Mesa had the biggest week in this roundup. On Sept. 14, the City Council took up a resolution forming the 428-acre Legacy Park District, a special taxing district that Arizona law lets cities over 500,000 people create for a theme park project. The same night, the council rezoned 196.3 acres for a mixed-use community at the northeast corner of South Ellsworth Road and East Williams Field Road, with room for up to 2,400 homes and 6.7 million square feet of non-residential space. Pacific Proving LLC owns the land, and Gammage & Burnham is the applicant.

Mesa also spent time on water. At a strategic planning session on Sept. 17, staff walked the council through the city's water portfolio and the federal government's August decision on how to run Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Staff said Lake Mead sits at 27% and Lake Powell at 23%, and that Lower Basin states face a 1.25 million acre-foot cut starting in 2027, with Arizona's share at 760,000 acre-feet a year. About 45% of Mesa's water comes from the Colorado River, and the presentation's planning conclusion was that the city must keep preparing for less certainty in those supplies.

Three more councils take up big items in the days ahead. Tempe's non-consent agenda on Sept. 24 opens a public hearing on a zoning change and planned-area-development overlay for the Emerald Center mixed-use project at 8550 South Priest Drive, and on a rewrite of the city's group-home rules for adult care. Phoenix will vote on higher police public-records fees and more staff under Ordinance S-53215. Tolleson will set a temporary price of $275 per acre-foot for treated wastewater it sells to APS and SRP in 2026 and 2027.

In the rest of the week, Fountain Hills' Planning and Zoning Commission took up a full rewrite of its wireless tower rules, with a draft that pushes new towers at least 500 feet from homes and requires lithium iron phosphate batteries to cut fire risk. Avondale took up a city warehouse plan and two Central Avenue rezones. Surprise took up a rezone of 7.52 acres from rural homes to regional commercial near Happy Valley Road and 157th Avenue. And Mesa's planning board will hear a 30-unit townhome project north of Brown Road on Sept. 23, over neighbor objections about traffic and density.

One caveat: several high-profile items appeared on this window's agendas with no posted backup documents, so we are waiting on the details before writing about them. Watch for those in a future roundup.

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Mesa City Council — September 14, 2026

  • 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 City Council took up a resolution forming the Legacy Park District, a 428-acre special taxing district under a state law that lets cities over 500,000 people create one for a theme park project. The resolution also elects two City Councilmembers to the district board and approves the form of, and authorizes, a development and intergovernmental agreement among the city, the district, a developer and the landowners. 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: The council rezoned 196.3 acres from light industrial to a planned community district for a mixed-use project, allowing up to 2,400 homes and 6.7 million square feet of non-residential space with a 40% residential cap near SR-24. The Planning and Zoning Board had recommended approval with conditions on a 7-0 vote; Pacific Proving LLC is the owner and Gammage & Burnham the applicant. View item

Avondale City Council — September 14, 2026

  • REGULAR AGENDA — Public hearings and ordinances on the City of Avondale Municipal Operations Warehouse minor General Plan amendment (PL-26-0263) on 9.03 acres at Lower Buckeye Road and 4th Street; the Central Avenue rezone (PL-25-0015) at 325 and 335 N Central Avenue from Community Commercial to Urban Residential; and the related warehouse rezone (PL-25-0264).: Avondale took up public hearings on a minor General Plan change for a 9.03-acre city warehouse site at the northeast corner of Lower Buckeye Road and 4th Street, plus the rezone that would let the warehouse be built. The council also took up rezoning 325 and 335 N Central Avenue from community commercial to single-family, so owner Walter Martinez can build one house on each lot. View item

Fountain Hills Planning & Zoning Commission — 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 took up Ordinance 26-12, a full rewrite of the town's wireless tower and antenna rules drafted with the McCollough Law Firm. The new draft requires all towers to be at least 500 feet from any residential use or zoning district, adds a fall zone of at least 125% of a tower's height, increases tower-to-tower separation distances, and requires lithium iron phosphate batteries to reduce fire risk, responding to 19 comments from citizen Lori Troller. View item

Surprise City Council — September 15, 2026

  • District 1 - Consideration and action pertaining to a Rezone of approximately 7.52 acres from Rural Residential (RR) to Regional Commercial (C-3) with a Planned Unit Development (PUD) overlay for property generally located near the southeast corner of Happy Valley Road and 157th Avenue. Case FS25-1081. Ordinance 2026-: Surprise took up a rezone of about 7.52 acres from rural residential to regional commercial with a planned unit development overlay, near the southeast corner of Happy Valley Road and 157th Avenue (Case FS25-1081). View item

Mesa City Council — September 17, 2026

  • Hear a presentation and discussion on Mesa's Water Supplies including Mesa's water portfolio, recent federal action (Bureau of Reclamation Record of Decision and Operating Guidelines), Colorado River supplies, and future investments.: At a Sept. 17 planning session, Mesa staff walked the council through the city's water portfolio and the federal Record of Decision for the Colorado River. Staff said Lake Mead is at 27% and Lake Powell at 23%, and that Arizona faces a 760,000 acre-foot cut in 2027, with about 45% of Mesa's water coming from the Colorado River. View item

City Council — September 22, 2026

  • Adopt Resolution No. 2664 of the Mayor and Council of the City of Tolleson, Arizona, approving the First Amendment to the Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of Wastewater Effluent between the City of Tolleson, Arizona, Arizona Public Service Company, and Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, establishing a temporary price of $275.00 per acre-foot for effluent sold and delivered during calendar years 2026 and 2027, and authorizing the Mayor to execute and deliver said Amendment. (Utilities Department): Tolleson will take up Resolution No. 2664, the first amendment to its wastewater effluent agreement with APS and SRP, setting a temporary price of $275 per acre-foot for effluent sold and delivered in calendar years 2026 and 2027. Per the staff report, the temporary pricing expires automatically Dec. 31, 2027, and the amendment brings in revenue with no expenditure. View item

Mesa Planning & Zoning Board — September 23, 2026

  • ZON21-00066. "Greenfield Multifamily," 1.9± acres located approximately 2,025± feet north of the northwest corner of East Brown Road and North Greenfield Road. Rezone from Single Residence-35 (RS-35) to Multiple Residence-3 with a Planned Area Development Overlay (RM-3-PAD) and Site Plan Review. This request will allow for a 30-unit multiple residence development. (District 2). Staff Planner: Jennifer Merrill Recommendation: Approval with Conditions: Mesa's Planning and Zoning Board will hear a request to rezone 1.9 acres about 2,025 feet north of the northwest corner of East Brown Road and North Greenfield Road from single-residence to multifamily with a PAD overlay, plus a site plan for a 30-unit townhome project. Staff recommends approval with conditions; neighbors have objected to the density, traffic and noise. View item

Phoenix City Council — September 23, 2026

  • Police Public Records and Services Fees and Increased Staffing Level (Ordinance S-53215) - Citywide: Phoenix will vote on Ordinance S-53215, which sets new police public-records and services fees and adds staffing. Under the posted fee schedule, commercial requesters pay a $10 flat fee plus 25 cents per printed page, while non-commercial requests are free for digital release. View item

Tempe City Council — September 24, 2026

  • NON-CONSENT AGENDA: Tempe's non-consent agenda opens a first public hearing on a zoning map amendment and planned-area-development overlay for the Emerald Center mixed-use project at 8550 South Priest Drive, plus a rewrite of the code for group homes for adult care. It also covers several easement abandonments and a transfer from the fire capital fund to debt service. View item