Avondale City Council Meeting – September 15, 2026

On September 15, 2026 (transcript timestamp 16:46:35 UTC), the Avondale City Council met for a regular meeting. This summary is based solely on the raw transcript; no agenda or minutes were available. Councilmember White had an excused absence. The council recognized National Suicide Prevention and Action Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, received a public art update and a National League of Cities update, heard public comments, and acted on a consent calendar and three public hearing items.

Consent Calendar

• No councilmember requested removal of any consent item.
• Motion by Councilmember Solorio, second by Councilmember Conde; the item passed 6-0, with one member absent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public comment requests included three blue-card speakers; a fourth submitter, Elias, was not present. Four emailed public comments were read into the record by the City Clerk: Nancy Orties, Zach M., Jesse Powell, and Michael Hoffman. Full comments were to be included in the minutes.
• Zachariah Shazaba, an Avondale resident, spoke in opposition to the city acquiring Flock cameras. He argued that license-plate readers track where people go, expressed concern about cameras near a children's playground, cited problematic uses in Albany, Georgia; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Gutierrez, Arizona, and opposed spending $239,000 of Avondale's budget on the cameras. Position: opposed to Flock cameras.
• Dr. Lewis Lafitte, Superintendent of the Littleton Elementary School District, provided information about the district's upcoming November bond election. He stated the Governing Board had authorized up to $95 million in bonds for capital projects, with an estimated tax impact of 69 cents per $100 of net assessed limited property value over 10 years. He said the district receives about $3.3 million annually from state funding, recently needed a $3.4 million roof replacement, and has an estimated $117 million in project maintenance needs over the next 10 years. Position: presented the bond as a needed response to capital needs.

Proclamations and Presentations

National Suicide Prevention and Action Month

• Liana Bell, Human Resources Assistant Director, introduced the proclamation and thanked staff; she noted that resource cards and yellow pins were distributed to employees.
• Linda Ryford of Southwest Behavioral Health Services accepted the proclamation and thanked the city for its commitment to mental health and suicide prevention.
• The mayor read the proclamation designating September 2026 as National Suicide Prevention and Action Month, proclaimed September 14, 2026. The proclamation encouraged use of 988 and the Arizona Complete Health Avondale Resource Center.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

• Mark Foote, Recreation Manager, presented programming for September 15 through October 15, 2026, including the Viva la Cultura exhibit at the Civic Center Art Gallery, salsa dancing on September 19, bilingual ballet folklórico story time on September 24, Hispanic Heritage Splash Bash on September 20 from 1–5 p.m., Mercados & Melodies on September 25 from 6–9 p.m., and La Herencia at Sam Garcia Library on September 26 from 2–4 p.m.
• Councilmember Solorio read the Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation. It noted that more than 68 million people of Hispanic heritage live in the United States, the observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week and was expanded to a month in 1988, and the 2026 theme is 'Unidos Somos Más – Together We Are More.' It proclaimed September 15–October 15, 2026 as Hispanic Heritage Month in Avondale.

Public Art Update

• Marissa Daly, Arts, Culture and Library Manager, reported that in fiscal year 2026 the public art team completed nine projects, began nine new projects, and awarded three scholarships to Avondale High School seniors through the Senior Art Scholarship Contest.
• Completed work included a mural at Fire Station 171 by Julian Viapando, a mural at Cooper's Hawk at Park 10 by Lauren Lee, 13 new hometown hero banners, sculptures at the Visitor and Conference Center and Civic Center Park, and 16 new or replacement plaques featuring QR codes.
• The Civic Center Art Gallery held its debut exhibition, Art and Nature, on March 20, 2026, and its second exhibition, Community Canvas, opened May 22, 2026; two works sold on opening night.
• Fiscal year 2027 public art fund remaining budget: $368,000, with $98,000 allocated to current projects. CIP public art budget: $377,000, with $13,000 under contract. Future projects include Old Town Plaza, Friendship Dog Park, Donatella Park, utility box wraps, hometown hero banners, the Civic Center Art Gallery, and the Water Reclamation Facility Expansion.

National League of Cities Update

• Timothy Evans of the National League of Cities (NLC) reported that Avondale has been an NLC member for nearly 50 years and received $17.9 million in direct federal COVID funding through NLC advocacy.
• He described NLC's four focus areas: federal advocacy, leadership development, local-challenge solutions, and savings through public-private partnerships. He noted Avondale has used NLC's grant access program since 2018, which includes more than 1,600 grants.
• He highlighted that Councilmember White serves on NLC's Transportation and Infrastructure Systems committee and as parliamentarian for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, and Councilmember Solorio serves on the NLC Board, one of about 60 seats among NLC's 2,700 member cities.
• Councilmembers thanked Evans and praised Councilmembers White and Solorio for their regional and national engagement.

Public Hearings and Legislative Actions

5A/5B – Municipal Operations Warehouse General Plan Amendment and Rezone (PL 25-0263 / PL 25-0264)

• Josh Orton, lead senior planner, presented both items for approximately 9.03 acres at the northeast corner of Lower Buckeye Road and Fourth Street.
• Item 5A requested a minor general plan amendment from industrial to public civic. Item 5B requested a rezone from R16 urban residential to Planned Area Development with an underlying Commerce Park zoning district.
• The PAD plan reduces the northern building setback from 50 to 45 feet and the northern land use buffer from 35 to 10 feet, with a 20-foot access easement providing additional separation; eastern setbacks and buffers remain at required levels.
• A neighborhood meeting was held June 30, 2026 with two members of the public; the Planning Commission voted 4-0 on August 19, 2026 to recommend approval. No one requested to speak at the council public hearing.
• Councilmember Conde asked about a deceleration lane on Lower Buckeye Road. Staff said a corridor study and future traffic impact analysis will determine whether one is warranted, and that the goal is to get delivery trucks safely out of through traffic.
• Vote on 5A: motion by Councilmember Weiss, second by Councilmember Solorio; passed 5-1, with one absent. Vote on 5B: motion by Vice Mayor Nielsen, second by Councilmember Weiss; passed 5-1, with one absent.

5C – Central Avenue Rezone (PL 25-0015)

• Cole Hunger, senior planner, presented the request to rezone 325 and 335 North Central Avenue from C2 community commercial to urban residential to allow one single-family dwelling unit on each lot. The combined parcels are approximately 0.45 net acres.
• Staff found the rezone supports appropriate infill development, is compatible with surrounding residential uses, and resolves split zoning on the southern parcel. A neighborhood meeting was held June 29, 2026 with one attendee; no public comments were received; the Planning Commission recommended approval 4-0 on August 19, 2026. No one requested to speak at the council public hearing.
• The mayor noted the applicant committed to two single-family homes rather than multiplexes, calling the development consistent with the surrounding neighborhood.
• Vote: motion by Vice Mayor Nielsen, second by Councilmember Weiss; passed 6-0, with one absent.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved 6-0, one absent.
• Proclamations presented and accepted for National Suicide Prevention and Action Month and Hispanic Heritage Month.
• Resolution 1067-0926 (general plan amendment for the Municipal Operations Warehouse) approved 5-1, one absent.
• Ordinance 2040-0926 (rezone for the Municipal Operations Warehouse) approved 5-1, one absent.
• Ordinances 2038-0926 and 2039-0926 (Central Avenue rezone) approved 6-0, one absent.
• Public comments were received and placed into the record; no council action was taken on unscheduled public comments.

Additional Council Comments and Adjournment

• Councilmember Garcia attended the West Valley Chamber Gala, observed a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk, an Arizona resident killed one year ago by political violence, and honored veterans lost to suicide. She stressed that political violence has no place in the community.
• Vice Mayor Nielsen mentioned participation in a Central Arizona Project banquet, police awards events, ribbon cuttings, and volunteer opportunities preparing bridge housing furniture.
• The council adjourned by motion from Councilmember Garcia, second by Councilmember Conde; the motion passed 6-0, with one absent.