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Changing the status quo can be hard for neighbors to accept, and it often drives NIMBY reaction to new development. Smart developers know the value of hiring a Neighborhood Outreach Specialist. Hear how Tom Bilsten navigates community outreach and makes it an early step for development success.
This article originally appeared on AZ Big Media.
As Arizona continues to experience sustained population growth, shifting capital markets, and evolving municipal priorities, land use entitlement strategies are becoming more nuanced—and more critical—than ever. Based on trends we are seeing across jurisdictions statewide, here are six land use and development predictions likely to shape Arizona in 2026.
Cities and towns will place greater emphasis on water availability, power delivery, and roadway capacity at the entitlement stage. Developers should expect more detailed conditions related to off-site improvements, utility coordination, and phased development triggers—particularly for industrial, data centers, and large-scale residential projects.
PAD zoning will remain the preferred entitlement vehicle for complex or mixed-use projects. Municipalities value the flexibility PADs provide, while still allowing cities to negotiate design standards, buffering, and phasing. In 2026, we expect PADs to be used not just for innovation, but as a baseline entitlement approach for larger projects.
Public opposition—whether well-founded or not—continues to influence entitlement timelines. Cities are increasingly encouraging (and sometimes informally requiring) enhanced neighborhood outreach prior to hearings. Developers who invest early in clear messaging and factual responses will gain a meaningful advantage.
Rather than broad upzoning, municipalities are focusing density in strategic locations—near freeways, employment centers, and commercial corridors. Projects that clearly demonstrate compatibility, transitions, and infrastructure readiness will be best positioned to secure higher densities.
While the state legislature has been working to accelerate municipal review times, the entitlement process is not getting simpler. Jurisdictions are strengthening up their Administrative Reviews before they start their formal, substantive reviews. Other cities are requiring more information upfront (e.g. traffic study approval) before you can even apply. In Mesa, AZ, city staff is proposing changes to the code that make site plan amendments more uncertain (and longer delayed) by granting council oversight which is seemingly contrary to new laws adopted by the legislature in 2025. Add in a little more NIMBY-ism and voila…your entitlement case just became my kids’ college funding plan.
In 2026, the gap will widen between well-prepared entitlement applications and those that attempt to run cases solo, or attempt to resolve issues during public hearings rather than before submittal. The sifting of projects will set apart applications professionally managed by local land use counsel.
Bottom Line: Successful development in 2026 will depend just as much on pushing entitlement limits as it does by aligning with adopted plans, infrastructure realities, and community expectations. Strategic zoning, early coordination, and disciplined messaging will remain key to securing approvals across Arizona.
Author: Adam Baugh is a land use and zoning attorney and partner at Withey Morris Baugh. He is an experienced problem-solver with a talent for removing obstacles that impede development.
Withey Morris Baugh is celebrating big news: partners Jason Morris and Adam Baugh have been named among the state’s top land use and zoning attorneys in the 2026 edition of AzBusiness Leaders, AZ Big Media’s annual roundup of Arizona’s most influential business leaders.
Jason and Adam are long-time fixtures in Arizona’s development and land-use community. Jason is a founding partner whose practice focuses exclusively on land use, planning, zoning and government relations — trusted by national homebuilders, master-plan developers, major landowners and Fortune 100 companies for strategic, high-stakes entitlement work.
Adam brings a creative problem-solving approach to complicated entitlement and zoning challenges, with deep experience guiding projects through city councils, planning commissions and neighborhood processes to get developments across the finish line. His ability to remove obstacles for developers has made him a valued advocate in infill and large-scale projects alike
Their recognition in AzBusiness Leaders 2026 reflects both individual excellence and the broader strength of the firm. Withey Morris Baugh offers specialized legal counsel in land use, zoning, state land auctions and government affairs — a boutique firm that regularly handles complex entitlement work across Arizona.
Warm congratulations to Jason and Adam on this well-earned recognition! Read more about Jason and Adam in this special annual edition.
Boys love their toys…but where can you put them? Jason Phillips at Wesley Development cracked the code in the development of the Toy Barn, a luxury storage condo project meant for all your biggest toys.
This article originally appeared in the Phoenix Business Journal.
Downtown Phoenix neighborhoods could become a bit more crowded.
Phoenix City Council voted Nov. 19 to allow duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes in single-family areas near downtown. It mirrored recent decisions by officials in Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Flagstaff and others. Under state law, every municipality with more than 75,000 residents must follow suit by the end of the year.
The debate over the rezoning in Arizona’s capital city was contentious. A legion of residents from the Encanto and Willo neighborhoods, which fall under the oval-shaped, mile-diameter overlay around Phoenix’s central business district, voiced concerns at the Nov. 19 meeting and at a previous one Nov. 5, when Council delayed its vote on the issue. Historic neighborhoods deserve protection, they argued, and the potential new development puts their existence at risk.
Arizona, and the country, has a housing access and affordability problem.
The median listing in the state was $475,000 in October 2025, up from $293,000 in October 2016, according to Federal Reserve data. The median age of a first-time homeowner is now over 40 years old, a record high, according to a Nov. 4 report by the National Association of Realtors. The Common Sense Institute estimated Arizona had a shortage of over 56,000 units in the first quarter 2025.
Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a slate of laws in May 2024 aimed at increasing housing supply. Among them was HB 2721, which mandates the most populous places in the state to alter single-family residential zones in areas one mile around central business districts to allow for “middle housing” — defined by state law as buildings with two or more residential units that are compatible in scale, form and character with single-family homes — while requiring new residential development of 10 acres or more to designate 20% of its units for middle housing.
If cities don’t comply, the municipal governments risk losing some zoning power, and all single-family zones will automatically be required to allow multiplexes without any limitations.
In the short term, the change fails to fulfill either the dreams or nightmares of stakeholders, said land use attorney Adam Baugh, parter at Withey Morris Baugh, PLC. The impact on the unit scarcity in areas near downtown and neighborhoods’ historic value will be marginal, he said.
The units that will be built in these neighborhoods will not be “affordable” or function as a lifeline for those who can’t afford any housing. Rather, middle housing provides a step-up for potential homeowners to access neighborhoods they are currently unable to afford living in due to bloated prices.
When new residents move into new neighborhoods, the units they leave behind open up, which are filled by those who are able to step up; think trickle-down housing supply.
The problem, Baugh said, is that homebuilders are not clamoring to get their hands on properties in the areas that are targeted by the law.
“I’m on the tip of the spear of development,” he said. “For a year and a half since this law has been in place, I haven’t had a single person come to me, as far as developers, and goes, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about doing something in the near-downtown area.'”
Building is expensive, and it’s “kind of a funky, squishy economy” right now, Baugh said.
To develop on an infill site, which are pricey in places like Willo and Encanto, a developer has to buy a structure, probably tear down what’s on the property, and go through potentially strenuous permitting processes with the city. In the meantime, they have to cross their fingers that interest rates and construction prices don’t rise.
In addition, historic-designated neighborhoods have added protections which are guaranteed by HB 2721. Preservation offices and homeowner associations can regulate the size, review the design and put a year-long delay on construction if it fails to get their approval. The zoning overlay in Phoenix also caps middle housing construction at two stories or 30 feet.
“It seems like a whole lot of risk for a little bit of lift,” the attorney said.
However, the middle housing requirement for new developments is a boon for developers, Baugh said, who are always looking to add more units. The law removes barriers of entry, streamlines processes of getting projections to product and contributes to the goal of adding more beds and roofs, he said.
If and when projects come to fruition, middle housing may actually raise property values of an area and provide benefits that can be felt by nearby residents, though it would be understandably frustrating for those directly adjacent to development.
Willo and Encanto already have multiplexes that were built years ago. The state law aims to protect the ambiance, character of a neighborhood with new development. The rezone just makes it easier for more people — but not all people — to access and enjoy the neighborhoods, supporters argue.
“If you can appreciate how costly these products are to execute and develop, you’re attracting a premium user,” Baugh said. “The actual application often doesn’t match the fear or perception that’s presented today.”
Willo and Encanto residents refuse to let themselves be categorized as elitist.
Decades ago, the Willo and Encanto neighborhoods were undesirable, they said, and the homeowners have worked with the city to preserve its historic value in every major development, including when Phoenix added a Metro Rail stop nearby in 2008 and the I-10 tunnel in 1990.
Aaron Montaño Searles, vice president of the Willo Neighborhood Association, said he has teachers, small business owners and bartenders as neighbors who have made sacrifices to invest in where they live.
“These are not folks who are rich and wealthy,” he said at the Nov. 19 Council meeting. “They put a lot of time and effort into their homes, and they’ve bought into this neighborhood because of the community it has.”
The middle housing law opens up the door to a total destruction of what they have built, he said.
“Maybe not today, maybe not next year, maybe not even 10 years,” he said. “But eventually, when we are no longer 50% historic, we are no longer a historic district.”
Some Council members expressed sympathy for the residents, but said their hands were tied by the state.
“This all started at the Legislature when they passed a mandate,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said at the meeting. “Unequivocally, we must adopt this and implement it by January 1st.”
But, she said, a contention of the law is all but guaranteed in the next session, and it has a higher chance of survival than in previous attempts for a historic neighborhood exemption.
“There is a much broader, bipartisan support moving forward,” the mayor said.
Recent shootings and other public discord have affected us all. How do we disagree better? County Supervisor Mark Stewart and former Councilwoman Kathy Tilque still have hope.
Turning dirt to development is hard enough, but try converting a golf course into a new subdivision and the whole world loses their mind. Against all odds, the impossible became possible over a three-year slog. As the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way.
This article originally appeared in the Phoenix Business Journal.
A proposed 422,000-square-foot data center and office campus in Chandler’s South Price Road Corridor will move ahead for city approval, despite concerns raised by Chandler planning staff that the envisioned project does not meet land use needs for the area.
The developer, New York-based Active Infrastructure, has proposed a Price Road Innovation Campus on a 40-acre property located at 3380 S. Price Road in Chandler.
The Chandler Planning and Zoning Commission heard a rezoning request and preliminary development plan Oct. 15, after city staff recommended denial of the project.
However, following a discussion that exceeded two hours, the commission voted 5-1 to recommend that City Council approve the proposed rezoning and development plan project at its Nov. 13 meeting. The commission added stipulations including a redesigned site plan layout that creates a more “campus-like environment” using the site’s water feature as a campus focal point.
Rick Heumann, chairman of the planning commission, cast the lone vote against the measure.
The proposed campus includes an artificial intelligence data center and five buildings for offices and research and development. The additional buildings do not yet have confirmed tenants.
The Oct. 15 planning meeting included comments from attendees in favor of and against the proposal. Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, now the president and CEO of the Arizona Business Roundtable, spoke at the meeting in favor of the project.
“I would urge Chandler to approach the AI revolution the way you approached the semiconductor revolution,” she said. “Think about tomorrow, three years, five years down the road. Not the language from 10 years ago, which didn’t even encompass the idea of the AI technology that we face today.”
The data center site selected by Active Infrastructure has sat vacant since 2019, and a 369,000-square-foot building on the property is unoccupied.
The corridor has been planned as a major employment hub for the city since 1982, said David de la Torre, planning manager for Chandler. Major employers in the area include Intel, Wells Fargo, Northrop Grumman and Iridium.
Growth policies for the area are focused on reserving the corridor for knowledge-based industries and preserving and expanding campus-like environments.
“Staff finds that data centers provide significantly lower numbers of jobs after construction is complete compared to the high-value employment industries that are targeted for the corridor,” de la Torre said.
Knowledge-based industries include technology, biomedical, aerospace and renewable energy, he said.
A nearby city-operated water reclamation plant causes a stench at the site, de la Torre noted, which can be mitigated with the right configuration of buildings on the site.
Adam Baugh, a partner with Phoenix-based Withey Morris Baugh PLC and representative for the developer, told the commission that the project is much more than its proposed data center.
The campus is projected to be a $2.5 billion investment that will create more than 1,200 construction jobs and more than 700 permanent jobs, he said.
“We’re bringing modern technology that drives new industries and uses to this area, that create the jobs that you’re looking for,” he said.
The campus is proposed to be constructed in three phrases. The first includes the data center and a 50,000-square-foot office building.
The second phase includes construction of two additional 42,000-square-foot buildings, and the third phase will be construction of a 66,000-square-foot building and a 71,000-square-foot building.
“The 9-acre data center here unlocks the remaining 31 acres of this property,” he said, adding that the envisioned data center is the kind that will attract industries to bring new operations into the area.
“You’re not getting just a data center. You’re getting a significant degree of employment on the remaining property. But if I don’t have a data center, I can’t deliver the other buildings.”
Part of the potential development agreement is a stipulation that the developer will cover the cost of failing to attract new jobs to the site, in part through annual payments if construction deadlines are not met.
Rich Zacher has nine (development) lives. Listen as we go down memory lane with one of our favorite guests.
Celebrating 54 Combined Years of Recognition as Arizona’s Top Land Use and Real Estate Lawyers
We don’t move buildings. We move the rules that build them.
Congratulations to our 2026 Best Lawyers®:
They crew keeps development legal (and legendary).
This story originally appeared on Fox10 Phoenix.
PHOENIX – A city assessment shows the City of Phoenix has a shortage of about 59,000 housing units, but efforts to solve that are at odds with some residents, as people in the historic Willo neighborhood are asking for an exemption from HB 2721.
The backstory:
HB 2721, which was passed by state legislators in 2024, is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The law requires towns and cities with at least 75,000 residents to allow ‘middle housing’ such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and townhomes to be built in neighborhoods traditionally zoned for single-family homes.
“It’s notoriously known in Arizona that we are undersupplied in housing,” said attorney Adam Baugh.
Baugh said the change is needed to keep up with housing demand.
“It’s the only way I know to create housing supply rapidly and keep our rents affordable so people can grow up here and return and live here,” said Baugh.
Local perspective:
The historic Willo neighborhood is located near Downtown Phoenix. Driving down the streets of the neighborhood can feel like going back in time.
“We have everything from Tudor-style homes to bungalows to — there’s a Georgian revival next door to me,” said resident Opal Wagner.
“They’re honestly an amazing part of our city’s heritage,” said Helana Ruter, the Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Phoenix. “Having those places that reflect our past is extremely important.”
People living in the historic Willo district are worried the new law will take away what they’ve worked hard to preserve.
“We believe it will incentivize teardowns of historic homes, because it gives entitlements of up to a fourplex,” said Wagner. “We already live in an area of Phoenix that is the most densely populated area of the city, so we’ve already welcomed a lot of density into our area.”
The residents involved are asking for an exemption for historic districts from the new law as a wa to protect them from what they believe will be an unintentional consequence of the new law.
“We understand the need for more housing in Arizona, certainly,” Wagner said. “We can build the future of Arizona without destroying Arizona’s past and demolishing it.”
The other side:
Baugh said he doesn’t think the historic neighborhoods will be affected as much as people in the Willo neighborhood fear, simply because there is so much red tape around tearing down a historic home and building something in its place. He added there aren’t that many lots there big enough to accommodate middle housing.
Baugh went on to say without new legislation like HB 2721, he fears many will be priced out of living in Arizona.
Alex Pollack created a data-driven analytical approach to contracting. Could it be useful in land use entitlements?
Referendum laws are designed to empower citizens by allowing them to challenge legislative decisions through a public vote. However, in recent years, these laws have been increasingly misused by out-of-state union groups as a tool to block zoning changes and halt new developments. This trend has raised concerns that referendum laws are being weaponized to obstruct economic development rather than serve as a check on government power. Listen in as this experience plays out in real time with VAI Resort.
We’re excited to share that Withey Morris Baugh has once again earned a Band 1 ranking – the highest possible – from Chambers USA in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use practices.
This elite recognition places us among the top law firms in Arizona for our work in land use, zoning, and real estate matters. We’re also proud that Bill Allison, Jason Morris and Adam Baugh individually received recognition in this practice area.
Chambers USA is considered the most trusted legal resource guide in the world, with rankings based on thousands of in-depth interviews conducted by the largest research team of its kind. Their independent review is respected globally as the gold standard in legal rankings.
Thank you to our clients, colleagues, and community partners for your continued trust. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to providing best-in-class counsel and supporting smart, sustainable growth across Arizona.
This article originally appeared in Gilbert City Lifestyle.
For Adam Baugh, building relationships rooted in likability and trust is the foundation of success – in business, community, and life. A dedicated Gilbert resident and attorney, Adam’s journey into civic leadership began when he joined the boards of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce. Those roles opened the door to meaningful connections and inspired a deeper commitment to community engagement.
Anatomy of a zoning case Part 3: Building a winning strategy during the entitlements phase.
When the development process is fraught with uncertainty, relying on strategic relationships can help you avoid unforeseen pitfalls. Listen as Scott Isham, Chief of Staff for Maricopa County District 4 Board of Supervisors, helps guide development to a Yes…and shows us how to be a big time movie star.
Turning the desert into a $7 billion development project is no easy task. Billed as a “city within a city,” Halo Vista will feature 2,300 acres, 28 million square feet of mixed-use development capacity, and up to 8,960 residential units as well as industrial, retail, and office spaces. Craig Henig of Mack Real Estate Group joins us as we discuss how this truly is a story of dirt to development.
By Adam Baugh
In Arizona, referendum laws are designed to empower citizens by allowing them to challenge legislative decisions through a public vote. However, in recent years, these laws have been increasingly misused as a tool to block zoning changes and halt new developments. This trend has raised concerns among city planners, developers and zoning attorneys that referendum laws are being weaponized to obstruct economic development rather than serve as a check on government power.
Understanding Arizona’s Referendum Laws
Arizona’s Constitution grants voters the right to challenge legislative decisions through referendums. If enough signatures are gathered, the issue is placed on the ballot for a public vote. While this process is meant to ensure democratic participation, it has been increasingly exploited in ways that hinder new development and economic growth.
Traditionally, zoning cases are considered legislative actions and thus subject to referendums. However, special interest groups have used referendum petitions to delay or completely derail development projects when the proposed project does not bow to their demands.
How Referendum Law Is Being Misused
Many cities in Arizona rely on zoning amendments to accommodate growth. Opponents of development projects have used referendums to challenge these changes, even when they align with city planning goals. This misuse creates uncertainty for developers and can stifle economic investment. By blocking necessary zoning changes, they think they can bend the developer to their will.
Second, they seek to delay or kill development projects. By forcing zoning decisions to a public vote, opponents can delay projects for months or even years. In many cases, developers abandon projects due to financial uncertainty, even if the zoning change is eventually upheld. This tactic is often employed by groups resistant to change, whether due to concerns about density, traffic, or property values.
Third, they abuse the legal purpose of the referendum (to empower citizens) to force their special interest wishes (unionize workers). Arizona courts have seen numerous cases where referendum petitions challenge zoning changes. The legal tool emboldens opposition groups to use referendums as a delay tactic, knowing that the litigation process itself can be enough to derail projects, and force development to succumb to their demands.
Notable Cases: VAI Resort, Axon Headquarters, and Union Involvement
High-profile projects in Arizona—VAI Resort in Glendale, Axon’s new corporate headquarters in Scottsdale, and other major developments—have become entangled in referendum battles, largely due to efforts by Worker Power, a labor-backed group.
While unions play an important role in advocating for worker rights, their use of referendum laws in this way has led to unintended consequences, including stifling economic growth and delaying much-needed housing and commercial projects and reducing/limiting the number of high-paying jobs in the area. These cases illustrate how referendum petitions are being weaponized to slow or block projects that have already been approved through standard zoning procedures.
The Consequences of Referendum Abuse
These abusive practices stunt economic growth. When developments are delayed or canceled, cities lose out on huge economic drivers, job opportunities, housing supply, and tax revenue.
It also leads to government inefficiency. Cities spend time and resources defending zoning decisions in court instead of focusing on proactive urban planning.
This practice ultimately leads to increased costs for developers and consumers. When referendums are used as leverage in labor negotiations, the costs of projects rise, which can lead to higher prices for housing, goods and services. City’s lose out as well, since the tax revenues from this project could have supported other city services and programs.
Conclusion
Arizona’s referendum law was designed to empower voters, not to serve as a tool for obstructing growth. While public participation in development decisions is important, the misuse of referendum petitions to challenge zoning changes is creating legal chaos, stifling economic development and worsening the state’s housing crisis.
The cases of VAI Resort, Axon’s headquarters, and the broader involvement of Worker Power demonstrate how these tactics can threaten even the most promising projects. Addressing these issues through legislative and judicial clarity is essential to ensure that Arizona continues to grow in a sustainable and efficient manner.
The path from dirt to development is evolutionary. Some doors close while new ones open. Hear Shelby Duplessis’s story from engineer to developer, to motivating female empowerment.
This article originally appeared in the Arizona Republic.
A tool that was once nearly unheard of in opposing development has become so common in Arizona that some zoning attorneys are telling their clients to delay closing on their land until the threat has passed.
A decade ago, organizing enough opposition to force a controversial zoning decision to go to the ballot was reserved for only a few of the most high-profile cases.
This article originally appeared on azcentral.com.
A tool that was once nearly unheard of in opposing development has become so common in Arizona that some zoning attorneys are telling their clients to delay closing on their land until the threat has passed.
A decade ago, organizing enough opposition to force a controversial zoning decision to go to the ballot was reserved for only a few of the most high-profile cases.
But referendum efforts have become so common, some zoning attorneys are telling clients to delay closings and build in referendum contingencies to avoid getting stuck with a project that might not be able to build.
2024 was a riot. No really…some of our cases caused a riot. Recapping 2024 with our good friend Matt Mancini, Partner at 3 Engineering.
Anatomy of a Zoning Case Pt. 2: Building an effective neighborhood outreach campaign.
A big congratulations to our own Adam Baugh, Jason Barclay Morris and Mike Withey for recognition on The Top 100 Lawyers list in Arizona by Az Business Magazine for 2025! To compile the list, Az Business magazine uses an algorithm that factors in professional ratings, client reviews, impact on the legal profession and community impact.
Find out why getting your zoning attorney and civil engineer on the same page is a game-changer for any project. We’re breaking down how teamwork between these pros can save time, cut headaches and keep things moving smoothly. With Darrell Wilson of Colliers Engineering & Design.
Anatomy of a zoning case Part 1: Don’t sleep on the pre-filing strategy.
This article originally appeared in the Phoenix Business Journal.
The city of Glendale has paved the way forward for the $1 billion VAI Resort.
Glendale’s City Council unanimously approved a zoning case for the nearly 70-acre development at its Nov. 26 meeting without discussion.
The approvals included rezoning 66 acres to an updated planned area development that will support the resort’s plans. That will replace the Centerpoint PAD that was approved in 2020.
Council also updated the city’s general plan to designate 10 acres owned by the VAI Resort for commercial uses. Read more...
Making news is our jam, and the Phoenix Business Journal is your insider’s guide to the world of development. Join us as we navigate the crossroads of land deals and breaking news —because in our world, even dirt has a story to tell.
This article originally appeared on AZ Central.
A developer is pivoting from plans to build an apartment complex on vacant land next to an office building in the Camelback corridor, instead opting to convert a shuttered sports bar into an office for a law firm.
Tucson-based Holualoa Cos. had planned to develop an apartment building adjacent to an existing office complex at 21st Street and Highland Avenue, after buying the 13-acre site in 2021. Originally, the company planned to raze a restaurant building on the site to make room for housing. Now, the restaurant is staying but getting new life as an office.
Read more…
This article originally appeared in AZ Big Media.
Withey Morris Baugh, a leading zoning and land use law firm, has acquired the former Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill from renowned global real estate investment firm Holualoa Companies. The law firm plans to repurpose the bar space into its new office while preserving key elements of its sports bar history, including the original bar top, to honor its storied past. The project’s expected completion is spring of 2025.
This article originally appeared in the Phoenix Business Journal.
The two partners at Withey Morris Baugh PLC have found a new home for the law firm after shelling out $2.3 million for the former Half Moon Windy City Sports Grill near Phoenix’s Camelback Corridor.
Jason Morris, founding partner, and Adam Baugh, partner, bought the 8,000-square-foot vacant building from Tucson-based Holualoa Cos., according to Tempe-based Vizzda LLC real estate database.
This article originally published in the Phoenix Business Journal.
As construction progresses on the VAI Resort, the city of Glendale is set to consider a new master plan for the $1 billion hospitality and entertainment development in its sports and entertainment district.
At its Oct. 24 meeting, Glendale’s planning and zoning commission is expected to vote on rezoning for the nearly 70-acre resort property, as well as a general plan amendment for 10 acres of the site.
From band camp to development junkie…with Jason Larson of IDM Companies. How a random encounter at Disneyland led to an unexpected and successful career in land development.
The Gilbert Planning Commission recommended that Town Council approve rezoning a parcel on the southeast corner of Val Vista Drive and Elliot Road to make way for a self-storage facility and a retail development.
The 4.5-acre parcel was once home to a fitness center that was built in 1999 that closed.
By changing the zoning from shopping center to general commercial, the applicant can “redevelop the vacant fitness center into a self-storage facility, which is permitted under the General Commercial zoning district,” according to town planner Sal DiSanto.
It’s hard to think of anyone who has made a more distinctive mark on land use development and master planning in Arizona than John Graham. From the creation of Valley Partnership to McDowell Mountain Ranch and many more, John’s fingerprints and projects are seen across Arizona. Enjoy lessons from an industry scion.
Arizona House Bill 2721 has emerged as a significant new land use law aimed at tackling the state’s middle housing shortage. As the demand for affordable and diverse housing options continues to outstrip supply, the law addresses this issue through a series of provisions. Gov. Hobbs’ recent signing immediately moves forward alternative housing options and municipalities will have to scramble to implement new zoning ordinances, or accept the law as-is.
Insight and perspective from an excellent civil servant – former Mayor, business executive and state leader – Jenn Daniels.
2024 legislative update on housing bills, resignations, and Adam messes up another word…again!
This article originally appeared in AZBEX.
There’s nothing fast, cheap or easy about bringing a development project from concept to completion. From choosing a site, to designing to project, assembling a development team, procuring approvals and permits, assembling financing, et cetera, there are countless challenges and speed bumps to delay progress and add to costs before the build team turns the first shovel of dirt.
This article originally published in the Phoenix Business Journal.
An abandoned golf course at the southeast corner of 59th and Southern avenues in Phoenix’s Laveen Village could get a new lease on life, after years of intense talks between the property’s owner and community residents.
“It’s not fair to call it a golf course,” said Adam Baugh, zoning attorney and partner at Withey Morris Baugh PLC. “There are very few trees, all the golf carts were stolen and the clubhouse is in disrepair. All that occurred before my guy bought it.”
Why does it feel like every good development project gets stalled by city traffic departments? Don’t let your projects get backed up. If you want approvals, you need to hire the best traffic engineers early. Listen as Dawn Cartier, president of CivTech, and Sarah Simpson, president of United Civil Group share their insight in this lively conversation.
Adam Baugh is a guest on IN REM, a legal podcast for real estate investors. Attorneys Andy Fowler, Sean St. Clair and their guests dive into the law affecting real estate investors.
Digital streaming, online computing, and AI technology have dramatically changed the way we store data and design modern industrial buildings. Jackie Orcutt from CBRE shares how it has changed her land brokerage practice…and Adam reveals his mastery of the English language.
This article originally published in the Phoenix Business Journal.
About 240 acres is being set up for a sprawling industrial and manufacturing campus in Queen Creek.
Located east of Phoenix, the large property is currently operating as a plant nursery at the southeast corner of Crismon and Germann roads.
The longtime property owner and operator, the Vlachos family of V&P Nurseries, is in the process of adding to the existing industrial zoning on the site to allow for the development of a major manufacturing park with varying building heights.
Read more…
Two of our favorite City Managers – Patrick Banger and Kevin Phelps – share why Glendale and Gilbert are some of our favorite places to develop.
Golf is planned to return to a long-neglected former course in southwest Phoenix, along with new housing.
Southern Ridge Golf Club, located at 59th Avenue and Baseline Road in Laveen, has been closed for more than five years, and the former course has languished with overgrown weeds and dead plants. Before it was called Southern Ridge, the course was called Bougainvillea.
The new ownership group, Laveen 140, bought the land in 2022, and at first decided to remove and redevelop the golf course into smaller pockets of open space, like pickleball courts, playgrounds, dog parks and sports courts.
That proposal was met with “complete hostility,” said Adam Baugh, attorney representing the development with Withey Morris Baugh.
We found some surprising nuggets sitting down with Connor Devereux of CoStar Group in recapping the 2023 year and development sector trends.
Looking back on some of the highlights (and absurdities) from the World of Zoning in 2023, along with Santa’s zoning wish list for 2024.
Could Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) be the key to solving Arizona’s housing shortage? Jared Amzallag and Zander Diamont of Minimal Living Concepts discuss their challenge-laden journey to build simple, modern accessory units to meet a variety of lifestyle needs. The result is seamless, all-in-one solutions for their clients.
Stay informed and up-to-date on the latest developments in land use and zoning law with insights and analysis from our experienced team of attorneys.
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