Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Paradise Valley public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
2026 General Election Canvass
The council's vote on Resolution 2026-17 makes the November 3, 2026 general election results official for Paradise Valley. It's the final administrative step in the town's election process.
Zoning Code Update: Pickleball Courts and Construction Signs
The town is working on a significant update to its zoning code — the rules governing what can be built and where. This study session gives the council an early look at the draft and a chance to steer staff before any final action.
Mesa Police Academy Training MOU
The Town wants to formalize an agreement with Mesa Police Department so Paradise Valley officers can train at Mesa's basic training police academy.
Managerial Special Use Permit Text Amendment
Another zoning ordinance would change how managerial special use permits work under Article XI.
Five Star Development Bankruptcy Plan Vote
Resident and former council member Paul Dembow criticized leadership over the bankrupt project, calling for a clear plan to protect the town's interests.
Assisted living home resident cap raised to comply with state law
A state bill targeting Paradise Valley's January vote to cap assisted living home capacity — the town lost the capacity reduction but preserved its zoning authority and health/safety standards through negotiation.
Photo Enforcement Contract Amendment
A compromise keeps photo enforcement alive: if voters pass SCR1004 in 2026, towns with existing photo enforcement contracts (like Paradise Valley) must ask their own voters in 2028 to continue it. Without the deal, a total statewide ban was headed to the ballot.
Elimination of temporary use permits in residential areas
A zoning code overhaul of temporary use permit rules goes to public hearing — this affects how short-term events and uses are permitted around Town.
Franciscan Renewal Center solar proposal
The Franciscan Renewal Center wants four solar shade structures over its parking lot — a major SUP amendment because it adds over 40% to the site's floor area. Council wants the Planning Commission to focus on height, setbacks, and neighbor impacts; the SOD vote is May 14.
General Election Voting Locations
Paradise Valley voters have until 7 p.m. on Election Day to cast ballots at Camelback Bible Church or Town Hall, and both sites have ballot drop boxes. If you’re in line by 7, you still get to vote—so don’t bail if the line looks long.
Storm Cleanup and Flood Response
Weekend storms dumped up to 4.7 inches of rain on Paradise Valley, flooding roads and leaving debris that town crews will be clearing for weeks. Don't drive through standing water, and report street cleanup needs to Public Works.
Miralina Resort Special Use Permit
The resort market inside the Kimpton Miralina wants a state license to sell beer and wine in sealed packages for off-site consumption. The Council endorsed it with no opposition.
Fiscal Year 2026-2027 sustainability measures
A briefing on sustainability measures for the next fiscal year, tied to the town's General Plan. Could shape everything from energy use to conservation programs.
Board of Adjustment Variance Practices Review
Resident Sean McCarrahan reviewed 41 variance cases since 2021 and asked the council to add a review of Board of Adjustment variance practice, plus a pilot of AI tools to speed and standardize reviews.
Pickleball court noise and lighting
A resident urged the council to adopt zoning-based pickleball noise rules, citing an American Planning Association article with model ordinances requiring setbacks of 60 to 600 feet and public hearings before permits.
Leaf blower regulations
A 52-year resident asked the town to consider banning or limiting gas-powered leaf blowers, citing noise and air pollution, and shared municipal codes from California cities that have done so.
Sunset of the Town Alarm Monitoring Program
The town's own alarm monitoring program serves only about 238 homes, generates 99% false alarms, and loses money. The council agreed to sunset it and help current subscribers move to private alarm companies. Roughly 8 to 20 staff hours a week go to administering it.
Fire Service Fund
The fire service fee hasn't been raised since 2013, but costs are up 54% and the town now subsidizes about $1.2 million a year from the general fund. A one-time 67% rate hike would fix it, but most council members oppose raising fees and want more history and options first — including an automatic inflation escalator idea.
Sanitary sewer rehabilitation program
The town is wrapping up a five-year, assessment-driven sewer repair program under an IGA with Scottsdale — including the decade-long effort to locate every 'missing' manhole. This year's work comes in far under budget.
El Chorro Lodge permit amendment
El Chorro Lodge, a landmark restaurant property on East Lincoln Drive, requested a managerial special use permit amendment. The council was set to discuss and possibly act.
Banning construction yards from residential properties
Multiple members reported contractors parking on both sides of narrow streets despite promises to park on-site, calling it a safety hazard. Staff said it's a constant battle handled with police ticketing and towing, and town attorney said capping permits per street would likely violate Arizona law.
Hillside development review and enforcement
A solar application exposed a gap: the town can't force a roof recoat unless the work touches 50% of the roof, leaving non-compliant reflective roofs in place indefinitely. The chair wants the Planning Commission to fix the code, and a work session is set for May 21.
Phoenix Country Day School sports field and court expansion
The school wants to renovate its baseball field, build a new Wellness Center, and add two digital information signs at its Stanford Drive campus. The council approved the Statement of Direction unanimously — the Planning Commission weighs in by April, and the council makes the final call in May.
Draft Landscape Planting Guide
Commissioners flagged towering hedges along roadways that undermine the town's open, semi-rural streetscape. Staff noted landscape design guidelines date to 1996 and aren't enforceable code, making an update a candidate for future work.
Town communications strategy
The Town built its own AI assistant (AskPV) and a 311-style service request tracker with tracking numbers and photo uploads — built in-house over roughly six months so the Town owns its data. Formal launch awaits legal review of AI and privacy policies.
Code enforcement failures
The trellis was built without a permit and only came to light through a resident complaint. Board members pressed on why a licensed contractor and the homeowner didn't check permitting requirements first.
Alleged zoning violations at 8335 North Lillian Lane
A resident delivered a demand for a stop work order at a new construction site, alleging FAR, height, setback, and drainage violations — and said a building official threw her demand in the trash. She asked for access to the zoning appeal process.
E-bike and e-motorcycle regulation
Police Chief Carney walked the council through e-bike classes versus e-motorcycles, which need licenses and can't ride sidewalks. Council members floated age limits of 16, helmet requirements for minors, and sidewalk speed caps; staff will draft options based on the town's 1998 goped ordinance.
Short-term rental impacts
A resident next to an STR described years of noise, overcrowding, and alleged permit fraud, saying she's considering leaving town. Council members agreed to fold STR guardrails into the future code enforcement discussion.
Assisted living home occupancy limits
New assisted living homes in Paradise Valley will now be capped at 6 residents instead of 10, with all parking required on-site. Existing homes are grandfathered at 10 residents. Supporters say it protects the town's single-family character; opponents say it makes new senior care homes financially unworkable and limits options for aging residents.
EPCOR Water Rate Case Intervention
EPCOR, which serves Town Hall and irrigation lines in public rights-of-way, has filed a rate increase application. The council voted 7-0 to formally intervene at the Arizona Corporation Commission and hire experts.
Codification of Zoning Ordinance Interpretations
The Town has issued 47 zoning interpretations over three decades, and builders complain the rules are scattered and inconsistent. The council directed staff to fold all of them into the Zoning Code with redline drafts and fix conflicts, including one between roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar rules.
DoubleTree Resort expansion and stipulation cleanup
A September 9 neighborhood meeting required by the resort's SUP drew about 15 residents, with complaints about parking on Jackrabbit Road, box trucks unloading, and confusing driveway exits. Staff forwarded the signage concerns to the town engineer.
Vista Church monument sign special use permit amendment
Vista Church wants to replace an old wall sign with a large monument sign on Scottsdale Road — bigger in total area than the town's usual guideline, though similar exceptions exist for churches on busy streets. Neighbors will get notice, and the commission decides on September 15.
Paradise Valley Spire preservation project
A citizen group wants to raise the historic 92-foot spire at Town Hall, funded entirely by donations (~$500,000). The council signaled support but must still pass a resolution designating it an allowed use — some members want to see scale mock-ups first.
Town Hall Campus Security Camera Phase 2
The town manager addressed the controversial decision to close the lobby door during business hours, acknowledging community concern and promising to keep working on a balance between security and the town's small-town, open-door feel.
Pavement excavation restrictions on newly resurfaced roads
Fresh pavement on Scottsdale Road and Invergordon Road is now protected by five-year no-cut restrictions, with utilities allowed only for emergencies and required to make stricter repairs.
Historic property recognition — 5841 E Hummingbird Lane
Two more homes joined the town's historic registry — the 1920s Wainwright house and the 1956 Bohnett house. Recognition is honorary: no new regulations or development restrictions.
Temporary use permits for construction staging
A 21,424-square-foot home is proposed on a lot with an existing cut, but the four families on the narrow, dead-end private street worry about construction trucks, egress, and street repair. Staging will be worked out during permitting.
Automated license plate readers
The town approved 12 more automatic license plate readers, doubling coverage from 11 to 23 locations. Police say the tech helped solve burglary rings and recover a kidnapping victim; data isn't sold or actively monitored.
Garage modification variance at 5506 E. San Miguel Avenue
The owners of a steep, below-grade 1961 property wanted to raise a too-short garage door and replace a failing roof on a garage that already encroaches into the front setback. The board agreed the lot's 31% slope and curved frontage create a real hardship, and the new roof will actually be lower than the old one.
Rear-yard setback encroachment and neighborhood character on Camelback Manor Drive
A small master-suite addition on a triangular corner lot needed a rear-setback variance. A resident warned the neighborhood is gradually losing character as nonconforming homes keep growing, citing a 2002 case on the same house; the architect said the addition is modest and screened. The board approved.
SmokeTree Resort construction and water supply
The long-planned SmokeTree Resort rebuild on Lincoln Drive is about a year behind but moving again: demolition is done, and the developer aims to finish construction by May 2028 and open in summer 2028. Delays traced to the water provider and a utility cabinet that must be screened or moved.
2026 Primary Election certification
The council officially certified the July 21 primary, seating Bob Brown and Bill Nassikas as new council members and returning Mark Stanton as Mayor and Anna Thomasson. Turnout hit about 37%, but only 22 of 3,184 independent registered voters participated — a gap the clerk flagged for outreach.
Rose Lane power line undergrounding
Three utility poles and overhead wires on Rose Lane will be buried, continuing the town's decades-long undergrounding effort. Six residents will repay the town one-third of the cost after the project is approved.
Expenditure limit adjustment on November 2026 ballot
Council members raised concerns that the state expenditure limit could tie the town's hands on paying for the Mockingbird project if Flood Control reimbursements arrive late. The town manager said a bonding study session could happen during the upcoming budget process.
Second school at Camelback Bible Church
The church wants to add Prodos Academy, a faith-based soccer academy school, alongside the existing Acton school, with no new construction and the same 120-student cap. Neighbors raised no objections.
Town vehicle fleet purchase and EV policy
The Council bought seven replacement vehicles but held back an electric vehicle, splitting 4-2 over whether the town should honor its General Plan sustainability goal to shift toward low- and zero-emission vehicles. Staff said charging infrastructure isn't ready and promised cost and timeline details later.
Five Star development inspection services
The stalled Ritz-Carlton/Five Star project is in bankruptcy, but the town extended inspection contracts so services are ready if construction resumes — while tracking about $31,000 in unpaid reimbursements and discussing when it would halt inspections over delinquency.
FY 2026/27 Pavement Preservation Program
Public works reported street work completed this year and proposed keeping about $3.05 million a year in the budget, with condition surveys every three years, to restore town roads to a 77 PCI rating.