2026-10-21 - City Council Formal Meeting

00:00Everyone in your group fills out a

00:01voluntary registration form before each

00:03cleanup.

00:04The Arizona Department of Transportation

00:06wants this to be a rewarding and safe

00:09experience for all of you. Volunteers

00:11like you make this program successful by

00:13giving your time and energy to make a

00:15positive impact on the environment. Your

00:18efforts are appreciated, very much so.

00:20Not only by ADOT, but also by the

00:22citizens of Arizona and the visitors who

00:24will enjoy a cleaner state because of

00:26your hard work.

00:27>> [music]

00:27>> So, spread the word. Arizona, keep it

00:30grand.

00:34>> [music]

00:41[music]

00:55>> Hi, my name [music] is Brian Seis. I'm a

00:57water service technician for the City of

00:59Phoenix Water Department.

01:02>> [music]

01:06>> My role as a technician is to provide

01:08excellent customer [music] service to

01:10our residents in the City of Phoenix. As

01:12a water service technician, we deal

01:15[music] with leaks, turn on turn offs of

01:19homes with customers moving [music] in

01:20and out of their residence, replacing

01:23meters,

01:24and replacing [music] stops.

01:34For me, the most rewarding part, um, I

01:36grew up in City [music] of Phoenix. I

01:38went to grade school, high school. So,

01:40for me, being able to come back and

01:41provide the service to the community

01:43that [music] I grew up in is very

01:44important to me.

01:49I believe the water [music] service

01:51technician position is important to our

01:53division because we are the first people

01:56the customer's see.

02:11>> [music]

02:20[music]

02:31[music]

02:41[music]

03:08[music]

03:30[music]

03:36[music]

03:41[music]

04:04[music]

04:13[music]

04:18>> Welcome everyone. We are starting the

04:22city's celebration of Diana Taurasi.

04:31In the city of Phoenix, we celebrate

04:33people in many ways and one is with

04:36street signs. For nearly a decade, fans

04:39coming here have been welcomed with a

04:41street sign bearing Diana Taurasi's

04:43name.

04:45When the sign first went up, Diana had

04:47just surpassed the great Tina Thompson

04:49to become the WNBA's all-time leading

04:53scorer.

04:56Fortunately for Phoenix and for her

04:58fans, she kept going and it is time to

05:02update the sign to recognize her

05:05incredible record scores in the city of

05:08Phoenix and the amount of

05:10baskets that she made.

05:12She's been a really important part of

05:14our city. We are so lucky that the

05:16Mercury drafted her, number one pick,

05:19and that she spent 20 seasons with us

05:22and the Phoenix Mercury becoming the

05:24most decorated Olympian in women's

05:26basketball and remaining the WNBA's

05:28all-time leading scorer.

05:35And she's not content with just

05:36greatness on the court. She's also been

05:38an important contributor to our

05:40community stepping up for parents and

05:43families, fighting for equality and

05:45more. We are so grateful to have her

05:47commitment to the city of Phoenix, and

05:49the city of Phoenix is so pleased that

05:50we can honor her with this street sign.

05:55We're looking forward to unveiling the

05:56sign which will show her current total

06:00on scoring more than 10,000 points.

06:03That number will forever mark her place

06:05in WNBA history and remind the city of

06:07the countless moments she gave us to

06:08celebrate.

06:10Diana, your legacy is something we are

06:11proud of in the city of Phoenix. Thank

06:13you.

06:17And now we'll welcome Josh Bartelstein,

06:18the CEO of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury.

06:20Thank you.

06:25>> Good morning.

06:27It's a great day to celebrate the

06:29greatest of all time.

06:31Now, people throw around that word a

06:33lot, goat,

06:34the greatest,

06:35there's only one greatest, and she

06:37happens to be standing right behind me.

06:39You can throw around the stats, a

06:41three-time champ, six gold medals, and

06:44MVP, go on and on and on,

06:47but DT was the ultimate winner. She

06:50cared about winning at the highest

06:51level, and she did that for all 20 years

06:53in the Valley. Her loyalty, what she

06:56meant to the fans, and her teammates,

06:58and her coaches, and what they mean to

07:00her, is what separates Diana Taurasi.

07:06DT, your first basket, you know what it

07:08was? Do you know what it was against?

07:10There you go. First basket, Sacramento

07:13Monarchs.

07:14Right? Last basket,

07:18WNBA Minnesota Lynx. There was all

07:20trivia to do this. Minnesota Lynx.

07:23Uh but all along the way, the points,

07:25the baskets, there were game winners,

07:27there were step backs, there were

07:29and-ones looking at the ref,

07:31but those don't capture who DT is. It's

07:34the moments and memories, and you're

07:36going to see that on Sunday when you

07:37have people crying because they know

07:39what she means to them and their family.

07:42All 10,646

07:46baskets. So, it's a privilege, it's an

07:48honor to be of the greatest, a winner, a

07:51true champion, someone who means so much

07:53to Phoenix, the one and only Diana

07:56Taurasi. I want to thank Mayor Gallego

07:58and the city for all they've done for

07:59this as well. DT, floor is yours.

08:02>> Wow, crazy.

08:06Good morning, everyone.

08:09Um first off, I'd like to thank Mayor

08:12Gallego and and the city of Phoenix. Uh

08:14this wouldn't be possible without her

08:15vision.

08:16Um

08:17you know, without her thinking this is

08:18really important for the for the city,

08:20for the Phoenix Mercury, um and and all

08:23the Phoenix um community. Josh and Matt,

08:27thank you guys so much. Um since you

08:29guys have

08:30really

08:31taken over the Phoenix organization,

08:33there's been this push to really make

08:35sure that the legacy of of this city is

08:38portrayed in and not only the the

08:40players that have played in this

08:41building, but what the city is all about

08:43and um

08:45you know, when I think of the 20 years

08:46that I I spent here, um

08:50I get really emotional cuz I came here

08:52as a little kid. I was 21. I guess

08:54that's not little, but it was in my

08:55head.

08:57And I'd never been to Phoenix before. I

08:59had no clue what the city was about. And

09:0120 years later, it mirrors all the

09:03things that I thought were important in

09:04life as a teammate,

09:06and team as a daughter, and now as a

09:08mother.

09:10Um

09:11hard-working city,

09:13a community that brings everyone

09:15together,

09:17and mirrors all the things that it takes

09:19to be a champion in life and on the

09:21court. Um and I just hope when

09:24people see that last name, it symbolizes

09:26all the things that it takes

09:29um

09:30to really make it, and that's hard work,

09:32discipline, consistency,

09:35um and not only that, a great community.

09:37This wouldn't been possible without

09:40everyone that

09:41played at the Phoenix Mercury, worked at

09:43the Phoenix Mercury, coached the Phoenix

09:44Mercury, everyone who's been, you know,

09:46part of the fabric of what this

09:47championship

09:48community means. And, uh,

09:50you know, it's it's a an amazing

10:48>> Good afternoon. Thank you for joining

10:50us. Police Chaplain Rabbi Levertov will

10:52provide an invocation in keeping with

10:54the tradition of a legislative prayer

10:56for the council. Participation is

10:57entirely voluntary. Anyone may remain

11:00seated or step outside. Rabbi, thank you

11:01so much for joining us.

11:03>> Thank you.

11:05Please join me in prayer.

11:07Almighty God, when you instructed

11:10Abraham, the father of monotheism, to

11:11leave his land, his birthplace, his

11:13family, and everything familiar and

11:15comfortable, you did not tell him

11:17exactly where he was going. You simply

11:19told him to go to the land that you

11:20would show him. You promised him great

11:22blessings, yet the journey ahead was

11:24anything but easy. Abraham followed your

11:26direction with faith and courage,

11:28leaving behind the familiar and

11:30venturing into the unknown despite the

11:31doubts and questions that surrounded

11:33him.

11:34Shortly after arriving in the promised

11:35land, a famine forced him to travel to

11:38Egypt. The very land which you had

11:40directed him was now a place of

11:42hardship. Yet, Abraham did not abandon

11:44his mission. He persevered, continued

11:46his journey, and ultimately ultimately

11:48saw your blessings begin to unfold.

11:50Almighty God, our mayor and council

11:53members have been entrusted with a godly

11:54mission. Among the seven Noahide laws

11:57given to all mankind is the

11:58responsibility to establish justice in a

12:01society governed by law.

12:03They have been elected by the people to

12:04serve our community, stepping beyond the

12:06comforts of private life to take on the

12:08responsibility of helping make our city

12:10a better place. They, too, have stepped

12:12forward into a journey filled with

12:14challenges and uncertainty.

12:16But when we are doing your work, may we

12:18have the faith to persevere knowing that

12:19with your help and blessings, our

12:21efforts will bear fruit. Bless our mayor

12:23and council members with the wisdom to

12:25recognize the right path, the courage to

12:27take it, the humility to listen to one

12:29another, and the strength to serve our

12:31community with integrity. May their

12:33efforts efforts be blessed with success,

12:35bringing greater justice, peace, and

12:37prosperity to the people of Phoenix.

12:39Watch over our dedicated city employees,

12:41first responders, and law enforcement

12:43officers, including those whose tireless

12:45work often goes unseen, yet upon whom we

12:48rely each day. Bless them and their

12:50families, along with the families of our

12:52mayor and council members with strength,

12:54protection, good health, and the

12:55knowledge that their service is

12:56meaningful and appreciated. And bless

12:58all who are gathered here today and all

13:00the residents of Phoenix with health,

13:02peace, prosperity, and your continued

13:04blessings. And let us say, "Amen."

13:08>> Thank you, Rabbi. Councilman Kevin

13:10Robinson will lead us in the Pledge of

13:11Allegiance.

13:33>> Thank you, Councilman.

13:35I'll now call to order the formal

13:36meeting of the Phoenix City Council.

13:38Will the clerk call the roll?

13:40>> Councilwoman Guardado.

13:42Councilwoman Hernandez.

13:43>> Here.

13:44>> Councilwoman O'Brien.

13:45>> Here.

13:46>> Councilwoman Pastor.

13:47>> Here.

13:48>> Councilman Robinson.

13:49>> Here.

13:50>> Councilwoman Stark.

13:51>> Here.

13:52>> Councilman Waring.

13:53>> Here.

13:54>> Vice Mayor Gallego Washington.

13:55>> Here.

13:56>> Mayor Gallego.

13:57>> Here.

13:59>> Mario Barajas and Oscar Monroy are here

14:00with us to provide Spanish

14:02interpretation. Mario, would you

14:03introduce your team?

14:04>> Yes, Mayor. Thank you.

14:05Good afternoon. My name is Mario Barajas

14:07and today Oscar Monroy will be helping

14:10me today in the interpretation for our

14:12Spanish-speaking residents.

14:14I'll now take a moment to introduce

14:15ourselves to our Spanish-speaking

14:17residents.

14:44Thank you, Mayor.

14:46>> Thank you so much. Will the city clerk

14:48read the 24-hour paragraph?

14:50>> The titles of the following ordinance

14:51and resolution numbers on the agenda

14:53were available to the public at least 24

14:54hours prior to this council meeting and

14:56therefore may be read by title or agenda

14:57item only. Ordinances number G-7533

15:01and 7552 through 7553, S-53253

15:06through S-53264

15:09and 53266 through 53288

15:12and resolutions 22398

15:15through 22406.

15:18>> Thank you. Will the city attorney please

15:20explain the role of public comment?

15:21>> Yes, thank you, Mayor. Members of the

15:23public may speak for up to 2 minutes to

15:25comment on agenda items. Comments must

15:28be related to the agenda item and the

15:29action being considered by the council.

15:32General comments that go beyond the

15:33scope of the agenda item should be made

15:35during the citizen comment session at

15:37the end of the agenda. The City Council

15:39and staff cannot discuss or comment on

15:41matters related to pending

15:42investigations, claims, or litigation.

15:45Additionally, any member of the public

15:46who appears before the council in their

15:49capacity as lobbyist must, as required

15:51by Phoenix City Code, disclose this fact

15:53before addressing the council. The City

15:55Code states that speakers must express

15:57their comments respectfully and

15:59courteously. Use of profane language,

16:01threats, or personal attacks on members

16:03of the public, council members, or staff

16:04are not allowed. Such comments are

16:06disruptive and unrelated to the

16:08council's business. Any person who

16:10violates these rules may lose their

16:11opportunity to speak further and could

16:13be asked to leave. Thank you.

16:15>> Thank you so much.

16:19Item one, boards and commissions. Vice

16:20Mayor, do you have a motion?

16:22>> I do. Um I move Motion to approve the

16:24Mayor and City Council Board and

16:26Commissions nominations.

16:28>> Second.

16:29>> We have a motion and a second. All those

16:30in favor say I. I.

16:32Any opposed, nay?

16:33We have an impressive group of citizens

16:35to be sworn in today to advise the City

16:37of Phoenix. Congratulations on your

16:39unanimous confirmation. Please come

16:40forward.

17:04Please raise your right hand.

17:06I, state your name,

17:10solemnly swear

17:12that I will support the Constitution of

17:13the United States

17:17and the Constitution and laws of the

17:19state of Arizona.

17:23That I will bear true faith.

17:26And allegiance to the same.

17:28And defend them against all enemies.

17:32Foreign and domestic.

17:34And that I will faithfully and

17:35impartially.

17:37Discharge the duties of.

17:40State your board.

17:45According to the best of my ability.

17:47So help me God.

17:49Congratulations. If you'll now go back

17:51behind the dais, the council would like

17:52to thank you.

18:43Congratulations again to our new and

18:45returning commissioners.

18:47The city of Phoenix provides an advisory

18:49role to the state of Arizona on liquor

18:50licenses and we turn to that portion of

18:52our agenda next. Vice Mayor, do we have

18:55a motion?

18:56>> Motion to approve items 2 through 62,

18:59noting that item 56 is being continued

19:01to the November 18th, 2026 formal

19:04council meeting.

19:05>> Second.

19:06>> Motion and a second. All those in favor

19:07say aye.

19:08>> Aye.

19:09>> Any opposed, nay.

19:11Passes unanimously.

19:18City Clerk, are we ready for ordinances,

19:20resolutions, new business, planning and

19:21zoning?

19:22>> Yes, Mayor.

19:23>> Wonderful. Vice Mayor, do we have a

19:24motion?

19:25>> Motion to approve items 63 through 125

19:29except for the following: items 67, 91,

19:32105, 106, 121, 122, 123, 124, and 125.

19:40Noting that item 66 has additional

19:42information. Item 118 is continued to

19:44November 4, 2026 formal council meeting.

19:48Items 121 and 124 are as revised. And

19:52can the clerk confirm if there are any

19:53other items that should be excluded for

19:55in-person public comment?

19:57>> Yes, Mayor. Vice Mayor, also excluding

19:59items 66,

20:0175, 77, 78, and 79. That's items 66, 75,

20:0977, 78, and 79.

20:12>> Second.

20:15>> All those in favor say aye.

20:17>> Aye.

20:17>> Oh, I'm sorry. Roll call.

20:20>> Hernandez.

20:21>> Yes.

20:22>> O'Brien.

20:22>> Yes.

20:23>> Pastor.

20:24>> Yes.

20:25>> Robinson.

20:26>> Yes.

20:27>> Stark.

20:28>> Yes.

20:29>> Wearing.

20:30>> Yes.

20:31>> Hunt Washington.

20:32>> Yes.

20:33>> Gallego.

20:38>> Yes.

20:39>> Passes 8-0.

20:41>> Item 66, Vice Mayor.

20:44>> Motion to approve item 66.

20:47>> Second.

20:47>> Motion and a second, Jeremy Thacker.

21:02>> Sorry.

21:11>> Mayor

21:12Council members

21:13>> Um Jeremy Thacker speaking for Good

21:16Goat.

21:17Today you're being asked to ratify

21:19Judge Hudson's appointment uh because of

21:22possible open meeting law violations

21:23surrounding the May 12th executive

21:25session.

21:26Uh

21:27This comment concerns your process, not

21:29Judge Hudson.

21:31Um I think he's a fine candidate. I

21:34listened to his interviews

21:34[clears throat]

21:35and questions. Uh

21:37Your agen- your agenda says this is

21:39because this was a formal action. There

21:41are no further written descriptions. But

21:44Arizona's ratification statute requires

21:46more than identifying the appointment

21:48and repeating the vote. It requires a

21:49detailed written description of the

21:51action and all proceeding all proceeding

21:54related deliberations

21:55uh and decisions. That description must

21:57be available at least 72 hours before

22:00the ratification. And the supplemental

22:02notice tells us those discussions

22:04occurred on May 12th.

22:05It does not describe those actions.

22:08It points to meeting materials and says

22:09executive session minutes are

22:10confidential. A statement about when

22:13discussions occurred is not a detailed

22:15description of what occurred.

22:18Good Goat requested the records behind

22:19the Attorney General matter on October

22:215th. The city attorney first said she uh

22:25the matter was confidential because it

22:26was pending.

22:27Subsequently

22:29uh she asserted that attorney-client

22:31privilege and work product protection

22:32over any records the city has.

22:35Uh

22:35the Attorney General is investigating

22:37the city, not representing it.

22:40There is no privilege in that instance.

22:43Uh

22:44So before voting, uh we ask that you

22:46identify the conduct you're attempting

22:47to cure, which you have not done.

22:51Uh

22:51Identify the detailed description you

22:53contend satisfies the statute

22:56and establish when it becomes publicly

22:57available.

23:00Release responsive and non-exempt

23:01records and explain the withholding

23:03before you vote.

23:05It's the public's right to know.

23:07Thank you.

23:09>> Thank you.

23:11Roll call.

23:14Hernandez?

23:15>> Yes.

23:19>> Oh, I'm sorry. Um Vice Mayor?

23:24All right.

23:25Hernandez?

23:27>> Yes.

23:27>> O'Brien?

23:28>> Yes.

23:29>> Pastor?

23:30>> Yes.

23:30>> Robinson?

23:32>> Yes.

23:32>> Stark?

23:33>> Yes.

23:34>> Waring?

23:34>> Yes.

23:35>> Hodge-Washington?

23:36>> Yes.

23:36>> Gallego?

23:37>> Yes.

23:38>> Passes 8-0.

23:39We next go to

23:41item 67, which is a proposed 32nd Avenue

23:44and Davin Roads annexation.

23:46We'll open the public hearing.

23:48I do

23:49not have anyone to comment, so close the

23:51public hearing. We will have a vote at a

23:54future date.

23:56All right. Uh next we go to item 75,

23:59which is Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian

24:02Community Gaming Grant by Vice Mayor.

24:04>> Motion.

24:05>> Motion to approve item 75.

24:07>> Second.

24:08>> We have a motion and a second. Leonard

24:10Clark.

24:15>> Thank you, Mayor and Council members. Um

24:17I just want to thank the indigenous

24:19brothers and sisters

24:21of this nation, and uh I was hoping to

24:23include this

24:25thankfulness to the other indigenous

24:27nation that'll be on the next item for

24:29their grants. I think it's rather ironic

24:31after everything that has gone on

24:34through the last 500 years that

24:36we find ourselves in a place in history

24:38here in the city of Phoenix, especially,

24:40with the symbol behind you, which isn't

24:43goes back to indigenous

24:45uh

24:47spiritual beliefs that they are

24:50being kind in helping out our citizens

24:52with these grants. So, I want to thank

24:54them, at least one citizen, and I hope

24:56there's other citizens

24:57that uh feel the same way. Thank you so

25:00much. I hope you'll vote yes on this.

25:01Thank you.

25:03>> Thank you. Any comments?

25:05This is a exciting item. I include

25:07support for Sudavik

25:10museum where we'll be able to do some

25:11great programming as well as some of our

25:13non-profit partners including the

25:15Arizona Humane Society and several

25:17related to housing. So, appreciate the

25:19partnership with the Salt River

25:21Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Roll

25:22call.

25:23>> Hernandez.

25:25>> Yes.

25:26>> O'Brien.

25:27>> Yes.

25:28>> Pastor.

25:28>> Yes.

25:29>> Robinson.

25:30>> Yes.

25:31>> Stark.

25:31>> Yes.

25:32>> Waring.

25:33>> Yes.

25:33>> Hodge-Washington.

25:34>> Yes.

25:35>> Gallego.

25:36>> Yes.

25:37>> Passes 8-0.

25:39We next go to item 77, relocation of

25:41protected birds and active nests

25:42including burrowing owls contract. Vice

25:44Mayor.

25:45>> Motion to approve item 77.

25:48>> Second.

25:49>> Williams, Clark.

25:54>> Thank you, Mayor and Council members. As

25:55our environmental laws are under attack

25:57and our species that are endangered and

25:59all the rest, I want to thank you and I

26:01hope for having this item and I hope

26:03you'll vote for it.

26:04I know there are those who scoff at

26:06saving quote the birds,

26:08but they don't understand that the earth

26:10is our mother and that, you know, this

26:13is a whole interactive organism that we

26:16live on and Phoenix, as fast as it's

26:18growing, we need to protect especially

26:20endangered species such as the burrowed

26:23burrowing owl. I'm not sure I got the

26:24exact name, but I thank you in this time

26:27when our environment is under attack

26:29from Washington, D.C. that you're doing

26:31this. Thank you. And I hope you'll vote

26:32yes.

26:34>> Thank you. Roll call.

26:36Hernandez.

26:37>> Yes.

26:38>> O'Brien.

26:38>> Yes.

26:39>> Pastor.

26:40>> Yes.

26:41>> Robinson.

26:41>> Yes.

26:42>> Stark.

26:43>> Yes.

26:43>> Waring.

26:44>> Yes.

26:45>> Hodge-Washington.

26:45>> Yes.

26:46>> Gallego.

26:47>> Yes.

26:47>> Passes 8-0.

26:49Item 78 is the requesting of retroactive

26:52authorization to apply for accept and

26:53disperse funding for the national

26:55household wasted food prevention project

26:57grant application catalyst grant by

26:59Mayor.

27:00>> Motion to approve item 78.

27:02>> Second.

27:03>> Motion and a second, Leonard Clark.

27:09>> Thank you Mayor and council members.

27:11I'm sorry, but I did have to speak on

27:12this. I know I'm speaking a lot, but

27:14with so much wasted food in the city of

27:17Phoenix and in the valley, I think this

27:19is an excellent thing that we need to

27:20do. Think of all the food that's going

27:22to waste when our unhoused brothers and

27:23sisters

27:25and many citizens in the city of Phoenix

27:28and the valley with the high fuel prices

27:30and everything don't have enough food.

27:31We're throwing this food away. I hope

27:32somewhere in there

27:34I know there's a lot of good restaurant

27:35owners that are already trying to help,

27:37but in your system your study here that

27:40you'll find a way

27:42to work with the restaurant owners to

27:44donate more food in this time of high

27:45diesel and fuel prices in this crazy

27:48economy thanks to what's going on in

27:50Washington D.C. Thank you.

27:54>> Thank you. Roll call.

27:56>> Hernandez.

27:56>> Yes.

27:57>> O'Brien.

27:58>> Yes.

27:58>> Pastor.

27:59>> Yes.

28:00>> Robinson.

28:00>> Yes.

28:01>> Stark.

28:02>> Yes.

28:03>> Waring.

28:04Howe Washington.

28:05>> Yes.

28:05>> Gallego.

28:07>> Yes.

28:07>> Passes 8-0.

28:09>> Item 79 is the retroactive authorization

28:11to accept and disperse area agency on

28:13aging region one grant for home

28:15delivered meals by Mayor.

28:17>> Motion to approve item 79.

28:19>> Second.

28:20>> Motion and a second, Leonard Clark.

28:25>> I promise after this there'll just be

28:26one more, but I just want to you know, I

28:29was a Meals on Wheels driver many years

28:31ago and I think this is an excellent

28:33program. I hope you'll vote for it and I

28:35think it's another way of checking on

28:36our elderly and our

28:38physically challenged residents. Many

28:40people are found passed away long after

28:43they passed away. This is a huge tragedy

28:45and I think having Meals on Wheels not

28:47only

28:48helps people, they can tell you with

28:50with the physical challenges how hard it

28:51is to cook, but also as a way of

28:53checking on our our

28:55challenged physically challenged and

28:57elderly neighbors that we have. I think

28:59this is a very good thing. Thank you

29:01again, and I'm glad that you I hope

29:03you'll vote for this. I hope that you

29:04will all vote for this. Thank you.

29:06>> Thank you, and thanks for being a Meals

29:08on Wheels driver. Roll call.

29:09>> Hernandez.

29:11>> Yes.

29:12>> O'Brien.

29:12>> Yes.

29:13>> Pastor.

29:14>> Yes.

29:14>> Robinson.

29:15>> Yes.

29:16>> Stark.

29:16>> Yes.

29:17>> Wearing.

29:18>> Yes.

29:18>> Hodge-Washington.

29:19>> Yes.

29:20>> Gallego.

29:20>> Yes.

29:21>> Passes 8-0.

29:23Next is item 91, retroactive

29:25authorization to apply for and accept

29:27the First Responders Comprehensive

29:28Addiction Act program.

29:30Vice Mayor.

29:31>> Motion to approve item 91.

29:33>> Second.

29:34>> Got a motion and a second. Count First

29:36we'll go to Leonard Clark.

29:40>> [clears throat]

29:40>> Okay, I thought it was going to be a

29:41little longer. This is my last time. But

29:44I want to thank you for putting this

29:45item on the agenda. I know that we it's

29:48either hate or love the police or all of

29:50these other things, but I think that

29:52this is an act of humanity. I think

29:55people out there that are addicted, that

29:57overdose, and all of these things,

29:58having our officers highly trained and

30:01using this type of system, um I'm hoping

30:05that it will inject more compassion

30:07into, you know, you have to have a thick

30:10skin in law enforcement. I couldn't do

30:11it. I know many people that do it.

30:14So I'm hoping this will help them

30:15interact with our community and help

30:17save a lot of lives. Thank you. And I

30:19hope you'll vote for this. Thank you.

30:20>> Thank you so much, Leonard. Councilwoman

30:22Hernandez.

30:22>> Thank you, Mayor. I just have a couple

30:24questions for PD on this item.

30:34>> Mayor, councilwoman, members of the

30:36council, as the team's coming down I'll

30:37introduce them. Assistant Chief Jeff

30:39Benza, um

30:41Commander Brian Millone,

30:43also, um, Detective Sabrina Taylor who

30:45oversees our community,

30:47um,

30:48Oh my gosh, CIT.

30:51>> Crisis Intervention

30:51>> Crisis Intervention Team. The The

30:53acronym just escaped me.

30:55>> There are so many acronyms though.

30:56>> [laughter]

30:57>> Don't worry. I can't keep them all

30:58straight. Um, just have a couple

31:00questions. I think this is a very

31:01important program that we have. Um,

31:03first of all, I just wanted to start,

31:04can you elaborate a little bit on how

31:06the program would work?

31:12>> Need to turn your microphone on, ma'am,

31:14please. What

31:15>> Sorry.

31:15>> Thank you.

31:16>> Thank you.

31:17Um,

31:18the we have a COSSUP grant that ended

31:21September 30th, um, where we were able

31:24to run this program and this would be

31:25continuation of it. It's mirrored off a

31:27program in Tempe. Um,

31:30what it would do is if, uh, officers

31:33revive a person using the Narcan,

31:36um, La Frontera Impact will send a peer

31:38navigator out to that person within 2

31:40hours. Um,

31:42if they're notified, um, and if we

31:45aren't able to notify them right away,

31:46they'll send somebody out within a

31:48couple of days. Um, and to have a candid

31:50conversation about, um,

31:53resources and openness to treatment,

31:54supporting family, or trying to figure

31:57out if they need, um, some kind of

32:00social services to assist them in

32:02recovery.

32:03>> Okay, thank you for that. Um, in does in

32:06our community assistance program, do we

32:07have any similar training or similar

32:09program to this? Um,

32:12in community assistance program

32:14or, um,

32:16if not, what is different in this from

32:22from that?

32:23Sorry, I guess I should have also

32:29>> Mayor and members of the council, um,

32:31Council Member Nunez, I'm not sure if,

32:33uh,

32:34Administrator DC Earnest is here or not,

32:36um, but I can speak to the fact that we

32:38do have um, naloxone training

32:42for

32:43many many city employees across the

32:45city. And we also provide training to

32:46the community. As far as the response

32:49component of this, I think you know,

32:51this is more of a service augmentation.

32:53It is a service that CAP could

32:55potentially provide, but the ability to

32:58respond in every situation may be

33:01challenging depending on whether they're

33:02on other calls and having the

33:03partnership with La Frontera Impact is

33:06really critical in this um

33:08situation as well.

33:09>> Okay, thank you for that cuz I that's

33:10what I was trying to get to if this is

33:11just a

33:14training for administering

33:17because I do agree that we need a I

33:18would like to I want to make sure that

33:21training is not exclusive just to

33:25PD when we're talking about

33:27opioid reversal.

33:29And wanted to make sure that this is

33:31also extended to our CAP teams, probably

33:34our fire since they have a lot of

33:36interactions with our community members

33:38as well. I'm so just trying to if I can

33:40get that follow up, that would be that

33:42would be great.

33:43>> Yes, and Mayor and members of the

33:44council, Councilwoman Hernandez, I can

33:46definitively say our our fire teams, our

33:48CAP teams are trained and able to

33:51respond in those overdose situations.

33:53>> Okay, perfect. Thank you. And

33:55with the grant money on this, how does

33:56the financial structure break out? Does

33:59all of the grant money go through PD or

34:01is any of it allotted to Impact

34:04on their end?

34:05>> Mayor and members of the council,

34:07Councilwoman Hernandez, the majority of

34:09the funding is going to go to La

34:11Frontera Impact with a little bit left

34:14for PD for administrative oversight and

34:16some outreach activities.

34:19We do meet every other Friday with CAP,

34:23Office of Homeless Solutions, Public

34:25Health, and it is a very collaborative

34:26effort. And we all know

34:29what every team is doing and so that

34:31there's no overlap and that we're all

34:33looped into what everybody's doing.

34:35>> Okay, perfect. Um and regarding

34:37monitoring and just success of the

34:38program, um in a year, would we be able

34:41Would the council be able to get an

34:42update on how many individuals we have

34:45helped under this program?

34:48>> Yes, Mayor and members of the council,

34:50Councilman Hernandez, um absolutely.

34:52We're required to monitor that for grant

34:54reporting, um and we do use a

34:56closed-loop referral software, so um

34:58getting reports back to you is very

35:00easy.

35:01>> Awesome. Um and I think Lori, you you

35:04touched a little bit already on that, um

35:06you know, on

35:08broader training for more city uh staff

35:11and departments that are out cuz that we

35:13have a lot of different uh functions in

35:15the city, right? We have park rangers

35:17that are out, we have streets employees

35:19that are out. Um I would love to see

35:21like how how much more we can expand um

35:24opioid reversal training just so that

35:26many of us are prepared to to help

35:29community members that are in need. Um

35:31so, no

35:32we can probably continue that

35:33conversation um and figure out how to do

35:35some more work around that.

35:37>> Mayor and members of the council,

35:38Councilwoman Hernandez, yes, we can

35:39absolutely get you a report of exactly

35:41what has been done to this point. We do

35:43offer training to any city employee that

35:45would like to be trained, um but there

35:47are specific departments, like you

35:49mentioned, parks, library, for example,

35:51human services, that we do um

35:53intentionally

35:55encourage staff to participate in that

35:56training, and so uh we can get you some

35:58information on that and have further

36:00conversation.

36:01>> Okay, thank you so much. Um you know, I

36:03I'm in agreement that we need as many of

36:06our staff um that are out in the

36:08community prepared to help our residents

36:10that are having an overdose. I do still

36:12have to be honest that I do have a

36:13little bit of concern remaining with

36:15police being the ones um doing a lot of

36:17that opioid emergency response, um but I

36:20do want to support, you know, the

36:22programs that already exist, um

36:24and ensure that they work, and we are

36:27meeting the needs of of our residents.

36:29Um I I think my concerns lie in adding

36:31more to the plate of officers. I've had

36:33some conversations with some rank and

36:35file

36:36um

36:36uh

36:37officers and I think

36:39you know, the

36:42they don't want to engage with folks in

36:44in a crisis, right? In an overdose

36:45situation. So, my concerns lie more on

36:48that, on what we're adding and asking to

36:50continue to respond. Um but I will be

36:53supporting this um because I'm open to

36:55multiple solutions um that really get us

36:58to addressing some of our overdose

36:59challenges. Um but I definitely want to

37:02make sure that this is being monitored

37:03and we know uh what impact it's having

37:06out in the community um and make making

37:09sure we're successful in this model. Um

37:11but yeah, that's all I have there. Thank

37:13you so much, Mayor.

37:14>> Thank you, Vice Mayor.

37:16>> Thank you so much, Mayor. I just have a

37:17maybe a clarifying question. I I heard

37:20that you mentioned that this information

37:21is more of a close-loop system. Um and I

37:24know for example, we have the Office of

37:25Public Health which does the Naloxone um

37:28program, overdose prevention program.

37:30I'm wondering if that information will

37:31be shared with the that the that office

37:34or any other department that may benefit

37:36from that information to ensure that we

37:38are targeting the right areas and we

37:39know um we're just keeping better

37:41metrics. I see you nodding your head, so

37:42I'll go ahead and let you answer.

37:45>> Um Mayor, members of the council, um

37:47Councilmember uh Washington, yes. Um we

37:51have been meeting with Public Health

37:52every Friday and we're moving to every

37:54other Friday. I provide them um monthly

37:56reports. They already get data from fire

37:59um but now they're getting data from PD

38:02on um

38:03what uh

38:04reversals have been reported. Um and we

38:07will continue to stay in close contact

38:09with them. Um all of our departments are

38:12looking at um what software might help

38:16us better coordinate across all

38:17departments. Um and so that's there's a

38:20committee formed and we'll we'll find

38:21out um but we do have some money in this

38:24grant to purchase um, licenses for a

38:26software that would make that easier.

38:28>> Thank you for that. I just think this

38:29work is so important. We want to make

38:31sure that the the uh, departments are

38:33not working in silo. I think a more

38:34comprehensive and collaborative approach

38:36is best. So, thank you for that. That

38:38was my only question, Mayor.

38:41>> Thank you. Roll call.

38:43>> Andres?

38:44>> Yes.

38:45>> O'Brien?

38:46>> Yes.

38:47>> Pastor?

38:47>> Yes.

38:48>> Robinson?

38:49>> Yes.

38:49>> Stark?

38:50>> Yes.

38:50>> Waring?

38:51>> Yes.

38:52>> Hodge-Washington?

38:52>> Yes.

38:53>> Gallego?

38:54>> Yes.

38:55>> Passes 8-0.

38:58Items 105 and 106 have a uh, connection.

39:02So, we're going to take them together.

39:03Vice Mayor, do you have a motion?

39:04>> Yes, uh, combined motions on items 105

39:08and 106.

39:09>> Second.

39:10>> Councilwoman O'Brien.

39:11>> Thank you so much, Mayor. Just wanted to

39:14thank the Phoenix voters for their

39:16approval of the general obligation

39:17bonds. We are taking steps to strengthen

39:19public safety in District 1. First, the

39:22Cactus Park pre-police precinct, we are

39:24moving forward with construction of a

39:26modern precinct to replace an outdated

39:28facility. The new campus will better

39:30support our officers, improve

39:32operations, and provide space for

39:34community meetings. It's being built at

39:37the former Fry's Electronics site on

39:39Thunderbird Road just off of Interstate

39:4117. This is an important investment in a

39:44growing corridor with expanding

39:46residential, commercial, and industrial

39:48development. And I look forward to

39:50celebrating the opening of the new

39:51Cactus Park precinct in the coming

39:53years. Additionally, Fire Station 51,

39:57today's item advances the architectural

39:59design for a new station near 43rd

40:01Avenue and Dove Valley Road. Plans call

40:04for six apparatus bays, modern living,

40:07working, and safety spaces for our

40:09firefighters, updated dispatch

40:11capabilities, and a district office.

40:14These plans will help ensure the

40:15facility meets the needs of our

40:17firefighters and our growing Northwest

40:19community.

40:21Both projects demonstrate your tax

40:23dollars at work investing in the public

40:25safety facilities our residents and

40:27first responders deserve. I'm proud to

40:29continue advocating for public safety

40:31and to see these important investments

40:33move forward. Thank you, Mayor.

40:36>> Thank you. Roll call.

40:39Hernandez.

40:41>> Sorry. This is for both items, the vote?

40:43>> Would you like an individual?

40:45>> Oh, no, no, that's fine.

40:46>> Okay, it it is for both.

40:47>> Okay, yes.

40:49>> O'Brien.

40:49>> Yes.

40:50>> Pastor.

40:50>> Yes.

40:51>> Robinson.

40:52>> Yes.

40:53>> Stark.

40:53>> Yes.

40:54>> Waring.

40:54>> Yes.

40:55>> Hodge-Washington.

40:56>> Yes.

40:57>> Gallego.

40:58>> Yes.

40:59>> They passed 8-0.

41:01Next, we move to the Rio Policy Plan. We

41:04will have one hearing but two votes on

41:07items 121 and 122. So, we'll ask uh

41:11the team Enrique to come down and I'll

41:13say a few words of

41:15introduction. This is an exciting item,

41:17the Rio Policy Plan and land use

41:19amendments, which we works will advance

41:22the goals of Rio Reimagined, our

41:24regional effort to celebrate the river

41:25that made Phoenix and our neighboring

41:27communities possible.

41:30From the dedication of grassroots

41:31activists and indigenous communities to

41:33the halls of the US Congress, this

41:35initiative is made up of the dedication

41:37of people from all walks of life who are

41:39committed to preserving the riparian

41:41habitat and creating opportunities for

41:44residents to enjoy this special amenity.

41:46We are thankful to Senator McCain and

41:48Congressman Ed Pastor, whose vision was

41:51very important to this moving forward,

41:53as well as to incredible number of

41:55partners, some of whom are with us here

41:57today.

41:59We have so much momentum bringing the

42:00vision of Rio Reimagined to fruition,

42:02South Central light rail extension with

42:04its beautiful public art, grassroots

42:07efforts to keep the river clean and

42:08remove invasive plants, protectors of

42:10the Salt River, including many members

42:12of our tribal communities who volunteer

42:14weekly.

42:15Want to thank our voters who you we used

42:18general obligation bond dollars to

42:19purchase more than 20 acres east of the

42:21Audubon Center.

42:23We have 4 miles of bike and pedestrian

42:25pathways on both sides of the riverbed

42:28which connects us with neighboring

42:29cities.

42:30The Maricopa Association of Governments

42:32Active Transportation Study is going to

42:34build on this.

42:35Greater Phoenix leadership recently led

42:38the creation of a 501c3 social impact

42:41organization to bring together

42:42stakeholders from across the valley to

42:45drive momentum and thank you to Larry

42:47Lazarus and uh Willow Keeler Altman who

42:50are part of that.

42:52We have uh

42:53in partnership with community members

42:55and philanthropy we're turning a 1-acre

42:56parcel just west of Audubon Center into

42:59a gateway to the riverbed to connect

43:01more residents to this special place.

43:03It'll have shade, gathering space,

43:05native plants, and public art. Thank you

43:07to the community for Arizona Community

43:09Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies

43:11for help in that area.

43:14We work very closely with the ASU

43:17University City Exchange Rio Reimagined

43:19team and CC and Maggie, thank you for

43:21being here with us today. And the

43:25council offices uh have been incredibly

43:27involved with this. Also want to thank

43:29the city's Rio PHX team. Extensive

43:32outreach through workshops, surveys, and

43:34literally hundreds of interactions with

43:35community members. Uh thank you to Lisa

43:38who has since taken a promotion in

43:39aviation, Joel, uh Christian Enrique,

43:43Josh, and so many others the

43:45environmental office of environmental

43:47programs and uh with that I will turn it

43:50over to Enrique to

43:52uh

43:53introduce the item.

43:55>> Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, uh

43:57members of the council. Uh as mentioned,

44:00Enrique Bohorquez, Planner 3 with

44:01Planning and Development Department.

44:03Uh today culminates 3 years of community

44:05planning work by PDD staff on the Rio

44:07Salado District Policy Plan.

44:09So, we want to thank the project team

44:11which was just previously mentioned, as

44:13well as our consultants, community

44:14partners, residents, property owners for

44:17their involvement over the years. And

44:19also thank Gila River Indian Community

44:20for a grant that supported all of this

44:22work.

44:24So, once again, we'll discuss into items

44:26here, companion cases. First one is the

44:28Rio Salado District Policy Plan

44:30followed by a major General Plan Land

44:32Use Map Amendments.

44:35So, both of these cases here uh support

44:37the economic development goals of the

44:39Rio Reimagined vision at the local

44:41level. This vision has been championed

44:43by late Senator John McCain, late

44:45Congressman Ed Pastor, also supported by

44:47ASU, GPL, and more recently by the Mayor

44:50Gallego, and also many of you here in

44:52the council.

44:55This map right here shows the boundaries

44:56of the Policy Plan as well as a General

44:59Plan Land Use Map Amendments which is a

45:017 square mile area south of downtown

45:03Phoenix bounded by I-17 to the north,

45:06Broadway Road to the south, 32nd Street

45:08to the east, and 19th Avenue to the

45:10west.

45:12The Rio Salado District Policy Plan has

45:14four different parts. The first part

45:16introduces the importance of this

45:17project followed by part two which

45:19celebrates the existing community in the

45:21area. Part number three captures a

45:23community input graphically in the plan.

45:26And part number four is essentially the

45:28road map that has a series of actions

45:30and goals to help achieve the goals in

45:32the plan.

45:33>> [clears throat]

45:35>> Here are just some of the images that

45:36took place with within within our public

45:38outreach process.

45:40As you can see, there were over a

45:41thousand interactions, 500 survey

45:43responses, and over 50 community

45:45engagements in this robust planning

45:47process

45:49which was grounded extensively on

45:51community outreach.

45:54Accompanying the Policy Plan is a major

45:56General Plan Land Use Map Amendments.

45:59This GPA supports the Policy Plan goals

46:01and encourages a transition in land uses

46:03in the area over the long term.

46:07Both the plan and the general plan

46:08amendments are grounded on the on these

46:10four ideas that are shown here on the

46:12screen, which arise from community

46:14inputs

46:15and work in tandem to achieve these

46:17community goals as part of this vision

46:19roadmap for the future.

46:23We're we're happy to to share that we

46:25received recommendation of approvals

46:27from the Central City Village Planning

46:29Committee back in July, followed by the

46:31South Mountain Village Planning

46:32Committee in September, and most

46:33recently by the Planning Commission on

46:35October 1st, which recommended approval

46:37for the staff memo dated September 29th,

46:402026. Since then, we have also received

46:43a letter from the Environmental Quality

46:45Sustainability Committee, which is in

46:47support of the of the policy plan. We do

46:49want to thank them and also look forward

46:51to supporting their recommendations upon

46:54implementation of the plan actions.

46:57And with that, staff offers a

46:59recommendation of approval for both

47:01cases for the Planning Commission

47:02recommendation and adopt the related

47:04resolutions.

47:06Be happy to answer any questions. Thank

47:07you.

47:09>> Thank you so much.

47:11Go ahead and open the public hearing.

47:12Would anyone like to comment before we

47:14go to public comment? We have many

47:15public comments. What public comment?

47:19All right.

47:24We'll begin with Larry Lazarus, followed

47:26by Cece.

47:36>> Good afternoon, Mayor, members of the

47:38council. Um I'm not here representing

47:40anybody.

47:42I am vice chairman of the founding board

47:45of the 501c3

47:48Rio Reimagined, um comprising six

47:51cities, two Indian reservations,

47:55uh and over 55 miles of riverbed

47:59Um we are going to be coordinate helping

48:02coordinate the entire plan over this

48:05period of time

48:06as well as working on funding

48:09opportunities.

48:11We are very much in support of I am very

48:14much in support of the plan and

48:17this is um Senator McCain's um

48:21vision before he passed away and we're

48:24very happy continue on that vision and

48:28work with you on this plan

48:30which is so much so important to the

48:32entire 55 miles. Thank you.

48:37>> Thank you.

48:39CC is next followed by

48:42Gilbert Arvizu.

48:51>> Mayor and council members, thanks so

48:52much for the opportunity to speak today.

48:54My name is Cecilia Riviere. I'm

48:56representing ASU University City

48:59Exchange Office.

49:01ASU's role in the Rio Reimagined

49:03initiative is pretty unique. We're not

49:06an owner or regulator. We're not a

49:08developer of the corridor. Instead,

49:10we're a neutral convener and

49:11facilitator. We bring together cities,

49:14tribal communities public agencies,

49:16nonprofits and businesses industry, our

49:19researchers, students and community

49:22stakeholders around a shared vision for

49:25the future of the Salt and Gila River

49:26corridor.

49:28And since it's launch in 2018, Rio

49:30Reimagined has worked to connect people,

49:33nature, culture, economic opportunity,

49:36transportation across a regional

49:38landscape that traverses multiple

49:40jurisdictions. The vision recognizes

49:42that no single project or city can

49:45achieve transformation alone. It

49:47requires each partner to advance bold,

49:49locally grounded plans that contribute

49:52to the larger whole.

49:54That's why the Rio Salado District

49:55Policy Plan is so important. Phoenix has

49:58taken the regional aspirations of Rio

50:00Reimagined and translated them into

50:03thoughtful, actionable framework

50:05for the future of the district.

50:08The plan builds upon decades of planning

50:10by the city of Phoenix. Riverfront

50:13investments, extensive community

50:15engagement, and it provides a long-range

50:17vision for how land use, mobility,

50:20economic development, housing, public

50:23space, ecological stewardship, and

50:25quality design can work together to

50:28create a more connected and vibrant

50:30community. The plan sets a high standard

50:33for future river corridor planning

50:35efforts throughout the region for many

50:37of the other cities.

50:38It combines technical rigor and

50:40community vision.

50:42Balancing economic opportunity with

50:44environmental stewardship, and it moves

50:46beyond concepts to implement

50:49uh future strategies and partnerships

50:52will be necessary.

50:54Thank you so much. Thank you.

50:58Mr. Irvin Sue followed by Armando Ruiz.

51:05Thank you, Mayor and members of council.

51:06It's hard to believe that I've been

51:07coming up here for nearly a decade in

51:09support of Rio Reimagined, and the

51:11reason is as I was in

51:14uh John McCain's DC office answering the

51:17phones when his long-time legislative

51:19assistant Matt McTeague walked in and

51:21asked, "Are you from Phoenix?" And I

51:24said, "Yes." Because most of McCain's DC

51:26interns are from the DC area. And he

51:29said, "Okay, well you're going to help

51:30out on a project." And he turned around

51:33and he left. He didn't even tell me what

51:35the project was. Well, the project ended

51:37up being Rio Reimagined. Virginia

51:40Pounds, McCain's long-time staffer and

51:42DC office manager at the time, later

51:45told me she couldn't remember ever a

51:47time where an intern traveled for

51:49official US Senate business and I did

51:52traveling here to Phoenix to meet with

51:54city staff in those early days of

51:56planning. Of course, there were many of

51:58us who got us to this point, the ASU

52:01architecture students in the 60s, Harry

52:04Mitchell and Neil Giuliano who helped

52:06turn that vision into Tempe Town Lake

52:09and of course Congressman Ed Pastor who

52:11brought in the federal funding to

52:12restore the Rio in Phoenix. And while I

52:16was in the room when we voted to call it

52:17Rio Reimagined, of everything I

52:19contributed in those early days, there

52:21was one perspective I wanted understood

52:24in our briefings to Senator McCain. And

52:28that the real Salado is not for the guy

52:30in Paradise Valley who's going to come

52:31and ride his bike and spend $8 on a cup

52:33of coffee once a month. It isn't for the

52:36person in town for the Final Four and

52:38All-Star Weekend or the Super Bowl. Can

52:40these folks use the Rio? Absolutely.

52:43Spend your time and money in downtown

52:45Phoenix, please. But this project is for

52:48the communities in and near the Salt

52:49River flood plain that have historically

52:51been left out of the investment and

52:53opportunity around them. This is for

52:55them. And as we move forward, we cannot

52:58lose sight of who this is for. I

53:00appreciate Enrique and the staff for the

53:02meaningful community engagement that got

53:04us here and I look forward to seeing

53:06this vision finally become a reality.

53:08Thank you.

53:11>> Thank you. Armando is next followed by

53:13Bob Brown.

53:18>> Afternoon, uh

53:20mayor, members of the council.

53:22I remember this issue 35, 40 years ago

53:25and the suspicion was that this was not

53:28for us from South Phoenix. It was going

53:30to be for other folks who'd come in from

53:32other areas and tell us this is how

53:34you're going to live.

53:36This is what we're going to do for you.

53:37We're going to save you.

53:39And that suspicion has always been there

53:40and I would tell you being honestly

53:42being honest it's still there.

53:45But you have an incredible staff and

53:46we've worked really really hard with

53:48them in these last years. Sometimes

53:49almost beating each other up.

53:51You know, welcome to South Side and but

53:55it's about being honest and we need to

53:57have a seat at the table for this dream

54:01to be successful.

54:03We are here in support. It's been

54:06a long time coming. Lots of folks

54:09who have your dad, you know,

54:13uh Senator DeConcini, Senator McCain,

54:15former Mayor Paul Johnson, lots of

54:18folks.

54:20They've had this dream.

54:22Now, we have also we want to participate

54:25in that. It's got to be good for

54:26everybody. The development just can't

54:28stop at Broadway. Just can't be just Rio

54:31Salado. It's got to be the South

54:33Phoenix. Got to be entering into South

54:36Phoenix. It's got to be a whole city of

54:38Phoenix a celebration.

54:41Now, we still have work to do and I

54:44would just

54:45uh you know, we have to be vigilant

54:46about things that can bring this down

54:49and I'll I'll bring up uh we have a

54:51methadone clinic that is right on Rosier

54:54and Central that is opening up. Nobody

54:56knows about it.

54:58Thank God we we were at a meeting with

55:01a community meeting with with with uh

55:03Council Member Hernandez and they just

55:05kind of came up. So, we have to be

55:07vigilant at that. We have to work with

55:09the state and the and the county cuz we

55:11don't know who brought that in.

55:13The community doesn't know about it.

55:15There's nine schools around that. 24

55:17hours a day, 7 days a week.

55:21Thank you.

55:26>> Thank you. Bob is next followed by

55:28Michael who I believe is our final

55:29speaker.

55:35>> Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Thank

55:37you for giving me this opportunity.

55:40My remarks might be a little off-topic,

55:43but I'm looking like the last gentleman

55:44at the greater area.

55:46And uh

55:48I'm super in support of the uh Rio

55:51Reimagined. I was a student at ASU in

55:531984 and helped with the organizations

55:56to do help Tempe do the original

55:58planning. Always been a super big

56:00advocate.

56:01But if we don't look at the larger

56:03picture, and one of the larger pictures

56:05in this area is the traffic in South

56:08Phoenix, particularly along Baseline

56:09Road, is a mess. It's a quagmire. Uh

56:13MAG keeps kicking the can down the road

56:15for the for the interchange.

56:17>> you do got to connect it somehow to Rio.

56:19>> I'm just saying it's the larger area.

56:21>> and we will take you in public comment

56:23if you want to talk about Baseline Road,

56:24but

56:26could you make it somehow related to

56:27Rio?

56:28>> Yeah, well, I I said it's it's it's the

56:29area around it. As as the last gentleman

56:32just talked about the clinic at at Rio

56:34and Central.

56:35Uh

56:36this is the area around it. And the it

56:39doesn't really help us to have a really

56:40groovy area if the traffic around it is

56:43just nothing but a quagmire. So, I would

56:45implore

56:47implore you to think about improving the

56:49traffic along Baseline. There's several

56:51uh things that could be done,

56:53and and it could be improved. So, thank

56:55you for your time.

56:58>> Thank you. We'll go next to Michael, and

56:59then we do have one person virtual to

57:01speak if necessary. So, we'll go to Sam.

57:06>> A good afternoon, Mayor and Council

57:07members. Mike Mearowits with the law

57:09firm Snell & Wilmer. I'm here on behalf

57:11of my client uh Cemex, which owns 26

57:13acres within the Rio Salado uh corridor.

57:16Uh there's a letter that's included in

57:18your case packet from Cemex with some

57:20suggested revisions that we had proposed

57:22to to the plan. And as was uh clear in

57:25the letter, we very much are supportive

57:26of the city's overall policy goals for

57:29the Rio Salado in terms of transforming

57:31and revitalizing it. Um our concern is

57:33really a a simple one, that as a policy

57:36plan it doesn't address or provide a

57:38policy framework for short-term and

57:41interim uses uh that really are

57:44beneficial uh uses of properties within

57:46the Real Slough Corridor and are not

57:48incompatible with those future goals.

57:50So, as an example, in the case of

57:51Cemex's property, the plan identifies

57:54the future use of Cemex's property for a

57:56mixed-use uh campus with lots of open

57:59space and public trails, which is a

58:01great long-term use of of the property.

58:03But, Cemex, as a construction uh

58:05materials producing company, views the

58:07site as a very valuable site that's a

58:09great opportunity to support uh its its

58:12business operations and support

58:13construction through aggregate mining or

58:15construction uh materials producing

58:18activities. And currently, the plan um

58:20is silent with respect to those

58:21short-term uses, which again can be

58:24compatible of a future use like a

58:26mixed-use campus if there's

58:27post-reclamation

58:29uh activities or requirements at that

58:31are implemented. And so, we did include

58:33suggested language for you. We

58:34completely understand all of the hard

58:36work that's been put into this by by

58:37city staff and how difficult it is to

58:39make uh late changes. And so, really, we

58:41we just have a question that we're

58:42hoping staff uh could answer, which is

58:45in light of the plan not addressing uh

58:47short-term uses, if a company like our

58:49client were to uh request a proposal or

58:52a special permit for a construction

58:53producing activity, if a reclamation

58:56measures uh were proposed as part of

58:58that, would this plan preclude uh the

59:00city from supporting or staff from

59:02supporting a special permit request such

59:04as that one?

59:05>> Thank you.

59:06And I should note we are in court this

59:08morning. Snell & Wilmer sued us on

59:09behalf of a data center. So, we went to

59:11court this morning. Big day with Snell.

59:13All right.

59:14>> Mayor,

59:14>> Uh

59:15Councilwoman.

59:17>> Thank [laughter] you.

59:18Um you threw me off my game a little

59:20right there, but

59:21>> I've never I've never done that before.

59:24>> I know. There's a first time for

59:25everything. But, um

59:27I just a follow-up on that question,

59:29um

59:30with the plan Josh, is there anything

59:32that you can address to that specific

59:34question?

59:35Um

59:36if they would be okay with the

59:38short-term use going through the

59:40permit process?

59:42>> Mayor, Councilwoman Hernandez, members

59:44of the council, there is nothing in the

59:46plan that would preclude a property

59:48owner from exercising their existing

59:50zoning rights. What I think Mr.

59:51Meriwether is referring to is that a

59:54concrete batch plant or an asphalt batch

59:56plant is required to pursue a special

59:58permit today. This plan does not change

1:00:01the allowance for them to pursue that

1:00:02special permit. They, as part of that

1:00:05special permit um

1:00:07process, would have to just demonstrate

1:00:09how that request aligns and addresses

1:00:12the adopted vision in the Rio Phoenix

1:00:14plan. Ultimately, special permit goes

1:00:16through rezoning process and the final

1:00:18say is the city council and it would go

1:00:19through our public hearing process.

1:00:21So, I I can't provide any assurances to

1:00:23Mr. Meriwether's permit with that, but

1:00:25there's nothing in this plan precludes

1:00:27him or his client from pursuing that.

1:00:29>> Okay. And hopefully if that answer

1:00:32doesn't suffice, I would be happy to

1:00:34continue the conversation. Um since

1:00:36Cemex I think is in the District 7 side

1:00:38of the of the Rio.

1:00:41Um

1:00:42So, hopefully that we can continue

1:00:43conversations if needed on that piece,

1:00:45but hopefully we got you a little bit of

1:00:46answer there.

1:00:47Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

1:00:50>> Thank you and I was corrected, they sued

1:00:51us yesterday

1:00:53on some elected officials' birthdays.

1:00:56>> [laughter]

1:00:56>> Vice Mayor.

1:00:57>> Thank you, Mayor. Um I just have a

1:00:59little um trepidation

1:01:00>> I should also note that we have one

1:01:01speaker remaining, but this is very

1:01:03important. So, okay, Vice Mayor.

1:01:04>> Yeah, thank you. I will just ask my

1:01:05question and then I go back to the

1:01:06speaker. I just have some trepidation

1:01:08about a speaker asking for a

1:01:10what could be viewed as an

1:01:11interpretation from the DAs without more

1:01:14information.

1:01:16I think there is a process, right, for

1:01:18an as a property owner to get

1:01:20clarification about their

1:01:22property potential property rights and

1:01:24of the procedure and it it's not

1:01:26necessarily coming and asking this

1:01:28question at

1:01:30public comment. That I'm sorry comment

1:01:32on this item. Is there a procedure for

1:01:35further clarification if that

1:01:36clarification is needed?

1:01:38>> Mayor Vice Mayor members of the council

1:01:39yes a property owner certainly can

1:01:41pursue a zoning verification or zoning

1:01:43interpretation. Again my my response was

1:01:46an attempt to to verify or just confirm

1:01:48that the this policy adoption does not

1:01:50preclude them from pursuing that route

1:01:52or a special permit request.

1:01:54>> And maybe it's the lawyer in me. I'm

1:01:56just concerned that we would say

1:01:57something here that will then bind us

1:01:59later on without a true um

1:02:02review of the matter. So I just wanted

1:02:04to voice my concern about us doing that

1:02:06in this matter because there is a

1:02:07process for that. So thank you for

1:02:10clarifying that Mayor I'll let the other

1:02:12speaker and then I'll come back to my

1:02:13other concerns.

1:02:14>> Perfect. I'll let you go to you.

1:02:15Uh first but very good point. Thank you

1:02:17Vice Mayor. It's good to have a lawyer

1:02:18on the council and so we did not provide

1:02:21any kind of interpretation and should

1:02:23someone want to have an additional rock

1:02:24products facility they would go through

1:02:26the normal

1:02:27process perhaps a special use permit.

1:02:30But if the council one wants to push for

1:02:32more rock products there's

1:02:34the existing ability.

1:02:36Sam.

1:02:41>> Good afternoon. Uh can you guys hear me?

1:02:45>> We can.

1:02:46>> Can you hear me?

1:02:50Hello.

1:02:50>> Sam we can hear you.

1:02:53>> Okay. Can you hear me now?

1:02:55>> Yes we can.

1:02:57>> Okay. Thank you thank you council. Thank

1:02:59you uh

1:03:01Mayor Garcetti Vice Mayor. Uh so my I'm

1:03:04Sam Gomez. I represent the Sagrado

1:03:07um

1:03:08I'm very excited about this milestone as

1:03:10you know after 10 years um

1:03:13working cultivating arts and culture on

1:03:15the corridor

1:03:16uh participating with the Third Street

1:03:18pedestrian uh bicycle bridge as well as

1:03:21uh curating art shows at the Autobahn

1:03:24for the last 10 10 years, almost 10

1:03:27years now. Um

1:03:29as well as just uh always, you know,

1:03:31being uh involved but also advocating

1:03:34for

1:03:36beautification as well as

1:03:39conscious development in the area.

1:03:41And I know that's sometimes hard to do

1:03:43based on

1:03:44uh a budget

1:03:46zoning and policies. Um but what I would

1:03:50love to see and I'm um I think I've been

1:03:52sharing this uh with community and also

1:03:54been hearing this from community is to

1:03:56see how the city can explore the

1:03:58possibilities of the Latino Cultural

1:04:01Center

1:04:02uh to be possibly develop and build at

1:04:05the Rio Salado.

1:04:07I think it would be a great uh

1:04:08investment and and positive impact for

1:04:11the sake of the light rail uh connecting

1:04:13from north to the south, south to north

1:04:16right now.

1:04:17And just seeing down there create the

1:04:19equity and the balance of just bringing

1:04:21arts and culture investment more to

1:04:24south of the tracks. All the museums

1:04:26and most of the galleries or all the

1:04:28galleries are north of the tracks. It

1:04:30would be a great uh I think it would be

1:04:32great for our community to gather as

1:04:34they gather now at the Rio Salado for

1:04:36arts and culture and um and doing other

1:04:39um

1:04:40stewardship work at the Rio and just

1:04:42would love to see uh how the also how

1:04:45the city would be able to make sure that

1:04:48the community is involved with uh the

1:04:51phases and the next steps and

1:04:52implementation and and I know like uh

1:04:56Armando mentioned earlier that there's

1:04:57plenty of work still need to be done but

1:04:59we would make sure that uh the community

1:05:01voice is being involved as we move

1:05:03forward.

1:05:04Thank you.

1:05:07>> Thank you.

1:05:08Okay. Uh that I believe concludes public

1:05:10comment. I'll turn back to the vice

1:05:11Mayor.

1:05:12>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, I just wanted to

1:05:14start off by saying, uh, thank you to

1:05:16Enrique and Josh for the great work

1:05:18you've done. Um, having, uh, more than a

1:05:20thousand interactions and dozens of

1:05:22community, uh, and meetings. Some have

1:05:24gone multiple hours. I I know of those

1:05:27and they've been robust and lively

1:05:29conversations. And I think that's a

1:05:31testament to how important this project

1:05:34is for our community.

1:05:36Um, I think this plan gives us an

1:05:37opportunity This is an opportunity to

1:05:38think intentionally about how this area

1:05:41is developed, how we connect residents

1:05:43to the Real Salt Lake,

1:05:44and how we create neighborhoods that are

1:05:46more accessible, vibrant, and responsive

1:05:48to the needs of the people who already

1:05:49live there.

1:05:50I think as we plan, we need to be uh

1:05:53we need to ensure that we are

1:05:55incorporating, um,

1:05:56our residents, our neighborhood

1:05:58organizations, businesses, and community

1:06:00partners. I thank them who have

1:06:01participated this far.

1:06:03And I recognize their efforts and I

1:06:04think their voices were very essential

1:06:06to ensuring that this vision reflects

1:06:08the priorities and experiences of people

1:06:10who are most directly affected.

1:06:13Um, I'm also encouraged by the

1:06:15opportunity to connect economic

1:06:17development with housing affordability,

1:06:19improved mobility, um, environmental

1:06:22restoration, and neighborhood

1:06:23investment. Um, I believe we have an

1:06:25obligation to make sure that growth is

1:06:27not simply about what we build, but also

1:06:29who benefits from that growth.

1:06:31I also want to emphasize that as we move

1:06:33forward, implementation will be as just

1:06:35as important as adoption. We need to

1:06:37continue working with residents,

1:06:38businesses, community organizations, and

1:06:40our regional partners to turn the goals

1:06:43of this plan into tangible improvements.

1:06:45I believe, um, Mr. Ruiz said it best.

1:06:49This community wants this investment,

1:06:52but they also want to make sure that

1:06:53they are heard throughout this process.

1:06:56I was, um,

1:06:57I was grateful to see we have a 501c3

1:07:00that is interested in moving this

1:07:02forward and I definitely want to make

1:07:03sure we have a good balance of the

1:07:06residents that live there or those that

1:07:07are affected and those that are don't

1:07:09live there, but I want to make sure it

1:07:10feels like it's a cohesive project. Um,

1:07:14I think this is one of the many

1:07:15opportunities where this area, I like to

1:07:17say this, I don't believe I just

1:07:19represent District 8. I believe it's

1:07:21also my role to represent District 8 to

1:07:24our community. And I think this is one

1:07:26of the projects that gives us the

1:07:27opportunity to do so.

1:07:29Um, of course I know this project

1:07:31predates myself, so I don't want to make

1:07:33it seem like I am

1:07:34I am taking credit for it, but I believe

1:07:36that this is an important, very

1:07:38important milestone that we um, that we

1:07:41take very carefully. It's it doesn't end

1:07:43here the collaboration. I I'm saying

1:07:45this not just for the benefit of city

1:07:47staff. I'm saying it for the benefit of

1:07:48our residents that are also listening

1:07:50and have concerns. I know many of our

1:07:53residents were concerned about, for

1:07:54example, making sure there was more

1:07:56housing incorporated into this plan. And

1:07:59I really want to thank you for having

1:08:01those, sometimes it felt like difficult

1:08:03conversation with the community members

1:08:05about what's possible and what's

1:08:07feasible. And I think we got to a really

1:08:09good place and it showed that this is a

1:08:11trusted process and I just want to

1:08:13acknowledge those efforts and thank you

1:08:15for taking those efforts and encourage

1:08:17us to continue building [clears throat]

1:08:19on this as we move forward. The Rio

1:08:21Salado is an important part of Phoenix's

1:08:23identity and our future. So, this item I

1:08:25think brings forth a very strong

1:08:27framework for bringing together our

1:08:29environmental, economic, and community

1:08:31priorities that will benefit generations

1:08:34to come. So, again, I just want to thank

1:08:35the Planning and Development Department,

1:08:37our Village Planning Committees, the

1:08:39Planning Commission, and all of the

1:08:41community members who have helped shape

1:08:43this vision. And I am very much in

1:08:45support of moving this item these items

1:08:46forward. So, thank you.

1:08:49>> Thank you. Well well said. So, wanted to

1:08:52recognize Joelle for the work on this.

1:08:55Uh, who Councilwoman?

1:08:57>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, you know, I I

1:09:00really appreciate, you know, the the

1:09:02comments from the community members

1:09:03here. Um,

1:09:05You're right, like this is going to be

1:09:07the community here has a vision and a

1:09:09dream of what they want to see for this

1:09:10area, and I fully agree that we cannot

1:09:13leave them out of the process, right?

1:09:15Like a lot of times

1:09:16we do a lot of really good things, and

1:09:18sometimes we miss the mark in the

1:09:20implementation phase. And I think what I

1:09:22really appreciate about all the work

1:09:25that Joel well you and Josh and

1:09:27everybody has done on this is that we

1:09:29were very honest about the history of

1:09:31this area

1:09:32in the report. I I don't think anybody

1:09:35probably has not taken the time to read

1:09:36the full report that was put out, but I

1:09:39do want to say and acknowledge that for

1:09:41me it was very important as as part of

1:09:45representation in South Phoenix

1:09:47to really have the honesty of the

1:09:50history of this area, the redlining that

1:09:52happened in the past, right, in the

1:09:53Barrio

1:09:54Barrio Unidos neighborhoods,

1:09:57how certain people could only live south

1:09:58of the tracks. And I think if we are not

1:10:01honest about our past, we are not going

1:10:04to build a proper future for this

1:10:06community. So, I appreciate that that is

1:10:09in the report of the displacement that

1:10:11has happened in the past, and you all

1:10:12know that that is one of the biggest

1:10:14concerns not just to me, but to me

1:10:17through the community, right? And every

1:10:19every conversation involves around how

1:10:22is this going to benefit us or are we

1:10:23going to be displaced out of this area?

1:10:25And this is an area that has seen

1:10:27significant disinvestment over decades.

1:10:29Um you know, we still have I know the

1:10:31report says that up to 2003 there was

1:10:34neighborhoods that still didn't have

1:10:35sidewalks. I mean, I still have streets

1:10:37in South Phoenix that still don't have

1:10:38sidewalks. So, I know we got a long way

1:10:39to go, but I think this is a great step

1:10:42in getting us to the kind of South

1:10:44Phoenix and Rio area that everybody

1:10:46wants to see.

1:10:48You know, the some of the other facts

1:10:50for those that don't know the the the

1:10:52numbers behind this area, it's also a

1:10:5472% Latino Hispanic district, right? In

1:10:58the real district. There's also

1:11:01I like that we're incorporating health

1:11:04into this plan because right now there's

1:11:06a 3 to 13 year life expectancy

1:11:08difference

1:11:10in this area between the rest of the

1:11:12city of Phoenix. That means that

1:11:14residents in this area are living up to

1:11:1613 years less than other residents

1:11:18across the city of Phoenix. So, that's

1:11:21very important that we are incorporating

1:11:22that lens and bringing that framework

1:11:24into this plan

1:11:26of how we're going to build this area

1:11:27moving forward. And I also want to

1:11:29reiterate that I am in full agreement

1:11:32that we have to incorporate the

1:11:33community in the decision-making

1:11:35process, keep them apprised of progress,

1:11:38make sure that they are being

1:11:39communicated that we maintain those

1:11:41those open lines of communication so we

1:11:43continue so we keep the trust of this

1:11:46community with us.

1:11:48So, great work on all of this on the

1:11:50many years that have went into it.

1:11:53You know, it's I love where we're at.

1:11:56I'm excited to see where we go with this

1:11:58and I'm excited that we're going to work

1:12:01in partnership with the community that

1:12:03is directly impacted by everything we do

1:12:07from this day. So, thank you so much for

1:12:08all the work. Thank you to the community

1:12:10members that like the Ruiz family, Sam,

1:12:13and everybody else, the organizations

1:12:15that have been involved in getting us to

1:12:17this point. And I'm just really excited

1:12:19to see how the implementation goes so we

1:12:21can actually build everything that we're

1:12:23encompassing in this plan. Thank you so

1:12:25much, Mayor.

1:12:27>> Thank you, Councilwoman.

1:12:28>> Can I say one thing?

1:12:29>> All right, Councilwoman Waring.

1:12:30>> I didn't mean to omit Joel from my

1:12:31comments. So, I apologize for missing

1:12:33you. So, my thing I just wanted to say

1:12:34thank you for your work as well.

1:12:40>> Uh to Councilwoman Waring and then

1:12:41Councilwoman Pastor.

1:12:42>> I think I just like to say thank you to

1:12:43the Mayor for spearheading this. When

1:12:45she got elected Mayor, I think one of

1:12:47the first things I remember her talking

1:12:49to me about was this and uh I remember

1:12:51meeting I can't remember where, uh with

1:12:53Cindy McCain to discuss this. Um

1:12:56just very grateful as someone who worked

1:12:57for Senator McCain. I know he'd be

1:12:58thrilled that 8 years after his passing

1:13:01that this is something we're discussing

1:13:02and focused on. I know this is a passion

1:13:04project of his, really his last big

1:13:06thing, so that's very meaningful for me.

1:13:09And again, just very grateful for

1:13:10everybody who's been supportive and

1:13:12who's been working on this. Um

1:13:14just want to say thank you.

1:13:16>> Thank you.

1:13:17Councilwoman Pastor.

1:13:19>> Thank you, Mayor. And thank you to my

1:13:21colleagues. Um I'm just going to set

1:13:23some record straight on history.

1:13:26Um

1:13:27my dad would be 83.

1:13:31And 65 years ago, this is where the

1:13:34vision started.

1:13:35Um the vision started as a

1:13:39assignment to one of his classes, and he

1:13:43chose the Rio. And he chose that area

1:13:46because he had worked in that area.

1:13:48And he had also been part of Guadalupe,

1:13:51and uh then

1:13:53his vision continued when he became uh a

1:13:56county supervisor.

1:13:58Um the bridge actually kept the bridge

1:14:03traveled to the north or you traveled to

1:14:05the south.

1:14:07And when you traveled to the north, it

1:14:08was the working-class families that

1:14:10lived in that area that went to their

1:14:12jobs and they traveled back. The bridges

1:14:15separated.

1:14:17I don't know if it was intentional,

1:14:20but they separated communities.

1:14:24The other piece is that um

1:14:29that area, we have to think of that area

1:14:31as

1:14:32as our families

1:14:35being truly authentic as to what

1:14:39is going to happen for the future.

1:14:41This plan is needed because the

1:14:44community's voice is needed in this

1:14:45plan,

1:14:46but it should be better it should be

1:14:48embedded even deeper.

1:14:50It's a rich area

1:14:52of history.

1:14:55And so

1:14:57I am glad that you captured

1:14:59a majority of it, some of it, but we

1:15:02probably need to go deeper

1:15:04in this space.

1:15:06The other piece is light rail went down

1:15:10um Central.

1:15:12There was intention behind light rail

1:15:13going down Central. The intention of it

1:15:16going down Central was also to connect

1:15:18the north and south.

1:15:20In addition to that was also to bring

1:15:23housing.

1:15:24Not to change South Phoenix, but to

1:15:27bring the items that were deserved to

1:15:30that area.

1:15:31So, affordable housing

1:15:34is one of the things that is deep in the

1:15:36plan.

1:15:37Being able to keep and maintain our

1:15:41mom-and-pop businesses.

1:15:44There's been great effort for this area

1:15:47not to be regentrified.

1:15:49And if

1:15:51the community does not follow it

1:15:54and stick with this and voice their

1:15:58opinions,

1:15:59it could be regentrified.

1:16:03The other piece is um

1:16:06this is a dream for many.

1:16:09And

1:16:10it was a dream of Congressman Pastor,

1:16:14who also secured all the dollars

1:16:17in order to start the Rio.

1:16:20In order for it to move and be where it

1:16:22is today.

1:16:25My understanding and my understanding is

1:16:28then Senator McCain

1:16:30then said

1:16:32looked out at Tempe Town Lake and said

1:16:36we need to make this happen on the Rio.

1:16:39And with the combo of both of them

1:16:41towards the end of their of their

1:16:43careers,

1:16:44uh uh they came together.

1:16:47And it was a combo of both of them

1:16:49that are going to make their spirits are

1:16:51still still alive that is going to make

1:16:54it happen.

1:16:55Because really in true true form they're

1:16:58the legacy of Rio Salado. We're just

1:17:00continuing the legacy and making sure

1:17:03that it is built the way it is needed by

1:17:06community.

1:17:08I will end with the fact that the

1:17:12indigenous population is all part of

1:17:14this.

1:17:15I will end with the fact that there's a

1:17:17lot of love going into this.

1:17:20And I will end with the fact that it's

1:17:22all community driven.

1:17:24So thank you for all your efforts. Thank

1:17:26you for everybody that has been part of

1:17:28this and generations of generations of

1:17:30families.

1:17:32And thank you for those that are

1:17:33standing here today that continue the

1:17:35legacy that is needed for our community.

1:17:37Thank you.

1:17:41>> Thank you.

1:17:43All right. Does anyone wish to comment

1:17:45before we move forward with the first of

1:17:47our two votes?

1:17:48All right, vice mayor. Do we have a

1:17:50motion on

1:17:52item 121?

1:17:53>> Thank you, mayor. Motion is to approve

1:17:55per the planning commission

1:17:56recommendation and adopt the related

1:17:58resolution on item 121.

1:18:00>> Second.

1:18:02>> Motion and a second. Roll call.

1:18:04>> Hernandez.

1:18:05>> Yes.

1:18:05>> O'Brien.

1:18:06>> Yes.

1:18:07>> Pastor.

1:18:08>> Yes.

1:18:08>> Robinson.

1:18:09>> Yes.

1:18:10>> Stark.

1:18:10>> Yes.

1:18:11>> Wearing.

1:18:12>> Yes.

1:18:12>> Pott Washington.

1:18:13>> Yes.

1:18:14>> Gallego.

1:18:15>> Yes.

1:18:16>> Passes 8-0.

1:18:17122, uh vice mayor. Motion to approve

1:18:21per the planning commission

1:18:22recommendation and adopt the related

1:18:23resolution as it pertains to item 122.

1:18:26>> Second.

1:18:28>> Motion and a second. And I apologize, I

1:18:29forgot to close the public hearing.

1:18:33Roll call.

1:18:35>> Hernandez.

1:18:36>> Yes.

1:18:36>> O'Brien?

1:18:37>> Yes.

1:18:38>> Pastor?

1:18:39>> Yes.

1:18:40>> Robinson?

1:18:41>> Yes.

1:18:41>> Stark?

1:18:42>> Yes.

1:18:43>> Waring?

1:18:43>> Yes.

1:18:44>> Hodge Washington?

1:18:45>> Yes.

1:18:45>> Gallego?

1:18:46>> Yes.

1:18:46>> Passes 8-0.

1:18:50>> All right. Thank you so much for the

1:18:51incredible work on the Rio. We will

1:18:52continue to

1:18:54invest in this

1:18:56legacy project for the city of Phoenix.

1:18:58Thank you to all the partners who worked

1:19:00so hard and continue to work with us

1:19:02every day. Congratulations on the

1:19:04unanimous passage.

1:19:06We next go to item 2123

1:19:09and a related item 124

1:19:12which is in District 7.

1:19:14Uh

1:19:15I understand we will have a brief

1:19:175-minute report from the applicant. Is

1:19:19that right to Councilwoman Hernandez and

1:19:20our staff? All right. So, we will

1:19:22welcome uh Lind- uh

1:19:25Open the public hearing and we will

1:19:26welcome

1:19:28uh Lindsey Schubeo on behalf of the

1:19:29applicant for 5 minutes.

1:19:33>> Um Mayor, Vice Mayor, council members,

1:19:36Lindsey Schubeo with the law firm of

1:19:38Gammage & Burnham here on behalf of

1:19:40Vintage Partners and Stream Realty. Uh

1:19:44Walter Crutchfield is also here. He will

1:19:46be part of the presentation.

1:19:50Uh the development team, Vintage

1:19:52Partners, Stream Realty Partners, Lo Ka

1:19:55Hi,

1:19:56Jamie Blakeman will get a special

1:19:57shout-out uh for all the great work she

1:20:00did, uh RBI, and Gammage & Burnham.

1:20:04Uh this really is a tale of partnership.

1:20:07Uh Mayor,

1:20:08you're aware you followed this very

1:20:10closely. Council members, um and of

1:20:12course District 7. This was a great tale

1:20:15of the city, city staff, Josh and his

1:20:18team working very closely with us.

1:20:21Vintage Partners, as many of you know,

1:20:23commercial developer in Phoenix, Uptown

1:20:26Plaza, um two affordable housing

1:20:29projects down um in the Laveen and

1:20:32Estrella area. Uh Rise Hotel, great uh

1:20:36multi-generational

1:20:37development partner of Phoenix.

1:20:40Also, Stream Realty. Uh they they are

1:20:43newish to Arizona. A national company

1:20:48uh ranked seventh nationally in

1:20:50development of commerce park projects,

1:20:52but most importantly, they have a local

1:20:53presence. Uh Ben Cooper, who is here,

1:20:56born and raised in Arizona, uh West

1:20:58side, and very happy to be working on

1:21:00this project and worked very closely uh

1:21:03not only with Josh and his team, as well

1:21:04as with the council district on this

1:21:06project. We're very excited of what but

1:21:08what this brings um

1:21:09>> [clears throat]

1:21:10>> to this project or to this part of town.

1:21:12So, why are we here? 65 acres. The

1:21:15current zoning is commerce park and

1:21:17general commerce park, A1C2.

1:21:20Uh we are surrounded by some undeveloped

1:21:22property to the north, the 202, uh as

1:21:25well as some single-family residential.

1:21:28This was a remnant parcel from the

1:21:30development of the 202. Uh the general

1:21:33plan is industrial, and again, as said,

1:21:36zoned commerce park and general commerce

1:21:39park. Uh Mary, I think if you know, when

1:21:42you originally uh thought of the

1:21:44development of the 202 and employment

1:21:45opportunities out here, and we're very

1:21:47excited to be bringing that that dream

1:21:49into fruition. So, what is our plan? We

1:21:52are rezoning to PUD, planned unit

1:21:54development, to allow for retail,

1:21:57which is very necessary down here, uh

1:22:00and as well as commerce park for uh

1:22:02hopefully an an great employment

1:22:04opportunity.

1:22:05So, 22 acres of commercial, uh

1:22:08neighborhood services.

1:22:10Uh we've been talking to a variety of

1:22:11different uses. We do not have a site

1:22:13plan at this time. You will see there is

1:22:15a condition of approval that when we

1:22:17have our site plan and elevations, that

1:22:18we do go to the Estrella Village um and

1:22:21share that with that community.

1:22:23The southern 43 acres, commerce park. It

1:22:27is consistent with the existing zoning

1:22:29now. However, with a bunch of arm

1:22:32wrestling from staff, uh sizable

1:22:34building setbacks, enhanced corner

1:22:36treatment design, decorative walls,

1:22:39shade, art, uh

1:22:42a lot of arm wrestling.

1:22:4463rd Street improvements, I won't go

1:22:46into the details, but I do want to say

1:22:48Chris Kowalski, I want to thank him for

1:22:49his work with Jamie Blakeman, our

1:22:51traffic engineer, as they um did a great

1:22:55job of negotiating all of the things

1:22:58everyone wants, right? We We want that

1:23:00bike lane. We also want landscape

1:23:02setbacks. We also want sidewalk. We want

1:23:05all the things. And so, between the two

1:23:07of them, they did a very fabulous job of

1:23:09getting everyone all of the things.

1:23:12Community outreach, we had two

1:23:13neighborhood meetings. The first one had

1:23:15four neighbors in attendance. The second

1:23:17one had one neighbor in attendance.

1:23:20And post the Planning Commission

1:23:22hearing, um Walter Crutchfield himself

1:23:24has reached out to uh the Estrellita

1:23:26Village Planning Committee chair, the

1:23:28Riverside School District

1:23:29Superintendent, as well as the Rio Del

1:23:31Rio Del Rey uh neighborhood homeowner.

1:23:34Uh so, with that, we do come to you with

1:23:36a recommendation of approval from staff,

1:23:38recommendation of approval from the

1:23:40Planning Commission, and Walter

1:23:42Crutchfield, which is like to close us

1:23:43out.

1:23:48>> Mayor Gallego, council members, it's an

1:23:50honor to be here today. I'm not going to

1:23:52go as far as to say it's historic, but

1:23:54it is definitely important.

1:23:57What was done here was

1:24:00uh elected officials came to us and

1:24:02said, "We think you can do better."

1:24:04And a less desirable use was pushed

1:24:06aside for a more desirable use, and

1:24:10something that was

1:24:11focused on the community. And it's what

1:24:14we're not seeing happening in our

1:24:16present political age, where there's

1:24:18trust built,

1:24:20uh there is hard work, and there's

1:24:22sacrifice.

1:24:23And we walked away from potentially

1:24:26additional millions of dollars in order

1:24:28to do this. We ask a question, why would

1:24:29you do that?

1:24:31You're just good guys, that's why you do

1:24:32it. No, you have to have convictions

1:24:34that are bigger than money. I'm I'm not

1:24:37going to pay attention to that. Is that

1:24:39okay, Mayor?

1:24:40>> Um, we will ask you a question so you

1:24:41can continue. Ask him a question. Or

1:24:44>> Why are you not going to

1:24:47>> I should turn on my mic.

1:24:48Walter, can you please elaborate a

1:24:50little bit more?

1:24:51>> Thank you.

1:24:53Mayor, Councilmember Hernandez. Um,

1:24:56because I think the opportunity here

1:24:59was,

1:25:00um,

1:25:01setting aside a value proposition for a

1:25:04bigger proposition, that of community.

1:25:07And as a Vintage Partners team, I think

1:25:09that is our reputation. We've done that

1:25:11all over the city.

1:25:13But we don't do that simply because we

1:25:15want to have people say, "What a good

1:25:16guy."

1:25:17No, we do it because we have a greater

1:25:19conviction, and that is we've

1:25:21we've we've received God's grace, so we

1:25:23show that, and that's exactly what this

1:25:25is. This is a demonstration of do the

1:25:28better thing. Uh, when the question is

1:25:31asked, "Are you your brother's keeper?"

1:25:32the answer is yes.

1:25:34And I'm proud of my partners, I'm proud

1:25:35of our investors that we were willing to

1:25:37do that, to set aside a less desirable

1:25:40use, uh, to come up with something that

1:25:43reflected what the community desired.

1:25:46And the second thing I would say, and

1:25:47last thing I would say, is this is

1:25:49probably the last time I'll be in front

1:25:50of you doing this, uh, as I have a great

1:25:53desire to retire and spend time with my

1:25:5513 grandchildren on the farm we just

1:25:57finished. But that is this, what gets

1:25:59rewarded gets repeated.

1:26:02And I would encourage you to be as brave

1:26:04as the Mayor was in setting forth the

1:26:07text amendment, and then pushing those

1:26:09conversations to inevitable conclusions,

1:26:13some of those difficult, as you have

1:26:15highlighted, uh, already, and some of

1:26:18those positive, which this is. And so,

1:26:22I'm proud to be a part of that. I'm

1:26:23proud to be a part of the city. Proud to

1:26:25work with you all as a team. And excited

1:26:28to open the doors of what this is going

1:26:30to be in terms of large-scale employment

1:26:33and retail development that's

1:26:34desperately needed in this area. Thank

1:26:37you.

1:26:39I Thank you, Lindsay, for that. This

1:26:41doesn't happen without an outstanding

1:26:43staff on your part. Josh and his team uh

1:26:47made this happen. They worked with us in

1:26:49partnership. Uh even I think potentially

1:26:52frustrating some people because they

1:26:54moved it along quickly and did a great

1:26:56job. And it would not have happened

1:26:58without the whole planning team. And we

1:27:00[clears throat] want to make sure to say

1:27:02we're incredibly grateful for them as

1:27:03well.

1:27:07>> Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

1:27:09This is a project that really addressed

1:27:10the city's concerns about health and

1:27:11safety. And we're so thankful that you

1:27:14worked with us on that.

1:27:17Um we do have more speakers, but do you

1:27:18want to say anything before we

1:27:21Okay.

1:27:22>> Yeah, thank you, Mayor. I just want to

1:27:23cuz I I want to take the time really

1:27:25quick to thank Walter

1:27:27um

1:27:27because you really listened to the

1:27:30community. Um not just you, right? Your

1:27:33entire team. But you all really put so

1:27:36much importance into what the community

1:27:38voice was telling you, what they wanted

1:27:41to see for this area. And I think this

1:27:43is just such a good example of good

1:27:45partnership uh between a developer and

1:27:48the city, right? And the staff and the

1:27:49community.

1:27:51Um I don't I can't think of a better

1:27:52example anytime soon. Uh I think so many

1:27:56people should look at this um on how you

1:27:59really

1:28:00uh engaged in good faith with us, but

1:28:03most importantly with the community

1:28:05um to really make sure that their needs

1:28:07were met in this process.

1:28:09Um Um, you know, that it it's it's not

1:28:12always easy and I know there was

1:28:14frustrations on both ends, but I want to

1:28:16really thank you for just showing up how

1:28:19you showed up, um, you and the entire

1:28:21team and how you all were really good

1:28:24partners in this,

1:28:25um, because I think through this you

1:28:27have just earned yourself, uh, the trust

1:28:29and respect of residents in District 7,

1:28:32um, because of this project. Um, and as

1:28:35you said, none of this would be possible

1:28:37without the amazing staff that we have

1:28:39here at the city. Um, Josh, Trisha, the

1:28:42hours that you have put into this, um,

1:28:45you know, Nayeli, uh, Russell from from

1:28:47the your department, um, our village

1:28:49planner Nayeli and Chris Kowalski from

1:28:52streets. I mean, the the the time that

1:28:54was put into this, um, none of this

1:28:56happens with us individually, um, and I

1:28:59think this is just such a great example

1:29:02and I agree it doesn't happen often, um,

1:29:04but this is exactly how we all deliver

1:29:07for our shared communities and really do

1:29:09right by by them. So, thank you, Josh,

1:29:12the entire team. Thank you, Walter,

1:29:14Lindsey, the entire Vintage team, um,

1:29:16and all the partners for really

1:29:17delivering, um, a

1:29:19amazing project for District 7.

1:29:22Thank you, Mayor.

1:29:23>> Thank you, Councilman, and

1:29:24congratulations to you and to District

1:29:267.

1:29:27Uh, Jamie Blackman available to speak if

1:29:28necessary. We're good? Okay. Uh, then

1:29:31we'll go virtual public comment, uh, to

1:29:34our Village Planning Commission leader,

1:29:35Lisa Perez.

1:29:47Lisa, give us just a second.

1:30:04Lisa, we are showing you as a muted,

1:30:07but we we have not been able to hear

1:30:08you.

1:30:10Can you unmute yourself?

1:30:13>> I Yes.

1:30:15>> Oh, we just heard you. It was It

1:30:17It was a little faint.

1:30:18Can we get a sound check before you

1:30:19start?

1:30:25>> Hello. Can you hear me?

1:30:26>> All right, we can hear you. All right,

1:30:28thank you.

1:30:29>> Sorry about that. I guess I'm a little

1:30:31stunned at you, Mayor, members of the

1:30:33council. Thank you for the opportunity

1:30:34to speak today. I'm a little stunned by

1:30:37the

1:30:38conversations about the entire

1:30:39engagement of the community. I'm going

1:30:41to start by saying that there were two

1:30:42community meetings in the past that have

1:30:44been brought to you today is not what

1:30:45was presented to the community at all.

1:30:47So, I'll start with my comments and go

1:30:50from there. I'm I'm expressing my

1:30:51disappointment opposition to this

1:30:53project with all due respect to all of

1:30:55you and to Mr. Kretchmer.

1:30:57Um I know that you believe that this is

1:30:58the best project you can do the best you

1:30:59can do and I disagree. I mean and I'm

1:31:02absolutely aware of the circumstances of

1:31:03that at this point. We should do better.

1:31:06This part of the Straight Village is

1:31:08mostly residential. While the North

1:31:10Village is designated as a Southwest

1:31:12Employment Center, this area is home to

1:31:13hundreds if not thousands of homes that

1:31:15would be impacted by this amount of

1:31:16changing zone.

1:31:17When moving here, every person knows we

1:31:19have heavy traffic, but adding more

1:31:21without express approval from the

1:31:23community is just unhealthy.

1:31:25This council, goodness, when you put the

1:31:26only as perfect warehouse in our area

1:31:28that is surrounded on three sides by

1:31:30neighborhood. And only half of that a

1:31:32district 7 rep said would happen time.

1:31:34And now this problem project is going

1:31:36forward without

1:31:37going to the Straight Village plan

1:31:38community. It's incredibly

1:31:39disappointing.

1:31:41Now, when you move forward on this

1:31:43project, which I assume you will

1:31:44approve, it is important for you to

1:31:46understand that what the impact is when

1:31:49you have this kind of trucking with

1:31:51residential. You wouldn't do this

1:31:52anywhere else in the city and I don't

1:31:53know why that's okay. Why is it okay to

1:31:56tell the residents of my community that

1:31:57this is okay? Is our quality of life not

1:32:00as important as the rest of the city?

1:32:02We deserve quality development without

1:32:03having to testify or sending out the

1:32:05questionnaire. You all know better and

1:32:07so does your incredibly dedicated staff.

1:32:10Following your own ordinance without

1:32:11suspending the rules for certain

1:32:12developers and projects or make sure

1:32:14you're communicating your intention why

1:32:16they are hearing that will be

1:32:18In closing, October is National

1:32:20Community Planning Month. It is supposed

1:32:22to be a celebration of the way planning

1:32:24creates great communities. I ask that

1:32:26you all make sure you are considering

1:32:28and thinking about the community

1:32:30as you're doing so.

1:32:32Thank you for your time.

1:32:34>> Thank you.

1:32:37With that, I will close the public

1:32:38hearing and turn to Councilwoman

1:32:40Hernandez for motion.

1:32:44First on item 123.

1:32:46>> Thank [snorts] you, Mayor.

1:32:48I'm going to shuffle these up here. Uh

1:32:49motion to approve per the planning

1:32:51commission's recommendation and adopt

1:32:52the related resolution on item 123.

1:32:56>> Second.

1:32:57>> We have a motion and a second. Comments.

1:33:00Roll call.

1:33:02>> Hernandez.

1:33:03>> Yes.

1:33:03>> O'Brien.

1:33:05>> Yes.

1:33:05>> Pastor.

1:33:06>> Yes.

1:33:07>> Robinson.

1:33:08>> Yes.

1:33:08>> Stark.

1:33:09>> Yes.

1:33:10>> Wearing.

1:33:10>> Yes.

1:33:11>> Hodge-Washington.

1:33:12>> Yes.

1:33:12>> Gallego.

1:33:14>> Yes.

1:33:14>> Passes 8-0.

1:33:16Item 124.

1:33:19>> Uh motion to approve per the October

1:33:2220th, 2026 memo from the Planning and

1:33:25Development Director and adopt the

1:33:26related ordinance

1:33:28>> Second.

1:33:28>> on item 124.

1:33:30We have a motion and a second from

1:33:31Councilwoman Stark. Roll call.

1:33:33>> Hernandez.

1:33:34>> Yes.

1:33:35>> O'Brien.

1:33:36>> Yes.

1:33:37>> Pastor.

1:33:38>> Yes.

1:33:39>> Robinson.

1:33:39>> Yes.

1:33:40>> Stark.

1:33:41>> Yes.

1:33:42>> Wearing.

1:33:42>> Yes.

1:33:43>> Hodge-Washington.

1:33:44>> Yes.

1:33:44>> Gallego.

1:33:45>> Yes.

1:33:46>> Passes 8-0.

1:33:48>> Thank you so much.

1:33:51We next go to item 125, consideration of

1:33:54a citizen petition submitted by Ms.

1:33:56Elizabeth Venable.

1:33:58Uh Vice Mayor, do you have a motion?

1:34:01>> Yes, Mayor, the motion is to approve the

1:34:03staff recommendation as it as it entails

1:34:05to item 125.

1:34:07>> Second.

1:34:08>> We have a motion and a second from

1:34:09Councilwoman Stark. Is Elizabeth with us

1:34:11today?

1:34:16Elizabeth, it would be your floor if

1:34:17you'd like to speak.

1:34:20All right, I do not see Elizabeth. We'll

1:34:21turn to Councilwoman Hernandez who has a

1:34:23comment.

1:34:24>> Thank you, Mayor. And I just um you

1:34:26know, want to first thank Elizabeth for

1:34:28bringing this forward and I do have one

1:34:29question for Rachel from OHS.

1:34:32Um

1:34:34just for clarity.

1:34:41Thank you, Rachel. Um you know, this

1:34:43petition had to do around water the

1:34:44water situation at the SOS site. Um and

1:34:47I know that uh one of the things in the

1:34:50in the response in the staff

1:34:51recommendation was that we are uh s-

1:34:54we do test water regularly. Can you just

1:34:57elaborate a little bit on that and just

1:34:59make sure that um I just want to make

1:35:00sure that the public is is aware of that

1:35:02and hears that and we can just reiterate

1:35:04the how we handle that.

1:35:06>> Sure. Mayor, members of Council,

1:35:08Councilwoman Hernandez, um when we first

1:35:10heard that the water was too hot back at

1:35:12the July City Council meeting, we we did

1:35:15test the water at that time and adjusted

1:35:16it down and it had gotten um hot

1:35:19especially in our two new ADA trailers.

1:35:22Um and since that time we've checked

1:35:23checked it periodically. Um however,

1:35:26since the citizen petition was submitted

1:35:282 weeks ago now, we've checked it daily.

1:35:30>> Okay, thank you. And and do we plan on

1:35:32continuing like what is the schedule

1:35:34that we will maintain um moving forward?

1:35:36>> Councilwoman Hernandez, especially as

1:35:38we're just starting to get a little bit

1:35:39chillier weather, we're looking at um

1:35:41checking the water temperature um daily

1:35:44for the next couple of weeks and then

1:35:45moving to uh once a week um

1:35:48uh

1:35:48temperature check.

1:35:49>> Okay, thank you so much for that. I just

1:35:51want to make sure that the

1:35:52Elizabeth and the public are aware of

1:35:54that we do

1:35:55continuously

1:35:57check that and make sure so we can get

1:35:59ahead of issues hopefully in the future.

1:36:01That's pretty much all my my question.

1:36:04>> Thank you, Vice Mayor.

1:36:05Thank you. I just want to follow up on

1:36:07the on the question.

1:36:09Had OHS or the SOS partners received any

1:36:12complaints prior to the citizens

1:36:14petition regarding the shower

1:36:16temperature at the

1:36:19>> Mayor and members of council about Vice

1:36:21Mayor Hodge Washington. The only

1:36:23complaint we have received was in July,

1:36:26but since that time we have not received

1:36:27complaints. We've been asking people as

1:36:29they come out of the shower

1:36:31since the citizens petition was

1:36:33was

1:36:34presented 2 weeks ago and we have not

1:36:36had any complaints since that time.

1:36:38>> And it might be worth repeating, what

1:36:40are the processes that are available for

1:36:42anyone who resides at the SOS to raise a

1:36:45complaint shy of a citizens petition?

1:36:48>> Vice Mayor Hodge Washington, specific to

1:36:50the showers, we do have a staff person

1:36:52who monitors the showers as they are

1:36:54open every day from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00

1:36:56p.m. So they can bring those issues

1:36:58directly if they're shower related

1:37:00directly to that staff person. In

1:37:02addition to that, we have

1:37:04a grievance procedure at the safe

1:37:06outdoor space, both one that goes

1:37:08straight to staff and then an anonymous

1:37:10grievance procedure as well.

1:37:12>> And can you talk a little bit more about

1:37:13the grievance procedure? For example, is

1:37:16there like do they get responses to the

1:37:18individual that has filed the grievance

1:37:20and is there a time frame for those

1:37:23grievances to be processed?

1:37:24>> Vice Mayor Hodge Washington, I can get

1:37:26back to you on the specific time frame,

1:37:28but yes, we follow up on all grievances

1:37:30that are that are brought to staff

1:37:32directly. The anonymous grievances will

1:37:35answer in a more general way via town

1:37:37hall. Our next town hall is November 6th

1:37:40at the safe outdoor space.

1:37:41>> Okay. And just for anyone that might be

1:37:43listening, including residents at the

1:37:45SOS, Um, are some of the issues that are

1:37:48permissible to be brought up at the town

1:37:50hall conversations?

1:37:52>> Sure, Vice Mayor Hodge Washington. We

1:37:54typically have an agenda of things that

1:37:55we want to talk about if there are

1:37:57things that we've heard bubble up. Um,

1:37:59this town hall is really based on

1:38:01workforce opportunities. We have a new

1:38:03program at the town hall um, with St.

1:38:05Vincent [clears throat] de Paul that

1:38:06we're going to highlight, but it's also

1:38:08an opportunity for people to bring up

1:38:09issues that they have that um, may be

1:38:11food related or shower related, things

1:38:14that have to do with a site that we are

1:38:15able to address.

1:38:16>> Thank you so much for that. Those are my

1:38:18questions, Mayor. Thank you.

1:38:20>> Thank you.

1:38:22All right. Roll call.

1:38:25>> Hernandez.

1:38:26>> Yes.

1:38:27>> O'Brien.

1:38:28>> Sorry.

1:38:29>> Staff recommendation is

1:38:34>> Staff recommendation is to deny the

1:38:35petition since the Office of Homeless

1:38:37Solutions staff has already addressed

1:38:39the water temperature issue.

1:38:40>> staff recommendation. I would have

1:38:41[laughter] confused. So, yes.

1:38:44>> O'Brien.

1:38:45>> Yes.

1:38:45>> Pastor.

1:38:46>> Yes.

1:38:47>> Robinson.

1:38:48>> Yes.

1:38:48>> Stark.

1:38:49>> Yes.

1:38:50>> Waring.

1:38:50>> Yes.

1:38:51>> Hodge Washington.

1:38:52>> Yes.

1:38:53>> Gallego.

1:38:53>> Yes.

1:38:54>> Passes 8-0.

1:38:57>> Thank you. That concludes our agenda as

1:38:58business and I'll turn to the city

1:39:00attorney to introduce the final portion

1:39:01of the meeting.

1:39:02>> Thank you, Mayor. During citizen

1:39:04comment, members of the public may speak

1:39:05to the city council for up to 3 minutes

1:39:07on issues of interest or concern.

1:39:10However, the matters addressed must be

1:39:11within the jurisdiction of the Phoenix

1:39:13City Council and on which the council

1:39:15has the authority to act. The citizen

1:39:17comment session is limited to 30

1:39:19minutes. The Arizona Open Meeting Law

1:39:21allows the city council to listen to

1:39:23comments, but prohibits council members

1:39:25from discussing or acting on the issues

1:39:27presented. However, council members may

1:39:29respond to criticism. Thank you.

1:39:32>> Thank you so much. And we do if we don't

1:39:35have time for everyone at the meeting

1:39:36before, we do take uh, the people who

1:39:38were unable to speak

1:39:40at the start of the meeting. So, today

1:39:41we will begin with Bill uh, William Monk

1:39:44and and appreciate his patience and then

1:39:47followed by Leonard Clark.

1:39:49>> One photo.

1:39:51Picture guys.

1:40:40Good afternoon. I My name is William

1:40:42Monk and I live in the Monarch

1:40:44subdivision, which is the first

1:40:45subdivision built directly across from

1:40:47the East Mesa Landing data center.

1:40:49The pictures you have in front of you, I

1:40:51wanted to go over them to you cuz

1:40:52they're a little more current.

1:40:54The first picture on the left is taken

1:40:56in the backyard of the closest house to

1:40:57this project. It's about 125 ft away.

1:41:00Unfortunately, that was about 3:00 a.m.,

1:41:02which is 2 hours prior to construction.

1:41:06The second one is a house approximately

1:41:08150 ft from directly west and across

1:41:1148th Street

1:41:13from the data center.

1:41:15The data center's

1:41:17original property zoning was 48 ft. It

1:41:20has been approved and changed and

1:41:22changed. And they're now asking for a

1:41:24height of 59 ft for the building

1:41:27with everything else being added to the

1:41:29top of that, which is not included.

1:41:31We're looking at approximately 74 ft. If

1:41:34you'll see that right now, that's

1:41:35basically about 59 ft.

1:41:39Number three is kind of a street view

1:41:41from 48th Street of the building one and

1:41:44two of the data center being

1:41:45constructed.

1:41:47The one on the left is a picture from my

1:41:49front yard approximately 1200 ft from

1:41:51the data center.

1:41:53And number five is basically a side view

1:41:56with a drone view of the top of the data

1:41:58center

1:41:59on the curve of Thistle Landing through

1:42:02the 48th intersection.

1:42:05Again, this is a property that was zoned

1:42:08to be light industrial.

1:42:09This is a heavy industrial property that

1:42:12is being utilized in the wrong way.

1:42:16We have um

1:42:17continued to see nothing but noise

1:42:20interruptions

1:42:22and we don't even have a clear ideal of

1:42:25how this property is going to be cooled.

1:42:27We've been told it was going to be

1:42:28forced air then a closed loop brochure

1:42:31was presented to us.

1:42:33This is on 38 acres.

1:42:35Um when this was approved general

1:42:37originally

1:42:38uh none of the hyper data centers that

1:42:40were in unused were even looked at.

1:42:44The closest one to us would have been in

1:42:45Oregon, Prineville.

1:42:47It was done by Meta. It's on 120 acres.

1:42:50This is 38 acres. That one's 4.6 million

1:42:53square feet. This is 1.1.

1:42:56It only generates and requests use of

1:42:59157 megawatts of power.

1:43:02This one is 50%

1:43:05in buildings but yet asking for 100

1:43:08additional megawatts of power.

1:43:11In other words, they're going to be

1:43:12doubling the amount of servers in five

1:43:14buildings which is going to create a

1:43:16more possible heat island than usual

1:43:20as well as potential fire problems. I

1:43:22encourage you to continue to take a look

1:43:24at this and work with the city and

1:43:26planning department to see if we can

1:43:27write this wrong. Thank you.

1:43:31>> Thank you so much. Leonard is next

1:43:33followed by Haley Handcock.

1:43:38>> Uh thank you, Mayor and Council members.

1:43:40Uh I just have several things I wanted

1:43:41to speak on.

1:43:42First is the high cost of diesel fuel

1:43:45and fuel for our residents of Phoenix

1:43:47and the surrounding areas. I'm not sure

1:43:49I know that you

1:43:51you can't directly intervene, but I'm

1:43:52just wondering if the situation

1:43:54continues to worsen

1:43:56uh and the price per barrel of oil

1:43:58continues to go up,

1:44:00uh many families could be in the Phoenix

1:44:04City of Phoenix and around our city

1:44:05could be

1:44:06uh not being able to put enough food on

1:44:09the table just like our hard-working

1:44:10truck drivers who live in the City of

1:44:12Phoenix are now having a hard time

1:44:13making ends meet. So, I don't know if we

1:44:16could come up with more plans. I know we

1:44:17have excellent organizations like St.

1:44:19Vincent de Paul and these other

1:44:20organizations, but even maybe look more

1:44:22closely at the situation. I know you

1:44:25can't help it. You can't help the

1:44:26policies in Washington, D.C., but our

1:44:29residents are beginning to even suffer

1:44:31more and more.

1:44:32Uh and it's a real shame. Our economy

1:44:34could be doing good. And then also uh

1:44:37even though I never went I'd like to go,

1:44:39but uh it's uh saying here Phoenix

1:44:41Symphony is suspending its 26-27 season

1:44:45due to severe

1:44:46financial shortfalls.

1:44:48And I do think that's a mark of our city

1:44:50is to have that. So, maybe we could look

1:44:52into that. And then uh

1:44:54finally, look, I'm not a saint, but I

1:44:56know that in Phoenix it used to be break

1:44:58on yellow, stop on red. But as I'm

1:45:00driving around in Phoenix and the other

1:45:01uh surrounding areas,

1:45:03uh I'm just seeing people run red

1:45:05lights. Like

1:45:07you you really have to drive

1:45:08defensively. You have to hesitate. I'm

1:45:11just asking our fellow residents and the

1:45:13people of the City of Phoenix and the

1:45:15surrounding areas,

1:45:16please try, you know, don't run the red

1:45:19lights. I mean, it's not even like

1:45:21close. I mean, the light will be red and

1:45:23they will just go through it.

1:45:25So, uh I'm hoping we can do something

1:45:27about that. And uh and finally, I'm

1:45:29going to sound like an old man here, but

1:45:30we complain about light pollution,

1:45:32right? For astronomers, we complain

1:45:34about air pollution, people have to go

1:45:36smoke in a designated area.

1:45:38What about the noise pollution? I mean,

1:45:40I know I sound old, but these people no

1:45:43offense against all of you that have

1:45:44Mustangs and your power cars, but I

1:45:46mean, some of your engines are like

1:45:48sound like they're competing with

1:45:49airplane engines. There is a such a

1:45:51thing as noise pollution. It affects our

1:45:53children. And I know that this is not in

1:45:55just in the city of Phoenix, but the

1:45:57noise ordinances, why our young people,

1:45:59our older people, the old guys trying to

1:46:01be 20 again with the gold necklace

1:46:03around their necks. Sorry if you wear a

1:46:05gold necklace, but what I'm saying is

1:46:07it's just so loud. And you know, it

1:46:10doesn't just stress me out. Noise, you

1:46:12know, science scientists have pointed

1:46:13this out. High levels of noise decibels

1:46:16can affect people. So, I'm wondering if

1:46:19you can check on that. So, thank you so

1:46:21much. I am very impressed today. You did

1:46:23a lot of great things, I think, for the

1:46:24citizens of Phoenix and surrounding

1:46:26areas, particularly regarding hunger and

1:46:28all of these other things. So, thank you

1:46:30so much and I hope you guys have a

1:46:31beautiful whenever we see you again.

1:46:33Thank you. Stay safe.

1:46:36>> Thank you.

1:46:38Haley Handcut is next, followed by

1:46:40Stephen Johns.

1:46:42>> Oh, my name is Haley Handcut. Um I just

1:46:45wanted to say that um all in all, I

1:46:47think Phoenix is is improving. I do want

1:46:49to say that it down by

1:46:53the bottom part of the courthouse and

1:46:56around the jail, it just feels like um

1:46:59they're not putting back in the the

1:47:01right the right um

1:47:03>> [clears throat]

1:47:04>> um bottoms for around the jail. I think

1:47:07it's still a little bit too high around

1:47:0919th Avenue.

1:47:13Like

1:47:18>> Thank you.

1:47:19Stephen is next, followed by William

1:47:21Lockwood.

1:47:27Steven Jones, if you could sort of

1:47:28indicate your

1:47:31He chose not to speak. Okay, thank you.

1:47:32That's very helpful.

1:47:35Um

1:47:37William Lockwood

1:47:42No William Lockwood, okay.

1:47:43Uh

1:47:44Natalie Miller, you said what Okay.

1:47:47And then

1:47:48Andrew Frank Morehead

1:47:56>> Hi, I'm Natalie Miller. I do stay at the

1:47:58SOS. Um the water

1:48:01heat thing has been corrected, but two

1:48:03of those um

1:48:04ramped base bathrooms that have two

1:48:07other regular bathrooms attached to them

1:48:09have been sealed off.

1:48:11So, the hot water doesn't matter.

1:48:13They have not fixed them. All of the

1:48:15other bathrooms, they have the sinks

1:48:17turned off in where they're just toilets

1:48:19and sinks. So, you have to go outside

1:48:22after when and wash your hands outside,

1:48:25which is a sanitation issue.

1:48:27Um most of the showers have

1:48:29um

1:48:30they're filthy, they have cracks in

1:48:31them, um

1:48:33all kinds of things are broken. Toilets

1:48:35hanging off walls, toilets you sit on

1:48:36that fall over.

1:48:38These are

1:48:39rented or units or whatever that are not

1:48:41being maintained, and a lot of people

1:48:43say, "Well, the people have destroyed

1:48:44them."

1:48:45I could fix them.

1:48:46My parents are landlords. They won't let

1:48:48us even to have Ajax in there and clean

1:48:50them.

1:48:51Um so, it's more than an issue of heat.

1:48:54I'd like to say something about

1:48:55something I've lived through

1:48:57having to do with homeless if um for my

1:48:59own personal thing is

1:49:01it's about fentanyl overdoses.

1:49:03Um I've witnessed many people that I

1:49:05know homeless on the street die.

1:49:08And fentanyl is different than heroin.

1:49:10People It turns down your circuitry.

1:49:12Doesn't It's not like opioid with heroin

1:49:14where your suppression of your heart and

1:49:15your breath.

1:49:16I've seen multiple people just be put in

1:49:18ambulance and not use the defibrillator.

1:49:20You know, where they do not use the

1:49:21defibrillator on which they need their

1:49:23electricity shocked back on cuz that's

1:49:25what fentanyl does. It turns off your

1:49:27circuitry.

1:49:29So, I have seen countless countless

1:49:30people and I mean a lot

1:49:32taken away who could have been shocked

1:49:34and resuscitated who needed to be

1:49:37defibrillated.

1:49:38So, that is not happening because the

1:49:40people's hearts are hard and they're

1:49:41just they think they're not worthy. And

1:49:43I've done CPR on multiple people and um

1:49:47had someone revived to only have to have

1:49:50the

1:49:52by the time the ambulance got there and

1:49:53I had to get away from the situation,

1:49:55they said she's dead.

1:49:56And she I had brought her back to color

1:49:58from looking dead with my own CPR.

1:50:02And they came brought her up dead.

1:50:04We and they weren't willing to do a

1:50:06shock or anything and I was just like,

1:50:08"What are you talking about?"

1:50:09So, many people So, fentanyl is

1:50:11different than heroin. It is

1:50:15circuitry shut off. Those people should

1:50:17be defibrillated and be given a chance

1:50:19to live because that's and it's not

1:50:21being done.

1:50:23Um

1:50:24What else can I say?

1:50:29The stigma of homeless

1:50:31the umbrella

1:50:33When people think of homeless people,

1:50:34they think of every other stigma as

1:50:36raindrops. I've walked around with these

1:50:37stigma of what people think of me

1:50:40because I'm homeless.

1:50:42I have no criminal history.

1:50:44I'm not a drug addict.

1:50:45And I used to be a Scottsdale school bus

1:50:47driver, CNA, and a live-in nanny. I'm a

1:50:49widow.

1:50:50And I have many issues and my issues are

1:50:52my private issues.

1:50:54And but the stigma is heavy.

1:50:56Please change your mindsets and hearts

1:50:57and look into stuff.

1:50:59Thank you.

1:51:01>> Thank you.

1:51:02Andrew is next followed by Connie

1:51:04Rothgeb.

1:51:11Andrew

1:51:12could you indicate your here? Andrew

1:51:13Frankmorehead.

1:51:18All right, I do not see Andrew. We will

1:51:19go to Connie followed by Edwin.

1:51:22We have Connie and Edwin?

1:51:24>> [clears throat]

1:51:26>> Connie, Edwin?

1:51:28All right.

1:51:29Uh Navlin Samuel followed by Tim

1:51:32Sierakowski. Navlin and I'm sorry for

1:51:35I'm not doing well with names today.

1:51:36Navlin Navlin? All right.

1:51:53>> Okay.

1:51:55I don't know how this work, but I'm here

1:51:56because of mental

1:51:58health abuse.

1:52:02Basically,

1:52:04I ended up in mental health

1:52:07for wrong reasons.

1:52:09And um I noticed that when they give you

1:52:12the medication,

1:52:13your body starts changing.

1:52:16You start gaining weight. Now people ask

1:52:18me if I'm pregnant. I went from 95 lbs

1:52:22and so forth, now I'm 200 and

1:52:2570-something lbs

1:52:27>> [laughter]

1:52:27>> because I'm taking medication that's not

1:52:29doing right for my

1:52:31for my body.

1:52:32I should not be walking down the street

1:52:34and someone say, "Congratulations.

1:52:36You're pregnant."

1:52:39>> [clears throat]

1:52:39>> You know what I'm saying?

1:52:41So, it's very hard to look [laughter] at

1:52:44the public and say, "No, I'm not." And

1:52:47they say, "No, yeah you are."

1:52:49You know, so

1:52:51I just want to address that issue.

1:52:54I'm not going to keep you guys any

1:52:55longer.

1:52:56>> Thank you. I'm very sorry. Tim is next

1:52:59followed by Jeremy.

1:53:01>> [clears throat]

1:53:07>> Good afternoon. Thank you, Tim

1:53:09Surakowski.

1:53:11Recently, the Arizona Supreme Court

1:53:14passed new

1:53:17rules of record requests.

1:53:20And I'm not sure if the city is still

1:53:21following it or not because we have

1:53:24record requests which have been

1:53:25outstanding for months and months.

1:53:28And according to the new rules, you have

1:53:29a certain time period that you now must

1:53:32respond to. And if you don't respond to

1:53:35the new rules, and we have to hire an

1:53:37attorney once again to get this

1:53:40information, the city is going to be

1:53:42held liable for our attorney fees. So,

1:53:44I'm trying to figure out when we're

1:53:46going to start getting our record

1:53:47request in a timely manner.

1:53:50Two or three months is too long.

1:53:54I know you guys are protecting

1:53:56yourselves, but there should be some

1:53:58ethical basis of trying to produce these

1:54:00records in a timely manner.

1:54:03And they're not being produced.

1:54:06Second thing I want to really talk about

1:54:07is the new master plan for the Parks

1:54:10Department.

1:54:13They're spending a million dollars for a

1:54:15plan that does not incorporate

1:54:173/4 of the park.

1:54:20Why are we spending a million dollars on

1:54:22something that's not a master plan, but

1:54:25one specific segment of the park?

1:54:28We heard earlier today at a subcommittee

1:54:30meeting that they are going to

1:54:33add all this other stuff later. Well,

1:54:35how come they're not doing it now?

1:54:38When I hear master plan, I hear in in

1:54:41the back of my head saying, "All of this

1:54:43stuff has to be integrated together."

1:54:46This new master plan is not taking golf

1:54:48courses.

1:54:50Why not? It's not taking in any of the

1:54:53part any of the

1:54:54the preserves in in town. Why not?

1:54:59I it's I'm baffled by it at the present

1:55:02time, and I'm just not understanding why

1:55:03we're spending a million dollars. Plus,

1:55:05he's taken 3 years to do this plan.

1:55:08It's already outdated.

1:55:10So, why are we spending a million

1:55:12dollars? For what?

1:55:15Earlier, we also talked about the golf

1:55:17courses, and I want to go back to the

1:55:18golf courses.

1:55:21You guys let ASU have Papago Golf Course

1:55:23for about 200, 300 thousand dollars a

1:55:26year. The proper evaluation, the

1:55:28property's value is 42 million dollars.

1:55:33Sell it to ASU. If ASU wants a golf

1:55:36course, sell it to them.

1:55:38200, 300 thousand dollars wouldn't pay

1:55:41interest on the money.

1:55:44Grand Canyon, same way.

1:55:46Sell it to them.

1:55:48Current market value of the property.

1:55:51Everyone said they would keep the price

1:55:52of golf down at both these places. It's

1:55:55outrageous how much it costs to play at

1:55:57these two golf courses, and no one's

1:55:59checking at the present time. So,

1:56:01Papago, they get to build something for

1:56:03a million dollars, but the property's

1:56:06worth 40 million.

1:56:07I think we should sell them. Thank you.

1:56:13>> Thank you. Jeremy is next, followed by

1:56:15John Ziegler.

1:56:25>> So, Jerry is submitting a citizen

1:56:27petitions today, and I want to make sure

1:56:29that they actually

1:56:31get in today. So,

1:56:33uh can we bring them now? Yeah.

1:56:35Here he's got

1:56:36Um we're submitting 16

1:56:38separate citizen petitions today.

1:56:41Um

1:56:43two of them should have been part of

1:56:44last week's. They're what Kristen

1:56:45submitted, and they weren't honored for

1:56:47some reason.

1:56:48Uh

1:56:50The other 14 are on executive sessions.

1:56:54Executive sessions are when you exclude

1:56:57the public from public meetings.

1:56:59Uh

1:57:01There's not a single instance of

1:57:03executive session

1:57:06in the code

1:57:07or the charter.

1:57:09We have no idea

1:57:11how you operate them. You hold them in a

1:57:15location that's

1:57:16we can't get to as the public. We can't

1:57:17see who goes in, who comes out, what

1:57:19time it started.

1:57:20Uh

1:57:22just taking your word for it. So, we're

1:57:23asking you to actually make the public

1:57:26aware of the rules of how you hold

1:57:28executive sessions.

1:57:29Simple ask, we should know that. If

1:57:31you're going to exclude us, tell us how

1:57:33it works.

1:57:34Tell us the rules.

1:57:36Put them out there, make them available.

1:57:38So, we've asked for very specific

1:57:39questions. We don't want staff's We

1:57:41don't want you to vote on staff's

1:57:42recommendations. That's what we're

1:57:44asking. We're asking you to vote on our

1:57:46recommendations.

1:57:48So, our petitions address that. We're

1:57:50asking for one legal action,

1:57:52which is for you to vote

1:57:54on the measures that we put forward.

1:57:56Not staff's recommendation. If they want

1:57:58to put them forward, that's fine, but

1:57:59that's staff's petition, not ours.

1:58:03Ours are explained.

1:58:04Thank you.

1:58:07>> Thank you. John is next, followed by

1:58:08Candace Washington.

1:58:15And if John Ziegler is here, could you

1:58:18indicate?

1:58:22All right. Did you not see John? Candace

1:58:23is next.

1:58:25Followed by Richard Vannick.

1:58:35>> Good evening, Mayor and members of the

1:58:36council. My name is Candace Washington,

1:58:38and I am here today as a mother, as a

1:58:41concerned parent, as someone who

1:58:42believes in every family deserves

1:58:44fairness, accountability, and real

1:58:47chances to be heard. I am speaking out

1:58:50about the Department of Child uh Safety

1:58:53[clears throat]

1:58:54and how allegations and some sometimes

1:58:58are treated as facts without full

1:59:01with without full and careful

1:59:03investigations.

1:59:04Protecting children is essential.

1:59:07Treating parents fairly and respectfully

1:59:09do do process is also essential. My

1:59:13concern is what happens when allegations

1:59:16is accepted as truth before the facts

1:59:19are fully examined. What happens when

1:59:21the parents dispu- dispute um an

1:59:24allegation, often evidence offer

1:59:28evidence, and ask questions, but feel

1:59:30unheard? What happens when parents are

1:59:33pa- What What [clears throat] happens

1:59:34when parents past is given more weight

1:59:37than their present actions?

1:59:39Or when their efforts to explain are

1:59:43overlooked?

1:59:45In our own In In my own situation, I'm

1:59:47not asking for the council to look at

1:59:50that. I am concerned about what happens

1:59:52to families when the Department of

1:59:55Department of Child Safety

1:59:57their communication and their

1:59:59allegations go through as

2:00:02truth without proper investigations.

2:00:05Thank you, City Council, for hearing.

2:00:07Thank you.

2:00:08>> Thank you.

2:00:09>> Can I respond to him, Mayor?

2:00:10>> Yes, Mayor.

2:00:11>> Thank you. I just think it's important

2:00:13for the

2:00:14um

2:00:15the speaker to recognize that the

2:00:16Department of Child Safety is not under

2:00:19the purview of City Council.

2:00:21So, I I am sympathetic to your concerns,

2:00:24but this is probably not the best

2:00:26tribunal. It's

2:00:27I just wanted to share that.

2:00:29We can talk to you after.

2:00:33>> Thank you, everybody. Uh my name is

2:00:35Richard Vanek. Ladies and gentlemen,

2:00:37colleagues, fellow citizens, we're here

2:00:39today to address escalating incidents

2:00:42threats our nation's sovereignty, our

2:00:44people's fundamental sovereignty,

2:00:46freedoms from transnational repression.

2:00:48Transnational repression is

2:00:52uh you have

2:00:54five executive orders, you have nine

2:00:56federal laws that have been made. Now, I

2:00:59am a victim of transnational repression.

2:01:02My wife was born 100 miles from the

2:01:04North Korean border.

2:01:06>> sounds very important. We do need you to

2:01:07connect it to something under our

2:01:08jurisdiction, okay?

2:01:10>> Okay, I will. I'm sorry, ma'am.

2:01:12Uh I was trying to get housing uh of

2:01:15through uh CAS, and I was also trying to

2:01:18get housing through Justice Center. They

2:01:20denied me.

2:01:21Okay? I was here last time, and I would

2:01:23like to ask for forgiveness on how I

2:01:25asked, okay? Because my wife is missing

2:01:28of 34 years. I don't know where she's

2:01:30at. Uh we were renting a house from a uh

2:01:35Korean, and basically my wife just went

2:01:38sideways on me. Transnational repression

2:01:40is a very serious thing. It is a mental

2:01:43problem. Now, my wife has to do

2:01:46interpretation, translation,

2:01:47transliteration to understand, and do

2:01:49back the other way. So, she can't

2:01:50understand what I was trying to explain

2:01:52to her.

2:01:53Uh what I'm saying to you is, you know,

2:01:57this is very, very serious, okay? Our

2:01:59Lord Jesus Christ came here for a

2:02:00reason, to expose things that are here

2:02:03that he went through. It's the same

2:02:05exact program. If you look at

2:02:07Revelations 9:12, it's a red the red

2:02:09dragon rising. Now, if you look at our

2:02:11flag, the flag has seven red stripes.

2:02:13Those red stripes represent the seven

2:02:15continents. Six white stripes represent

2:02:18the man [clears throat] king that is

2:02:20running everything till Jesus Christ

2:02:21comes back, and it's seven it's double

2:02:23perfection, okay? The blue banther's

2:02:25James 3:8, okay? Treat your neighbors as

2:02:28yourself, and you have according to the

2:02:29scriptures, you have done well. The

2:02:31stars are not like what you guys say.

2:02:34It's not you guys, all right? It's the

2:02:36sun you got the sun, the moon, and

2:02:39uh the star uh

2:02:41the Christians, basically. We're last in

2:02:43line. Everyone wants to get mad at the

2:02:44Muslims. No, we're last. All right? The

2:02:46word mer means

2:02:49water.

2:02:50Water flows through the river.

2:02:52Like cur, currency. [clears throat]

2:02:54Okay? Now, we have false brethren

2:02:56unaware came in privately to steal our

2:02:58liberty which we have in Christ Jesus. I

2:03:01am a victim. I am homeless. I just got

2:03:04evicted from my place that I'm at. Now,

2:03:07the place I got evicted from today, all

2:03:09right? The guy's mom works for Justice

2:03:12Center. What Rudy did over at Justice

2:03:15Center is trying to cover his tracks

2:03:16from going and denying me care. Okay? Me

2:03:20and the manager of that place, Dan, all

2:03:22right? He got kind of belligerent on me.

2:03:25He wanted to get violent. I don't have a

2:03:27problem. I got 5 years in martial arts

2:03:28and a couple other things. You want to

2:03:29mix it up, let's rock. All right? But,

2:03:31that's not what I'm supposed to do. I

2:03:33ended up in jail for no reason because

2:03:35of that Detective Faith

2:03:37on the Brady list put me there.

2:03:39I'm asking for help, please. This can

2:03:41happen to anyone in this room. All

2:03:43right? Like I say, transnational

2:03:45repression is very, very serious. Very,

2:03:48very serious.

2:03:48>> you for that testimony. Jerry Vangas is

2:03:51next followed by Shannon Brown.

2:04:05>> Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

2:04:07Uh

2:04:08Tim and Jeremy have uh

2:04:10basically said most of what I was going

2:04:13to say. But,

2:04:14you know, this is this was has come to

2:04:17our last recourse through the city are

2:04:20these citizen petition.

2:04:22Uh

2:04:23Our attorneys and uh others

2:04:26at the Center for Law in the Public

2:04:28Interest have filed numerous record

2:04:30requests through you know, since the

2:04:32start of the pandemic basically.

2:04:34And have met with

2:04:36you know, uh ignored

2:04:39and then with on, you know, after they

2:04:42follow up months later with a demand

2:04:44letter

2:04:45we get a paltry smattering of records.

2:04:49Uh knowing full well there's more and

2:04:51we've gotten more from other sources.

2:04:53So, we know they're not providing

2:04:55everything.

2:04:57So, I mean it's really simple.

2:04:59Just follow the law. The law says

2:05:02these records have to be produced

2:05:05in a timely manner.

2:05:07They can't sit on them forever.

2:05:09And uh so, you know,

2:05:11uh there are other recourses outside of

2:05:14city. And uh we're going to avail our

2:05:16and the center for law has already said

2:05:18they'll help us avail ourselves of those

2:05:20court recourses.

2:05:22So, uh

2:05:23just follow the law again.

2:05:28>> Thank you, Shannon.

2:05:34Hi, can everyone hear me?

2:05:36>> We can.

2:05:37>> Okay. Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor,

2:05:39and Council members. My name is Shannon

2:05:41Brown. I'm a small business owner with a

2:05:43background in health, biochemistry, and

2:05:44science education. I'm also a District 6

2:05:46resident member of the Ahwatukee

2:05:48Community Alliance and I live about a

2:05:50mile from the Menlo Digital Data Center

2:05:51at 40th Street in The Settlement.

2:05:54This is an industrial project by any

2:05:56standard. It covers 38 acres with five

2:05:58buildings totally nearly 1 million

2:06:00square feet. It will draw 257 megawatts

2:06:03enough to power 154,000 to 205,000

2:06:07homes. That's four to five times the

2:06:09number of homes in all of Ahwatukee.

2:06:12Menlo's filings with Maricopa County

2:06:14show 72 Caterpillar diesel generators on

2:06:17just the first three building buildings

2:06:19with 120 planned overall. And there are

2:06:2124 planned tier two generators which

2:06:24will release nitrogen oxides and fine

2:06:26particulate matter next to homes on

2:06:28three sides. The completed project will

2:06:30have 5,880 cooling fans running 24/7

2:06:35365.

2:06:36The health impacts are real. Chronic

2:06:38exposure to low-frequency noise is

2:06:41linked to vibroacoustic disease, which

2:06:43causes calcification in the arteries of

2:06:46the heart and lungs. I encourage you to

2:06:48look it up.

2:06:49Air pollution will increase asthma,

2:06:51bronchitis, and sinus infection, and

2:06:52we're already seeing it. Anna Marshall

2:06:54lives 150 ft from the site and has taken

2:06:56her son to the doctor multiple times

2:06:58this year for sinus infections she

2:07:00attributes to the construction dust

2:07:02because he didn't have those symptoms

2:07:03before.

2:07:05I have two questions for you. First, did

2:07:07you know the original General Commerce

2:07:09Park zoning from 1996 does not allow

2:07:11industrial projects?

2:07:13It light industrial, but not heavy like

2:07:15this. Why did this move forward? The

2:07:17original preliminary site plan showed a

2:07:19substation, which was a clear indicator

2:07:21this project was heavy industrial from

2:07:23the very beginning. Second, did you know

2:07:25the General Commerce Park stipulations

2:07:27predate Prop 207? No new land use law

2:07:30devalued Menlo's property. So, Menlo has

2:07:33no claim for damages, and the city has

2:07:34no obligation to grant waivers. Menlo

2:07:37knew what it was buying. The property

2:07:39was never zoned for heavy industrial.

2:07:41Fear of litigation is not a reason to

2:07:43ignore your constituents' concerns for

2:07:45their health and well-being.

2:07:47Thank you.

2:07:49>> Thank you for that testimony. That

2:07:50concludes our public comment for today.

2:07:52We are adjourned.