Development of Land east of Pima at 101

DC Ranch Engagement Plan for Development of the land at 8888 E. Bell Road – View Here
[Latest Update click here]

What is happening with the land east of Pima and the 101 Freeway, assigned the address of 8888 E. Bell Road?

In March 2022, the Mack Real Estate Company (Mack Co.) bought approximately 120 acres of state land south of DC Ranch. The land is not within DC Ranch’s boundaries, so the Community Council has no control over its development however they will advocate with the developer and the city on behalf of the DC Ranch community-at-large.

Mack paid $125 million for the parcel, more than $1m per acre. The land’s west boundary runs along the 101 and Pima Road. On the north it is bordered by Trailside View and on the south by Bell Road. The eastern boundary abuts DC Ranch Neighborhood Park, DC Ranch Corporate Center, and the Bell94 Sports Complex.

Close to 100 acres is zoned I-1, Industrial Park, which allows for industrial office and warehouse space. A small portion of land, approximately 17 acres located on the southeast corner, is zoned PRC, Planned Regional Center, which allows mixed use to include commercial, retail, and restaurant. Development is subject to approval by the City of Scottsdale.

In September 2022, Mack Co. shared that they plan to develop the 100 acres zoned I-1 first by building industrial warehouses which is within the current zoning. The buildings would range in size from approximately 50,000 – 200,000 square feet. They indicated that 24-hour per day semi-truck traffic will be part of the operations.

After review by the DC Ranch Community Council, the Community Council Board of Directors determined that the projected development is not compatible with DC Ranch and the surrounding area. The buildings would be massive, have exposed loading areas for semi-truck access, allow for storage outside of the buildings, and continual semi-truck traffic would use Pima Road.

After receiving DC Ranch’s input, the Mack Co. met with the Community Council Board to discuss both their original project, (warehouse buildings) and a mixed-use option that could be possible with a city of Scottsdale zoning change.

After discussion, the DC Ranch Community Council board of directors determined that they are supportive of the Mack Company’s initiative to pursue a concept plan for the north portion of the property that is consistent and compatible with adjacent development, including the DC Ranch community.

The Board encouraged the Mack Co. to begin a process that informs residents and gathers community feedback.

How can residents engage?

DC Ranch residents will be encouraged to engage with City staff, Commissioners and the Scottsdale Mayor and City Council members on the development of the land as it works its way through the city’s design and planning approval process.

How will DC Ranch be involved?

The DC Ranch Community Council will monitor and participate in various meetings and conversations with the developer and the City. Potential impacts, both positive and negative, on the DC Ranch community-at-large will be reviewed and if appropriate, the Community Council will engage with the goal of enhancing positive and minimizing negative impacts for DC Ranch residents.

If appropriate, the DC Ranch Community Council may develop a position on the development of the land and a related message that it will share with the broader community on behalf of DC Ranch.

The Community Council will provide updates to residents in the Public Affairs section on DCRanch.com and through other DC Ranch communication outlets, to include notification of opportunities for residents to provide input to the city on their desire to see the project completed in a manner they feel complements the neighborhood.

Latest Updates

Jan. 5, 2024

On Jan. 4, the Mack Industrial Project, which is not in DC Ranch, was approved to be built by the City of Scottsdale Development Review Board (DRB). DC Ranch was not in favor of the project and requested changes that were within DRB’s purview (which does not include traffic issues). Per DC Ranch’s request, the DRB approval included several design stipulations to help block the view of the truck docking bays, changes to the parapets to better screen rooftop mechanical and a building recess on the front and back to break up the mass. 91st St. near DC Ranch will be designated as a no truck zone in both directions. Residents can submit their concerns over traffic to Transportation Director Mark Melnychenko.

Dec. 27, 2023

The Mack Industrial Park project team has revised their submittal based on the requests of the City of Scottsdale Design Review Board (DRB) at its Dec. 7, 2023 meeting. To view the updated submittal, click here.

DC Ranch will review the submittal to be ready to make comments at Mack’s second DRB hearing, scheduled for Jan. 4, 2024 at 1 pm. at City Hall.* If you would like to review DC Ranch's comments before the hearing, please email Chris Irish, Director of Public Affairs.

Below is Mack’s summary of changes:

Dock doors in loading area

All white doors are replaced with a Desert Tan color which is a much softer tone that blends well with the overall building palette.
The largest 16'x18' doors near the ends of the buildings will be painted with a custom color that matches with the adjacent Fade to Black/Charcoal building color that will differentiate from the other, tan doors.

Updated Pima Road landscaping

The mixed-use trail along Pima Road has been shifted further into the site (away from Pima Road) to allow more space for trees along Pima Road.
New trees are added on the Pima Road side of the mixed-use trail to provide better shading on both sides of the sidewalk.
Site plan and landscape plan updated to depict both existing and proposed City of Scottsdale utilities and Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) right-of-way easements to prevent large trees from being planted in specific locations and incorporated the lower impact desert landscape alternatives.

Updated building elevations

Modified sections of the building parapet walls to increase and decrease height as well as provide setbacks in certain areas. The overall effect will break up the monotony to the building facades, which effectively will make the buildings appear broken up and/or smaller.
Updated building elevations to show all four sides of the North Phase buildings.

Screen walls

Expanded the screen walls at the ends of the shared truck courts to block the view to the interiors from the surrounding public road.
Reconfigured and expanded the landscape areas adjacent to Buildings C & D to accommodate more and larger trees so that the shared truck court is better screened from the 101 Freeway and Frontage Road.

*Dates given for public hearings are tentative and subject to change. If you plan to attend, call 480.312.7767 the day before to confirm the date and time.

Dec. 19, 2023

The Mack Industrial Project application was considered by the City of Scottsdale Development Review Board (DRB) on Dec. 7. The project was not approved as submitted. Mack was instructed to make changes and will have another DRB hearing at City Hall on Jan. 4 at 1 p.m.*

In brief, the DRB directed the applicant to:

Provide screening of the docking bays from view corridors
Change building elevations by breaking up the massing and adding variation in parapet building heights
Revise the docking bay door color from white to a neutral color that matches adjacent walls
Adjust sidewalk locations to ensure that tree placement provides for pedestrian shade

The requests from DC Ranch to restrict the view of the docking bays and to break up the large mass of the buildings are included; the request for a “gateway’’ along Pima Rd. and the use of sawtooth docking bays were not.

Concerns over traffic from DC Ranch and others dominated much of the DRB hearing. However, both the City of Scottsdale Transportation Department and Arizona Department of Transportation have approved the project’s traffic plan so changes are unlikely.

Next step: DC Ranch will inform residents when Mack has resubmitted their changes to the city. Once the changes are reviewed, DC Ranch will develop comments to submit to DRB and encourage residents to do the same.

*Dates given for public hearings are tentative and subject to change. If you plan to attend, call 480.312.7767 the day before to confirm the date and time. If you wish to speak at the DRB hearing, arrive early to fill out a comment card.

Nov. 18, 2023

The Mack Industrial Park has been scheduled for a City of Scottsdale DRB hearing at City Hall on Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.*

The DC Ranch Community Council will speak in opposition to the project at the DRB hearing. It is very important that residents also weigh in. To submit your comments, click on "Contact Staff Coordinator" near the bottom of this webpage. If you wish to speak at the DRB hearing, arrive early to fill out a comment card.

DC Ranch has been able to impact the following:

91st Street, in both directions near DC Ranch, will be designated a no truck zone
The landscape on Pima has been upgraded to larger trees
Additional screening has been added to the building roof tops

Concerns brought up by the Community Council and DC Ranch residents that have not been addressed by Mack include:

Develop an adequate traffic plan to accommodate 350+ semi-truck trips per day, as shown in the Mack traffic study
Make land along Pima a “gateway to north Scottsdale”
Reduce the mass of each building and the number of docking bays
Upgrade architectural features on the back of buildings
Agree to operational restrictions such as specified truck hours, noise mitigation, no outdoor storage of vehicles, boats, RVs or supplies, and 24/7 on-site security

*Dates given for public hearings are tentative and subject to change. If you plan to attend, call 480.312.7767 the day before to confirm the date and time.

Oct. 18, 2023

The next step for the Mack Industrial project will be a City of Scottsdale Development Review Board (DRB) hearing. Residents will be informed when the date has been set and provided with a link to submit comments along with instruction on how to speak at the meeting if desired.

Here is a brief recap of where DC Ranch/Ironwood’s main concerns stand, DC Ranch, represented by Director of Public Affairs Chris Irish, will speak to these items at the DRB hearing:

Make land along Pima a “gateway to north Scottsdale” – Mack will increase the number of native trees along Pima to better camouflage the large buildings. While trees are nice, none will be tall enough to hide a 46 ft. tall by 700+ ft. long building. DC Ranch/Ironwood will continue to push for the “‘gateway” at the DRB hearing.
Present a traffic plan to address 350+ semi-truck per day – Mack has verbal approval from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to make two changes to the 101 frontage road. 1) Mack plans to construct and entrance into the warehouse from the 101 frontage road 2). Mack plans to add a second right turn lane onto Pima from the frontage road to their entrance on Pima. It would operate with no stop as the current right turn lane does. While these are good additions, neither will improve the X merge situation on the frontage road.
Agree to operational restrictions such as no truck zone on 91st going north, specified truck hours, no outdoor storage, 24/7 security, etc. – The city has confirmed that the two lane portion of 91st, that goes north towards DC Ranch will be designated as a NO TRUCK zone. The other restrictions requested by DC Ranch/Ironwood have not been addressed.
Reduce mass of the buildings and the number of docking bays – Mack does not plan to do either.
Upgrade architectural features on the back of buildings – Mack has added a third paint color to the back. DC Ranch/Ironwood do not consider paint an architectural feature.

This land is not in DC Ranch or Ironwood Village but adjacent to it. View map.

Aug. 11, 2023

Mack just announced they will hold another public Open House, stating they will present an update on the project design and engineering that reflects feedback Mack received from residents and various City of Scottsdale departments. Residents are encouraged to attend.

Mack Project Open House #3
Wednesday, Aug. 23 | 6 to 7 p.m.
Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains
16770 N Perimeter Dr.

Here is a summarized list of DC Ranch/Ironwood’s concerns:

Make land along Pima a “gateway to north Scottsdale”
Present a traffic plan to address 350+ semi-trucks per day
Agree to operational restrictions such as no truck zone on 91st going north, specified truck hours, no outdoor storage, 24/7 security, etc.
Reduce mass of the buildings and the number of docking bays
Upgrade architectural features on the back of buildings

Aug. 7, 2023

The DC Ranch Community Council joined with Ironwood Village and submitted comments/concerns to Mack, the developer, on April 27. The comments/concerns came from resident input and careful review of the plans. Since that time, and despite outreach on DC Ranch’s part, the developer has not met with DC Ranch/Ironwood to discuss our comment/concerns.

Mack has now submitted a second, revised proposal to the city and it does not address our concerns/comments. Because of this, DC Ranch/Ironwood will need to voice our concerns when the Mack project goes before the city of Scottsdale’s Development Review Board (DRB) and ask the DRB board to vote NO on the project.

A Ranch-wide email will inform residents of when the DRB date has been set and encourage residents to also give their individual comments to the DRB board.

April 27, 2023

DC Ranch and Ironwood Village have reviewed the Mack Innovation Park development applications and submitted comments to both the Mack Company and City of Scottsdale for changes/additions to make the project more compatible and integrated with adjacent neighbors.

DC Ranch/Ironwood Village Comments:
South Parcel, Industrial Phase I
North Parcel, Industrial Phase II

Residents are encouraged to submit their own comments to both Mack and the City or may simply state they are in support of the DC Ranch and Ironwood Village comments and want to see them implemented. Please use the following email addresses:

Mack Company: sdenham@mackregroup.com
City of Scottsdale Planning Department: mtessier@scottsdaleaz.gov

In addition, DC Ranch has been working with Windgate Ranch. Windgate stated that they plan to submit comments, with most being supportive of what DC Ranch and Ironwood Village have proposed.

April 26, 2023

A few days after the March 31 Mixed-Use Open House, the Mack Company stated that there was not significant support from the public for the Mixed-Use option and at this time they plan to move forward on the Industrial Project, Phase 1 (south parcel) and Phase II (north parcel). Both have already been submitted to the city planning department.

The Community Council is currently drafting comments to submit to the developer and city on both Phase I and Phase II. The comments are being developed from information garnered after reviewing the applications Mack filed with the city, sharing the applications with DC Ranch residents and seeking their input, reviewing feedback from three Open Houses, a site visit, asking questions of the applicant’s representative, and meeting with the city’s planning and transportation departments and the city manager.

DC Ranch’s comments will center around traffic (to include asking for “no truck zones”), the mass and design of the buildings, buffer zones, and operational restrictions - to name a few. In addition, DC Ranch is working with Ironwood Village and Windgate Ranch to have a greater impact.

Once complete, a link to the comments will be posted on this page.

March 17, 2023

The Mack Company has added an additional presentation on their Mixed-Use development option. This development is located outside of but adjacent to DC Ranch. Learn more about the development here. Please plan to attend one of the Open Houses.

Friday, March 31
3 to 5 p.m.
New: 5 to 7 p.m.
Windgate Ranch, Outdoor Living Room
10095 E. Windgate Ranch Rd.
Check in at the gatehouse for directions to the meeting

It is important for residents to understand the traffic impact of the two options for the northern portion of the project site: Industrial Project (presented at the Dec 6, 2022 Open House) verses Mixed-Use Project (the north parcel closest to DC Ranch would be residential/commercial instead of industrial).

If the land is fully developed as the Industrial option, their traffic count is projected to be:
All daily traffic: 2,648
Daily semi-truck traffic only: 197 (included in the number above)

Mack Company is expected to share the traffic figures for the Mixed-Use option at the Open House on March 31.

Mack can proceed on the Industrial option as proposed as it complies with current zoning, meaning it does not need Scottsdale City Council approval. While there may be a few components that can be influenced, traffic count isn’t one of them. DC Ranch will ask for “designated no-truck zones” if the Industrial option goes forward.

For the Mixed-Use option to move forward, a zoning change and general plan amendment needs to be voted on and approved by the city council. Mack would need significant public support for this to happen.

Again, residents are encouraged to attend the Open House and provide feedback to the developer.

Questions may be directed to Chris Irish, Community Council Public Affairs Director.

March 9, 2023

The Mack Company will present an alternative option for a more compatible use on the north parcel, closest DC Ranch. If supported by the public, it could replace the industrial warehouses that generate semi-truck traffic. Residents are encouraged to attend and provide feedback to the developer:

Friday, March 31 | 3 to 5 p.m.
Windgate Ranch, Outdoor Living Room
10095 E Windgate Ranch Rd.
Check in at the gatehouse for directions to the meeting

In addition, Mack has submitted an application to City of Scottsdale for its Industrial Project Phase I and Phase II.

The Community Council, on behalf of the DC Ranch community-at-large, will submit comments to the city and Mack on both applications, industrial Phase I and Phase II, within the month. To provide feedback for discussion and consideration on the project comments, please contact Chris Irish by March 12. Residents will be provided a copy of the Council's comments, along with a link to where they can submit their individual comments to the city.

Map of North and South Parcels
Proposed Industrial Project Site Plan

Feb. 6, 2023

The Mack Company is postponing their Mixed-Use Public Open House planned for Feb. 7 at Windgate Clubhouse. Residents will be informed once a new date has been announced. The purpose of the Open House is to present an alternative option to industrial development (large warehouses that generate semi-truck traffic) on the north parcel of land Mack owns at the northwest corner of Pima and the 101, continuing south to Bell Road.

Feb. 2023

The Mack Company submitted preliminary plans to the City of Scottsdale for industrial development on the south parcel of their land. Click here to read the full submittal. After review, the Community Council will submit comments to the city and developer on behalf of the DC Ranch community-at-large. These comments will be made available to residents who are also encouraged to submit their individual comments to the city.

Jan. 5, 2023

At the Mack Company’s public open house on Dec. 6, 2022, not one attendee spoke in favor of the industrial development as proposed. Due to this feedback, Mack Company is considering a redesign of the north parcel as a Mixed-Use project. This is the land closest to DC Ranch.

To build a Mixed-Use project, Mack would need to get a zoning change and general plan amendment from the city of Scottsdale. This will only happen if there is strong public support for the Mixed-Use project. In the next 30 days, Mack will hold another open house to introduce the Mixed-Use project and garner public input. All DC Ranch residents will be notified of the date and time of this open house.

The way the project is unfolding, DC Ranch will run two strategies simultaneously, one for Industrial and one for Mixed-Use. The strategies are briefly outlined below. Residents are encouraged to remain informed about and engaged with the project; DC Ranch will assist with that by providing regular updates about the project.

It is important to be realistic – DC Ranch will never be able to get everything the community wants nor make everyone happy. Please keep that in mind as the Community Council works through this time-consuming and often stressful process.

Strategy for Industrial Project:

Mack submitted their industrial plans (large warehouses/distribution centers) for the north and south parcels of their land to the city in late December City staff must confirm all elements have been addressed, and then post them as public documents. As of Jan. 10, no plans have been made public.
The DC Ranch Community Council will write a response to Mack’s proposal and will submit that to the city. We will primarily address matters relating to the north parcel such as traffic, safety, ingress/egress, massing, design, buffers, landscaping, parking, etc. This response will be posted on DCRanch.com.
The DC Ranch Community Council will push for these issues to be addressed as the project moves through all the city approval processes, to include meeting with city council members to encourage them to support our requests. Residents can also request the same, similar, or different issues to be resolved by the developer/city.
This strategy ensures that should the north parcel be developed as Industrial and not Mixed Use, the Community Council has worked to try to get the best outcome possible for the DC Ranch community-at-large.

Strategy for Mixed Use:

Mack will hold another open house in late January/early February to present a Mixed-Use project on the north parcel. We have encouraged them to utilize The Homestead for the meeting. The Community Council will use all communication tools to encourage DC Ranch residents to attend.
If there is resident support for Mack’s Mixed-Use and more long-term home value for the DC Ranch community-at-large, the Community Council may support the changes needed for the project. If so, we will invite neighboring communities, such as Windgate and Ironwood Village, to collaborate on a joint letter to the city, as we will be stronger together. We may or may not request changes to the project depending on the proposed design.
This strategy may be more fluent as we have yet to see the Mixed-Use proposal, however our intent is the same: for the Community Council to work to try to get the best Mixed-Use project possible for the DC Ranch community-at-large.

Dec. 8, 2022
On Dec. 6 the Mack Company held an Open House to share their plans for an industrial warehouse/distribution center development. The industrial plan, which would create significant semi-truck traffic, was not well received. Many DC Ranch residents and the Community Council have encouraged the developer to pivot to a more compatible use on at least the north portion of the land. The developer said they will bring forward a mixed-use project for consideration. Such a change is challenging as it would require Scottsdale City Council to approve new zoning and a general plan amendment and would likely only happen if there is significant public support for the change. The Community Council will monitor progress on this development and inform residents of opportunities to provide their input to the developer and the city.

Nov. 23, 2022
Residents are encouraged to attend an Open House on the development of 125 acres of land adjacent to DC Ranch and provide feedback to the developer. The land is zoned I-1, Industrial. The developer, Mack Company, is planning large industrial warehouse/distribution centers which will generate significant semi-truck traffic. The DC Ranch Community Council has asked the developer to pursue a more compatible use for the north portion of the property. It is important that residents also weigh in.

Open House
Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m.
McDowell Mountain Marriott
16770 N Perimeter Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85260