Queen Creek Town Council Regular Meeting – February 4, 2026

This regular session of the Queen Creek Town Council was held on February 4, 2026, starting at 6:30 PM in Community Chambers. The meeting included ceremonial proclamations, committee reports, public comment, approval of consent and public hearing consent agendas, and two discussion-only items: an update on the 2028 General Plan and a presentation on a proposed limited municipal court pilot.

Ceremonial Matters

• Proclamation: School Resource Officer Appreciation Day (February 15, 2026) – Officers Allen, Weber, Shipman, Lieutenant Scott, and Commander Newman received copies.
• Proclamation: International Mother Language Day (February 21, 2026) – Encouraged attendance at a celebration in Tempe on February 15.
• Proclamation: Lunar New Year – Recognized LG Energy Solution (LGES) as a future employer and celebrated the Year of the Horse.

Committee Reports

• Economic Development Committee (January 28, 2026): Eric Swanson provided an overview of the General Plan update; consultant Civic Solutions conducted a SWOT analysis. Next meeting: April 22, 2026.
• Downtown Arts & Placemaking Advisory Committee (January 29, 2026): Director of Queen Creek Performing Arts Center reported on activities; committee discussed a downtown mural program and directed staff to explore parameters and funding. Next meeting: February 26, 2026.

Public Comments

• Noah James Markham (Tempe resident): Expressed concerns about naming of Jake Hoffman in the building, pool access policies, and lack of meeting videos on YouTube. Urged support for DEI and opposed ICE.
• John Wooten (1930 E Via De Palmas, Queen Creek planning area): As president of Friends of Horseshoe Park, introduced new general manager Caden Peterson of Roots and Boots Queen Creek. Invited the community to the event March 17–22, 2026 at Horseshoe Park.

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda was approved unanimously (motion by Councilmember Brown, second by Councilmember Benning). Items included:

• Approval of January 21, 2026 Regular Session minutes.
• Expenditures over $75,000:
  • Wist, Office Depot, Staples, Amazon Business for office supplies and furniture: $200,000 (FY25/26 Budget Items).
  • Sunrise Engineering – Design of a transmission water main along Pima Rd from Meridian Rd to Ironwood Rd: $131,212 (CIP).
  • Black and Veatch – Project Order #3 for design services for Meridian Water Recharge Facility: $662,989 (includes 10% contingency, CIP).
  • Sunrise Engineering – Design services for Stagecoach Well: additional spending authority of $56,049.50 (total contract $122,542.50, Utilities).
  • Sunrise Engineering – Project Order #12 for design services for three additional well sites: $164,790 (Utilities).
• Resolution No. 1662-26 authorizing IGAs with Maricopa and Pinal Counties for 2026 elections and voter registration services.
• Delegation Resolution No. 1661-26 authorizing road improvements on Power Road (Riggs Rd to Chandler Heights Rd) not to exceed $9,602,383 (CIP Project A1405, FY26 budgeted).

Public Hearing Consent Agenda

• Item A: Approved a new Series 12 Restaurant Liquor License for Pita Jungle (20491 E Rittenhouse Rd, Ste 103) – no public comments.
• Item B: Continuance requested to the April 15, 2026 Town Council meeting for a zoning ordinance text amendment regarding animal regulations (animal unit counts, stable/corral standards, public nuisance definition, educational allowances). The motion to approve the public hearing consent agenda as published (with continuance noted) passed unanimously.

Discussion Items

General Plan 2028 Progress Update

Eric Swanson (Planning Administrator) presented the update. The process began July 2025 with an RFP; contract awarded to Michael Baker International in October 2025. Consultant team includes Rounds Consulting (economic development), PlaceIt (community visioning), and Small Giants (branding). All town departments (except HR/IT) were engaged in initial meetings. The plan will include 17 elements (6 new) due to population growth exceeding 75,000. The citizen advisory committee and public participation plan are being developed. The draft plan is expected by spring/summer 2027 and will go to voters in November 2027.

Councilmember Brown questioned whether the planning area should be adjusted to remove non-aspirational areas to reduce workload. Councilmember Benning clarified the General Plan sets land use (not zoning). Mayor noted the plan is updated every 10 years and requires voter approval. No action was taken (discussion only).

Proposed Limited Municipal Court Pilot

Chief Randy Bryce presented a proposal to create a limited pilot municipal court to address gaps in enforcement of juvenile curfew, civil code enforcement cases, and potentially civil traffic violations. Key points:

• Current issues: Contract courts dismiss juvenile curfew cases due to non-compliance; no parent accountability; officers write 10–30 curfew tickets/year but cases go nowhere. Code enforcement spends $40,000–$50,000 annually on hearings for 40–50 citations. Traffic enforcement: over 12,000 traffic stops in 2025, 4,500 civil traffic citations; population up 8% and vehicle circulation up 150%, crashes up only 6%.
• Proposed scope: Initially focus on civil code enforcement, juvenile curfew (status offense), and related parent/guardian violations. Could later include certain civil traffic violations. Will not handle criminal misdemeanors, felonies, jail/detention, or juvenile delinquency (except curfew).
• Staffing estimate: 3 FTEs (court administrator, court clerk, case manager) costing $265,000–$300,000 annually; contract judge at $46,000–$84,000 for one weekly docket; one-time consultant for implementation. Total timeline: 18–24 months to launch, with at least 6 months for evaluation.
• Next steps: Chief requested council direction to engage superior court judges, local JPs, and municipal court officials for more detailed information.

Councilmembers expressed interest but requested more detailed cost data and examples of enforcement gaps. Vice Mayor McClure asked about curfew effectiveness and cost offset from fines; Chief noted full cost recovery is unlikely. Councilmember Brown emphasized public safety spending and asked whether staffing could be temporary. Town Manager Bruce suggested exploring this further during budget process. Councilmember Padilla noted that Maricopa County Superior Presiding Judge ordered all juvenile crime to superior court, but Chief clarified that applies only to state-level charges, not town code. Council consensus was to allow Chief to proceed with further research and return with more detail.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda and public hearing consent agenda approved unanimously.
• A continuance was granted for the animal regulations zoning text amendment (P25-0153) to the April 15, 2026 Town Council meeting.
• No formal votes were taken on the General Plan update (discussion only).
• The Chief of Police was given informal direction to continue investigating the feasibility of a limited municipal court pilot, focusing on juvenile curfew enforcement, and to report back with refined costs and operational details.