The Pinal County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved two measures at their last meeting that will transform approximately 3,200 acres of state-owned land in San Tan Valley into a major mixed-use development. The board voted to approve a non-major comprehensive plan amendment to designate the land as a “Special District” and to rezone the property from General Rural (GR) to Large Master Plan Community (L-MPC).
The approved San Tan Valley Urban Core project encompasses 3,238.7 acres of Arizona State Land Department property located north of Bella Vista Road, south of Hash Knife Draw Road, and east of Hunt Highway. The land is currently vacant and primarily used for agriculture, sitting in what officials described as “the heart of San Tan Valley.”
A “Special District” land use designation, according to the project documentation, is unique to State lands in the Pinal County Comprehensive Plan and allows for a diverse mix of land uses, while concurrently allowing for transitional uses and/or buffers between dissimilar uses. The Large Master Plan Community (L-MPC) zoning district is described as a floating zoning district that encourages creative land development, providing an alternative to conventional zoning districts by promoting innovative land use planning for properties comprising no less than 2,000 gross acres.
During the meeting, there was considerable discussion about the commercial versus residential nature of the development. Vice Chairman Jeff McClure asked for clarification saying, “I was under the impression it would be more commercial than residential” and mentioned “a Civic core… essentially a downtown core similar to like Chandler Gilbert.”
Planning Manager Harvey Krauss explained the unique situation with state land ownership, noting, “We’re dealing with the state land office and of course they have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize dollars for their beneficiaries.” He added that the state will be “auctioning the property and then each of the private developers will be coming into development services which we will negotiate those types of public services and possibly more commercial at that point in time.”
The transportation plans for the project include a network of major roadways. According to the conceptual transportation plan shown below, the green lines represent six-lane arterial roadways while the red lines indicate four-lane arterial roadways. These planned roadways are designed to improve connectivity throughout the development and surrounding areas.
Chairman Miller emphasized the preliminary nature of the plans, stating, “Take a look at the very first word conceptual… it might be next to your house right now doesn’t mean it’s going to be next to your house but it gives a good idea how we would want to lay Transportation Systems out in the area.”
The timeline for the project is extensive, with Planning Manager Krauss explaining that development could span “possibly 20, 30, 40 years” due to the cyclical nature of Arizona’s construction industry.
The San Tan Valley Urban Core project began about eight to nine months ago as a joint planning effort between the Arizona State Land Department and Pinal County. In June 2024, the county entered into a contract with Wood Patel as the primary consultant, with Swaback PLLC handling planning services and ESI Corporation, led by Judi Scalise, conducting the market study. These firms provided specialized expertise in architectural design, planning, and economic development analysis necessary for a project of this scale.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Carol Tonzi expressed concerns about valley fever. “This is a serious situation that needs to be addressed,” she stated. “Unlike other ongoing developments in Arizona that are not surrounded by communities, this land development would directly affect our health and safety.” She noted that many residents “have contracted valley fever and have almost died” after land around their community was disturbed for development.
Supervisor Rich Vitiello responded to these concerns, assuring that environmental studies would be conducted and expressing concern for residents’ health.
Looking ahead, the San Tan Valley Urban Core will be developed in phases, with the specific timing determined by market conditions rather than a preset schedule. The land will be auctioned by the Arizona State Land Department to private developers who will work within the framework established by the L-MPC zoning.
As the project moves forward, each development phase will require additional traffic studies, environmental assessments, and detailed planning before construction can begin. With the framework now approved, San Tan Valley residents can expect to see the gradual transformation of this central area into a mixed-use urban core over the coming decades.
