City Council | Regular Meeting - August 26, 2025

Hello. We've got a big crowd here this
evening.
I would like to call the August 26, 2025
city council regular meeting to order at
this time. City clerk Ben Lane, please
do us a roll call.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Mayor Lisa Barowski,
>> present.
>> Vice Mayor Jan Debbasquez,
>> here. Council members Barry Graham
>> here.
>> Adam Clausman
>> here.
>> Kathy Littlefield
>> here.
>> Marian McCallen
>> present.
>> And Solange Whitehead
>> here.
>> City Manager Greg Haitton
>> here.
>> Interimm city attorney Luis Santa
>> here.
>> City Treasurer Sonia Andrews
>> here.
>> Acting city otter
>> here.
>> And the clerk is present. Thank you,
mayor.
>> Thank you very much. Uh this evening we
have Scottsdale police officer Lander
and police officer Shalak as well as
firefighter Ronaldo Iglani.
Hopefully I said that right. If anyone
requires their assistance, please see a
member of the staff. Uh for the
invocation actually pledge of pledge of
allegiance. I'd like to call upon uh
Councilman Graham to lead us in the
pledge.
>> Very good. Be my pledge.
Pledge allegiance
>> to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it
stands. One nation under God,
indivisible with liberty and justice for
all.
>> Thank you very much. And uh for the
invocation tonight, I'm pleased to
welcome Pastor Dan her,
youth pastor Dan her from Scottsdale
Bible Church. and he will provide the
invocation for us. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Something is in the water and
we don't need a committee to
investigate.
Something has gotten a hold of teenagers
in this city. We are hearing stories
right now of students being saved from
depression, suicide, loneliness, and
fear left and right in our schools in
the city of Scottsdale. And right now we
have a thousand students mobilized
praying simply God in sarro as in heaven
in chaparel as in heaven at desert
mountain as in heaven in our homes teams
and workplaces as in heaven. And tonight
I invite you to join the teenagers of
our city in praying in Scottsdale as in
heaven.
Our father who art in heaven
hallowed be your name. Your kingdom
come. Your will be done on earth as in
heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our debts as we
forgive our debtors. Lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
>> Thank you so much. Appreciate you being
here tonight.
as in for the mayor's report. Uh I'm
going to go backward. Last night, four
of my colleagues, we talked about
Westworld at length, and I see everyone
wearing protect Westworld uh stickers,
which I'm a big fan of, so this is
timely. Uh last night, we talked a lot
about Westworld and the concerns of
stakeholders. And while my colleagues uh
um did not support or at least all of
them, a majority of them did not support
a stakeholders task force, the our new
city manager did uh commit to solve the
in favor the uh majority suggested the
new city manager work to resolve these
infrastructure and operational issues.
Uh to which the city manager agreed. And
in order to support that level of con
confidence uh with the Westworld
stakeholders and Scottsdale residents,
tonight I am asking the city manager to
within 5 days provide the council and
the public with your plan including a
timeline, milestones
uh for fixing the infrastructure and
operational issues along with uh your
deadline for a final report. And I know
you have uh plans to meet with the
stakeholders in the very near future. So
I I think this is probably well on its
way. So I look forward to receiving uh
Mr. Kaitton's plan. Thank you.
As always is the case uh this evening we
may move into a possible executive
session. And if the council makes a
motion to recess into exact session in
order to obtain legal advice on any
applicable item on the agenda, uh the
council will hold that immediately and
will not which will not be open to the
general public, but the meeting would
resume immediately following the
executive session. Now is the time for
first public comment announcement and
these comments speakers are limited to
speaking on non-aggendaized public
comment and we only have two this
evening that is Steve Sutton and Lynn
Rubicam. So Steve, can you please
approach the new podium over here to
your right? Thank you.
Everybody hear me? All right.
Steve Sutton, address on record. Good
evening, Mayor Barowski and council
members. At the meeting last night, I
informed you of John Black's Sunday,
June 1st, 2025 email to Council Member
Barry Graham. an email that initiated a
series of over 30 emails in the next six
days between Black & Barry Graham and
city leaders in multiple offices.
If all the email replies to John Black
were as wisely written as assistant
police chief Richard Slavvens, I
probably would not be speaking to you
tonight.
When Councilman Barry Graham on Tuesday,
June 17, 2025, falsely reported to
police that I threatened him on social
media, he attempted to reinforce the
idea that I was a threatening person by
telling the police about John Black's
absurd accusations against me. Ram also
made other statements to the police I
can easily prove are lies.
Councilman Graham also lied to the
council and residents of Scottsdale
about trying to keep his contacting the
police quote private even though in less
than a day he provided information about
it for the posting of a lielist social
media statement claiming that I was on
some kind of police watch list.
Mayor Graham also attempted to get the
Scottsdale police to intimidate me by
violating my first amendment rights.
This is documented in a police
department email dated Wednesday, June
18th, 2025.
An attempt to violate my First Amendment
rights is appalling. Far more appalling
is what is written in a city of
Scottsdale staff email dated Tuesday,
June 3rd, 2025, just two days two days
after John Black's initial email to
Councilman Barry Graham. That is a
statement of intent to create a new
policy that would violate the first
amendment rights of all Scottsdale
residents and the rulings the Supreme
Court has made to protect free speech
rights.
The city council would be very foolish
to enact this policy as it would result
in public relations disaster and
multiple civil rights lawsuits from
individuals in the American Civil
Liberties Union.
I asked the city council and individual
council members to take the following
actions.
pledge to protect the First Amendment
rights of all Scottsdale residents.
Schedule park rangers to at a minimum
walk through the two active cells of
Chapperel Dog Park between 6:00 a.m. and
7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and 700 p.m. to
promote safety and civility at the dog
park.
make a statement of disapproval of
Councilman Barry Graham's unethical
behavior in twice causing many of the
most highly paid city employees to be
participants in an expensive taxpayer
financed wild goose chase looking for a
means to retaliate against me. Please
remember that Barry Graham never
attacked me until I began opposing him
on the parking garage at the parking
corral.
>> Thank you. Next, uh, Lynn Rubicam.
[Music]
Thank you, Mayor Barowski and council
members.
I'm Lynn Rubicum and my address is 9340
East Redfield Road in Scottsdale. I came
to express my concern about the
council's decision to repeat early the
council's decision early this year to
repeal the community sustainability
plan. I've been an advocate for
environmental stewardship since junior
high school when I started the
environment club. I've had a career
working for nonprofit organizations
focused on science and natural
resources. After moving to Scottsdale in
2016, I volunteered with Ottabon
Arizona, became a master gardener, and
was a consultant for the McDall sonorin
conservancy.
I appreciated having the chance to read
the March 2025 memo prepared by the city
manager at the council's request after
the sustainability plan was repealed.
and I applaud the efforts outlined,
especially enforcement of the energy
conservation and green construction
building codes. Most recently, I have
volunteered with trees matter, and I
hope the city will complete the shade
and tree plan described in the memo.
Summer temperatures continue to break
records, and we have far too many days
when ozone and particulate matter levels
are harmful for children and other
sensitive groups. I am concerned about
the human cost and economic impact on
our community members who work outdoors
and experience heat related injury,
health impacts of poor air quality and
decreased productivity.
Extreme heat and air pollution are
likely to begin to impact tourism as
national media stories crown our
neighbor Phoenix as the hottest major
city in the US. I know my family members
and friends are reluctant to visit.
Finally, I am distressed at the harm
done to our beloved Swaros as they
struggle to take in carbon dioxide on
hot nights. To me, ensuring that
everyone and everything has healthy air
to breathe is a top measure of the
quality of life in a community.
The causes of extreme heat and poor air
quality are regional and not easy to
reverse, but the sustainability plan
outlined goals and actions that would
have improved these negative conditions.
We look to the city council for
leadership and direction, and I feel the
decision to repeal the plan sends the
message that these environmental and
economic issues are not taken seriously.
The decision to cancel the
sustainability director position
amplifies this message. The annual
reporting called for in the plan would
have provided the public with an
accessible way to know whether the
community is benefiting from actions
taken. I urge the council to reconsider
its decision to repeal the plan. Thank
you.
>> Thank you very much. And that concludes
the public comment on non-aggendaized
items. Moving now to the meeting
minutes. Uh
are there any revisions or questions on
the meeting minutes? If not, I'll
entertain a motion to approve special
meeting minutes of June 24th, 2025 and
regular meeting minutes of June 24th,
2025.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> All those in favor, please indicate your
vote.
Thank you very much. Consent agenda
items. Uh we have items 1 through 15.
Do any of the council members have any
questions or wish to uh pull any agenda
items off the consent?
If not, I will entertain a motion to
approve consent agenda items 1 through
15. So moved.
>> All those in favor, please indicate.
Thank you. That passes unanimously.
Item cooking right along. Wow. Good us.
Item 16. Uh this is now the regular
agenda and item 16 is a request for
uh a non- major general plan amendment
to ch change the city of Scottsdale
2035 general plan land use designation
from employment office to employment
light industrial office and to reszone a
commercial district that allows a
storage facility and office.
Additionally, the applicant is
requesting to abandon abandon the
general land office patent easements on
the subject properties. This evening we
have uh Merida Meredith Tessa Tesser
Tessier.
>> Yes.
>> Uh senior plan planner with uh for staff
and she'll present at this time. Thank
you.
>> Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Broski
and um council members. Mayor Tessia
here with the planning department. The
case before you tonight is the
collector's garages at Westworld, 4GP
2024, 5ZN 2024, and 8AB 20204. Please
note this item is on the regular agenda
because throughout this process, staff
has received comments both in opposition
and support. And that um correspondence
is within your action report tonight.
So, just wanted to bring that to your
attention.
So, the subject site is located just
west of the intersection of East McDall
Mountain Ranch Road and North Thompson
Peak Parkway as highlighted in yellow.
The surrounding uses are single family
to the north and we have um a vacant
lot, uh storage facility and gas station
to the east, and then we have Westworld
to the west and south.
So tonight, the applicants requesting to
reszone the site from single family
residential environmental sensitive
lands planned community district R135
PCDE ESL to general commercial
environmental sensitive lands planned
community district C4 PCD ESL. Please
note, we just want to bring to your
attention that the C4 um district does
not allow bars, restaurants or land use
or um live entertainment, excuse me. um
but one could process a special event uh
permit through that process.
Additionally, the applicant is
requesting a minor general plan
amendment which is going to go from
employment office to employment light
industrial office all to accommodate a
new storage facility.
So here we have the applicant site plan
where access to the site is going to be
provided with a new uh driveway right
along here along Mcdow Mountain Ranch
Parkway. The site is comprised of six
new buildings, five being new um storage
facilities, and then we have an
office/club
um located more in the central location
of the site. As part of this request,
the applicant is going to be making
dedications of natural area open space
to conserve the um Birdie Canal located
at that northeast portion of the site.
Additionally, there's going to be some
trail improvements in there to allow
some pedestrian um circulation. And then
lastly, the applicant is going to be
providing a desert buffer setback along
that McGdall Mountain Ranch Parkway. So
that concludes staff's presentation.
I'll leave my um presentation here on
the action slide. The applicant has
prepared a full presentation to give you
a little bit more further detail on
their application request tonight. Thank
you.
>> Thank you, Meredith. And uh for the
applicant tonight, we have Jordan Rose.
And welcome.
Thank you.
Mayor Barowski, Vice Mayor Dbachis,
members of the council, thank you um for
the time tonight. I'm Jordan Rose with
Rose Law Group and with me tonight are
the owners of the project, Jason
Platkkey, Kyle Mcinley, Payton
Crutaneer, and uh Paul Basha from Summit
Land who's the traffic engineer. Uh Josh
from um LG and Jennifer Hall from my
office as the planner. Um we have a lot
of supporters here tonight and we thank
you for all being here and I can um put
your uh most the other people in the
audience mind at rest to know that only
three of them will speak. So um we
appreciate you all coming out and
supporting Westworld in this project.
I'll just do a very brief presentation
and then take any questions that you
might have. Um this is an extension
really of Scottsdale at its best. This
is car collectors. This is a point of
pride. This is Westworld. It celebrates
our collector car auction culture and
allows for collectors to store their
treasures right here near our great
Barrett Jackson Auto auction. Um it
makes it easier for out ofstate car
collectors to keep their cars here and
their assets in Scottsdale and to keep
returning to all of our um great
amenities. And as you know and as you've
discussed at length and even yesterday,
Westworld is one of Scottsdale's
greatest assets. Um you've had two
public elections where the residents
have voted uh to support Westworld and
the residents understand the
significance of Westworld. Um60
uh 3.6 million in annual revenues, 1,813
jobs and $85.6
million in labor revenue. It's just a
wonderful place. And we don't build
homes near airports and we don't build
homes potentially near our biggest
economic driver, Westworld. Um, this is
these are some depictions of what uh the
car collector experience will look like.
It's very high-end, very sleek, very
Scottsdale, very um in keeping with the
Barrett Jackson. It's low profile. In
fact, it's um 15 ft shorter than what
was previously proposed here. It's low
traffic. It's a similar uh chip
generation to what was proposed. It's
just a little lower actually or that
what is approved already. Um and it's a
46 luxury car garage. These are
privatelyowned. There is no liquor
license attached to this. It is not open
to the public. It's gated and secured.
It's very lowprofile use. Um, and I
think Meredith um, went through this,
but I wanted to make sure that you all
know this and the audience knows this
and as there's been some public comment
that just was absolutely inaccurate.
Restaurants are not permitted in C4.
Bars are not permitted in C4. Adult
entertainment not in C4. Game centers
not C4. and car washes require a
conditional use permit approval.
Amusement parks, they also require a
conditional use approval. And these
things are nothing that um these owners
are looking at. They're just things that
were said in a a letter. So, we wanted
to make sure. Um and then finally,
stipulation number one um tonight ties
our use to this particular development
plan with this particular narrative, and
we can't build anything else without
coming back and talking to you and
talking to the public about that. So,
the project is wildly supported. Widely
and wildly supported. Um, the staff's
recommending support. We thank you for
that. The planning commission support.
Barrett Jackson. Um, Scottsdale Arabian,
Scottsdale Quarter Horses, Arizona Bike
Week, Cactus Raining Classic, Scottsdale
Art Week, M Culinary, uh, Notre Dame
Prep High School, um, Paul Tracy, who
you may have heard on NBC as a
commentator, Casey Mirs, the former
NASCAR driver, Ari Lionike, and these
people all have, um, special connections
or live in Scottsdale. Um, the GM
Scottsdale Ferrari, uh, the GM, the
director of marketing for Scottsdale
Ferrari, uh, the GM of MercedesBenz, uh,
Ross Brown commercial real estate, Mary
Turner, thank you. And she's here from
the Scottsdale Bond Campaign Manager.
And then most importantly, potentially
is our across the street direct
neighbor, Greythornne Homeowners
Association. They also just sent you a
letter. I think you all got in your
packet today in support, and we really
thank them for this. I could go through
a list of all of our residents names,
but we would be here for a very, very
long time. So, thank you to all of them
and all of you today that are here. Um,
Protect Westworld. I would answer any
questions. Um, but thank you so much for
your time and uh for any support you can
give us.
>> Thank you, Jordan.
>> Thank you.
>> All right, we have several speakers on
this item. First all uh asked to come to
the podium, Mary Turner, followed by
Benjamin Disprow, Chandler Walker,
Michael Chelli, and Kent Creli.
Thank you, uh, mayor, members of
council. My name is Mary Turner, address
5131 North Granite Reef Road. Uh, as a
young professional living and working in
South Scottsdale, I am proud of our
great community and look forward to
raising my family here. Scottdale is a
beautiful and unique place because its
residents and councils in the past have
invested in its future. We benefit today
because of the good work and tough
decisions previously made. As you are
well aware, city sales tax revenue is
the primary source of funding for our
local government services, including
support of our public safety, preserving
our beautiful parks, and other critical
community resources. Few generators of
this revenue are as significant as the
numerous events held at Westworld. In
2019, I had the honor of serving as may
campaign manager for the Scottsdale bond
campaign, a major effort to invest in
our city's future. This bond included
enhancements to our parks, upgrades and
expansions to our public safety
stations, and support of our local
economy and tourism efforts. A big part
of that investment focused on
significant improvements to Westworld.
Scottsdale voters strongly back these
improvements, passing the bond by 38%
margin. That's why it's so concerning to
see proposals for more residential
development near Westworld. It goes
directly against what voters approved
and undermines the significant
investment taxpayers have already made
in this key part of our city. Adding
more residential development near
Westworld brings a whole set of
challenges like more complaints about
noise and smells, heavier traffic, and
other headaches. The collector's garage
project and on the other hand avoids
those issues and fits with how the area
was always meant to be. It's a smart way
to protect the city's major investment
in Westworld without putting more homes
right next to it, which would be
counterproductive to the area. I proudly
stand in support of the collector's
garages project and urge you to do the
same. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mary
Benjamin Dispro.
>> Hello, Benjamin Disbro. I live at 4535
East Persing Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona
85032.
I'm here on behalf of Notre Dame Prep
and uh I'm an alumni there. I graduated
back in 2013. Matt Rielsky couldn't be
here today. He's the director of
enrollment of Notre Dame and he wanted
to write a letter on behalf of the car
garage. Dear Mayor Barowski and
Scottdale City Council members, the
leadership of our Notre Dame preparatory
community was recently made aware of a
potential new construction project
adjacent to Westworld and our NDP
campus. In fact, one of the partners of
the firm, Ross Brown Partners,
spearheading this effort, is a 2014
graduate of Notre Dame. We've taken the
time to learn much about their endeavor
and fully support this project and its
impacts on this neighborhood and
especially NDP. Like all schools, the
safety of our students and their
families is our most important concern.
One of the primary drivers of how safe
we keep our community is the traffic
flow and the purposes of new ventures
surrounding us. Any increase in
congestion and early morning and
afternoon at our start and release times
causes great concern. The concept
presented for us for the storage,
especially luxury cars, is exponentially
safer than other businesses, parking
lots, or potentially more multifamily
housing. In addition, we would be
thrilled to be in proximity with leasers
of this space and to get exposed to
Notre Dame Prep. We believe the economic
impact of this plan will benefit not
only Westworld, but this neighborhood
and Scottsdale as a whole. We strongly
feel this project is consistent with the
growth plan of Scottsdale's future.
Thank you for your attention to this
matter. We greatly um value our
relationship with the city of Scottsdale
and would happily answer any questions
you may have. Sincerely, Matt Rielski.
>> Thank you very much. We appreciate you
reading that for us.
And next we have Chandler Walker.
Good evening. I'm Chandler Walker from
United Scottsdale Firefighters
Association, PO Box 14953, Scottsdale,
Arizona. Dear Mayor Barowski and
Sausdale City Council, as you may know,
city sales tax revenue is the largest
source of funding for local government,
including our parks, public safety, and
many other qualities of life issues.
There are few bigger generators of these
sales tax dollars than all the events at
Westworld. The city's own economic
impact reports show the annual impact to
be massive. We have consistently
supported projects that uses the
responsibility to augment task revenues.
The collector's garage at Westworld is
such project.
More residential development near and
adjacent to Westworld makes no policy
sense as it will just add to complaints
and difficulty within operations.
The collector's projects avoids this.
You will also recall that Scotsdale
voters approved improvements to
Westworld during a bond campaign in 2019
last year via Proposition 490. We helped
lead in those efforts. More residential
development near Westworld infringes on
those voters improved measures that were
approved by suspenseful margins. There
are many housing projects in Scottsdale.
There are not many Westworlds.
It sits uniquely in our hearts in the
city of to generate critical revenues
the help of the entire community. We
stand with all major users at Westworld
in support of the application and we
hope you do too. Your Scottsdale
firefighters.
Thank you very much, Chandler.
Michael Chilly got some challenging
names.
>> Close.
>> Close. How
>> Michael Culie.
>> Chulie
>> doesn't doesn't sound like it's spelled,
so that's for sure.
>> All right.
>> I'm Michael Cy. I'm representing some
stakeholders at Westworld today. Thank
you, mayor and council. This letter
shall serve as one strongly supporting a
proposed reszoning of property along
Westworld's eastern boundary on McDow
Mountain Road for a new project known as
the collector's garages at Westworld.
Over the years, we've rallied together
to oppose more residential development
near Westworld. An incredible asset that
the city's own economic impact report
released just months ago revealed
hundreds of millions in annual tax
revenue and benefits. Just as
residential isn't conducive next to
airports, it's not for economic drivers
like Westworld. Nevertheless, developers
in the past have suggested various uses
along Mcdow Mountain Ranch Road, such as
apartments and senior living, which
we're grateful previous city leaders
have denied. Indeed, these uses were
proposed for the exact parcel we write
you now. As you may know, McDow Mountain
Ranch Road is an important alternate
entry into Westworld. As the major users
of Westworld that have collectively
spent tens of millions of dollars to
help drive Scotsdale tourism, we hope
you too will support the policy of
non-residential uses near one of the
city's key areas of commerce. The more
residential there is near Westworld, the
more complaints there are about noise,
traffic, and in the case of equestrian
events, odor.
We have evidence of that as the result
of one of the city's regrettable
regrettable zoning decisions years ago,
allowing an apartment development at the
northern tip of Westworld on Bell Road.
Why would it want to repeat such
mistakes in the future? If you want West
to be all it can be and should be, why
handicap those responsible for doing so
with a self-fulfilling complaint funnel?
The benefits of this policy approach
have already been realized. For example,
a parcel on McDow Mountain Ranch Road
was approved for storage facility
several years ago. Such a place will
obviously not be full of residents who
may complain. It also generates little
traffic, just as this application would.
This kind of non-residential use is why
we currently support the application for
the collector garages at Westworld.
Designed for high-end car storage, it is
the perfect complement to Westworld as
well as a low volume use for the homes
in the area. Indeed, it reinforces the
notion of appropriate horsepower near
Westworld with a quiet use, which is why
the largest HOA in the area supports the
application as well. Additionally, the
applicant has agreed to deed restrict
the property to prevent the car sales of
any kind on site. And as you are aware,
Scottsdale voters overwhelmingly
approved improvements to Westworld
during a bond campaign in 2019 and last
year via Proposition 490. As many of us
were involved in those efforts because
of our passions for and the importance
of Westworld, jeopardizing these votes
and taxpayer dollars with apartments or
other types of residential would be a
disservice. There are many there there
are many residential developments in
Scottsdale and there's only one
Westworld. As always, we appreciate your
consideration of our opinion as well as
the support for horsepower we bring to
Scottsdale Tourism. Sincerely, Melissa
Shalees, Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show,
Doug Holes, Scottsdale Quarter Horse
Show, Craig Jackson, Barrett Jackson
Collector, Car Auctions, Lisa Seir,
Arizona Bike Week, Amanda Brumley,
Cactus Raining Classic, Trey Brennan,
Scottsdale Art Week, Brandon Maxwell, M
Culinary Concepts. Thank you, council.
>> Thank you so much, Michael. Appreciate
that. Kent Caramelly,
that's our last speaker on this one.
>> Thank you, council. I I'd actually like
to yield back my time. My my comments in
support of the project have already been
mentioned. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you for that. Appreciate it.
All right.
Vice Mayor Dasquez has some questions.
>> I was going to comment. Are we ready for
comment?
>> Okay, great. Um, thank you so much for
this project. Um, I am the only council
member who lives in the area. Um, three
of our children have attended Notre Dame
Preparatory and two of them will be
attending in the future. Um, with the
collector car as well as the toy barn
going in on the north side of of Bell,
we are seeing some garages go in. My
hope is that what that means is we will
have more cars purchased in Arizona so
that we'll be able to keep those sales
tax dollars in Arizona if they're bought
at Barrett Jackson or other events.
Would love to see that revenue staying
here in Scottsdale. So, I'm in support
of this project. I think it'll be great
for the area. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
I don't see any other comments or
questions. Uh, anyone would like to make
a motion?
>> Certainly. I will motion that we um
accept uh the collector car garage at
Westworld.
It's uh resolution
13464,
is it not? Yes,
>> I'll I'll second that. And actually, I
live a couple miles from there and bike
through all the time, and it's gotten a
lot busier over the last six years, and
that's great.
>> I just have one comment. I think this is
the same owner or uh group that does
Apex down in the Southeast Valley,
Maricopa, I think it is, and I've been
there. Very impressive. Got the tour. Uh
I know it's not as big of a campus, but
I suspect you're going to do an equally
great facility, if not greater, it looks
like from those pictures. So, very nice.
I appreciate you coming to Scottsdale
and doing business here. And with that,
I will uh
>> I think I need to I think Luis has a
question.
>> Oh, do we need to bone up on that
motion?
>> Is there
>> Honorable mayor and members of the
council, there's three total resolutions
and an ordinance. So, it'd be helpful if
on the motion we were very clear that
we're adopting all three resolutions and
and the ordinance.
>> There's four.
>> Yes. Um, I will amend that to include
all three of those which are I believe
that includes 13465,
1346 and 1 3 4 64. Is that all of them
>> and
4683
>> ordinance? Okay,
>> I'll second that.
>> All right, I don't see any other
requests to speak. So, all those in
favor, please indicate.
That passes unanimously. Congratulations
and welcome to Scottsdale.
[Applause]
>> Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Have a
good evening.
>> All right, we're going to move on to
item 17.
Item 17.
>> Might wait a minute.
>> Yeah,
>> I know you guys are excited. Happy hours
across the street.
>> I wonder.
>> All right.
Okay. Item 17 is consideration of a
request to allow an existing office
building.
Can we can we have you guys exit
quietly, please? Not that we don't want
you here.
All right. Item 17 is consideration of a
request to allow an existing office
building located at 1000001
North 92nd Street to convert into
internalized community storage
facilities with accessory vehicle
storage in the existing abovegrade
parking structure and to develop new
warehousing units on the parking area of
the Catalyst site.
There are multiple options for council
consideration that will be discuss
discussed by staff. And I see Meredith
back up there as well as Taylor
Reynolds, uh, principal planner, who
will provide the staff presentation.
Thank you.
>> Yes. Uh, thank you, mayor, members of
council. I'm Taylor Reynolds. I'm a
principal planner with Long Range
Planning. Uh, with this request tonight,
I'm going to walk you through, uh, more
of the citywide implications and and how
it relates back to the general plan.
After my part of the presentation, I'll
hand it off to Meredith Tessier, senior
planner with current planning to walk
you through the catalyst site
terms of uh zoning code text amendments.
Uh in terms of how how they're
administered through our zoning
ordinance, we actually have section
1.301, 301 which permits planning
commission, city council as well as
property owners of properties uh within
the district to be amended to uh
initiate a text amendment. So that's why
we have this uh uh private application
this evening. When we review them from a
city-wide standpoint, we look at how
they perhaps implement or comply with
the general plan, address citywide land
use concerns or perhaps provide new land
uses that may be lacking within the
city. How are they compatible with
adjacent development? And further we
look at that they are not tailored to
accommodate a single site or development
which would be closer to a reszoning
application but that the zoning
ordinance is intended to be uniform and
to be applicable citywide. So no really
arbitrary standards.
The action quest requested tonight is to
amend the zoning ordinance land use
table to allow for internalized
community storage facilities, vehicular
storage, and warehousing all as
permitted uses with within the city's
commercial office or CO zoning district.
There is a catalyst site, although this
would apply citywide. The catalyst site
is located at 10,01 North 92nd Street.
There's a lot been a lot of discussion
since this application uh came forward
about what's the difference between some
of these requested land uses. So this
slide is to indicate some of the
differences between internalized
community storage or as some might think
of it as self storage warehouse and mini
warehousing. In terms of in internalized
storage, these are accessed internal to
the building and may not include outdoor
storage and they have the potential for
adaptive reuse as we'll see on a later
slide. Warehousing, which is typically
the storage of goods of any type, and
could be bulk storage, more of an
industrial form, and have exterior
access. Now, the applicant is stating
that their request is more similar to
many warehousing, which is not defined
by our zoning ordinance, but uh is
interpreted as being part of warehousing
itself. Again, exterior access, some of
those rollup door type uh storage units.
In terms of the CO district's purpose,
it is intended to provide an environment
desirable for the development of office
and related uses and to promote
compatibility with residential uses.
When we view it from a city-wide
standpoint, it's typically adjacent to
or abuts our residential areas. So, it's
intended to be compatible with areas.
They're they're they're more residential
in nature. Think of those smaller
medical offices that you see throughout
the community.
On the right hand side of the screen,
you can see where all those are located
through all the CO zoning districts are
located throughout our community.
In terms of this requested the the
timeline of this request, it was
initially seen by uh planning commission
in May of this year. It did have more
limited application at that time. only
around eight uh locations citywide would
have been would have been applicable to
uh it lacked standards to protect
adjacent residential uses. At that time,
staff's recommendation to planning
commission was for a denial. Uh in
discussion with the applicant and uh and
planning commission, the applicant
requested a continuence. it was granted
by the planning commission in that they
preferred them to work with uh staff to
revise the application to have more
broad application.
So that application was updated to be
more broad in its application at that
and then focused more on the adaptive
reuse of existing commercial office
buildings. So from the outside would
look like a commercial office building
but on the inside be that internalized
uh community storage. It also would
include standards for residential
adjacency.
Um then finally that updated revised
application came before planning
commission in July. Uh at that time
applicant uh included warehousing as a
use. Uh it was recommended by staff to
exclude warehousing which we'll get to
on a later slide as to why we
recommended to exclude it as an
allowable use. Planning Commission um
recommended approval of staff's draft of
the text amendment.
This slide indicates the differences
between the applicants draft and the
staff/planning commission recommended
draft. They both would allow for the inc
uh conversion of existing uh
internalized community storage. Both
would allow for existing parking to be
converted to vehicular storage and both
would include site criteria to ensure uh
there was compatibility between uh the
new use and those adjacent residential
properties. However, the difference
there being the applicant wanted to
include new warehousing where you'd have
those externally built and accessed
drive up rollup units and staff's uh
draft excluded warehousing as an
allowable use.
So the citywide implication there is the
commercial office district for which
they are wishing to amend uh is
typically low impact daytime use. They
serve as that transitional buffer
between our residential areas and our
more intense commercial areas and
they're designed for that compatibility
with nearby homes. When we look citywide
at where warehousing is permitted, it's
uh it's permitted in a variety of
districts as you can see there C3, C4,
I1, and IG. These are typically our
areas of more intense uh day and night
activity. They're not typically adjacent
to residential neighborhoods, most of
which are located within our air park
area, and they're designed to be more
compatible with other employment
opportunities.
This slide notes uh some of the uses
that the applicant is requesting
citywide. So, uh, those, uh, areas that
are notated in black on the right side
of the screen, I know they might be kind
of small from a distance, they indicate
all the areas of the city that today
permit internalized storage. And you can
see C1 through C4, I1, PNC, and PCC. The
warehouse use again are are more intense
districts C3, C4, I1, and IG, and and
are indicated on the right hand side of
the screen in green.
Warehouse. uh when we look at it from a
general plan standpoint uh is typically
implemented within our employment light
industrial office land use category
whereas the CO district the applicant is
intending to amend is typically
implemented within our employment office
land use category.
It's a lot of text on the screen and I
apologize for that. But just to to note,
these are the definitions within our
general plan for both the office land
use category at at a general plan land
use standpoint for which the CO office
district is typically implemented in and
then our more intense light industrial
office land use category. So the office
uh land use category is more residential
in scale and character allows for a
variety of office uses minimizes impacts
on adjacent neighborhoods. Um and then
the difference there is when you look at
the light industrial office land use
category um it has more specific text
not just uh more generalized about
offices but it can permit light
manufacturing warehousing light
industrial and heavy commercial type
activities. So it's very specific in in
what uses should be implemented there
and that it could accommodate truck
traffic. So in review of the applicant
submitt compared to it being implemented
citywide the co uh zoning district
compared to the office land use
category. There's somewhat of a
misalignment there. Uh in terms of how
an alignment could be made would be
there's a a route for the applicant to
amend the general plan um to change the
definition of the office land use
category to then specifically state
warehousing as uh an implementing use.
However, when we look at our general
plan uh criteria for changing uh for
amending the general plan
criteria number five, change to the
amendment criteria and or land use
category definitions criteria is is
clear here in that a text change to a a
land use category definition that
changes the use density or intensity
would be a major amendment which hasn't
been submitted by the applicant
commensurate with their their text
amendment. and we have options at the
end of this slide deck to go through.
But in terms of that being an option to
move forward, there is an option for the
applicant to do that um when we look at
that part of the deck. With that, I'll
hand it off to Meredith Tessier specific
to the catalyst site.
>> Thank you, Taylor.
Okay, so for the next segment of this
presentation, I'm just going to walk you
a little bit through the Catalyst site
which is located there at the northeast
corner of 92nd Street East Mountain View
as highlighted in red. The site is zoned
commercial office so that supports uses
such as retail and office. The
surrounding uses include medical office
to the west and north and northwest
portion of the site. And then we do have
place of worship to the east and then
some multifamily to the southeast and
then some additional medical office
there at the southwest portion of the
site. And just a reminder that this is
the catalyst site that this application
will pertain to all 683 of those cozoned
parcels. So it is a city-wide text
amendment.
So here we have the applicant site plan
where the existing building A is an
two-story office that would be converted
to an internalized community storage
facility. Then we have the garage that's
twostory that would be converted to
vehicle storage. And then what you see
in the red highlight would be the new
mini warehouses with that rollup door
concept. So that would be along the
perimeter of the site. So staff sees
that these new warehouses are
inconsistent with the intent of adaptive
reuse. Um warehouses not consistent with
the general plan land use category
definition. And lastly, a citywide issue
that warehousing adjacent to residential
use is out of character for the general
plan land use category of employment
office.
So the applicant has identified a site
within the city of Phoenix that's zoned
industrial and not adjacent to any
residential districts. It's just right
along I17. That left image is a was an
office that was converted to
internalized community storage facility.
And then that right image are your new
mini warehouses with that rollup door
concept. As you can see, that entire
site is going to be enclosed with some
security fencing. And therefore, we see
that this type of construction is more
conducive to an industrial type
development district.
So, of the 683 COZ zoned parcels, staff
has identified two parcels that we just
want to walk you through. The first one
here is located at the southeast corner
of Royal Palms and Hayden Road. We have
the existing office that would be
converted to an internalized community
storage facility with the potential of
the new mini warehouses along Royal
Palms just right adjacent to those
residences to the north. Once again, we
see these warehouses are inconsistent
with the intent of the adaptive reuse.
It's also inconsistent with the journal
plan land use category definition and
warehouses also not consistent with the
intent of the commercial office zoning
district which is again more so focused
on office and retail type uses.
Here's the second site that we've
identified where once again you have
those existing offices that would be
converted to internalized community
storage facilities and then the
potential of those many warehouses all
along the right hand side of the site
adjacent to all those residences to the
east. So again we see that this is
inconsistent with the intent of adaptive
reuse because after all it's going to be
new construction warehouse is not
consistent with the general plan land
use category definition and lastly again
not consistent with the intent of the
commercial office zoning district.
So I'll conclude my presentation with
the option side for city council. So
option one is if the applicant agrees
approve as recommended by city staff and
by planning recommend uh planning re
planning commission's recommendation two
of the three that would include
internalized community storage facility
and vehicle storage however exclude the
warehousing part of it because we see
that that is in line and consistent with
the general plan. Option two is the
applicant strap that includes three of
the three. So that's the internalized
community storage facility, the vehicle
storage and the warehouse. And we see
that is inconsistent with the general
plan. Option three would be to continue
the case to allow the applicant
opportunity to file a major general plan
amendment to update the land use element
definition to include warehouses. And
then lastly is just deny the actions
tonight. So that concludes staff's
presentation. and I have prepared some
follow-up slides just once we kind of
get to that point of where we're going
to arrive tonight to just give give you
guidance when we get once we get there.
Um the applicant has prepared a full
presentation to walk you through the
text amendment and that um language
within that uh legislative draft. Thank
you.
>> Thank you Meredith. And uh we'll turn to
the applicant uh representative now and
that is Carolyn Ober Halzer.
So, just a reminder to use the arrows.
Good evening, madame mayor, vice mayor,
and council members. Um, for your
records, my name is Carolyn Overholzer.
I'm a land use attorney with the firm of
Bergen Franks, Small, and Overberholtzer
at 4343 East Camelback in Phoenix. Um,
but I am also a Scottsdale resident and
for the past 20 years I have resided at
9788 East Topaz Drive in walking
distance from the Catalyst site. And I
was um going to give you a presentation.
I do have a number of slides. Staff did
an excellent and robust job of
presenting pretty much everything to
you. Um, so I think I will just give you
guys a few brief comments and then of
course we can dive in to the
presentation to uh address any
questions. But um our application has
been on file with the city since
December of last year. We've worked
collaborative collaboratively with staff
the whole time. Um we've gone through at
least three submitts of the text and
that is before arriving at the May 28th
planning commission hearing. Um we've
had no real opposition to this. We have
support letters in on the case. And it
wasn't until a few weeks after the
planning commission meeting on June 9th
that we got word from staff that they
thought a major general plan amendment
would be required to keep the mini
warehouse component of our application
in it and it had been there the whole
time. So I submit to you that option two
this evening does not require a general
plan amendment. As staff explained, we
are adding meanings to words that aren't
what wasn't the intent in the general
plan. When it talks about warehouse, it
was not talking about mini storage. And
we can call mini storage mini warehouse.
But just because we call it that doesn't
make it warehouse for the purposes of
the general plan. And I would think that
through all of that staff review um and
in the staff report if there was a major
general plan amendment that was a
requirement for that to be included that
would have been something that came up a
lot earlier. So I think that that this
is just um a
a way to look at warehouse that does not
fit. Um the mini warehouse component are
individual driveups for if you have an
arm war or your holiday decorations that
you want to just come in and store for
your own personal use. this is not a one
business warehouse use. Um so that is I
think really the the focus of my
comments tonight is on option two. And I
just wanted to um you know reiterate
that this building is also it's 115,000
square feet. It has been 100% vacant for
four years. And I know that because I
drive by it all the time and it is empty
all the time and didn't always wasn't
always that way. there was a lot of
traffic that came in and out of that and
there always is in these medical offices
especially when the snowbirds return. Um
so when this office building has been
vacant, there has been a definite
difference in traffic and and it is
reduced. And so in listening to the
community over the years and watching
the cases that during the same time this
four-year period with this office sat
vacant, you guys had a lot of cases and
the previous council come before you
with apartment proposals and other
redevelopment proposals. And I heard my
neighbors say, "We don't want traffic
and we don't want apartments." So I
thought when this case came to me, ha,
no traffic, no apartments. Um, this
reduces trips per day by 4700 trips
storage. You just had the case before
you that's also a storage version.
Again, storage uses, they don't come
with a lot of activity and as a result,
they don't come with a lot of traffic.
Um, so I know that a lot of you ran on
campaigns that were anti- apartment,
anti-traffic. So this conversion will
enable those promises to come to
fruition. The um apartment protection is
also provided against the apartments um
because by adding this use to office,
you're giving these owners an
opportunity to have an economically
viable use for a building that does not
have an economically viable use today.
And one of the components for converting
this in the district is to prove to the
satisfaction of staff that the building
is functionally or economically um
obsolete as of the date of the
application. So there is a layer of
protection to ensure that there is a
review of this site being proper for the
conversion based on lack of activity
there. Um so I would just uh conclude by
saying that um we are open to
suggestions. We appreciate the work with
staff but we do not believe a general
plan amendment is required and for that
reason we reiterate our um request for
the council to consider option two. And
I'm happy to answer any questions.
Thank you. Uh we're going to go ahead
and take some couple of speakers here on
this um item. And first I'll hear from
Michael Anne Joiner, followed by Michael
Schaefer.
I'm Michael Joiner. My address is on
record. Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Council,
thank you for the opportunity to speak.
Um the attorney for the applicant is
amazing. She has done a great job of
presenting. I do want to point out that
it did pass planning by a 5 to2 vote and
the two no votes are sitting in the
audience today. I was one of those. Um
I'm here to speak against this text
amendment. I am greatly in favor of this
application. The uh this is a perfect
use for the application that they came
in with. They did all the right things.
They went to the neighbors. They went to
the surrounding businesses. They got
buyin from it. and that's the way it
should be. I am not in favor of the text
amendment. This would al eliminate
neighborh neighborhood input and
possible concerns from adjoining
businesses having the opportunity to
speak. And I know that many businesses
when they select a place to rent or
lease, they look at the surrounding
area.
The text amendment would um completely
eliminate the planning aspect of a
zoning change. I asked staff how many
possible um applications this could
affect in Scottsdale. The original
comment I got was somewhere in the 300
range. And now I know your application
is I think 687 properties. That's 687
changes that uh citizens would not have
a buy in on. I know that an application
under this case would still go to DRB
who I think are amazing and they do a
great job, but DRB looks at how
something looks, not whether it should
be there or not.
Um,
this process eliminates the opportunity
for for the surrounding area or
businesses to have any input. And I know
that many of you ran on a neighbor first
um agenda and I hope you will vote no
for the text amendment. I love the
application for this property, just not
the text amendment. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Michael Schaeer.
Mayor, city council, thank you for being
who you are, for hearing me tonight and
the people of Scottsdale. I've lived in
Scottsdale since 1982. I'm a business
owner and I own commercial buildings as
well. I've come to city council from
time to time when I'm concerned
um about Scottsdale and speak at these
meetings to share my view and my
neighbors view on important topics. I'm
opposed to changing any zoning um to
initiate this storage request. I'd ask
you to deny it. It's been a long time
since the city has listened to the
citizens of Scottsdale. Thank God you
were elected and we are regularly
aligned with the views of the people of
Scottsdale. We see you all as protecting
our city, protecting it. Thank you for
keeping Scottsdale Scottsdale. I live
1.7 miles from that facility, that
proposed facility. I did some math. I
believe the building is about 120,000
square feet with storage units of 10 by
10 indoors. That would be about 1,200
units. There are 600 parking spaces, a
possible 1,800 tenants. I wonder how
that impacts the traffic on the streets.
Um, that's a beautiful building, and I
wonder what it would look like after
there's a security fence that's going to
have to wrap it to protect 600
automobiles parked on the facility. And
if any of those I expect are older, um,
to me, it appears to be a fire hazard,
not only for the building, but the
surrounding areas. This building can be
used for a few things. Unfortunately,
storage is not one of them for our
zoning rules. If we don't oppose this,
it will change our zoning to allow this
building to be a beach head and to turn
many Scottsdale office buildings into
storage units. I used to have an office
right next to the gate of a storage
facility. It had a gate with a code,
next to no supervision. It probably had
some cameras. I doubt that anyone ever
looked at these cameras. I saw people
drive in and out with their boxes. No
one ever checked what was in the boxes.
There are proven concerns on storage
facilities which reveals a dark side.
Whether it's open 24 hours or not, they
are very easy to misuse. You come
through a coded gate, enter the door,
maybe at night, um with a car, a truck
with who knows what's in the box. With
an increase in gangs, illegal aliens,
the cartel, crime, these facilities are
easy places to store stolen or illegal
items, drugs, biohazardous materials,
maybe even trafficked people. There
appear to be appear to be three options,
all of which lead to the same objective.
Put a storage unit where it doesn't
belong.
I and the people of Scottsdale don't
want our zoning changed. I ask for three
nos on this to deny this tonight. I'd be
propose that the building be sold to an
entity that meets the code. The owners
can take that money and could then go
out and buy an existing storage facility
or a building where the zoner zoning is
proper to accommodate the storage
facility
if that's the business they want to be
in. I ask you to deny all three
requests. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Michael. And that concludes
public comment on item 17. And uh do you
want to respond to any of the comments?
I'll invite you up to do that. Staff as
well.
>> Mayor and council, I do appreciate that
opportunity to speak. Um, may I have the
presentation back up? Um, I think some
visuals will be helpful to address some
of the responses. um regarding the um
option for this district. So the CO
district, the reason why we're proposing
a text amendment, which is not my uh
ideal scenario, is because the CO
district permits very few uses other
than office. There are seven other
districts in the city right now that
permit both internalized community
storage and office. and office is
permitted in just about every
non-residential district in the city. So
this is the struggle for the commercial
office property owners is that the only
unique uses to this category are an
animal hospital and a diagnostics
medical laboratory. So offices can go
anywhere and internalized community
storage can go a lot of places. So, we
we desperately tried to not process a
text amendment, but we did not want to
reszone to I1 in this location because
that would require a general plan
amendment and that would be an issue as
well for the community and it would
involve traffic and all of the things
that we're trying to avoid with this.
Um, on the topic of crime, these are
just some recent pictures um reports to
Scottsdale PD of recent breakins. Uh,
one time somebody came in, they broke in
and they um unleashed every all 100 fire
extinguishers that were in the building.
Vacant office buildings are a blight to
the community and it is important to
reoccupy them. So, the reason that we're
struggling to find this new identity
again is the pervasive vacancies, but
then also the lack of additional uses
that we have to the question about, you
know, what it's going to be from the
outside. The city has very significant
regulations in place enforced by DRB
that ensure the proper design for
facilities. So any mini warehouse
addition which again are just individual
garage units have to be architecturally
integrated and those also provide a
securing feature. So um with that I just
this is the language on the slide um
that is in particular to the miniature
mini warehouse that is only permitted as
an accessory use and there are many
restrictions on it that limit the
percentage of the use that limit the
building height to 12 feet for these
uses and so there are protections in
place to ensure that compatibility. Um
and then finally um again on the traffic
I do have the traffic study uh report
here done by Summit which confirms the
the significant reduction in trips um to
address the gentleman's comment. And
then uh we do have the support of the
McCormack Ranch Property Owners
Association. They have uh voted uh to
approve this application as well as a
number of emails um sent by area
residents supporting this. So, with
that, I'm happy to address any follow-up
questions.
>> Great. Thank you very much. There are
already some uh requests to speak.
Councilman Graham.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um I want to
acknowledge the applicants um seeking
more options for the viability for the
property and, you know, looking to make
that as most economically sustainable
for their interest. Um, so I want to
acknowledge that. Um, I do have a few
questions for Miss Tessier. Are you
taking our questions, Miss Tessier?
>> Or Taylor,
>> just uh like jump ball, whoever wants
it.
>> Council Graham, that's fine. We're here
and available for
>> So, um, option one, you kind of we kind
of have three or four options here. Uh
if we did option one that would allow
internalized community storage no
warehouse at this location.
>> That's correct.
>> Okay. And then option two
would be uh allow would be to would that
be to approve or to initiate a text
amendment.
>> Option two would be approving the
applicant's draft which includes three
of three. So internalized community
storage facility warehouse and vehicle
storage.
>> Okay. because they because they um they
want warehouse they want warehousing
there.
>> Correct.
>> And the applicant is arguing that that
their use of warehouse
um yeah uh their use of warehouse is not
our definition of warehouse. Um you know
to that I would just respectfully say
that
our definitions are strict on purpose.
We don't we we kind of want to make sure
what goes there. That's our general
plan. That's what that's our residents
vision for their community.
Um I think about the people that live in
this area. I think it was mentioned that
when you when when companies set up
here, there's schools in the area. There
are um many businesses in the area.
There's many uh multif family housing
and single family housing in the area.
And I think about that and then you
think about either changing this or
initiating and approving a text
amendment. Um so I don't support
I don't support
internalized storage at this location. I
don't support a text amendment. Um and
you said that was how many properties
across the city that might that affect
that ricochet too?
>> Councilman Graham. That's 683 parcels.
Um,
those are kind of some of my initial
reactions. And so, um,
I'm considering here making a motion,
but maybe I'll let my colleagues speak.
Um, but my inclination right now, I'll
make a motion here just to deny the
application. Can I keep it that simple,
Mr. Parliamentarian?
Yes, sir. You may.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Second.
>> Uh, Councilwoman Whitehead.
>> Uh, yeah. I have a question for staff.
So, obviously text amendments affect a
lot of properties and that's not the
path Scott likes to go generally.
Would there not be a a zoning case
that this applicant could go take that
path to narrow down to expand what is
currently allowed but narrow down to
something that might be more amendable
to our general population.
>> Thank you, Mayor Bowski and Councilman
um Whitehead. There is an option for
them to process a zoning case. It's just
a matter of um identifying the
appropriate zoning district that would
accommodate all three of those uses and
those would be C3, C4 or I1. So, we
would just need to explore those zoning
districts and see what's the most
suitable for that um area and um the
neighbors that surround it.
>> And then at the same time, there could
be stipulations. So, I I recognize the
concern about uh not wanting to ask this
council for I. We're not looking for I,
but I would suggest um a different uh
zoning classification with some
stipulations would be the easiest path.
And I, you know, I'm not going to
support a text amendment. I'm sorry.
I don't see any other speakers, but I I
have a bunch of questions actually. Uh,
were you on there?
>> I think I was late.
>> Oh, it's okay. Go ahead. Why don't you
go ahead, Councilwoman Littlefield?
>> Yeah. A a general plan text amendment
like this is very different than when
you're looking at one piece of property.
Then you're only dealing with that one
location. This has 683
locations throughout Scottsdale and I
see very little protection for those
other 682
locations. Um I agree with Councilman
Graham on and uh Council um woman
>> Whitehead to what they said and I can't
approve this tonight as it stands. It's
it's way too open. There's little uh
protection for the people who live near
the other locations. And I think it
needs to go back to staff, work with it,
see if we can come up with something
that's uh better for everyone. And um
this is
um warehousing all over the city
basically. And I can't I can't do that
without checking every single one of
those locations to see who's going to be
affected by it. And that's not a
possibility at this point. So, thank
you. Thank you. So, I'm going to direct
these questions uh primarily to staff.
I've met with the applicant a couple of
times uh and I have met with Aaron um
zoning administrator.
Do I have that title right? Yes. Uh, and
so I'm I'm trying to piece together um
the story. It seems like they came in I
I just heard for the first time out of
all the conversations that the applicant
came in without the rollup external uh
units the first time through planning
commission. Is that right?
>> U Mayor Barowski, me members of uh city
council, it was part of their initial
request.
>> It was to planning commission.
>> Correct. And there were only two people
and they're both here tonight on
planning commission that rejected that
because of the rollup storage.
>> No,
>> just generally
>> amendment
>> because
>> Oh, because of the text amendment.
>> So that was in place the first time when
it came through planning commission.
>> I'm asking staff actually.
>> That that's correct. Uh Mayor Barroski.
So
basic question, would staff be
supporting this project with the rollup
units if it wasn't for the text
amendment that affects an additional
630ome properties? I thought from my
conversation
uh with both applicant and Aaron, and
I'm not going to put you on the spot,
Aaron, because I could be recalling this
improperly, that that would be an a a
good location for this.
uh Mayor Bowski, me members of city
council, that would be a separate
process. So we'd be looking at a
reentitlement process which wasn't
applied for by the applicant, a separate
review process. So we were reviewing
from a citywide, although there's a
catalyst site and we do review it from
that to to a degree. Um that sort of
request would be specific to the site
and would have its own review. So we
didn't review it from that standpoint,
but from a citywide standpoint.
So when they went out for public
outreach to the neighbors, this the
rollup garages was part of that package.
Uh
>> Mayor Braski, yes.
>> Okay. And did they get support from the
neighborhoods? I guess this might be a
Caroline question.
You Yeah. You want to talk to us about
that just for a few minutes?
Was there any opposition in the
neighborhood to the project as proposed
tonight? Um, mayor and council, no. Um,
the, as I've mentioned, the application
was originally filed in December. We had
two neighborhood meetings. The catalyst
site, the current site plan, um, was
presented at those meetings. Only one
member of the public attended one of the
meetings. None attended the other. Um,
the, uh, development design did change
though. In collaboration with staff, we
reduced the number of exterior um units
in order to introduce landscaping
breaks. So, uh the project got less
intense as we got further into the
review process. Um we also submitted a
development review application at risk
um which included the full design of the
project um architecturally integrated uh
mini storage buildings in order to also
um submit to the McCormack Ranch
property to owners association. So they
have seen this design in both the
catalyst property as well as the text
amendment. Um, and when we did that, we
sent out additional notifications to the
area. Um, to that there were several
requests for more information from
people. I believe there was one person
that said that they did not want um any
storage there at all. And then I I had
on the screen a handful, more than 10, I
believe, uh, emails that were received
from area residents that were in
support. So, um, no, nobody ever showed
up to two planning commission hearings.
I mean, as I said, we had one person
show up to one of the neighborhood
meetings and they were in support. They
had no issues with this. I've talked to
my neighbors about this extensively.
Again, I live in walking distance of
this and have for 20 years. Okay. So, no
opposition known.
>> So, except for here,
>> I'm trying to figure out at what point
did staff suggest the text or require
the text amendment? It sounds like the
the project went through the process for
a good portion of time and then staff
required a text amendment. So t talk to
me about that. Clear that up for me.
>> Yes. By email on June 9th, I received an
email from staff that said if we wanted
to proceed with the current application
that it would need to we would need to
consider a a major amendment to the
general plan. So, we went back and forth
a bit on that and um they their
recommendation on that topic stays. It's
the discussion tonight and again it just
centers around the use of the word
warehouse in the one category and the
entire ordinance except for parking
being silent on mini warehouse. So June
9th is the day.
>> And when was planning commission?
>> May 28th. So it had already gone through
planning commission
>> and then was continued to the July
hearing. So it was in between. Correct.
It was in between that continuence
period that that came up.
>> So adaptive reuse uh this has also come
up a couple of times in conversation.
This is for staff. Is this building
eligible for the new uh state law that
would allow for multifamily apartments
to go in here?
So, um, Mayor Browski, members of the
city council, Tim Curtis with the
planning department. Um, just wanted to
first, um, if I could expand on some of
the history in terms of the options that
the, uh, applicant had. um during the
original preapp many months ago. Um
certainly um the proposal
um brought some consternation um with
staff regarding the citywide text
amendment as well as zoning for the
individual parcel. Each of those
processes have challenges to them. We
talked about both of those options. this
applicant chose to um pursue a city-wide
text amendment and then months and
months have gone by through the process
working together um getting to the
planning commission their recommendation
for continuance to continue working and
then to get to the point that we're at
today in terms of the planning
commission recommendation for approval
as you could see it was basically
excluding the warehousing component um
but even that wasn't a unanimous uh
opinion regarding that. The uh adapted
reuse um I believe this is in a location
that might be um excluded from uh
eligibility and just getting that
confirmation from some colleagues um
based off of uh the location in the
traffic pattern airspace of the airport
as an exclusion. Um so again with the
planning commission um had some um
interest in some adapted reuse of just
the existing buildings. Um and that's
where the recommendation landed for you
tonight. Hope that answers that.
>> It kind of because we don't know if it's
the adaptive reuse. I I know we've
marked up an area that would be excluded
from that law, but it's it certainly
hasn't been, you know, tested, I guess,
is the word I'm looking for. Uh, but it
it is within the description. It sounds
like
>> that's correct.
>> Okay, that's what I was asking. So,
that's a concern of mine. Uh, Caroline,
I have one other question for you. The
the security fencing that was uh
displayed by a picture earlier. Is that
a picture accurate? Does that depict
what you you all be doing, your clients
will be doing out there? uh mayor and
councel, the um requirements for that
site in Phoenix were in an industrial
area and so that is that that particular
application of that architecture was
contextual. That would certainly not be
the case here. Um the renderings we we
do have the ones that were submitted
with our DRB package. Their brick um a
brick masonry wall uh would be the
perimeter that would be uh created
behind the landscaping along Mountain
View and along a small portion of 92nd
Street to create that gated access. Um
but again the parking structure um there
are are pictures in the presentation.
It's all brick. It's all contextual to
that existing architecture. So it that
wall would match that architecture. It
would not be a fence.
>> Okay. And my last question for staff,
uh, is there any way to get to do what
they would like to do because this
property owner, this building owner has
owned it for quite some time. Is that
right,
>> Mayor Braski, members of the council?
Um, yeah. As far as I understand, um, in
terms of the various options,
uh, the text amendment as recommended by
the planning commission with staff would
allow the reuse of the building for
internalized community storage. Um, and
the reuse of the existing parking garage
for vehicle storage. So, two out of
three, to answer your question, would be
yes. but they also wanted the exterior
warehousing. So that would be no without
this text amendment and as we talked
about perhaps the general plan amendment
um if they were to pursue a reasonzoning
case as we talked just for this specific
site uh that would have to begin a whole
new public outreach and application
process. it's a little premature to
opine on that without um knowing which
district that they wanted to do, how
that outreach occurred, what would be
the other land uses that would be
allowed in that zoning. Um so there's a
lot of uh uh you know involvement and
review of an application that hasn't
been submitted yet.
>> Okay. Well, for a property owner, this
seems like the storage seems like a good
use for this location. I'm very familiar
with it, too. I don't like the fact that
the text amendment applies to all these
other properties. I feel like there's a
way to, you know, work with these this
applicant to get this done uh the way
they have it planned without doing that,
but I'm not in your shoes. Um I I guess
the answer is no, not right now. So, I'd
like to make an alternate motion to
approve it with uh number one, the
number one alternative that was staff's
recommendation without the external
perimeter storage units.
Anyone want to second that?
>> I'll second that.
>> Councilman Graham.
>> Thank you, Mayor.
So, an alternate motion is on the floor
to Can we Can we get clarity on the
alternate motion?
>> This staff presentation had on there
number one, which was the staff's
recommendation without the perimeter
storage. Warehouse is a technical term
you've used.
>> It's still a text amendment.
>> What is staff recommending? Can you put
that slide back up? Pardon me.
So, alternate motion to adopt option
one, which is ordinance number 4688
and number 13482.
Second.
>> Oh. Oh. So, I just so we're clear. So
you're the motion was made to approve an
internalized community storage text
amendment citywide. Is that correct? So
the motion on the floor would affect
almost 700 properties across the entire
city. I think that is incredibly
dangerous for our city. Um
the first the motion on the floor would
do that and there's been a second for
it. The other option, the option two
would allow internalized storage at this
site. Is that correct, Miss Tessier?
>> Okay. So, I I want to go with
internalized storage that does not
negatively impact the 632
other properties.
>> It's not an option.
>> Not an option, Mr. M. Madame Mayor.
So, okay. If I think I still have the
floor. So, Mr. Curtis, can you answer
that question about option two? Does
that allow internalized storage here?
>> So, um,
Madame Mayor,
um, Councilman Graham. So, option two is
the applicant's proposal, which would be
a city-wide text amendment that allows
all three.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> On all those properties. So earlier I
was saying option one allows
internalized community storage no
warehouse but it still is a text
amendment and option two also is both in
both embedded in both of those is a text
amendment.
>> That's correct council.
>> Okay. That is in my opinion dangerous.
Um that is a path that is a precedent we
do not want to set. that is a chilling
effect on hundreds
of property owners and and
neighborhoods. So, I would urge my
colleagues not to support that. And I
would also urge my colleagues to
remember that this is not allowed
internalized storage at this site. And
the residents have not told us they the
general plan they do not want
internalized storage at this site. This
is a dense residential area and this has
very successful businesses and property
owners uh under the same existing zoning
in that area. This is what they expect.
So, um I would urge my colleagues not to
support the motion on the floor.
>> So, I'm going to withdraw that motion.
Essentially, what I'm trying to get to
is I'd like us to work with this
property owner. And how do we get there?
I guess we get there by denying their
application. They've been going through
the process since December of last year.
And certainly their vision version of
this is they're having a lot of
difficulties getting to do something at
this location without it being
broadstrokes across the whole city. So,
I don't know how you get there, but I'd
sure like to see I think this is a good
use. Maybe not with the rollup exter
perimeter storage units, uh, but I think
it's a good use at this location. So,
you know, I'm afraid we're getting an
anti- business reputation here as well
when we take all this time for an
applicant and just, you know, can't get
the property user. And the last thing I
want to do is see apartments at this
location, which I believe is really high
risk as a matter of right. So, you know,
I'm hesitant to just say that's it.
Close the door and go do your thing with
apartments there. I mean, we'll see how
this plays out, but getting creative
with with projects like this for
longtime property owners that have
undertaken the the process, good fit for
this location, too. So, there's
something not in sync there. So, I have
trouble with that. But if the only way
to avoid it applying to every other
building 632 or whatever you said is
deny to deny it, I'm also going to ask
you to be creative and work with this
applicant. I mean, I'm troubled by this,
Councilman Councilwoman Whitehead. Um,
thank you, mayor. And I want to clarify
because I share some of the concerns of
the mayor about apartments here. We have
a vacant building that I call
unstructured housing and crime. But that
said, um I guess the lesson learned is
our staff, our planning staff, I think,
is the best in the state. So, thank you
for your work on this. And I always
encourage um the applicants to work with
staff. And so there are paths besides
text amendments and text amendments you
all could your client could build the
most beautiful wall but the other 700
may not and our ability to enforce the
idea uh via DRB is really limited and
could be getting more limited. So, I
think as the mayor said, there isn't an
option tonight without impacting
citywide
um parcels. And so,
I'm not going to support that. But it's
not that I don't support some sort of
zoning that has uh will provide good use
of the land, low traffic, and honestly,
I agree, prevent more apartments in this
area because we do have high traffic in
that area. So, thank you,
>> Councilwoman Littlefield.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, well, I kind of I
kind of agree with both uh Councilwoman
Whitehead and Councilman Graham. Um, we
need to work with this a little bit more
if we possibly can. If there's any way
to get what they want without doing a
general plan amendment, this is the
problem with general plan amendments.
that affects the entire city and that
can have a lot of unintended
consequences going forward and that is
my biggest concern. Um
I I have a problem with that. It allows
for the unintended consequence, but I do
like what you're trying to do. So I I
would suggest we try to find a way. Does
it have to be a general plan amendment?
Is there any way we can just work with
this particular piece of property to get
where she wants to go? That's really my
question.
Um, mayor and Councilman Littlefield, I
think that um there's certainly other
options out there and and believe us
that we've been working with the
applicant and we definitely would like
to continue working with the applicant.
So don't um get us wrong there. I think
that it looks like the direction for the
applicant uh is the alternative of
looking for appropriate zoning
designation to reszone this property and
then working through um the uh creative
criteria um to reduce its impacts but
still um make this property as viable as
possible.
>> Let let me ask you one other thing. This
is kind of probably a stupid question,
but I'm not a zoning uh expert in any
way, shape, or form. Can you take this
one property and have different zonings
on different parts of the property?
>> So, mayor and uh council, there aren't
um particularly in our commercial zoning
districts, there aren't district size
limitations, so you or maximums or
limitations. So, theoretically, you
could do something like that. Um it
would be unusual but uh that may be a
creative approach that we look at.
>> Why why don't we try a little cut and
paste thing here and see if we can bring
that uh back. My my big concern is this
affects over 600 other parcels in the
city and they don't know about this and
and I think that that is a huge concern
going forward if we could make it so it
wasn't a general plan amendment and we
just changed the zoning so that we could
dice it if you will, splice it a little
bit. Um maybe that's a way to weed
through this. I don't know. Just a
thought. Thank you.
>> Oh, great comments, Councilwoman
Littlefield.
Uh, on that note, I don't see Do you
have anything else, Caroline? I don't
know.
Okay, go ahead. Do you have one? It
seemed like you wanted to say one final
thing before we took a vote. You don't
have to.
Mayor and council. Um, procedurally, I
if this is an appropriate time, I'd like
to um request that we withdraw the
application.
>> I think that's a great idea. I would do
an alternative motion to approve that.
>> Second that.
>> All right. We have a motion and a
second. No request to speak. All those
in favor, please indicate by I.
>> Oh, Madame Mayor, point of order. Can we
do that? Parliament, Mr.
parliamentarian.
>> I just did an amended motion after I
withdrew my motion previously.
>> If I could just hear from the
parliamentarian.
>> So, mayor and members of the council,
the question is the applicant is seeking
to withdraw their application,
>> right?
>> And now there's a um there was a motion
on the table to deny the application.
Then there was an alternative motion to
accept the withdrawal. Um, probably the
s simplest thing is to acknowledge the
withdrawal of the application
>> without a motion.
>> Without a motion.
>> Okay, that's all you need.
Acknowledgement. Okay, let's acknowledge
that and I guess we're done.
>> Excellent. Thank you. Good luck.
>> All right, that concludes item number I
think that was 17. Where am I? Here.
Uh, next we have number 18, receipt of
citizens petition. I don't show any. And
so, moving right along, we have uh mayor
and council items 19 through 21. First
up is boards and commissions and
committees 2024 annual report
presentations.
Uh, tonight we have presentations from
the library board and lost trust fund
board.
calling up the library board. Thank you.
Thank you for being here tonight.
Good job.
>> Of course. Welcome. Thank you.
>> Thank you. It's my pleasure to Good
evening and it's my pleasure. I'm
Michael Beck. I'm the staff
representative and serve as your library
director and I'll be co-presenting with
our library board chair, Dr. Freda
Hartman.
Okay. All right. Right. So the library
the library's board purpose. So you can
see the purpose of the library board
shall advise the city manager and the
city council on general policy relating
to the operation of the library. The
recommendations of the board shall be
advisory only and shall not be binded
upon the city manager or the city
council. The library board consists of
seven members appointed by the city
council and each member will be
appointed for a term of three years or
until a successor is appointed. All
right. Next slide, please.
So, some of the key accomplishments, we
greatly appreciate the library board and
its service. They help advise the
library to um be innovative and creative
in the services and the programs that we
offer. And so, uh, as far as part of
that wrap-up on the strategic plan, so
in 2022 to 2023, um, the library
embarked on a community assessment and
that came to fruition, a library
five-year strategic plan. And so, I'm
going to recap real quickly on year two.
So, we're always looking to increase
access to the library for our community
and our residents. The library board was
able to help us with the website. We
work with Kelly Corsett and his city
communications team and we unveiled a
new website and so we want to make
things easily accessible. We consider
that our fifth branch. It's open 247 and
people can access their account and
reserve materials and so the board was
instrumental in giving us feedback and
adding more pictures and reducing a lot
of the text and make it a little bit
more user friendly.
Also for that we always try to strive
and the board is very helpful in giving
us ideas to be innovative and creative.
You know we look for ways to offer the
services that make the Scottsdale Public
Library the best library in the state.
I'm biased but you know but we do take a
look at being innovative and creative.
Some of the things that we've done was
taking risk and pilots. So for example,
one of the projects that the board
weighed in on that we were able to
implement was the Mustang Storywall. And
so that was a six-f figureure project
that the library was able to use 100 and
fund 100% with not general funds. We
were able to get grants and also library
and gifts donations. And that's made a
game changer for our Mustang residents.
And so what that did was create a safe
and secure environment for our library
patrons. And so that way the people that
the kids can let loose and then the
adults can have a more quieter
experience. But that's one of the
innovative ways that the board helps us
weigh in and uh be creative. So some of
the other things that we've done is to
try and increase access. It's also about
the four physical libraries, but we also
have the hold it locker at Granite Reef.
We also have second chance collections
at the two senior centers. And we're
working with other city departments and
other nonprofits on the ability to maybe
do like free little lending libraries
where they can come in. We'll have QR
codes where they can scan and then
hopefully be able to get a library of
card registration, access to our digital
materials, and then have some print
materials available that way. And so the
board is very critical and helpful in us
in helping to make those community
partners. And with that, Cherry Hartman
will talk about some of the community
outreach the board does.
>> It's my pleasure to talk about the
community um outreach.
>> Can you can you activate your
microphone? Thank you.
Can you hear me now?
>> Good. Okay. Yeah. Um, very happy to talk
about community outreach because this is
a major area of engagement by the board
members. I'm going to talk about very
briefly four areas of community
outreach. One is event participation. As
you might imagine, the library has a
really robust menu of events every month
and the library board members do go out
and they participate in these events uh
going out into the community or they may
be some internal events, staff
recognition or appreciation events. Um
we have the volunteer appreciation
events. We have the external events
which are the bonanza for example that
occurs in the spring. We have the
ultimate play date that's usually in the
late fall and we also have uh other
general Scottsdale activities like
parada deloul and we're there in the
parade um also the spirit of literacy
awards. So a good example of the
engagement in events. Secondly, we do
try to facilitate connections between
the organizations that we are engaged in
or employed in uh that might have some
connection to the public libraries with
the library. So if there are partnership
opportunities available there the
library and director Beck is very good
about reaching out and trying to see if
those connections make sense and how
that can be uh furthered for the
library. So we do try to facilitate
that. Some of the organizations have
been sister cities, uh the Scottsdale
Unified School District, colleges and
universities. Those are examples of of
how we try to help the public libraries
make those connections. Third area is
each of our board members and we have
seven. Each of them serves as a board
liaison. There's a liaison role to one
of the branches and in that capacity
they go regularly by regularly we mean
every month they go out to their branch
they circulate they meet the patrons
there they talk to them find out what's
on their mind what do they like what do
they maybe think we could do a little
bit better they participate in events
and and all of that is is what they
devote to that particular branch and so
they build the connection and the
relationship which becomes very strong
and we appreciate that. Um the the uh
fourth area that they work in and this
is a little bit more along the lines of
helping each board member to be the best
in their advisory role that they can
possibly be. In order to be the best,
you need to be up to up todate and
conversing with what's happening in with
libraries across the board externally.
You have to have that connection and be
uh really mindful of that and engaged in
that. So what do they do? Uh our board
members participate in conferences. the
American Library Association conference,
the Arizona Library uh Association
conference, other conferences, some of
them are remote online, so they're
available to our our board members, but
they get a lot of insight into what's
happening in the field of libraries,
what are some of the key trends, what
are the issues, what are the what are
what are the talking areas and
discussion areas. They bring that all
all back to every meeting in which we
have an agenda item which is member
reports. So everything that they've done
during that past month they have the
opportunity to report and make public
and you know what they learned what they
think is valuable to share with director
Beck and the staff. So this is what we
do in community outreach. I do also want
to talk about policy reviews just a
minute because at every one of our board
meetings, the board members are engaged
in providing feedback and input to
policies. Every board meeting we have
usually one policy that's been worked on
in the prior month by the staff member
who brings us the um original version,
the markedup version and the one that
that came from that so that we have an
opportunity to see what's been updated
and we can comment on that. So part of
our board meeting uh discussion consists
of providing input and feedback on that
policy and we've been I think very
successful in doing that in terms of
raising some awareness on areas that
that maybe weren't captured in the
original draft and we thought would be a
good idea to to take a look at it and
see what see what the staff thinks about
that. So for example um one of the areas
that we uh we were engaged in had to do
with rules of conduct and that was the
policy rules of conduct and as you know
there was the new uh cafe that opened up
at civic center and it's very popular
and so in in conjunction with that the
board members raised the the idea that
in rules of conduct it it really relates
also to making sure you're a good
citizen and a good neighbor. you don't,
you know, clean up your trash. Um, be
conscious of that. And so that was
something that we suggested to be
incorporated into the policy, something
about that so that it would become part
of the record and and uh that would be a
positive. Same thing with unattended
children. There were some as we looked
at that policy, there were some there
was a long policy. There were some um
maybe inconsistencies between
paragraphs. First part of the policy,
last part of the policy. So we would do
that kind of discussion and input on it.
So in terms of policy reviews, uh we do
the advisement and we carry out what we
think are are uh you know our our due
diligence as far as advisement and
hopefully uh it's valuable to to the
department and director Beck can speak
to that. But we're going to move forward
to what we're looking at in the future.
So looking forward, director Beck's
going to talk about that.
>> Okay. All right. Next slide, please. So
again, like I mentioned earlier, so
we're going ready to embark on year
three for our implementation of our
strategic plan. Some of the things that
we're looking at to continue on is to
meet the community where residents where
they are. And so again, it's not
necessarily about the four libraries,
but we're it's hard to believe we're
already at event season again. And so
the library makes a concerted effort to
make sure that we're at every major city
event doing info booths, signing up
people for cards, renewing people for
cards, and telling them about some of
the unique services beyond a traditional
library. Everybody knows the library has
the market on books, but we do some
really unique things as far as like
having the seed library, the culture
pass programs where residents can go to
like the botanical gardens for free. You
know, that's over $120 value for uh for
residents. And so there's some unique
opportunities that you know the
residents don't necessarily know and to
go out into the community and tell them
about them. And so you know as part of
that and also highlighting some of the
pilot and the new services that we have
that are coming up. So recently the
library I have a really good library
team. I you know I also represent 118
employees. They do a really good job and
help make my job easier. And so we were
recently awarded um five LSTA grants
almost $50,000. That may not sound like
a lot, but in library land, that's more
than double what normally our awards go
for. And so, we're looking to pilot some
really innovative services like mobile
Wi-Fi hotspots. We're also going to do
um writers and residents. So, we'll have
published authors that'll come in and
help aspiring authors come in, take a
look at their scripts and any kind of
tips from the publishing world. And so,
that goes right into the heart of the
libraries espousing literacy efforts in
the community. And so we're really
excited for the future. And so um we
also have another initiative coming up.
We partner with um Scottsdale Unified
School District, Scottsdale Community
College, and other institutions of
higher learning to develop a college and
career corner. So in about three weeks,
we're going to have a college and career
week with the culmination of a college
fair and working with SUSD. And so we'll
have a number offormational booths
universities and colleges to help us
kick off that unique service. We'll also
have the opportunity to, you know, to
partner with the school district to
augment and supplement what they do as
an avenue of what they do beyond the
schools. And so we'll have the ability
for students to work with their parents
and caregivers to do one-on-one um
appointment sessions on scholarships,
doing their FAFSA applications, and so
for a free service. And one of the other
grants that we were awarded was a
college now resource which will give
them an online confidential opportunity
to talk with the um dedicated and
certified counselor as well if they
don't want to come into the library. And
so we're really pushing some the
envelope and doing some really unique
things. And I appreciate the the council
and the leadership of Mr. Kaitton and
director Peters to really um support the
efforts that the library is doing to
help us make successful and to take
those risks. And so, uh, with that, um,
Chair Hartman will talk a little bit
more about some of the changes in
technology that we're facing.
>> And we're being very future oriented, of
course. So, we're talking about how
we're positioning the library or rather
how the department is positioning the
library with our advisement
um, in terms of serving the entire
community. So, we're mindful that there
are small business and entrepreneurships
that, you know, people want to start
their own business and control their
lives. And that's part of of the college
and career corner 2 service that's
provided. And we're mindful of the
changes in technology and what those
bring about and how it's incumbent upon
all of us to stay up to date on what
technology is. Technology is expensive
though. We talk about what technology is
is available out there and how it's
evolving. It's like mushrooming as we
all know. Uh rapid evolution. We're not
at the libraries. We're not strangers to
technology and those changes, but we
also recognize that, you know, there has
to be a kind of a gradual growth in it
as well because frankly we learn along
with the technology, right? We don't
automatically become experts. Um digital
engagement is becoming more and more
important as we found in in technology.
That means a lot of what were materials,
physical materials are now moving into
digital materials and digital
collections. There's more in terms of um
ebooks, audiobooks,
streaming services. Those are the ones
that patrons are asking for. And the
patrons are all the way from the
children all the way up to the seniors.
They're asking for these services. And
of course again they're very um they're
very diversified and and they're very
value added but they're also expensive
to do and has to be done strategically
as uh director Beck is very good at
doing. Two of the areas that are most
exciting I think and you probably heard
a lot about this artificial intelligence
and how we're using artificial
intelligence in the libraries. I I sort
of feel an ownership when I say we're
using it right because we're
representing the patrons and we're
representing the community and
artificial intelligence is the next
really big issue in technology and what
that will allow us to do. It's amazing
if you've ever looked at at using
artificial tech uh intelligence to do
research or find the answer to a
question. You don't have to look through
20 books. you can go in there and within
one minute you can find the information
that you're looking for. So that type of
evolution is going to be really
important in the uh future of the
libraries. There's another one it's
called virtual reality and I do want to
commend director Beck for his in efforts
at um pilot getting a a request in for
an an award that the library was given
to pilot uh virtual reality. I don't
know whether you are how familiar
everybody is with that but but that's in
essence taking something that's
two-dimensional and making it
multi-dimensional
and adding color and layers to every
single thing that you see and it's a
huge learning experience. So these are
all very positive movements that the
Department of Public Libraries is doing
and the library board is delighted to be
a partner in that and we feel like we're
a full partner in terms of advising the
director and his staff in in different
directions that we see what we hear from
patrons what we hear from business
community and others in other
organizations in the community in terms
of their needs. So with that, I think
we're going to close our presentation.
Correct.
>> Correct. So again, just to bring it to a
close, you know, we we're happy to
answer any questions, but I want to take
a moment to again, you know, thank the
support of the council again for
approving the um the SGIA grant that
helped build the Mustang Soundwall. And
I know many of you have attended library
events, including the spirit of
literacy. And with that, we'll be happy
to answer any questions that you may
have.
>> Thank you so much. That was a wonderful
and very informative discussion. Thank
you. Uh, Councilwoman Whitehead,
>> I just want to thank both of you, Dr.
Hartman and Michael. Um, I am I'll tell
you, we get a lot of um, updates from
the city on great things happening,
whether it's longer hours, more
participation events, and that I've
learned so much in this presentation. So
we, you know, well beyond what even the
city is trying to put out there. So I
support and the seed library that just
was a special one for me. But I just
really appreciate it. Really shows how
important our boards and commissions
are. But thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> We've given you a fraction of what we
experience every single month as you
might imagine. And and I will say the
library board members are truly
dedicated people who take extra time to
get up to speed on the issue. So they
can be the best that they can be in
their advisory role and that takes an
investment on an individual and
collective basis because their families
are involved too in that. Someone called
>> the conferences that adopt you know
having each member adopt a library. I
mean, all of that is just time
consuming, but just what makes I really,
really appreciate it. So, thank you.
>> Thank you very much. Appreciate that.
Thank you, Councilwoman.
>> Thank you, Councilwoman McCallen.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, thank you,
Michael. Thank you, Dr. Hartman. Um, I
know you talked about what the
commission does, what the library is
doing, and there's even more programs. I
was on a Zoom this morning. I know that
one of your senior uh library managers
uh Sarah Kaufman invited me to be part
of a group uh to look into possibly
expanding Readon Arizona into
Scottsdale. It used to exist and now
they're looking at bringing it back. Um
so there's so many more programs that
you're beginning also. So thank you for
allowing us to be a part of that, asking
me to be a part of that and for all that
you do.
>> Thank you council. Thank you,
>> Councilwoman Littlefield.
>> Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for what
you do. I am probably your oldest and
longest patron of the library. I was
born and raised here, and when I was
four, we had regular weekly trips to the
library, which was at the Little Red
Schoolhouse, and the children's section
was downstairs. So you went downstairs,
you had a flashlight, so you turned off
the overhead lights and you crawled
under the stairs with your Oz book and
you read all about the wizard and the
evil witch and you had games and you had
made up stories and it was one of the
most wonderful times that any any
children could have
>> and we went every week and it was the
highlight of our week
>> and we had evil witches down there. We
had good witches down there. We had
wizards and we had Dorothy and we had
Toto and we had all this stuff and we
lived the the life of the books and it
wasn't just those books. It was a lot of
the children's books that you had down
there. So I ask you don't make
everything bright lights and no secret
dark places where you can have your own
imagination come to life because there's
a lot of places and a lot of caves and
all kinds of fun stuff that kids can
play with and it rem remains in their
memories all their lives. I remember
those days just like like new. And the
my friends across the way and I we we my
mother would get us in the car and we'd
travel down there and spend the
afternoon in the basement of the Little
Red Schoolhouse because that's where the
library was then. And uh we just had
wonderful, wonderful adventures and then
we had to go home and it was not so much
wonderful.
>> It's a wonderful story. Thank you for
sharing. Thank you very very much for
what you do.
>> Thank you. And and you know, we talk
about technology a lot, but I can't tell
you how many patrons will tell us.
There's nothing more satisfying than I
come to the library and I have a book in
my hand and I sit down in a chair that's
really comfortable and I start reading
it and then I find a friend who I can
talk to about the book and it becomes a
community building event. So that's I
think one of the great um untold stories
of how central libraries are to building
the dynamic the fabric of the community.
So I want to call that off to you.
>> Very true. And thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Wonderful job.
Appreciate your
>> volunteering for us and all your hard
work and enthusiasm.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Thank you and have a good evening.
>> Take care.
[Laughter]
Now I will invite the lost trust board
up.
Good evening, Mayor, City Council.
George Woods, safety and risk
management, presenting for the loss
trust fund board.
I have with me our vice chair, Austin
Brooker. Uh Austin Brooker is the
director of acquisitions with the
Alliance uh group of companies and he'll
be co-presenting with me today.
Next slide, please.
Oh, sorry. I also have Mrs. Denise Plug.
She's assist board. I also have another
member of our board, Mrs. Tammy Smith,
and I have Mrs. Lorie Davis, who is the
council uh out of the civil litigation
division for the loss trust fund board.
Purpose of the board of The purpose of
loss trust fund board is to oversee the
administration of the lost trust fund
and ensure adherence to the declaration
of trust. This includes the retention of
actuarial services, auditors,
consultants and advisers necessary to
carry out the business and purpose of
the lost trust fund. The loss trust fund
alo also authorizes the safety and risk
management director to procure the
necessary insurance and coverages to
meet the city's property and casualty
exposures. The lost trust fund board
also authorizes the safety and risk
management director to administer the
day-to-day affairs of the trust. The
loss trust fund board also recommends
modifications of the terms and
conditions of the trust document to city
council.
Next slide, please.
The make of the lost trust fund board.
The loss trust fund board consists of
five members. All members are appointed
at large by city council. Members of the
lost trust fund board must be qualified
in a field related to risk management.
The term of each member is three years
from appointment with a maximum term of
six years. The liaison to the loss trust
fund board is the safety and risk
management director myself George Woods.
And the board receives legal counsel
from again Mrs. Lori Davis, the deputy
city attorney out of the civil
litigation division.
Next slide, please.
Uh we're going to talk about a few uh
key accomplishments uh coming out of the
lost trust fund board and some decisions
that were made out of the lost trust
fund board. I'll turn it over to Mr.
Brooker.
>> Thank you, Mayor, members of council. Uh
this year, the lost trust fund board
reviewed and took action on several
important matters. The first key
accomplishment that we have listed is
the funding confidence level topic. Uh,
one of our most important areas of focus
this year was reviewing the appropriate
funding and confidence level for the
lost trust fund. Each year, the board
submits a report to city council with a
recommendation on the amount the lost
trust fund should be funded. This
funding amount is based on an analysis
completed by a third party actuary. The
funding confidence level represents how
much we need to set aside in order to
cover expected claims for the upcoming
year. The actuaries analysis provides a
scale that ranges from best case
scenarios to worst case scenarios for
expected claims and losses. It uses
national data to determine whether
what's most probable for our
organization, the city of Scottsdale.
Now, some background if on this the uh
the city transitioned to a new actuary
in 2023. It was previously AON and it's
now Oliver Wyman. Uh the board has
historically made the funding
recommendation to council based on an
85% confidence level using AON scale
which was previously the the old uh
actuary. Oliver Wyman's new analysis
showed that to keep the 85% competence
level, the fund would require an
additional $5 million more than we would
typically have recommended. Their
analysis also indicated that the city's
historical funding amounts lined up with
a 75% confidence level on their scale.
So, in other words, an 85% confidence
level according to the prior actuary,
AON, is roughly the same in dollar
amount figure as the 75% annual or 75%
confidence level with this new actuary,
Oliver Wyman. So the board had a
detailed discussion on the balance
between fiscal prudence as well as fund
surplus. We discussed cost, contingency
reserves, and possible volatility. Uh we
debated whether to maintain the
confidence level at 85%, revise it down
to 75% or meet in the middle and adopt a
stepped approach. Ultimately, the board
unanimously approved a motion to budget
at an 80% confidence level for fiscal
year 2025 2026. This effectively split
the difference and allows flexibility as
we monitor ongoing claims and loss
development.
This decision provides a prudent
balance. It strengthens reserves without
requiring an immediate $2 to5 million of
additional allocation, but still moves
toward a more conservative position over
time. So, moving on to the board's
second key accomplishment, the changes
that were made to the trust and the
ordinance. So, in addition to these
confidence level discussions, we had
discussed and approved recommendations
to city council on changes to trust
language and city ordinance regarding
departmental claim deductibles. These
were subsequently approved by council.
Uh we also discussed the ability to
raise the property damage claims
deductible for each city department
depending on severity and if it was a
preventable incident. Our third key
accomplishment that we have listed is
the review of that actuarial study I
mentioned earlier. So the board we had
an in-depth presentation and discussion
of that annual actuarial study completed
for the city's property and casualty
programs. This was delivered by Adam
Hirs of Oliver Wyman and while no action
was required, it provided critical
insights for myself and our board uh
regarding future planning. Next slide,
please.
The upcoming opportunities, challenges,
and outcomes. Uh looking ahead, the
board will continue to evaluate the
city's funding confidence levels to
ensure that the trust remains
financially strong. We anticipate
ongoing discussions this year around
emerging risks, actuarial assumptions,
and ensuring alignment with best
practices and municipal risk management.
We see our role as helping the city stay
proactive so that when unexpected losses
occur, the trust remains strong and
reliable. And that really concludes our
report on the activities of loss trust
fund board. On behalf of the board, I
want to thank council for the uh support
and engagement. I'm happy to take any
questions, comments, or feedback at this
time.
>> Thank you, Austin. appreciate your work
on the on the board very much.
>> Councilwoman Whitehead,
>> just very interesting. So, thank you for
being here and really for that work that
you've done. So, thank you
>> and thank you, George, and thank you for
being here. Thank you. Thank you.
>> All right, that concludes the boards and
commissions uh report presentations.
And moving on to item number 20. At the
request of Councilman Clausman,
uh a request to direct the city manager
to agendaize for a future council
meeting an item uh regarding
presentation, discussion, and possible
direction related to photo enforcement
cameras, including speed detection
systems and red light cameras. I'll turn
it over to you, Councilman Quasman.
>> Thanks, Madame Mayor. So all we're
asking here is just a presentation from
law enforcement to talk about how the
utilization of red light cameras provide
for the public safety, whether whether
there is a differentiation
in um in efficacy between cameras at red
lights and then cameras also off of red
lights. So along thoroughares
um how the funding mechanisms work um
with uh with red light cameras fees and
so on. So very simple easy easy uh easy
presentation.
>> Thank you Vice Mayor Dvascus.
>> Thank you Madame Mayor. I see we have
our police chief here in the audience. I
would just like to ask the chief if
you're supportive of this motion this
request. Okay. Thank you sir.
>> Thank you. Uh, also on a prior mayor and
council item, uh, we talked about having
a presentation on the lights, the red
lights and lagging left-hand turn
arrows. I'd love to see this item, if
you didn't have any opposition, combined
together with that one. I think it might
uh
>> centralize that discussion. All right.
Um, with that, we have three choices.
Direct city manager
uh to agendaize this item for a future
meeting. direct city manager to
investigate and prepare a written
response or take no action. I'll uh make
a motion to number one direct city
manager to agendaize the item for a
future
>> I'll second that.
>> Did Did you want to say something?
>> Oh, no. I I'll just second your motion.
Thank you. I was going to motion.
>> Thank you. Uh all those in favor
indicate by I.
Button. Yes.
All right. And then uh Councilman
Clausman also has 20A which is direct
the city attorney to conduct a
comprehensive review of Scottsdale
Revised Code Chapter two uh related to
the code of ethical behavior
general and make this doesn't make sense
to me with this the way this is stated
but uh why don't you talk about
>> yeah this is just this is not as
nebulous as that makes it look like I
just want to I just want to do a full
review. I think a timely review of any
type of ethics um of ethics uh uh rubric
for any city, any legislative body
should be reviewed. This was something I
talked about when I ran for office. And
this would be an ongoing
um it wouldn't be a single presentation.
It's just an it would be an ongoing
study to then be presented at the
appropriate time with no no specific
deadline of having a full comprehensive
review of how Scottsdale works and their
ethics and and whether there's an you
know um other cities might have an ad
hoc committee or otherwise right and
have a full comprehensive ethics uh
package that then would and it might be
just nothing might be doing absolutely
nothing but we're looking for you know
it would be something that God willing
would get unanimous support in moving
forward. So just a just one of those
regular good oldfashioned
automaintenance items on government
structure.
>> So I think it's a good idea, but I'm
just curious uh city attorney, do we do
that as a matter of regular protocol or
is that just kind of on the shelf and
requires special action to direct you?
Um, mayor and members of the council, it
would require special action um, in that
we wouldn't normally um, take a look at
this particular code without direction
since it affects you all directly. Um, I
think Councilman Quasman has stated
exactly my understanding of the item. We
would um, compare and look at all the
different cities um, in in this area and
perhaps out of state. look at the the uh
current code, make any um
recommendations for improvement that are
appropriate, and we'll take our time.
We'll do a thorough deep dive and and
get back to you um with a work study.
>> Sounds great.
>> Anyone have a motion?
>> So moved. Uh well second
>> to number one agendaize it for a future
meeting or just number two to direct the
uh city attorney to investigate.
>> Yeah, I would prefer um Madame Mayor I
think number two would you think that
>> Yeah. Would would you think you'd want
direct if madame mayor
um uh Luis would you prefer it to be a
how how would you see in in in the
vision? Would you want it to be an
agenda item for a future meeting?
Because that would then that agenda item
would then give you the direction also
or do you want it just send it to you
right now? What in your opinion what is
the best course of action for this?
Mayor and members of the council, I
would prefer to um have you direct me to
um look into this. Um
>> number two,
>> number two.
>> Thank you.
>> So, I will um motion to adopt number
two, direct the city attorney to come
back at a later time with the review of
that.
>> Second.
All those in favor, indicate your vote.
Thank you. All right. Uh moving on to
item 21. This is boards and commi
boards, commissions, and task force
nominations. Uh as such, I will turn
that the rest of the meeting over to
vice mayor for this process.
>> Thank you, Madam Mayor. This evening,
the city council will be nominating
Scottsdale residents interested in
serving on citizen advisory boards,
commissions, and committees. The
Scottsdale City Council is responsible
for establishing city policies and
enacting laws in support of those
policies. The council relies on
volunteer citizen-based boards and
commissions to research issues and make
recommendations in support of the
council's mission and goals. The
information and recommendations provided
by council appointed advisory boards is
a valuable tool in helping council
members in their deliberations. Appo
appointments for these positions will be
made at a special city council meeting
on September 9th. As we begin our
process this evening, I'd like to note
to my colleagues that an applicant only
needs to receive one nomination in order
to advance to the interview before
council. When I call on you, if your
chosen applicant or applicants have
already been nominated by a council
member, please state no additional and
we'll move on in the process. Thank you.
And now let's get started.
Our first is the airport advisory
commission. We have one opening. The
airport advisory commission advises the
city council on policy matters relating
to the operation of the airport
proposals for development airport area
land use fees and safety concerns. There
is one vacancy and eight applicants. The
applicants are Fred Attarion, Craig
Bennett, David Gans, Michael Gonzalez,
Steven Krestler, David McCartney, John
Sloan, and Carl Stein. I'll now
entertain nominations for the airport
advisory commission. Each council member
can nominate one applicant. I'll start
with Councilman Quasman.
>> Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor. Uh Craig
Bennett, please. I nominate Craig
Bennett. Councilman Macauen,
>> David Gans,
>> John Sloan,
>> Fred Attarion,
>> David McCartney,
>> your mic wasn't on. Councilman
Littlefield, you said McCartney.
>> I'm sorry. David McCartney.
>> No additional.
>> And I have no additional
>> fritarian.
I was going to read him off.
Fredditarian, Craig Bennett, David Gans,
David McCartney, and John Sloan have
been nominated.
The board of adjustment, we have one
opening. The board of adjustment is a
quasi judicial body that hears variance
requests, appeals of the zoning
administrators interpretations,
decisions, and decides on administrative
decisions or zoning requirements which
create unnecessary hardships in the
development of property because of
exceptional or extraordinary conditions.
There is one vacancy and two applicant.
The applicants are Kenneth Erler and
Martha West. I will now entertain
nominations for the board of
adjustments. Each council member can
nominate one applicant. Starting with
Councilwoman McCallen.
>> Martha West.
>> No addition.
>> Kenneth Earler.
>> No additional.
>> Okay.
So, uh, we have nominated Kenneth Earler
and Martha West.
The building advisory board of appeals.
There is one opening. There's currently
one opening. However, the city did not
receive any applications for
consideration. The current opening will
be included in the next cycle of board
and commission appointments. As such,
we'll move on to the next commission.
Historic Preservation Commission. There
is one opening. The Historic
Preservation Commission oversees the
development and management of
Scottsdale's historic preservation
program. Special qualifications here. As
outlined in the Scottsdale City Code,
each member shall have demonstrated
special interest, knowledge, or
experience in at least one of the
following: building construction,
history, architectural history, real
estate, historic preservation, law, or
other historic preservation related
field. There is one vacancy and one
applicant. The applicant is Mark
McCertie. I'll now entertain a
nomination for the Historic Preservation
Commission. Mark McCertie. No
additional.
>> No additional.
>> Mark McCertie has been nominated.
>> Library board. There is one opening. The
library board advises the city council
on general policy relating to the
programs, services, and future
development of the Scottsdale public
libraries. The board oversees the
library special revenue fund, which is
made up of donations and funds generated
through the sale of used books and
magazines. There is one vacancy and
seven applicants. The applicants are
Haley Beal, M Cobb, John Graces, Close,
Mary McBride, Jillian Nousebomb,
Patricia Pellet, Monica Sonnenclar. I'll
now entertain nominations for the
library board. Each council member can
nominate one applicant. Mayor Bowski,
Patricia Plet,
Councilwoman Littlefield,
>> John Croslo.
>> Uh, no additional.
>> No additional
>> Monica son.
>> Microphone.
>> Monica Soninc.
>> Mary McBride. No additional
John Grossclo, Mary McBride, Patricia
Pellet, Monica Son, and Clar have been
nominated.
Tourism Development Commission two
Scottsdale Hotelier openings. The
Tourism Development Commission advises
the city council on matters concerning
the expenditure of revenues from the
transaction privilege tax on transient
lodging, the bed tax designated for
tourism development. Special
qualifications. As specified in the
Scottsdale city code, the tourism
development commission shall consist of
representatives of the tourism industry
in Scottsdale, including a minimum of
four Scottsdale hotelers, one member of
the Scottsdale Convention and Visitors
Bureau, and a balance from elements of
the tourism industry. There are two
Scottsdale hotelier position vacancies
and two applicants. The applicants are
Steven Miller, Alex Shelton. I'll now
entertain nominations for the Tourism
Development Commission. Each council
member can nominate two applicants.
Councilwoman Littlefield,
>> Steven Miller and Alex Shelton.
>> Yep.
>> We have nominated Steven Miller and Alex
Shelton.
>> Thank you. Stefan Miller.
>> Yeah, sorry.
>> This concludes our nomination process
this evening. Individuals nominated will
be contacted by city staff with
additional information. I'd like to t
take this opportunity to sincerely thank
all who have applied to serve on a
citizen advisory board or commission.
Even if you were not nominated, your
application will remain on file for one
year for consideration at a future date
if there are additional vacancies. Thank
you, Madame Mayor.
>> Thank you. That concludes our business
for this evening. Thank you all for
being patient and uh motion to adjourn.
So second then done. We are done.