Goodyear council approves Rio 1900 rezoning and minor general‑plan amendment

The Goodyear City Council voted to approve the Rio 1900 planned area development (PAD) and a minor general‑plan amendment on Jan. 26, 2026, clearing the way for a large mixed‑use project along the Gila River west of Cotton Lane.

Principal planner Ann Dolmage presented the proposal, which replaces the older King Ranch PAD with a new Rio 1900 PAD organized into seven land‑use character areas: open space, civic, estate residential, village neighborhood, urban neighborhood, commercial activity center and a resort LUCA. Dolmage said the conceptual plan includes roughly 92 acres of commercial, about 110 acres for multifamily uses, and a proposed multifamily unit cap of 1,907. The applicant also offered to donate a 30‑acre city park, provide two elementary school sites and dedicate a fire station site.

Developer representatives said the project emphasizes trails, parks and connectivity to the river, including an El Rio Trail and public trailheads. Brian Greathouse, representing Harvard Investments, told council that horizontal construction is expected to start in 2027 with first home deliveries targeted around 2029, subject to market conditions. Greathouse and staff confirmed a scrivener’s correction to the PAD regulatory booklet date from November 2025 to January 2026.

Council members questioned timing and coordination of roadway projects including the Cotton Lane widening and a bridge, water allocations and infrastructure funding. City engineer Steve Cinto said construction for the bridge and Cotton Lane projects is planned for the calendar year and that access will be maintained during construction with short tie‑in closures. City staff stated the project has water allocations that meet city standards and that the developer may choose to build infrastructure independently or join the city’s development impact fee area to cover costs.

Dolmage described hillside protections: land with slopes of 20 percent or greater must preserve at least 50 percent of such areas as open space, with up to 30 percent allowable disturbance provided revegetation matches the natural state. The PAD also requires at least 17 percent of single‑family residential to be open space, half of which must be usable open space.

After public comment and the staff presentation, the council adopted resolution 2026‑2503 to amend the land‑use designation of about 31 acres and then adopted ordinance 2026‑16‑43 conditionally rezoning roughly 1,940 acres from King Ranch PAD to Rio 1900 PAD. Both the resolution and ordinance passed unanimously (7–0). The developer and staff said they will return with any required use permits and engineering details; key infrastructure timing will depend on contractor selection and market demand.

Next steps: the project’s final engineering, development agreements and use‑permit reviews for specific pads will follow the approvals; staff noted the PAD includes stipulations and that detailed design and permitting will be required before vertical construction begins.