Pinal County Board approves rezoning for 1,263-acre utility-scale solar project

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 2 approved Ordinance No. 2026-PZ-009-26, rezoning approximately 1,263.1 acres from GR General Rural to I-3 Industrial to permit a utility-scale solar generation facility, a substation and a battery energy storage system (BESS) south of the City of Eloy.

The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval by a 7–1 vote, with one commissioner abstaining. Sean Lake of Pew & Lake, PLC represented the applicant and property owners, identified in the record as the Donley Family Trust and John Patrick & Melinda Donley Trust. The Board approved the ordinance “as presented with 1 Stipulation” (action recorded on the agenda). The ordinance covers tax parcels including 411-34-0020 and adjacent parcels and is located between E Green Reservoir Road and E Pretzer Road and between S Eleven Mile Corner Road and S La Palma Road.

The decision authorizes a zoning change to accommodate large-scale photovoltaic arrays, an on-site substation and a BESS for grid interconnection. The hearing record notes the formal recommendation by staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission; the transcript records the Board’s approval but does not include a roll-call tally in this excerpt. Samuel Amaya and Dedrick Denton are listed on the agenda as presenters for the case.