Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Paradise Valley public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
36 issues with high priority
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.
Managerial Special Use Permit Text Amendment
Another zoning ordinance would change how managerial special use permits work under Article XI.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Community services funding awards
The town budgeted $265,000 and received $202,000 in requests; Council members questioned whether past $200,000 homelessness spending ever showed results and whether the eight recommended charities have any Paradise Valley connection. The slate goes to a June 11 vote with several members openly skeptical.
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.
Emergency Erosion Repair and Intersection Reconstruction
Two neighborhood infrastructure fixes moved forward: rebuilding the Las Brisas/Cheney intersection for up to $146,675 and repairing storm-washed embankment at 40th Street and Clearwater Parkway for up to $404,995.47.
FY 2026/27 Tentative Budget
The town is bumping up against the state-imposed cap on how much it can spend each year, even though it has huge reserves it legally can't touch. The Council wants voters to approve raising the spending base by $15-$20 million and creating a capital projects fund — otherwise long-delayed road and stormwater projects and police staffing could stay on hold.
Mockingbird Lane Improvement Project
The town's biggest current road project — rebuilding Mockingbird Lane from 56th Street to Invergordon Road with drainage improvements — now has a final $17.5 million construction price, about $8 million of it covered by the Flood Control District. Construction starts in May and lasts six to eight months, so expect utility marking and construction activity in the corridor soon.
Townwide compensation and classification study
The first full comp study since 2007 found the town about 6.5% behind market on salaries and 3% behind on total compensation. Recommendations include a 3% market adjustment costing roughly $450,000, but several council members questioned whether much-larger comparator cities are the right benchmark.
Phoenix Country Day School special use permit amendment
The school wants to renovate its baseball field, add a wellness center, and install two digital signs. Neighbors care about noise, construction traffic, sign lighting, and the campus growing denser. The commission will recommend to council after an April 7 public hearing.
HB4030 State Preemption of Municipal Fees and Taxes
A state bill would prohibit towns and counties from approving new or increased fees, taxes, surcharges, and utility rates through 2030 — including the fire service fund. The council's lobbyist urged everyone to email legislators and sign in against it; town staff will send talking points.
Capital Projects Accumulation Fund
A companion ballot measure would let the town bank excess yearly revenue for streets, sewers and other capital work outside the state spending cap. It passed council unanimously and goes to voters in November.
Drainage and boulder risk fears below the Glenn Drive site
Neighbors downhill of a scraped Glenn Drive lot testified about past storms burying driveways in rock and water damaging homes uphill of them. Staff said geotechnical reviews found no boulder instability; the engineer agreed to an on-site walkthrough and the committee approved the home with extra LRV stipulations.
Construction Hours
Paradise Valley's winter construction rules started on October 15, bringing stricter noise and equipment limits on weekends through April. If you're doing home renovations or living next to a site, you need to watch the clock to avoid getting fined.
Planning Commission Meeting
Paradise Valley's planning commission is gathering tonight to weigh in on major neighborhood changes, including new sports field upgrades at Phoenix Country Day School. If you live nearby, it's definitely worth paying attention to how these development rules might shift.