The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has unanimously denied a request from BNSF Railway to change the land use designation for property near Wittmann. The proposed amendment would have shifted the area north of U.S. 60 between 211th Avenue and 235th Avenue from Single Family Rural to Mixed Use Employment, paving the way for a major railway logistics hub.
Chairman Thomas Galvin, representing District 2, stated, “I am a strong supporter of economic development and have no doubt BNSF’s plans for a railway logistics hub in one of the Valley’s fastest-growing areas would bring jobs and economic benefits to our region. However, I believe economic vitality depends on a shared commitment between taxpayers and business to strengthen and expand the community infrastructure needed for growth. Without the necessary infrastructure in place, I cannot support a land use designation change at this time.”
The decision does not end BNSF’s ambitions to build on roughly 4,000 acres in northwest Maricopa County but requires further alignment with county planning policies. Supervisor Debbie Lesko, who represents District 4 where the site is located, noted public involvement: “I am grateful to the thousands of constituents who have engaged in this process. Their input was vital to my decision. The fundamental reality is that the infrastructure and service framework necessary to support this level of development is not in place.”
Development in this part of Maricopa County is governed by the White Tank Grand Avenue Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2023. Initially, BNSF had been working with the City of Surprise on annexation efforts that would have brought city services to support such a facility. When those talks failed, BNSF requested approval from the county without having service agreements established.
The Board postponed its decision several times while encouraging BNSF to work with local stakeholders; during this period, the City of Surprise formally opposed the project as currently proposed.
Supervisor Lesko emphasized coordination concerns: “Our County’s planning framework places a high priority on regional consistency and collaboration. Advancing a large-scale employment land use designation in unincorporated Maricopa County without City coordination or service agreements in place risks fragmented growth and duplicative service efforts.”
Recent data show that education outcomes remain an ongoing concern for Maricopa County residents. In the most recent school year, only about 36% of students in grades three through eight passed the mathematics section of state assessments (https://www.azed.gov/), while approximately 33.9% of high schoolers passed math on their ACT exams (https://www.azed.gov/). English proficiency rates were similarly low among both elementary and high school students (https://www.azed.gov/).
The board’s decision reflects ongoing challenges balancing new development with adequate infrastructure and public services.
