To see current projects in development with the Downtown Specific Area Plan, visit our DSAP Projects webpage!

Thank You for Engaging With the Project!

Your input in the downtown planning process was essential to make sure that downtown thrives and is a place for all in the future. Thank you to everyone that participated in the multiple public engagement activities throughout the planning process. If you have additional comments, please email the project team using the contact form at the bottom of this webpage.

Buckeye's City Council approved the Downtown Specific Area Plan at the City Council meeting held on October 3, 2023. This document represents the culmination of 16 months of active public and stakeholder participation. The planning team and city of Buckeye sincerely thanks everyone for their consistent input and feedback throughout this process. This plan will guide the future of Downtown Buckeye, from its transportation network, public places to its private development.

What Is a Specific Area Plan?

A Specific Area Plan is a General Plan Amendment or an “alteration of the city’s land use composition or relationships as established in the General Plan’s land use element.” The Specific Area Plan establishes these changes to a specific defined area. It defines land uses, circulation and other specific elements. In this case specifically defining the uses for an area defined as “downtown."

Why Are We doing a Specific Area Plan For Downtown?

Over the past 30 years we have had several plans or documents that identify “downtown.” The area plan will utilize previous studies such as the Master Revitalization Plan Town of Buckeye Central Business District (created by Deutsch Associates in 1987), the Buckeye Downtown Revitalization Plan (created by ASU in 2002), the Downtown Zoning Overlay adopted in the 2012 Development Code and the Downtown Specific Area Plan of 2018 (created by the city and ASU in 2018). We are now using Olsson to help revitalize downtown Buckeye and bring a unique charm to the area.

It’s time to invest in our downtown to ensure it thrives in the future and stands out in the Valley. Downtowns are powerful symbols and spaces for communities, as they often provide opportunities for residents and visitors alike to come together to live, work, shop and above all, celebrate the community. That’s why we’re developing the Buckeye Downtown Specific Area Plan, and we need your help!

What Is a Downtown Specific Area Plan?

The Buckeye Downtown Specific Area Plan will set the vision for the future of downtown Buckeye: its growth and development, its character and its functionality. This long-range document will be downtown’s road map, helping us visualize where we want downtown to go.

This type of plan analyzes the current conditions within a downtown and identifies ways that it can be improved. Specific topics that will be studied include:

How Did This Project Come To Be?

The Imagine Buckeye 2040 General Plan identified downtown Buckeye as an “Activity Center,” which simply refers to an area of mixed land uses and special character in our community. The adopted General Plan recommended that the city supports the long-term revitalization of downtown Buckeye by preparing and implementing a redevelopment and revitalization specific area plan for the area.

What Does the Buckeye Downtown Specific Area Plan Seek to Accomplish?

• Establish a vision, goals and recommendations to achieve the vision through a detailed implementation plan.
• Develop strategies for future land use, urban design, multimodal transportation improvements, parking, economic development, arts and recreation improvements. Strategies will include efforts to be conducted by a variety of groups, including the city, downtown organizations and private developers.
• Conduct robust public engagement process to receive feedback and suggestions to:
  • Better understand downtown’s current state
  • Identify downtown’s assets
  • Build public consensus around the vision for downtown
  • Prioritize policies, actions, and resources to achieve the plan’s vision

What Is the Project’s Timeline?

The planning process will take place over the next few months and will consist of four primary phases:

• Discover: a baseline understanding of downtown is developed (complete)
• Engage: the community shares their voice (complete)
• Plan and Refine: the actual road map for the future of topics like development, aesthetic and connectivity are developed and revised (complete)
• Implement: the new plan is put to work

If you have additional comments or questions regarding the DSAP, please use this form to email the project team: