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Record of Proceedings

Avondale City Council Special and Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025

City Council — Wednesday, October 22, 2025
BodyAvondale, Arizona
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, October 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:14:13

Original source
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0:02

I'd like to call the special meeting of Monday, June 26, 2023 to order.

0:07

Marcella, do you mind doing roll call?

0:10

Thank you, Mayor.

0:11

I'm going to have our Abby Temp from the City Clerk's Office, Savannah, do roll call tonight.

0:16

Savannah is with our department for the summer through the neighborhood and family services program.

0:22

Marcel, is Savannah doing roll call for special and for regular?

0:25

Correct, Mayor.

0:30

Councilmember Condy.

0:32

Councilmember Malone.

0:34

Councilmember Nielsen.

0:36

Councilmember Solario.

0:38

Councilmember White.

0:40

Here.

0:41

Vice Mayor Pineda.

0:43

Mayor Weiss.

0:46

Thank you, Savannah.

0:48

Item number two, employee introductions.

0:50

Ron.

0:50

Thank you, Mr.

0:51

Mayor.

0:52

We have our first presentation by our the honorable Judge Craig Jennings.

0:57

I was going to present a new employee.

1:06

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council.

1:09

Abril and I'll brill is coming up.

1:20

With uh Beatrice Tahada.

1:22

She just recently completed the AGTS Supervisors Academy.

1:27

She is a valued member of our court team.

1:29

She's been with us since July of 2017.

1:32

She has almost 20 years experience in the judicial branch.

1:36

She has served in a couple of different courts, but been with us since 2017.

1:41

She is our court clerk specialist at the court, which was our new position that we were fortunate to receive from the council last year, and she took over those duties in October.

1:50

So we wanted to recognize her for completing that supervisors academy.

1:57

So tell us kind of kind of tell us about your little your day.

1:59

Just tell give us a little insight into your day every day.

2:02

Oh, it's you.

2:03

It's you.

2:04

Come on.

2:06

Okay.

2:07

Well, um, today today um task is dealing with the public.

2:12

Um I I issue tons of warrants.

2:16

Um yeah, I do.

2:21

It's actually quite exciting.

2:22

No, I'm just kidding, it's not.

2:25

Um, but I help staff with whatever questions they may have regarding their job duties, and um I just I just love it.

2:35

I love it.

2:35

I work with an amazing group of people.

2:38

You can tell your smile says it all.

2:39

Thanks for being here tonight.

2:41

Appreciate it.

2:42

Thank you.

2:43

Thanks, Abril.

2:45

Thank you, Mayor, Council.

2:48

Ron.

2:49

Next up, uh, Mr.

2:50

Mayor is we have a uh new employee presentation by Fire Chief Larry Rooney.

2:57

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council.

3:00

It's my pleasure and privilege to introduce you to our newest firefighters.

3:04

They graduated from the fire academy on June 2nd, and that was after 15 weeks of grueling uh training and and exercise.

3:13

And so these people were very proud of them.

3:15

I think we're gonna show a couple other pictures up here, the two that weren't able to be here this evening.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Cannabis Regulation████████████████████20%
Affordable Housing█████████████13%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████12%
Transportation Safety████████████12%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Procedural█████████9%
Public Works████████8%
Public Safety██████6%
Personnel Matters█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Avondale City Council Special and Regular Meeting - October 22, 2025

The Avondale City Council held a special meeting followed by a regular meeting on October 22, 2025. The special meeting included employee introductions and a presentation on the Gateway and Wayfinding Sign Master Plan. The regular meeting included public hearings on a liquor license, a conditional use permit for a coffee shop, a zoning text amendment regarding marijuana establishment hours, and a major rezoning for the District at Crystal Springs. The council also adopted the fiscal year 2024 property tax levy and amended the truck and trailer parking ordinance. All votes were unanimous unless otherwise noted.

Consent Calendar

  • The council approved the consent agenda (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Liquor License (Awesome Convenience and More): Seven letters of protest were received. Two residents spoke in opposition, citing safety concerns in the shopping center (shootings, crime) and arguing that a liquor store would be a step in the wrong direction. The applicant and his representatives spoke in favor, stating the business would be a convenience store selling beer and wine only, creating 11 jobs, and that they have successfully operated similar businesses elsewhere. The council voted 7-0 to recommend denial to the state due to lack of certificate of occupancy and business license.

Discussion Items

  • Employee Introductions: The council recognized new employees, including a court clerk specialist who completed the AGTS Supervisors Academy, and four new firefighters who graduated from the fire academy on June 2.
  • Gateway and Wayfinding Sign Master Plan Update: Rick Carr presented an update on entry monuments and vehicular directional signage. Lessons learned included challenges with right-of-way and utility coordination. Councilmembers expressed desires for larger, more prominent signs at key entry points (e.g., Western Avenue, Dysart Road, 99th Avenue) and requested an update to the master plan. The council also noted the collaborative design with Agua Fria High School for a monument at Dysart and Buckeye Road.
  • Conditional Use Permit - Drive-Through Coffee Shop (Gravity Coffee): Catherine Lorbeer presented a proposal for an 850 sq ft coffee shop with two pickup windows at Van Buren and 99th Avenue. Traffic flow was discussed; the site can accommodate 19 queuing vehicles. The Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions. Councilmembers raised concerns about queuing blocking exits but were generally supportive. The council approved the permit 7-0.
  • Zoning Text Amendment - Marijuana Establishment Hours: Michelle presented a request from Harvest House of Cannabis to extend operating hours from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. for both medical and recreational marijuana establishments. Staff supported the amendment, noting that no police concerns were raised and that neighboring cities have varying hours (e.g., Phoenix 10 p.m., Goodyear 7 p.m.). Most councilmembers opposed the extension, arguing that the city had already accommodated the business multiple times and that 8 p.m. is reasonable. The motion to deny the amendment passed 6-1 (Vice Mayor Pineda dissented).
  • Rezoning - The District at Crystal Springs: Michelle presented a rezoning for 45 acres at McDowell Road and Avondale Boulevard to allow for 216 active adult apartments (55+), 268 townhomes, a rehabilitation hospital, and commercial pads. The project includes a traffic signal at 117th Avenue and McDowell Road. Councilmembers praised the active adult component and supported the project. The rezoning was approved 7-0.
  • Fiscal Year 2024 Property Tax Levy: The council adopted a resolution setting the primary and secondary property tax levies totaling about $8.5 million, with a combined rate of $1.46 per $100 of assessed valuation, lower than the previous year. Approved 6-0 (one councilmember absent).
  • Truck and Trailer Parking Ordinance Amendment: Chief Nanegie presented amendments to Chapter 23, including removing the requirement for businesses to post no-parking signs, creating a permit process for semi-truck parking near hotels, and reinforcing the prohibition on dropping trailers. The council approved the amendments 7-0.
  • Executive Session and Salary Increase: After an executive session, the council reconvened and approved a salary increase for the city manager, city attorney, and city auditor equal to the percentage increase for all unrepresented employees. Passed 7-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Liquor License (Awesome Convenience and More): The council voted 7-0 to recommend denial to the Arizona Department of Liquor License and Control due to the applicant's failure to obtain a certificate of occupancy and a city business license.
  • Conditional Use Permit (Gravity Coffee): Approved 7-0, subject to conditions.
  • Zoning Text Amendment (Marijuana Hours): Denied 6-1 (motion to deny was approved; a "yes" vote affirmed denial).
  • Rezoning (District at Crystal Springs): Approved 7-0.
  • Property Tax Levy Resolution: Approved 6-0 (Councilmember Solario absent for the vote).
  • Truck and Trailer Parking Ordinance: Approved 7-0.
  • Salary Increase for City Manager, City Attorney, City Auditor: Approved 7-0.

Meeting Transcript

I'd like to call the special meeting of Monday, June 26, 2023 to order. Marcella, do you mind doing roll call? Thank you, Mayor. I'm going to have our Abby Temp from the City Clerk's Office, Savannah, do roll call tonight. Savannah is with our department for the summer through the neighborhood and family services program. Marcel, is Savannah doing roll call for special and for regular? Correct, Mayor. Councilmember Condy. Councilmember Malone. Councilmember Nielsen. Councilmember Solario. Councilmember White. Here. Vice Mayor Pineda. Mayor Weiss. Thank you, Savannah. Item number two, employee introductions. Ron. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We have our first presentation by our the honorable Judge Craig Jennings. I was going to present a new employee. Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council. Abril and I'll brill is coming up. With uh Beatrice Tahada. She just recently completed the AGTS Supervisors Academy. She is a valued member of our court team. She's been with us since July of 2017. She has almost 20 years experience in the judicial branch. She has served in a couple of different courts, but been with us since 2017. She is our court clerk specialist at the court, which was our new position that we were fortunate to receive from the council last year, and she took over those duties in October. So we wanted to recognize her for completing that supervisors academy. So tell us kind of kind of tell us about your little your day. Just tell give us a little insight into your day every day. Oh, it's you. It's you. Come on. Okay. Well, um, today today um task is dealing with the public. Um I I issue tons of warrants. Um yeah, I do. It's actually quite exciting. No, I'm just kidding, it's not. Um, but I help staff with whatever questions they may have regarding their job duties, and um I just I just love it. I love it. I work with an amazing group of people. You can tell your smile says it all. Thanks for being here tonight. Appreciate it. Thank you.

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