PHOENIX, Ariz. (March 19, 2026) — Maricopa County is asking residents, landowners and business stakeholders to weigh in on Framework 2040, a draft comprehensive plan intended to guide growth, development and preservation decisions across unincorporated Maricopa County through the year 2040. County officials say the update is needed because the current comprehensive plan, adopted in 2016, no longer fully reflects new growth patterns, changing industries, and updated legal requirements.
According to the county, the draft plan is designed to create a more unified framework for future development while balancing growth with the preservation of natural and rural landscapes. The document addresses a wide range of long-range planning issues, including land use, transportation systems, parks and open space, water resources, energy, economic development, environmental planning, and the cost of development.
The public discussion around the draft has focused heavily on traffic, heat mitigation, and the pace of growth in the Valley. In a recent local television interview, Maricopa County Supervisor Kate Brophy McGee described the plan as a policy framework intended to give developers clearer expectations while helping residents better understand what may be coming to their communities. The same report said county leaders are discussing items such as improved shade coverage, reflective pavement testing, landscaping, and open-space buffers, as well as transportation improvements tied to future growth.
Public comments on the draft are being accepted through March 30, 2026. Residents can review the plan and submit feedback through the county’s Framework 2040 website.