PHOENIX – Scottsdale’s mayor is unhappy about the way Axon gained approval to build nearly 2,000 apartments along with its new headquarters in her city.
“The fact that the voters in Scottsdale are going to have their voices smothered and … their right to vote on this disregarded is troubling to me,” Lisa Borowsky told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Tuesday.
Borowsky, who took office in January after unseating incumbent Mayor David Ortega, said apartment height and density was the No. 1 issue when she was on the campaign trail before the November 2024 election.
“I think, overwhelmingly, citizens of Scottsdale are not in favor of more … (high-density) apartments,” she said.
Scottsdale mayor doesn’t think Axon needs apartments
While she wants Axon to stay in Scottsdale, Borowsky disputed the notion that the housing is a necessary piece of the project.
She said a recent study found 2,100 apartments with a 5% vacancy rate within 5 miles of the planned headquarters property, as well as more units under construction.
“I support Axon,” the mayor said. “People do support Axon. Axon is different than the 1,900 apartments. It’s not critical to them staying in Scottsdale.”
Axon, which has been based in Scottsdale since it was founded in 1993, makes Tasers and other technology and weapons for law enforcement, military and civilian use.
The company purchased a 70-acre parcel near Hayden Road and the Loop 101 Pima Freeway in 2020 with an eye on building a new headquarters, revealing later that the plan included nearly 1,900 residential units.
“Knowing how controversial the project was during the election, they had pulled their application, put it on hold,” Borowsky said.
After the mayor and the two city council incumbents on the ballot lost their races, Axon renewed its efforts to get the zoning changed to allow the housing.
“They came back through and got the ‘quote unquote’ lame duck council to approve it. And it was a hot topic during the race,” Borowsky said.
However, the homegrown multibillion-dollar company’s ambitious plans were put on hold after opponents gathered enough signatures to put the zoning change in front of voters in 2026.
Axon had gone as far as scheduling a groundbreaking ceremony for Jan. 10 before calling it off on short notice after the signatures were submitted.
Facing the prospect of waiting nearly two years to find out if the project could move ahead as planned, the company said it would explore the possibility of moving its base out of Arizona.
Lawmakers remove obstacle, but legal challenges could be made
But the ballot obstacle was removed last week when the Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bill that makes certain rezoning in cities of Scottsdale’s size exempt from referendum petitions.
Borowsky said she wishes the issue could have been settled without state lawmakers getting involved.
“I would have liked the opportunity to work with Axon to come up with a win-win scenario, and I do believe that was possible,” she said.
Looking ahead, Borowsky isn’t sure the issue is dead. She said the city and citizen groups are exploring the possibility of legal action against the new law.
“No one likes to have something shoved down their throat, if you will, and that’s how the citizens feel,” she said.
