Phoenix City Council Formal Meeting - February 19, 2025
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Phoenix City Council Formal Meeting - February 19, 2025
The Phoenix City Council convened on February 19, 2025, at 9:45 AM for a formal meeting. The agenda included consent agenda approvals, a public hearing on development impact fees, discussion of employee compensation, affordable housing for veterans, land sales, and workforce development. Public comment sessions addressed homelessness, heat relief, and community cat overpopulation.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of the formal meeting of September 18, 2024 (Item 1) were approved unanimously.
- Minutes of October 2, 2024 were continued to March 5, 2025 (Item 2).
- Boards and commissions nominations (Item 3) were approved unanimously.
- Liquor license items 4–18 were approved unanimously.
- A large consent agenda covering items 19–82 (excluding items 37, 39, 41, 42, 51, 64, 65, 66, 70, 73, 79, 80, 81) was approved unanimously by a roll call vote of 9–0.
Discussion Items
Item 39: Class and Compensation Process Update
- Scott Kirk (testifying) raised concerns that a report justifying pay grade adjustments had not been made available, and questioned why plumbing/mechanical inspectors are one pay grade higher than building inspectors. He noted a website link was broken and requested transparency.
- Council approved the item unanimously (9–0) after acknowledging ongoing efforts to improve compensation and communication.
Item 41: Federal Home Loan ARP Funds for Tanner Thomas Village Affordable Housing Development
- This item was continued from December 4, 2024, due to an incomplete application and lack of community input.
- Supporters: Kerwin Brown (Tanner CDC) stated that over 200 residents were surveyed with over 90% favorable response; community meetings and door-to-door surveys were conducted. Rev. Dr. Benjamin Thomas Sr., Chuck Byers (Arizona Dept. of Veterans Services), Cleo Lewis, and Ben Jeffrey (Navy veteran) spoke in favor, emphasizing the need for permanent supportive housing for veterans and the success of similar models.
- Opponents: Hubert Ross (neighbor) and Paul Bowles (president of United Fight Bank) opposed the location, citing crime and management issues at other Tanner properties. They argued the community was not properly informed and that nearby existing facilities have caused problems.
- Councilwoman Hodge Washington moved to approve with conditions (24/7 security, on-site case management, a community complaint hotline, and an operational plan shared with neighbors). Developer Kerwin Brown expressed concern about the cost of 24/7 security and requested a continuance.
- The motion was withdrawn, and a continuance to March 5, 2025, was approved unanimously.
Item 42: Purchase and Sale Agreement with Isaac School District
- Council approved the purchase of 4.56 acres of land from Isaac School District to be used for 72 affordable multifamily housing units. The sale helps the district address its budget deficit. Approved 9–0.
Item 51: Elevate Education Workforce Development Program
- Contract with the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation to support over 1,400 students. Councilman Waring recused himself due to a potential conflict. Approved 8–0.
Items 64–73: Fire Apparatus and Ambulance Equipment
- Zachary Hobbs testified virtually in opposition to items 64 ($125 million), 65 ($3 million), and others, citing a lack of itemized budgets and questioning transparency.
- Council approved items 65, 66, 70, and 73 individually by 9–0 votes after testimony (item 64 had already been voted on earlier).
Item 80: Development Impact Fee Update (Public Hearing)
- Public hearing opened. Matthew Klein (Lincoln Avenue Communities) urged an extension of grandfathering for affordable housing projects already in process, noting that impact fees for his north Phoenix project doubled from $3.5 million to over $7.5 million. Council members discussed state law, fee equity, and the need for infrastructure. Staff clarified that fees cannot be reduced further without removing critical infrastructure projects or seeking alternative funding. The vote was deferred to a later date.
Item 81: Multifamily Conversion and Adaptive Use Ordinance
- Approved unanimously 9–0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Elizabeth (advocate): Urged the council to retain $15.3 million in shelter and heat relief funding, emphasizing the return on investment and the critical need to prevent heat-related deaths.
- Mark: Supported heat relief, specifically citing the 24-hour cooling center at Burton Barr Library last year.
- Linda Pudlo (first-time attendee): Requested city assistance for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs for community cats, noting out-of-pocket expenses for volunteers.
- Frank Urban: Encouraged keeping shelter allocations open and making affordable housing affordable for all.
- Missy: Criticized council members for perceived inattention and urged support for local cat rescue groups, citing over 1 million homeless cats in Phoenix.
- Luann Arrington (District 6 resident): Highlighted the cat overpopulation crisis, linking it to evictions and demolitions. Estimated that one unspayed female can produce up to 420,000 cats. Stressed the need for a city program.
Key Outcomes
- Item 41 (Tanner Thomas Village) continued to March 5, 2025, for further negotiation.
- Items 39, 42, 51, 65, 66, 70, 73, 81 were all approved as described.
- The vote on Item 80 (development impact fees) was postponed to a later date.
- Consent agenda and other routine items passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
It was a destination. It was what I call a part of civic pride. Yes, it was a building. Yes, there was a lot of money in it. Yes, it was ornate. But what was coupled with it for Phoenicians at the time was the civic memory of going there as a celebration. Going there with a special person or some special event. That's the legacy of the Senate Capri is always associated with some fond memories of people that lived here at the time. You know, it seems that every time we look around, we see the news. Help us in this council find more ways to love our neighbors and to show the world your goodness. Please help us to give your grace away to others as freely as we have received it from you. May we see you as the God over the small things just as much as the big ones, so that we can experience your unending peace. Thank you so much to Chaplin Sexton and the Vice Mayor for starting us off on the right note. And speaking of starting us off on the right note, um before we began the uh invocation. Uh the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network came here and presented Councilman Waring with a recognition because more than close about 14,000 city employees have completed human trafficking awareness training. Councilman Waring leads our human trafficking effort from the council side, and we just want to say thank you to all of our city employees who are helping to combat trafficking. With that, I will call the formal meeting to order and ask the clerk to call the role. Councilman Ganinda. Here. Councilwoman Guardado? Here. Councilwoman Hodge Washington. Councilwoman Pastor. Here. Councilman Robinson. Here. Councilwoman Stark. Here. Councilman Waring. Here. Vice Mayor O'Brien. Here. Mayor Gallego. Here. We'll next go to the interpretation portion of our council meeting. We have a little bit of sad news. We lost Gloria, who has led our interpretation company. And just want to send condolences on behalf of the city to her family and her employees. We also want to bring attention to some of the new changes that you have probably already noticed in council chambers. First, you will notice two screens showing live translation of the meeting in both English and Spanish. You can find the first screen behind the dais and the other in the back of chambers. This added tool will provide more accessibility to our residents here in council chambers, both English and Spanish speakers, who can follow along in both languages for the regular city business and public comment. Speaking of public comment for our Spanish speakers, you will now be able to speak uninterrupted for the entire duration of your comments. Our interpreter will record your comments and translate afterwards for the audience. With that, I want to turn to Mario Barajas and Elsie Duarte, who will be providing Spanish interpretation today. Yes, thank you, Mayor. As the mayor already mentioned, my name is Mario Warajas, and together with my colleague El C Duarte, we'll both be serving as Spanish interpreters for today's meeting. I'll now take a moment to introduce ourselves to our Spanish speaking audience. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you so much.
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