Gilbert neighborhood pushes back on proposed Target rezoning

A proposal to build a Target near Higley and Ocotillo roads has ignited resistance from nearby Gilbert residents who say the site was long expected to become a smaller shopping center. Supporters argue the project would create jobs and tax revenue, while opponents warn about traffic, noise, and the loss of the area’s neighborhood character.

A long-vacant parcel in Gilbert could become a new Target, but the project first needs a rezoning decision and that has set off a sharp neighborhood fight. ABC15 reported that the land near Higley and Ocotillo roads has been undeveloped for more than two decades, and nearby homeowners say they always expected something smaller and more locally scaled to eventually be built there.

Residents interviewed by the station said a big-box store is not what they want next to their homes. Some said they had hoped for uses such as a grocery store, a coffee shop, or an upscale smaller-format retail mix that would serve the immediate area without changing the visual feel of the neighborhood. One resident said she is moving partly because she does not want a Target outside her front door.

Opponents told ABC15 they are worried about increased traffic, more noise, and the possibility that a larger regional retail draw could bring crime or broader disruption. Several framed the issue as part of a bigger concern that Gilbert is losing the small-town identity that attracted families there in the first place.

The developer’s side says the project fits a retail pattern already allowed in the area and would provide long-term economic benefits. ABC15 reported that the development team pointed to jobs and millions of dollars in potential tax revenue, while also arguing that a traffic study shows the Target could generate fewer vehicle impacts than some other uses already permitted on the property.

Town officials told the station that the next meeting tied to the proposal is scheduled for May 19. That gives residents, business interests, and Gilbert leaders a defined point for the next round of debate over whether one of the Southeast Valley’s remaining vacant corners should stay on a neighborhood scale or shift to a more intensive retail use.