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Buckeye council approves zoning amendment that could allow broader industrial uses, including a potential data center
Summary
The Buckeye City Council on March 3 approved Ordinance 04-26, which amends Ordinance 18-23 to remove and modify prior stipulations that limited a 157–158-acre site to hydrogen production, opening the property to a broader set of heavy-industrial (I-2) uses; staff said a data center is a potential future use but would require separate approvals.
The Buckeye City Council voted March 3 to adopt Ordinance 04-26, amending Ordinance 18-23 and changing the stipulations that previously limited a 157–158-acre site west of State Route 85 and Patterson Road to a hydrogen production facility.
Staff presentations said the change removes a restriction in the earlier approval and expands the range of uses allowed under the city’s I-2 (heavy industrial) zoning. Joseph Miller, a city planner, told the council the applicant has indicated interest in pursuing a potential data center campus but that no formal application for a data center has been submitted. "If that application comes forward, a conditional use permit would be needed and the Planning and Zoning Commission would review it," Miller said.
Sepand Alazada, representing the Arizona Technology Council, urged the council to approve the modification. "Please approve this. Please expand the stipulations. Let's put this plot of land to good use," Alazada said, arguing that broadening allowable uses will help attract technology investment to the West Valley.
Council members asked staff to confirm ownership of adjacent acreage and to clarify the review steps if a data center is pursued. Staff confirmed the larger surrounding parcel is owned by the same ownership group and reiterated that any data center would require separate approvals, including a conditional use permit and administrative site plan; the conditional use permit would be heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission per staff explanation.
Council made a motion to approve the ordinance amendment and voted in favor; the meeting record shows the motion passed unanimously. Staff recommended the modification (PLCM25107) subject to the revised stipulations A–I. The action amends the prior ordinance language to allow the broader set of I‑2 uses while preserving that future specific uses such as a data center would follow normal review procedures.
Next steps: the ordinance amendment is effective as approved; if the property owner later submits a specific project such as a data center, that application would require a conditional use permit and administrative site plan and would go through Planning and Zoning review as described by staff.
