Money and water drove the week across Maricopa County, led by Mesa's first step toward higher utility bills. Council members took up a notice of intention to adjust water, wastewater, electric, gas and solid waste rates — the legal paperwork that opens public comment — with a hearing set for Dec. 8 and staff recommending the new rates take effect Feb. 1, 2027. The recommendations include residential water rates up 3.5%, wastewater up 7.5% and solid waste up 5.5%, while general commercial water users would see a 13% jump.

Water was the thread running through the week. Mesa's council agenda included a briefing on the city's water supplies, covering the recent federal decision on Colorado River operations and possible future investments. Flagstaff took up a contract for the Inner Basin Waterline Roadway and Critical Water Infrastructure Project. And Flagstaff is set to debate zoning rules for "resource intensive industrial" land uses, a category the agenda says was previously labeled data centers.

Housing and land use filled out the week. Mesa took up a 78-lot attached-home project called Park North on about 5 acres in District 6. Flagstaff took up a $1.65 million loan to Lone Tree Ranch, LP for affordable housing, and weighed rezoning 23.89 acres for a storage yard and heavy manufacturing. Phoenix also took up an update to its growth projections and land-use assumptions and 15.16 acres at Interstate 17 and Grandview Road for offices and warehousing. Surprise reviewed the Ana Mandara development agreement.

The coming week brings big money questions. Phoenix kicks off its 2028 general obligation bond program — the borrowing package for major city projects — and takes up how the last budget year closed, with a $266.4 million ending balance. Chandler takes up higher solid waste fees, and Scottsdale may join PFAS drinking-water settlements that could bring the city money over contamination of its water.

Policy debates round out the look-ahead. Tempe holds second and final public hearings on rules for automated license plate readers and on city code for group homes, and takes up the Emerald Center mixed-use rezone. Mesa's Planning and Zoning Board weighs 44 acres of state land for new homes, and Flagstaff considers rezoning 13.01 acres to single-family homes.

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Mesa City Council — October 05, 2026

  • ZON24-00708 "Park North" 5± acres located approximately 270± feet east of the northeast corner of South Power Road and East Guadalupe Road. Rezone from Limited Commercial with Planned Area Development Overlay (LC-PAD) to Multiple Residence-3 with a Planned Area Development Overlay (RM-3-PAD) and Site Plan Review. This request will allow for a 78-lot attached single residence development. EXDEV PARK NORTH LLC, Owner; Brennan Ray, Ray Law Firm applicant. (District 6) Ordinance No. 6033: Mesa took up a rezone and site plan for "Park North," about 5± acres roughly 270± feet east of the northeast corner of South Power Road and East Guadalupe Road, changing the zoning so a 78-lot attached single-home project can be built. The owner is EXDEV Park North LLC, the applicant is Brennan Ray of Ray Law Firm, the Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval with conditions on a 7-0 vote, and the case is in District 6 (Ordinance No. 6033). View item
  • Adoption of Notice of Intention to adjust utility rates .: Mesa took the first legal step toward new utility rates with a notice of intention to adjust water, wastewater, electric, gas and solid waste rates — the paperwork that opens a public comment window. Staff recommend raising residential water rates 3.5%, wastewater 7.5% and solid waste 5.5%, with bigger jumps for business water users (13% for general commercial, 23% for large commercial and industrial); a public hearing is set for Dec. 8 at 5:45 p.m., and staff recommend the changes take effect Feb. 1, 2027. View item

Mesa City Council — October 08, 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. This presentation will start no earlier than 8:15am.: Mesa's council agenda included a briefing on the city's water supplies, covering its water portfolio, recent federal action from the Bureau of Reclamation (its Record of Decision and Operating Guidelines), Colorado River supplies, and future investments. View item

Flagstaff City Council — October 06, 2026

  • Consideration and Approval of Contract: Loan Documents with Lone Tree Ranch, LP related to a $1,650,000 loan for development of affordable housing units: Flagstaff took up loan documents with Lone Tree Ranch, LP tied to a $1,650,000 loan for development of affordable housing units. View item
  • Consideration and Approval of Contract: Inner Basin Waterline Roadway and Critical Water Infrastructure Project: Flagstaff took up approval of a contract for the Inner Basin Waterline Roadway and Critical Water Infrastructure Project. View item
  • Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-23: An ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, amending the Flagstaff Zoning Map to rezone approximately 23.89 acres located at 2661 N El Paso Flagstaff Road, APN 113-37-010 from the Highway Commercial (HC) zone with the Resource Protection Overlay (RPO) to Heavy Industrial – Open (HI-O) zone with the RPO.: Flagstaff considered rezoning about 23.89 acres at 2661 N El Paso Flagstaff Road (APN 113-37-010) from Highway Commercial with a Resource Protection Overlay to Heavy Industrial – Open with the overlay (Ordinance No. 2026-23), which would allow construction storage and supply yard and heavy manufacturing uses on the site. View item

Surprise City Council — October 06, 2026

  • District 1 — Consideration and action pertaining to approval of the Ana Mandara Development Agreement; Resolution 2026-115.: Surprise took up the Ana Mandara Development Agreement for District 1 (Resolution 2026-115). A development agreement sets binding terms between the city and a developer. View item

Phoenix City Council — October 07, 2026

  • Growth Projections and Land Use Assumptions Update - Amendment (Ordinance S-53226) - Citywide: Phoenix took up a citywide amendment to its growth projections and land-use assumptions (Ordinance S-53226) — the growth and land-use figures the city uses in development planning. View item
  • Formal Action - PCD Major Amendment - Rezoning Application Z-104-L-75-3 - Southeast Corner of Interstate 17 and Grandview Road - District 3: Phoenix took up a major amendment to the Northgate Planned Community District, rezoning 15.16 acres at the southeast corner of Interstate 17 and Grandview Road from C-2 PCD to CP/BP PCD to allow office and warehousing (application Z-104-L-75-3, District 3). The land is state trust land under the Arizona State Land Department and the applicant is WareSpace; staff, the Deer Valley Village Planning Committee (13-0) and the Planning Commission (7-0) all recommended approval with stipulations. View item

Chandler City Council — October 12, 2026

  • Resolution No. 6044 - Amending the Citywide Fee Schedule Relating to Public Works & Utilities Department's Solid Waste Fees: Chandler took up Resolution No. 6044, which amends Section 7.2 of the citywide fee schedule for solid waste. The monthly disposal fee for homes would rise from $21.05 to $22.00, additional curbside collection would go from $10.00 to $10.45 a month, and the resolution sets an effective date of Jan. 4, 2027; a public hearing is set for Oct. 15 at 6:00 p.m. View item

Phoenix City Council — October 13, 2026

  • 2025-26 Year-End General Fund Budget Results and Adoption of the 2027-28 Budget Calendar - Citywide: Phoenix takes up how its 2025-26 budget year ended and adoption of its 2027-28 budget calendar. The general fund ended with a $266.4 million balance — $7.2 million more than estimated — and the city is tracking rising public safety pension costs; the proposed budget calendar runs through adoption in June 2027. View item
  • 2028 General Obligation Bond Program Development and Report of the Fiscal Capacity Committee - Citywide: Phoenix takes up development of its 2028 General Obligation Bond Program and a report from its Fiscal Capacity Committee — the five-member panel (chaired by retired EY managing partner Ron Butler) that recommends how big the borrowing package should be. The bond program is backed by secondary property tax revenue, and the committee's charge is to evaluate how much debt the city can responsibly incur without raising the secondary property tax rate. View item

Flagstaff City Council — October 13, 2026

  • Discussion regarding Resource Intensive Industrial land use (previously Data Centers) zoning requirements and zoning code regulations.: Flagstaff council members will discuss zoning requirements and code regulations for "resource intensive industrial" land uses — a category the agenda notes was previously labeled data centers. View item

Mesa Planning & Zoning Board — October 14, 2026

  • ZON26-00162. "Hawes Crossing Village 6 Remainder," 44± acres located at the northwest corner of the South Hawes Road alignment and East Warner Road.: Mesa's Planning and Zoning Board holds a public hearing on rezoning 44± acres at the northwest corner of the South Hawes Road alignment and East Warner Road from RM-5-PAD (15± acres), OC-PAD (9± acres) and LC-PAD (20± acres) to Residential Small Lot-2.5 with a Planned Area Development overlay. The request would open state land to new homes at up to 4.1 units per acre; staff recommend approval with conditions, the applicant is Sean Lake of Pew & Lake PLC, and the owner is the State of Arizona (District 6, case ZON26-00162). View item

Tempe City Council — October 15, 2026

  • PUBLIC HEARING ITEM PURSUANT TO A.R.S. § 9-462.04: Hold the second and final public hearing to adopt an ordinance for a Zoning Map Amendment from GID to MU-4 and a Planned Area Development Overlay for EMERALD CENTER MIXED-USE, located at 8550 South Priest: Tempe holds the second and final public hearing on a zoning map amendment from GID to MU-4 with a Planned Area Development overlay for "Emerald Center Mixed-Use" at 8550 South Priest Drive (Ordinance No. O2026.44). The project is proposed by The Widewaters Group in conjunction with Trammell Crow Companies, and the rezone would change the allowed uses on the site. View item
  • PUBLIC HEARING ITEM PURSUANT TO A.R.S. § 9-462.04: Hold the second and final public hearing to adopt an Ordinance for a Zoning and Development Code Text Amendment for Section 3-409 - Group Homes for Adult Care, Persons with Disabilities, and Child Shelter: Tempe holds the second and final public hearing on a code text amendment for Section 3-409 covering group homes for adult care, people with disabilities and child shelters (Ordinance No. O2026.45). The change is tied to state assisted-living legislation (SB 1473), and a housing impact statement accompanies the amendment. View item
  • PUBLIC HEARING ITEM: Hold the second and final public hearing to adopt an ordinance addressing public health, safety, and welfare by amending Chapter 26 of the Tempe City Code relating to police and adding a new Article VI related to the use of automated: Tempe holds its second and final public hearing to adopt an ordinance governing automated license plate readers (ALPR), amending Chapter 26 of the Tempe City Code and adding a new Article VI related to the use of the technology (Ordinance No. O2026.46). The city compiled a summary of public input on the rules in September 2026. View item

Scottsdale City Council — October 20, 2026

  • Participation in Proposed Class Action Settlements: Scottsdale will consider joining proposed class-action settlements over PFAS "forever chemicals" — found in firefighting foam — that contaminated public drinking water (Resolution No. 13813). The settlements are with Amerex ($4 million), Archroma U.S. ($14 million), Carrier Global (at least $129.2 million, plus up to $85 million more in insurance), and Nation Ford Chemical ($1.875 million); how much Scottsdale collects depends on how many public water systems nationwide stay in the class, and the deadline to opt out is Dec. 22, 2026. View item

Flagstaff City Council — October 20, 2026

  • Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-28: An ordinance amending the Flagstaff zoning map to rezone approximately 13.01 acres of real property from the Rural Residential (RR) zone with partial Resource Protection Overlay (RPO) to Single-Family Residential (R1) with full RPO.: Flagstaff will consider rezoning about 13.01 acres from Rural Residential with a partial Resource Protection Overlay to Single-Family Residential with a full overlay (Ordinance No. 2026-28). The change would alter what can be built on the land and place the property under the full Resource Protection Overlay. View item