3659 W Hummingbird Lane, San Tan Valley
(602) 483-4665
DeLex Realty
San Tan Valley is a Pinal County town east of the San Tan Mountains and south of Queen Creek. Most of it is subdivisions, but homes on an acre or more show up in older rural pockets, many first zoned under Pinal County's rural districts. Expect wells or septic on some lots, dirt roads, and room for horses or a shop.
I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. San Tan Valley became an incorporated town on September 17, 2025, so the rules for a big lot here are changing. Some acreage sits inside the new town, some is still unincorporated Pinal County, and some nearby land is in Queen Creek or Florence. Here is what I check with buyers before they fall in love with a property out here.
See San Tan Valley homes on 1+ acreCall Terry: 602-483-4665
Most San Tan Valley homes sit in master-planned subdivisions with small lots. The larger lots tend to be in older rural areas that grew up under Pinal County zoning before the town existed. Agent and listing pages that track acre homes here name areas such as Chandler Heights Ranches, Santan Ranches, Queen Creek Ranchos, Sun Valley Farms, Skyline Vista Ranch, Bonanza Highlands, Vinwood Estates, Country Mini-Farms and Quail Hollow, and a few acre-plus lots also appear in places like Whitewing at San Tan and parts of Johnson Ranch. Those names come from listings, not an official map, and lot sizes vary a lot inside each one, so I look at the actual parcel every time.
A San Tan Valley mailing address does not tell you who governs the land. The town drew its boundary to leave some neighborhoods out. The Parks, The Meadows and Magnolia Grove, for example, were reported as a county island outside the new town. Other parcels with the same ZIP codes are in Queen Creek or Florence. The town publishes a "Do I live in San Tan Valley?" boundary check, and I run every address through it before we look at zoning.
The Town of San Tan Valley adopted its first zoning ordinance and town code on June 1, 2026, and they took effect on July 1, 2026. When the town adopted its code, existing county zoning on each parcel was carried over to the closest comparable town district. Inside town limits, the town handles zoning clearance, while Pinal County still issues building permits through December 31, 2026. For land outside the town, Pinal County handles everything.
Because so much acreage here started under county rules, it helps to know the county's rural districts. As published in the Pinal County Development Services Code:
Pinal County's Board of Supervisors cancelled a planned rewrite of its zoning code in January 2025, so the older code still governs unincorporated land. The town's own district names and lot minimums are new, and I confirm the exact district for a parcel with the town before you rely on it for a shop, a guest house or a lot split.
Under the county code, the CR-1A and CR-1 districts allow poultry and rabbits plus up to two head of cattle, horses, sheep or goats per acre, with no swine, and animal buildings must sit 50 feet from side and rear lot lines. GR allows livestock and horses, with public stables needing 10 acres or more. In SR, commercial stables need 20 acres and animal buildings must be 100 feet from lot lines. A shade-only livestock structure is not counted as a building. Pinal County Animal Care and Control serves both town and county residents. The town's own animal-keeping rules are new, so I check them for any parcel inside the town, along with any HOA or deed restrictions. For a wider look at horse homes, see my Arizona horse property guide.
San Tan Mountain Regional Park, which covers more than 10,000 acres in Pinal County and is run by Maricopa County Parks, has nine multiuse trails that are mostly open to horses. Its visitor center is at the Phillips Road entrance.
Much of San Tan Valley is served by EPCOR, which bought Johnson Utilities on January 29, 2021 and serves about 160 square miles including Florence, Queen Creek and San Tan Valley. The town says EPCOR service is not changed by incorporation. EPCOR's San Tan system is listed by the Arizona Department of Water Resources as a designated provider in both the Pinal and Phoenix Active Management Areas. Some rural lots use a private or shared well instead.
For a private well, Arizona's exempt-well rules apply: a pump of 35 gallons per minute or less, and a Notice of Intention (ADWR Form 55-40) before drilling. When a home with a well sells, the new owner files ADWR's change of ownership form (55-71A). ADWR has also said it will not approve new assured water supply applications based on Pinal groundwater, which matters most for land that someone hopes to subdivide. On any acreage, I ask for well records and a water test, and I confirm whether a shared-well agreement exists.
Many acre lots are on septic. Pinal County's Aquifer Protection Division permits septic systems under authority from ADEQ. Arizona's transfer rule requires a septic inspection within six months before the sale closes, and the buyer files a Notice of Transfer with the state within 15 days after closing.
Pinal County maintains only roads that meet its engineering, right-of-way, drainage and paving standards, and it grades some dirt roads on a schedule. Other roads are private or belong to a town, and the new town is still sorting out which roads it will maintain. I find out who keeps up the road to a property before closing, and whether there is a road maintenance agreement among neighbors.
For flooding, the Pinal County Map Viewer shows flood zones and administrative floodplains, and the county takes flood information requests. Any building in a floodplain needs a floodplain permit, and the town code includes its own floodplain ordinance.
In unincorporated Pinal County, a minor land division is five or fewer parcels, each 10 acres or smaller, reviewed by county staff. Under Arizona law, creating six or more lots is a subdivision with its own approvals and public report. Inside the town, split rules now come from the town code. If you are buying acreage with an eye toward splitting it later, I build that question into our due diligence period.
Is San Tan Valley a city now?
Yes. San Tan Valley became an incorporated town on September 17, 2025, and its zoning ordinance and town code took effect July 1, 2026. Some nearby neighborhoods were left outside the town and are still unincorporated Pinal County.
Can I keep horses on an acre in San Tan Valley?
Often, but it depends on the zoning and any HOA rules. Pinal County's CR-1A district allows up to two horses per acre, and the town carried county zoning over to comparable town districts, so I confirm the current district and any deed restrictions for each parcel.
Do acre lots here have city water?
Many are served by EPCOR, but some rural lots use a private or shared well. I check the water source, well records and any shared-well agreement before you commit.
Are acre homes in San Tan Valley on septic?
Many are. Arizona requires a septic inspection within six months before a sale, and the buyer files a Notice of Transfer within 15 days after closing.
Call Terry Day at DeLex Realty. I will check jurisdiction, zoning, water, septic and road access on each property with you at 602-483-4665.
Zoning, water, septic, road and flood details come from the Town of San Tan Valley, Pinal County, ADWR, ADEQ, Arizona statutes and news reports and can change. Confirm jurisdiction, zoning, utilities, school boundaries and any restrictions for a specific property before you buy.
Copyright 2026 Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service, All rights reserved. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) nor Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless.
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