Phoenix General Plan Analysis

THE
PLAN

WHAT THE CITY
HAS PLANNED

The Phoenix General Plan 2025 was approved by voters with nearly 80% support. It designates the Grand Avenue corridor as Mixed Use— integrated residential, commercial, office, entertainment, and cultural functions. The Triangle doesn't just fit the city's vision. It's at the center of it.

The 2025 Downtown Redevelopment Area consolidates eight existing redevelopment areas into one unified plan. 71% of surveyed properties showed indicators warranting revitalization. The tools exist. The alignment is real.

The Primary Planning Tool

ACOD OVERLAY

The Arts, Culture and Small Business Overlay District (Section 669) runs along Grand Avenue from Roosevelt Row all the way to I-10 — covering the entire Triangle.

  • ▸Streamlined approval for arts, cultural, and small business uses
  • ▸Flexible development standards within the overlay
  • ▸Supports mixed-use, gallery, studio, maker space, and creative economy
  • ▸Adopted April 2008, expanded April 2010

Village Planning

TWO COMMITTEES, ONE CORRIDOR

Grand Avenue straddles two Village Planning Committees: Alhambra Village (north of Grand) and Central City Village (south). Both must be engaged for development to move smoothly.

Alhambra VPC meets the 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Early engagement with both committees is part of the consortium's governance approach.

REGULATORY STACK

General Plan 2025

Active

Mixed Use designation. Voter-approved Nov 2024 with 80% support.

Downtown RDA (2025)

Active

Consolidated redevelopment area. Unlocks TIF, city partnerships, and investment incentives.

ACOD Overlay (Sec. 669)

Active

Arts, Culture and Small Business Overlay covers entire Grand Avenue corridor to I-10.

HB 2721

Active

Middle housing — duplexes, ADUs, small multiplexes — in single-family zones without individual rezoning.

Adaptive Reuse (Sec. 712)

Citywide

Three tiers for pre-2000 buildings. Reduced requirements, streamlined permitting.

Pink Zones

Available

Lighter regulation, preservation incentives, compatible by-right building.

Opportunity Zones

Designated

Census tracts 1140, 1141, 1131, 1132.03. Federal tax incentives for qualified investments.

INFRASTRUCTURE STORY

The real infrastructure story is walkability and bike connectivity — not rail.

GRAND CANALSCAPE

Under Construction

12-mile continuous multi-use recreational trail along the Grand Canal. 10-12 foot wide concrete pathway with dusk-to-dawn lighting, seating, signalized crossings, and 25 neighborhood connections.

ROOSEVELT ST BIKE LANES

Proposed

Proposed bicycle lane improvements from 15th to 7th Avenues — directly connecting Grand Avenue arts district to Roosevelt Row.

LIGHT RAIL (CAPEX)

Canceled Jan 2026

Capitol Extension was canceled by City Council in January 2026. No light rail extension to Grand Avenue is planned. The corridor's value proposition stands on character, walkability, and bike infrastructure — not transit premium.

The Lesson Next Door

THE GRAND DIVIDE

Roosevelt Row's zoning for tall buildings allowed large-scale development that displaced the original arts community. Grand Avenue stakeholders — some who've been here since 1992 — are deeply wary of the same fate.

This consortium exists to ensure Grand Avenue writes a different story. Thoughtful growth. Community governance. Character preserved.