Key Points
- Dobson Farms Land Use Change: Repurposes 1,619 acres from housing to industrial and technology uses, bringing major data center development and employment opportunities.
- Soaring Electrical Demand: Combined demand from the proposed data centers could exceed 1,000 MW—comparable to roughly one-quarter of Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station’s output—highlighting the unprecedented scale of the project.
- Infrastructure Investments: Developers must fund major road expansions, utility upgrades, and leverage the nearby Abel SRP substation to handle the massive electrical load.
- Town Revenue Gains: Projections estimate up to $10 million annually in tax revenue for Florence, along with millions in development impact fees for police, fire, and roadway improvements.
- Informational Hearing Only: No votes were taken; the Planning and Zoning Commission heard the presentations for discussion and information purposes only.
The Town of Florence Planning and Zoning Commission heard presentations September 4, 2025 on three major land use amendments that will transform 1,619 acres of the Dobson Farms master-planned community from residential use to industrial development, marking a significant shift toward job creation in the growing community.
The commission considered amendments for Florence Tech Park at Dobson Farms (780 acres), Dobson Farms East (239 acres), and Dobson Farms West (600 acres), all requesting changes from Suburban Neighborhood to Industry District designation in the town’s general plan.
Massive Data Center Development Planned
The three projects will create a technology corridor featuring extensive data center facilities and industrial uses. According to building summary documents submitted with the applications, the developments will include:
| Project | Building Plans & Usage |
|---|---|
| Dobson Farms West | Large-scale data centers and industrial/warehousing facilities planned across approximately 600 acres. |
| Dobson Farms East | 10 two-story data center buildings planned, each with 72 MW power capacity, across 239 acres. |
| Florence Tech Park | 5 data centers, 2 office buildings, and 1 general industrial building planned across 780 acres. |
The developments will also benefit from planned transportation improvements. The Central Arizona Parkway will traverse along Attaway Road, while the future North-South Corridor (SR505L) freeway will provide additional regional connectivity.
According to the traffic impact study for Florence Tech Park, the data center buildings will be 1,100,000 square feet each – exceptionally large facilities that dwarf typical industry standards. Traffic engineers analyzing the Florence Tech Park noted these buildings are dramatically larger than any data centers in industry databases, where the largest surveyed was less than 500,000 square feet and the average was 267,000 square feet. Because the proposed data centers are more than double the size of the largest facilities previously studied, engineers had to use warehousing classifications instead of standard data center categories for traffic analysis purposes – a significant deviation that highlights the unprecedented scale of these facilities.
Land Use Transformation Details
| Agenda Item | Acres | Current Land Use (2022 Florence GP) | Proposed Land Use | Project Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence Tech Park at Dobson Farms | 780 acres | Suburban Neighborhood | Industry District | SE corner of Judd Rd & Attaway Rd |
| Dobson Farms East | 239 acres | Suburban Neighborhood | Industry District | NE corner of Arizona Farms Rd & Attaway Rd |
| Dobson Farms West | 600 acres | Suburban Neighborhood | Industry District | NW corner of Arizona Farms Rd & Attaway Rd |
| Total | 1,619 acres | Suburban Neighborhood | Industry District | Portions of Dobson Farms master-planned community |
The original Dobson Farms PUD was approved in 2009 with approximately 1,810 acres but has remained undeveloped for 15 years. The 2022 Florence General Plan update changed the designation from Master Planned Community to Suburban Neighborhood, prompting developers to seek industrial zoning that better matches current market demands. Concurrent Planned Unit Development (PUD) amendments are also being processed alongside these general plan amendments.
Strategic Location and Infrastructure
Julie Vermillion of CVL Consultants, the planning firm representing multiple projects, explained the location’s advantages: “You can see that we have the Abel SRP substation that was discussed earlier. So you can see that this area is well-suited for the land use that we’re proposing.”
Attorney Gary Hays, representing Ryan Companies for the Florence Tech Park, emphasized this infrastructure advantage: “It’s important to note that right across the street from this project is also a very large substation. I think one of the largest in Pinal County.”
Massive Power Demands Challenge Regional Grid
The massive scale of the proposed data centers creates unprecedented electrical demands that position this development as one of the most power-intensive projects in Pinal County. Modern data centers have evolved from water-intensive facilities to “electricity eating animals,” as Gary Hays described, requiring enormous electrical capacity to power servers, cooling systems, and supporting infrastructure.
The Abel SRP substation’s proximity to the development site is not coincidental but essential. Hays emphasized that the Florence Tech Park sits “right across the street” from what he described as “one of the largest substations in Pinal County” – actually a receiving station with an accompanying substation. This electrical infrastructure represents a critical competitive advantage, as data centers require massive, reliable electrical supply that most locations cannot provide.
According to building summary documents submitted with the Dobson Farms East application, each of the 10 data center buildings planned for that project would have a 72-megawatt (MW) power capacity, with the project also including 44 generators for backup/emergency power. Dobson Farms East alone is estimated at 720 MW. Based on the scale of the other projects, overall demand could plausibly exceed 1,000 MW, although no combined total has been provided in official filings.
To understand the scale of this electrical demand, consider that Arizona’s Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station – the largest power plant in the United States by net generation – has a rated capacity of 4,200 MW across three reactors, with average production of about 3,300 MW. For comparison, the Dobson Farms East data center projects’ estimated electrical demand of 1,000+ MW represents roughly one-quarter of Palo Verde’s total capacity, making this development one of the largest potential electrical loads in Arizona.
The transition from water-cooled to air-cooled data center technology, while reducing water consumption, has intensified electrical demands. Modern facilities require continuous power for server operations and cooling systems.
According to the project narratives, Salt River Project (SRP) is anticipated to serve as the electrical provider for all three Dobson Farms developments, making the Abel substation’s capacity and proximity a determining factor in the projects’ feasibility.
This electrical demand represents both an opportunity and a challenge for Florence. While the projects will generate substantial tax revenue and employment, they will also stress regional electrical infrastructure and require coordination with SRP to ensure adequate power supply and grid stability as the facilities come online.
Employment vs. Housing Trade-off
The land use change reflects Florence’s strategic shift from housing to job creation. Vice-Chair Kathleen DeRosa emphasized this priority: “El Dorado looks to build communities, not just houses. We have 20, 30,000 rooftops coming on board. This area’s gonna need jobs.”
Vermillion projected significant employment benefits: “We’re estimating approximately 800 jobs could result from this rezoning. As part of the development impact fees, we’re anticipating about $500,000 going to police funding, 1.4 million to fire department funding, and approximately 2 million in roadway funding. And that’s estimated based off of ultimate build-out and the current schedule.” She noted these projections are subject to change.
The Florence Tech Park alone could generate substantial tax revenue, with Vermillion estimating approximately $10 million in annual tax revenues for the town.
Water Usage Reduction
The industrial conversion offers dramatically reduced water consumption compared to residential development. According to the applicants’ analysis comparing the proposed industrial and data center uses to the original single-family residential plan, the industrial development would reduce water consumption from approximately three million gallons per day for the original residential development to about one million gallons per day – roughly one-third of the original residential water demand.
When Chairman Lonnie Frost expressed concerns about data centers being “water eating animals,” Gary Hays clarified that technology has changed significantly: “They used to be. So that is about eight to 10 year old technology. They don’t do that anymore because they can’t. So now they are more electricity eating animals.” He explained that data centers “used to be water heavy, they’re no longer water cooled. They’re all electric.”
Traffic Impact Analysis
The industrial development will generate less traffic than the originally planned residential community. Vermillion noted: “Additional benefits would be a reduction in the project traffic. The existing residential use would anticipate more traffic than what we’re currently showing with our industrial plan.”
Traffic studies show the developments will generate less traffic than the originally planned residential community but will require significant road construction and improvements. According to the Florence Tech Park project narrative, the developers have proposed to construct and upgrade road infrastructure, including:
- Judd Road constructed as a Minor Arterial with a 55-foot south half street right of way
- Attaway Road with a 100-foot east half right of way where the Central Arizona Parkway fronts the Florence Tech Park parcel
- Arizona Farms Road constructed as a Principal Arterial with a 75-foot north half street right of way
- New infrastructure improvements on both Arizona Farms Road and Attaway Road
- Various turn lanes at project access points as determined by traffic studies
As Gary Hays noted, “we will be required to come in and improve the roads in that area,” and the plan will “extend, upgrade water, sewer and road infrastructure in this area.”
Public Concerns About Infrastructure
Resident John Mendoza raised concerns about transportation infrastructure, noting that planned highways lack funding. “The state route 505 has no funding, so that will be coming in the future, but we still have no freeway. Same thing with the Central Arizona Parkway that the town is considering. They don’t have any funding for that either.”
Mendoza emphasized road safety concerns: “I’ve got a godson that’s sitting in the hospital right now because he just got hit by a car on a motorcycle. Roads out here are horrible. Although I want this project to come, we definitely need it. We also need to make sure that we’re getting these roads done prior to some of these bigger projects coming in.”
Community Development Director A.J. Monroe acknowledged these concerns, stating that all transportation issues “are being contemplated” and that “there’s a lot of work ahead” to find resources for necessary infrastructure improvements.
Hays noted strong community support at a neighborhood meeting, saying nobody was opposed and “one lady said, ‘Can you build it today? Because I want these roads, I don’t want these houses.'”
Commission Support
Commissioner Jeffrey Wooley praised the partnership: “For those of us that have been in Florence our whole life, the Dobson family doesn’t screw around. When they see a project they know is gonna work, they get on board and they support it. They don’t bring stuff to a town that’s not gonna work.”
Chairman Lonnie Frost expressed enthusiasm for the projects: “I’m happy with what I heard. Exciting plans. Very excited. I look forward to it.”
The commission closed the public hearings after the presentations and discussion, with no final decisions made at this stage on the general plan amendments. Hays indicated he will return in two weeks with additional PUD amendment requests for the Florence Tech Park as part of the continuing approval process.
