Scottsdale council to take up residents' petition alleging commercial sports operation at 8226 E. Shea

The Scottsdale City Council voted May 4 to place a citizens petition on a future meeting agenda after residents said a home at 8226 E. Shea Boulevard has been converted into a commercial sports-training facility and construction storage in violation of R1-35 residential zoning.

The petition, which speaker Michael Shaffer said carried “upwards of about 20 signatures,” alleges the property no longer functions as a residence. “The matter is simple. It's no longer a residence. It's become a commercial 35 zoning,” Shaffer told the council during the public-comment period. Multiple neighbors called the property “Hercules Field” and said it is advertised as a commercial facility under the name Hercules Contractors.

Why it matters: Neighbors said the site has created traffic, noise, lighting and litter impacts and public-safety risks on a heavily travelled section of Shea Boulevard. Pat Sullivan said games and practices can draw “30 plus cars” to the property and create hazardous vehicle turns onto Shea. Residents also told the council they have raised repeated complaints to code enforcement with little lasting effect.

Several residents offered supporting details. Elizabeth Fernandez said she provided the council with advertisements that name Hercules Contractors and list 8226 E. Shea Boulevard as the business address. Robert Crawford Jr., representing the Sundown Ranch Acres Neighborhood Watch Group, said the property has produced parking, lighting and property-damage concerns. Laura Schaffer said the owners do not live at the address and that the site appears to have been used as a commercial ball field since soon after purchase. Ed Lisonbee described an earlier multi-year dispute with the city over a separate permit and framed neighbors’ frustration with enforcement.

Council action: Mayor Mary Lisa Borowski moved to agendize the citizens petition for a future meeting; the motion passed. Councilwoman Cathy Littlefield later asked city staff to “take a look at this and report back to us as to what they found and what our alternatives are,” directing staff to investigate the neighborhood complaints and return with options.

What was not decided: The council did not take enforcement action or rule on whether the property is operating illegally. Several residents alleged no permits were pulled and that code enforcement responses were temporary; those claims were presented as statements by residents and were not independently verified during the meeting.

Next steps: The petition will be placed on a future council agenda for formal consideration. Council direction to staff to investigate the concerns was recorded during the meeting; the city will return to council with findings and possible options at a later date.

Community details documented at the meeting: residents said the location is commonly called Hercules Field and gave the street address as 8226 E. Shea Boulevard; they reported 20–35 cars onsite during events, bright sports lighting that neighbors compared to stadium lights, and at least one traffic fatality on Shea Boulevard in 2024 in the vicinity of the property. Michael Shaffer said roughly “about 20 signatures” are on the petition that was submitted to the city.