Tempe Development Review Commission Meeting – August 24, 2021
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Tempe Development Review Commission Meeting – August 24, 2021
The Tempe Development Review Commission met virtually on August 24, 2021, to approve minutes, act on a consent agenda, and hold a public hearing on the Carvana corporate campus proposal. No public comments were received. The meeting lasted approximately [duration not specified in source].
Consent Calendar
- Minutes: Approved unanimously the study session and regular meeting minutes from July 27, 2021.
- HARL INDUSTRIAL CENTER (Item 3 on agenda): Request for Development Plan Review for two new two-story industrial buildings totaling 378,832 square feet at 6840 South Harl Avenue.
- NETTA CHETA’S (Item 5 on agenda): Request for two Use Permits to allow a bar and entertainment (live singing, dancing, and music) in the CSS zoning district at 3224 South Mill Avenue.
- Zoning and Development Code Text Amendment (listed as Item 7 in consent but as Item 6 on the agenda): Corrections and clarifications to various sections of the code. Note: The agenda lists this item as number 6, but the transcript identifies it as part of the consent agenda under item 7. The discrepancy is noted.
All consent items were approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No comment cards or requests to speak were received.
Discussion Items
- Carvana Corporate Campus (Agenda Item 6 per transcript, though the agenda lists a code text amendment under that number): The applicant presented a request for a PAD modification and major development plan review for a 15-acre campus at Rio Salado and Priest Drive. The proposal includes two Class A office buildings (approximately 300,000 square feet total), two parking structures with 1,600 spaces (1,400 recommended by staff), a new public street with signalization, public art, and extensive green space. The applicant stated no changes had been made since the June 2021 hearing, where the commission approved the case 6-1. The staff recommendation was for approval with the removal of Condition 4 (which had required 1,400 parking spaces). Commissioner Amarosi reiterated his opposition, stating he preferred the original staff recommendation for 1,400 spaces.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved unanimously.
- Consent agenda approved unanimously.
- Carvana campus voted on and approved 6-1, with Commissioner Amarosi dissenting. The motion was to approve subject to the conditions in the staff report (which omitted Condition 4). The recommendation will be forwarded to the Tempe City Council.
- The next regularly scheduled meeting is September 14, 2021, likely to be held virtually.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the August 24th, 2021 Development Review Commission hearing. I'm going to read the preamble, which sometimes is longer than the actual meeting. The purpose of the development review commission has been created to hold public meetings and hearings to provide analysis and recommendation to the city council regarding general land use policies and applications, where commission has recommendary power and to render final decisions on specific applications where the commission has final decision making power, including but not limited to all aspects of a proposed and future development. The development review commission recognizes that the creation of a desirable environment throughout the city for residents, businesses, and industry is a prime requisite for the interdependence of land values, aesthetics, and good site planning by promoting harmonious, safe, attractive, and compatible development that is therefore considered to be in the best interest of public health, safety, and general welfare. Any person aggrieved by a final decision of the development review commission may file an appeal to the city council within 14 calendar days after the development review commission has rendered its decision. The development review commission recommend recommendations to city council are not final decisions. Appearing for the commission virtually, our commissioners Schwartz, Michelle Schwartz, Don Cassano, Vice Chair Steve Bauer, I'm Chairman Mike D. Also with us, Commissioners Scott Sumners, Bill Amarosi, and Barbara Lloyd. With us virtually from staff, will be Ryan LeBec, Separna Das Gupta, Steve Abrahamson, Diana Kaminsky, Karen Stovald, Joanna Barry, and Jason Wolfe from Channel 11 helping us out tonight. When we're doing these meetings virtually, we ask for comment cards from the public who wish to be heard on any particular item that's on our advertised agenda. We did not get any requests from the public to be heard on any of the cases tonight, nor do we have any comment cards that were submitted that wish to be read into the record. So the normal pause or request for people who want to be heard, I'll just dispense with that tonight because I know they're not out there. So we are going to get right into our agenda. The first item of our agenda is uh in study session. We discussed and reviewed our meeting minutes from our study session and regular meetings of July 27th 2021. We had no edits uh and or corrections to those. I'd entertain a motion uh for approval of those two sets of minutes. Mr. Chairman, this is Commissioner Cassano. I would make a motion for approval of the development review commission study session minutes of July 27, 2021, and regular meeting of July 27, 2021. Do I have a second? Second. It's been moved by Commissioner Cassano, seconded by Commissioner Amarosi. Um I will call for a voice vote, Commissioner Schwartz. Aye. Commissioner Cassano. Aye. Commissioner Vice Chair Bauer. Aye. I vote aye. Commissioner Sumner's. Aye. Commissioner Amarosi. Aye. And Commissioner Lloyd. Aye. Thank you very much. Motion passes unanimously. Uh next up on our agenda is the consideration of our consent agenda. Uh the items proposed for our consent agenda tonight are items three, five, and seven. Uh those are the Carl Industrial Center, Netachetta's, and the zoning and development code corrections and clarifications. Uh it's the intention of the commission to vote on all three of these items in one singular vote. And the uh weight of that vote will be to pass all of them at a single uh single time. Uh Commissioners, any last request to pull anything from the consent agenda? Hearing none, I request uh a motion for approval. Mr. Chairman, Commissioner Summers, uh motion to recommend the consent agenda as read. We have a second second, second, Phil Amarosi.
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