up Ordinance G-7548, which would rezone 20.86 acres about 995 feet south of the southeast corner of 15th Avenue and Baseline Road from S-1 (ranch or farm residence) to Planned Unit Development for the Meritage Homes project. Stipulations call for large shade trees planted 20 feet apart along 15th Avenue and a $45,000 escrow deposit for a traffic control device at the Western Canal crossing; the Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval and the South Mountain Village Planning Committee voted 11-2-1. View item

Tempe City Council — September 10, 2026

  • NON-CONSENT AGENDA: Tempe's council non-consent list included a five-year Sourcewell cooperative contract with Axon Enterprise for police body-worn cameras, video cloud storage and related gear, plus amendments to Regional Public Transportation Authority agreements for the East Valley bus operations facility and paratransit service. Also on the list: a zoning change for an assisted living training school at 1843 East Southern, leases of city-owned commercial property on South Mill Avenue, a power distribution easement for Arizona Public Service, and two small easement abandonments tied to residences. View item

PZ — September 10, 2026

  • Hassayampa Distribution Center Owners: LKJM LLC/ KLT LLC/ JAB-Kids LLC Area Plan changing the designated land use from Community Retail Center and Rural Densities to Light Industrial the Tonopah area: Maricopa County's Planning and Zoning Commission heard the Hassayampa Distribution Center case, a plan change that turns community retail and rural land in the Tonopah area into light industrial. The site is about 73 acres near 339th Avenue and Roosevelt Street, with 59.5 acres proposed for manufacturing, assembly and distribution and 13.5 acres kept for commercial uses such as hotels and retail; owners are LKJM LLC, KLT LLC and JAB-Kids LLC, and staff recommended approval of the plan change and approval with conditions for the companion zone change. View item

Mesa City Council — September 14, 2026

  • Making findings required by A.R.S. § 9-500.11 (version 2) for the City to enter into, and approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into, a development agreement that is a "retail development tax incentive agreement" under A.R.S. § 9-500.11 (version 2), for the development of the project known as the "Cannon Beach Hotel," generally located at the southeast corner of Power Road and Warner Road. (District 6) (5 votes required): Mesa's council will decide whether to approve a retail development tax incentive agreement with Cannon Beach Hotel LLC that reimburses up to $950,000 for public infrastructure along Warner Road. The hotel piece is about 1.32 acres inside the 37.14-acre Cannon Beach project at the southeast corner of Power Road and Warner Road; the agreement needs a two-thirds council vote, and an outside analysis by Applied Economics projected about $9.4 million in gross sales tax revenue from construction and the first ten years. View item
  • ZON25-00891 "Legacy Park" 196.3± acres located at the northeast corner of South Ellsworth Road and East Williams Field Road. Rezone from Light Industrial to Planned Community District (PC). This request will allow for the development of a mixed-use planned community. Pacific Proving LLC, Owner; Susan Demmitt/Dennis Newcombe, Gammage & Burnham, Applicant. (District 6) Ordinance No. 6031 Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions P&Z Board Recommendation: Approval with conditions (Vote: 7-0): Mesa's council is set to vote on rezoning 196.3± acres at the northeast corner of South Ellsworth Road and East Williams Field Road from Light Industrial to Planned Community for the Legacy Park mixed-use project. Staff recommends approval with conditions and the Planning and Zoning Board voted 7-0 to recommend approval; the project's land use budget allows up to 2,400 homes and 6.7 million square feet of non-residential space. View item
  • A resolution making findings required by A.R.S. § 9-500.11 (Version 2) for the City to enter into a "retail development tax incentive agreement" and approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a development agreement that is a "retail development tax incentive agreement" under A.R.S. § 9-500.11 (Version 2), related to the development of certain improvements constructed for a project generally located west and south of State Route 24, east of South Ellsworth Road, north of East Williams Field Road, south of a portion of East Williams Field Road, and west of the future South Crismon Road alignment. (District 6) (5 votes required): The same Mesa agenda has a retail development tax incentive agreement for the Legacy Park area, plus the state-law findings needed to approve it under A.R.S. § 9-500.11. The agreement covers about 175.85 acres owned by Pacific Proving LLC and about 20.50 acres owned by Mesa BA Land LLC, tied to the Legacy Park Project and a companion Gateway Crossing retail plan, and it needs five votes. View item
  • A resolution approving the formation of the Legacy Park District, a theme park district pursuant to Arizona law, on approximately 428 acres of land wholly within the boundaries of the City, generally located north of East Pecos Road, east of South Ellsworth Road, west of the South Crismon Road alignment, and west and south of State Route 24; electing two City Councilmembers to serve on the District Board of Directors; approving the form and authorizing the execution and delivery of a Development and Intergovernmental Agreement by and among the City, the District, a Developer, and the owners of land within the District; and approving and authorizing additional actions in connection with such District. (District 6): Mesa's council will vote on forming the Legacy Park District, a theme park district under Arizona law covering about 428 acres north of East Pecos Road and west of the future South Crismon Road alignment. The resolution seats two councilmembers on the district board and approves a development and intergovernmental agreement with the developer and landowners, who signed a written consent dated September 3, 2026. View item

Avondale City Council — September 14, 2026

  • REGULAR AGENDA: Avondale's council holds public hearings on a minor General Plan amendment for about 9.03 acres at the northeast corner of Lower Buckeye Road and 4th Street, changing the land use from Industrial to Public/Civic for a city operations warehouse, and on a companion rezone of that land from Urban Residential to Planned Area Development. The council also hears a request from Walter Martinez to rezone 325 and 335 North Central Avenue from Community Commercial to Urban Residential so each lot can hold one single-family home, about 0.45 acres in all. View item

Chandler City Council — September 14, 2026

  • Resolution No. 6038 - Kyrene Road Project Agreement with Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG): Chandler's council study session takes up Resolution No. 6038, a project agreement with the Maricopa Association of Governments for Kyrene Road from north of Chandler Boulevard to Loop 202. The agreement programs $14,247,515.04 in regional reimbursements — $1,424,751.50 for design, $4,274,254.51 for right of way and $8,548,509.03 for construction — funded by the county's regional transportation sales tax. View item

FOUNTAIN-HILLS-PZ — September 14, 2026

  • PUBLIC HEARING, with CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Relating to Ordinance 26-12 repealing and replacing Zoning Ordinance Chapter 17, Wireless Telecommunication Towers and Antennas.: Fountain Hills' Planning and Zoning Commission holds a public hearing on Ordinance 26-12, which repeals and replaces the town's rules for wireless towers and antennas in Chapter 17. The draft would require new towers to sit at least 500 feet from any home or residential zoning (the Town Council could allow a reduction to 300 feet), set a fall zone of at least 125% of tower height, require lithium ion phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries for fire safety, and proposes that subdivisions of 50 gross acres or more set aside a location for a future tower under a companion change to the town's subdivision rules. View item

SURPRISE-CC — September 15, 2026

  • District 1: Surprise's council takes up Case FS25-1081, a rezone of about 7.52 acres near the southeast corner of Happy Valley Road and 157th Avenue from Rural Residential to Regional Commercial with a Planned Unit Development overlay. View item

AVONDALE-PZ — September 16, 2026

  • PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: Avondale's Planning Commission holds a public hearing on a major amendment to the Avondale Commons Planned Area Development, about 25.23 gross acres at the northwest corner of Avondale Boulevard and McDowell Road. The request, from Shaine Alleman with Tiffany and Bosco, P.A., would remove Stipulation No. 2 from Ordinance 2052-0921, which ties commercial construction timing to multifamily housing; the commission sends a recommendation to the council. View item

Scottsdale City Council — September 22, 2026

  • Receipt of Citizen Petitions: Scottsdale's council will accept citizen petitions, and the same night's work study session covers creating a large water user ordinance — a possible new rule for the city's biggest water customers. The work study also gets a financial and capital improvement plan update on preliminary fiscal year 2026 results. View item