Well, good morning, everyone.

Welcome to our study session.

I think everybody's excited.

We had some rain last night, wind and storm.

And I thank you for the uh news release by our emergency uh center or EOC uh Robert Kampa.

So yeah, sending that notice out.

Prepare for flooding.

It's a great morning.

It's nice to be cooled, smell the uh fresh air.

Welcome to our Mesa City Council session for September 4th.

Um Vice Mayor Summers is absence and excuse to Council Member Adams.

Uh he should be online.

I see his picture.

They're a nice looking picture, Councilmember.

Well, it looks a lot better than I do, Mayor.

Well, good morning.

Good morning.

Um understand you're on the East Coast.

Enjoy that.

Uh item one is to review the agenda we have for Monday, September 8th council meeting.

Let's go through that agenda.

Uh council, if you have any questions.

I know there's three items for introduction.

And Mary's quickly looking, just in case there's any questions.

Have we had any uh counsel in any of your council districts about these introductions?

I know there's one in district two, district one and then uh amendments to the chapter 36 title of in the Mesa Code.

So Miss Spielsbury, you have one, and Mr.

Adams has one.

These are for introduction.

Then I had a I'm sorry, I should have re reviewed it.

It's been a few days since I looked at it.

Um make sure it's still six eight about the employment opportunity district.

Yeah, and yes, still six eight.

Would you like a discussion on that?

Yeah, I didn't quite understand what it was.

Well, Rachel is coming forward.

Rachel, why don't you give us an overview?

Good morning, council.

Um, we do have a presentation.

Would you would you like the presentation on this item?

Yes.

Okay.

Please.

See if it is up here.

Okay.

So once again, good morning, um, council um Rachel Phillips, assistant planning director.

Um, so this item on the agenda is an amendment to um the employment opportunity district, which is chapter 14 of the zoning ordinance.

And just as a little bit of a background, because you may not see this zoning district be used a lot, it's only been used twice within the city so far.

So we have the the Pecos employment opportunity district, and then um for um for Google, correct?

It was the the Red Hawk, if it was known by that name, um, but they also use this district.

Um but what this is is it's a flexible zoning district that allows an applicant to really tailor the land uses and the development standards to their project.

So it allows them to establish what those are and what the processes are for going through the review.

Um this was adopted by council in 2016 to really be a um a means to expedite the review for some of these larger projects that were gonna be high employment generating um businesses coming into the city, so it allows them to go through an administrative site plan once they get their EO district adopted.

Um and what this amendment today is doing is it's two parts, and in a very basic form, we are repealing chapter 14 and replacing it with the new chapter 14 just due to the number of little text amendments in it, and then we're also amending um section 1186 1A, which is the purpose and applicability statement for um the use type classification.

So those are pretty much the definitions that explain what the different uses are within the zoning ordinance.

And why we're doing this is we're really looking to enhance the utility of the EO district and to be able to expand its use to address um some mixed use projects that political subdivisions of the state might want to do within the city, and political subdivisions of the state, they're they are exempt from the local zoning for um for their governmental purposes.

But if we have a case where they might want to do a mixed use development that um consists of some of their governmental purposes and then some commercial purposes, that commercial side of it, that is still under the city's jurisdiction.

So, what these text amendments do is to really try to create that that flexible kind of regulatory framework so that we can address both parts of those, so both parts of kind of the authorities of those government entities.

So in general, some of those cleanups where we had to amend the general plan um place types or the old character areas that were referenced in there.

So those were updated to reflect our current place types.

And then we um modified the minimum area requirements to use the EO district and said that if you are amending an EO district that there wouldn't be a minimum area to add additional land onto an existing district.

Um we we made some flexibility in there to be able to adjust those based on the types of land uses and kind of groupings or categories of land uses if that if that makes sense.

Um because sometimes you'll see that they create what's called a land use group.

Um and you see those most often in the planned community district where where they have a unique name for like um I'm trying to think of like campus, community campus, and and they have a set of land uses under there that are allowed, and they kind of designate an area where that could be used.

Um so this allows them to set up criteria specific to a land use group or specific to uh a project itself.

Um and then as I mentioned, just modifying language in the chapter for clarity.

Rachel, can I stop you there?

What where are some examples of that?

Mr.

Butler, do we have some examples of the well I you know Rachel Rachel mentioned the the two times that we've used this um this zoning designation within the city, but um what she's what she's talking about when we talk about political subdivisions is this is part of our partnership with ASU to unlock the potential of the ASU innovation zone at the polytechnic campus.

Um this zoning needed to be in place before we could finalize our agreements with ASU.

And if you want to think about in practice today, it's it's Novus, it's the Novus Corridor in Tempe, where you see that the partnership between Tempe and ASU that gave uh parameters for how ASU could develop in that area, and then ASU has that flexibility to go and within following within those guardrails go and develop uh as you know the market uh necessitates and as they have development needs coming in from different partners that they may have within that corridor, and you see a mix of everything from retail to restaurants to um class A office space, and that's exactly what we're envisioning uh as part of the innovation zone.

Uh Jay and and her team and have been you know working with ASU for a while on on that, making sure that we have the proper uses and it's really in line with the type of uh businesses and environment that we'd like to create, um drawing on employers and advanced manufacturing and and semiconductor, uh everything that's tied to what's going on at the polytechnic campus right now, and but it needs to be a vibrant mixed use environment like you've seen in in communities like the Novus Corridor and Tempe.

So that's what we're uh setting the stage for right now.

And then if council were to adopt this, that allows us to come back in the coming um months to um finalize some agreements that we have with ASU so that project can move forward.

Great.

Council, any questions?

Is this something that other entities like uh school districts can uh use as well for maybe uh a mixed use uh development on their campuses and work with the city on uh something like that.

Um not sure if we've had conversations with the school districts here, but is that something that other entities other political subdivisions can use to work with the city on maybe looking at options with their campuses?

Mayor, council member Heredia.

Um so it does apply to political subdivisions as a whole, but there are some minimum area requirements to be able to use this district, so that's 140 contiguous acres.

Um so they would have to have that land available to be able to utilize it.

Okay.

Is that set by statute or why why so much land or um council?

So originally it was 160 acres is what the existing minimum area is, and that was really to ensure that it was a large um large development kind of comprehensive campus to be able to use that tool.

Okay.

Mayor and and um council member Haredi.

I will say though, you know, we've had conversations with the school district and and others about you know opportunities um looking at their land and and reuse in the future and and different ways that they can optimize some of their land holdings.

So um we'll we'll certainly whether this is the tool or not, might you know this may not be, but we've expressed our willingness and our desire to want to work with them on their on their ability to um utilize their hand land to the best opportunity available.

Mr.

Adams, any questions?

I'm I'm just curious uh within the city, how many parcels of 140 or more contiguous acres exist?

Is this very limiting, or I'm I'm trying to picture where other than what Mr.

Butler referred to earlier, where such a uh a parcel might exist?

Um mayor council, I I don't have it in front of me, but we we did look at that, but it's a limited number.

I would say less than five um exist in the city right now.

Um there might be the potential for more if land would to would annex in.

Um, but it's only it's only a handful right now that have that size.

Are we are we limiting ourselves um by requiring 140?

I get where 160 may have come from.

It's it's a quarter of a section, but uh uh nonetheless, I just wonder are we limiting ourselves or is there a reason that we want to stick with 140 contiguous acres?

Just curious.

So, mayor, um council, if I can.

Um one of the things we want to look at is this is really about creating jobs.

So, what we're looking at is those large scale employment type of areas.

There are other tools or are other overlay districts that other types of uses can use.

This really is about either a single parcel or several parcels coming together to have the overlay placed on them so that we start to look at these large employment campuses.

That really is what this is trying to focus on.

But again, we have other overlay tools that can be used for projects that might be smaller.

For example, the in Fiesta, we had the ID district.

So there are criteria that need to be met for that, but there are other tools, and it's one of the things that we're looking at over maybe the next year or so is how we try to streamline all of these overlay districts that allow for these types of uses.

Okay, now that you describe it as a as an employment campus, I get it.

I understand.

Thank you.

Ms.

Goforth.

Um since it is trying to um it is about jobs and employment.

How are we ensuring that there's a certain a certain number or because I I'm not sure Google's probably a great example, right?

I I don't know how many jobs that produced.

So how how do you how do we ensure that?

Um mayor, council member go forth.

Um I can't speak to to Google itself, but as part of using the EO district for the political subdivision, they would be required to enter into a development agreement or an intergovernmental agreement with the city, and um maybe Jim would want to speak to more to that, but there would be some parameters as far as how much commercial could be developed alongside with the governmental purpose portion of the the project.

Mayor and council, this is sort of the the first tool.

You're gonna see a development agreement in IGA come in the in a few months.

Um and and then the then you'll see the specifics.

But we needed to put this in place before we did the the agreement, and these are the changes necessary to facilitate that agreement and also facilitate the development um as ASU envisions it.

And so that's uh we it's hard to see these sometimes without a site plan without something to see with it, and that's why it's sort of abstract when you see the bullet points, and that's sort of the problem.

But this is really just sort of the the groundwork, so that the all the other things that will be coming to you in the future.

So there's no sort of parameters that we put around that says this is the ratio of employment to you know the commercial part, the mixed-use part.

I don't know.

There's we don't do any of that.

So mayor council, if they can the next step if council approves these OEO changes, is that when ASU comes in, they'll have to submit an EO development plan.

And in that plan, they they will identify, and similar to what we did with Fiesta, we would probably put those parameters of you know the the amount of residential before or the amount of commercial that has to happen before the residential and and you know the the research.

So we're not sure what those parameters look like because we don't have that development plan, but that is the next step once if city council decides to uh uh adopt these amendments.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions, Ms.

Duff?

No, okay.

Great.

I think this is really important for us to uh you know I uh yesterday I had a meeting with President Crow, uh Mr.

Butler and I, and uh they're excited about moving uh downtown campus here in Mesa, and this provides a lot of flexibility, not only Novus, but Sky Song too is part of their developments too.

And and I really uh think this is important for us to move forward with this uh opportunity zone for them, and I look forward to seeing how it matures in the future.

Any other questions?

All right.

I know we went on 6A.

Is there any uh thank you, Rachel?

I think we we ought to move over to 5A.

I think that's a really important one, Ms.

Dove.

Um de sac ground lease somebody want to speak on that?

Jeff, is Jeff here?

Jimmy.

I know you sent out an email uh yesterday, late afternoon, early evening.

I didn't have any questions, but maybe council does.

Why don't you just just review the whole thing, Jeff, please?

Jimmy.

Not the whole thing.

Yeah.

Like 10 percent of it.

Good morning, Mayor, Council Jeff McVay and Jimmy Chiracchio.

Um yes, we're happy to be here today.

Um as a reminder, um, what you have before you today are or what you'll have before you on Monday is a ground lease that with a with a which is actually functioning as a development agreement and an option to purchase the property.

Um the the agreements that you have in front of you currently are marked as draft, and that and just to explain for the therapy those that that uh maybe didn't get to see my email.

The they're marked as draft because we we were negotiating right up until early um earlier this week.

And when we got the documents finalized, we negotiated all the agreements, including the the first phase development agreement.

The first phase development agreement essentially has all the same terms as phase two and phase three, but we only want to have to negotiate and draft one one development agreement at a time, and then once one was done, we're able to take that and essentially uh change the names to protect the innocent.

So phase one became phase two, phase three became phase three, and we'll be out we'll be able to have those development agreements inserted later today so that the full documents will be ready for everybody.

Um just come with some of the highlights.

We're looking at um with this project, the first phase will be 144-sale town use town home unit units um that would be completed by I believe 2027.

Correct.

Or I'm sorry, they must commence construction by 2027.

Um phase two would be uh 225 um residential units and phase three be 425 residential units.

In total, we're looking at 25 to 50,000 square feet of commercial space and 25 to 50,000 square feet of residential many space.

I think one of the things that we didn't talk about a whole lot last week, um, and the that I think is also important.

There's going to be a significant amount of green space included in this uh project.

One of the benefits that call the sec will tell us is that by not having to have significant parking fields that gives more room and more space to be able to have open space and amenities for their residents.

Um consideration for some of the incentives the city's providing, they're also providing us then with public access agreements so that the public has ability to access those green spaces as well as their residents.

Um the uh yeah, uh it would be hard for me not to to just note the the significance of this project in relationship to the history of site 17.

And I and I just broke the rule that Jim wanted to end last week, and I used the name.

Um, but one more time to remind us that you know um on Monday, council will have the opportunity to to take a vote on uh hopefully the final solution for the future of site 17.

We're pleased to be um to work on that.

Jim and his team have been great to work with.

You know, the cul-de-sac team is here if you have any questions.

They've been really good to work with as well as good partners.

Um but we're happy to answer any questions that council may have.

And mayor, just to clarify too, there's not been any substantial changes since Jeff presented to you.

It's been more finalizing the documents and and tightening up those agreements, but the the material uh issues that he presented to you uh have remained the same since the council presentation council just an easy question on the public access to the green space.

Uh who maintains the open or green space?

That may or council, that will be called de sacks responsibility to maintain.

Okay.

Yes.

I just wondered who was going to incur that uh cost.

But all right, great.

All right.

Well, well, we look forward to transforming uh site 17.

We're gonna elevate site 17 mayor.

Good boy.

I shouldn't have thought of that.

Uh Rich, Mr.

Adams.

Yes, uh, before Mr.

McBay uh retreats to the audience, a quick question.

Uh and I understand some of these um negotiations are uh um sensitive and confidential, perhaps, but I'm just curious.

Uh you mentioned that negotiations were were underway uh up until very recently.

I'm curious if you can tell us uh from the time the initial proposal was presented to council.

Has the city had to uh give anything up substantially, or are we still pretty much where we were?

And I'm I'm uh uh I think Cul de SEC's a great project.

I'm just curious if if anything was uh substantially changed, or are we just talking dotting I's and crossing T's.

Mayor, uh Councilmember Adams, uh, I think that it's a fair um assessment to say that the a lot of the value negotiations were minor points.

Um we we we might have discussed how how long of hours the park would need to be open for longer than probably was necessary, but the rest of the time was was dotting I's and crossing T's.

The the substantial business terms that that were included in that are included are are consistent with what we brought to council, I believe two or three months ago for your direction.

Um so from a from a business terms perspective, it has remained fairly consistent with what you have been presenting through the throughout the last year.

Good.

Okay, thank you.

That's that's all I need to know.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Great.

Thank you, Jeff and Jimmy.

Thank you.

Anything on the agenda for Monday, Council?

All good to go.

Okay.

Well, we'll move over to our study session.

Uh item two A is a presentation about the proposed center street capital improvement project.

Eric, thank you.

In case uh this goes long, I have a hard stop at 8 45, and I'll shift gears over to uh Mr.

Heredia to finish the meeting if we go that long.

I've got to go over to the state fire school here to the north and speak.

Well, good morning, mayor and council.

Um I'm excited to be here to talk about Center Street once again uh with council.

Um this has really been uh uh a discussion we've had over the last five years.

Um we have more information and want to present to to council.

So just a really quick overview.

Um I'm gonna try to keep things high level.

Uh and we're gonna talk about just a little bit about the history, uh, the project scope that we're bringing today, and and really wanting to talk about uh a potential CIP project.

It's it's a it's a portion of Center Street, it's not the entire length of Center Street that we've talked about before.

Um the the project elements that are involved and staff's preferred alternative, and then what's next for for Center Street.

Uh to to jump into the history a little bit.

There was a little before 2020, but I'll I'll just pick up in 2020.

Um we had the Mesa Moves bond program and additional um projects that that were part of that program with with the Prop 400 reimbursement money.

Um as part of the active transportation program, the center street project was was discussed.

Uh we didn't have enough funding to be able to design and construct center street.

So out of the the Mesa Moves program, we decided to do a feasibility study to really look at Center Street um and see what what we could do with it.

Um as part of that program, um staff uh our our staff in transportation and in engineering uh had a project to do a design concept report to to really look at a planning study to see if this was feasible.

Uh that that plan took about uh about 18 months to do, and it was completed early in in in 2024.

Uh we presented those findings to the sustainability and transportation committee of council in this in the spring of last year.

Um also I just want to highlight as part of the 2024 bond package.

There is seven million dollars allocated for for streets projects.

Um and then I think what has been really helpful for us as a transportation department as a city, so we've had two other studies that that have been happening in this area that that have helped us um understand center street a little bit more.

The the the first is the downtown micromobility and parking study um that Jeff's group is leading, and then also talking about the convention center master plan.

And then also talking about the convention center master plan.

Those have been presented to council this year also.

So I think we've tried to merge all three of these reports together and what we've learned to try to come up with the best recommendation that we can.

So today we're gonna focus the this section of Center Street that we're gonna be talking about is from Main Street to university.

So this is what's right outside of City Hall here, up past the convention center to university.

And really the the goals, what we're looking for on Center Street is uh we want to enhance travel for people that are walking to and from downtown, bicycling to and from downtown, and also within downtown.

We recognize that um we have we we have many more residents today than we did in 2020 when we first really started talking about um this project.

And and so we want to we want to do that.

We wanna um provide a gateway into downtown.

Understanding that Center Street comes right into the middle of downtown.

It really is our only northwest or sorry, north south street that provides connections regionally that we can use for for this type of project.

Uh there's there's not enough right-of-way on Mesa Drive or Country Club to look at doing this.

The speeds are high on those streets.

This this really is our opportunity.

Um, and then our final goal really, and so what we heard from you know the convention center study is we want to can connect the convention center to downtown and and center street is the right location to do that.

So as we've been looking at our study and all the other studies, there's a bunch of different project elements that we have to consider as we we look at center street.

We have a wide ride of way.

We have 77 feet of pavement between the curves, curbs in in some of the locations on Center Street.

Um the part of the the feasibility study that we did in 2023 and 2024 really focused on traffic operations.

We wanted to make sure if we're gonna take a lane of traffic from Center Street that it's still gonna operate, um, especially in this section between Main Street and University, it next down to one lane in each direction at Main Street anyhow.

Uh, we don't have any concerns that by taking a travel lane in each direction that traffic is is still going to, it's still going to function at at the intersections.

Um so really that that way we can focus on some of these next bullet points that we can provide enhanced bike lanes.

Um we can use parking as a buffer.

I I think when we talk about enhanced bike lanes, um putting the bike lanes up against the curb, having some sort of buffer uh between the travel lane and the and the bike lanes so more people feel comfortable riding on on those bike lanes.

Uh I I know that's been a discussion item multiple times as I've I've been up in front of council.

Um really elevating the pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks, uh, talking about shade, how to accomplish that.

Um one item that we didn't have any uh inkling about or until we got into the feasibility study and really started looking at at the corridors um the possibility of a roundabout at 2nd Street to provide you know that gateway feature uh into downtown.

I think it's important, although we're taking lanes of traffic, we we realize we still need turn lanes at certain intersections at university at at first street, um, at Main Street.

We we need those left turn lanes uh to provide you know the capacity we need at those intersections.

So that's important.

And and I think as we talk about this corridor and if we're really trying to enhance walking, biking, making it a gateway um for this section between Main Street and university, we would we would look to reduce the speed limit to 25 miles an hour along the street.

So those are all the elements that we've looked at.

I think now as staff, we've had a lot of conversations, not just in transportation, but but with downtown transformation.

Um and we have some recommendations that we'd like to present to the council.

Um the first is I think we really need to look at widening the sidewalks, focusing between second street and and main street to provide that connection to the convention center.

If this is the if second street's gonna be the the start of our core downtown area, um that we should have wider sidewalks, there should be shade on those sidewalks, and that the there may be areas where we have to widen the sidewalk.

We may have to push the curb out.

There may be some curb reconstruction.

Um we're we also want to provide separated bike lanes that are curbside.

connection to the convention center if this is the if second street's going to be the the the start of our core downtown area um that that we should have wider sidewalks there should be shade on those sidewalks and that the there may be areas where we have to widen the sidewalk we may have to push the curb out there may be some curb reconstruction um we're we also want to provide separated bike lanes that are curbside I think something different and that we've learned over the past couple years since we installed um the bike lanes on first avenue is we're actually the the bike lanes that we're proposing are six and a half feet um which is narrower than what we have on first avenue and I I think as we've been talking with our consultants one thing we've learned is um for separated bike lanes or enhanced bike lanes they don't necessarily have to be a lot wider than what we have out on the streets today um but they need to have that that buffering between travel and and um and the the bike lane if you get them much wider than six and a half feet then then those bike lanes could start to look like a a travel lane um and and motorists could mistake um mistake them for for a travel lane uh we're gonna propose a four foot buffer between the the bike lane and parking um we have looked at a di a bunch of different parking alternatives uh we're suggesting that we keep the the parallel parking that that's out on or not keep it in the same location but continue to have parallel parking on center stream um there'll be a four foot buffer um between the bike lane and the parking something that's different than what how first avenue is right now we're also going to have a four foot buffer between the parked vehicles and the travel lanes we we have enough um asphalt out there to do that one of the complaints we've heard about first avenue is with the parking not being up against the curb and trying to get out of the driver's side vehicle you're right up against a travel lane that's uncomfortable um we we feel that the this is a solution to do that um if we keep parallel parking we could also then retain our turn lanes at at our intersections and we feel that that's important w what is the speed limit on first avenue the speed limit on first avenue uh council member I believe it's 20 it's 30 30 miles an hour.

Oh it's just 30.

Okay.

And in your proposing 25 on this okay correct um we also we we want to move forward with the recommendation uh of our a roundabout at 2nd street um for some of the reasons that that I talked about earlier uh we want to provide a calming effect with with traffic you most of the time with roundabouts you don't have to stop but you do need to slow down to go around them uh we believe we can make it a gateway feature into downtown recognizing that that center street is on the parade route and that some large vehicles need to access the convention center um we do still need to do some design work to to make sure that we can make a roundabout work in in this location and and still accommodate all of the the movements that that need to be there.

So just on that point making sure are we going to still utilize this this is our parade route center street from university and center like we typically do mayor we we haven't entertained not using it as our parade route or if there's a better way to put it but um I mean certainly in an enhanced pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks and other things isn't necessarily a bad thing for a parade route and so we can we can see how it works uh from uh logistics standpoint of moving those larger vehicles yeah and I I think mayor um we're not proposing a lot of uh features sticking up in the existing asphalt a lot of it will be striping there there may be some delineators but they'll there'll still be plenty of room plenty of width for uh the parade route on the street okay just making sure I mean people we've used this for decades and well obviously we have our staging area in the parking lot and then staging uh north of uh University on center as we have our larger parade so just make sure that's not compromised and we can still have the best of both yeah uh I'm just trying to do some quick math in my head um there's there's gonna be between 55 and 60 feet of pavement that for the roundabout area further um I the the roundabout is is the one area we we need to we really really need to study I think we'll obviously bring that back before we move to to construction um but but there'll be plenty of room still on center street for the the parade.

No, I I get that the parade is important to us, but I would hate to see us again, you know, widen a space unnecessarily for two events.

You know what I mean?

I I that I'm just gonna do that.

I think what Eric's saying though is we we believe we can provide both this enhanced experience while maintaining the access that we need in order to get those um larger vehicles in and out for the parade.

Uh that's what they're going to work at on from an engineering standpoint just to make sure we can accommodate that.

But it it's what I'm hearing from street width, that's not an issue.

We're we've got plenty of room for the parade, it's just the roundabout, and we'll we'll work through that.

That's what we'll engineer to make sure that we can accomplish both goals on that.

Well, I didn't know it struck a chord like that.

Well, I think that's a good idea.

I think we did say they're gonna study the roundabout to make sure it's the right width and everything to accommodate the parade.

And I did say having best of both is important to Mesa.

And I I think as we've as we've gone through multiple studies and and heard concerns, um, you know, I think we're we're trying to be as transparent as possible as as we bring forth everything that you know these no project never has zero challenges.

So that you know, this this is the challenge, but I think it's something important that and that can be great a great asset to to downtown, not just the center street.

So well, I think having wider sidewalks with shade, you know, having the experience with a parade, you know, brings more people because as we've gone through the parades over the years, people have their umbrellas, they have their canopies, you know.

Sometimes it's hot, you know, weather's not always convenient here.

But at the end of the day, we want to have people who have a great experience in downtown Mesa.

That's the whole purpose in building this.

So I think these changes will certainly make that great experience much much nicer for pedestrians.

Mayor, a quick comment, if I may.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

I forgot about it.

No, no, no, no, you're fine.

Um I I think overall the project is uh something we should seriously consider.

I've received, as I'm sure most of us have, uh, a great number of positive uh comments from folks, primarily in the the cycling community uh and others.

Um the shade is great.

I think the reality is though, and I'm trying to picture in my mind how do you run a parade through that roundabout?

And I think that's something we need to take a real hard look at.

I'm I'm kind of a traditionalist on these things.

We've done this in Mesa for many, many years.

Uh uh all you have to do is show up for the uh the various parades and see how many of our folks appreciate um supporting them and attending them.

So I'd be curious to see what uh what Eric comes back with uh uh with respect to that roundabout.

Very good, thank you.

Sounds well like it won't be the last conversation we have about it.

I doubt that.

Um so what's next for us?

Uh I think really what what we're looking for is some direction that to be able to move forward with moving into some more detailed design.

Um I think you know, really we we've we've been talking about this concept.

We've done a high-level planning study to say, yes, it's feasible, but there are there are certain details that we haven't got into yet.

And and I I think you know, that's really the the next step that that we need to do that, and that you know, we can use some of this the 2024 bond money to to start that design process.

I think really as as we get into design, we'll we'll engage engineering to to hire a designer.

Um, and hopefully this is a um a different enough project that that will get um some high quality designers that that will bring additional ideas, but we really need to start the design process to provide more detail as you have questions about you know, well, will this work or not?

And and we can get into that.

Um we need to we need to do public outreach and um as part of the plans.

I I know there with the multimodal study um through Jeff's group, there was some public outreach, but we haven't done specific public outreach on Center Street yet.

We need to do that.

We need to identify any utility conflicts that that are in the corridor.

Um, and then I was the important one.

Uh what can we actually build for the money that we have?

Um and and so that that's that's why we're here today.

We we want to receive some direction um and and hopefully be able to move forward with this project.

So, mayor, I I would just add too that I I appreciate Eric and his team coming back with kind of a refocused project on this.

As you know, um this corridor that we initially looked at was much was much longer than this on Broadway all the way up to the canal.

And we had some different philosophies, I think, different priorities in different sections of this corridor that um were really slowing down our discussion on um maybe what I believe represents the most important part of that corridor, which is what's in front of you today.

It uh this this project checks a lot of boxes.

It's the safety enhancements and the walkability that we see.

It's the enhanced entryway into downtown and the placemaking that comes along with it.

It's the reinvention of the convention center and all the work that we're gonna be doing in that aspect.

We just talked about the Sarine House last week.

That's on the west side of this project.

We've we've been talking about ASU and the post office, that's on the east side of this project.

Uh this is this is a project I think that's really important for what we want um downtown Mesa in this particular portion of downtown Mesa to look like and to reflect the work that this council has put into those efforts with bringing residential and university students and others all downtown and in a core location, and this this will enhance that.

That will it will enhance the entryway into downtown and and and so we're very optimistic that we can come back to you after they've had an opportunity to move forward with um a plan that balances all the concerns that we've heard, and like said anytime you change something, there's going to be pluses and minuses, but we think we can get a lot more pluses than minuses by the time that we get a final product in place.

Great.

Ms.

Steph.

Julie was ahead of me.

Oh, you probably are gonna talk longer than we saw.

Probably although I do have several questions, but um so if we're going out for design, so questions that we have about like maybe the feature you're talking about in the middle of the roundabout or the actual delineators and all that kind of stuff will come back to us for I mean, will it come back to us for input or council?

I as I said, I don't expect this to be the last conversation about this project.

Um so I I think as as we move forward through the design process and get more details, we'll be updating council and um you know, through the sustainability and transportation committee and and council as we do so.

Okay, I um I've I've mentioned this to several people, but there are some delineators being put up around the valley in different cities that are atrocious.

So I just want to make sure we don't do anything like that.

Um but also I thought it was interesting we got an email from someone that was talking about that the delineators actually are not safe for cyclists, which is the opposite of what we've been hearing.

And anyway, so I would just like to dig a little deeper on that as well.

Like, what is the best thing for cyclists and what does make someone feel safer?

And I know we've done a lot of talk and research, and maybe there's just a difference of opinion out there, but that was interesting because it's someone who knows what they're talking about.

Um while I appreciate everything that you just said, why we're focusing on this, it this will only be helpful to cyclists if they can connect to it from north or south or east or west.

So and I get that we can't do it all, but is there still pathways for people to get to this part on their bike, or will it just be the people who live in this area that can use it on their bikes?

Like there's still the pathway for them to be able to get to this area.

Uh Councilmember Spielsbury, that's a good question.

Uh Center Street today has existing bike lanes um from Main Street North.

Um, and so those will continue to be there.

And and so that with this first phase, there'll be a connection to be able to get to you know the the shared use pathway to the to the north on on a bike lane.

Just maybe not as safe or optimal as what okay.

Unless you'd like to advocate that we just go ahead and do it.

Protected all I know the canal path, I'm with you there.

The first avenue thing was like great, we have one section that we can drive on safe or right on safely, but to where, right?

Like there was no connectivity to make that correct.

You know, anyway, so I just want to make sure we're understood, and we always have to start in one place.

I've had this conversation with council member go forth also with the pathway that's being built in her district.

We have to start someplace, and and we understand it's it's gonna take years to to build out and connect everything, uh, but we have to start somewhere.

Um I'm I've asked this before, and I'm kind of forgetting the answer.

What are there bus stops along Center Street?

There are bus stops along Center Street, and transit was heavily involved in our feasibility study, and we will accommodate um the bus stops.

Most of them are buzz stops, but we'll we'll accommodate them with this project.

So if there's only one lane of traffic, we're I mean it's not gonna back up traffic horribly, or I mean that's just what I'm picturing.

And those are some details that we still want to work out.

Um it's the a lot of it may be the trade-off between do we remove three or four spots for parking and there's a pull out for the bus, or do we want to keep the bus in the travel lane and you're but there's no dwelling like the buzz does in in some places and in downtown along this segment.

So are you stopped for 15 to 30 seconds while it stopped, possibly, but um those are details we'll we'll work through.

Okay.

I I do just want us to acknowledge it gives me a little bit of discomfort to take out a traffic lane.

It just does because you know, I just get nervous about when we have concerts and large events at the convention center and how bad the traffic is backed up already with four lanes of traffic.

So I just want to make sure we're really looking at that, and we're we figured out other ways to get traffic in and out of that area.

Uh I mean, we I don't want it to become a an issue where people don't even want to come down here because it takes so long to get in and out of traffic.

I I know I might be alone on that, but um I I just I want to make sure, and then you know, we have these dreams about our convention center and reimagining what that whole area can look like.

So I also just want to make sure we're looking ahead to like what the needs will be for that, and um in the future as we increase capacity there, because that's the whole goal of what we've talked about for the convention center, that we're not limiting it by having this reduced traffic lanes, I guess.

So um, and then I love that we're gonna have more public outreach and look at all this stuff, but I also feel like we've been dragging this project for years and years at this point, so I would want it to move quick so we can actually use this money that um that has no, but I mean, I just like this this is obviously something that people want and that they have wanted for years, and I don't want it to get caught up in so many details and outreach that I mean I we gotta do what we gotta do, but but let's not drag this on for longer than necessary.

So no, didn't I just I said you were gonna talk a long time and then look at me, but there you go.

I think I'm done.

Oh no, you're awesome.

You're awesome.

Um I uh I just wanted to uh point out a few things.

I appreciate the comments, there's a lot of comments there.

Um, and that we will do some more public outreach.

Just as a reminder, when we did the 24 bond, we did outreach on it with the renderings um citywide, and it did receive some positive feedback.

But now, once we get into the design side of it and have all the um that worked out, then you know, doing that public outreach to make sure we're addressing all the issues is excellent.

Um I'm excited that we are gonna move forward as quickly as possible, especially when because some council members won't be around forever.

Um year and a half, by the way.

Anyway, um, but I do want to point out also that uh between Maine, no, between Pepper and University is the only four-lane road that we have in the square mile.

That's the only stretch.

And it ends up like a divider way back when I guess McDonald was the center of the downtown that and that's why we had the clock there and such.

That was and so this side wasn't really built to be, you know, like the middle of downtown, but now it is, and we have so much development going on with the grid crust is supposed to be opening by the end of the year, some other developments on the east side of center, and call bringing the street together and connecting it with the convention center and the hotel, Sarine and everything, because people don't come from the convention center down here.

It doesn't feel like a connection, it feels like a highway, so they just kind of stay.

And so just pulling it downtown so center becomes the center of our downtown, I think will really help with the development.

And also, um, I had read a study that was well, it's actually a project that was in Lancaster, California.

Um, they took nine blocks of a five-lane road, and they trans uh formed into a pedestrian-friendly uh project, you know, the the shade trees, what we're doing, shade trees, bike lanes, um narrowing last lanes and such.

They according they attract generated over 270 million dollars in local economic output and attracted 130 million dollars in private development, and more than 800 permanent jobs were created in tax revenue from the area near nearly doubled.

Traffic collisions and injury-related crashes decreased significantly.

Um local businesses populated all through there.

Um, and um it became a place for the the city.

And I think uh the center has the opportunity to really have more economic feel as people populate it, whether they're walking and biking becomes a center piece of our downtown that we can also look at also as an economic development engine and pulling together our downtown and having that additional connections to all the great assets that we have.

Um also and I'm not too worried about the congestion so much because we have the Mesa Arts Center, we have events there majority of nights every week.

Um they only have one lane all the way around, and it hasn't be an an issue.

Um doesn't have as many access points as the convention center, which has university and third place and centennial, um, and it's only you know I'm not concerned about that.

I think the convention center would do better when the convention center space was in a place that was exciting and walkable, and hey, we want to have our convention there because we want our people to be in this great space instead of like what is there around there.

Um so I think I'm not worried about the traffic.

This is a downtown's area for people.

Um, and the benefits of that in quality of life and the economics of it and giving mobility to all people, all ages, um, and creating community.

We don't realize when I lived in in East Mesa for a long time.

I came down, I didn't realize how much just walking or biking from place to place in a small geographic area, how much I connected with people and got to know people and really kind of like got the news of what's just going on, who and that's how I got to know people in downtown.

I fell in love with a community so much that pretty much I started running for city council, planning and zoning and everything.

But it had started me on the journey of caring about where I lived and what I could do to try to make it a better place for everybody, because I fell in love with the community, and I didn't realize it was I didn't have a garage, I had a porch, I walked everywhere, biked, and I just met so many amazing people, and still to this day, all the people here, and I think having that connection point on the street as well as businesses love people walking and biking in front of their business.

It's awesome.

It it does work out economically too.

Um I think those are kind of the main points.

I mean, I could talk a day about all the benefits of this, but I I know you've listened to me quite patiently for many years on this project, and I appreciate the support to move it forward uh quickly.

Thank you.

Mr.

Adams, any comments?

No, um interesting discussion, and I think it's uh an interesting project that uh uh in the overall is is a good idea.

So um anxious to uh see what uh additional information that uh Eric brings forth and uh um cool from there.

Thank you.

You bet.

Um thank you.

And I think hearing from the consultant on bike lanes is important to me.

I think we have advocacy from both sides.

One same center street's just fine the way it is, others are saying, you know, would like the narrowing and then the uh separation of the bike lanes.

So and then the walkability, the shade, the sidewalks, everything, and I think comes down to money, what we're gonna spend for this capitalization of this project.

So look forward to hearing from you again, Eric, not to repeat that.

Can't wait.

Okay.

Anything else?

Oh, Miss GoFord.

Um, Eric, what is the capacity of Center Street right now?

From a vehicular standpoint, as far as um So uh, you know, typically when you look at a four-lane collector street, that that's what a is what Center Street is today, you know, you can handle anywhere from 15 to 20,000 vehicles a day on it.

And what how many vehicles have you how many vehicles?

That is a good question.

I this section I would have to look.

The the most we found on any section of Center Street was uh just under 10,000 vehicles a day.

Okay, which two lanes can handle.

So I guess it's safe to say there's plenty of capacity.

Yes, I I think w whenever we bring forward a project like this, we we make sure that we're not going to all of a sudden degrade capacity so much that we're gonna have constant traffic jams, right?

And and so um we've identified collector streets that that they're extra wide, and and we don't need that the those extra lanes to for the existing vehicular traffic that's there.

Yeah, I think Mesa's done a good job of you know historically building streets that are super safe for big and wide and and safe for vehicles.

I think that a project like this um is now looking at everybody who uses a street, right, and says uh it it should be safe for everybody who uses the street.

We've we focused on vehicular traffic, and we've kind of I I shouldn't, I guess I'm I'm gonna say it, we've neglected the bikers and the walkers, and I think um what we're seeing is we have a large group of those uh people in the city of Mesa that do that, and they are asking us to look at transportation and street design and construction with them in mind as well and their safety.

So for me, this is about safety for everybody.

Um, and it's already safe for the car.

How do we make it also safe for people?

The other thing I would say is we we as a council have said a priority and a goal is to have a vibrant downtown.

And the way you do that is you get people out and walking about, right?

So that you know that comes along with change.

I mean, what what we're saying is right now our downtown is not not exactly what we want it to be.

We'd like it to be a little bit more vibrant, we'd like people to walk down, walk around and shop and be out and about.

Well, that takes some changes, so we have to sometimes make some some hard changes, you know.

If if we want that and yet we're not gonna make the change and we're gonna stay with the status quo, we can't be surprised when our downtown doesn't change and become what we say we want it to be.

So I guess I would just say a little bit on my soapbox if if let's let's make the change that supports the goal that we we say we want.

And I think the project is one.

Thank you.

Mr.

Adams.

Uh I I was just reminded uh listening to the comments.

Uh Eric, maybe I made an assumption that uh we've already done some uh flow measurements, traffic volume measurements before we've come this far on the proposal, have we?

Or if not, I assume we're going to measure the actual number of cars on a given weekday or on a given afternoon or evening, or as uh council member uh Spielsbury mentioned during uh events.

So have we actually measured that traffic volume, or is that something you intend to do?

Councilmember Adams, as part of the feasibility study, um, and I'm happy I'd be happy to share that uh with you.

We took traffic counts uh on weekdays and and weekends.

I don't believe we did anything for events uh uh around the convention center.

Um and the the whole first part of this feasibility study was was looking at doing traffic analysis and and making sure that that we can make this work that it that it's feasible to do.

Okay, thank you.

I I assumed you had just wanted to double check.

Thank you.

And Councilmember Adams, if I can just butt in.

Um during the micromobility study, there was a study and looking at the traffic counts and out and then recommendation was um on Center Street that losing the lane wasn't going to change the traffic speed at all.

Everything was going to be status quo.

There was the volume was so low that it wasn't going losing a lane wasn't going to change it.

Um we have that information somewhere in anyway.

The micromobility study confirmed that idea that losing the the lane on that stretch um between first street and university was gonna allow traffic to flow as usual.

Good.

Well, thank you.

I I know you're much more familiar with with the the details and the data on this, so thank you.

Very good.

Council, any more questions?

All right, Mr.

Butler, we're all good to move forward.

All good, yes, sir.

And Aries got his direction.

Yes, yes.

Thank you.

All right, with that, we'll move over to uh item three is to acknowledge the receipt of minutes.

Is there a motion to do that?

Miss Phillsbury, thank you, Miss Goldforth.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Motion passes unanimously.

Next is current event and conferences attended.

Council members, do you wish to share anything?

I'll start with Miss Goldforth.

Do you have anything you'd like to share?

Um well, I guess since Vice Mayor Summers is Vice Mayor Summers isn't here.

Or do you want to talk about um Fire Station 224 groundbreaking we had yesterday morning, which was great in Southeast Mesa.

That's gonna help with response times and safety down in our um growing part of the city.

Um I uh Councilmember Spillsbury and I also attended the East Valley quarterly meeting where we get together with council members from the East Valley and share best practices and ideas and try to collaborate.

And we uh met at Mesa Gateway, which was great, and we got a tour of the airport, and they uh had a lot of questions for uh Brian O'Neil and and Ryan Smith, and that and they gave a great tour and answered all the questions about all the development going on and the great things happening down there.

Um I think that's it for now.

Thank you.

Okay, Miss Filsbury.

That's one of the two I was gonna mention.

All right, Miss Heredia.

All good, Ms.

Duff.

Yeah, I want to mention that um last Friday I attended uh a performance at the Mesa Arts Center, and um they started this new map um Club 48 um exclusive arts experience.

So for members who want more engagement with the arts, a connection to the artists, and talking to one another, they provided some gelato and just creating um you know uh sharing among the arts community and be excited about what we have at the Arts Center.

So I really enjoyed that, and I thought it was uh a good uh measure that we're taking in order to engage our um Mesa Art Center members.

And um I think that's about it.

But anyway, just glad to see that.

And members, if you're interested, look for it.

And the next time you go to the Mesa Arts Center and see if it's attached to the performance you're going to.

Great, thank you.

I'll just add I was really grateful for fire uh station uh ribbon cutting.

Well, actually groundbreaking and have that there.

Uh the ribbon cutting can't come soon enough, apparently for Mr.

Summers' uh six-month timeline.

It's gonna be a year in the build for for that facility, so that'll be great for that area.

Yesterday I was uh thanked to Ian Linson.

Uh we toured Waymo, uh, Waymo manufacturing facility in South Mesa.

Uh is phenomenal.

They build all the Waymo cars in Mesa and shipped out throughout the whole United States.

So may Mesa has uh a you know uh unique mark uh uh magna is the uh manufacturer for the cars, so and Waymo there.

So it's pretty employee a lot of people too.

They do, about 200 employees out there.

That's great.

So we uh toured that facility, and thank you for setting that up.

And uh just a great tour.

Mayor Hartkey from Chandler attended as well, so we bannered back and forth.

I guess Waymo's kind of started in Chandler but ended up in Mesa, so we got the better end of the dealer.

Um Miss Brown attended with us as well.

Mr.

Butler, can you share future meetings for us?

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh yes, we'll be back on Monday for study session at 5 15, followed by the council meeting at 5 45.

And then next Thursday we'll have um study session again at 7 30 a.m.

back in this room.

So great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Ms.

Duff.

Mr.

Heredia, thank you.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Thank you.

Motion passes.

Have a great rest of the week.