Gilbert Just Approved a 311-Acre Master-Planned Community. Here's What That Means.
Gilbert is growing up. Not just in population, but in the sense that the town is running out of the open land that made large-scale development possible in the first place.
The recent approval of Harvest Grove, a 311-acre master-planned community in south Gilbert, is worth understanding if you're buying in this town, whether you're looking near the site or across town. It signals something meaningful about where Gilbert is headed.
What Is Harvest Grove?
Harvest Grove is a mixed-use master-planned development proposed for the southeast corner of Val Vista Drive and Germann Road, on land that has long sat as vacant farmland in south Gilbert.
The project is being developed by Lennar, the nation's second-largest homebuilder. After months of public hearings, multiple council continuances, an initial denial, a reconsideration, and a second denial followed by another reconsideration, the Gilbert Town Council voted 4-3 on April 7, 2026 to approve a scaled-back version of the project, according to reporting by KTAR and Hoodline.
The approved plan includes approximately 1,106 residential units, scaled down from the original proposal of roughly 1,676 units after the council required reductions in density. Multifamily zoning was removed from portions of the site during the revision process. The community will also include approximately 45 acres of commercial space anchored by a Fry's Marketplace grocery store, along with a gas station, retail buildings, restaurant pads, a car wash, and a credit union, according to KTAR and AZBEX reporting on the commercial component.
The Gilbert Town Council voted 7-0 in late June 2026 to deny a resident appeal of the commercial portion of the project, allowing that component to move forward as well, according to KTAR.
Why Was This Controversial?
Harvest Grove drew significant community opposition, which is why it took from the summer of 2025 through April 2026 to receive final approval.
Resident concerns centered primarily on traffic, density, and the impact on the San Tan Character Area, a planning designation intended to preserve the agricultural and lower-density character of south Gilbert. Staff memos flagged transportation concerns and open-space considerations. A residents' group called Stop Harvest Grove formed and submitted an appeal of the commercial portion.
The three council members who voted against the project, Vice Mayor Chuck Bongiovanni and Councilmembers Monte Lyons and Jim Torgeson, cited concerns consistent with the resident opposition, particularly around traffic on Val Vista Drive and Germann Road near schools and parks.
The four members who approved it argued the scaled-back design addressed the most significant density concerns and that the project would bring needed commercial amenities, including grocery service, to an underserved part of south Gilbert.
Why This Is Significant Beyond the Project Itself
Here's the part that matters most to anyone thinking about Gilbert's long-term trajectory as a place to buy a home.
Harvest Grove is being built on one of the last large undeveloped parcels in the town of Gilbert. The Daily Independent noted in its coverage of the approval that the site represents one of Gilbert's final significant land opportunities of this scale.
Gilbert has been largely built out compared to Queen Creek or San Tan Valley, which still have substantial undeveloped land. As a town approaches build-out, a few things typically happen in the real estate market:
Resale homes become more central. When new construction options thin out, buyers who want to live in Gilbert specifically have fewer builder options and naturally turn to the resale market. This tends to support resale home values over time.
Established neighborhoods tend to appreciate. Scarcity of developable land in a high-demand market has historically supported property values in communities that are already built. Gilbert's strong school system, low crime rate, and quality of life continue to draw buyers from outside Arizona in significant numbers.
New development carries its own adjustment period. Large new communities like Harvest Grove will add homes and residents to south Gilbert over several years. Buyers considering neighborhoods near the Val Vista and Germann corridor should be aware that this area will see construction activity and increased traffic as the project builds out.
What Buyers Near the Site Should Know
If you're looking at homes in south Gilbert, particularly in neighborhoods near Val Vista Drive between Germann and Queen Creek Road, Harvest Grove is relevant to your search in a practical way.
The development is expected to add meaningful traffic to Val Vista Drive and Germann Road over its buildout period. Homes that back to or front these corridors may be affected. As your real estate agent, I will be able to help you understand how the timing and phasing of Harvest Grove might intersect with a specific home you're considering.
The commercial component, anchored by a Fry's, will eventually bring grocery and retail access to a part of town that currently requires residents to drive further for everyday shopping. For buyers who are open to south Gilbert but have been hesitant because of the relative lack of nearby retail, this is worth factoring in.
The Bigger Picture
I've watched Gilbert change over the 40 years I've lived in this area. Every significant development brings a version of this conversation: growth versus character, new residents versus established ones, density versus open space.
Gilbert has navigated this better than most towns its size. The schools are excellent. The public spaces are well-maintained. The Heritage District is thriving. Harvest Grove is the next chapter, and it's a contested one, but the town has handled similar debates before.
If you're buying in Gilbert now, you're buying into a town that is largely built, with strong fundamentals, and continuing to evolve. That's a different kind of opportunity than buying in Queen Creek or San Tan Valley, where the growth story is still earlier in the arc. Neither is wrong. They're just different, and worth understanding before you commit.
Sources: KTAR (April 13, 2026; June 2026), Hoodline (April 17, 2026), Daily Independent (April 8, 2026), AZBEX (December 2025), Gilbert Sun News (September 2025), Homes.com News (June 2025).
Deena Fischer and Sam Wagner are licensed real estate agents with Fischer Home Group at DeLex Realty, serving the East Valley including Gilbert, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Chandler, Mesa and Tempe. Find them on Instagram at @FischerHomeGroup and @swaghomesaz.