Residents Invited to Weigh In at Oct. 9 Meeting on NorthPark Master-Planned Development
As construction progresses on TSMC chip maker’s second and third wafer fabs under construction on the plant site on the west side of I-17, north of Loop-303, the company is now looking to acquire more land within Pulte Homes’ proposed master-planned development, NorthPark, south of 303.
If Pulte Homes becomes the successful bidder of a future land auction for a master-planned development which could mimic the size of Anthem at full buildout on 6,355 acres of state trust land, the area will include nine unique land uses within the development, according to revised plans presented by Pulte’s land attorney at a second neighborhood meeting earlier this week. In order to proceed to auction, the proposal requires rezoning approval by the City of Phoenix with amendments to the General Plan. Current property zoning is S-1, allowing for 1 dwelling per acre.
One of the proposal’s most notable changes from initial plans presented in late 2024 includes an industrial and manufacturing office and research park nearly double in size. Innovation Corridor comprises 903 acres abutting Loop-303 to the south, according to revised plans provided by legal representatives from Pulte. Initially, the plan indicated that just over 500 acres would be set aside for this business-commerce area to support light manufacturing and semiconductor suppliers.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for TSMC confirmed that the chip giant has joined in on Pulte Homes’ application to the State Land Trust Department in the request for a future land auction. While the spokesperson could not comment as to what the exact plan uses would be if the chip giant were to be the successful bidder of the Innovation Corridor acreage, she told Valley Vibe that TSMC is out of space to expand on its current site.
In March 2025, TSMC announced its intent to invest an additional $100 billion to further expand its U.S. based advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities with the addition of three additional chip fabs (for a total of six chip fabs), along with two advanced packaging facilities and a research and development center, according to the spokesperson.
“When evaluating locations to support our expansion, we considered the proximity to our current campus, the availability of a contiguous plot of land, and access to a utilities infrastructure. NorthPark’s planning includes an “Innovation Corridor” – an approximate 900-acre plot directly across the 303 from TSMC Arizona’s existing facility. The land within the Innovation Corridor presents a strong option for our expansion,” the spokesperson told Valley Vibe in an email.
The overall investment would total $165 Billion. “This investment will bring billions of dollars in economic benefit to the state of Arizona and bolster American semiconductor technology leadership,” she added.
Some neighbors who attended the Oct. 5 meeting expressed concern about TSMC’s expansion with regard to air quality and claims of seeing a so-called “chemical flume” emitted from the current factories.
Valley Vibe asked TSMC for comment regarding this sighting, to which the spokesperson responded in an email, “What was likely observed was water vapor being released from one of our cooling towers. TSMC Arizona utilizes water as part of its manufacturing process to cool critical tools. This water, once used for cooling, is then released as water vapor through our cooling towers. These cooling towers are situated on top of our Central Utility Plant (CUP) and are visible from surrounding areas. TSMC Arizona’s facilities strictly adhere to the requirements of the Clean Air Act and comply with all applicable federal and state air quality regulations.”
Reduction in Number of Housing Units, More Open Space
As far as other notable changes from initial plans, Pulte’s legal representative Carolyn Oberholtzer told Valley Vibe the density has been reduced in many of the development units, including an over 1,100 unit reduction in the residential area located south of Dixileta Road, between 51st and 67th Avenue to the CAP canal, abutting the existing communities of Stetson Valley and Stetson Hills in the City of Phoenix.
“All told, the unit count went from 19,247 to 15,150—a decrease of over 4,000 units— and the gross residential density is now 2.4 dwelling units to the acre,” Oberholtzer said in an email.
In addition, over 207 acres of community park space was added to the proposal on both sides of the Innovation Corridor, bringing the total potential public park space to over 2,300 acres—approximately 36 percent of the project area, without counting areas devoted to future homeowner’s association/pocket parks.
9 Land Use Districts within NorthPark
Originally, five separate land uses were identified throughout the development, but that number has been revised to nine, according to the revised proposal presented at the Oct. 5 neighborhood meeting, and on the website.
Natural Open Space
Land included within the boundaries of the Sonoran Preserve, representing approximately 2,100 acres within the NorthPark property for donation to the City of Phoenix for preservation.
Community Open Space
Open spaces outside of the Sonoran Preserve boundary, maintained by private or public entities. Can be preserved as natural open space or developed as active recreation space.
Foothills Residential
A zone for low-to-medium residential density use types within the residential area west of 51st Avenue between the CAP canal and the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve. Development is planned to be consistent with existing residential uses to the south. Housing types will be limited to single-family detached residential, and includes passive and natural open space areas.
Traditional Neighborhood
A predominantly residential zone for low-to-medium residential densities widespread throughout the NorthPark community. Product types are single-family residential uses along with medium-density attached housing, including passive and natural open space.
Neighborhood Village
A predominantly residential zone of diverse housing types, including a balance of medium- and higher-density housing types with integrated mixed-product neighborhoods characterized as walkable, socially engaging, and in close proximity to community services.
Lifestyle Mixed-Use
A blend of retail, office and dining services for the local area, with integrated residential uses. The area is located on the northeast corner of 67th Avenue and Dixileta Road and comprises a minimum of 50 gross acres, requiring a minimum of 200 multi-family units to be integrated with commercial within a walkable urban setting. Connectivity with community paths and trails will encourage residents from throughout NorthPark to visit this area on foot, reducing reliance on personal vehicles.
Community Commercial For high-intensity commercial and employment-oriented land uses. Location is adjacent to arterial roadways and designed to buffer residential areas from the roadway.
Freeway Mixed-Use
Areas with the highest intensity of commercial-oriented land uses supporting large and small employment and higher-density housing types within the NorthPark community. Proximity is adjacent to freeways, supporting planned regional-level employment and commercial services and buffering lower-density residential to the south.
Innovation Corridor
Intended to complement high-tech and employment-oriented enterprises already located in the area, proximate to freeway corridors and interchanges with higher traffic volumes. Land uses support employment, manufacturing, and regional commerce.
Neighbor Concerns and Buildout Process
Ongoing top nearby neighbor concerns continue to be traffic and the extensions of 51st Avenue and 67th Avenue and the traffic impacts that would affect the Stetson Valley community which lies just to the south of the CAP canal. Currently, the only access point for Stetson Valley residents lies off Happy Valley Road. The extension of 51st and 67th Avenues have always been a part of the City’s zoning map, Oberholtzer told residents in the first neighborhood meeting that took place in October 2024. See story here.
The parcels within the master plan would not be sold as one project, it would happen over time, Oberholtzer told neighbors last fall. A separate auction would be held forTSMC’s land portion in Innovation Corridor.
“So when people are concerned about a crushing amount of development happening all at once, I assure you it will be phased and metered over time, and that’s so they [State Land Department] can maximize the value,” Oberholtzer told the crowd at the October 2024 meeting.
The proposal is scheduled to be presented to the North Gateway Village Planning Committee, an advisory committee to the City of Phoenix, tomorrow evening. No vote is anticipated on the matter, it is scheduled for discussion only and will allow for public comment.
How to Weigh In
6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9
North Gateway Village Planning Committee Meeting
Goelet A.C. Beuf Community Center
3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Phoenix
www.northparkphx.com
By Karen Goveia
editor@valleyvibenews.com