Committee Recommends Denial of Golf Course Rezoning
Paradise Valley planners voted against a plan to build nearly 500 homes on the 72-acre Mesquite Golf Course in Kierland.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Golf
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Should Phoenix allow homes on the Mesquite Golf Course, even with the added traffic?
The Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee voted to recommend denial of a proposal to rezone the 72-acre Mesquite Golf Course for nearly 500 homes, townhouses, or condos. The project, called the Copper Residences Planned Unit Development, is owned by the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa owner.
Why it matters
The vote sets up a contested decision for Phoenix residents, as more than 1,400 letters opposing the plan have been submitted to the city. The outcome will determine whether a long-standing golf course becomes residential land in the Kierland area.
The project would replace a 72-acre course with nearly 500 residential units, while the updated plan keeps 18 holes and adds a five-acre park. Whether the plan clears its remaining approval stages is still unknown.
The players
Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
The Kierland resort is the owner seeking to rezone the Mesquite Golf Course for residential development.
Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee
An advisory body for the city of Phoenix that heard the proposal and recommended denial.
The details
The proposal amends the city's General Plan and rezones the area to allow residential development on the golf course. Neighbors cite concerns over open space, traffic and flooding, while supporters argue the course is closing and the plan adds greenspace and lowers density.
Timeline
Tuesday: Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee voted to recommend denial
December 2026: Phoenix Planning Commission hearing on the proposal
January 2027: Phoenix City Council final decision on rezoning
January 12, 2028: Golf course scheduled to stop operating
Season Trajectory
The proposal runs through the Phoenix General Plan amendment process, the same mechanism used to convert recreational land to housing. Its outcome will show how the city weighs golf-course closures against residential growth in north Phoenix.
If approved, the Mesquite Golf Course would stop operating as a golf course on January 12, 2028, though the Acacia and Ironwood courses would remain open. Residents and golfers in the Kierland area would see the loss of one course and the addition of a five-acre park.
The takeaway
The Phoenix rezoning vote shows how golf-course land in growing cities becomes a contest between open space and housing. Readers following the case should track the December Planning Commission hearing and the January Council vote.
What happens next
The Phoenix Planning Commission will hear the Copper Residences proposal in December, and the Phoenix City Council will decide on the rezoning in January.
Further reading
For more on golf course land decisions, explore Golf coverage across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by abc15 Arizona.
Live Poll
Should Phoenix allow homes on the Mesquite Golf Course, even with the added traffic?
