Development Review Commission Meeting - February 22, 2022
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Development Review Commission Meeting - February 22, 2022
The Tempe Development Review Commission held a virtual meeting on February 22, 2022, to consider a consent agenda of four items and a public hearing for a major mixed-use development on Lot 6 of South Pier. The commission approved the consent agenda and unanimously approved the South Pier project.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from January 25, 2022 study session and regular meeting.
- Approval of four items: Preliminary Subdivision Plat for Car-Graph Inc. (1535 W Elna Rae St), Use Permit and Development Plan Review for Electric Pickle (8688 S Emerald Dr), Use Permit for August Karaoke Box (1301 E University Dr, Suite 106), and Use Permit for Tang Garden Restaurant (1320 E Broadway Rd, Suite 104). All approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A late comment was received in support of the Electric Pickle project from Michael Rompo. No other public comments were made on the consent agenda.
- For item 7 (South Pier), no public comments were requested or received.
Discussion Items
- South Pier Lot 6 - Amended PAD and Development Plan Review: The applicant (Manjula Voz, Gammage & Burnham; George Millara, Nelson Partners) presented a proposal for a 24-story mixed-use development on Lot 6 of South Pier, located at 1306 E Vista Del Lago Drive. The project includes three towers (236-259 ft), 724 multifamily residential units, 16,213 sq ft of restaurant space, 9,962 sq ft of retail, and 3,819 sq ft of outdoor dining. Structured parking with 843 spaces (including 7 on-street) and 750 bicycle spaces. Enhanced landscaping (37% coverage) and a central promenade (Tract B) with a 21,000 sq ft lawn, boardwalk, splash pad, and pocket parks. The applicant highlighted sustainability, connectivity to Tempe Town Lake, and activation of the south shore. Staff presented conditions, including phasing, landscape completion, removal of an outdated transit shelter, and parking management plans. Commission discussion focused on parking (applicant exceeding minimum), pedestrian bridge timing (future phase), traffic impacts (overall area study by Don Cartier), and design quality. Commissioner questions about signage and traffic were addressed.
Key Outcomes
- Motion and Vote: Commissioner Sumners moved to approve PL210314 as stated with conditions, seconded by Commissioner Cassano. The commission voted 7-0 in favor.
- Conditions: The approval includes conditions related to phasing, landscape, parking management, and coordination with the city on transit and flood control.
- Appeals: Any person aggrieved may appeal to the City Council within 14 calendar days of the decision.
- Next Meeting: The next Development Review Commission meeting is scheduled for March 2, 2022 (only one meeting in March).
Meeting Transcript
That was quick. All right. I better get myself organized then. Sure, we've still got everyone logged in. All right. I'm going to call the meeting to order. Welcome to the uh the February 22nd, 2022 Development Review Commission hearing. The Development Review Commission is created to hold public meetings and hearings to provide analysis and recommendations to the City Council regarding general land use policies and applications where the commission has recommendatory power and to render final decisions on specified 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. Development review commissioned recommendations to the City Council are not final decisions. Joining us virtually are Commissioners Michelle Schwartz, Don Cassano, Scott Sumners, Bill Amarosi, and Barbara Lloyd. Also joining us virtually is alternate commissioner Charles Redman. He'll be in attendance and participating, but not voting tonight. Also with us is Vice Chair Steve Bauer, and I'm Chairman Mike Domenico. With us tonight from staff, uh Steve Abraham, Saparna Dascuta, Marilyn DeRosa, Robert Yabbis, Diana Kaminsky, Rui Jimenez, Kieran Snowball, Joanna Berry, and Jason Wolf is running the show for the media. In our study session, we went through the minutes for the January 25th study session and regular meeting. So we are going to be uh voting on those as a part of this meeting. In addition, we have five cases that were advertised for consideration tonight. Items number three, four, five, and six have all been proposed by the commission for what is known as our consent agenda. It's our intention to vote on all four of those items in one single vote in the affirmative. And what that means is in voting in the affirmative, we are going to be voting to approve as advertised the car graph ink case, item number three, item number four, the electric pickle, item number five, August karaoke box, and item number six, the Tang Garden Restaurant uh cases. Item number seven, uh, we are going to hear in its entirety. Uh, that is the South Pier uh case. Uh so with all that being said, I would consider a motion for approval of the minutes for the January 25th, 2022 meetings. Mr. Chairman, Commissioner Cassano, I would make a motion for approval of the development review commission study session of January 25th, 2022, and the regular meeting of January 25th, 2022. Been moved by Commissioner Cassano. Do we have a second? Commissioner Amarosi, I second the motion. Been moved and seconded. Uh I will call a roll call vote. Commissioner Schwartz. Aye. Commissioner Cassano. Aye. Vice Chair Bauer. Aye. I also vote aye. Commissioner Sumner's. Aye. Commissioner Amarosi. Aye. And Commissioner Lloyd. Aye. The minutes for those two meetings have been approved. Now we'll consider a motion for approval of our consent agenda. Chairman. Before you go into the motion for the consent agenda, I received a late coming comment about the electric pickle, and it is in support of the project. All right.
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