I would like to call the city council meeting, regular city council meeting of November 17th, 2025.

To order, would you all please stand and uh stand for the pleasure of allegiance in a moment of silence?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands my nation, under God with a delivery and just discover.

Thank you.

Marcella, can we get a roll call, please?

Councilmember Conde here.

Yeah, here.

Councilmember Mario.

Here.

Councilmember Weiss here.

Councilmember White.

Vice Mayor Nielsen.

Here.

Mayor Pineda.

Here.

Thank you.

Ron, next item, please.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

Up first, we have our police department.

We have Chief Chief Espinoza, I think who has uh a couple employees to introduce.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor and Council.

Uh today is a very special day because we do have a large group of new employees, and it is my pleasure to introduce them to you.

At this time, I'm gonna ask the new employees to come up to the podium and state their name, where they call home, and if they can answer why they chose Avondale PD for employment.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council.

Um I am Derek Albano from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, just outside of Albuquerque.

I just want to say first and foremost, thank you for having me here tonight.

It's very nice to meet all of you.

Um reason I chose Avondale was to further my career in law enforcement.

Um and especially in a city that is ever changing and definitely uh new and upcoming with basically infrastructure, law enforcement, and pretty much every single thing and in every aspect.

Um what I call home is we're on to New Mexico, but this is my new home now, so thank you for being here and part of the Cavendal team.

Good afternoon, Council.

My name is Scott Edward Kellenberger Jr.

Um I'm originally from Pennsylvania, but I take home as Goodyear uh Goodyear Arizona.

The reason I wanted to become a police officer of the city of Avondale is because I grew up in Avondale.

I went to high school at August Free High High School, and my family, everyone works around here, and I've always wanted to be a cop since I was 16 years old, so I thought I could make a difference.

Well, thank you for joining the Avondale family.

Good evening, Council.

My name is Brennan Zier.

Um I live in Goodyear, Arizona.

Uh, the reason I chose Avondale um is to help people to make a difference in in the community.

Um I have a lot of family and law enforcement, one of which is a former Avondale officer.

And when I was looking into departments to apply for, I talked to him about that.

And what he had to say was great.

He had a great experience.

He said it was a small department, everybody knows each other from the chief all the way down, and that was important to me.

You know, being being more than just name, being a face two, and being able to have that um kind of personal connection all the way up the chain of command available and appreciated is something that I valued, so that's why I'm with Avondale.

Thank you for being here.

Good afternoon, council.

My name is Caleb Gaitan.

Um from the um West Valley, actually now.

I was gonna say East Valley.

I'm from Mesa, but now I'm from Surprise.

That's what I call home.

Um so I chose Avondale because when I met the officers and the staffs here, I really felt like I was part of a family, and that's what made me feel more welcome and invited.

I enjoy the opportunity that I have to be able to speak with our upper seniority and to be able to feel like I'm invited and and a part of their team.

I'm really excited to be in the city, and I just want to say thank you so much for the opportunity.

Thank you for being with us.

The reason why I chose Avondale was because off, I've lived here my entire life.

The reason why I chose Avondale also is um it's like a fam family atmosphere.

Everybody knows each other, and I've always wanted to work for the city of Avondale to further my career in law enforcement and to experience the great journey that life brings.

Thank you guys.

Thank you for being here.

Good evening, council.

My name is Jeff Vaughn.

I live in this great city of Avondale.

Um I chose this career as I have five years law enforcement as a park ranger in California and came to this great city to protect and serve the community.

And we chose Avondale because of the opportunity for growth within the city and within the department.

Well, appreciate you being here and joining the team.

Thank you.

Chino, California.

Um originally moved uh moved out here in 2023.

Uh so currently live in Surprise.

That's where I'm that's where I call home right now.

Um but I'm happy to be part of Avondale.

I'm looking forward to serving the community, making it a better place, um, a welcoming place.

Um being part of law enforcement is a new field for me growing up, playing baseball my entire life uh for almost 20 years.

Um but something that I looked for getting into this new field was having that family atmosphere and that brotherhood that I found with being part of Avondale.

Um it was something that was high on my list in finding a new career for myself.

Um and I found that with Avondale, and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you, getting getting to know each and every one of you at some point in our lives.

Um I'm just excited to be here.

Thank you for being a part of the team.

Thank you so much.

Good evening, council.

My name is Christian Ubina.

I'm originally from Southern California.

The reason why I chose Avondale is it's a new growing city.

Well, not new, but it's a growing city, and for the next couple of years, many years it's gonna be you know growing, and I want to be a part of that city.

I came from a small town in California, and I want to be almost as part like that, just growing up with it.

And how do you choose Avondel?

Uh the reason why I chose Avondale is uh build a brotherhood here, eating meeting all the staff and city workers.

Uh felt like I was with the family, and especially meeting all these guys right here.

Uh build a big support team, and they're always here for each other, and that's how I see how the city is for each other.

Thank you for being a part of it.

Good evening, council.

My name is Timothy Canfield.

I was born in Phoenix.

Uh now live in Surprise.

Uh the reason why I chose Avondale, I have a friend that's an officer here.

Um I was looking to change um careers where I was at before, and she continue to talk about how great the city was, um, how the Chiefs, all the way down from the Chiefs, all the way down to the bottom, how respectful everybody it was, first symbol.

And uh just like all these guys said from the moment you stepped foot into your first interview, um, you just felt like family.

It felt right, and I'm glad I made this decision.

I really enjoying it.

We are gene.

Thank you for joining us.

How are you doing, Council?

Good evening.

Uh, my name is Dakota Farrow.

Home is originally in Jacksonville, Florida.

Um, and I chose Avondale because of the relationship that I built with Chief and the rest of the officers while I was serving in the military.

Um, the family atmosphere is definitely something that's intact here.

Um, and I think as long as Chief is chief, then that'll stick.

So thank you so much for having me.

I appreciate it, and I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you.

Thank you for being a part of the team.

Good evening, Council.

Uh my name is Renee Valenzuela.

I'm originally from uh Los Angeles, California.

Uh I currently reside in Surprise, Arizona.

Uh the reason why I chose Avondale is because it's really family oriented.

I do have a uh family members that with you were for Avondale in the department.

Told me how great it was.

Um I got to see it firsthand.

I'm currently seeing it firsthand how uh great it is with the family, like uh everyone else that from the top of the chain of command to the bottom.

Uh the brotherhood is there.

Um, and really like the city.

I love that it's growing.

Thank you for being a part of the team.

Appreciate you.

We have one more.

Good afternoon, council.

My name is Gabrielle Aragon.

Um, I'm from Rio Rancho in New Mexico.

Um we I chose Avondale so that I could further my career and my experience in death patching.

Thank you for being a part of the team.

We really appreciate you being here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, Council.

Thank you, Chief.

Appreciate it.

Ron.

All right, keep going down the list.

Next up is our fire chief, uh, Rooney, uh, to present two new promotions.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council.

I would like to introduce you to our two newest uh promotions here.

Um, yes, they do look alike.

And then yes, and yes, they are brothers, but they're not twins.

Um first of all, I'd like to introduce you to Tim.

Tim's been here for 14 years.

Uh he just got promoted to engineer a month or so ago, and he's working at 174 B shift.

And and I don't know who's the older brother.

Which is the older.

You're the older brother, and you're the younger brother, but you've been here longer.

And and you outrank them now.

Um sorry, I just figured this all out.

Uh so uh Tim has been here for 14 years.

He's done a great job.

He just got promoted to engineer.

Uh we're very proud of his uh promotion.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Chair.

Next we have Travis.

Travis has been here for 12 years.

And he's the captain at 172 A Shift.

And uh so just uh it's surprisingly enough, a couple months ago they both were firefighters, and and now, and they both kind of just they were on different shifts, so they would switch shirts.

They both had T Lambert on their shirt.

So it was very convenient.

They saved a lot of money that way.

Um but now they can't do that because they're different ranks.

So Travis uh has been here, like I said, uh he's been here 12 years and he he promoted to captain.

He did an outstanding job on the last test, and so we would like to welcome him to being a captain.

Well, I'm available for any questions, Mayor.

Just wanted to say congrats on the promotions, but more importantly, the longevity of your careers here serving the city of Avondale.

And being that you've served over 10 years, uh both of you, what is something that you have uh witnessed uh with that time.

Well, I've been fortunate just to work here for the 12 years that I have.

Um before working here, I worked on the ambulance company, the private ambulance company that Avondale contracted with, so I got to meet a lot of the firefighters and stuff, and I knew a lot of the I knew everybody that was here before I got hired.

So I knew this is where I wanted to work and um it's a big family and and I love it, and uh I'll continue to work here for you know another 15-20 years.

So thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Uh in the almost 15 years that I've been here, uh I've seen Avondale grow from three stations to now five and uh sixth on the way, hopefully soon.

Um it's been awesome to be part of this family, and it truly has been rewarding over the years to uh have a great crew that I worked with for eight and a half years, and I bonded really well with them.

I'm looking forward to what what occurs now that I've been promoted and have a new crew.

Well, I guess I congratulations to the both of you and thank you again for the service you provided to the city.

Mayor, if I may, we have a row of Lamberts here that are here to celebrate with them.

Oh, the rest of the Lamberts.

Their father, I just want to point out their father worked 30 years with the city of 27.

He did he didn't make 30, but he got 27.

Seven years, but you also had a number of years in the military.

Yeah, absolutely.

So thank you for the and Mr.

Mayor, as a reminder, we would love uh to get pictures with council and uh the promoted uh firefighters, the engineering captain and their family members here in just a few minutes if they would stick around long enough.

Of course.

Thank you.

And Mr.

Mayor, up next, I will have Andy, our HR director, to uh introduce his new hire.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor and Council.

It's my privilege to introduce uh Debbie Debbie Pierce, who's our newest uh senior human resources analyst uh joining the human resources department.

Um Debbie joined the city of Avondale on October 27th as a senior HR analyst where she supports the city's employee relations and classific classification and compensation programs with more than 14 years of experience in public sector human resources.

Debbie has held a variety of roles across municipal and government agencies in New Mexico and Arizona, most recently serving as human resources analyst for the city of Thornton in Colorado.

Debbie earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from California Southern University.

She is both uh certified professional and human resources through the Human Resources Certification Institute and a senior professional uh in human resources through the Society for Human Resources Management.

Uh fun fact about Debbie, she's the friend who turns a we should go conversation into an actual trip.

Uh so planning the route, finding out the must-see spots and the best restaurants, plus ideas for uh best meals and drinks to order.

Um, Debbie's your your person, so please join me in welcoming Debbie.

So I'm gonna put Debbie on the spot really quickly.

Best restaurant you've been to here in Arizona.

Oh, here in Arizona?

Yeah.

Um my husband, we like to go to the beach house.

It's over um gosh, where is that?

I can always drive there.

But it's this little shack, and it sells the best uh fish and shrimp tacos.

And uh yeah, check it out.

Um, 7th and Camelback area.

So, real quickly, you've only been here a short time, but nonetheless, uh what how so far?

What have you thought about Avondale?

I love it.

Yeah, it's a great community, um, great city.

I've really picked up on the vibes of community, and that's what I was looking for.

I was looking for a strong leadership in the HR team and definitely found that with Andy.

Worked with him at Maricopa County, and uh look now.

Andy has it was a lifetime ago, and I was not her boss at the time.

Yes, he wasn't direct uh supervisor, but definitely could see him over at the sheriff's office, and uh he's just a strong leader, very solid and genuine person.

That's what I was looking for.

Well, we appreciate that.

More importantly, we appreciate the ambassadorship uh that Andy brings to the city, but uh we we look forward to seeing you around and welcome to Avondale.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Mayor Council, now we have Corey, your uh parks, recreations, and libraries director, to introduce a couple of his new employees.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members, and I am honored to welcome two new employees to our team.

I'm gonna allow them to introduce themselves, uh share their position and a fun fact.

I'm Adam Pride.

Um my position as park maintenance worker.

A fun a fun fact uh so far working with the city of Avenue is uh just the citizens and the community around here, not afraid to come uh ask us questions about the facilities and parks that we offer.

This is awesome.

Just the family aspect has been out of this world here, and I really enjoy being a part of this team and can't wait for the future here.

Thank you.

Good evening, council.

My name is Cameron Townsend.

I am a recreation programmer, and a fun fact about me is I moved here to Arizona about four months ago.

So still getting used to everything, but loving it so far.

Hopefully, you're loving the weather as it starts to change.

Welcome to Arizona.

Thank you.

Loving no snow.

So welcome both of you to the team.

We really appreciate you being here.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor and Council.

Mr.

Mayor and Council, up next, we have Kirk, uh, your public works director to introduce a couple of his new employees.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council.

I'm pleased to introduce some new employees for the public works department.

One here in person tonight and a couple that you'll see on a video in a moment.

First, I'd like to introduce Andrew Duran.

Andrew recently joined public works as a management analyst supporting customer service procurement, budget, and other tasks.

He brings with him nearly a decade of experience in the public sector, most recently serving as administrative analyst for the city of Riverside in California, where he managed over 125 active grants, totaling 175 million dollars, and helped oversee the closeout of the American Rescue Plan Act projects.

Before that, he worked in roles supporting procurement, program development, and workforce initiatives in Riverside County agencies.

Earlier in Andrew's career, he served in the United States Marine Court, where he held leadership roles in logistics maintenance and security operations.

His time in the military instilled a deep commitment to service and teamwork that he carries into a civilian career.

Andrew holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's of business administration from the University of Laverne.

And he's also pursued advanced graduate study in leadership and management.

Andrew's married and has two young kids.

And one interesting note that he wanted to share is during his Marine Corps service, Andrew is responsible for logistical movement and maintenance of over 5,500 weapons and fire control systems, probably something you don't want to lose track of, but uh he has experience and sharpened his skills and organization precision and accountability, so I think that'll help us in the department.

Please wel join me in welcoming Andrew the City.

All right.

So Andrew, your resume speaks for itself.

Let's ask you something a little bit fun.

So share with us a hobby that you enjoy doing.

Uh well, first of all, good evening, uh City Council, City South.

Uh a bit of a hobby is uh probably fantasy football.

I'm pretty competitive.

Um a couple leagues.

Now that I live in a state where gambling is legal, I can say I want some money too.

Um yeah, if anybody needs some tips or wants to give me some tips, I'm all for it.

I love talking football.

Who's your favorite football team?

I actually don't have one because I grew up in Southern California and there was never a team.

I'm a big USC fan, which I know is going to upset some of the Arizona State fans, but uh I grew up with Pete Carroll, Matt Liner, and all them, so I'll be watching them play over again this weekend.

Oh yeah, big game.

Well, welcome to uh City of Avondale and thank you for being a part of the team.

Thank you.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council, I'd like to direct your attention to the video screen for a couple more introductions.

Okay, I'm Giovanni Rodriguez.

I'm with the Solid Waste Department.

And one thing I really love so far is the sense of community here.

Uh everyone has made me feel like home as welcoming with open arms.

So that's been awesome.

How many of you?

Um, I am the new PM technician for uh fleet.

Public works.

And uh so far is that everyone here is super welcoming.

Um everyone says hi.

Everyone helps out with everything I need, or even if I don't ask.

Um so yeah, uh, the environment overall is amazing.

That's it.

Thank you, Council.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Ron, next item, please.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

Up next, uh Barbara, your city auditor, uh, to present International Fraud Awareness Week.

Hello, uh Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council members.

Today I'm here to introduce the proclamation for internal fraud awareness week.

I am very appreciative of the support the city council and management has provided me and the leadership of the city to combat fraud, including the employees' integrity hotline, which was established in November 2023 by City Council.

I now turn this back to Vice Mayor Nielsen to read the proclamation.

Thank you so much.

Whereas this year marks the observation of International Fraud Awareness Week, which is set aside to raise awareness about the impact of fraud upon our society.

And whereas the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, an organization dedicated to the mission of reducing the incidence of fraud worldwide, estimates that a typical or cult typical organization loses five percent of its revenue each year to fraud.

And whereas instances of fraud in state and local government determines the good work and reputation of all city employees who complete their assigned duties with integrity and honesty, and decreases uh confidence in public officials.

And whereas fraud against our local government is borne burden borne by its citizens and businesses in the form of increased cost, loss of public revenues and resources, and increased expenses associated with the investigation, prosecution, and eventual incarceration of individuals who commit fraud, and whereas tips received from employees are consistently the greatest source by which fraud can be detected.

And whereas tips received from employees are consistently the greatest source by which fraud can be detected.

And whereas increasing employing awareness of fraud, increasing the magnitude of the problem, including including the magnitude of the problem, and educating employees about fraud preservation prevention, reception and reporting techniques is critical for reducing the incidence of fraud against and within our state and local and federal government.

Now, therefore, on behalf of the Avondale City Council, the City of Avondale hereby proclaims November 16th through 22nd, 2025, shall be known as International Fraud Awareness Week.

Thank you.

Thank you, Barbara.

Thank you, Barbara.

We appreciate that.

Ron, next item, please.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

At this time, I'd like to pass it over to Councilmember Condi to share a few words and introduce our guests.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Ron.

I just want to just first of all I am honored to read this proclamation today for the Unified Responder Community Month.

I personally want to thank Cricket and her team for all the work that you do in our communities.

You know, you create a community of safe space for those that are on the spectrum of all ages, and you support them and you provide resources, and you've made a huge, huge impact in so many families.

And I just want to just extend my thanks to you, my friend, and your team.

And so today I'm honored to read the proclamation.

So whereas Sounds of Autism is a local nonprofit established in 2012, and it is through their movement, unified responder community, initiated in 2021, that they vet resources for families and work with collaborative partners to provide referral resources, services, and programs in order to provide more access options and opportunities throughout cities of Arizona for individuals with autism and other at-risks, so no one is ever left alone.

And whereas Sounds of Autism remains dedicated to its mission to safely integrate families and children of autism, including other at-risk individuals, back into society through love and support, recognizing families as the love of their mission and support as encompassing agencies, community officials, employers, educators, first responders, and service providers.

And whereas Sounds of Autism provides guidance to many families who continue to experience gaps in supports and services for early diagnosis, early intervention, mental and behavioral health, housing and employment opportunities, empowering individuals with autism and at risk to live as independently as possible as adults.

And whereas during the month of November and throughout the year, Sounds of Autism's United Responder Community encourages unity amongst all Arizonans to show compassion and support for individuals living life on a spectrum and others at risk as they bring a voice to autism and work to bridge gaps.

One step, one city, one ACRE at a time.

And sounds of autism defines that ACE acre as A for autism at risk families, C for community and community officials, R for first responders of all types, and E for employers and educators, which they believe represents the unity they strive to foster among all.

Now, therefore, on behalf of the city, Avondale City Council, the City of Avondale, Arizona, hereby proclaims November 2025 as unified responder community month.

Good evening, Mayor.

Thank you so much for allowing us to say a few words, and Councilmember Condi, thank you so much for the proclamation.

We appreciate you so does the West Valley.

Mayor, my name is Jamie Aldham, and I serve as the executive director for Unified Initiatives for Sounds of Autism.

We are a West Valley nonprofit working with families in your backyard, Mayor, here in Avondown here in the West Valley, supporting families who are living with challenges, uh living on the spectrum, other mental health issues and crises in your backyard, Mayor.

We want to thank you so much for having compassion and empathy for those families living in your backyard.

We want to thank Vice Mayor.

We want to thank our council members.

We want to thank our city manager and everyone in this room and everyone that belongs to this city, this municipal government.

We thank you so much for all the work that you've done, embracing those families.

You exemplify having compassion and having empathy for those families that struggle every day, each day, day in, day out.

We want to thank your police chief, Police Espinoza and your Fire Chief Rooney for working with us for calling us when those crises are happening at real time, calling us and our team to arrive and help those families.

We want to thank your resource center.

Your resource center is the best in the West Valley.

We have great municipal government uh resource centers, but your resource center has stood out.

It is just great the work, Mayor, that you, Vice Mayor and the Council members have been directing to the resource center.

Those staff members embrace us, have embraced the families, and we couldn't do it without them.

We want to thank your um your the police department, the men and women.

We want to thank the newly police officers here today who are going to help those families, our firefighters that are running into danger every single day in helping these families.

What they do is they arrive to a house fire and there's someone there that's nonverbal, they know exactly what to do.

That person is either suffering from mental health or has uh autism and they know that because they've worked not only with us, Mayor, but other organizations.

But Sounds of Autism has been unifying the West Valley from uh uh from Tallison all the way in between all the way up to Surprise and Sun City.

We're working to unify everybody, Mayor.

So we want to just take an opportunity.

Cricket and I, our founder couldn't thank you, just the two of us.

So we brought some supporters with us right behind us and from our free uh school district superintendent Eastlas, uh Maria Bruner with uh Credit Union West.

They exemplify our private and part and public partnerships, Mayor.

We couldn't do it without them.

So we want to take an opportunity to thank you again uh for the last several months, uh, over the last 12 plus months.

We've kept a rubric on working with you, Mayor and your team uh unbeknownst to you each time we're meeting with you, and we're checking the boxes, not just because it's a box to check, because you've exemplified embracing your community, mayor.

And we are so glad to be here and tell that you are a unified responder community uh by way of exemplifying that with your community.

We have brought a couple items for you, Mayor.

One I'd like to to read, and then we have something here for the entire uh city uh we'd like to give to you, Mayor.

Unified Responder Community Certificate.

This certificate is presented to City of Avondale.

Congratulations to the City of Avondale leaders for completing the first phase of Sounds of Autism's Unified Responder Community Initiative.

This certificate certifies that the City of Avondale mayor, city council members, leaders with the police and fire department, leaders within resource center, recreation center leaders within the department, K through 12 schools, and many nonprofits have committed to working together to create a more sustainable, adaptive community within the city of Avondale.

That now serves the needs of all individuals living within the city of Avondale.

Mayor, if you'll allow me one last thing.

We'd like to thank, personally thank Councilmember Condi.

She has taken it upon herself to reach out to uh Cricket Barrentos, the founder of Sounds of Autism, has worked directly with her son Landon.

We want to thank you so much for reaching out.

That means a world to Landon.

It means a world to the family, but that's exemplifies this leadership of each and every one of you in this council.

Mayor, thank you for leading this city.

We want to continue working with you and unifying all of our municipal uh municipal governments, but you've set the standard and it's really high.

And uh, we really thank you for that, Mayor.

We'd love to leave you with uh this.

We left you with some information you all have, can't read it all.

Left you with a certificate, and we also would like, Mayor, to leave you with this recognition uh on behalf of Sounds of Autism and our partners that we would like to leave with you with the tok of a token of our appreciation for the work that you've done for your families, your constituents in the city of Avondale.

Mayor, I'll leave it right here, and we thank you so much, Mayor.

Thank you so much, Jamie.

Uh Ron, really quickly, Ron, and I'm I'm putting you on the spot, and I I apologize uh for doing that.

But um, you know, a week ago or so uh meeting with a local resident that had a question regarding one of their neighbors whose child was autistic uh and was really worried about traffic and other things, and so asked me about signage.

Then I uh promptly uh you know brought that to you.

Just can you share with those who are not aware of you know those sorts of of um action steps that can be taken here in the Avondale community?

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

First of all, uh leave that stuff there.

Let's get pictures with council and and the mayor to receive those awards, and we'll get pictures.

We have our photographer here tonight.

Uh would love to get those pictures with your group uh before you leave.

Uh so there's a couple different ways.

We have the Abbey Wise uh ticket system, so you can go online and just submit a request and it goes to our city engineer.

Uh Kim, raise your hand.

Kim in the back.

Uh we have a process for reviewing signage requests uh for neighborhoods and different traffic measures.

You can always call the city engineers uh department.

You can also call the city main number um or you can call the city manager's office and we'll get you in contact.

We have a process to follow uh that we evaluate and then um uh Kim gets back to or Kim or her team member gets back to the community member about the outcome.

Um we have added since I've been here a few of those signs in a couple neighborhoods.

And thank you for that.

I just wanted to just to demonstrate that you know we do take this seriously, but more importantly, that if residents are not aware and have family members here who may be on the spectrum that are looking for some of this sort of assistance that the city does does offer that.

So thank you, Ron, for for sharing that.

Um next item, please.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

Up next, we have our proclamation on epilepsy awareness month, and I believe we're uh uh gonna turn this over to Councilmember Solario to make the introductions.

Uh so I have the proclamation epilepsy awareness month.

If I can have the Cook family come to the front here, the podium I have had the fortune of knowing Tara, which is mom for almost 20 years.

And uh, this is her son Wesley, who is nine years old who suffers from epilepsy.

So we are here to read uh the proclamation for epilepsy awareness month, whereas epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects people of all ages, causing unpredictable seizures and other health challenges.

And whereas more than 3.4 million Americans, including approximately 77,000 Arizonians are living with epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological disorders in the nation.

And whereas despite its prevalence, epilepsy remains widely misunderstood, and many individuals and families living with epilepsy face stigma, discrimination, and barriers to education, employment, and health care.

And whereas increasing public understanding of epilepsy, recognizing the signs of a seizure, promoting seizure first aid, can help save lives, reduce fear, and create a more inclusive community.

And whereas November is recognized nationally as an epilepsy awareness month, providing an important opportunity to educate, support research, and honor the strength and resilience of those living with epilepsy and their loved ones.

And now therefore, the city of Avondale joins with organizations such as the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona and community partners in raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and working toward a future free of challenges of epilepsy.

And one thing mom wanted to share is thank you to the fire department who has many times been to their home.

She provided pictures for me to share with city manager from the different stations and as well as ambulance who's been out to their home.

Had just pulled up at um next care for a faulty fire alarm.

It was the craziest thing.

Like they were just in the right place at the right time.

And now fast forward, we're in surgical testing right now for him.

Um have an amazing team at Phoenix Children's Hospital, but his seizures are not controlled by medication, so this is just something that can turn into an emergency at any time.

And I think just the awareness is so important.

Just knowing what to do, how to help somebody having a seizure, timing it, rescue meds if they have them, just all of that.

So thanks to thanks to all of you guys for uh making this uh something that's uh an awareness because there's so many people living with it every single day.

One in 26.

So thank you guys.

Thank you for bringing us to our attention, but more importantly, sharing your story and and connecting with Councilmember Solorio on this.

We really appreciate you being here.

Thank you so much.

I believe that's it.

If they they don't even need to sit down, if they want to be first, uh they can come up here and we'll get pictures.

Don't even sit down, guys.

You'll be first.

We're gonna go ahead and uh do pictures if you don't mind, Mayor.

I think it's more it's okay.

I have another element.

I was thinking about that she was going to bring for red.

I was like, uh, that's how you know it's loaded, and I'm like, I always tell you.

We just have two council members who stepped out for a second, so just wait for them.

Okay, item three.

Um please, if you will come to the podium.

And I apologize apologize if I mispronounced your last name.

But we have Ben Riotti.

Rudy.

Sorry, Ben Rudy.

There were more guns in here than Grateful Dead concert.

Well, that's the way to start.

Mr.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the council.

My name is Ben Rudy.

I live in Garden Lakes.

And I'm here tonight because I hope you feel the same way I do.

When I go to a community civic event or a major spark uh sporting venue and some pseudo celebrity decides they're going to give their version of the national anthem, it drives me crazy.

And there are some just horrible versions that you hear on Monday night football or oh, Monday night football is tonight.

Anyway, um I hope you feel the same way.

Because I think there are three things that you really don't need to change.

The Lord's Prayer, uh, the national anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance.

And it's the third one I'm here to talk about tonight, the Pledge of Allegiance.

Uh when I went to school, that was a long time ago, but there was a picture of George Washington, a picture of Abraham Lincoln, and a flag in the corner.

And every morning you'd stand, put your hand over your heart and you recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Well, apparently that offended some people, so we don't do that anymore.

But I'm proud to say that this body opens a meeting with a Pledge of Allegiance.

Not so proud to say that it's not a whole lot different than some of these pseudo celebrities due to the national anthem.

I mean, it's lost some of the uh uh the feeling.

Um it's almost like a jump rope sing songy chant.

I 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.

That's not how it goes.

I mean, we take a simple 10-second thing and we throw in nine extra commas.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.

Now, in 1954, President Eisenhower and Congress inserted the words under God.

No comma.

It's one thought.

One nation under God.

That was because the godless communists were going to take over the country, and we wanted everybody to know we were one nation under God.

Then indivisible, that was a throwback onto the um civil war, and our country could not be divided.

Uh, and then with liberty and justice for all.

So I 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.

Now, you know, I know there are some organizations that say it correctly, maybe rotaries and some veterans groups, but uh, and I know this is not on the agenda and it's not an uh an item we can vote on, but in the future I'd like to see you direct uh staff and and uh to come up with some kind of a 10, 15 second thing at the beginning of the meeting to help us stay on track with the Pledge of Allegiance as it should be said.

And uh thank you very much for listening.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Why was that timing?

Thank you, Ben.

Appreciate it.

Next item on the agenda is the consent agenda.

Are there any members of council who wish to pull an item for separate consideration?

Yes, item E, Mayor.

Item E.

Okay, can we get a vote for the consent agenda minus item E?

Motion from Councilmember Condi, a second from Vice Mayor Nielsen.

Please vote.

Okay.

Councilmember White.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Um item E is uh resolution 1068-1125 campus of votes for the November 4th 2025 special election.

Um I had wanted to just um hear from the clerk's office the data that was presented from the county in regards to the voter population that participated.

Um I think there were additional questions that I'd submitted through the city manager's office for response to.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, Councilmember White.

Um, the question was regarding um demographic.

And at this time, we only have age demographic and political party demographic.

Um the age demographic, we know how many people from each age voted, but we don't have any comparable information.

So it's hard to tell what was the percentage for the voter turnout for the age demographic.

Um but I can tell you that the largest group of voters on November 4th was the baby boomers, if we're looking at the generations with uh 40 percent of the voters were baby boomers, 20 26 percent of the voters were Gen X, 19 percent of the voters were millennials, um, Gen Z was nine percent, and then the silent generation, which is anyone eighty plus is seven percent of the voters.

And then for political parties, that is easier to see the voter turnout because we know how many registered voters are in each political party.

For the city of Avondale, the largest political party is actually party not designated, so the independent with 19,000 voters, and only 10% of them turned out to vote for November.

The Democrat Democratic Party was the highest with the 22% turnout, and then the Republican Party was second with 21% turnout.

Followed with the Green Party at 9%, and Libertarian at 14%, and then the no labels party at 5%.

Thank you for that information, Marcella.

You're welcome.

Any other statement or anything else you'd like to make?

Question, Councilmember White.

I move to accept item 4E with the additional information provided by the clerk.

Okay.

I don't see that the systems change, but we do a voice vote, Marcella.

I think I need a second.

Sorry, Mayor, we have a motion by Councilmember Condi.

Was that the previous one?

There we go.

Okay, sorry.

Okay.

There we go.

All right.

So we got a motion by Councilmember Solorio, a second by Councilmember Weiss.

Please vote.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Marcella.

Thank you.

Okay, Ron, next item, please.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

Up next, we have a public hearing and resolution to uh for Avondale Tech Center, minor general plan amendment.

I believe Monica, uh, our senior planner is going to do the presentation.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council members.

Um I'm Monica Smithy Senior Plan.

I'm presenting the agenda items 5A, 5B, and 5C.

Items 5A and 5B are public hearing items.

Uh this is a request for Avondale Tech Center, minor general plan amendment, rezone and comprehensive sign plan, applications PL-25-0120, PL-25-0121, and PL-25-0181.

The purpose of this presentation is to review the proposed minor general plan amendment, rezone and comprehensive sign plan.

Conduct a public hearing for the minor minor general plan amendment and rezone and take appropriate action on each item.

The subject property is um is currently vacant.

East and south of the subject properties bordered by multifamily developments.

The western edge of the subject property borders an industrial development named Fairway 10 and zoned Avondale 50 plan area development.

Some of the site photos.

And this photo shows the site looking south along 117th Avenue.

The building on the left is a multifamily development.

So the first request is a minor general plan amendment to amend the general plan land use designation from mixed use to business park.

And the second request is to rezone the subject property from city center district to Avondale Tech Center Plan Area Development with underlying zoning of Commerce Park.

Please note that the site is the only remaining parcel in City of Avondale with CCD zoning designation.

The proposed use uh deviations are generally consistent with the Commerce Park zoning district, with the following exceptions.

Motion picture production is changing from conditional use permit to permitted use, retail sales is changing from conditional use permit to permitted use, warehousing is changing from accessory use to permitted use, and wholesaling is changing from not permitted to permitted use.

In terms of the proposal, it is for an advanced technology campus to support light industrial warehousing and office uses.

There are three buildings on the site, each with an area of over 200,000 square feet with 720 parking spaces in total.

A detailed review of the site plan will take place during the site plan and design review administrative approval process.

The project's traffic study determined that in the future a traffic signal is warranted based on this traffic volume generated by this development.

So the developer will contribute an agreed upon amount toward constructing a new traffic signal at the intersection of corporate drive and fairway drive.

Staff analysis finds that proposed minor general plan amendment meets all the four required findings outlined in the General Plan 2030, including meeting the infrastructure requirements.

The projects shall meet Commerce Park Development Standard, and the development shall follow the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, design manuals, and any other regulations unless modified.

The project has met all the public notice requirements.

There was a neighborhood meeting held on September 9th, 2025.

There was one attendee present aside from the applicant's team and city staff.

Discussion topics included potential tenants, truck circulation, proposed amenity area, project timeline.

Two date staff has received one public comment mentioning that the site already being advertised for lease and questioned the need for public hearing if the project appears already approved.

We had a planning commission public hearing on October 15th, 2025.

During the discussion, a commissioner asked about the timeline for installing a traffic signal at corporate drive and fairway drive.

Staff explained that installation will begin once the new buildings are occupied and traffic volumes meet the required threshold.

No firm construction date has been set, though we have conditions of approval that includes a general 10 years of timeline to complete the signal.

So following the hearing and after further discussion with City Engineer, it was determined that the new traffic signal can be installed within the existing right-of-way for the projected traffic volumes.

Lanes can be narrowed and the new traffic signal can be set at a skew to fit within the existing right-of-way.

The commission chair also asked if the proposed building height increase from 35 feet to 55 feet, matches nearby structures.

For that staff confirmed the height is consistent with the surrounding multifamily and residential development.

There were no comments from the public.

Council approval is required because the requested deviations exceed 25% of the sign development standards.

Another deviation requisition request is to allow freeway facing wall signs with a maximum sign area of 1.5 square feet per lineal foot and a maximum sign size of 150 square feet in the proposed uh plan area development with underlying commerce park zoning district.

With that, staff is recommending adoption of resolution and ordinance for Avondale Tech Center and approval of the comprehensive sign plan.

Thank you so much for being here.

Staff is ready for any questions you have.

Thank you so much for the presentation.

At this time, I'd like to open up the public hearing on item 5A.

Marcella, I know that we do have Steven Anderson here on behalf of the applicant.

I don't know if Stephen, if you'd like to address the council now, or only if there are questions.

Okay.

So council, just be aware that the applicant uh is here, or at least somebody on behalf of the applicants to answer questions specifically.

So hearing none, I would like to close the public hearing.

And are there any questions or comments from council?

Okay.

Councilmember Weiss.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just one quick question.

I just want to make sure I didn't misunderstand.

Um did you say it can take up to 10 years for the um traffic signal on fairway?

Uh Mayor, Vice Mayor, Councilmember, we have a general timeline of 10 years.

Um, however, it depends on the process.

Okay.

For the traffic signal, then the work can commence sooner.

Okay.

Okay.

Mr.

Mayor and Council, if I may.

Sure.

So the 10-year limit is on the funding that we received from the uh developer.

Okay.

So the lights, if it takes longer than 10, can or less, but the funding that the developer has dedicated to the light has a 10-year lifespan.

We will evaluate the traffic as the buildings are built and the traffic begins, and as soon as it meets warrants, we'll install the traffic light.

Thank you.

And then I had just one other quick question, which was the employee amenity.

There's a little picture of it on one of the screens.

I was wondering what the employee amenity area was, and that was it.

That was the only other question I had.

Is that like an area of respite for them to go to?

Just wasn't sure what that was.

Yeah, council member wise.

Uh the employee amenity area will be for the employees as well as for the public.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Okay, too too.

I just um any other comments or okay.

Councilmember Condy?

Thank you, Mayor.

I did have a question.

You had mentioned that there was a question from someone in regards to the truck circulation.

Can you kind of touch on that a little bit?

Yes.

Um right there.

Yeah.

There.

We have a defined route for the truck trucks to say mine truck specifically.

Um they they will be routed via corporate drive and the fairway exchange to IT.

And um all the other arterial streets will only be for the car traffic for this development.

So if someone, if there was a truck going down Van Buren, they would need to go all the way up to fairway and then cut across, or can they go up one seventeenth and one nine?

I'm sorry, one nineteenth.

Currently for this development, uh Van Buren is the Van Buren is not designated for the truck circulation.

So it uh with other uh we have a specific truck route for the city.

Um, and then there only the truck circulation is allowed.

And and Van Vuren is not included in that designation, designated route.

Mr.

Mayor, uh Councilmember Conn, if I can just clarify.

So for this development, what they're saying is it can't exit onto Van Buren or Avondale Boulevard.

This traffic needs to go to Fairway uh Drive and then go north or south, depending on on which way they're going.

We are currently in the middle of a transportation master plan study that will better designate our truck routes.

The goal is actually to keep truck traffic off Avondel Boulevard between Van Buren and McDowell, minus local traffic for maybe the hotels or those kinds of things.

Once that is finished, and we begin to enforce that trucks could be ticketed uh for using Avondale Boulevard.

So depending on what happens on the 119th, it's just not currently in the plan.

The plan is for them to go all the way to Fairway to keep them out of the neighborhoods.

Remember, we've already got a neighborhood along 119th, and then we have an apartments coming in to on the east side of 119th.

So our goal is to keep the truck traffic next to the uh commercial areas.

Thank you.

And one last question.

So there's the big signage that they want to make it higher.

Where is that facing?

Is that going to be facing north?

Is that going to be facing south?

Thank you, Mayor, uh Councilmember.

So we will have a signage plan specifically for the truck circulation, and they will be perpendicular to the street of within within the existing subject property.

And there will be a conversation between uh the city engineer and uh the ADOT about uh directing the traffic from I 10 to the city.

And that signage, we have not designed that one yet, but it's a future conversation that needs to take place.

I meant the the sign that you had um a slide that showed that you wanted a different uh the sign it to be higher tower, right?

Can you go back to that slide?

Mr.

Mayor and they want the 6295.

Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember Condi, the developer might be able to uh answer the question of exactly where they're putting that sign, the monument sign.

Okay, monument sign.

This is the one I'm talking about.

Okay.

Yep.

We the developers here, so we can ask if they've picked a location to put in their permit.

Stephen, would you like to address that?

20.

Yeah, that's 12.

Mayor, members of council uh for your record, Stephen Anderson, Gamin Giburnum, 40 North Central, 20th floor in Phoenix, uh here this evening on behalf of Creation Equity.

I'm being joined by our signage consultant.

Um would you like to introduce yourself for the record?

My name's Stephen Johnson.

I'm here representing Imperial Signs, the uh sign consultant on this property.

So, Mayor, uh Councilmember Conde, a little bit of clarification.

You were asking about truck issues, and then you asked about these signs.

These signs, we do have a stipulation that requires us to uh post signage for um truck traffic.

That is not a part of the conference of sign plan.

That is to be designed later uh at the direction of city staff during the building permitting process.

This signage is part of just our conference of sign plan, which is item 5C on your agenda, and Mr.

Johnson is the expert on that in terms of the location of the sign.

And did you want him to speak to this?

Yes, please.

I just wanted to know whereabouts on the property is it going to be located?

Yes, absolutely.

This this particular sign will be located on the southwest side of the property, directly south of the amenity area.

Okay, but thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Okay, Councilmember White.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

Thank you for the presentation.

I think this might be as well for the developer.

There was some I-10 facing signage, um, but that I-10 facing signage would be actually facing a um uh Maricopa County Island, is that correct?

If you bring up the full map before a little further and uh before I think it's yes, council member white.

Uh this one you're correct.

This will be facing the county island.

However, the visibility will be from the I 10 as well.

So if the county decides to put something there, it would be blocked.

Um let Monica, if you don't mind, uh Mr.

Mayor, uh, Councilmember White, uh, apologize for the QJ.

Monica, can you pull up that map?

Thank you, Monica.

One that shows the uh the triangle uh property.

The one that shows the bigger picture of the triangle of the um county uh area where you showed the north and the south boundaries.

Yeah, that works.

So you ma'am, you are correct.

There is that island there.

It it's a county uh island in that it is uh land in the county, not in the city, it is not county property.

Okay.

So it's uh uh uh current I believe uh uh Monica, you said that was uh currently designated commercial, I think is what I heard.

Yeah, yeah, that has a commercial designation, and there is a certain height limit to it that is less than the proposed buildings at Avondale Tech Center.

And Mr.

Mayor Councilman White, uh your economic development team is currently working to find a um user for that property to build on it, and so we'll work with them um on the building height and those kinds of things.

But you're right, there is always that possibility something big could go there.

But my uh educated guess is that it'll come back before this council um to be to be developed because if it's anything of any any uh magnitude, it'll need uh a city uh buy-in.

Thank you.

Thank you.

anybody else?

So I just wanted to say, first of all, that I believe this to be a huge win and game changer for the city in that I know that many of us in here were looking at employment.

More importantly, we're always looking for that live here, work here uh type of uh future for our residents and for those who are young and working towards their career choices.

And so just a huge shout out to Jen and her team and for the applicant for investing in this project.

And I know that Jen and her team have been very hard uh traveling in and out of state uh to find um uh tenants to fill this space that are going to bring again those high quality employment opportunities.

Um one of the other things that I know that in conversation and even tonight um talking about trucks and semi trucks has been um discussed based upon what I've read is that uh unlike across the way at the Fairway 10 industrial complex where this is really designated and the building is designated for uh cargo uh and loading docks and things of that nature that this property will not uh while it might have the ability for uh some um some products to be offloaded, it's really just not um the same as what you would find next door at Fairway 10.

When we think of uh warehouses, fairway 10 would be a good example of that, but that would not fit the bill here per se.

And I really appreciate that.

More importantly, um, based upon GPEC's report uh that this put this project could potentially generate an estimated $30 million in direct tax revenue and create up to a thousand jobs over the next 10 years.

Again, I just think it's a huge win.

And so kudos to Jen and her team.

To the applicant as well.

And um, I'm just really excited for this project to get moving.

And uh that's that's all I have to say.

I see that we have a motion from Councilmember Weiss, a second from Councilmember White.

If we can all vote on item 5A.

There it goes.

Okay, item passes.

And at this time, I would like to open up the public hearing on item 5B.

Obviously, again, we have the applicant, Steven here uh for any questions.

Other than that, Marcella, we have not received any requests to speak.

Thank you, Mayor.

We have not received any requests to speak.

Okay, there at this time I'm gonna close the public hearing on item 5B.

Are there any questions that remain?

And if not, I see we have a motion from Councilmember Weiss, second from Councilmember White.

If we could please vote on item 5B.

Okay, perfect item passes 70.

And item 5C is not a public hearing, but I will need a motion for this item in regards to the comprehensive sign plan.

Motion for Councilmember Weiss and a second from Councilmember White.

Can we please vote?

Item passes.

Thank you so much for the investment in Avondale and Jen.

Got your work cut out for you.

Get some tenants in there.

Thank you so much, Council.

Hey, Ron, I uh next item, please.

Mr.

Mayor and Council, up next, we have uh Josh, uh, your lead senior planner uh to also make uh several uh presentations in one.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council members.

Item 5D is a boulevard zoning code text amendment.

This is a city initiated text amendment, and this is application PL 25-0189.

The purpose of this item is to review the proposed zoning code text amendments, uh conduct a public hearing, and take appropriate action on this item.

So to give you some background, the Avondale zoning ordinance was first adopted in 1951 with the most recent updates being approved by council in November of last year.

This update seeks to refine the zoning ordinance in order to align the boulevard district with current economic trends, as well as add new and exciting uses to the ordinance, uh, which will support the implementation and goals of the Boulevard specific plan.

The first proposed amendment is to the definition section of the zoning ordinance.

Uh this amendment will add definitions to uh for the following terms, as well as revise the definitions of a video game arcade or game room.

With these added definitions, you could now see uh things such as an eSports arena at the boulevard uh that would host competitive video game related events with spectators.

Additionally, you could see food halls and culinary marketplaces coming into the boulevard.

Uh, these are uses with a collection of artisanal restaurants uh that congregate and share a shared uh dining space.

The next amendment will revise the land use matrix for the boulevard, which will add these land uses as well as modify the conditions for existing allowed uses.

The purpose of this change is to make it easier for more retail entertainment and service opportunities to come into the boulevard without the need of a conditional use permit.

Uh this will also change uh the requirement from a conditional use permit to permitted with conditions for commercial sport complexes and convention centers and exhibition halls.

The two additional specific uses that are being modified are a gas station that is accessory to a grocery store and grocery stores over 36,000 square feet.

Grocery still uh grocery stores will still be required to provide at least two specialty services.

Uh these can include things such as indoor eageries and specialty beverage staff such as uh smolliers for um wine and/or craft beer tasting rooms.

Uh these could also include things such as specialty food counters, like you would see um cheese counters or sushi bars, that kind of thing.

And then I did want to mention uh that while outdoor uses will be added to the boulevard.

There are going to be requirements for lighting and sound amplification.

Uh outdoor concert facilities, uh, which will be added with this amendment uh will not be permitted to have live or recorded music or sound amplification between the hours of 11 p.m.

and 8 a.m.

Uh these are the boulevard subdistricts that are going to be affected by this change.

Um the boulevard specific area is uh highlighted in yellow.

And then the gateway district, the park avenue district, the village subdistrict, and the promenade subdistrict are going to be the ones that are affected by the additional uses.

Uh one additional amendment is to the parking requirements of the boulevard zoning district.

This last amendment deals with um the distance that new businesses are allowed to count public parking towards their specific use.

Uh what this means essentially is that more businesses such as those that are coming in surrounding the lake in the boulevard will be able to use the boulevard parking garage since we're going to be increasing that distance from 400 feet to about a quarter mile.

So all required notifications were completed for this item.

There was a post on uh Avondale Connect, and to date no comments or questions have been received via that service.

A planning commission meeting was held on October 15th of this year.

There were some questions raised uh regarding accessibility and double counting of garage spaces.

Uh staff indicated that the boulevard is designed so that someone who parks in the garage or on the uh in the public uh parking on the street visits more than one use, and so that parking space instead of being provided over and over again, is provided for that one person who is now visiting multiple locations.

Also, we indicated that accessible parking will still be provided at appropriate levels.

Uh after discussion motion, uh the motion for uh approval was passed by 6-0.

And with that, staff is recommending approval of agenda item 5D.

And I did want to mention in addition to this that staff will be bringing additional amendments that have to do with the boulevard uh forward for your consideration.

Uh these are changes that are being done in order to comply with new state laws that require development plans to be approved administratively rather than going to council for approval.

Uh and with that, I'm available for any questions you might have.

Thank you for the presentation.

At this time, I'd like to open up the public hearing on item 5D.

Marcella, any requests to speak on this item?

Thank you, Mayor.

We have not received any requests to speak.

Thank you.

Hearing none, I would like to close the public hearing and open up for to counsel for comments.

Okay, Councilmember White.

Thank you so much, Josh, for the presentation.

Can you run back to the mapping of it of the boulevard and the development zone?

I know this there's a property back one more.

I think the property south of Ambirn, yes, is considered a part of the development zone.

But I I noticed there's a big gap there.

Um it looks like the neighborhood that existed doesn't get considered a part of that zone.

And that's interesting.

Uh maybe the city manager could speak to that.

Because I know that a lot of us who bought in that area were buying to be a part of that zone.

Uh mayor vice mayor, council member white.

Uh I'm sorry.

Are you looking at the case?

You can see the line.

It's like a it's like a rectangle space of the name of the right there.

Mm-hmm.

Uh so the boulevard specific plan was adopted, I believe, in 2015.

Uh I'm not aware of the case.

Yeah, Mr.

If I can, Josh, Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember White.

I'd like Jody to take a stab at that.

Um I believe I have the answer, but Jody will have the answer.

Yes, hi.

Thank you, uh Mayor, Council, and City Managers.

The Boulevard Specific Plan was adopted in 2019, which replaced the former city center district.

That subdivision uh to the east, I think um, I was forget the name if it's Waterford's umdivision.

That was not a part of the original city center, and when we created the boulevard, it was separated.

We did meet with homeowners there that were quite excited about the boulevard because they have a trail connection on their north end, but that's why it's not included.

It's it's always been a separate uh component, just like um the apartments that are immediately south of it fronting the Amburan.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um any other comments or questions, Council?

No.

Again, just uh you saw a lot of the verbiage that was utilized and some of the new uses, uh, which are pretty exciting to me when you see things like entertainment and and other things.

I know I'm excited about that.

So I really appreciate taking time to make those designations.

Uh more importantly, having a grocery store that's over 36,000 feet that's gonna offer different amenities, I think would be very very exciting as well.

So on this item, we for 5D, we have a motion from Councilmember White, second from Councilmember Solorio.

We could please vote.

Okay, item passes.

Thank you, Council.

Ron, next item, please.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor and Council.

Up next now, the next two items, E and F.

Now that I've got it my stuff together, it will be uh presented by Monica, our uh plan senior planner uh to present.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members.

I'm presenting the agenda items 5E and 5B, both are the public hearing items.

Uh this presentation is for middle housing.

Uh that requires general plan and zoning code text amendments, applications PL-25-0190, and PL-25-0188.

As mentioned before, the purpose of uh this public hearing is to review the proposed city initiated general plan and zoning code text amendments, conduct a public hearing for each, and take appropriate actions.

The proposed amendments respond to House Bill 2721, which allows yet a duplex, triplex, fourplex or town homes, also known as middle housing, as a permitted use on a lot zoned for single family residential use within one mile of the city's central business district, and at least 20% of a new development of more than 10 contiguous acres zoned for single family residential use.

So per the new state law, cities required to adopt middle housing regulations by January 1st, 2026.

If the city does not adopt these regulations by the deadline, the middle housing will be allowed on all lots in the city zoned for single family residential use without any limitations.

So to comply with the state law, the city of Avondale's proposal includes three steps.

First, since the city currently does not have a central business district or a CBD.

Cities proposing to designate a C B D for middle housing purposes by resolution, and then amending the general plan to incorporate CBD designation into the general plan text, then finally amending the zoning code to adopt middle housing regulations as required by the state law.

So the city is proposing a definition of central business district for middle housing, and we are abbreviating it as CBD in alignment with the state definition of central business district.

Then the city's proposal is to select three districts, the gateway, village, and park avenue from the boulevard land use category, and then designating them as CBD for middle housing.

So if approved, um the CBD for middle housing map will be adopted by the council by a resolution.

These three districts from the Boulevard land use category were selected for CBD designation because they are centrally located within the city.

Their land uses align well with the state's definition of CBD, and the process to adopt a central business district becomes relatively simpler compared to any other areas within the city.

And here is the map showing the proposed CBD boundary and the corresponding one mile radius.

The green areas represent the properties zoned for single family residential use that will be subjected to the new text amendments.

The large green areas denote empty lots, mostly zoned agriculture or other residential zoning.

The single family residential use is allowed in all residential zoning district, including agricultural.

The orange shows city-owned properties.

Appears on page six of the general plan 2030 under land use theme, commercial commercial land use within the boulevard land use category.

And the final step in the process of adopting middle housing is to amend the zoning code text to include middle housing regulations as required by the state law.

The proposed text amendment will establish a new article specifically for middle housing and update the definition section.

Some of the definitions are being updated and some of the new definitions are being added.

It is staff's understanding that any private matter such as covenant conditions and restrictions like CCNR by homeowners association will be considered a private matter.

As mentioned earlier, the proposed zoning code text amendment includes uh revisions to the definition section of the code, new definitions are being added, and some of the existing definitions are being updated.

New definitions are needed to support the new article for the middle housing.

And then we are updating the definitions of duplex, triplex, and town home to align with the state's laws definition and to maintain consistency throughout the zoning code.

We are creating new article to contain the middle housing requirements.

The first section of the article establishes the purpose.

The second section establishes the eligibility criteria and clarifies the middle housing requirements within a plan area development.

And the third and the last section contain design and development standards.

Middle housing shall be subject to the same requirements that apply to a single family dwelling within the same zoning district, with some exceptions related to floor area ratio and the parking.

In terms of the public participation, this project has met all the requirements.

So far.

And there was a planning commission meeting on October 15th, 2025.

There were no public comments during the hearing process.

So with that, staff is recommending to adopt the resolution and the ordinance for middle housing.

And I am available for any questions you have.

Thank you.

Thank you again for the presentation.

At this time, I would like to open up the public hearing on item 5E.

No request to speak on this item.

Thank you, Mayor.

No requests to speak have been received.

Perfect.

Thank you, Marcel.

At this time, I'm going to close the public hearing and entertain any comments from council.

Okay.

Councilmember White?

Thank you so much.

Monica, when we talk about metal housing, those are like the condos, right?

The units that can be two or three, or are they multifamily?

Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember White, uh, yes.

So it could be uh double, a duplex, triplex, quadruplex, or a town home.

They could look like condos, they could look like many things.

Um, but they're more than one residential uh facility on the same piece of property that currently would only allow one house to be on.

Councilmember White, and then we have height regulations as well.

So that will determine whether a duplex or even a triplex can go like a certain height or not.

So height, height standards still remain the same as single family, and mostly we have like 30 feet maximum height within a single family residential zone.

So the appearance of a condo is subjective.

So it won't go past that 30 feet regardless how many units are on that property?

Um yes, council member.

Um it depends on again the zoning district.

Uh for example, uh the residential zoning district R4, that is already a multifamily zoning, where their height is allowed up to 45 feet.

But then it already allows for a multifamily, so it doesn't make like from the practical purposes, it doesn't make sense to have duplex, triplex as a middle housing on those lots.

So, yes, um the all the development standards, they are going to remain the same except for parking and FAR.

So on a lot that is still within the single family residential zone, there is that 30 feet height limit.

And then would it be possible to have intermingled into that body single family homes as well?

Intermingled into the, for example, if the developer is coming in because we approved this this evening, um, can that developer develop um a you know a single family home there, even though there are duplexes, triplexes there?

Uh yes, council member.

So we have these two criteria.

One is within that one mile radius uh of CBD.

There, yes, there is a possibility for uh mix and match.

However, for any new development that is not within that CBD, uh there is like the there is like 20% um allow allowance only as a mandate allowance, so it's up to the development review committee to uh grant more than 20 percent, but 20% is mandatory.

Thank you so much for the clarity.

I appreciate you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Garcia.

Okay.

Uh okay.

Mentally, because I'm like a visual person.

I went to Lichfield, not Lichfield, good year, like kind of like close to where their new Civic Center downtown is, and the houses next door are kind of like what we're speaking about, right?

They're single family homes, but they don't have like big backyards or anything, and they all share a parking lot.

And those are like the middle family homes that they built close to their area.

Do you does anyone do you know what I'm talking about?

Mr.

Mayor, uh Councilmember Garcia, it all depends.

Uh the goal here is this is all the the rules for in the in this district change the single family homes.

So our first priority is for single family homes to be built there.

As you can see, most of it is already built out.

So let's say a fire takes a building down and they want to replace it in this ordinance.

If it was allowed in their HOA, they could put a two, three, or fourplex in there if it fit.

But again, it would have to meet all the requirements of the single family.

So we're not going to see in this area, given the amount of vacant land, you're not going to see a big development of a townhomes or condos or those kinds of things.

Is the Waterford HOA the ones that get to decide it since it's the community right next to it?

Who would that be?

Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember Garcia, I didn't hear that.

I'm sorry, is what?

The HOA.

What's the HOA company that's going to be deciding this?

Because Waterford Square is the closest.

Is that them?

Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember Garcia, it's whoever is in charge of that development.

So in this circle alone, there's probably six or seven HOAs.

If if I may choose, just as a reminder that by not passing this middle housing application or the CBD, if you will, then what will end up happening is that we will revert, we will no longer have local control, and essentially you'd be able to do this throughout the entire city.

So what we're doing is we're protecting our city.

And correct me if I'm wrong, uh wrong uh Ron, but we're protecting our city from allowing anybody to just build a duplex triplex or anything referred to or defined as middle housing within a specific area.

So by not passing this, then essentially anybody could do whatever they want wherever they want.

So while we might not want that, and it's that's everybody here, your own personal decision, then you would um have to entertain the fact that any developer would be able to take advantage of that if this CBD is not passed after January 1st of 2026.

So this provides local control to us to um make sure that the areas in which these could pop up are not within that specific area or radius.

Mr.

Mayor, just to add a clarifier, uh that would be on any uh lot currently zoned uh uh for a single family.

Yeah.

Sorry.

No, that's right.

And again, I left out.

This doesn't stop all of our other multifamily empty lots we have.

In addition, any uh development now larger than 10 square uh 10 square acres, 10 acres, continuous acres, would be required to have 20 percent metal housing.

So you're gonna get the uh nuplexes, quadruplexes, or those kinds of things in large developments moving forward as part of required by state law.

Thank you.

Mayor City Manager, um, council members.

I would just like to add one more uh factor to it.

So we have a parking requirements as well, so it's like one parking space per unit and uh minimum of two of the spaces they need to be covered.

So it's if we have four plaques, then there has to be enough parking spaces and and they have to be covered.

So we we we the single family development standards will still apply to the new ones if a developer is creatively able to fit more units within the the standards of a single family.

Thank you for that.

Okay.

Councilmember Solorio?

Do we have an example of what this would look like?

Because in my mind, I'm reading that and I'm looking at that, and I get what Jeanette said, but is this like those Christopher Todd homes?

Is this like those?

Uh so Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember Slawy, uh, we can't so let's separate the two things because like the Christopher Todd homes, that could be what it looks like in a large new development where the 20 percent are small condos or patio homes or uh quadruplexes or something like that, but that'll come before council in a different manner.

But the the um project would require 20 percent of middle housing.

Well we're more concerned about, and that'll have that has a process, so it's not just gonna be a blanket stamp.

It's got to meet all our standards and our design standards, those kinds of things.

What we're really worried about here tonight, or trying to clarify tonight is these one-offs, these individual lots.

So it's you're gonna have uh possibly uh single family homes all down the street, and then you're gonna have this one lot that never got built or had a fire, or somehow became available, where if it fits according to the standards, you could have a duplex right in the middle of the single family uh lot.

And as the mayor said, without these, that could happen anywhere in the city.

So we've really tried to pick a land that meets the intent of the state law and provides the opportunities, but also uh uh doesn't create um uh what our maybe our single family communities don't want.

Uh and again, remember the HOA rules would apply if it's in an HOA area.

Okay, it's I can see that.

I just I guess I'm just not a fan of where it's at.

The other locations that we uh considered was on Western.

Um the problem with that is there's a lot more um land uh that could be developed into this way without any HOAs.

So you could have an old neighborhood that has nothing but single family homes, and all of a sudden you could have a quadruplex right in the middle of it.

So we felt like there was a lot more opportunity for disruptions in some of our areas.

In addition, the boulevard meets the definition of the state law for central business district.

It talks about walkability and it talks about being the heart of your economic uh development and your business, which is what we've called.

Um, I think the mayor's actually quoted as calling it the heart um from council.

So under those uh guidelines, uh that's why we chose that.

We felt like it was uh the the best opportunity to meet the state law without creating great disruption in our community.

Is this the only one that we're looking at, or are there gonna be possible other ones in the future?

Uh mayor, uh Mr.

Mayor and uh Councilmember Slayer.

This is the only one uh that we're planning to do.

If it pleases council, we could look at doing this in other locations, but we probably would do it in a different manner.

Um remember in some areas outside of HOAs, you might be able to get a rezone to a um multifamily zoning depending on what's going on.

Okay, thank you.

Any other comments from council?

Okay.

So at this point, can I get a motion on 5E?

Got a motion from Councilmember Weiss, second Councilmember Condi.

The rest of the council to please vote.

Okay, item passes.

At this time, I would like to open the public hearing on item 5F.

Marcella, no request to speak.

Thank you, Mayor.

No requests to speak have been received.

Okay, thank you so much.

At this time, I'd like to close the public hearing.

Can I get a motion?

We got a motion from Councilmember White, second from Vice Mayor Nielsen.

Please vote.

Okay, item passes.

Thank you so much.

Next item is a summary of current events.

Are there any council members that would like to share information on events that you've attended?

Councilmember Garcia.

Um I attended a lot of events, and not a lot of events, but a lot of veteran events because it was Veterans Day.

So to all the veterans in the room, happy veterans day.

Thank you so much for your service.

Um I attended the vet run at EMCC.

It was so well run.

Not that last year wasn't amazing, but this year was a lot better.

It was a lot more people, you could tell.

And um the police department had like the motorcycles out there, they had things for like the kids to try on and stuff, so that was a lot of fun.

And then um I received a certificate of um appreciation from the father uh who uh collagen's a night of Columbus assembly um here in Avondale, which was actually super cool.

I got to take my dad and my brother, or my son, not my brother, he's my child.

Um but they do a lot here in Avondale.

They're um out and off western, and they would love for the council to all kind of support them next year.

Um, but I met a hundred-year-old World War II veteran who turned 101 last week, and he was just full of fire.

So thank you for everyone for all of that, and thank you, Mayor, for um putting me in uh uh for that award.

I appreciate it.

Of course.

Councilmember Weiss.

Well, I just want to say on Friday, I had the opportunity to walk with um Avenue Fire, and we delivered um smoke detectors out around uh Central Holly Roads, and then um one of the things that was so impactful is when we went through one of the um trailer parks.

Um, one of the women that I had met said that she didn't have a smoke detector in her trailer.

So she was so thankful they get it, and she said, I'm gonna go hang it up right now.

So that was great.

Awesome.

Councilmember Solorio.

Uh Corey and the team in Green, great job on Friday for the Mercados and Melodies.

Lots of talent out there, lots of kids selling everything from crafts to baked goods and all in between.

It was really cute to see that.

And then um the singing act was really good too.

Didn't realize she's been on like America's got talent.

A lot of people knew who she was, they were talking.

So thank you guys.

Thank you.

Councilmember White.

Thank you so much, Mayor.

I had the opportunity to attend the Leadership West Strategic Horizon Summit here.

Wanted to thank Republic Services, Southwest Gas, APS, APS, as well as SRP for bringing that event here to Avondale.

Also had the opportunity to attend the Athena Awards.

And the Athena Awards are they celebrate women who are just making a difference in our community.

And uh Sintra Centra Hoffman, who is the CEO of Westmark was a finalist in the public sector.

So that was really open.

Also got the opportunity to go to the Cossack opening last week, as well as Delta Sigma Theta Sortia Incorporated hosted Red and Ready a partnership with the American Diabetes Association.

And we prepared a healthy holiday food as well as did some physical activity.

But the most important thing I learned about diabetes prevention and awareness is no matter how well you eat, no matter how much you work out, being in elevated area times of stress or having high cortisol levels might put your numbers, your A1C over the top.

So I just encourage everybody to stay away from stress and to eat healthily during this holiday season.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Vice Mayor Nilson.

I had the opportunity Wednesday to go over to the senior center where they recognized 30 or 40 vets in there.

They had a pinning ceremony where they all got a flag, uh little flag up there.

I was surprised most of the ones that were there were three to ten years of service.

There was one that had 31 years and one that had 47 years of service.

So amazing.

And what I guess caught my attention is one of the other ones that did spend a lot of time in the service.

He says, before I get my pen, I want to do sit up.

I mean push-ups.

So comes up there with his walker and his cane and gets down on the floor.

He did seven push-ups and jumped back up there and says, now I'm ready for my pin.

Amazing.

Awesome.

Well, the final 19 seconds, I just wanted to thank uh Avondil staff for hosting uh the superintendent's roundtable where all the superintendents from all the local school districts got together to talk about all the things the wonderful things they're doing.

Avondale neighborhood family services, parks and rec and I know I'm missing one more fire was able to speak, so thank you for all for doing that.

All right, can we get a motion for adjournment?

We got a motion from Councilmember Weiss, second from Councilmember White.

Please vote.

Thank you so much.

Drive home safe, everybody, and thank you for being here.

Yay.

Oh, happy Thanksgiving.