Homes on 1+ Acre for Sale in Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale homes on an acre or more are mostly in the northern part of the city, inside the Environmentally Sensitive Lands area north and east of the CAP canal. The clearest example is the Foothills Overlay between Jomax and Dixileta Roads, where about 1,115 owners hold one- to five-acre lots. Expect large-lot zoning, desert you are required to leave natural, and strict rules on grading and lighting.

I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. An acre in Scottsdale is a different thing than an acre in Queen Creek or Cave Creek. The city controls how much of your lot you can touch, which plants you can move and how bright your yard lights can be. None of that is bad, but it changes what a big lot can do for you, so here is what I check before a buyer writes an offer.

See Scottsdale homes on 1+ acre Call Terry: 602-483-4665

How Scottsdale zoning sizes a big lot

Scottsdale's single-family districts are named for their minimum lot area in square feet. Here is how the large-lot districts compare in the city's zoning ordinance:

• R1-190: 190,000 sq ft minimum (a little over four acres), 300 feet wide, 60-foot front and rear setbacks and 30 feet on each side
• R1-130: 130,000 sq ft minimum (about three acres), 200 feet wide, same 60/30/60 setbacks
• R1-70: 70,000 sq ft minimum (about 1.6 acres), 250 feet wide, same 60/30/60 setbacks
• R1-43: 43,000 sq ft minimum, 150 feet wide, 40-foot front, 20-foot sides and 35-foot rear

Two things trip people up. First, R1-43 starts at 43,000 square feet, which is just under a true acre of 43,560. Second, the district only sets a minimum, so many R1-35 or planned-community lots are bigger than the label suggests. I always pull the recorded lot size from the Maricopa County Assessor rather than trusting a zoning name or a listing estimate. The city's General Plan calls these areas Rural Neighborhoods and describes them as the largest-lot single-family areas, usually one home per acre or more.

Environmentally Sensitive Lands: the rule that shapes north Scottsdale

The Environmentally Sensitive Lands (ESL) ordinance covers about 134 square miles of desert and mountain land, generally north and east of the CAP canal. On those lots, part of the land must be set aside as Natural Area Open Space, or NAOS. How much depends on the landform. On lower desert (flat valley floor) it runs about 20 to 30 percent, on upper desert (the sloped bajadas) about 25 to 45 percent, and on hillside land 50 to 80 percent, with lower minimums possible after approved reductions.

NAOS is recorded as a permanent easement to the city. The land stays undisturbed: no grading, no clearing, no structures. It does not give the public a right to walk on it. In plain terms, a two-acre lot with a large NAOS area may give you a lot less usable yard than a one-acre lot in an older part of town. Before you plan a pool, arena, sport court or RV pad, look at the recorded NAOS boundaries on the plat or site plan. Building and grading are supposed to stay inside a defined building envelope.

The Foothills Overlay

The Foothills Overlay covers about 8 square miles between Jomax and Dixileta Roads, from 56th Street to 96th Street. The city says about 1,115 property owners there have lots from one to five acres. The overlay exists to keep a rural desert feel. It limits how bright exterior colors and materials can be, controls grading and building mass, and generally keeps walls at least 15 feet back from side and rear lot lines. It works together with ESL, so homes there follow both sets of rules.

Native plants, lighting and other site rules

Scottsdale's Native Plant Ordinance applies citywide. Protected plants such as saguaros are kept in place where possible, or salvaged and replanted, and you need a permit to remove or move them. A single-family building project submits a native plant inventory with its plans. If you hope to add a guest house or expand the driveway on a desert lot, that inventory is part of the cost and timeline.

Outdoor lighting is regulated to cut glare and light spill and to help preserve dark skies, with full cut-off fixtures. Rural and estate areas fall in one of the darker lighting zones. I mention this because buyers coming from other states are sometimes surprised that bright floodlights are not allowed.

Horses, guest houses and extra living space

The city does not regulate the number of horses or other farm animals kept for personal use on a single-family lot with a home on it. Commercial stables and ranches need a conditional use permit, and Maricopa County health rules and HOA CC&Rs can still limit animals. HOA rules can limit or ban animals, so the CC&Rs can matter more than the city rule. See my Scottsdale horse properties page if horses are the goal.

Guest houses are allowed on most single-family lots. They must be detached, share utilities with the main home and cannot be rented on their own, and all guest houses together can be no more than half the main home's floor area. Guest houses built after January 1, 2025 need a recorded deed restriction. A separate accessory dwelling unit can be rented, must be separately metered and is capped at 75 percent of the main home or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less.

Water, sewer and septic

Do not assume city water and sewer on a big lot. A city staff report notes that some homes inside city limits are on non-municipal wells, and some areas are not on sewer. City code requires connecting to sewer when it becomes available for new construction or an addition of 50 percent or more. If a home is on septic, Arizona requires an inspection within six months before the sale, and the buyer files a Notice of Transfer within 15 days after closing.

Know the city line. Rio Verde Foothills, east of Scottsdale, is an unincorporated community, not part of the city. Scottsdale stopped selling hauled water to it on January 1, 2023, and access was restored later through EPCOR, which opened its own fill station on January 1, 2026. If a listing says Scottsdale but sits outside the city, the water story can be completely different.

Splitting a large lot

Scottsdale's design standards describe a minor subdivision process for five or fewer lots, approved by city staff, in place of the old lot split. Larger divisions go to the Development Review Board and City Council. Zoning minimums, ESL open space and HOA rules can all block a split, so treat any listing that says "can be split" as a question, not a fact.

Questions buyers ask about Scottsdale acreage

Where are most one-acre homes in Scottsdale?
Most are in north Scottsdale, inside the ESL area north and east of the CAP canal, including the Foothills Overlay between Jomax and Dixileta Roads with its one- to five-acre lots. Use the search above to see what is listed today.

Can I use my whole acre?
Often not, because ESL lots must keep a recorded share of Natural Area Open Space undisturbed, from about 15 to 80 percent depending on the land. Check the NAOS easement on the plat before planning a pool, arena or shop.

Can I keep horses on a Scottsdale acre?
The city itself does not cap horses kept for personal use on a single-family lot with a home, but HOA rules and county health rules can. Read the CC&Rs first.

Is every home with a Scottsdale address inside the city?
No. Places like Rio Verde Foothills are unincorporated and follow county rules for zoning, water and roads. I check the parcel's jurisdiction before you write an offer.

Related pages

Moving to Scottsdale guide · Scottsdale luxury homes · Scottsdale horse properties · Pinnacle Peak homes · Scottsdale golf course homes · Scottsdale homes with pools · Scottsdale Unified homes · Cave Creek homes on 1+ acre · Rio Verde guide · All Scottsdale listings

Buying your first Arizona home? Read my first steps to buying a home in Arizona, and ask me about assumable mortgages. Selling acreage? See how to price your Arizona home to sell.

Zoning, open space and utility details come from City of Scottsdale and state sources and can change. Confirm everything for a specific parcel with the city or county. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.