SCOTTSDALE, AZ — On Wednesday evening, the Scottsdale Planning Commission unanimously recommended moving forward with Axon Enterprises proposed world headquarters, but there’s still one more critical vote ahead.
Axon, formerly Taser International, is a publicly traded public safety technology company known for their police body cameras and stun guns.
The design of the 400,000-square-foot campus off Loop 101 has a futuristic design and will include apartments, hotels, and restaurants, for both Axon employees and others to use.
"It is science fiction inspired," CEO Rick Smith said. "We're trying to bring Captain James T Kirk's phaser to life...when we lean into creative workspaces it pays off."
In an interview with ABC15, Axon CEO Rick Smith underscored the project's importance for attracting and retaining a young and talented workforce.
"When you're building a company, your most important recruiting funnel is the 20 to 35-year-olds... that's where having apartments and condominiums and then hotels" can be essential, Smith said.
The project has faced opposition since the plans expanded from just being a place to work.
Residents, especially those in the nearby Stonebrook neighborhood, are concerned the project will bring traffic and noise to the area and potentially impact property values.
In response to those earlier concerns, Axon modified its original plans before returning to the Scottsdale Planning Commission.
But on Wednesday evening, residents said their concerns remain.
"They didn't make it easy, but they did finally listen," said Susan McGarry, president of the Stonebrook II HOA. "We still ask moving forward that Axon and the city protect our property values, preserve our community by protecting building heights, and further evaluate traffic impacts."
One resident also highlighted potential parking problems during high-traffic events like the Waste Management Phoenix Open, fearing overflow parking in their neighborhood.
"Would proposed parking be adequate to prevent overflow into our neighborhood?" a resident asked. "Last year we had a lot of riffraff parking in our neighborhood and cars were towed."
The Planning Commission’s 5-0 recommendation is a step forward for the company's plans, but the ultimate decision rests with the Scottsdale City Council, which is set to vote on the proposal at the next meeting.
The full meeting can be found here.
