Volunteer Opportunities

Proud History of Community Involvement

For more than 50 years the Town has benefited from a high level of community involvement. This spirit of volunteerism has helped preserve the Town’s original mission to maintain a quiet residential community respectful of its natural desert surroundings, while at the same time guiding policy changes to address the needs of a changing demographic. There are more than 50 positions for residents on 10 committees, commissions, and boards.

Below are summaries of the Town’s various committees.

Committee Descriptions

Advisory Committee on Public Safety (ACOPS)
The Advisory Committee on Public Safety was established to preserve and improve the quality of life in Paradise Valley by assisting the Police Department and Community Resource Officer in engaging the community in a public dialogue on issues relevant to public safety, including prevention, enforcement, awareness, and community/victim outreach. It is not considered an oversight board. The Committee is comprised of seven members appointed by the Mayor and Confirmed by the Council and serve two year terms. A Council Member serves as the Chairperson. ACOPS generally meets quarterly in the evening.

Arts Advisory Committee
The Arts Advisory Committee advises the Town Council concerning planning and display of art works in the Town Hall Complex. The Committee helps to create and sustain a cultural and artistic environment which encourages local artists, collectors, and gallery owners to participate in educational and exhibition projects within the Town. The Committee has seven members and meets four or five times per year in the late afternoon.

Board of Adjustment
The Board of Adjustment is a group of seven residents appointed by the Town Council to hear appeals of zoning code interpretations by the Zoning Administrator and variance requests. They may grant variances from, and exceptions to, the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance if a hardship exists as outlined in State statutes and the Zoning Ordinance. Since the Board is quasi-judicial, a person aggrieved by a decision of the Board, may bring a special action lawsuit in the Maricopa County Superior Court- appeals are not to the Town Council. Further, as a quasi-judicial board, they are limited in their contact with applicants and residents on specific cases before the Board.  
Applications include:

  • Additional height on homes or accessory structures
  • Deviations on required setbacks for all structures
  • Additional Floor Area on lots
  • Appeal of staff’s interpretation of the Zoning Ordinance

The Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 PM.  Meetings last approximately two hours and members generally spend one hour reading staff reports and preparing for the meeting. 

Hillside Building Committee
The Hillside Building Committee is governed by Article XXII of the Zoning Ordinance. This Committee consists of 5 members - two citizens appointed by the Council and three rotating Planning Commissioners. It is a Code compliance review committee whose purpose is to review new construction applications for adherence to the Hillside Code. The Committee reviews land disturbance, heights, lighting, building materials, grading and drainage, and other issues in an effort to preserve the hillside.

Applications include:

  • New homes
  • Remodels/additions
  • Solar panel installations
  • Accessory structures (such as ramadas)
  • New pools

The Committee meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 8:30 AM.  Meetings last two to three hours and members generally spend one hour reading staff reports and preparing for the meeting.

Historical Advisory Committee
The Historical Advisory Committee was established in 1997 to advise the Town Council on matters pertaining to establishing and maintaining an archival record of the Town of Paradise Valley’s History. The Committee compiles and archives historical records and produces appropriate literature to commemorate the Town’s major anniversary dates. The Committee has six members who serve three year terms. The Committee meets about three times per year in the late afternoon.

Municipal Property Corporation
The Municipal Property Corporation Board of Directors issues debt on behalf of the Town to finance major capital projects such as construction of sewer line infrastructure and public buildings. The Board is made up of five members who serve three year terms. The Board meets once per year for less than one hour.

Personnel Appeals Board
The Personnel Appeals Board is appointed by the Council to hear appeals on employee disciplinary matters. There are three members of the Board who serve three year terms. The Board usually meets once per year.

Paradise Valley Mountain Preserve Trust
The Paradise Valley Mountain Preserve Trust was formed by the Town Council in 1998 as a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Trust’s goal is to perpetuate the natural landscape, desert plants, wildlife, and scenic beauty of the mountain areas of the Town. Trustees encourage and assist owners of mountainside property to donate vacant land by deed or in the form of conservation easements to the Trust. There are seven trustees who serve three year terms. The Trust meets three or four times per year in the evening.  Meetings last less than two hours and members are expected to assist with subcommittee tasks and outreach.  

Planning Commission
The Planning Commission is a group of seven residents appointed by the Town Council to provide recommendations on a wide array of land-use issues; including: subdivision plats, lot splits, zoning ordinance amendments, special use permits, and general plan amendments. (The Commission is the deciding body on minor Special Use Permit amendments.) The Planning Commission is also the primary entity responsible for long term, comprehensive planning and often acts as the advisory committee on long term plans.

Applications include:

  • Special Use Permit review and recommendation to Council
  • Resorts, churches, schools, medical offices, golf courses, public quasi-public uses
  • Minor Special Use Permit review and decision
  • Subdivision plats, lot splits
  • General Plan amendment review and recommendation to Council
  • Zoning Code amendment review and recommendation to Council

The Commission meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month starting at 6:00 PM.  The meeting last two to four hours and members spend an hour or more preparing for meetings depending on the number and complexity of agenda items.   

Public Safety Personnel Retirement Board
Law enforcement agencies which are members of the state pension system are required to have a local Public Safety Personnel Retirement Board. The Board is governed by state statute (A.R.S. 38-847). Citizen Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. The Board considers requests by officers for admission into public safety retirement system as well as requests for regular and disability retirements. The Board meets several times per year in the afternoons for approximately one hour.