Phoenix City Council Meeting – Planning & Development Updates and Tree & Shade Plan – June 11, 2024

On June 11, 2024, the Phoenix City Council convened to receive presentations on two major initiatives: a comprehensive process improvement plan for the Planning and Development Department (PDD) and the draft Shade Phoenix plan, a comprehensive tree and shade master plan. Council members expressed strong support for both efforts, highlighted the importance of interdepartmental collaboration, and directed staff to continue refining the plans with ongoing community engagement.

Discussion Items

1. Planning and Development Department Process Improvements

• Vice Mayor Deborah Stark, a former PDD director, introduced the item, noting that a wave of retirements and the pandemic had strained the department, leading to service complaints. She praised PDD Director Josh Bedenaric and his team for initiating a process improvement effort that included customer and staff listening sessions.
• Deputy City Manager Alan Stevenson and Director Bedenaric presented the improvements, emphasizing a culture of service with three core tenants: personal, seamless, and innovative. Key initiatives include reorganization of plan review functions, creation of photo-based org charts for all partner departments (streets, water, fire), and a commitment to annual customer listening sessions and an annual progress report.
• Josh Bedenaric reported that the department has 488 team members and supplements with $8 million in on-call contracts. Statistics: In FY21-22, record permit valuations reached nearly $20 billion; last year, staff served 39,000 customers, issued 14,000 residential permits, and conducted 280,000 inspections (97% within 24 hours). The self-certification program has 241 registered professionals and issued 374 permits last year.
• Council members unanimously praised the plan. Councilwoman Ann O'Brien asked about expanding self-certification and exploring private vendor options for permits. Vice Mayor Stark urged quarterly meetings with industry, better interdepartmental coordination for appointments, and attention to water meter timelines. Council members also emphasized the need for dedicated staff training time.
• Mayor Kate Gallego noted that Bloomberg Philanthropies assisted with the update and that the council would vote the next day on on-call assistance to amplify staff efforts. She also highlighted the successful SolarApp partnership, which has drawn national attention.

2. Tree and Shade Plan Update – Shade Phoenix

• Mayor Gallego introduced the draft plan, developed by the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation with support from Bloomberg Associates, American Forests, and numerous city departments. The plan builds on the 2010 Tree and Shade Master Plan and the 2021 Tree Equity Pledge.
• Dr. David Hondula, Director of Heat Response and Mitigation, presented. He noted that shade reduces the net heat load on the human body by approximately 30°F on a hot day. Key data: median tree canopy cover in Phoenix is 10.9%, with a tenfold variation across census tracts; 75% of residents live in tracts with less than 15% canopy (American Forests recommends 15% for desert cities). The plan includes 37 actionable strategies under four broad areas: community education, adding shade, maintaining existing shade, and institutionalizing progress.
• The plan represents at least $50 million in already allocated funding, including $3 million for 25 shade structures with local art (Sombra project), and aims to plant 25,000 new trees and build 500 shade structures. Department leaders from Parks (Scott Coughlin) and Streets (Jesse Duarte) detailed current efforts: Parks has planted 15,000 trees in the last decade; Streets maintains 30 million sq ft of landscape with a $3.2 million annual budget, and the Cool Corridors program has planted 2,945 trees since 2021. Public Transit has added 1,800 bus stop shelters (now 75% of stops) and will continue at 80 per year.
• Council members expressed strong support. Councilwoman Ann O'Brien emphasized the need for tree maintenance and water costs. Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari noted a desire to consolidate landscaping responsibilities under one department. Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington stressed ensuring lower-income communities benefit. Councilwoman Laura Pastor highlighted community engagement and tree survival tracking.
• The plan will undergo further community engagement this summer, with performance indicators and site-specific targets to be added before a final fall 2024 presentation.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; both items were presented for discussion and direction.
• Council directed PDD to continue implementing process improvements, explore private vendor options, and report back annually.
• Council directed the Heat Response Office to finalize performance metrics, conduct additional community outreach, and return with a final Shade Phoenix plan in fall 2024.
• The council will vote on on-call assistance for PDD the following day (June 12, 2024).