The Maricopa City Council unanimously approved a major amendment to the city’s General Plan Tuesday evening, redesignating approximately 716.5 acres from residential and open space to employment use, marking a significant shift toward expanding industrial and commercial development in the city.
The amendment, known as the Maricopa Industrial Triangle, will transform land south of Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, east of Porter Road, and north of Peters and Nall Road into an employment zone designed to accommodate light manufacturing, business parks, professional offices, and medical facilities.
Following Mayor Nancy Smith’s update about ongoing efforts to address State Route 347, which includes intersections among the deadliest in the Western United States, Councilmember Amber Liermann highlighted the project’s potential impact on traffic, emphasizing that by increasing local job opportunities, the Industrial Triangle could reduce the number of residents commuting to Phoenix daily, thereby decreasing congestion on SR-347. Currently, about 84% of Maricopa residents commute to the Phoenix Metropolitan Area for work, according to city documents.
During the public hearing, one resident voiced support for the project, noting that commercial land in the city is often rezoned for residential use rather than preserved for economic development. No opposition was recorded at the meeting.
Planning Manager Rick Williams, who presented the amendment to the council, explained that the employment designation allows for a mix of uses, including light manufacturing, business parks, professional offices, and medical facilities, offering flexibility for future development. The site’s strategic location near the Union Pacific Railroad and major transportation routes makes it particularly attractive for industrial development.
The project area includes the Santa Rosa Wash corridor, which will feature a regional trail system. Williams noted that future developers will be required to construct and maintain trail segments adjacent to their properties, ensuring public access and recreational opportunities alongside industrial development.
The amendment had previously received approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission at its second and final hearing on December 23, following a formal public participation process that began in September 2024. This process included a 60-day agency review period, neighborhood notifications, and multiple public hearings. Future development of individual parcels within the Industrial Triangle will require additional approvals through rezoning, preliminary plat, and site plan review processes, where specific details about infrastructure, trail systems, and other development requirements will be addressed.
