Legal counsel says lawsuit filed over Goldhawk zoning and names county, board and members

A staff attorney told the Planning and Zoning Commission that a lawsuit was filed Monday alleging open meeting law violations and zoning-code violations in the Goldhawk matter and that the complaint names Maricopa County, the board and each member individually.

"There was a lawsuit filed Monday evening. I don't know if you've heard about this, but it does name the county, this board, and each of the members individually," the staff attorney (name not specified) said. The attorney said the complaint seeks declaratory relief and writs to correct perceived deficiencies and that the matter is in its early stages.

The attorney said the Goldhawk matter is represented by Snell & Wilmer and that staff would keep the commission updated. A staff member then noted, "Goldhawk Zoning was approved by the board yesterday." The attorney also said commissioners might receive additional communications from the clerk because each board member was named individually in the suit.

Why it matters: a lawsuit that challenges a recent zoning approval and alleges open meeting law violations could affect the status of the approved action and might lead to court proceedings that revisit procedural and substantive elements of the Board of Supervisors' decision.

Staff did not provide additional specifics such as the filing date beyond "Monday evening," the court in which the complaint was filed, or the full text of the complaint during the meeting. The staff attorney said the case is at an early procedural stage and that the county would provide updates as developments occur.

No formal action was taken by the Planning and Zoning Commission in response to the legal notice at this meeting.