By Councilwoman Solange Whitehead
Here We Go Again: We Must Protect Our Voter-Approved General Plan
Staff time and tax dollars are once again being diverted from essential city operations to reverse voter-approved priorities. The latest target? General Plan 2035. These political games by a few on Council are wasting millions, silencing residents, and further tarnishing Scottsdale’s once-enviable brand.
General Plan 2035 increased protections for open space, eliminated developer incentives, added barriers to prevent urbanization, expanded efforts to conserve natural resources and the environment, and added tourism and education elements. It was developed over a 2-year period with extensive community input and voters decisively approved it in 2021.
There is zero public benefit—or legal justification—for changing it. As one resident put it: “Doesn’t the City have more important things to do?”
General Plan 2035 Key Points:
- State law requires cities to adopt—and voters to ratify—a General Plan every 10 years.
- GP 2035 guides how Scottsdale evolves, protects its resources, and preserves the values that make it a great place to live.
- Scottsdale voters have rejected plans that didn’t reflect community priorities; GP 2035 was the first approved in nearly 20 years.
- GP 2035 earned Arizona’s “Best Regional, General or Comprehensive Plan” award in 2022.
- Hundreds of strikeouts and changes are now proposed—four Councilmembers should not be able to override the voters.
- The proposed revisions target sustainability which includes conservation, open space, water security, heat mitigation, and recycling—priorities that have fueled Scottsdale’s prosperity for generations.
- We cannot afford to go backwards.
Why Codify a Law that Harms Our Neighborhoods?
The revisions also seek to codify a new State Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) law that our community strongly opposes. There is no legal requirement to update the General Plan, and the City should be focused on amending the ADU law to protect neighborhoods—not enshrining it in the General Plan.
Take Action
Write to City Council and urge them to reject any further spending of staff time or tax dollars to change Scottsdale’s voter-approved General Plan.