Good morning.

How's everyone?

Summer's over.

And we're back.

So we'll call into order this session of the Mesis City Council study session, August 14th, 2025.

Once again, welcome back.

I'm Scott Summers, the Vice Mayor.

I'm going to run the show today.

Mayor Freeman is attending via Zoom.

Mayor Freeman, can you hear us?

I can, thank you.

And now you know why he's attending during Zoom.

I was going to tell you.

He was feeling a little under the weather.

Now we know.

We're going to take off.

And uh Julia is on time plus three minutes, and she'll be joining us in one moment.

Don't tell her I said that.

Item number one is to review and discuss items on the agenda for August 18th, 2025 regular council meeting.

Do we have any items on the agenda that council members would like to review?

If not, I know Mr.

Butler has a couple of brief presentations.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

We want to go ahead.

Okay.

When do we go with the council members?

On item 4A, the Broadway road improvements.

Guess what?

That's necessary.

Yeah, so yeah, perfect timing.

So why don't we call uh uh Lance and Eric or I'm not I'm not sure we're all is handling this, but we've got we've got a presentation ready to go for you.

Okay.

So we'll start with uh presentation on item four A Broadway Road Improvements phase one.

Seems like we're always improving Broadway Road.

I mean it's uh yeah well this is a major improvement elevator.

Good morning, Vice Vice Mayor and and uh council.

Uh here to talk about Broadway Road phase one, Mesa Drive to Stapley Drive.

Um just to touch on a little bit of the project scope.

I'm sure a lot of you are aware of of what the project consists of.

Uh these are just some of the general highlights.

We have several utilities that we're working on.

This happens to be one of the um one of those corridors where we have quite a few old uh existing utilities uh in this area, uh some dating as far back as the 1940s.

Um so that's kind of a primary focus for this project as as we start that.

It's it's it's really kind of five or six projects in one, if you think about it, uh, with the various utilities and work that we're doing.

Um, but it is transportation job where we're looking at uh improving that intersection and and uh pavement replacement um and new right turn lanes on all four legs of Broadway and Stapley.

Uh we also have and have worked with the flood control um to uh place and and put a new storm drain in both in Broadway and down Stapley Drive, part of a uh larger regional drainage system, and then new sidewalks for uh pedestrians and then uh uh pedestrian hybrid beacon crossings at three locations actually at La Suire uh Olive and at Eagles Park at the elementary school right there.

Can I ask real quick?

Vice Mayor Lance.

There are no pedestrian beacons right now.

Is that right?

Uh council member uh vice mayor and council member go forth.

That that's correct.

Okay, so these are three new ones.

Yeah.

These uh the this exhibit here is basically to illustrate kind of how we're intending to break up the work.

We've we've been working with uh Sun Construction on this.

These are uh ideal locations for segmenting the work uh due to where the utilities uh with the alignment of the utilities and and where they cross and and the type of work that we have.

They happen to intersect with traffic signals in a lot of cases.

Um but this this area, these corridors are intended to um qualify where we'll be doing work at different times and relate to our traffic control also.

I'm not gonna get into too much of the detail on this, but the sequencing of this project is complex and involved.

Obviously, we've got a lot of work uh that we're doing this is intended to highlight uh where we'll be moving, what we'll be doing where, as we've worked with our contractor and and the schedule for that.

Uh as I've noted, uh, one of the main points.

This this is kind of a pedestrian-friendly uh corridor through here, so there's been a lot of discussion with our uh contractor and our transportation group on traffic control phasing, how we'll intend to keep uh pedestrian movement in the area, and um as we continue through this construction, and then this uh is really the complete roadway comprehensive from LaSuerre to Spur along uh Broadway in this area, and then um all the improvements that we intend to do in this area.

So with that, I'll take any questions uh that you may have to go forward.

I was curious about the breakdown of the funding.

I know you put the funding sources the 2020 street bond, the utility revenue obligations.

Can you give me kind of a breakdown of of the amounts per funding category?

Uh yeah, so uh mayor and and and council member go forth what specifically like by department or by types of no the dollar amount for each category.

Okay, and if you need to send it, that's fine.

You don't have it handy.

Yeah, let me um throw on those.

I think I do have that here.

So um for the dollar amounts for our transportation group, uh, we will be expending somewhere around uh 20 six, twenty-seven twenty-eight million, I guess inclusive of the the work we're doing with the flood control uh with our water group that will also be expending uh about 17 million on our energy resources side, both electrical and gas, that'll be closer to about 20 million.

And um collectively that that will be about 65 total as a loaded cost.

Is that all the street bonds?

The 2020 street bonds, that's what that the cat and and transportation fund.

I'm curious that breakdown.

So is all of that from the street bond, the 2020 bond?

Yeah.

Um Vice Mayor, Councilmember.

Uh I'll I'll have to send you later what the breakdown is.

Yeah.

We started this project before the 2020 street bond was initiated or voted on.

And so there are transportation fund dollars.

I don't know exactly what the the complete breakdown is off the uh I don't have that right now, but we'll send that out to you today.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Councilmember.

Yeah, what's the uh timeline of these improvements?

I know you said phases, but what's what's the anticipated timeline?

Yeah, so uh mayor and council member member Heredia will be starting these in sep the end of September of this this year.

It's a two-year project.

Um that corridor collectively from LaSuerre to Spur, pretty much will be occupied, so that there'll be a lot of work going on through that area for the next two years.

So it'll be like a one one lane on both sides, or is this breaking down?

Uh this was intended.

So we've looked at um traffic control uh phasing, but this is intended to we we've looked at this whole corridor, what we would do.

That'll vary, but that that's typically kind of a representation of what we'll be looking at.

Okay.

Working in halves on the streets.

Okay.

Perfect.

Thank you.

All right.

Any others on this one?

Um I assume that you coordinate with like low elementary is there so that they understand the construction timeline and determining safe routes to school, not only for traffic, but for pedestrians, because a lot of the kids walk to school there.

So I just wanted to make sure there was a coordination.

Yeah, uh, mayor and council member Duff.

We we are working with the school's Lowell Elementary.

We we view as kind of a stakeholder in this.

Uh we've kept them apprised to the work that we'll be doing in this area.

Um, both schools actually, um, and we will be putting monthly um updates out to those areas about what the work is and and what they can expect with traffic control in the area.

Um, but yeah, we've been coordinating with them.

Okay, so you work with them to figure out routing for whether pedestrian or cars.

Yes.

Okay, because I didn't want to leave it on their own accord to figure out what the safest traffic moves are.

Okay.

Thank you.

So and and Councilmember Duff, we are um I I think as part of the traffic control plan, we are trying to keep both sides of the road open as much as possible to pedestrians, even if we have to move them off the sidewalk, there will be a safe pedestrian route on that side of the road.

It will intersect with uh crosswalk, right?

Isn't there a crosswalk there?

There's a school crossing.

And that'll stay open during school.

There they'll be a crossing there.

Okay, good.

Okay, thank you.

Councilmember Spielsbury, and I think the mayor has a question also.

That's actually what I was gonna ask was if you were keeping pedestrian open on both sides, but this is the way I drive to work.

So I just drove there just now, running late.

And um it is very, very busy.

It's like everyone walks to school right there.

So you have uh like that would be my biggest concern was that school crosswalk right there as well.

And just knowing some of the construction issues we've had in my district, um just the view of where cars are turning, and sometimes those barricades have blocked views, and so I would want to be extra careful with kids walking all over the place right here that we make sure we're not blocking.

I mean, this is all stuff you guys do, but just yeah, reiterate what Jen was just saying, the safety here thanks.

Mayor Freeman.

Yes, thank you.

I'm just gonna tag into what the council members had talked.

There's a lot of businesses there from that corridor from Mesa Drive to Stapley, and along with the school traffic.

How has the outreach been for the businesses and there are some residential homes along the way?

And then my last question is is this part of the City of Mesa electric utility area?

I'm not a I'm not familiar with that area, so two questions.

Thank you.

Uh I'll probably mayor I'll I'll probably answer the latter and then and then the prior uh with that.

Uh this area actually intersects with both SRP and City of Mesa.

Uh the work that we did do with SRP affected five residents, I believe, in this area.

That work's already been completed.

Um the electrical work primarily for the City of Mesa Electrical will be from La Suir to roughly Horn, and there's a significant amount of electrical work we will we will be doing on the north side of uh Broadway there.

So the there at Stapley, you have east of Stapley uh SRP Electric, and then uh west, you you have Mesa Electric.

So some of that work has already occurred there.

Um for the prior prior question, um yes, we've continued to do outreach.

Our our public relations has been fairly active in this area in working with uh both businesses and the schools and coordinating that at that effort as we ramp up that'll that'll that'll continue to improve uh with more communication with them, but um yeah, those those efforts have been ongoing.

Uh okay, just to follow up.

I know there's some underground irrigation in the area because ironically, I think a couple years ago we were doing construction in the area, and some of the uh contractors damage some of the pipes, and so some of the neighborhoods do not get their irrigation.

So I think to be conscious of that, uh make sure that doesn't happen again because ironically, my office has received a couple of emails regarding the current construction, and they wondered what's gonna progress and how it is.

So I asked Mr.

Albright to be proactive and reaching out to a couple of emails.

But uh that's all the question I have is make sure the underground irrigation is that gonna be touched by SRP.

Uh mayor, so that that's actually part of this project.

Uh we'll be replacing about uh 450 uh feet on the south side of of Broadway up to Stapley to just beyond Solomon, um, where we'll be replacing some SRP irrigation as part of this project.

Irrigation is fairly shallow in this area, and to accommodate some of the new improvements, hardscape and sidewalk that we're doing that that is being replaced as part of this.

Great, thank you.

That's all I have.

Thanks, Vice Mayor.

Councilmember Duff, and uh Councilmember Adams has a question too.

So um on the electric thanks for bringing it up, Mayor.

On the electric, uh, were you on the north side?

You're re doing the electric, right?

Are you able were you able to underground it or will it be overhead?

Or will it be overhead?

Yeah, so uh mayor and vice or or council member Duff.

Yes, we will be undergrounding.

That's the primary one of the primary objectives of the work we're doing on the north side of Broadway there.

And on the south side is still overhead, or were we able to accomplish that?

But no, we won't be doing uh undergrounding on that south side.

Okay, well, I appreciate your work.

I know there's been outreach and coordination with the business for I don't know, at least five years, six years.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, it's it's taken a while.

It's taken a while because uh there's some easement that was needed.

Um so thank you for all your work on that.

I know.

Um Mr.

Albright has worked very hard as well as the rest of the department.

Thank you.

Mr.

Adams, sir.

Thank you.

Um, I just like to echo the concerns that have already been voiced about the uh pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the schools.

I'm just curious.

I know some schools, particularly the younger grades, there's a lot of parental drop-off and pickup going on.

Is that the case here?

And if so, uh how do they now do that?

Where do they drop the kids off?

And do they use Broadway for that?

Or how have we dealt with that, or is that an issue with these schools?

Go ahead and take that.

Um Vice Mayor, Councilmember Adams.

Um existing today, we don't have a lot of the this school, there is a lot of pedestrian traffic.

So we we definitely um need to make sure that we have those safe routes.

Um there is um some drop-off, but it it doesn't back up onto Broadway like we have at a lot of our other schools where we have you know spill back from the the parking lot.

So um it's definitely gonna be congested and more busy with you know one lane of traffic open and and we'll have turn lanes where where we can based based on the work.

Um, but it it is going to be a a little more congested.

Um, luckily, the you know, there is Eagles Park and the community center there that um has an additional parking lot that's next to the school.

It sounds like you've observed this a little uh to determine what it is.

It's it's a tough job.

It's the beginning of school season, so we we're we're recognizing a lot of what's happening around schools.

Sure.

Well, I know I know safety will be at the top of your list, so thank you.

Um go ahead on your landscape plan.

I'm not super familiar with the area.

I know Jen, you and I've talked about the since this is highly pedestrian.

Are you able to put in some more shade for people?

Is there room?

I know it's a tight area, but uh in the landscape plan, are you able to accommodate that?

Vice Mayor, Councilmember Go Forth.

I we are not accommodating it as much as we want, and we just ran out of space.

Um, I know the engineering department, as part of the the final portion of design went out to individual property owners to ask if we could actually buy an easement or more right-of-way um in certain areas to put more landscaping more than what we needed for the project.

And um, most of those declined that that option.

And so there isn't nearly as much shade as I think we were hoping for.

Um, but the the designer did look at the whole corridor, and we've put in trees or shade elements where we can, but it's it's not uh what we are hoping for.

Are there options if it's not a tree?

You know what I mean?

Like that that you wouldn't have to get permission from maybe it's a smaller structure than a tree, and you wouldn't have to get permission from a landowner.

Um thought about those.

Yes, we we looked at that too, and I it's such a tight utility corridor trying to find find locations for foundations.

Also, you know, if you if we try to put up a shade sale or you know, some sort of structure like that was difficult as as Lance mentioned.

The the underground irrigation is is really shallow, um, and that runs along the south side of the street, where I think we are looking, you know, for those shade elements.

Okay.

Well, that's that's disappointing, but I understand.

Yeah, thank you.

Mayor.

Okay, uh, thank you, Councilmember Goforth on shade.

Do we have bus routes in that area?

Yeah, uh so uh mayor, we have uh five different uh or seven, I believe, different bus bays shelters that we'll be um working to replace as part of this project.

And those will include shade for those bus areas.

Uh mayor, those locations, yeah, those will be full shelters.

Okay, I know that we've been very proactive in putting shelters at our bus stop locations, and I want to make sure that that happens during this type of uh road work.

And I want to make sure that that happens during this type of uh road work.

Yeah, thank you.

That's all.

Yeah, transit was was heavily involved during the design to make sure that we are accommodating their needs.

Very good.

Anything else?

Nothing on this.

We'll move on to the next item.

Council member uh Duff has a question on an item.

7B.

Yes, I wanted to bring up 7B.

It will be pulled off consent on Monday.

I don't expect a presentation right now, but I just wanted to kind of put it on the radar for council that um there was a constituent who filed a petition against this uh zoning case and uh it didn't make the requirements, but I'm sure they'll be hearing from them.

I I think we have a different number then.

I think you might be referring to 8A uh Beverly, the Beverly Apartments is that I'm sorry.

Yeah, I think we we uh there was a shuffle.

Yeah, item number shifted when I noticed that.

Bookmarked it.

If you bookmark it and then anyway, okay, yes, eight eight.

Eight A.

Okay.

We and is that just for um just for notification of your colleagues?

We we can we do have some slides on Beverly if you'd like us to go over that.

I'm fine to wait till Monday, but we can review it again.

This is the COPA project is an affordable living uh project.

Um a demolition of uh 10 units that have been there since the 50s um into 36 units.

Um I've gone over it a number of times, but I think yeah, though, right?

Oh, you haven't we haven't looked at it as a council yet, right?

So why don't we why don't we take a look at it?

Do we have anything?

So introduce what had been.

All right, well, we will take a quick look at that.

Yeah, why don't we say that every okay?

We'll look at it because we'll need to be ready to talk about it in depth on Monday.

Yeah, there's another Beverly one.

Don't get the Beverlies confused.

So is 8A and 8B are related, Jim.

So do we need to pull both of those from consent?

We were okay.

So we'll pull both 8A and 8B for from consent for Monday.

Welcome back up.

It's been a while.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh good morning, Mayor Council.

Uh this is KCUN2401052.

It's a request for a rezoning from RM2 and RM3 to RM4 with a PAD overlay.

Um, and site plan to review to allow for 36 unit uh multiple residence development.

The subject property is cross-hatched on your map here.

It's located at 120 North Beverly, so we're we are west of um, excuse me, north of Maine, west side of Beverly, um, on the east side of Alma School Road.

The general plan designation, the current general plan designation is traditional residential, and that allows for primarily single-family homes on medium or large lots with a density of of just over seven dwelling units per acre.

Um, item E B on your agenda is a general plan amendment to change that place type from um traditional residential to mixed residential.

Mixed residential allows a wider variety of housing types and densities up to 30 dwelling units per acre.

Um, as I mentioned, the request is one of the requests is to rezone to RM4.

Um the density for the the proposed density for this project is 29 dwelling units per acre, so we're just under that maximum for RM4.

I hear you can see some existing site photos of the the previous development on the site.

Uh, here you can see the site plan.

As I mentioned previously, it's 36 units, it's three stories in height.

Um there is two access points on the property.

The northernmost on Beverly is the primary vehicular access for residents.

The access on the south is for emergency vehicles and solid waste.

Uh, they are proposing 44 parking spaces on site, which does meet the code requirement.

I would also like to note really quick that the actual building set back from the north property line is is just over 80 feet, which is pretty substantial.

Um, here you can see the landscape plan.

Um, and some renderings.

This did go to the design review board um at their meeting, I believe in July.

They were very complimentary of the the building design and how it kind of fits in with the overall neighborhood.

They are asking for a number of deviations with the PAD.

They're outlined in your staff report.

I won't go over them in detail, although I'm happy to answer any questions if the board might have them.

They're primarily related um to landscaping setbacks in open space in private open space.

They are exceeding the open space requirement.

We combine private and uh common open space.

There's a large open space area in the middle of the site.

Um there's been some extensive citizen participation as part of this process.

Uh they've held two neighborhood meetings on this uh for the property.

They had 12 neighbors in attendance at the second neighborhood meeting.

There's a citizen participation report included in your packet.

Some of the concerns were um traffic, the building architecture.

The applicant actually did some substantial revisions on the building.

When it first came in, it was four stories.

They brought it down to three stories so that it's a little more compatible.

The architecture also kind of marries what is existing in the area with a modern design.

Um and as I mentioned, traffic that's 36 units.

The expected traffic impact is is minimal at best on Beverly.

Um staff does find that it uh there's a general plan amendment, it would comply with the mixed residential place type.

It's also in conformance with chapters 22 and 69 of the zoning ordinance.

Uh we are recommending approval with conditions.

The planning and zoning board uh also recommended approval with conditions.

Um and with that, I'm happy to answer any specific questions council might have.

Councilmember Duff, do you have anything to I've been working on this project uh a number of months.

Um so I don't really have any questions, but I'm certainly you know, at the sometimes when you uh become very familiar with the project, you don't know the parts that maybe people aren't familiar.

Like I said, as a COPA project, um the original structures are going to be demolished and rebuilt from 10 units to 36 units.

So it's not really that much of an increase as far as traffic on the name of the neighborhood.

It's within um an eighth of a mile to uh transit.

Um the affordable the the affordable, I think it's 50 percent AMI.

I I don't know, I've seen two figures.

One said 50 percent AMI, which was the original, but then I read in a um uh briefing that is 50,000 is so that's not fifty 50 percent AMI, so I'm not sure exactly what affordable if they were able to get all the tax credits in order to make it a 50 percent AI.

Um thank you, Mayor, Councilmember Duff.

Um to I am not certain on the the AMI percentage.

Um I will be prepared to answer that question on Monday.

I know the applicant will be here Monday as well to give you a little more information on on the tax credits and how that end of it works.

Right.

I just wanted to point out if it is the 50% AMI that which they were shooting for originally and then been able to retain that on our balanced housing plan, that is a category of extreme need.

It's very, very difficult to get projects that are 50% AMI.

Um it is rare actually.

So we can see the importance and being in a great location within an eighth of a mile to transit further enhances the livability, the affordability of this project where um residents do not need to depend on a car because they're within less than a five-minute walk to Main Street.

There is an 80-foot setback on the north boundary to the neighbors.

They are neighboring up to town homes, two-story town homes.

Um they are uh seeking lead gold certification.

Um they have a lot of amenities considering it's affordable, uh taught uh playground, a dog park, a picnic table, barbecue grills, a fitness center, a computer area, a lounge area.

And it's across the street from Beverly Park.

Um see if there's any other.

Um I think it just adds this area, uh, south of 2nd Street to Maine on Beverly has been depressed.

There hasn't been any new development.

A lot of the homes are showing the signs of their age.

Um, I think this will kind of help the neighborhood evolve.

It is identified as um Evan hadn't mentioned uh to be in a what do we call um they don't call it evolve.

I don't know.

Anyway, into an area that needs to uh transform.

Correct.

Um of course we want to encourage high density, even though this is a small project of 36 units, it is an RM4 near transit.

Um hopefully by adding density near uh the transit and main street.

That only helps for businesses to also evolve as well.

So there's a lot of repair and miscellaneous businesses that aren't necessarily ones that serve a neighborhood.

I hope with a little bit of density, it helps uh the health and well welfare of the area and making it a better place to live for everybody.

Okay, showing signs of age, I know how it feels.

Vice May Vice Mayor and Councilmember Duff.

If you're interested, the applicant is here and could talk about the affordability of the units if you'd like.

Um I don't know.

Let's get a couple more council member questions in, and then maybe if the applicant wants to come up and say a few words after you're now.

Councilmember Spielsbury.

Yeah, I'm also familiar with this project somewhat, but I do have a few questions that have um come up.

Um I I had a question on the funding.

I know this is a light tech project, and so I wondered if I don't, I I just can't remember where we're at in the process of if the LITEC dollars have been awarded or anything.

So I don't know if they've gotten it, if they were awarded them, and if they would still move forward with this project without those light tech dollars.

But um, is it correct to say this is like workforce housing?

Is that what they're calling it?

Because it in the in the pro um in the report it said like teachers and firefighters and stuff like that.

Hey, I know one of those.

Well, we have the um yeah, the developer come up.

I'm hearing some questions, I think.

Well, do you want me to finish the rest of my questions or something?

Okay, and then of course, you know, I was gonna ask about parking.

So um I I thought on these developments we parked them at 2.1.

So 44 spaces it says is required, which would not be 2.1.

So where am I missing?

Uh thank you, Vice Mayor, Councilmember Spillsbury.

Uh, great question.

So there's actually if you're within a quarter mile of a light rail station, there's a parking reduction that's kind of baked into the code, and that's 1.2 spaces.

And so that's that's just okay.

When you say baked in the code, that means that it just changes it for those closer.

Yeah, if you're within a quarter mile.

Right.

Okay.

Um, and so the 44 spaces take that into consideration.

And I know they talked about um, yeah, just that because this is I don't know what we're calling it, affordable housing or whatever, that maybe that wouldn't be as car heavy and by the transit.

So the there's just no concerns there with parking um vice.

I'm always concerned about it.

Yeah, Vice Mayor, Councilmember Spillsbury, uh staff has no concerns uh with the amount of parking.

Uh, the applicant can maybe speak a little bit uh more specifically to to their resident makes and and how that works, but in general, uh this this type of housing product, uh, fewer folks have cars, which is why they try to locate to closer to light rail to kind of alleviate those those concerns.

But staff has reviewed it and and we're comfortable with the parking provided.

So I noticed that there's one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom.

Right.

So I mean you you could have a few roommates or something that that are living in these potentially.

Um potentially.

I think the the applicant has done a number of these projects.

He can give you some really, I don't want to misspeak, but he can give you some specifics on on how their project works.

The other project that is on Beverly across the street, um, I I know we these are separate projects, but because we're doing them at the same time and the neighborhoods concerned about both of them, I feel like it's important to bring that up.

But is that also parked that same built-in baked-in code number?

Yeah, that one's a little bit different.

Um they parked that one at 2.1.

And part of the reason is that specific uh product type has a garage that accommodates two cars.

So that that parking, although there are going to be fewer uncovered guest spots, there's actually more parking on that site because of the garage.

So just kind of different products for different types of living.

Exactly, exactly.

Okay.

And then I know we've gotten a lot of emails.

Um, and I know there was no um I don't know that that I need Eric to come up necessarily, but I know there was no reason to do a traffic study on this.

They didn't see any reason to have one and the other one, but so now there's a question of whether we need a traffic study for because of both of them.

And I also was curious if are the neighbors that are concerned about these projects, they live north of this.

They don't actually live on Beverly, right?

Uh Vice Mayor, Councilmember Spilsbury, uh, that is correct.

The the neighbors, the vocal neighbors that you're getting emails from are north of Beverly Park, north of the the other project on Beverly.

Um, to answer your question about the traffic study, transportation has has looked at this um in depth.

I don't want to speak for Eric, but there have been no concerns raised uh from a transportation perspective.

When you combine this is 36 units, the other one on Beverly is is 66 units.

And I know that that number can seem high maybe to residents in the neighborhood, but from I would say a transportation perspective, that's a pretty low number.

Okay, that seems to be like the loudest piece that we're hearing, so that's why I wanted to bring it up.

Um Vice Mayor, Councilmember Spillsbury.

Yes.

Um, and I think we have we actually have a a study from the the uh development from across the street.

I think looking at this development at uh 34 units.

I mean, we're talking about 250 trips a day coming in and out of it.

Um we don't have any concern.

Um, but we have been working with the neighborhood um talking about traffic calming with them and also looking at some improvements at the intersection of um second and beverly to hopefully calm traffic through through the neighborhood there.

So uh we'll we'll be moving forward with with some of those.

We've been working with council member Duff's office to discuss that with the neighborhood.

And like the whole idea of a gate or blocking off Beverly, like those aren't feasible options, right?

So the the calming is the thing that we're thinking is gonna help there to not make it be cars flying through the neighborhood.

Um Vice Mayor, Councilmember Spillsbury, uh that is correct.

I think just by trying to attempt to close the street, there are a lot of ramifications that um don't necessarily surface really quickly when you're just saying, well, I don't want this traffic to go through.

Um so we have not entertained um closing the street um because that would require some additional right-of-way take to create a call-de-sac or or turnaround.

Um so we're we're moving forward with the the traffic calming and increasing pedestrian safety along seconds and and Beverly to help out with that.

And did the neighbors seem um amenable to the calming.

Um I think they appreciate it.

I I think they're they're still pushing for more.

Okay.

Julie, I I just wanted to that in a little bit that um we know we have two projects ongoing at the same time.

And the majority of the pushback about traffic and such is on the other project because it is 66 units.

This is a small number of units approved by itself.

They did a traffic stuff study, but you know, adding um, well, there's 10 units before, so adding 26 units that are affordable, which you encourage people in it.

I think it's in their lease, they only can have one space.

And at 50% AMI, you will do, I mean, you have to do everything to try to reduce your overhead your cost and being able to use um uh using public transit is a key part of how you you know you live your life.

So I just wanted to separate um a lot of the pushback that's happening on the other project from this project.

And so all those about the traffic calming, the numbers and stuff like that, is primarily over on the other project because this project is so small, and in fact, some of the most vocal voices that we've heard from in this neighborhood are supportive of the COPA project because it's low impact and the um being an affordable project, which we desperately need.

There are there is opposition, of course, but the huge opposition is on the other side.

Councilmember Heretti.

Wasn't there maybe Evan, um is there a bill at the legislature that um when you're near uh public transit, there's like a like half a mile where you can make these types of changes uh as far as zoning uh and parking, uh I think uh and we made those changes uh last year, or maybe I'm I'm I'm confusing this um with some of the changes around uh adding more density around um uh light rail and and uh and public transportation.

So uh thank you, uh Councilmember Haretia, Vice Mayor uh council.

We are currently working through several pieces of legislation that will look at having future administrative approvals for projects like this.

There is an adaptive reuse bill that we worked on last year.

The difference with this project is they're actually requesting a rezoning as part of the project, so it's not necessarily eligible for those various tools that we have right now in the toolbox because it needs that rezoning from the city council.

Okay, so the bill doesn't allow for that change on the zoning part yet, or is that and and I'll let Jim speak to this, but zoning is a is a legislative decision, so only council can change zoning.

So we're set trying to set up tools for when uh project comes in if they follow all of the rules per se that are in the code, they wouldn't have to go through council for those approvals.

But right now, because it requires a rezoning, that is only an act that council can make.

Jim, do you have anything to add to that?

No, that's accurate.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Thank you.

Councilmember.

Thank you.

Um my observation has been that the amount of pushback emails is much less, at least what I've received.

So I I agree with uh Councilmember Duff's observation on that.

I've seen maybe maybe 20 25% of the uh opposition that that I've received on the project across the street.

So I'm just taking note of that.

But um to me, the parking count on this project makes more sense to me because if we're going to consider this to be a project uh taking advantage of and friendly to light rail and public transportation, then you should have less parking requirements.

I mean, those things just make sense to me.

It uh I'm not gonna comment on the other project right now because we're talking about it, but I don't see those as is equal.

So this the parking number makes sense to me here.

Uh I am curious though.

I see we brought this this and a bunch of other land into the city in 1948.

Was I curious on the history if you know Mr.

Ballmer?

What was this an apartment building, or what was it?

What is that dead structure sitting there?

Is that an old apartment building, or what is that?

Uh Vice Mayor, Councilmember Adams had that's correct.

Okay.

I didn't know if it was a motel or what it was, but any time I've ever seen it, it's been boarded up.

So okay.

So we had we had multifamily there in the past.

Okay, and that's been there a long time.

Okay, that's all I had on it.

Thank you.

I'll just add it's meconium brown in color, which is nasty.

Anything else?

I just had a question on the zoning.

Can you remind me?

So RM4 allows 30 units per acre.

That's correct.

What's RM2 allowed?

Uh Vice Mayor, Councilmember Go Forth.

RM2 is 15 dwelling units per acre.

And what about RM3?

Who put me on the spot?

Um, I believe that one is 20.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah.

And so right now it's RM2 and RM3.

Correct.

It's RM.

There's two parcels, RM2 on the northern parcel, RM3 on the southern parcel.

I mean, you can kind of see on the map here in RM, the multiple residence districts are all orange and it's a little different to are difficult to make out the gradient on these.

But it's actually uh surrounded by RM4.

Um you might remember the Eden Village project, that is directly west of this site that fronts Alma School, that's RM4.

The parcels south of this are also RM4.

So when we did our analysis, we felt that RM4, given the context of the area was was an appropriate zoning district.

Yeah, I mean, I think it's important as we to, you know, that there's not radical change, right?

That it's kind of incremental.

And I think on this side we've done that.

RS RS6 to RM3.

I mean, that's kind of a jump, but seems um more reasonable as far as increasing density to RM4.

I guess this is a discussion for the other one, but to go from RS, I don't even RS6, I guess, is on the east side.

Yes, R S RS6 is north of the OT.

That's a bigger leap, in my opinion.

But um that's sort of what I I'm I'm looking at.

How is are we gradually increasing the density?

So you're not radically changing the existing character of that neighborhood.

And I think this one does a pretty good job with that RM3 in between.

But anyway, I was just curious about um the densities per per the zoning districts.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Very good.

So we do have the developer here.

Are there any lingering questions you would care to have answered?

You don't look like you want to come up here into the hot seat, so I'm waiting for you to give me the green light.

We were gonna talking about if it was any.

Yeah, 50% AMI.

Would you mind addressing that question?

That'd be great.

Thank you.

It's not that hot, don't worry about it.

It's just mildly.

I know some of those traffic questions earlier on the project.

Um great.

So uh Vice Mayor, thank you so much, and and happy to be here.

So the answer to the question is that um at current the plan is for about a third to half to be at the 50% AMI and for the rest to be at 60% AMI.

So it's all planned to be affordable.

Um and so we are going for that one of the other questions was has funding been secured.

So ultimately funding for light tech projects has to come after zoning.

It's one of the you have to do it in that sequence.

Um, but we are pursuing what's four percent light tech funding.

There's a 9% and a 4%, 9% is more competitive, 4% is less competitive, so we're very confident that we'll be able to get the funding for the project.

Um the only other thing I will answer if the vice mayor will allow it was about the traffic study.

So it's true that we did not originally do a traffic study because the traffic is just so um so small on this.

Um however, we thought based on the discussion at the planning commission, um, where some estimates were giving out what we thought were real really high because I mean I was trying to be very very cautious and very sort of estimates given.

Um so we did do a traffic study on this and and have have that just sealed as of yesterday.

Um and what we did was not only come up the absolute numbers but also the comparison numbers between what's uh allowed on the property today um or what was there previously, what was called the mark uh versus what is there uh coming in today.

Um so the diff the delta is 86 new daily trips, uh 12 new AM peak and seven new PM peak.

So if you take 86 and divide it over a 22 hour day, um you're talking about one trip about every 20 minutes.

So the impact on this project will be very, very minimal onto the Beverly, and and we do understand that there's a project that may or may not be approved across the street, um, and we aren't really responsible for that.

Um, but really our project going from from 12 units uh to 36 units.

Um, and we did have 10 councilwoman apologize in our materials, but it actually is 12.

So it's a really minor uh increase, really 24 units is being added from a building that is beyond its useful life and going into the 36.

And and so I'll I'll pause with that before I get too deep.

Councilmember Rich.

There we go.

Thank you.

Um I am I I'm of the understanding that this is not the first project of this type that you've brought forth.

Is that correct?

Uh I'd like to be a little more familiar with your past projects that are similar.

Um, and that's uh just for my own education.

Is that something that um you could provide for the sure we can certainly provide that and and and I'm outside counsel for COPA Health, so I they could certainly speak to that.

It is not COPA Health's uh first project of this type.

Okay.

Um I will tell you that COPA also has other types of services they provide to individuals that are a little bit more um involved in medical and intervention.

This is not one of those types of projects, so this is truly uh workforce housing, which I think was asked earlier.

It would be considered workforce housing.

Okay, I I'm not looking for a huge dump of information.

I'd just like to familiarize myself a little bit more with what has already been brought forth that's been presumably successful.

Right.

Sure.

Not a whole lot of information just uh as to what they could provide.

If I could see that before the council meeting, I'd appreciate it.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Okay, and I assume you're gonna be there on Monday to answer any questions.

Yes, sir.

The mayor's not here today.

He says he doesn't have any right now, but he may on on Monday.

So just so you know.

Anything else for the better of this order?

No.

Okay, thank you so much.

Mr.

Butler, I think you have a brief presentation on item 5a, the development agreement.

We we do, Vice Mayor.

So we'll just come forward and give council an update before they consider this development agreement for the East Market.

I believe it's 5A's.

Yeah, 5A, yes, sir.

We've had a shift in uh numbering.

Yeah, they like doing that.

East Market, what is it?

I'm not familiar.

Great.

Bring me up to speed.

Good morning, Jay.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and Council.

My name is Ashley Scott, I'm management assistant too for development services department.

And today I have with me Jay O'Donnell, the economic development director.

And today we're presenting the East Market Development Agreement, and we are seeking city council's action on the development agreement on Monday, August 18th.

Um, and that is it.

Good morning, Vice Mayor and Council.

Nice to be back with you.

Hope you all had nice breaks.

Welcome back.

Um, we are talking about Eastmark today and East Market specifically, but just to reorient you on what specifically we're talking about, I'm sure you're very familiar with Eastmark, but just in case, um, East Mark is in Southeast Mesa in District 6.

Eastmark is a 3200 acre master plan community, uh, a very large master plan community, and it is uh mixed use.

It has a number of different neighborhood types, product types for housing, as well as parks um and high quality uh mixed use areas.

We have been working on this particular piece of property for quite some time now.

And on the map you can see the scale of Eastmark.

Schools and businesses, but we are talking about specifically the corner of Ellsworth and Ray Road, the north uh northeast corner.

So the development agreement that we're working on now is uh for the proposed East Market 6.6 acres that uh Brookfield currently owns.

The developer that we're working with is Common Bond.

And to just kind of um familiarize your your yourselves with Common Bond, they have done projects in the Valley as well as Tucson.

Uh they are known for the Global Ambassador.

They also did the park at 83 in Peoria, which was a three-acre development with a two-acre park anchoring um Blanco, Postinos, and Itali North Italia.

Um they also do all of the yard culinary dropouts, uh, most recently in Phoenix, Gilbert, Tucson, and Tempe.

Just to be fair, we're not announcing those or any restaurants yet.

These are just uh a sampling of what's in their correct, in their portfolio, yes.

That that is what the developer has worked on.

So the the East Market uh development specifically is going to be anchored by a specialty grocer that they're bringing.

Um but this this we feel is a prime location for commercial development, uh, and one that um we've been uh hankering for uh for quite some time, as well as the the thousands of residents in in Eastmark, uh as well as the region for for that matter.

So the East Market site plan has been approved by the planning zoning board.

Here on the map, as you can see, shops A through D are 28,200 square foot of commercial retail, of commercial and retail space, and then in the green on the map it shows the specialty grocery store, which has been identified as Sprouts.

It will be 2,000 22,200 um square footage of that.

And then at the bottom, um Ray and Ellsworth, you can see there's been identified as a bank, and that'll be 4200 square foot as well.

Um all together the site has 55,630 square footage of commercial and retail the site.

Um it is 278 parking spaces that is well above our required, which is 202, and that is due to sprouts since they have a large volume of customers and they've requested to have that parking.

So the development agreement has some land use restrictions and also requirements just to make sure that we have higher quality of development and retail in there.

So the land use restrictions prohibits are the discounted retail, the drive-through facilities, the minus mini storage and secondhand stores as well.

And then they're only allowed to have one drop-up ATM and teller window on the property, which was identified for that bank at the at Ray and Ellsworth Road.

And then also in the development agreement, they're required to have that specialty store, which is Sprouts that has been identified, and this will also help with setting the tone and attracting quality and services to the site as well.

So this is a rendering in the monument, and this will be at Ray in Ellsworth when you come in to the site.

This is shop B, as you can see on the on the left-hand side, we're facing towards Ellsworth.

And then this is the dead-on shot of the Sprouts, the specialty grocery store.

And then a shot on the right as shop A.

And that sign will be replacing one that's existing.

Right.

The giant one that looks like an embattlement.

So East Mark on it.

You can't say that, I can say that.

I like your shock.

Yeah, it's it's gonna they're gonna be doing some new signage here.

What I like about this is it's really first of all, thank you to Jim, your office, Jay, your office, uh, but also the developer who is look seeking to come here and actually live up to the vision for the type of walkable retail that we're looking for.

The vast majority of that will go north of this project, so it's project is an important first piece of proof of concept of sorts to show that they can develop to the standards, and while the restaurants and and and amenities that you mentioned, uh and I want to be cautious that those haven't announced, those are certainly in the level of uh that we want to accomplish out here.

So I know that they're working on some pretty pretty exciting opportunities uh for the restaurant and retail space in this area.

So once again, I I appreciate your efforts and we'll see questions, Mr.

Adams.

I just want to make sure I'm clear on the drive-thru stuff.

The only drive-thru allowed is one lane for the bank.

Is that right?

Vice Mayor, Councilmember Adams, that is correct.

Okay, so no if if uh uh national coffee chain wanted to be in there, they would just have to not have a drive-thru.

Yeah, gotcha.

Okay.

The national coffee chain is across the street.

Oh, okay.

So we we have them.

Don't worry.

I I don't I don't get to your neck of the woods that often.

So I'll buy you a lot of things.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Staff Mary, do you have anything?

No council, yes, ma'am.

So did I miss it?

What is the point of the development agreement?

What is the give and take Vice Mayor, Councilmember Duff, there uh the development agreement really just sets the standard going forward and prohibits the um the uses that could potentially minimize the opportunity to really have elevated retail in here so it guarantees the the developer has been really excited to work with us on ensuring the standard stays high for this particular parcel, and so that's why we're memorializing it in a development agreement.

We're not providing an incentive, a financial incentive.

It really is just to memorialize the commitment to our vision and what the developer wants to bring.

Okay, Vice Mayor Summers um mentioned uh walkability, so I love that.

I love walkability, so I have to ask what are the surrounding uses on the map.

It shows their um vacant parcels, but what are they zoned for?

That is a good idea.

Um just east and north of this area.

Vacant parcel there that's supposed to be uh a residential, but it's supposed to be 55 and up and that it's for the moment.

And then if you look a little bit further east, there is a apartment complex there as well.

Uh okay, so east is multifamily, north is that is residential.

That is all commercial.

Commercial to the north, I'm sorry, to the north, yes.

To the north is a commercial, like we're we're looking for mixed use, entertainment, each other.

Okay, so a synergistic use.

Yes, hospitality was also an opportunity there.

Oh, okay.

All right.

That's wonderful.

Then I think I've talked to Mary about this.

The parking along the edges is not pedestrian friendly.

Um just a clarification on the zoning.

It's actually PC because it's in the Eastmark community.

So there's a land use group and requirements that it will need to follow based on the PC district for Eastmark to the north.

Um it is light industrial across the street, and then we've got some ag um that's zoned across the street just for clarification on the zoning.

The ag and light industrial is to the to the west of Ellsworth.

To the west, yes.

Okay, and how about to the south?

To the south, we also that's part of the the PC, I believe that's Cadence.

Oh that's Cadence Commercial, and then to the east of that, what's off-site are is the residential component to this.

To the north, uh, next to the fire station, there's the uh skate park, and that begins the pathway for the great park.

So there are neighborhoods, there you go.

Okay, there are neighborhoods to the north.

Uh the great park has multi-use paths that uh folks use for hiking biking.

I think golf carts, not legally, um, to access uh this site, and we're gonna be uh looking at some changes and great.

So we can look at the pathways, greenways, uh shade, access, and parking along the edge.

So I'll let Evan talk to a little bit about some of the um discussions and coordination that we had with the applicant in terms of why the the site plan ended where it is.

There is uh connectivity on site.

We do have the the sidewalk along Ellsworth.

We do have, and you can't see it in this site plan because it's not colored.

There is a uh large uh boulevard kind of pedestrian area.

So Evan, do you want to talk a little bit about some of Sprout's requirements?

Sure.

Thank you, Mary.

Uh Vice Mayor, Councilmember Duff.

Um to Mary's point, it's a little bit difficult to see, but if you look just on the west side where it says uh specialty grocer, there's a a wide uh landscape median that includes seating areas and and other pedestrian and consumer amenities for that area.

But when you start to look to the north, as Vice Mayor Summers uh mentioned, that is identified as a as a commercial area.

So we're trying to kind of funnel people north.

So you'll see the pedestrian connections within this specific site that start to lead people north to the other site.

Another thing that I would like to mention is there is a condition of approval on the site plan for this zoning case.

So if you think about the project to the east, that's uh most likely going to be residential for an enhanced pedestrian connection across um Bradley, which is the street on the east of this, so that we'll have a good way to funnel folks from the residential to the east into this development and then north to any future commercial development.

And is there crosswalks here along the Serenity Avenue?

Is there a crow and that driveway that's kind of halfway?

Uh Vice Mayor Councilmember Duff.

So the the crosswalks right now that could be a thing that we we take another look at when the project to the north develops, but it it's set up.

You'll see a pedestrian connection on the east side of that access on Serenity.

So the only site plan that we have currently is the one that's on the screen.

So we've tried to set this one up in a way that it can tie in to the one on the north when when that site plan is eventually submitted.

Yeah, because knowing people they won't they're they're not gonna walk to Ellsworth, which is a major arterial to access these.

They will jaywalk.

We've so the conversations we've had and we've had with the developer, and what makes us a little hard to wrap one's head around is because it's just one small piece of the entire development, which is the mixed-use residential retail.

We've had more advanced talks about sidewalks, um pickle ball courts, all sorts of different amenities that would go, how those sidewalks would come in, uh how we would put food trucks potentially in on the north side, not this one, but on the north side.

The problem is that that's the next phase, and a lot of these questions are related to that phase, even though they are also related to this.

So this is a conversation we need to continue to have, and I'm glad it was brought up because you can you could hear my voice in some of what she's what the council members asking about.

You have a follow-up and then I would just um make sure to encourage to keep to the forefront the pedestrian movement, because if we're not allowing for enjoyable safe navigation, people will get in their car to move from one corner to the next.

You're missing opportunities for retail, people just like I'll I'll just leave.

It doesn't make it pedestrian friendly.

If you have that movement, then you're creating an environment that people will just we'll just go to this area and walk around, building community, being safe, being enjoyable, creating the community.

I think your residents have been asking for for a very long time.

We need the third places, we need the places to hang out, we need the places to be as a community.

So not to make sure that our transportation, our walkways, landscaping, the sidewalks, all those accesses are very connected, and to achieve that.

So I just want to encourage you.

Thank you.

And thank you for that.

I really appreciate it.

Mr.

Adams.

Thanks.

Just to follow up a little.

Um, I think those are valid concerns, the walkability.

And uh I'm sure that we'll take a hard look at that.

But from an economic development standpoint, I'd just like to weigh in as I think about this more.

I I think this is the higher level retail that we've been looking for, and I just like to uh compliment um economic development on this work.

This is what I'd consider a prime corner along a major arterial, and we can we need to focus on this stuff.

We can no longer put many storages, car washes, uh things of this nature on prime corners like this.

Um this will generate sales tax, transaction privilege tax.

Uh it'll generate jobs.

Uh it generates quality of life.

Um I know we're moving in a in a in a retail strategy direction here, so I I think this is a good example.

But uh I think it's as we go along, it's more and more critical that we examine projects that generate very few jobs or offer services that generate no sales tax income.

So I I really applaud this because I I see we can't put a mini storage there.

We probably can't put a car wash there.

We can't uh overindulge the thing with drive-throughs.

So my my hat's off to the work we've done on this project, and I think it serves as an example of where we should consider moving forward.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Team effort.

Told you you did a good job.

Councilmember.

Um I yes, good job on that.

I think we need to really be careful about um what we define as walkable, though, because if we accept this as walkable, that's what will come to us and and be defined as walkable.

This is not walkable.

I have two of these in my district.

Sorry.

Uh the almost as exact in a couple of things.

Um strip center.

It it is and I I go there all the time, and to go from, for instance, the the bank to the or Shop C to the specialty grocery store, that's not that's not pleasant or safe going across that.

So I I would love for us to be able, I mean, the end user should bring it to us, but if we could get more creative on really having a site plan that truly is walkable and and doesn't detract from what the end user is trying to do, obviously.

I mean, we we they've got it, people have to park, you know, they they they need customers to be there, and they don't want it to be difficult for them to get there.

But um just caution us saying this is this is a walkable site plan, it it really isn't when you're talking about going from building to building.

Yeah, so and I'll just close it out by saying I I trip that landmine myself by saying walkable, and when I say walkable, I'm thinking of what the vision is for this entire parcel.

Everything that's in the dirt, how it's gonna connect to the great park.

These are conversations we've had, and we do realize that this is a little bit of an isolated piece, and we've already had these conversations.

Mary has, so is Jay, on how we're going to integrate it better as the rest of the parcel build out.

So looking at this independently, no, it it's not.

Do we have to look in the future how we're going to integrate with this the rest of the way?

We absolutely do.

But my vision still is to have a place for East Mark, my community to gather to be able to walk here, have something to eat, have an event, have some entertainment, uh, and accomplish the vision that as Eastmark close out to grab that last little piece of the vision of live, work, walk, play, and entertain.

So Vice Mayor, I am going to gang up on you with Alicia.

That um walkability has to be within the parcel.

Otherwise, if you're at the bank, you might drive to the grocer.

You if you're in shop C, you might drive to any one of these.

If there's cars in between, it's not perceived to be safe, and people will not walk.

The walkability increases the strength of the type of businesses that you want.

The reason so many parcels we end up getting these car-centric businesses, um, your storage, your car wash, your whatever, is because they're against there is no walkability.

It is completely car-centric, and when uh someone looks at how what they're going to develop there, they're gonna put in car-centric.

So we have to look at the structure of the connections within the parcel and to other ones as setting the table, and then everything else will work.

But if you don't set the table, things will be strained and not maximize where you want to go as far as the strength of the retail of having the you know, restaurants and the retail that support the what people are demanding.

It has to be there, and it defines what is attracted to there.

So we don't say this has to be there, and then we don't make it walkable.

If we make it walkable, they will line up and say, how can I be part of this?

Right, and that's why this development agreement is so important because to have more drive-throughs in this area is it will completely ruin any future walkability to this parcel.

It it will turn into it'll just turn into what's across the street to the south, which is has been it, yeah.

Try parking there too.

Mr.

Adams, I saw your hand.

Yeah, just a quick comment.

I am uh um listening very carefully to this this back and forth conversation, and I'll be the first to admit I'm a I'm a visual learner.

So if this is considered not walkable, it would be very helpful to me to see an example of what is.

Because I'm in my mind, I'm listening here and go, yeah, I get that, but I don't know, and I'm not an architect, but I don't know how I would redesign this, what we're looking at to be uh more in in conformance with what my colleagues are talking about.

So it it doesn't have to be on this one, but at some point in time, uh just for my own education, I'd like to see what it is that this doesn't have that we are saying we should have.

So uh I can't quite picture that in my mind.

I'm not opposed, but yeah, I think Alicia and I would love to take you to lunch.

Yeah, I think might also be as to Tempe guy.

But anyway, no, I'm I'm serious.

I just would like to learn more about it.

So yeah, I think what else would help was to have common bonds share kind of what that vision is for that northern parcel, so we can see what we're working on, and that is a draft, I understand, but that would show how these all start to come together because we are looking at this in isolation of the rest of the development because that's just how it's coming to us.

So yeah, it's basically pathways that don't have to intersect with cars.

Yeah, because cars will be the priority, and people will feel intimidated and to have enjoyable shaded some amenity to it.

People will collect in those areas with it just being a barren, run for your life.

Yeah, yeah.

Um, those opportunities.

Vice Mayor, Councilmember Duff.

Um, I think for this particular parcel, as you said, Vice Mayor, we're we're taking this in a smaller um piece of the overall development.

And so I would like to come back and provide a more holistic vision for what we what we do envision.

The the challenge that we do try and balance with the developer is this area is suburban, and so we're trying to pull cars off of those main arterials and get them to at least come into the center and then be able to interact with multiple stores.

Um so I I think this is doing um that piece of it, and then for the second phase, making sure to encourage reciprocity from cars that are parked in the north section, and then having people walk back and forth.

Um, but this is part of the placemaking.

This is part of having those destination retail and restaurants uh that that you can come to, as well as hospitality.

So, how we how we encourage that um that walkability in a suburban environment might look a little bit different than an urban center like downtown Tempe, for example.

Yeah, and I think we also have to remember that there's a certain level of zoning rights, and I think we we fought an uphill battle and and won in a lot of places with our our staff to create something better than what might have been allowed otherwise because we've we've seen this plan go awry um not too far away from here.

So I'm I'm happy at least that we've been able to limit those things that would absolutely kill any future walkability.

I was just gonna invite Rich you can come to my district and in shop C, there's a gold water, and when you have when you have a drink and you want some some food to go with it because it's not it doesn't offer food and you walk over to the sprouts, that's that's a harrowing thing to do.

Exactly.

You walk across this parking lot, there's no crosswalks over the main drag, you're walking through the parking lot.

So I'll you're referring to come, yeah.

This this side is um uh the uh in and out is yes.

See, my perspective is a little different.

It doesn't bother me to walk across the parking lot.

Yeah.

Never has.

But I know some people do.

So but you would take the kids.

Well, you're not gonna, yeah.

Sort of in the car.

Yeah, kids if you put them in the car and drive across.

Well, admitted, they haven't had young ones in a long time.

Vice Mayor, could I just kind of clarify a couple of things?

If you look at the sprouts, uh there is actually a very wide pedestrian path that is coming down to Ellsworth.

It it doesn't show in this plan, unfortunately.

So you can't see there are trees in there.

It is a shaded walkway.

So from the main entrance to Shout all the way down to Ellsworth.

That's intended then to connect to the sidewalk on Ellsworth, so people could safely walk if they don't want to walk through the parking lot to shop C and to the bank.

There's also connectivity all the way around the the grocery shops A.

Those are intended to be um sitting areas for restaurants, so people are sitting outside at Shop Say um and able to walk around that entire building in that development, and then there is that connection that Evan mentioned for the connectivity to the apartments that were that are being proposed on the other side of Bradley, so that those people will have connectivity up near, I think it's shops B.

I think it's shops B.

My eyes are not working very well.

Pad B.

So there will be that connectivity bringing those people across the street so they can come and connect directly to the sidewalk that then wraps that building where the specialty groceries.

So we did try to look at the north-south and the east-west connections for those uses and then the future use up to that parcel to the north as we went through the site plan approval.

Okay.

I've been enjoying the conversation.

Thank you.

Well, that's one of us.

I was just gonna end.

Did I say that on mic?

I was gonna end with something positive, which is thank you, Mary.

We it has gotten better, absolutely.

I think as you can tell, there's still some work to do, and I think we're gonna get there.

We've made a big stride in the last couple years, and we're gonna get there.

Um so this is better, but just keep pushing hard.

I wasn't gonna chime in, but can I just really quick?

I mean, of course I can't think yes, we can.

Um I mean, to me, if you just moved the shop C over closer to the other stuff, then there you go.

And you leave the bank separate, because maybe the bank is like the middle of the day, run to the bank in your car.

I don't know.

Do people still go to banks?

But um, just like if you that one shop area is the only one that's kind of separate from everything else.

So to me, it would be a very easy fix to move the shop C closer, leave all the parking to the outside, and then you have more of your walkability.

So, like, I don't think there would need to be a whole reimagining of the site to make it more walkable, unless you're wanting to like hit sprouts and the bank.

You're not gonna walk across the whole parking lot necessarily.

But other than that, I don't know.

You're you're done with this conversation.

No, no, no, I'm I'm smiling.

But to me, it just wouldn't be a hard fix to make this like look a lot more walkable with those shops C pushed closer to the rest.

It's like a choir, actually.

You need businesses along the street um for activation, and it's much more inviting when you see a business versus cars.

Yeah, yeah.

But that's one way to make it more walkable.

Like when I think of a very um prominent newer development in Gilbert, it is there's like one thing on the corner, and then it's all parking, and then everything else is on the inside where you can walk around away from the cars.

So it's an it's an idea.

I think you know how to take common bond and walk them through all the council officers if they need to hear it.

And they're they're great.

They by the way, they're great job.

They're doing absolutely fantastic, but a lot of what we've heard.

I know that staff has worked very hard on.

And uh, it is a give and take is a give and take process too.

I don't know who goes to physical banks either.

My wife, I suppose.

I'll just bring her up.

Okay, anything else we want to beat this horse some more?

We're good.

All right, thank you.

With that, are there any other items that the city manager would like to bring our attention to on the agenda for Monday?

Vice Mayor, no.

Of course, we we stand ready to answer any questions about any of the other items on the agenda, but those were the only ones that we had prepared.

Any others?

Going once.

Seeing none, we'll move on to item two A, which is appointment to various boards and committees.

I see uh district five member going to the historic preservation board, and someone from District 2, the Human Relations Advisory Board.

That's fantastic.

Is there a motion and a second?

Motion from Council Member Heredia, second from Councilmember Spilsbury.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Motion carries unanimously.

Uh I um three.

We have three items, ABC from various receipt of minutes from boards and committees.

So take a motion to approve those minutes.

Same way to council member spillsbury, council member Duff.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

That's all number.

That's item number three carries unanimously.

I'm number four next is current events and conferences attended.

It's we just met yesterday, so actually, it's been quite some time.

Mr.

Butler, you have some people to introduce.

Do you want to start with that?

And then we'll go across councils or looking at their calendars.

What do you think?

Vice Mayor Council just uh thank you for uh for recognizing that one to of course highlight uh one of our new additions to the city, our our new dep our new assistance manager Brent Stoddard, who was previously serving as a deputy city manager for Glendale and uh you know, wised up and came to the east side.

Wore a tie and everything.

Just so we can uh we can embarrass uh Kim Cost in uh in a few weeks when uh someone you're you're also very familiar with who will be joining us in in a few weeks and in another role for the city.

So thank you.

Absolutely fantastic additions.

We've had the opportunity to work with both of them, and that those are good picks.

Julian, would you like to start?

Or I've been out of commission.

Oh, out of commission.

Does anybody have anything?

Well, I know who ready.

I just on the role.

That's a good idea.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, I guess I did do that.

Yesterday, we uh uh would he press a button on the new billboard on uh Mason Community College.

Uh awkwardly press a button, but you know, just uh uh thank you for the staff on on that pro that uh process there.

We you know, just to re reiterate the digital billboard, um the some of the advertising funds over 400,000, I think annually will go to the Mesa Promise program.

So it's uh it's a big uh uh opportunity for us to maintain that funding for that uh program that's been so successful.

Over several hundred applicants this year are gonna start attending Mesa Community College, Mesa residence, and so it was uh it was a really uh great event.

Uh I think first city, I think, to open uh uh a billboard uh ribbon cutting, right?

So uh but it's for a good cause, right?

So uh and then bunch of other summer stuff, right?

So just kept up busy, so yeah.

Councilmember Duff.

Yeah, on July uh 24th, um I went to the unveiling of the Micah Mesa Youth Creative Agency.

Um they created a mural for the community services building at 200 South Center, and so I attended that unveiling of the mural.

Please check it out, it's beautiful.

You can see it as you drive by.

Um, and then on the 25th, I attended Solid Rocks, Alice Cooper Solid Rocks Teen Center we have here in Mesa.

But um, they had their Solid Rock third annual summer showcase at the Irving School Auditorium, just right of where Micah is.

Um auditorium, and they just had the talents of the youth and performing arts, like you know, their bands, dance, and many things, and very talented youth.

Um, and I appreciate the work that they do for free for these teenagers.

Um on the 26th, I uh attended the community bridges and Mesa Prevention Alliance back to school event where they gave away backpacks and other goodies, had free services like haircuts, it's very well attended, thousands of people that were lined up.

The mayor was also there.

Um, and then on August 7th and 8th, I attended the ASU Morrison Institute policy retreat in downtown Phoenix.

It's a two-day event covering a number of subjects, uh water, housing, energy, wildfires.

Councilmember Adams was also there.

I might have missed a subject matter.

I appreciate the wealth of uh expertise and research that they provide through ASU to inform elected officials across our state.

Thank you.

Mr.

Adams.

The one I'd like to mention is uh, let's see, this is Thursday, so Tuesday.

I had the privilege of returning to my junior high school, which is Keno, uh, to participate in uh a community meeting uh parents, teachers, uh students, um, as the school year kicked off, and also to uh uh be there to support uh Nicole Labas uh we run Mesa efforts, which are going to be available to uh students there at Keno.

And uh I also uh was very impressed they had some of the the student leaders.

Um I don't think they call them student council anymore, but uh yeah, CEO country member uh goforth was there as well.

But what a what a thrill it was to uh I realized I had not set foot in one of the buildings at my old junior high for 52 years.

It's been a while ago, but uh uh and that's and what a legacy that is.

That school has been providing education to the kids in that district for at least that long, if not well over 60 years.

So uh it was uh uh a privilege to be invited to participate in that.

So thanks.

Ms.

Goof.

And they somehow managed to stump us.

They asked us one question.

And we botched it.

I won't even tell you what it was because that would be more embarrassing.

Is it about walkability?

No.

I gotta stop doing that.

I just wanted to mention about the Northeast Public Safety Building.

It's up and running.

It's a great facility.

And Commander Rash was giving tours on Saturday.

He did a fantastic job.

Sorry if there were other uh uh public safety personnel giving tours.

I just saw Commander Hash and was on one of his tours.

So thank you, everyone who went, and uh hope you enjoyed seeing that state of the art facility.

Right.

Mayor, would you like to mention these or do you want to hold off till Monday?

I'm gonna hold off.

Maybe my voice will get better.

Okay.

It's not that bad.

But uh so the the MCC issue was mentioned, Mayor, and then I'm gonna cross one more off the list for you, which is uh we the mayor and I attended uh the annual first responder thank you breakfast, which is held at the summit.

Again, that's an annual event, which is a uh uh facility in uh Sun Line Springs Village.

They do a great job.

They set up a line and you walk through and they cheer you, and it's really odd when you're a local elected official to have people cheering you.

But it's nice, it's really nice.

They're usually throwing things.

It was uh but this is good too.

Uh East Mark High School, congratulations, East Mark uh and their board uh just added, I think it's 28 new classrooms, expanded the gym, expanded uh the band space, uh, added new technologies, uh eventually a new crosswalk once once that's done, hopefully in a few days.

Uh, the facility is absolutely fantastic, and I told them you know, for all the infrastructure that we're adding, we have a police station, a new library hopefully will open soon, uh, new parks and rec space.

Really the cornerstone of infrastructure of government infrastructure are our schools, because we don't achieve our economic development goals with a strong cornerstone of education, and so congratulations to them.

Um then I'll just do one last thing as a point of personal privilege.

Can you zoom in?

I have a granddaughter.

This is our first granddaughter, Elise Rose Marie was born about a week ago.

I think staff is familiar.

So uh this is our third grandchild and my first granddaughter, and she's absolutely adorable.

So with that, and since the uh city attorney's smiling, I'm I'm still on good legal ground here.

So with that, Mr.

Butler, what do we have?

Vice Mayor, thank you.

That's certainly good news to come back from council break with.

Uh so we'll be back here on Monday, the 18th for uh study session at 5.15 and then council meeting at 545.

And then because I'm trying to get back in your good graces because of all the long meetings prior to the break.

Uh we are canceling next Thursday's study session, but not because of that.

It's the Arizona League of Cities and Towns Conference, which many of you are attending, so there will not be a council study session next Thursday morning.

So thank you.

I'm really happy.

All right.

If there's nothing else for the order, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Councilmember Duff, Councilmember Heredia.

All in favor say aye.

Aye, mayor.

10 4.

10 4 is an aye.

We are adjourned.

Thank you.