The Tempe Development Review Commission (DRC) met on November 15, 2022, to consider a request for the proposed Tempe Entertainment District at 53 S. Priest Drive. The commission approved the previous meeting minutes and, after a public hearing and deliberation, voted unanimously to recommend approval of the general plan and zoning map amendments and Planned Area Development (PAD) overlay to the Tempe City Council.
Good evening. Welcome to the November 15th, 2022 Development Review Commission special meeting. 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 the power to recommend 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, business, and industry is a prime requisite for the independence, 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 Commission recommendations to the City Council are not final decisions. I'd like to introduce the members of the commission that are with us to uh tonight. On my right is Robert Miller, Alternate, Michelle Schwartz, Don Cassano, I'm acting chair, Linda Spears, Barbara Lloyd, Joe Forte, and Barbara, and uh Rihanna Corbett, who is an alternate. From staff, we have uh Jeff Tamlovich, Ryan LeBec, Steve Abranson, Separna Daskupta, Joanna Berry, Jennifer Daniels, and Jason Wolfe, and lots of other people out in the audience. So thank you all for coming. Uh, members of the public who are here to speak. You will be giving two minutes, and the staff will assist in monitoring the time. Uh, please note that the WebEx chat box is not moderated or monitored. The first item on our agenda is the consideration of development review commission minutes from the study session on October 25th and the regular meeting. And um, as was discussed in the pre-session, there were no changes to the minutes. I'll entertain a motion. Madam Chair. Uh, make a motion for approval of the study session minutes of the Development Review Commission from October 25th, 2022, and the regular meeting, development review commission October 25th, 2022. Sir, second. Second. It's been moved by Commissioner Cassano and seconded by uh Commissioner Lloyd to approve the minutes. All those in favor, raise your hand. Opposed. Um, and that passes five to two with our two alternates abstaining. Um, the next item on our agenda is the request for a general plan projected land use map amendment for commercial to mixed use for approximately 34.4 acres, a general plan density map amendment from no density to high density urban core uh for approximately 34.4 acres, zoning map amendment from R16 and GID standards and varying heights up to 129 feet, 2100 dwelling units, and commercial consisting of multi-purpose entertainment facility, retail, restaurant, hotel, and office uses for the Tempe Entertainment District. Um, I will remind uh members of the audience if you are here to speak. Please turn in a uh comment card that you will see in the back of the room, and we will put you on the agenda for to speak. First, we'd like to have the um applicant uh make their presentation. Madam Chair, members of the commission, Nick Woods, Snell and Womber1, Arizona Center, uh and I represent uh the coyotes uh through their entity um Bloomberg. Um Mr. Morello decided to buy your need that there you go. When Mr. Morello decided to purchase the coyotes a couple of years ago, uh he had a vision. That vision was to create something that's extremely unique, extremely special, something that doesn't otherwise exist here in Arizona. And he wanted to do it in the East Valley. The idea would be that he would build a brand new arena, uh, one with 16,000 seats, uh, state of the art type of arena, but also to give back to the community through a number of different ways. One is to have a practice facility. Practice facility would be part of that project, and a practice facility would be available for use by the public whenever they're not practicing. And we find that, you know, it's great for youth, right, to have uh sporting opportunities, and of course, this would be one again, even for the public for recreational use. Also have a theater, you know, an entertainment facility or venue. Uh, in addition to bring uh office, to bring retail, to bring hotels, bring residential, to have a very comprehensive mixed-use project that is in incredible size at the perfect location uh with respect to the valley itself, uh, again to serve the valley. Now, he also gives back a tremendous amount to the community, and that's really not what's on your agenda tonight. We've been working that out with the with the city, but uh the give backs are significant. Um, as you see here in this first slide, uh, this is a rendering of what it will look like. It's unusual tonight, right? Whenever I come here, I come here with two things. I come here with a zoning application, it's usually an MU-4 PAD application, and then there's a corresponding DPR development plan plan review. But this project, as you can see, is of size and magnitude. Um, just to give you an idea, um Tempe Marketplace is 1.3 million square feet. Uh state farm is two million square feet.