Surprise City Council Regular Meeting - August 5, 2026
Surprise City Council Regular Meeting - August 5, 2026
Mayor Kevin Sartor called the regular meeting to order at 0:57 AM on August 5, 2026, following a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Surprise Youth Council. The Youth Council then presented their recent activities and committee goals.
Youth Council Presentation
- Emma Tran, SYC Parliamentarian, reported the youth council packed 293 boxes at Feed My Serving Children, providing 5,062 meals. They are preparing for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Conference.
- Ava Lucero, first-year member, described four committees: Community Impact (connecting with local teens), Teen Life (planning events), Youth Development, and Outreach (bringing together teens, children, and seniors).
Consent Calendar
- Approved 11 consent agenda items unanimously without discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony (During Agenda Items)
- Items 12–16 (Liquor Licenses): Multiple speakers expressed opposition to routine city business until the mayor and council publicly address the proposed ICE detention center. David Israel (Peoria), Jeremy Helfgott (Phoenix), Mary Hendricks, Taylor Bone (Coyote Lakes), Miguel Ramirez (Glendale), Josh Calvert (Army veteran), and Jason Chavez called for transparency and action on the facility. Jeremy Helfgott also raised concerns about enforcement resources for liquor regulations. All applications (Vogue Bistro, The Grove, Arizona Traditions Golf Club, Great Eagle Golf Club, Circle K) were approved unanimously.
- Item 17 (Rezone at 163rd Ave & Happy Valley Road): Jeremy Helfgott proposed a policy requiring a public safety offset for new developments to fund police and fire resources. Applicant Matt Stevenson stated the rezone would allow a Terrible’s gas station and car wash, with additional commercial uses under consideration. Approved.
Discussion Items
- Item 18 (Election Results): Resolution 2026-109 declaring the July 21 primary election results approved.
- Item 19 (Community Outreach Grants): The subcommittee (Chair Judd, Councilors Duffy and Haney) recommended funding 33 of 57 nonprofits with $150,000 from the FY2027 budget. Councilors highlighted the impact of these grants. Approved.
- Item 20 (Broadstone Ranch PADA): Fifth amendment extended the pre-annexation development agreement term to December 31, 2031, to allow time for water/wastewater infrastructure planning. Approved.
- Item 21 (Surprise 160 Development Agreement): Agreement for 160 acres at SW corner of 231st Ave & Deer Valley Road. Developer must provide assured water supply, pay for traffic signals, and contribute to water/wastewater infrastructure. Councilman Judd questioned water supply assurances; staff clarified the developer demonstrates groundwater availability and city handles replenishment. Approved.
- Item 22 (Buena Vista Ranch Development Agreement): Agreement for 422 acres at NW corner of 227th Ave & Pinnacle Peak Road. Includes roadway improvements, traffic signal contributions, and water/wastewater infrastructure. Discussion focused on wastewater capacity and reliance on Liberty Utilities’ water. Approved.
- Item 23 (Original Town Site Incentive): Waiver of $22,405.69 in building permit, plan review, and impact fees for Shawnee Promenade commercial project in the Surprise Heritage District. Councilman Milton praised investment in East Surprise. Approved.
- Item 24 (Workers’ Compensation Appeal): Approved expenditure to appeal the case City of Surprise vs. Industrial Commission of Arizona, allowing the city to challenge a claim. Approved.
Public Comments (General)
- Many speakers (Kayla Bishop, Jeffrey August, Leif Nygaard, Heather Abbott, Larry Henley, Jeremy Helfgott, Taylor Bone, Bernadette Green, Nancy Trujillo, Brent Peak, David Israel, Mary Hendricks, Callie Overs, Hillary McKillip, Ros Melling Derocher, Judith Cornell, Alyssa Estebio, Casey Fowler, Lisa Isles, Steve Isles) addressed the council on topics including:
- Strong opposition to the proposed ICE detention center near Rinchem chemical facility; calls for council to take a public stand, provide transparency, and prioritize student safety.
- Requests from Whitman residents (August, Nygaard, Abbott) for a formal vote on incorporating Whitman as an independent town.
- Concerns about data centers’ energy and water use, heat islands, and noise (Henley).
- Advocacy for increased police funding (Green).
- Reading names of individuals who died in ICE custody (Trujillo, McKillip).
- Documentation of illegal parking of chemical tanker trucks from Rinchem (Derocher).
- Water quality issues with Liberty Utilities (Isles).
- Mayor directed police chief to follow up with Alyssa Estebio about threats to her organization.
Key Outcomes
- All liquor license applications, the rezone, election results, grant awards, development agreements, incentive fee waiver, and legal appeal were approved by unanimous votes.
- Mayor announced a new city website launching August 6, 2026, to provide verified factual information about the DHS facility, including city authority and official documents.
- Council reports highlighted: 163rd Ave expansion ahead of schedule (Haney); Grand Avenue street improvements (Vice Mayor); details of meeting with Senator Gallego regarding Rinchem and detention center safety (Duffy); community meeting and upcoming Rinchem update expected October 2026 (Judd); QT gas station project update (Hastings); and a meeting with Liberty Utilities to address water concerns (Haney).
Meeting Transcript
For one, I'd like to call this regular city council meeting on August Fourth to order. We had an invocation schedule, but the gentleman did not make it. So if you could all please join me in a moment of silence. Councilman Hastings. Councilman Hastings will be late tonight. Here. Tonight we have an amazing group of young motivated individuals. It's our surprise council that's gonna lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. So please go ahead. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Ms. Davis, do you have a city manager report? I do, Mayor Council. Thank you. So tonight we are pleased to welcome back our surprise at Youth Council. So first tonight we have Emma Tran. Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Emma Tran. I'm a sophomore at PHHS, and this is my third year serving on Surprise Youth Council. I am also honored to serve as the council's parliamentarian this year. We recently held our annual retreat where you welcomed new members, brainstormed ideas, elected this year's officers, and volunteered together at Feed My Serving Children. During our volunteer session, we packed a total of 293 boxes. Providing 5,062 for meals, enough to feed 141 children for an entire year. It was a meaningful way to spend our time together, and it was a great opportunity to make a difference. We are also preparing for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Conference, where we will be showcasing SYC and sharing our accomplishments from the past year and um with other leader councils and attending leadership workshops. As the city of surprise continues to grow, or youth council is proud to grow alongside it. Uh remaining a committed voice to the city. Thank you, Mayor and Council for your continued support and for giving us this opportunity to serve our committee. Commune. All right. Thank you, Emma. And next we have Ava Lucera. Lucero, sorry. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Ava Lucero, and I am a freshman at Highland Prep High School. This is my first year serving on the Surprise Youth Council. Tonight I'm excited to share some of the ideas and events our committees are currently planning. The Youth Council has four committees, each with a different focus. Community impact, teen life, youth development, and outreach. The community impact committee is focused on connecting with local teens to learn what they enjoy about surprise and what they would like to see in our community. The Teen Life Committee is planning events that bring teens together and help them build new friendships and connections. Finally, the outreach committee is focused on creating opportunities that bring different members of our community together, including teens, children, and seniors. We look forward to bringing these ideas to life and sharing our progress with you throughout the year. Thank you. All right, good thank you, Ava. Uh thank you, Mayor. That's it for tonight. Thank you.
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