Why TSMC’s expansion plans have some neighbors concerned Article originally posted on AZ Central on November 20, 2025 A board of Phoenix City Council-appointed volunteers gave the first approval to a massive development that could include an expansion of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., a move that left some neighbors feeling like their voice wasn’t heard. The development, called NorthPark, is planned for 7,400 acres of land south of Loop 303 and west of Interstate 17. TSMC and PulteGroup are the applicants for the project. The site, which is controlled by the Arizona State Land Department, is proposed to eventually have about 15,000 housing units, including single-family homes and apartments, along with multiple schools, commercial development, and about 2,000 acres of natural open space. What is the Village Planning Committee? The committee is an advisory board to the Phoenix City Council. It is charged with weighing in on projects and plans slated for their respective villages, which are smaller subsections of the city. The seven members of the North Gateway Village Planning Committee who were present at the meeting on Nov. 13 unanimously voted to recommend approval of the project. The board has 13 seats, but three are vacant, and three other members didn’t attend. At the meeting, several neighbors said they were disappointed that there was no representation from the Stetson Hills area on the committee, which is the neighborhood nearest to the proposed NorthPark. One member of the committee, who is an employee of TSMC, was not present as a voting member of the meeting and did not participate. City staff said they found no conflict of interest for members participating in the meeting. However, neighbors said they had filed complaints about several members, including a real estate agent who sells homes in the area, a member who used to work for Pulte, and several who work for contractors that could benefit from the project, such as engineering and construction services. What are the next steps for NorthPark? The committee’s recommendation is the first step in the rezoning approval process. The project still needs to go before the Phoenix Planning Commission before a final decision with the Phoenix City Council. Land controlled by the Arizona State Land Department is required to be sold at public auction. The auction for the 900 acres in the development that TSMC is eyeing is scheduled in January. Why are north Phoenix neighbors concerned? In total, 37 people spoke at the meeting. All but two opposed the project. Increased traffic resulting from the development was the most common concern mentioned by neighbors. Many said they already felt unsafe walking or biking or worried about their children walking to school, and said adding new homes and jobs to the area will make the traffic even more unsafe. Many others brought up environmental concerns, specifically about hazardous chemicals used by TSMC during their manufacturing process, and loss of habitat for local plans and animals.