Maricopa supervisors set hearing on de‑annexation from Avondale; developer to fund improvements

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Nov. 17 to set a hearing on a proposed de‑annexation of a narrow strip of land from the City of Avondale to Maricopa County.

Jesse Gutierrez, Maricopa County director of transportation, told the board the parcel is a roughly 20‑foot‑wide right of way running about 2,500 feet (about one acre) and currently sits between a development parcel and a county‑maintained roadway. He said the de‑annexation would allow the county to manage the right of way and facilitate permitting so the developer can complete frontage improvements.

Gutierrez told supervisors there is no known public opposition and that the developer will carry out all street improvements; the county would only contribute staff time. “These improvements done by the developer … are a way that we do this to improve our roadways and make that mobility and connectivity and improve the regional connectivity,” Gutierrez said.

Vice Chair Brophy McGee seconded the motion to set the hearing after a supervisor moved it; the board voted unanimously. County staff noted there are 60 days to schedule the hearing from receipt of the de‑annexation request and that the item was placed on the informal meeting calendar to expedite the developer’s timeline.

Minutes later the board voted unanimously to convene into executive session; the chair scheduled an eight‑minute pause before the executive session began. There was no substantive public action taken on the de‑annexation at the meeting beyond setting the hearing date.

The hearing will be scheduled under county process and return to a public meeting for any final decision; county staff said the developer will be responsible for construction and for bringing the roadway to city standards if and when the city agrees to accept it into municipal maintenance.