Mayor I had 601.

Good evening.

Welcome to the Evo City Council meeting.

It is Monday, July 8th, 2024.

I had to call this meeting to order.

If I can get a roll call, please.

Councilmember Seton.

Here.

Councilmember Wanowato Rodriguez.

Present.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Here.

Mayor Powell.

Here.

Councilmember Snyder.

Here.

Councilmember Garcia?

Present.

Councilmember Tarango.

Here.

Thank you.

Anybody for invocation, Mary?

No.

I don't believe we have anyone, Mayor.

Okay, perfect.

If we can all stand for a moment of silence and then continue standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Dan.

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

And Julian Republic for which it stands.

Under God, in this world.

Liberty and justice for our all.

Thank you.

Public appearances.

Has anybody signed up?

No.

Okay, thank you.

Next, we're gonna go to City Council announcements.

We'll start on my right side.

Anyone over here?

Andy.

Absolutely.

Went to the Independence Day celebration here down in Eloy this weekend.

It was a fantastic time had by all.

I'd like to give a big shout out to Paul and his people for putting on an amazing event.

That was the biggest two water slides I've ever seen.

I think even the lifeguards were afraid to go up there at one point, which really spoke volumes about that.

We had the mechanical bull and all the food trucks, everything worked well.

Also like to give a big shout out to the city employees for all the work they did afterward, cleaning up because that's the unsung part of this thing.

Next is this uh Pest Saturday morning, one of the uh r residents of Robeson Ranch, a power couple as I call them.

That would be Carol Simmons and Dave Dempsey.

They uh took it upon themselves to put together a water drive to benefit the first responders here in Eloy.

And Saturday morning we went to their house and we loaded up 4,552 bottles of water, 392 bottles of Gatorade, and we took those and we distributed them to uh PD and thank you, Chief Waltley for having your people standing by ready to off help us offload.

And the other half went to uh Eloy Fire.

And it was just a nice thing watching a community come together like that.

It really was.

And that's it for me.

All right, thank you.

Sylvia?

Anyone?

Sarah?

No, thank you.

No, by the time we meet next time, we'll have uh school back in session.

So I just want to remind everybody as you go out starting next week.

Remember that kids are now starting to walk to school.

Be safe and be vigilant vigilant, and let's keep an eye on our children.

Thank you.

Especially on Main Street by the high school by the circle K.

There's not a crossing guard over there either.

So please be careful.

Dan Michelle?

Thank you.

Next we'll go to mayor announcements.

Once again, I echo what uh Andy said about the Fourth of July celebration we had.

Um I'm finally not sore from getting in and out of that dunk tank a billion times, and um a lot of Mexican Advil really helped out.

Um but I really enjoyed it.

It was a good time.

Um I only wanted to do it for 2030 minutes, but yeah, two hours later.

There was a lot of kids really enjoying that.

Yeah, there were some uh upset parents too.

So uh finally got their anger out on me.

But once again, Paul, thank you and your staff for an amazing job.

Uh Chad was right there with me helping me with all those kids and it was just a uh just a good event and uh the fireworks were amazing as well.

So um wanna remind everybody that it's not getting any cooler anytime soon.

Uh there is a heat um uh heat uh alert out there, and we want to make sure that we we um excessive heat warning that we pay attention to our neighbors, the elderly, um uh anybody that can be in distress, uh that you check on our neighbors, check on everybody, you know, just a follow-up phone call.

Um they're expecting, I mean, the highs of what 120 yesterday, the other day, and it's not going away anytime soon.

So just you know check on your neighbors if you can, you know, the seniors and and and drink plenty of water.

Um and our pets, absolutely.

Yep.

Um also we I wanted to ask the city if we have possible any cooling stations.

Um have we prepared for anything is if anything is to happen, uh like a power out of the great 2022.

Um are we are we at that level or have we started to prepare for an event?

If not, um not that I want one, but we always need to be prepared and also just cooling stations uh for our residents or visitors who are coming through our our city um that they just need a place to school down.

So are we prepared or have we talked about it?

Have you guys talked about uh about staff?

Yeah, so mayor, we have um we've had several meetings not only with APS but also with ED4 for summer preparedness.

Um we've also spoke.

We had Chief Gualtney um involved in those meetings.

We've had Eloy Fire involved in those meetings as well.

So I don't know if we've had a specific plan in place right now where those will those cooling stations and everything will happen, but those preliminary meetings have taken place already.

Okay, good, good.

Yep, go ahead.

Additional question.

Um what about sandbags or like sandbag stations to prepare for like our monsoon weather and our storms that are coming?

Uh with that one, I I am unaware of public works would be a good one.

Yeah, public works would be the one with that.

Yeah, they they usually stock up just in case.

We do, Mr.

Mayor, Madam Vice Madam Councilmember, we are aware that we are stocking up with our staff.

We have some additional sandbags that we've ordered and we're ready for for when those monsoons come in.

Okay, we've also um mowed all our drainage and everything.

Everything's we have okay.

They were just out on just uh out today on on 11 mile corner, the drainage ditch going along 11 mile corner as well.

Just the one on the taglia to get the the brush out of the way.

The one that's coming in east of the national Juperson plant is a pretty significant ditch.

We've been taking care of maintaining that one as well.

So we we we feel confident that we're ready for the for the monsoon when they come.

We're never ready.

But we're prepared.

Yes, sir.

All right, thank you.

Anything else?

Matt, while I have you.

Yes, I saw the pictures from about 10 years ago when there was a the big flood in Eloy.

So that preparedness, I thank you for that.

While I have you, are there any other buildings beside PD that have uh generative power with their local power they can generate in the event of a blackout that we can possibly utilize?

I'll defer to Paul on that one for the facilities.

I mean, since we're talking about it, I mean let's throw it out.

I thought I thought the PD was on there, I'm not sure.

Uh Mayor, Councilmember Sutton.

No, uh currently the police department's the only one with an emergency backup generator.

Uh we do have it in the next fiscal budget to equip city hall, but at this time it's just the police department.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

All right, thank you.

Uh tomorrow also I'll be um we're having a uh Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Meeting here at 10 o'clock.

Uh I'll be hosting it here at the City Hall.

So if anybody like to come, you're more than welcome to.

Um Mayor Thompson from Coolidge is the chair on that one.

So um that's all the announcements I have.

So thank you.

I keep looking at uh Mollowitz over here.

Yeah, yeah.

So if you guys don't know, uh David Mallar city manager is out for the next three weeks to it.

Yeah, uh he was accepted to Harvard uh years program.

Yep, what he said.

So uh it's a very nice program.

And so he's there representing us.

So in the meantime, we have McKenzie.

Hi, McKenzie.

First day in the hot seat, and I'm just grilled with questions right off the rope.

So appreciate the warm welcome.

Yeah.

No, appreciate it, and thanks for the help staff.

So yeah, Dave is gonna be out basically the entirety of July.

Um he's attending Harvard in a very prestigious program.

Um a lot of the top city managers and executive leaders in the state have gone through this program.

So we're really excited that he was given the opportunity through ACMA, the City Managers Association.

He got a full ride scholarship essentially, so there's no payment from the city.

It was completely grant funded by them.

And so we're excited to have him to have that opportunity to go there and then bring that experience back here to Eloy.

And there's only two people chosen, the manager from Chandler and Eloy.

So it's the whole state of Arizona.

Yep.

Prestigious honor.

But I guess from the uh managers' updates, the most exciting news we have from last week is we wrapped up our finance director recruitment.

A grueling process, but after about a week, we're very excited to bring back Brian Wright, our long-term finance director.

I can tell you from a staff's perspective, we're really excited to bring back on board.

Finance director recruitments are one of the hardest positions to fill, usually taking about six to eight months to fill that position.

So not only has Brian, you know, have wealth of experience, but he's really helped Eloy sustain that fiscal responsibility through all these years.

So we're super stoked to have him back on our team.

And I think council and everybody can speak on that as well.

Um outside of that.

The Fourth of July event was extremely successful.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend.

I was sick all last week, but I heard it was a great event.

Um estimated to have over 200 attendees.

Um so it was a great job.

Thanks for Paul for doing that.

2000.

2000 was it?

I don't know why.

More than 200.

Okay, yeah, maybe I got the numbers wrong, Paul.

Yeah, 2,000.

Some 200, 2,000.

Somewhere around there.

I had 200 people throwing the balls at you.

Don't take it.

Okay.

So uh like 2000 anyway.

Yeah.

The other update we have is the youth soccer and after school programming that opened up on July 1st.

So if you're a parent and you're interested in getting your kid registered for that, make sure to get them registered.

That lead play is gonna start in September.

And then lastly, we have on Friday, July 12th, we have the community service.

Uh, they're hosting their senior casino trip to Harris Casino.

Uh so that's gonna be taking place at 9 a.m.

And if you're interested in participating that as a senior, uh, you want to be at 9 a.m.

for pickup at the community services building off of 100 E7th Street or the Toll Tech Senior Center off of 3650 West Shed Road.

And that is all the updates that I have for the manager's announcement.

All right, thank you.

Next, we're gonna go to consent agenda.

All items listed with an asterisk are considered to be a routine matter.

It will be enacted by one motion and one roll call vote of the council.

There will be no separate discussion of these items unless the council members so request, in which event the items will be removed from the consent agenda and considering its normal sequence on the agenda.

So we have items A through D on the consent.

Any council members like to discuss any of these items presented to none?

Do I hear direction of council?

May I make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Thank you.

Do I have a second?

I'll second.

Thank you.

Mayor, can you get a roll call, please?

Councilmember Sedden.

Yes.

Councilmember Wannawatho Rodriguez.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis?

Yes.

Mayor Powell?

Yes.

Councilmember Snyder.

Yes.

Councilmember Garcia.

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango.

Yes.

The motion passed unanimously, Mayor.

Thank you.

Next one go to uh business item A.

Considerational acceptance.

The bid provided by Hawk contracting LLC.

Matt?

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor, members of the council.

Um, just a little bit of background on this.

We have our um pedestrian hybrid beacon that was has been ongoing for for the past several years.

It was originally brought to council um with a design presented by Farx Engineer, my cred and and my predecessor Keith Brown in 2019 to have um the pedestrian hybrid beacon going in.

And I came in at the tail end of this project after a lot of the preliminary work had already been done with this.

Um but as a little bit of a background for for maybe those members who were not here on council uh at that time in 2019.

It was presented to City Council in February of 2019.

The the pedestrian hybrid beacon design was was presented to uh council for some options for pedestrian safety at the intersection of Frontier Street and Main Street.

Uh as you know, that's a a gateway to our downtown.

Um we want to make sure that that the residents that are walking in that area feel safe and that they're protected.

I think in February of 2019, the city council approved entering into a contract with Horwicks Engineers uh to complete an intersection design study at that intersection um and to increase the the safety for for pedestrians in in that particular area.

The project was presented to council with several options.

One of those was to reduce the width of the street from two lanes to one, which makes it less distance that a pedestrian has to travel to go from one side to the other.

And that's that's the direction that I came in at.

It was already submitted in and had already been presented to council for that.

And also in 2019, the design contract contained provisions for designing the pedestrian hybrid beacon.

And as you know, pedestrian hybrid beacons are activated by pedestrian signal.

It's not a time signal.

This is the one that's it's on Florence Boulevard in Cassagrant.

Basically, the way it works is the signal is dark until a pedestrian comes in and activated activates it.

At that point, um the this is just kind of how it works and what the what the vehicle public sees versus what the pedestrians see.

When the pedestrian activates it, the yellow light flashes to alert the drivers that there is a pedestrian, and then it turns to solid yellow, uh just like any other stoplight, and then it goes to a solid red.

At that point, the vehicles stop, allow the pedestrians to cross, and then once the pedestrian countdown goes down, it's 20 seconds or 30 seconds or whatever it is.

After the pedestrians have time, the pedestrian hybrid beacon signals in the travel lanes will flash alternate red.

That says that if it's clear, then the cars can proceed.

And then once the once the pedestrian crosses, the intersections clear, and then those red lights turn off until the next activation.

From the pedestrian side of it, they will push the button, they'll see that the red stop sign or the red don't walk sign, and then it'll turn to yellow and then it'll turn to red at that point.

The pedestrian hybrid the pedestrian will see the walk signal, so they'll be able to walk across the intersection with the countdown, and then once the flashing reds start, that's a a notification to the pedestrians that they need to finish crossing.

And at that point, the other pedestrians, if there is another pedestrian, would have to wait until the next cycle just to keep the pedestrians safe.

How this applies to ours.

Um specifically, I I beg forgiveness because the I'm an engineer, I'm not a graphic designer, but this is our intersection, and I I basically photoshopped in a light pole of what it would look like for approaching our intersection.

This is approaching from the west going eastbound, and then this one.

Um the Photoshop is a little bit worse on this one.

But this is going westbound.

So you get an A for effort.

Well, thanks.

This one actually, this one I think actually looks better.

It blends better, so we'll we'll call that one good.

Um and then this is basically just a quick video to show just the operation.

Meet the pedestrian hybrid beacon.

This would actually work.

This is the vehicle signal of a pedestrian hybrid beacon.

The pedestrian hybrid beacon has been shown to reduce pedestrian crashes by 69%.

But how does it work?

The vehicle signal remains dark until it is activated by a pedestrian.

While the vehicle signal is dark, the pedestrian signal displays the don't walk symbol, and vehicles may proceed through the crosswalk at regular speed.

When a pedestrian presses the pedestrian push button, the vehicle signal flashes yellow to warn motorists, a pedestrian is ready to cross the road.

This brief flashing yellow interval is followed by a steady yellow interval informing motorists they should prepare to stop.

The vehicle signal then changes to steady red, indicating motorists must stop and wait at the stop line.

And the pedestrian signal changes to the walk symbol, allowing pedestrians to cross.

After a short interval, the pedestrian signal switches to a countdown timer.

And the vehicle signal changes to flashing red.

When this occurs, no other pedestrians may enter the crosswalk.

Once all pedestrians have cleared the crosswalk, motorists may cautiously proceed, even as the vehicle signal continues flashing red.

The vehicle signal then goes dark until the next pedestrian activates the pedestrian hybrid beacon.

We actually, when we when we started working on the construction of this, we split it into two phases.

Phase one we had was was with the hardscape improvements, the curb cut or the sidewalk, the signage, even though the signage is faced away from the roads right now, we still put it in for phase one.

Um phase two was is the next phase of it, and we we actually um in January of 2023, we we approved or that you as the council approved submitted an application for a community development block grant to fund the project.

We were awarded um $300,000 from the Penala County Community Development Block Grant Fund, and with that we we continued on with the project and we we split it into two phases just for the federal requirements of it.

The federal requirements we felt would be would be more um they would be more involved.

And if if we had a phase one, which we did, which was locally unfunded, we didn't have to follow necessarily the the all of the federal requirements that Davis Bacon, the prevailing wage, the the section three, the the disadvantaged business enterprises.

And so that one was was completed um in February for phase one, and then in June, we advertised for phase two.

Phase two is the electrical component of this.

The electric lines, the the poles, the mast arms, the signal heads, the flashers, all of the everything that that actually goes into the operation of the pedestrian hybrid beacon.

Uh we advertised for that in through through June.

Um we received the bids on June 28th of 2024.

We received three bids, uh AJP electric with a bit of 187,260, hot contracting with a bit of 148,148 and zero cents, and then William Charles construction with the bid of 17245 and 60 cents.

Uh all three of these contractors are registered on the sound.gov, which is the federal grant requirements, uh which is which is a requirement for a contract award for the community development block block grant.

Um so we we uh after reviewing the bids and reviewing their their work, any one of the three would have been able would be able to do this uh project for us, and and uh with that we recommend that the council award the uh accept the bid from Hawk contracting for a bit of one forty thousand, one forty-eight thousand.

Uh we would ask that because we have a grant award of up to three hundred thousand dollars, we would ask council to approve entering the contract out to the three hundred thousand dollars.

That way, if there's any change orders, we don't have to bring it back to council, and we can use all of that money that's provided to us from the community development block grant program.

All right.

Thank you, Matt.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Anybody on the council have any questions?

Oh just as long as it looks like this, because um when we approved the curbing, like I never thought that's what it was going to look like because this is what I had envisioned.

You know, we there was references to what was in um Florence Boulevard in Casagrand, and I know that the fancy curving curbing wasn't well receptive um received from the community, and so I understood.

And that's why I tried to bring in these these two showing what it would look like for our system with the existing improvements that are in place.

So that's the eastbound and then the westbound.

Yeah.

Uh 2019, I think whether there's maybe three of us involved back then.

But the original project, yeah.

I remember uh closing a third street was probably the first part of that.

And with this uh installation now, Matt, will that completely finish what uh was originally laid out in 2019 or some more to do beyond putting up this signal?

The only thing that we have that that as I was going back through the the plans for the third street closure, they did call for uh constructing the curb at the in at the end of third street to make it kind of like a cul-de-sac.

We haven't done that yet, but we can certainly do that if there's if there is if additional funding left over.

But we do have third street blocked off with the barriers.

I will say people still go around, they cut through where the the old the restaurant was Tacarilla Rodriguez was.

They will still go around.

Um there's anything we can do to fix that.

We can get some jersey barriers and big concrete barriers.

Uh and and that's that's something that that we can certainly do as far as educating.

We can work with the police department about putting out a uh public service announcements.

Hey, you're not supposed to cut across private property to get from point A to point B.

So we will certainly look at at other options for that.

So this is more of a comment as well than a question.

Um with ref regards to what Sylvia was talking about, people going around and the and the yellow poles there.

Um I specifically want to make a comment about the yellow poles.

I realize they are uh more cost effective way of um preventing people from going through that street, and then same thing on the picture you have up, the yellow poles prevent people from going into that other lane.

But I would say that the yellow poles don't look that great.

Um, you know, I I know that they're an option right now for safety, but maybe someday, it doesn't have to be today, that when we especially when we um do some work on where the um old dust bowl was, and you know, I know Dan Simers got some plans and ideas for that, um beautifying that corner or doing something cool there.

You know, maybe if we were gonna do something like make a pedestrian area um where third street's blocked off, and maybe there's somehow we can make these yellow poles situation look better and that it's still safe when we do all that other stuff.

Just keep that in mind.

Absolutely.

We will certainly keep that under consideration and we'll look at our other options when we when we move forward.

And uh just another note, I do like not the yellow poles, but I do like the ability to open and close third street at will, because we curve that, we take away that option for ourselves.

Yeah, as far as parades or anything else, we want to just remove so maybe a nice bollard of some kind.

Well it always worked well, like people were used to driving there.

Um, and I know when the school went in there, that that mostly is what influenced, you know, because of the children.

But I'll tell you it's some of the stuff that do it too.

So they still go roll the poles.

It's changing behavior.

And that that's that's the biggest thing.

My my question is if council decides that they want to open up that second lane and that intersection, are those poles will be close enough or far enough uh from the curb to be able to open up that second lane?

If council wants to do that, yeah, if if council, if that's the direction that council wants to do it, it just means that we would have to go in and remove the curbing that was put in.

Because that curb right now comes into what was the the second lane before.

And that's what I'm saying.

If is it is it close enough or far enough from a potential sec opening of that second lane?

No, because that when we when we extended the curve out, we extended it into the travel lane.

So we would to to reinstate the second lane, we would actually have to remove the curve that was put in.

But the the structure would go over both lanes as it is right now.

Yes, and the reason why we we did it with two signal heads is so that the oncoming traffic could see, because there are two there are two lanes east and west of the main street intersection, the approaching traffic can see that there are two signal heads there, and then it would it channels down to one lane.

So it's far enough to the middle of the street, the the island, I guess you could say okay.

So uh essentially they there will be two lighted structures and both potential lanes covering so if council wants to redirect or reposition or open it for in the future, there won't you won't have to take off that structure and move it away.

That's correct.

Okay, if if if council decides to at some point in the future open up that second lane again, we have both signal heads already there.

Okay.

That's something that that may happen.

So I want to I want to mention that because that may I may not be here, but um it may happen.

So we're that Michelle.

Thank you, Mayor.

A question then.

Um you mentioned, well, for one, are we gonna add more?

I know Councilman Garcia won't like this.

Um more little street lights to that area because even with the street lights that are there currently, it's quite a dark intersection.

Yes, Mr.

Mayor, madam council member, yes, we will.

And as you can see, it's it's kind of hard to see in this one, but we do have the luminares above the signal heads.

We do have a luminaire on each post that's that's in the design with another LED uh street light.

And then one other question.

So we see this pole.

Is there one on the other opposite side of the roadway for traffic going west?

Yes.

So this this would be what it would look like going eastbound.

Okay, and then this one would be what it would be like looking going westbound.

So we would have a pole on each side with two signal heads plus a street light on on each side, one on each side.

On both on the north and the south side of frontier.

Yes, that's correct.

Okay.

I just want to make sure because that's still the eastbound lane.

Yeah.

Yes, they're both eastbound lanes.

We can see the traffic coming from the westbound lane.

Well, this this is the the westbound.

This is he's telling me he's so you're talking on on that side of the picture.

The traff the white truck that's headed west.

Yes, the the truck in the white truck here is heading eastbound.

No.

No heading westbound.

He's headed westbound.

The right hand side of the photo, you can see the uh train across the road.

That signal is over the eastbound lane.

Is that the same?

That's eastbound.

Yeah, they're both these.

They're both east truck.

Just close your eyes.

I'm just making sure because that might photoshop editor.

Yes.

Yeah, no.

I see your point.

Your point is well taken.

Yes, and so my apologies.

I tried to get one for each direction.

Okay.

But yes, we will have a signal head both sides.

And a street light, one on the south side, one on the north side.

Okay.

I just wanted to clarify that because people in Casagran still don't abide by these lights.

And that's a much larger, busier intersection.

So I have three now.

One's in front of the county section, county complex on Continental.

And then on Panell as well, too.

Yeah.

So yeah.

They haven't had fatalities there in quite a while, but I just wanted to make sure we were safe.

And David's listening and watching, so he hears our um we might want to do a video.

Okay.

And with our our PIO or over at the police department and get aerials with a drone and kind of, you know, like a PSA for our social media.

Um explain what we're doing as well too.

So we can work with it with the police department on that to get that.

Uh mayor, if I could, if I could hit on that.

We're gonna have our intern that's a graphic designer from uh Central Arizona College, he's gonna be helping with us develop something similar to what you've seen if Casa Grand.

I know they did a really good video, so we're gonna be looking looking at utilizing him for that as well.

So okay.

All right, any other questions regarding this item?

Mayor.

I have noticed that there's a whole lot fewer people jaywalking across, except for me, and I caught myself jaywalking the other day, but who are who are actually taking the time to walk down the extra what is it, 50 feet to cross the road and then come back up in a round.

I'm seeing a lot fewer people crossing on the other side on the uh east side of the lanes there.

So they are utilizing the new crosswalk.

Good.

And it's it makes it easier to cross only one lane when you're driving too.

So that's been nice.

It exactly.

Thank you.

All right.

Safety is number one.

So cool.

Any other questions?

Anybody in the audience have any questions regarding this?

All right, hearing none.

Direction from council.

Do I hear a motion to approve?

So moved.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Can we get a roll call, please?

Councilmember Snyder.

Yes.

Councilmember Sutton.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Councilmember Garcia.

Yes.

Councilmember Wanuato Rodriguez?

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango?

Yes.

Mayor Powell.

Yes.

The motion passed unanimously, Mayor.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Quick side note.

I'm going to move item C to the last one.

So D is going to get put in after B.

Uh next item.

Item B adoption of resolution number 24-1574.

Approving case number GPA 2024-001.

Dan.

Mayor members of the council.

So I can catch up the speed with you here.

Which one's do you move, Mayor?

We're on B.

Yeah.

Okay.

So the case before you here is a general plan amendment for the Saw Tooth Resident Uh Salt Tooth Energy Center.

The case is related to about 55 acres of land on the north on the north end of the project that is on the south of the southwest corner of Milligan and Toltec Street.

It's currently zone R 143.

The property though has a general plan designation of medium residential.

So it is necessary to change the general plan to a state residential on that property.

The planning commission did recommend approval inanimate unanimously.

And staff recommends approval as well.

Okay, so we don't need to do a uh public hearing on this.

Uh general plan amendment.

Yes.

Steve.

Mayor, council members on the agenda.

We do not have a public hearing listed.

Okay, thank you.

That's correct.

And the the agenda is not uh required to have one.

Is that the public hearing was held at the Planning Commission meeting?

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mayor, members of the council.

Uh, for your records, my name is Court Rich with the Rose Law Group, and I'm uh here tonight on behalf of the applicant EDF Renewables.

Mayor, you you've switched it around on me a little bit, and I just want to make sure I do what you want.

Um EDF has two applications tonight that are on your agenda that facilitate the same project.

That one of them is the one that we're about to hear specifically is a small little parcel that needed a change of the general plan designation.

And then there's a second application that's a rezoning, a PAD amendment for the whole the whole project.

And I know we have an issue with we have a uh um a resident here and I want to address all those issues.

My presentation was to talk about both of those at once.

Um I can do that if you'd like.

Um and I don't sorry to I see you looking at me like, what are you doing to me?

So I apologize.

Um, but if I can just I can what I would suggest, Mayor, with your uh with with your okay, is that I give you the presentation on both of them together um all at once.

And what I was going to come here and tell you uh late breaking news is that in order to continue working with the neighbor, we're gonna ask for a continuance at the end of this, specifically for the second item that um which the letter C.

Uh, we think we're close to working out a an arrangement, but we understand you've had uh you know had some issues um some at home with being able to be available and stuff like that.

And so we want to keep that discussion going and don't want to um cut off those discussions before we've had a chance to to do all that.

So with that said, Mayor, and sorry for the big windup.

I just knew that um item D was gonna or item yeah, C was gonna take a little longer.

Yeah, that's why I want to move that to the end.

Okay, and I just made it all take longer, so sorry about that.

Oops, and then I'm gonna do something but all right, hold on.

All right, well, let me get into it here.

All right, great.

Well, um, let me start out by uh telling you a little bit about the applicant, EDF renewables.

And I'm excited that I get to come up here um to talk to you all about one of these.

I know you've been dealing with solar projects for quite some time.

It's been a uh a big source of discussion, and you revised your your um ordinances, and I'm happy to be able to tell you that I'm here with a project that is where you said you wanted it.

Um, and it's a developer who's like best in class developer that you could get.

And so EDF Renewables um has been uh in North America operating for more than 35 years.

You know, solar is a big kind of hot issue these days, but these are not like come lately group.

This is a group that's been doing energy development in the United States, in North America, and around the world for very long time, very well experienced.

And um, you can see just some of the some of the uh you know statistics there, um, 18 gigawatts of developed projects and a very large pipeline there headquartered uh in San Diego area, and so have done a lot of work in the in the southwest as well.

And um one of the things that we've heard when we've been talking with not only you all but folks in the community is they want to make sure that the the companies that are coming in here are um dedicated to Eloy and that they're not just coming in here to you know get a project done and you'll never see them again.

And so you know, I'm happy to say EDF has a track record of that they want to own these projects, and so they're not some of these, some of the business models is I come in and I flip it or something, but they're a long-term owner by design, and so they come in and they want to be a part of this community, and they I'm high would be happy to talk to each and every one of you.

I know that we've had discussions in the community already about what does the community need?

How can they be a good player in the community?

I know you're familiar with uh you know, probably with the APS and and other uh utilities that you know have a presence, and that's what they they view.

Certainly, they're not the scope of the monopoly utility that you see, but they they want to have that presence here.

And if there's you know, the the school needs something, or a local community center or a charity needs something.

Um, in fact, Henry Smith, who's their community uh outreach manager for the Western United States is here today and really excited to hear what the city wants.

So just trying to impress upon you that that's a real big part of what they do.

Um through development, there will be opportunities for contracting for local businesses.

Um there's uh investments uh that are made locally.

There are certainly a lot of uh tax revenue.

We'll talk about that a little bit more.

Um, and you know, that's it's good for the environment uh as well.

So um that's a really good thing.

So I've mentioned the community partnership.

Um mentioned the community, the ownership model already.

Um, but I want to talk about health and safety, and that's their number one uh, I mean, that's the most important thing with all of this.

And from the beginning, we've met with the the fire district on numerous occasions.

Um and I know Rod is here, and and I I asked him if I could say this before, but the fire district is supportive of this project, and I invite him to tell me if I'm if I'm wrong, but I don't want to speak for them.

Um, but we've met with them often.

Uh we've given them uh updates on the technology.

Uh we have an expert here in the audience today.

If you have questions on battery or fire or safety, any of those types of things that can answer those.

Um, but that really is the most important thing, and this project is designed with safety in mind using the best technology and the best uh the the you know implementing in the in the most modern fashion that's the safest way to do it.

So um moving on, uh just to try to frame this up.

The the first item, the item we're technically on on the agenda.

Whoops, I didn't mean to do that, is that little purple, I don't know, maybe I'm colorblind, purple bluish thing in the upper left-hand corner.

Um, that needs a general plan amendment, a minor general plan amendment to get brought into uh the bigger uh or to have the same designation so it works with the rest of the project.

Um so there's kind of just what what we're asking for 50.61 acres uh for a general plan amendment up there in the northwest corner.

And then the second request, uh, mayor, which you move to later in the agenda, is for then the whole property, um, not just that area with the red box around it, but the whole thing to go ahead and be enabled to do the solar project.

So I think what I would be coming to you from a very different perspective if I was not here asking for one of these projects, uh asking for a solar project in the area that the city specifically set aside for solar when we went through the zoning ordinance last time.

And so where you see that star, that was project E.

If you remember, there was that discussion with all the different different projects.

This was the one that was the furthest away from the freeway, the furthest away from where the discussions were about the setbacks.

Um, and so I'm I'm happy to be able to stand here with with a project that's where you all told the public and told these developers you want them to be.

Um again, it's already set aside for these solar uses.

It's an out-of-the-way location that's gonna limit visual impacts on the community at large.

As you know, there's limited infrastructure in the area today, and and there's limited infrastructure expected in the area over what would be the life of this project, which is in the 30, you know, 35 year time frame.

Um, there's obviously water limitations also in this area.

The solar projects use very, very little water compared to any other use that you could imagine putting out there.

Uh and solar is an in-im use of the land.

So when this when the times change, when this area is right for something else, um, you'll be in a position to develop something else.

So you've seen a lot of solar projects proposed to the to the city.

Um there's a lot in the pipeline.

There's been a lot of discussion.

Why is there so much discussion about solar?

I just wanted to touch on that really briefly.

First of all, um, APS, which doesn't provide uh electricity to all of uh Eloy, but does to uh a good chunk of it.

In fact, I think City Hall is an APS customer in the down, the older downtown area is all APS.

They, you know, for the last hundred years they spent building up um their load and their generation capacity to where it is today, and they expect to need to grow by 40% over just the next six years.

So that is a massive amount of energy that's needed, and that impacts not just APS in the area they serve in Eloy, but it impacts all the other utilities that also serve you know this area and and the rest of the state, impacts economic development, energy use is important, and why why solar?

It's right now the lowest cost energy available.

And so when APS does these um, they do requests for competitive proposals, and they look at whether it's you know, whatever technology you want to bid in, what wins because it's the cheapest is solar with batteries.

It's the least expensive option.

Um, and when you put the batteries on the solar, it makes it reliable, and that's why the utilities are built building and buying and doing so much of this.

Uh and the area, as you know, there's there is transmission capacity, and there's a uh a great substation uh right there that can accept all this stuff.

So that's why you're seeing it right here.

And I'll try to wrap up.

Um, the project complies with the new solar ordinance, 100%.

There's low water use landscaping.

Um, there's uh it's gonna have the maintenance agreement that you require, there's a decommissioning plan that'll be required.

It meets all the setback requirements and all that.

Um benefits.

I already talked about the community partnership.

I just wanted to do an example really quickly on tax the tax benefits.

Um, and what I did here is I looked at a parcel.

Uh this is up by um uh Selma Highway and uh and 11 mile corner, and I just picked one of those spots that just had solar put in.

Uh and so you could look at their tax bill, and you can see you know, it shows you last year before solar, and then the year once the solar is added, and you can look at the benefit across the board to all the various taxing districts that are that are there.

And so, as you you can see, you know, there's the 2021 tax column on the tax bill, and then there's the 2022 tax column on the tax bill, and I've zoomed out.

This is just for one parcel up there.

Um, you know, each of those things increased, almost every one of them had the taxes go up, and on this one parcel alone, you know, it's a total of 118,000 more in taxes just in that initial year after it went from rural uh to and agricultural use to the the solar use, and and this wasn't in Coolidge, but you can see all the different special taxing districts that benefit from that from the you know from the county to the city to the school districts, which benefit very large.

Um we've done a report on this project and the Santa Cruz school district will get 13.8 million dollars from uh from this project over the life of the project.

So you know there are increased tax revenues as part of it.

Um you'll get the area will be maintained.

I know it can be a source of dust out there for the area.

You'll have maintenance over it, which will stop the dust issues.

Uh, we're gonna do a lot of roadway improvements.

Um be lots of construction uh jobs that hopefully will be local, and then there's operation and maintenance opportunities along the way also.

So we think there's a lot of great benefits for the city.

Um and then mayor, I do want I I did want to address um the dealings with the neighbor, and and if this is a good time to do that, I can do it, or if you want me to stop because that's more about the second issue than the first issue.

I'm happy to do it however you like.

Let's do the second let's wait till the second.

Okay, and so I'll wrap up then.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, council members.

Um, I think this this first area is very far away from the it's several miles away from where the the neighbor that that we have the issue remaining with, and so you know if if you see fit to uh vote and approve that today, we'd be very grateful.

If not, you know, we're happy to have a continuance along with the other item, which I'll I'd like to speak to also.

Okay, more briefly.

So, right now we're just gonna focus on changing the minor general plan amendment from medium density residential to a state residential, uh, that's on approximately 50 50.61 acres.

So that's what we're doing right now.

Well, we'll we can change that and then focus on the next item.

And your next item would be last.

Mayor, however, you would like to do it.

Yeah, I'm happy to speak to that whenever you like.

Okay, yeah.

This let's do that.

Uh so adoption of resolution number 24-1574.

Do I hear a motion rebuy title?

Oh, yeah, go yeah.

Um, on the map where we have the purple, blue, and the green section.

You know how there's a little section right beside the purple section?

Um what what's going on in there?

That that is that um what zoning is that and what is that farmland or just vacant land or maybe Dan knows?

I'm not sure.

I thank you.

Um Vice Mayor, which which area are you pointing to?

Sorry, now that I got the map.

That you have up, see to the right of your blue section that's in between the it's kind of like shaped like an L, the empty, you know, the little piece that we're talking about that's sticking out from the project.

The little piece that's in between the green and the blue.

It's surrounded by Soviet project.

So now it's surrounded by the project.

What what is that bit of land and uh what's going on there?

Mayor members of the council, uh Vice Mayor Curtis.

That is uh general plan for commercial.

So it'll be uh the land is owned by a separate entity, and uh it's currently uh the small sliver right along the street is commercial, and then the little notch uh is residential.

So anybody else have any questions?

All right, here a motion to read by title only for resolution number 24-1574.

So moved.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

All in favor say aye.

All right.

Any opposed?

Hearing none, Mary.

Okay.

The resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of Eloy, Arizona, approving a minor general plan amendment to change the land use map from medium density residential to state residential on approximately 50.61 acres located approximately 1,325 feet west of the southwest corner of West Milligan Road and South Tall Tech Road.

All right, thank you, Mary.

Do I hear direction of council?

Motion to approve.

Mr.

Mayor, I make a motion to approve uh resolution 24-1574 as read.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Can I get a roll call, please?

Mayor Powell.

Yes.

Councilmember Seton.

Yes.

Council Mover Tarango.

Yes.

Council Member Wanawapa Rodriguez.

Yes.

Council Member Garcia?

No.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Council Member Schneider.

Yes.

Motion pass six to one, Mayor.

All right.

Thank you.

Next, we're going to go to item.

Well, now a C, but it was D.

Um adoption of resolution number 24-1578.

Declaring as a public record that a certain document filed with the city clerk and entitled First Amendment to the Cooley Eloy 640 Planned Area Development.

Dan members of the council, Dan Seimer Community Development.

As the mayor's read, there are two items under this agenda.

Section item.

First one is the resolution to declare public record, which is necessary because the document is rather lengthy.

And in order to save money on publishing costs, we declare a public record for those that are wishing to look at it.

So we publish in the papers of public record, and then they can come down to the city council or to council chambers or I'm sorry, Mayor's City Hall.

City Hall, thank you.

To look at the document.

The second item is the rezoning of approximately 650 some odd acres of land to amend the existing PAD to allow the solar energy facility and related utility improvements and the battery storage as part of the uh PAD is an allowed use.

Planning commission did recommend this for uh unanimous approval of 3-0.

Staff is recommending approval as the planning commission per uh recommended stipulations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Gore.

Good evening again.

Thank you, Mayor, members of the council.

Um, so I I stole a lot of my own thunder talking about solar in the last one, so I'll try to be much more brief with you uh this time, but I do want to tell you a little bit about the applicant, um, RWE Clean Energy.

And again, um, just like the previous one, um, I'm happy and proud to be able to stand up in front of you with you know, on behalf of an entity that's done a tremendous amount of work with a great track record um of experience and success, not just in the southwest, but all over the the United States.

Again, not a um not another uh not a company that that just sort of came out of nowhere and is getting into solar energy.

They they've been doing this for a long time.

Um it's a 125-year-old company.

Uh they've been doing solar and renewable energy development work in the US for the last 15 years.

Uh, and um again have a big commitment.

I I know some of you may have met Lucera Weber, who is their community uh engagement manager who's who's been here and been in the community talking uh to folks about what you know what the community needs and and what the community could benefit from with this relationship.

Uh and so again, happy that that they're um to be here on behalf of of such a great group.

Um examples of some of the the community investments that they've done uh recently uh with some some other projects and some other areas.

They were recent sponsors of the 2024 Navajo Nation Energy Summit, which was in New Mexico a few uh just a month or two ago.

Um they donated to local nonprofits, food banks, mental health crisis support centers.

Um so if there's stuff like that that this community needs, you know, by all means um they want to be a part of of being that that partner in that solution with locally with their mesquite solar facility, which is um west of Phoenix, uh out sort of um southwest of of the urban area there.

Um they've created a wildlife oasis as part of that project, and so they're they're open to just sort of ideas of of what they they've worked on and and things that they do with the community, field trips and those types of things.

So um that's something that hopefully this this community can get excited about and that I know they're excited about.

So again, making my life easier today is that this is uh one of those projects that's on the land that the city set aside uh for solar when we went through that process a few years ago.

Um it's that one with the star there.

Again, it's located far uh from where there was a discussion about where the setbacks could or should be.

Um, and so we were very happy about that.

Uh we had our open house, and we had a couple of folks in the community come and sign in in support.

Uh, we're not aware of any commenters from the public that have had any any feelings on this.

Uh the landowner right now is a farmer uh and will remain uh will remain the landowner, and I know they're here today, um, but they're excited about the opportunity to put this farm sort of on hold for now, um, not have to use the water um and and be in a position where you know they can have a beneficial use but not be stressed by the lack of water and and those types of things.

So um, you know, the same things I said about the tax benefits and and the benefits of solar and why here and why now uh stand, so I don't need to take you through all that again.

I'm happy to uh to also report that we've worked with uh this developers also worked with the fire district, similar uh good support from them and good feedback from them as well.

Um I'll leave it there.

If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer those, but we really appreciate the long.

I know it feels like it's just here today on this one, but I know we've been working on these for a very long time.

We appreciate your staff and and all of your time on this.

Thank you, Court.

I I have a question, maybe for you or the landowner.

Is this going to be a long-term lease?

Correct, Mr.

Mayor.

This is uh a long-term lease just like the other project.

We would anticipate probably around a 30 or 35-year life for the project.

And then when uh you know, when development interests change, when there's other opportunities, other infrastructure, this project will be perfectly placed to do whatever makes sense in that area at that time.

And you you all, when you adopted your ordinance, put in place um you know pretty strict requirements around decommissioning and decommissioning bonds to make sure that you know these projects will go away and repair the land, and then you can do something else.

Okay, so all right, thank you.

Anyone else have any questions regarding this item?

No, okay.

Um now we're adoption of resolution number 24-1578.

We're gonna be doing this in two-fold, correct, Steve?

Mayor, Council members, that is correct.

Okay.

So first one would uh read by title only.

Um do I hear a motion to uh read by title for resolution number 24-1578?

So moved.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Thank you.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Hearing none.

Thank you, Mary.

Okay.

A resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of Eloy, Panaw County, Arizona, declaring as a public record that certain document filed with the city clerk entitled First Amendment to the Cooley Eloy 640 Planned Area Development.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Can I get a roll call, please, Miss Mary?

Uh let's start with Councilmember Wannawato Rodriguez.

No councilmember Garcia?

No.

Councilmember Seton?

Yes.

Councilmember Snyder.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Mayor Powell?

Yes.

Councilmember Tarango.

No.

Motion pass 43, Mayor.

Okay.

Next one go to the second portion of this ordinance number 24-972.

Approving an amendment to the zoning map, case number RZ PAD 2009-018 point A one.

Is there any changes on this one, Dan?

No.

Okay.

So this one would approve the zoning.

And allow it to move forward, correct?

All right.

Motion and a direction from council.

We approve ordinance number 24-972.

Thank you.

This one by title two.

Okay.

Make a motion we we uh read uh we read ordinance number 24 days 972 by title.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Thank you.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Hearing none.

Mary?

An ordinance of the mayor and city council of the city of Eloy, Panaw County, Arizona, approving a rezoning of approximately 651 acre site located between West Shea Road and West Phillip Road and South Tweedy Road and South 11 Mile Corner Road to the modified Cooley Eloy 640 Planned Area Development to add the solar utility scale generation and battery energy storage system facilities as an allowed use, providing for severality and establishing an effective date.

All right, thank you.

Do I hear direction of council?

Senator make a motion we approve orders number 24 days 972 as read.

Thank you.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

Can I get a roll call, please?

Councilmember Tarango.

No.

Vice Mayor Curtis.

Yes.

Councilmember Seton.

Yes.

Mayor Powell?

Yes.

Councilmember Wanaroto Rodriguez.

No.

Councilmember Garcia?

No.

Councilmember Snyder?

Yes.

Motion pass 43, Mayor.

All right.

Thank you.

All right.

Next we're going to go to item, which is now item D.

Um adoption of resolution number 24-1577 declaring a public record of the certain documents filed with the city clerk and titled Eloy Valley Specific Plan, a planned area development.

First amendment, Solid Tooth Energy Center.

Mayor members of the council, both items as the mayor has indicated are on this agenda item.

The first one is to create a public record so that the clerk doesn't have to publish the entire 100 and some odd pages in the newspaper, and that the public can come down and look at those documents.

Staff is recommending approval to create that public record.

The second item is 24 ordinance 2497, which is a rezoning of approximately 55 acres of land from R 143 to R 143 PAD and the additional 1300 acres approximately.

Although with the additional condition that the res the developer resolve the neighborhood concerns prior to city council.

Staff is recommending the two options here.

Either the council can continue the item to a future date or approve the case as recommended by the planning commission in accordance with the stipulations that were provided provided or with modified stipulations.

Thank you.

So earlier court said that they like to table this until later on so they can have communicate continuing communication with the property owner.

Um is that is that right, Court?

Yes, Mr.

Mayor.

Um we we would like to request a continuance to a date certain, um, which I think is the the council meeting a month from now, that's August 12th.

Um we have been working with uh Mr.

Shacone.

We uh appreciate the the back and forth with him.

I think we're willing to we've been willing to give most of the different things that have been put on the table, and so we're hoping that we can come back to you and um and have an agreement with him in place.

Uh if not, we'll be here next time and explaining what what you know what we're where we're at uh and and going from there, but we appreciate uh your indulgence in that.

All right, Mr.

Shacone, are you okay with that?

Yes, I need some more time.

Okay.

Um yes, absolutely.

Um so hearing that Steve, can we do one or do two should we just table the whole item?

Mayor, council members.

Um there would not be a problem with declaring the public record unless the agreement that might be worked out between the developer and Mr.

Chicone has any changes.

I don't think that there would be, but there is that possibility.

Mayor and Mr.

Cooper.

Um I mean we may alter the stipulations or or ask the the council to alter the stipulations by agreement.

So I'm not sure how that might play into the the question was basically could we declare the public record of the the plan dare development?

And my comment to the council was if there is going to be some language worked out between you and Mr.

Chicone that needs to be in that agreement, then we should probably continue that matter.

If there isn't, then we could approve it.

Yeah, uh Mr.

Mayor, Ms Mr.

Cooper, yeah.

We would request a continuance on that then because we think there may be changes.

All right, so at the whole item, the item was now D at the request of both parties.

We'll go ahead and uh continue this item or until the August 12th.

Even staff has is okay with that, Dan McKenzie?

She went to McKinsey first.

We'll are we okay with that?

Staff-wise.

Yeah, we have to do certain.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um hearing all parties involved.

Um it's been recommended that we continue this to our August 12th meeting.

Um at this time.

So direction of council, are we okay with that?

I just need to hear a motion.

Mr.

Mayor, make a motion we uh continue this could to the August uh 12th meeting.

Okay.

Do I hear a second?

Second.

All right.

Can I do all in favor or do I have to be a roll call, Mayor?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Nay.

Six four ones again.

Yep.

Okay.

All right.

Uh okay, so we'll see you all parties here on August 12th.

Absolutely.

Thank you guys.

And so this is going to conclude today's city council meeting.

Thank you all for coming.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Uh members, stay cool, stay uh shade, I guess.

I don't have no hair, so I gotta wear a hat all the time.

Uh but thank you all for coming, and this is gonna adjourn today's meeting.

Good night.

All right.

Yeah, they have public hands.

Yeah.

So I'm not sure.

Thank you.

Thanks.