Development Review Board - July 17, 2025

Today is the uh 17th of uh July 2025.
I'm going to ask Mr. Brad Carr, our
aison, to conduct the meeting.
>> Thank you, board member Mason. So, I
will start here with our preamble that
we always read. Good afternoon and
welcome to the Scottsdale Development
Review Board public meeting. The purpose
of the development review board is to
maintain the quality of development in
Scottsdale by reviewing all of the
design aspects of proposed development
and the relationship of its design
components to surrounding environment
and community. The board also reviews
all preliminary plats for subdivisions
to asssure compliance with policies and
ordinance requirements. Uh the agenda
consists of the roll call, public
comment on non-aggendaized items,
administrative report, minutes from the
prior approval, and action items. A roll
call vote will be taken after each
item's motion. The liaison will call out
each board member's name to indicate
their desired vote for that item. After
the vote has been counted, the leazison
may read out the final vote. Any
citizens that may uh wish to speak today
during public comment time or spec to
speak specifically on any agenda item
may fill out a blue request to speak
card at the staff table. Uh or if you
would like to submit written comments,
you can submit a yellow comment card at
the staff table. When called, please
come to the podium, state your name and
address, and then begin speaking. Um
there will be a total of uh 10 minutes
uh allotted to groups of speakers. I
remind our audience today that the
board's review relates to design matters
and does not include consideration of
existing zoning designation, zoning
entitlements, or the allowed uses within
a zoning district. Today, the board's
motions may be to approve, to pro
approve with modified stipulations, to
deny a request, or continue a case.
Thank you again for your interest in
time, and we will begin now with a roll
call.
>> Councilwoman Whitehead,
>> I'm here. Vice Chair Brand,
Commissioner Gonzalez,
>> present.
>> Board member Paser
>> here.
>> Board member Fei,
board member Mason
>> here.
>> Board member Robinson
>> here.
>> I present. Thank you.
>> Thank you. The next item on the agenda
is public comment for non-aggendaized
items. And I believe we do not have any
of that. So, we'll move on to the admin
administrative report for today. Um, one
item I wanted to note for the board
members is we did receive an updated
landscape plan for this application. Um,
both applications, but in particular
28DR 2024.
Um, the plan was updated to show two
additional trees that would be placed
south of the proposed pool um that it's
on the south side of the project and
near the center of the project. So, that
plan is dated uh June 26 of 2028.
Unfortunately, that plan didn't make it
into the staff report, but um staff is
just wanted to make a note that that
plan is what the applicant is proposing
to add those two additional trees uh at
that at that spot. Um with that, I think
that concludes the administrative report
today. So, uh actually one thing, we
will be meeting next uh next meeting on
uh August 7th. So, hopefully we'll see
you there in attendance for August 7th.
Next up is uh approval of the minutes
for the July 10th, 2025 development
board regular meeting minutes. Uh do I
have a motion or any questions on that?
>> I move that the meeting note meeting
minutes be approved as noted.
>> Second.
>> Councilwoman Whitehead.
>> Yes, I vote yes.
>> Commissioner Gonzalez,
>> I was present there and I vote yes.
>> Okay. Board member Peaser,
>> yes.
>> Board member Mason,
>> yes.
>> Board member Robinson,
>> yes.
>> Motion passes. Thank you.
>> Thank you. We will now move on to action
items. Today we have two items on the
consent agenda. Um both generally for
the same site, but uh there's small
portion of the site on the southwestern
portion of the site that's a different
um application. That's 27DR 2024, which
is phase one for the Palm Lane
residences. The other application is
item number four on your agenda 28DR
2024, which is phase two for the same
project. Um, if there are any questions,
staff and applicant are both here to
answer any questions. Otherwise, I'll
entertain a motion for those items.
Mr. Gonzalez.
>> Yes. Um, Mr. Carr, did staff approve the
addition to the uh landscape plan?
>> I'll ask Miss Tessier, the project
coordinator, answer that.
>> Thank you. Thank you and councilwoman
Whitehead and Commissioner Gonzalez.
Yes, it is approved and it actually is
part of the development review board
packet. So, it will be executed at time
of final plans. Thank you.
>> Very good. Thank you very much for that.
>> Um
I'm sorry, Councilwoman Whitehead. Go
ahead, please.
>> Thank you. First of all, it's nice
seeing everybody. I'm sorry I'm not
there. Um, yeah, I just wanted to answer
a question that a constituent had asked
about the paving of Palm Lane. And so
that is not part of the package. My
understanding thanks to staff and the
applicant, but if there was damage um
done, then it will be and I'm just
separately still waiting on finding out
where that is in our paving plan. So, I
just want to acknowledge that question
and provide an answer and I'll send that
person additional information.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, we will
hope to get some additional information
to provide you that here in the near
future. Any other questions from board
members? Commissioner Gonzalez.
>> Thank you. I just was there any comments
cards or anything uh sent in?
>> It looks like we may have someone who
had just arrived to filling out a
comment card um briefly. Maybe while
that person is doing that, is there any
other questions that staff or the
applicant can answer for the board?
>> Board member Mason,
>> is there any interest in having a staff
presentation?
>> You know, I'm fine either way. I'm just
jumping in here since I don't know how
to raise my hand.
>> Okay.
>> Either way.
>> Thank you, Councilwoman.
Okay. Um, we'll just I guess take a
pause real quick while we hear from the
person who may want to speak.
As long as we're waiting, maybe I do
have a question for the applicant.
>> Council Whitehead, go ahead.
>> Yeah. Um, so I also was asked, let's see
if I can find it. Um,
when the work, do they have a ballpark
idea of when the work will begin
assuming this board approves the uh
application?
Thank you, Council Member Whitehead,
members of the board. Um, just for the
record, Lauren Proper Potter, PO Box
1833, Tempp, Arizona 85280. Just so you
know who you're talking to. Um, council
member, so a couple things will happen
here. We have some demolition permits
that we're ready to act on in the next
couple weeks or so. Um, but in terms of
construction on the overall project, I
believe that we have a permit
application being prepared to go in uh
imminently. And so that's obviously
pending um the review process as you
well know and I'm sure everyone up here
knows that can be a lengthy process but
we would hope to get through that in
like six to nine months and then
construction would start pretty
immediately after that time. Um it's
worth noting that the um developer is
also the property owner currently. So
they they're not interested in wasting
any time. They would love to get going
as quickly as possible.
>> Okay. Another qu quick question. Um, is
the applicant doing anything to kind of
mitigate against um, vandalism or any
such thing that might happen on a vacant
property? There's some concerns about
that.
>> Um, thank you, Council Member Whitehead,
for the question. So, the property will
be fenced during You're talking about
during construction? Yeah, during during
the construction timing. um except for
the the there have to be access on that
driveway that kind of separates phase
one and phase two, but we'll make sure
that everything is secured.
>> Okay. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you.
>> If there are no longer no other further
questions at this time, I'll ask the
speaker or the the one public comment to
come forward, Michelle Bonner.
>> No worries. Uh, as you approach the
elector here, if you would please just
uh state your name and address for the
record.
>> Hi there. I'm Michelle Bonner. Uh, I
live directly across the street from the
property at 7321 East Palm Lane in
Scottsdale 85257.
Um, I I've been working with the
developers. They've been great.
And um, my my I do have a couple of
concerns, questions. One was, and and I
guess I just wanted to ask it in this
public forum because I hadn't had a
chance to really talk with you guys
about it yet. One was um we we had that
large apartment complex go up next to us
about two years ago and it absolutely
tore up our street. Um it's in terrible
shape at this point. And I'm wondering
if there's any possibility of the
developer resurfacing that street once
everything's done.
Um
because I know it's going to make a huge
mess with all the trucks coming in and
out and whatnot. So that was one of my
questions. I don't know if any of this
was addressed or not, but um the other
thing was just, you know, I understand
that it's going to take a while for the
permits and all that to go through and
my concern is just in the interim until
that happens that that property be
well-maintained because it's um it was
very unsightly when the church people
were there for a long time and a lot of
their signage is all still there. I
don't know how long it's going to be
before the demo actually starts
happening on that building, but I would
really like to see that that property be
well maintained by both landscaping and
trash removal because it's still a mess.
And I just don't want it to be a mess
like that for months and months and
months, but until we actually have demo
or permits or whatever and and I have
been in contact with the developers
about that. So, they do know quite a bit
about that, but I just wanted to make
sure that that is something that's on a
regular schedule that we have actual
landscapers that go out there and remove
weeds and and things like that. So, I
guess it's more comments than it is
questions.
And that's all I have.
Thank you, Miss Bonner. I'll ask the
applicant to respond to those comments
and questions.
>> Okay. Thank you, Chair Mason, members of
the board, Council Member Whitehead. Um,
and thank you to Michelle. Um, you've
been great to work with, by the way. Not
everyone is as lucky as we have been to
have an awesome neighbor to work with.
Um, and so we appreciate your
involvement throughout the entire
process. um a a couple answers to your
questions just so everything's on the
record um out in the public like forum
for you. Um so we the demolition permits
I believe are ready to be approved and
they're just on hold pending the outcome
of this meeting today. So as soon as
those permits are issued today hopefully
goes okay. Um we'll pull those permits
probably in the next week or two. we
have to mobilize the team to do all the
demolition and stuff, but um and then
the demolition should take about two
weeks after that. And that kind of
answers a second part of your question,
which is maintenance of the property. Of
course, there will be ongoing needs, but
part of the demolition is going to be to
basically tear everything out. So, you
won't have weeds and other stuff that it
it'll basically just kind of be dirt for
a while and rocks. So, that'll address
that issue pending permit. So you won't
see some of the the issues that you've
seen with the lack of maintenance in the
past. Um and we didn't control the
property then. So I appreciate that you
kind of noted that that was um not an us
thing, but certainly you have Justin's
number. I think you have my contact
information too, but you can always
reach out if there's something going on.
Um the the interaction with you doesn't
end in this at the end of this process.
um we'll we'll have construction and I'm
sure we'll have conversations then um as
well that can as you noted it can be
kind of unpleasant or painful and I'm
sorry to hear that the project that went
in had done some damage to the street. I
drove it seemed the street seemed okay
to me but you know it's I suppose that's
subjective. Um, but we will be required,
we'll have to post bonds for any of the
work that's done in the right ofway and
there will be cuts made into the street
as part of taps into the sewer and
water. Obviously, we're tearing out the
sidewalks and putting in new curb,
gutter, wider sidewalks, all that
landscaping. Some is on our property and
some is in the right ofway. So, you'll
you'll see some work happen there.
There's pavement restoration
requirements. So you basically have to
when you cut into anything in the
rightway, whether it's just the
sidewalk, the streets, whatever, you
have to restore it to MAG standards. And
that's a zoning ordinance requirement.
Not only that, when we put up bonds at
the city, when we get those permits, so
you know, permits are you get a permit
for paving a per you have tons of little
permits that are happening and those
will not be issued either CFO if that's
relevant or a final inspection would
would not be approved if pavement
restoration hadn't happened. It has to
happen to those MAG standards. So, it's
basically whatever would be required
today to go in. So, it's not resurfacing
of the whole street. That's like
hundreds of thousands of dollars. Um,
huge huge construction cost to do that.
It's just really expensive to repave the
whole street. Um, and you know, part of
it is I I wish that the prior um
property owner that did the construction
had done what they were supposed to do,
which is repair the pavement, any damage
that they've done. We'll certainly do
we'll fix any damage that's done as a
part of this construction process. But
beyond like resurfacing of the entire
street, that's just kind of not
something that the project can absorb
costwise.
>> At this time, public comment is closed,
but thank you. Um,
>> but Michelle, we're happy to continue
the conversation even we can chat
outside. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Any further questions from
members of the board or Councilwoman
Whitehead who's still on there? Let me
ask Miss Miss Whitehead first.
>> Uh, yeah. No, I I think I'm fine. I
appreciate the answers. I also really
appreciate Michelle's comments, too,
because this project, as I said in the
city council meeting, has evolved a lot
and that's thanks to the development.
You know, this applicant wanting to make
it good for the neighborhood. So, this
has improved a lot and we get there
because neighbors get involved. So,
thanks to all
Thank you. Uh any other
Commissioner Gonzalez?
>> Yes. Um I sat on the planning commission
when this project was bring was being
run forward and uh I also commend the
developers and everybody with working
with all the neighbors and everything.
It's been a long slog. I know you've
been here many times and we appreciate
it and uh and you've put forth an honest
project and you worked with the
neighborhood and everything and you know
we just wish that more more developments
were this this uh easy to do. It doesn't
seem easy for you, I'm sure, but the
thing is and all the permits and
everything, but it is in in the
protection of the public, we we have to
go through these systems, checks and
balances. As far as the the what um one
of the comments was made by the public
is that you know when you do street cuts
and everything it they try to do and
patch the street as well as possible but
it's really up to the city to be able to
monitor and to look after the rest of
the street. So if you have any questions
or anything, maybe you shouldn't develop
look at the developer, but look at the
streets and transportation as being the
final solution with that and see what
they're because they always schedule
everything out. They they're not uh they
they know what's going on and they know
that sometimes, you know, if you make
enough street cuts in an area in a in an
area that you have to repair of a a lot
more of a street than you're just doing
the street cuts. So that's where you get
the real uh coverage on it is when the
street t transportation department says,
"Well, we're going to uh relay part of
the street section." So that's where you
should direct a lot of those questions
for that. But I appre appreciate the
developer coming out and coming forth
and u and being uh forthright on this.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Commissioner Gonzalez. And
thank you all for being here. By the
way, I know we're the only item on the
agenda. I know it's the middle of July,
so just want to take a second to say
thank you all for being here.
>> Thank you, Commissioner. Any other
comments, questions from the board?
If not, I'll entertain a motion. I'd
move to approve
cases 27DR 2024
and 2028 DR 2024 which I believe
includes an amended landscape plan per
the staff recommended stipulations after
finding that the development
applications meet the applicable
development review board criteria.
>> I'll second that.
>> Councilwoman Whitehead.
>> Yes.
Commissioner Gonzalez,
>> yes.
>> Board member Paser,
>> yes.
>> Board member Mason,
>> yes.
>> Board member Robinson,
>> yes.
>> Motion passes. Thank you.
>> Thank you. That concludes our items for
today. Uh I want to thank everybody for
joining us and uh entertain a motion for
adjournment.
>> So moved.
>> We are adjourned. Thank you.
>> Thank you.