so many faces to see our community come together for such a meaningful event. This event is a great example of what happens when we work with residents and our partners to bring positive change to our community. It is the power of this partnership that has allowed plant and hope and the APS community tree planting event to continue to grow over the last five years. This really started when we, the city, heard from residents here that they wanted more trees in their community. At the same time, through the Nature Conservancy Urban Heat Leadership Academy, our housing department was connected with the EPS community tree program. With the support from the Phoenix Revitalization Corporation and housing residents themselves designed the grant application that made today's tree planting possible. [Applause] Plant and Hope success over the years is because of resident leadership and the power of partnership. What began with a small group of residents at Sydney P. Osborne, an Americanor Vista member and dedicated city staff has grown into this movement, connecting survivors with vital resources and support. This is truly a team effort. I'd like to give special thanks to Gwen Ruiz from the city's prosecutor office, the city of Phoenix strategic initiatives team, Phoenix family first, Eratra's afterchool program, The Hive, DNM M and Gorman and Company, the team from Unlimited Potential. They are here to guide us with proper tree planting, the APS arborist, [Applause] Phoenix Union students, and the volunteers who are all pitching in today. ASA who created a tree care guides for residents so that these trees continue to thrive long after today. And thank you to the city of Phoenix's office of heat response and mitigation who has also provided trees for Edison Park and the impact hub to increase shade in this community. And of course, it goes without saying thank you to the housing department. [Applause] Our work here in Edith Edison East Lake does not stop here. As the city's revitalization efforts continue, we are building resilience and showing what is possible when we work together. I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today and being a part of this. Next up, I'd like to introduce our city of Phoenix housing director, Titus Matthew. [Applause] Good morning. >> That's a pretty weak morning. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> So, I'm I'm glad to be here this morning and it's excites me to see tree planting because some of you may know that I grew up in Africa where I was surrounded by trees. So, I've always had a passion for trees and I prefer it over artificial shade. So, great morning this morning and thank you to APS for donating the trees and planting and all to the community as well. This community has dramatically changed over the last several years with the housing department's investment of more than $40 million from the choice neighborhood implementation grant. The center of this effort is transforming 577 public housing units to over thousand mixed income units. We're also adding a community center or hub at the Thash M Center and nearly 9 acres of new and expanded green space to the neighborhood. Today's event is a reflection of this continued progress and the city's dedication to the Edison Eastlake community. Nearly a decade ago, the city of Phoenix housing department partnered with PRC to launch the resident leadership council andmies to form a council assuring residents were at the center of the planning and process as well. These resident leaders helped shape housing and neighborhood designs and public art projects. They reviewed proposals, conducted walking audits, and even led resident trainings on facilitation, placekeeping, and community organizing. They were an actionoriented group aimed at supporting community members in pursuing resident driven initiatives. We've seen the leadership grow and bring new projects to life, including creating little free library or little free pantry, excuse me, which was decorated at a past planting hope event. Now it's serving residents at Saluna, a place where they can share dry goods and other pantry items. Today we see the leadership in action again. Miss Pat, a graduate of the RLC, was the first to advocate for adding more trees in our community after several were damaged along Via Street during the monsoon storms. Eight other community members joined her including Miss Mary and Adel Deelia Padilla who worked with Miss Pat to draft a successful grant application ultimately being awarded the APS community tree program grant. Congratulations to resident leaders on this exciting achievement and thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Edison East Lake transformation over the years. Your voices and your vision continue to shape this community's future. Thank you very much. I'd like to introduce now Maria from APS. >> Good morning everybody. >> Um my talking point. >> Well, good morning. Uh my name is Maria Males. I'm with the APS community program uh program manager and I want to just extend my extreme thanks to this entire community for being here today. Um, this is the power of community. This is the power of advocacy. And this is the power of working together and collaborating with the housing department, with the resident leaders, and with the city to really create a long lasting initiative in this community. I want to really dedicate this to the resident leaders because they work so diligently to advocate, to learn, and to grow together to speak up and say we need more trees. And that's the beauty of what happens when we all work and we involve ourselves in what we're doing in our communities. The APS community tree program is based on helping to grow and create cooler spaces in urban communities that need it the most to give the shade and to give us some relief from the heat that we all feel every single summer. So the beauty of this planting is that it's going to be here for years and years to come. Families will make memories under those trees. kids and families remember that they planted that tree and that's what makes us all come together and really make this program such a beautiful beautiful program for APS. I personally feel very connected to this program because throughout the process of working with the resident leaders and with PRC and with the Phoenix housing department I found out that my mom grew up in this area. She went to Edison Eastlake and I didn't even realize that until the moment that I was having those conversations and it made me even more proud to be doing this project and be completing and planting these 56 trees that will hopefully thrive for years to come. I'm so immensely grateful for the city housing department for all of you here being a asa every single organization that is here and to all the resident leaders and the residents here that are advocating to plant these trees. Thank you again on behalf of APS for the beauty of allowing us to partner with these programs and thank you for all the hard work that you guys are all going through today. It's going to be a little tough, but I promise you it'll be it'll be for good reason. Now, I'd like to present Patty Plesio. [Applause] Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Good morning. What a what a great day to be out planting trees. Um, I just want to say uh thank you for coming out um on this wonderful tree planting day here in the Edison East Lake community. Uh, Phoenix Revitalization has been part of this community oh seems like definitely for over the last 10 years and we have helped uh cultivate some of the best city resident leaders here. So raise your hand if you're a resident uh c leadership council member. I know Miss Pat, Miss Delia, Miss Marines, thank you for coming out and being the voice of the community uh to provide the leadership for these tree plantings. Um, I want to say again, what a great way to have more trees in the community to provide tree canopy, um, cooler relief for the families that are here, uh, to be out and have a lasting project here in the community. Um, I'm just going to keep it short. So again, thank you all the volunteers and the res resident leadership council for coming out and being the voice for the rest of the residents here. So thank you and have a great day. Um I am going to now introduce one of our resident leadership council uh members and one of the strong advocates for this tree planting today, Miss Deia Padilla. [Applause] All right. Hello everyone. Thank you so much for coming to our tree planting event. Uh so to me, planting trees might seem like a small act to a lot of people, but I think it has such a big impact because trees help cool our neighborhoods, clean the air that we breathe, and bring life to our streets. I think that they're very essential in creating a healthier and more sustainable community. And that's exactly what we're going to be doing here today. With the help of PRC, we were able to create the grant application that made today's tree planting possible. Their support and collaboration have helped turn the community's ideas into real lasting change. Through PRC, I also had the opportunity to join the Urban Heat Leadership Academy where I learned about how deeply heat affects our neighborhoods and how residents can lead the way to make a difference. From there, I went through the resident leadership academy and I'm now proud to sh serve on the resident leadership council. These programs taught me that if you want change in your community, you should be willing to help fix it yourself. Whether it's a big planting project like today's planting or something smaller, every little effort matters. One example is the little free pantry project that I have pioneered which was painted the little free pantry itself was painted a couple years ago from the domestic violence awareness uh planting hope event. I helped find it a home and by starting the pilot program at Soluna and that kind of just shows that even small steps can feed, support and inspire others. Thank you again for everybody uh who helped make today's event uh who made sorry who helped make today happen. Your time and energy truly make a difference. Next, we're going to hear from Raquel Wyn, who will be speaking about domestic violence awareness month. [Applause] Good morning everyone. My name is Raquel Wyn, strategic initiatives manager at the city of Phoenix in the human services department. In my role, I have the privilege of overseeing Paint Phoenix Purple, an awareness and prevention campaign for domestic violence, which is now in its 13th year. Events like this that bring attention to domestic violence and community are so important because domestic violence can affect any one of us. It does not discriminate. One in four women and one in 10 men will experience sexual or physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. And to put this issue into perspective, the city of Phoenix Police Department received over 33,000 domestic violence calls for service in 2023. In that same year, there were 84 known domestic violence fatalities in our state. Paint Phoenix Purple exists to shine a light on a very dark issue. Abuse thrives in silence, so we want to talk about it. Aside from fun community events like this, Paint Phoenix purple also encourages having those difficult conversations so that we can prevent domestic violence and ultimately end it. We have several of our of our of our wonderful community partners here today who will be part of the resource fair. I encourage you to talk with them to learn more about what they do and the array of services that they provide like connection to shelter assistance with orders of protection, safety planning, therapy, and more. Thank you to the housing department and this community for including us in this event. My team and I are excited to participate in the tree planting and to be part of something that will least that will leave a positive mark on this community. Thank you so much. >> Well, thank you all again for being here this morning. We are so excited to be doing this. Um again, we want to invite you to join us in the community center after we plant our trees. There's going to be several activities. We'll hear from community partners. Um, we're also joined today by the Hive. So, be sure to check out the Hive space. They offer one-on-one tech support. Um, so we hope you'll visit that space. Remember, there's that showcase happening. So, be sure to check out Planting Hope through the years. Um, and again, just thank you so much for being here. Um, next we're going to take a group photo. So, if you're helping us plant today, anyone wearing purple, um, anyone who's here today to show your support, please join us in front of the community center. Um, and we'll take a big group photo. Thanks so much. This location started out as a one room family school, one of the first schools in the whole valley. It was started by a pioneer family called the Osborne family. And it was actually uh Sydney Osborne, one of the sons of the family, became governor of Arizona in the in the 1940s. For 140 years, this building was a church. Several different denominations, but it started out in 1914 as the Bethl United Methodist Church. And as Phoenix continued to grow all around it, the need for larger buildings came along with that growth. So in 1948, they built this larger building. Starting in 2012, the new owners worked very very closely with the city to transform the building rather than demolishing it. And through a process called adaptive reuse, the city and the owners were able to transform this gorgeous building into a successful small business called the Taco Guild. Good morning everybody. Welcome to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. I am aviation director Chad Makovsky. Want to thank you all for being here as we celebrate the opening of two amazing new food and beverage concepts here at Sky Harbor Airport. But before I begin, I just wanted to acknowledge our federal employees uh coming through our security checkpoint. So many federal employees with the FAA, the TSA, and customs continue to come to work every day here during this federal government shutdown. I'm so incredibly proud of the work that they do to allow us to continue to travel. Please uh give us join me in giving them a round of applause and our thank you. I appreciate it. We are a team of teams and our federal uh partners are really what help to make us successful every single day. So, thank you so much to all of you who are a part of this. Um so thrilled to be here today to really welcome two amazing new con concepts. The Santan Spirit House right behind me, Guy Fier's uh lounge or food and beverage concept over along the way. We are um really excited. Phoenix is all about bold flavors. As we think about the Arizona desert, we want our customers to really experience the very best of Phoenix when they're here, both with local and with national concepts. So, I'm really really excited uh to to be joining uh our partners here today as we open these amazing new concepts. Uh first, we have behind me again Santan Spirit House. Uh it really brings that unique Arizona experience to the airport. It's a local concept with signature spirits and a local menu. So, uh, it's also the very first dining concept at Sky Harbor Airport that is fully integrated into our holdroom. So, thank you to all the passengers who are with us today and a part of this experience with us. We we're happy to have you with us. And we have another celebritydriven concept in our terminal just down the way. It's Guy Fury's Flavor Town Kitchen and Bar. Guy Fiery himself was uh with us just about a week and a half ago and was really excited to have him with us to uh celebrate the opening of that concept. Uh there really is a fan favorite across the country, but some really cool local signature options on the menu for them as well. Undoubtedly, these new menu options are going to provide great um convenient and memorable experiences for the many, many millions of customers that come through our airport and through this concourse in particular. Uh and they just wouldn't be possible without some amazing local and national business partners. I want to thank the Evolta team. These are the employees that come to work every day too to deliver this amazing experience to our customers. And to all of our local business partners who are here with us today and helping to celebrate these amazing uh restaurants, I say thank you. And now it's my pleasure to turn it over to the Aulta team uh who have helped to make this possible. I'd love to introduce Rich Bennett, who's AOLA's chief operating officer for Food and Beverage for North America. Rich, come on up. Uh thank thank you Chad. Thank you everyone. Um, I'm delighted to be here today to celebrate the grand opening of these two culinary gems that have cha have changed the landscape um in this new concourse in Sky Harbor Terminal 4. Santan Spirit House and Guy Fier's Flavor Town Kitchen and Bar just up the hall. These two venues reflect the unique flavors and vibe of the region and offer an elevated dining experiences for travel uh for travelers to relax and also enjoy. Uh Santan Spirit House is uniquely Arizona. Uh a local favorite which offers travelers a fun taste of place. While Guyier's Flavor Town Kitchen and Bar brings an exciting new outpost here to Sky Harbor uh from Celebrity from the Celebrity Chef and host of uh diner, dive-ins and and dives. Both restaurants have an extensive menu that features delicious food, quality amazing craft cocktails, spirits, craft beers, and wine. We're proud and grateful of the partners we have had here at Sky Harbor for many, many years. It's a partnership that continues to bring the best of the best for the travelers. Um, congratulations and thank you to the Sky Harbor team for our partnership. Uh, Santan Spirit House for the partnership here, Guy Fiery and his team and and HMS host team and so many others who have collaborated with us to bring two wonderful concepts and restaurants to life. Um, Guy unfortunately couldn't make it here today, but he had an opportunity, as Chad mentioned, to be here a couple weeks back. Um, and said, "We're already knocking it out of the park." So, let's keep knocking it out of the park and continue to make the traveler's journey at Sky through Sky Harbor as rewarding as their final destination. Thank you. [Music] [Applause] And now, I think we have some ribbons to cut. So, I'm going to ask all the leadership teams, both the local leadership teams and uh the Abolta team to come up and join us uh as we cut cut a ribbon [Music] [Music] mass. Park.chech. Phoenix for [Music] [Music] [Music] Good morning everyone, especially our chaperel grade school kids. We're so excited to have you and thank you Principal Molly for bringing over bring them all over here and all the teachers. We couldn't be more thrilled to have you here. Okay, sit down, bud. All right. Good morning. I'm thrilled to be here again at Siri Park. We were just here um last year. We got to celebrate on our beautiful playground over there and I think I got to play with some of you. It's really a great destination now for our families and our kids and our visitors to this area. And today we're excited to um cut the ribbon and bring to you our phase 2 improvements. This new phase um brings some exciting additions. We've got a volleyball court and this beautiful basketball court. Who likes to play basketball? Yeah. Okay, good. I can't wait to see you playing in a few minutes. Um, we also have some botchi ball courts and some corn hole along with some ADA sidewalk enhancements and some more trees that will give us some shade cuz gosh, we sure need shade this time of year, right? Uh this kinds of improvement reflects our city's commitments to investing in neighborhoods and creating spaces that support our our health, our connection, our well-being for our for all of our residents. And especially excited for you kids, right, where you can come play with your friends and hang out with your family. I want to thank our park and recreations department, um Cynthia Aguiler, who you'll hear from. I'm not sure where she went in a few moments, but also um Marty and Bob and the entire parks department because they take care of a lot of parks with very few resources, but they do an excellent job. So, we're we're very grateful for you all. I also want to thank a couple of um other folks, Chase and Coen Vanlon, for the work you did here. I'm not sure where you guys are hiding, but thank you for all your work. Do can we give them a big round of applause? It's going to be exciting to see this place continue to thrive, for people to be able to play, relax, and to build community. Um, thank you for all being here today. I can't wait till we cut the ribbon and get the playing started. But right now, I'm going to bring up Cynthia Aguiler, our parks and recreation director, to make a few comments. Thank you, Vice Mayor O'Brien. Good morning everyone. The maker we have many grades and many ages uh from the school. So thank you so much for coming out. How many of you come to this park as lay? All right. Okay. Anybody try any of the new things yet? >> Maybe. Maybe it's you. Okay. Well, we're happy to be here with you. Uh you heard from our vice mayor. She is our vice and the city council woman for district 1, which is where this park and nurse school is located. And we couldn't do the wonderful things that you see here today without her support. So, if we could give her one more round of she loves our parks and district one, the residents that she serves. And again, we need champions like her on the city council to help us be able to do more things like this. Do I have any 9year-olds in the audience? the night. Okay. I have 9-year-old girls in school right now and we love going to the park. So, not only do I get to manage a team who does these fun things, but I'm also a mom and I know how important it is to families out there. Also, uh Vice touched on it, but if you are a parks and recreation or city employee, if you could please raise your hand. They are spread out. They work so hard and for some heat all day every day to take care of the park. And so we ask you if you please make sure that you and your friends help us take care of this park because we do these beautiful openings and we want to keep everything looking just like this. So thank you again. Thank you to our amazing team and our partners that were recognized um at Chase and also CVL. We're so happy with the work that you've done today. So we will now get ready for our ribbon cutting. 4 3 2 1 almost broke your leg. Up until 1889, the majority of the water that was used by Phoenicians came from the actual original canal that went through town. In 1889, a man named John Gardner started the first city waterworks, which is where we're standing today. Water was delivered to this very spot at Birdie Park by a redwood tunnel that extended for 30 miles to the east and the northeast. Part of the city waterworks in 1938 was this pump house. It was built with the intention of being an emergency pump house. Water has always been an important element of thriving in the Valley of the Sun. This pump house represents one of the few remaining structures that show how that water was transported in the early 20th century. And it's a wonderful piece of architecture here in the southwest corner of the Garfield Historic District that we can all continue to enjoy here at Verie Park. Welcome to Phoenix and Nevada Minute. Today we're here in the beautiful Papago Park visiting these amazing beauts. Minutes away from downtown, this amazing park offers incredible hiking areas, a golf club, and recreational facilities with its stunning massive bees that rise and fall throughout the park, adding a special view to your visit. The park also has some historical sites like the Governor's Tomb and the amphitheater that used to have the Easter sunrise service, concerts, and many more events. The trails are low and easy to trek, making it a smooth hiking spot. Additionally, you can visit Phoenix Sue and the Desert Botanical Garden. Papago Park also has three ponds known as a Papago Pond. A beautiful 6 acre part of the park ideal for fishing with wheelchair friendly parking and ramadas ready for a family picnic next to a famous site, the Hole in the Rock. A be that offers beautiful views all year long. [Music] Welcome to the Cesar Chavez Community Center, the city of Phoenix's newest recreation center here in the beautiful Lavine Village. Come, I'll take you around. Over here, you will see the Cesar Chavez timeline. It's a great uh piece of work. As soon as you walk into the facility, you can see all the impact that Caesar Chavez has had in Arizona. and it's for you guys to see when you guys arrive. This here is our lovely gymnasium. It has basketball capacity, volleyball, pickle ball. We have wonderful courts that are meant for youth and adults spaces. And this is also included in your membership when you register at phoenix.gov or at our front desk. [Music] Welcome to our multi-purpose room. Uh this room is designed to have special events, meetings, take classes. Uh it seats anywhere between 80 to 100 people and is is reservable. [Music] This is our beautiful road courtyard along with long games where families can come and enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather. This space is also available to reserve for special occas occasions and special gatherings. And this is our beautiful teaching style kitchen that we have here at the Cesar Chavez Community Center. It is designed to teach classes here in our community. So, if you're interested in cooking 101 or maybe baking, this might be a good class for you to come and take. Um, we have stoves, refrigerators, microwaves, and I know this will be a great place for you to come and enjoy and learn to cook. And this is our wonderful game room space where it's designed for youth and adults to come hang out and engage in a friendly game of pool table, hockey, or foosball. This is also a great space for parents to come hang out while their parent their children are taking classes here at our lovely community center. This is one of the amenities that is included in your membership here at the Cesar Chavez Community Center. And this is our beautiful upstairs fitness center that is designed with cardio machines, free weights, weight machines, and if fitness is one of your goals, this might be a place for you. Um, out here we have this beautiful view of the Estraa Mountains where while you're working out, you can have a a great view here. Um, this also has an outdoor space that is designed to take a class, maybe like an outdoor yoga or meditation class. Um, also a reservable space. So, if you have a meeting and you'd like to enjoy the beautiful weather here in Lavine, this might be the the spot for you. And this is our wonderful indoor walking track. So, if you don't want to be outside, you want to get out of the sun for a little bit, you can come in here and take some laps. Um, it is used to walk or run. And keep in mind, 14 laps is 1 mile. Um, to the side you will see all of our Lavine uh historic photos. These photos date back to the 50s and you will see some of the lovely traditions that still happen here in the Lavine village such as the barbecue parade and the Lavine parade. [Music] Welcome to Phoenix in about a minute. Today we are here in front of Monroe School built in 1914 located at 215 North 7th Street in the intersection of Monroe Street. Designed by Norman F. Marsh, the building has a beautiful neocclassical style with its dramatic columns with a Corinthian order. The Good afternoon and thank you for joining us. We begin today with an invocation from police chaplain Fezmeer. You are welcome to join me in prayer. Almighty God, heavenly father, we pause in the busyiness of life and work to find peace in your presence and taking comfort in your eternal promises. We thank you for your provision for every good and perfect gift comes from you. One of those good gifts comes in the us to us when the good leadership given through our good leaders. Lord, thank you for those who ensure the protection of your blessings. All of us have a role and responsibility in the civic arena of today's busyiness. May we prioritize that which matters most as we work through our tasks of this day given by you. For we pray all these things in your most precious and holy name. Amen. >> Thank you. Please remain standing. Councilman Robinson, could you lead us in the pledge of allegiance? United States of America [Music] stands nation indivisibley and justice for all. >> Thank you. I will call the meeting to order. Will the clerk call the role? >> Councilwoman Ward here. >> Councilwoman Hernandez here. Councilwoman Hodgej Washington >> here. >> Councilwoman Pastor >> here. >> Councilman Robinson >> here. >> Councilwoman Stark here. >> Councilman Wearing. >> Vice Mayor O'Brien >> here. >> Mayor Ggo >> here. Due to connectivity issues, I will now turn it over to the vice mayor. >> Thank you so much, Mayor. I'm going to um take a point of personal privilege before we start with our regular agenda. Um, Jeff, I was elected to this council in 2020, also known as the time the world turned upside down. You were doing double duty as budget director and deputy city manager when CO 19 hit. And I remember you telling the council, "We're flying a little bit blind. A $28 million surplus had just vanished and no one knew what was coming next." But what struck me besides the uncertainty was how you guided us through it. Calm, honest, and grounded. Those weren't just professional qualities. They came from somewhere deeper. From someone you called your shining star, your angel, your grandmother, Rachel Barton. She understood the importance of integrity, truth, and education. Your grandmother wasn't able to be here physically when the city council unanimously hired you as city manager, but I have no doubt she's been watching over you. Jeff, you decided early on to put your family first, deliberately taking time to be a husband and father, not letting a job pull you away from what mattered most. And your commitment to family made you a better leader. Thank you for your dedication to the city of Phoenix, its residents, and all the surrounding area. Um, we are better a better city for having had you lead us and a part of our city of Phoenix family. Today is city manager Barton's last official city council meeting. He will still be with us for a short time, but didn't want to let this um go unnoticed. So, thank you for your service. Um, there other >> vice mayor. Yes, Councilwoman Gardado. >> Yes, >> Jeff, I met you in 2019 when you were still budget director and I remember all of our different conversations about different things that we were working on. And then I remember when you became city manager, you know, I thought I knew you, but I guess I didn't know you. Um, I remember when I walked into your office and seeing the pride that you carried with all the pictures, Malcolm X, all everyone up there and just seeing, you know, and just feeling that you were one of us and everything that you have done for workingclass families that for the record prior priority had not been done, at least not in my district. So, I just want to thank you for bringing life to the west side and all the great things that you did that you put together and that you did the things that no one else was willing to do. Um, doing the bond programs, doing everything we had to do to keep to keep our budget whole and for us to be able to do all the great things that are coming. I hope that you will come back when we do the ribbon cutting for the aquatic center, when we do the ribbon cutting for all the different splash pads that we will have throughout the district and and all the great things that you have done and obviously um station 15 when that opens a year from now. I'm hoping um that you will take this as an invitation um to to come back and and be a part of that. So I think um you know everything that we have done 589 I believe million dollars that we've invested into our city employees is thanks to you if we're able to maintain our parks if we're able to maintain everything that we have right now and everything that we did during the pandemic. Right. you fought there with us when you knew that it was the right thing to give folks to give everyone in our city um part of that ARPA dollars and you sitting with us um for hours and hours um then and the council was um councilwoman Pastor and myself and just sitting with us in our offices and figuring out how we were going to make sure that those dollars got to the community and that we made sure that we helped our small businesses, our micro businesses. I think that if anyone has been able to come afloat after the pandemic, it it's thanks to you and I hope that you can take that with you, right? Everything that you have done for for everyone in the community from, you know, the the biggest largest working-class community um to everyone else, I think that you've definitely come in and seen this city as a whole and you've done a little bit for everyone. But for myself, I definitely appreciate everything I learned from you, everything that you taught me. I was very new on the council. Um, when you became city manager and we learned a lot of things together and you're also leaving a legacy and a lot of projects that are coming up like the Lal extension to the west side is also thanks to you. So, just want to thank you for everything that you're doing and the legacy that you leave behind. I don't think any other city manager has done what you have done. Um, so I just want to thank you for that and we've done a lot of great things and and we will continue to do great things because of your leadership. So, thank you, >> Councilwoman Hodgej Washington. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. I too wanted to take a moment to thank our city manager, Jeff Barton, for his years of dedicated service to city of Phoenix. Your steady leadership and commitment to excellence has guided this organization through tremendous growth and change. It has been a privilege to work alongside you and to witness firsthand your deep care for our employees, our residents, and the future of our city. Your integrity and calm leadership has had a has made a lasting impact not only on city hall, but across every neighborhood we serve. I want to take a moment to say kudos to you. You have been able to show us uh city manager can have fly sneakers and sound fiscal security that you bring to our community. I also want to thank you for the work that you did in ensuring our bond program came online. I remember as a community member when we hosted your welcome and um as you became the city manager and I watched you speak with such passion and professionalism and to sit on this other side. I am so um proud of the work that you have done and you've continued to do for us and I look forward to I' I've enjoyed working with you on problem solving for many issues and I look forward to seeing you at the groundbreaking for station fire station 69. On behalf of district 8, I want to congratulate you on a well-earned retirement. I wish you nothing but the best as you enter this next chapter. I hope that it's filled with rest, joy, and all the things you've worked so hard for. As a resident of District 8, I look forward to continuing to be your councilwoman and you can call me with any problems. Thank you for anything you've done, everything you've done on behalf of City of Phoenix. >> Councilwoman Hernandez. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Well, I probably have had the shortest time working with you, but uh here as a council member, but I think what a lot of people don't know is that we started working together many years ago. while sorry while I was in the state legislature and it was really around the topic about my brother and so for me you have been a welcome change to city government it's not easy to find your people in government or in political work but I really think that we found our people with you um the way that you have went above and beyond for staff for the families like mine that have been affected by choices that this city has made you never turned your back on us. You never shut doors for us. You always made sure that you opened paths so that we could meet with your staff and with the the people that we needed to meet with, right? That we were at the table that we were having these discussions. And I don't think we would have been able to do that if anybody else would have been a city manager. When I would call you from the legislature and I'm like, Jeff, I need to talk to you about this budget. This is crazy. Explain it to me. you didn't you never hesitated to make time for me to answer all my questions and that not that never changed once I was sworn in as a council member. You've been steady at your hand in leadership. You take my tough questions. You don't shy away from it. I might be hard to handle at times, but you take the time to really just explain the things, not just for me, for my entire staff, and that truly is going to go a long way. It's, you know, I don't give out compliments easily. So, please know that like I have appreciated this time just working side by side with you. The people of Phoenix should be so appreciative that the way that you lead your entire this entire building, this entire city staff is one that we don't kick things down the road. We tackle the challenges ahead of us and we're going to find ways to deliver for the people. And so that shows through your work, that shows in the way that you have developed talent around you, that shows in your assistant city manager and the approach that she takes with her role and her approach to everybody here. And so I just really while it was a short time officially as a member under your leadership um I am sincerely just so grateful that I've had this opportunity and you have set a new standard for how city managers should operate. And so in the future, I hope everybody that comes after you rises to that challenge to be the exact type of man and the exact type of city manager that we deserve because you have now showed us that that's possible. So, thank you so much for your time. I'm going to miss seeing what sneakers you wear around here and us sitting down and talking about that. Um, but I know that you have earned this. You're going to do great things. I know your family's super excited to have you back and s and really I think the most gratitude goes to your family for sharing you with us. Um it's not easy to lead a city the fifth largest city in the country but you have done it with your family support. So please thank your family for allowing them to share you with us. So I know you're on on you're on and off to better things. I don't blame you for for dipping out of on us. Um, but ser just really thank you for everything you've done and I know I hope that if I call you or text you with some nonsense, you still answer my phone calls in the future. So, just thank you so much, Jeff. >> Councilwoman Pastor, >> Councilman Hudra, or Councilman Robinson, so sorry. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, I I'll be short and sweet with Jeff. I I think I have the distinction of having known Jeff the longest of everyone on the council because we'd worked for years and years together when I was over at the police department and he was here at city hall trying to keep track of budgets and everything else and audits and all the things that he has done over his career. But back in 1956, neither Jeff and I were born then, but back in 1956, um, John Kennedy wrote a book called Profiles and Courage. And it was about integrity and it was about courage. And I've been around long enough where I've watched Jeff stand, you know, in the face of adversity, especially when it comes to all things city related, especially things related to budget and fiscal responsibilities and all those types of things. And if you ever wanted a model of someone who' stood tall and did the right things for the right reasons, you know, it's Jeff Barton. And I can't say enough nice things about him. You know, like a lot of a lot has already been said, but you know, like I said, having known him the longest, you know, he's the real deal. when you get a chance or if you ever have an opportunity to spend time with Jeff to find out where he really stands on issues, how he feels about things and his commitment to this city, this commitment to each and every citizen, to each and every employee, all 15,000 employees in the city of Phoenix. You know, I've I've watched Jeff do it and Jeff, thank you very much. I'll I'll thank you on my behalf, but I think I can probably speak for the vast majority of city employees and vast majority of citizens in the city of Phoenix. Thank you for what you've done. We're a much better organization. We're in a much better place because of you. So, good luck in your future. I know I'll see you around and stuff like that. Really have appreciated having spent the last two and a half years working with you. It's been a my pleasure. Thank you, >> Councilwoman Sturk. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. And thank you for mentioning 1956 because I was be born before that. So, um I guess I'm historic people. Um Jeff, I consider you a friend. We started out together working at the city of Phoenix as colleagues. You are nothing but a class act. I am so grateful that I got to meet you in my capacity as a planning director and to work with you as well on the city council. I don't know if the audience knows this, but we're one lucky group to have had Jeff Barton serve the city of Phoenix. You're an outstanding man, and I'm really going to miss you. So, enjoy your retirement. Um, and I know we'll see you around, but I'm sure you'll be going back to Philadelphia from time to time, won't you? I figured. But make sure that you know Phoenix is number one in your heart. Thank you. Councilwoman or Councilman Wearing. My gosh. >> Uh, thank you. So, Jeff, you've done a wonderful job the last couple months pretending you're going to miss us. So, but other than that obvious and transparent deception, you always gave us straight information. I I've worked with you, I think, in this capacity the longest because it's been 14 something years. I think you were assistant budget director when we first met, if memory serves. Um, I always appreciate kind of wonky probably to people in the audience, but you know, we had a little bit of an issue with some of our projections and so forth and that all stopped really once we discussed it with you. And I can't tell you how invaluable it's been to have good information. If you ever read uh acknowledgements by authors, they write books and they say, "Hey, I talked to these experts and you know, if I got anything wrong, it's on me misinterpreting what they told me." So any mistakes, those are our responsibility, but we always got good information from you and that really helped. I think the citizenry who I know it's too much in the weeds for most people to pay attention to, but I certainly appreciated. I live here, too. So making good decisions all based on the the stuff that you gave us over a long period of time was really much appreciated. So other than pretending to miss us, as I said, besides that, you always gave it to us straight. I didn't always like the answers. I didn't always like everything you had to tell me. We had some robust discussions, as they say, about different things, but I never felt like you were misleading me about where things were at, and I appreciated that. Since I am getting somewhat of the last word, I will hear you confess now the Philadelphia Eagles Kelly Greens are much better than the jerseys they wear on a normal basis. And you know it to be true. Don't lie to me at this last final moment. Thank you, >> Councilwoman Pastor. Thank you. Um Jeff, I think you have demonstrated or given been a great example of a person that uh carries integrity, is a protector of uh a community and a protector in the sense of a community and a fiscal responsibility and getting us back into shape and and place where we can move ahead in a great um vision of making sure that bonds uh come every 5 years so that we can keep our facilities moving and growing and maintained. Uh we stopped that for I want to say 10 plus years and or longer and so I'm glad you got us into that space in place to be able to move forward. Um I also want to demonstrate as a protector uh you have a humility about you. Uh you may smile and you may joke around uh but there's a side of you that's very uh shy, cautious, and really want to be in a quiet space. Um and and I believe as a city manager, you have demonstrated that in all all aspects of where where where you were want where you were wanted and needed to be, you showed up. And there are times where there was demand on you to probably to be somewhere knowing that you couldn't uh you would show up, but you didn't physically have to be there to show up. And so I thank you for that. And I I would say the one last strength that you have since I have done strength quest is your belief. Uh your belief in in community, your belief in your faith, your belief in your family and your belief in your employees and how you treated them and uh demonstrated throughout all their work and your work. Uh I am excited to know that you have laid a pathway of how work how you made sure that working families got what they needed. You made sure neighborhoods that were ignored were seen. you made sure that the neighborhoods in in particular my historic neighborhoods had uh the funding that was needed in order to uh do a road diet. You made sure that our areas were always taken care of and you you definitely placed equity across our city. So I I owe a great gratitude for that. Um and throughout this whole journey you made mistakes just like all of us make mistakes and you made mistakes and in making those mistakes you took responsibility and you owned them and that's what I can say is very true to who you are because when you make a mistake you own your mistake. You don't blame it on anybody else. You don't blame it on the employees. You own it. You're the city manager. You're the leader. I finally have to say to all of you, I'm going to retire this shirt that he is going to have a fit, but I'm going to retire a shirt. I chose not to wear it because I know we have some serious matters, but I'm going to retire a shirt that was made, I think, want to say, four years ago, and I wear it all the time to the Christmas employee, maybe three years ago. So, here it goes. [Music] So, I have a I have a bag here. This is my last parting gift to you. You can do whatever you want with it. Thank you. Thank you for the ride. Mayor Ggo, you've brought a problem solver's eye to the city. Perhaps from your auditor background. you figure out what's not going right and how do we fix it and then put in systems to make sure we always do better and learn. We appreciate your financial stewardship and your good sense of humor and we wish you and your family well. Thank you. >> Thank you so much to mayor and to everyone. and I would turn the floor over to Jeff if you'd like to make a couple of parting comments. Although you you only have one foot out the door. >> Uh first and foremost, I want to I want to say thank you to all of you for the kind words. Um as many of you mentioned, I am um I'm an auditor at heart. So attention is not something that I thrive for. It's not something that I go for. You know, I want to also first and foremost I want to thank you know, some of you acknowledge my grandmother. You know, for me growing up the way I grew up in public housing, raised by essentially two illiterate for the most part grandparents, and to get to this point of running the fifth largest city in the country is is a testament to this organization. It's a testament to folks being able to insert themselves and to do better. But it's also being able to do that and do it when you want the community to understand that you care about them and to not have that hurt you in the in the process. I also want to acknowledge, you know, my family. You know, my wife, my kids, they didn't always get the best of Jeff because the best of Jeff was given to this place. So for 28 years, you know, they saw me, the tired Jeff, the angry Jeff, the short-tempered Jeff, the impatient Jeff. And so now I get to to give them what I gave this organization. and then that's my best. Um, so you know, I met my wife when I was a junior in college and so that we've been together for over 30 years and she's been through good and bad times like all all relationships, but she is still there and she is the person that that is my person and I will live the rest of my days with her. And so I want to thank her for standing by my side through all of what I've been through as city manager and as a city employee. But I also want to reserve some time to thank the city employees. You know, a lot of the accolades and a lot of the goodwill and all a lot of the kind words that were said about me today, they're truly a reflection of city employees. I I I get the benefit of representing you and I get the benefit of taking the awards and the applause and the bows for all the hard work that each of you do on an everyday basis. You know, I always tell our employees that we see people a lot of times in the work that we do, we see people on their worst days. And Councilwoman Hernandez even talked about that. Um, but we turn those worst days for the most part. We turn those into good experiences and we we alter the trajectory of people's lives. Not just that individual, but generationally. And and that is a testament to the work of our employees. Our employees are the best municipal employees in the entire country. And and I mean that I've engaged with lots of municipal employees in my time across the country and I don't think anybody holds a candle to what we perform and what we produce in this city of Phoenix. So, I also want to thank the mayor and council for taking a shot on someone who was a budget person and an auditor, you know, and and putting me in this role. We did do tough things. We had conversations that I don't think were had in the past. And I think we had the courage to make hard decisions that those decisions we may not benefit from in the time in which we're making them. In fact, some of you took gut punches and body shots for doing some of the things that we had to do. But I think history will rem will remember each of you very fondly for having the courage of doing the right thing. And and that is something that I don't think a lot of your predecessors can say. And so for that I want to say thank you for doing the hard work for being a partner in getting things done. And I also want to acknowledge the person that is sitting to my left. You know one of the conditions that I had when I became city manager is I wanted to do an unconventional promotion. And that was somebody that I knew their background. I knew where they came from. I knew what role she had prior to coming to the city of Phoenix. She served in a very similar capacity in a in another county. Um, and I knew that we were going to do hard things and I needed somebody that was tough, strong willed, and unflapable. And and Lori has been all of those things for me over um the last four and a half years. And I want to thank her. I want to thank her for the long nights that she had. We both inherited on day one a DOJ investigation. So that was not fun. Um, and then I also want to acknowledge what I consider my my home department, the department that I will forever be a part of, and that's the budget and research department. If you want to ever see what perfection looks like, as close to perfection as you can get, just go up to the 14th floor in city hall and and walk over to the budget and research department. They are the hardest working group of professionals that you will come across. And everything that we accomplish as a as a city, it starts out of that department. making sure you have the resources to provide for our residents. It starts there. So, with that, I want to say thank you. You still have me for, I believe, six more days um until I actually sign off, but um again, I want to say thank you. It's been fun. Would I do it all again? Probably not. But uh but it's been fun. And and thank you honest [Applause] right to the very end. All right. So, um now I would like to have our um interpreters Mario Baras Barahas and Elsie Dwarte introduce themselves. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Good afternoon. My name is Mario Vahas as vice mayor mentioned and together with Elsie Dwarte who is doing the simultaneous interpretation will be serving as the Spanish interpreters for today's meeting. I'll now take a moment to introduce ourselves to our Spanish speaking audience. [Music] Thank you, Vice Mayor. And now we'll thank you. Um, city clerk will read the 24-hour paragraph. >> Titles of the following ordinance and resolution numbers on the agenda were available to the public at least 24 hours prior to this council meeting and therefore may be read by title or agenda item only. Ordinances number G7420,7439 through 7447, S52378 through 52390, and resolutions 22337 through 22344. >> Thank you. And now we'll turn to the city attorney to explain public comments. Julie, >> thank you. Members of the public may speak for up to two minutes to comment on agenda items. Comments must be related to the agenda item and the action being considered by the council. General comments that go beyond the scope of the agenda item should be made during the citizen comment session at the end of the agenda. The city council and staff cannot discuss or comment on matters related to pending investigations, claims, or litigation. Additionally, any member of the public who appears before the council in their capacity as a lobbyist must, as required by Phoenix City Code, disclose this fact before addressing the council. The city code states that speakers must express their comments respectfully and courteously. Use of profane language, threats, or personal attacks on members of the public, council members, or staff are not allowed. Such comments are disruptive and unrelated to the council's business. Any person who violates these rules may lose their opportunity to speak further and could be asked to leave. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. The city um is a recommending body related to liquor licenses. Councilman Stark, do we have a motion? >> Yes. I move to approve items 1 through 17. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Hearing none, the motion passes unanimously. City clerk, are we ready for ordinances, resolutions, new business, and planning and zoning? >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Stark, do we have a motion? >> Yes. I make a motion to approve items 18 through 52 accept the following. Items 20 25 26 27 28 35 46- 49, 51, and 52. Noting that item 44 is withdrawn. Item 49 is as revised. Item 50 is continued to December 3rd, 2025. And can the clerk confirm if there are any other items that should be excluded for in-person comment? >> Mayor, vice mayor, members of the council, no other items. Thank you. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Roll call. >> Yes. >> Hernandez, >> yes. >> Hodge Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. passes 90. Okay, we'll go to item 20. >> I move to approve item 20. >> Second. We have a motion in a second and I will turn to um Councilwoman Ernnandez for comments. >> Uh thank you, Vice Mayor. I have a question for Julie. Um Julie, can we get a formal written legal opinion on whether approving um this item creates a violation of open meeting law or not? So, Mayor, Vice Mayor, um, Council Member Hernandez, uh, we actually had an open meeting law question that was proposed to the attorney general's office last year, and the attorney general did issue an opinion that our process was uh, legally sufficient under the open meeting laws. >> Okay. Can you forward that to me? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, and just wanted to give my comments before we do the vote on this. Um, but I am going to be voting no on this item. I have been here in the city for six months now. Um, and in that time we've had several e sessions where I've questioned why we as council were debating items away from the public. The selection of the incoming city manager is the the most recent and one such case. That decision impacts millions of people um in the city of Phoenix and we should never be allowed to debate his h we should have never been allowed to debate his hiring behind um from hidden from the public. I understand that there are legal issues that require confidentiality and as council members we can be briefed individually on those items but for us to continue to hold um debate in e session about other issues is wrong and goes against the public nature of our offices. As council members we have to decide on some really difficult and contentious items that impact the lives of people that live in the city and we have a responsibility to wrestle with this uh with these issues and make our decisions in public where we can be accountable to the public. this is how we are going to build trust with the community. Um, when I was at the state legislature, we did not have e sessions and we were better for it. Um, are we as council members afraid to be real and honest in front of the public? If yes, then that's a shame on us and how sad for our constituents. E sessions should not exist. A true democracy would not have conversations in private. We are a body of the public and public concerns need to be made public. Thank you. Councilwoman Gardado. >> Thank you. Julie, can you explain on why is it um that we do e sessions? I've always been just, you know, for clarity. >> So, uh mayor, vice mayor, um members of council. So, executive session is provided in state statutes as allowing the council to discuss specific issues. Um one general uh clause is for legal advice on issues in which we don't take direction but we are just providing that legal advice for issues that are going to be coming before the council. Uh we can also we are allowed to discuss uh contract negotiations those negotiations that need to occur um behind closed doors so that what uh what direction we're going to go is not made public and has an effect potentially on the contract negotiations or on settlements. So, uh, we often discuss settlements behind closed doors, and that is sometimes before it goes to mediation or to get council approval on settlements for lawsuits. Um, there's also an exception for, uh, employment and, you know, a few other areas. So, um, all labor negotiations, we're also allowed by state statute to discuss labor negotiations behind closed doors. So, we can provide that advice to council and get their direction on labor negotiations. So on labor negotiations, um is there a reason why I mean I think I know why, but I want the public to know and why um we we have to have confidentiality around labor negotiations. So mayor, members of council, one one reason is because there is a blackout where the unions are not allowed to um to speak to council and because the there's a lot of negotiations that are occurring. It's it's to help prepare council for those for those dates and also um again to have those discussions with council without those being public. >> Thank you. >> And we have one um public speaker on this item, Jeremy Thcker. Is he online? The floor is yours. >> Thanks. Good afternoon, council. Uh Jeremy Thcker. I am a Phoenix resident and I'm also a plaintiff um in Packer, the city of Phoenix, the pending open meeting law case uh challenging this exact practice. I urge you to vote no on item 20 um if not for public transparency alone under ARS 38431.07. Uh any member who participates in a meeting held in violation of this article can be personally liable. civil penalties, attorneys fees, even removal from office, and the city cannot pay to defend you. By preapproving a year of executive sessions today, you're authorizing future closed meetings you haven't seen on subjects you haven't approved and that new members haven't voted for. If those meetings later prove unlawful, each participant carries that risk. The law doesn't allow this. It requires a majority vote at the time of the meeting for a specific purpose. Um, the attorney general opinion that I believe is being referenced is not an attorney general opinion. It was a not to be produced and it wasn't from the attorney general. Um, and it wasn't published. So, uh, but there have been published legal opinions from attorney journals prior, um, that say the law doesn't allow this and requires a public, uh, vote at the time of the meeting for a specific purpose. That's attorney attorney general opinion I75-8. Um, and the court of appeals just reaffirmed this this year in Desert Mountain Energy versus Flag Staff that executive sessions must be contemporaneous, not pre-authorized. This council is already a defendant. And I'd like to ask Julie, let's start with some transparency and honesty here where Julie at the hiring at the formal meeting where Ed Zurker retired was asked specifically if there were any pending or ongoing lawsuits about this. She had just received notice 6 hours earlier and said no, there were not. >> Thank you for your comments. Your time is up. >> Uh, Councilwoman Haj Washington. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. I I think I just wanted to ask Julie this question or our law department. If we were not allowed to have an executive session and everything was meant as everything was intended to be open, at which forum would be we be able to have an opportunity to discuss legal strategy that's not open to the entirety of our community such as determining what settlement authority would look like for cases or what negotiations would look like with our labor unions that are not necessarily open to that would not be open to the public. uh mayor, members of council. So, yeah, the statutes do allow for public bodies to meet in executive session to discuss those confidential attorney client conversations. Otherwise, um it would be difficult for us to um have those conversations with each of you. We would have to have individual conversations if it wasn't allowed to go into executive session. and we as a body would not know what our colleagues may have thought on an item if a notice if a meeting wasn't properly called because then it would be an open meeting violation. Correct. >> Um mayor, members of council, that's correct. >> Okay. And I I know there are some questions or um there's been questions raised about whether or not the attorney general's opinion states what it's what is what has been presented. But you have an ethical obligation to provide us with information as to the accuracy of the information you convey to us. That's correct. >> Um, mayor, vice mayor, um, council member. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you so much, Julie, if I could have a further clarification. This establishes dates and shaking her head. So, yeah. Yes. Um, but we still have to post the agenda items >> 24hour in advance. >> Yes, thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, that is accurate. So, all we're doing today is setting the dates for executive session. The purpose of this is mostly for planning and to get it on the calendar just like we do, you know, ahead for for policy or or other um formal council meetings. And then we we as required by state statutes, we do post the agenda 24 hours ahead. >> Okay. Councilwoman Pastor. So basically what you're saying, it's just establishing the calendar so that we can hold the space on our schedule. Um and and it's placed on our schedules as a hold until uh it has been made official as this is the day we're having or or we will be having an exess exact session today by the noticed >> uh mayor, vice mayor, council member pastor. That is correct. So, it's really the notice that then establishes the exact session. This is just putting a hold on our calendar. >> That is correct. >> Okay. only because I know I have um we've done this in the past and there are holds on my calendar and then I get a notification from uh the mayor and city manager stating or I think from you Julie stating that uh we will not be having exact sessions and then exec sessions uh are removed from our calendar and then we're able to go on with our day and do constituent work. >> Uh mayor, vice mayor, council member pastor, that's correct. Thank you. >> Okay, there are no other questions then roll call. >> Or >> yes. >> Hernandez, >> no. >> Hajj Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Pass is 81. >> Thank you. Do we have a motion for item 25? >> I believe first we have to open >> Oh, sorry. I have to open the public hearing. >> Public hearing is open. Um I have two members that are here to speak only if necessary. Are there any questions from council members? Seeing none, then I'll close the hearing and a motion, please. >> Yes. I move to approve the 2026 downtown enhanced municipal services district assessments. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Roll call vote. >> Yes. >> Hernandez, >> yes. >> Hudge Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. >> Have a motion for item 26. >> I move to approve item 26. >> Second. >> Roll call. Are there any questions? I apologize. Councilwoman Hodgej Washington. >> Thank. I just wanted to offer some quick comments in support of this item because it represents another important step forward in our city's commitment to expand an affordable and attainable housing option for Phoenix residents. The Morland one project will bring 132 new multifamily housing units to District 8. >> Sorry, Councilwoman Haj Washington, we're on item 26. Oh, >> I'm sorry. >> I think you want to hold your comments for item 27. >> Sorry. Yes. >> No worries. Are there any questions or comments on 26? >> Yes. >> Okay. Hearing none. Roll call. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Haj Washington. >> Yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. O'Brien, >> yes. GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. Okay. So, I have a motion on 27. >> I move to approve item 27. Second. So, >> we have a motion and a second. And now we'll go to comments from um Councilwoman Hodgej Washington. >> Thank you. I just wanted to again offer my comments in support of item number 27. You could tell I was very an excited to share those comments. This is an exciting project for my district and my excitement couldn't contain itself. But this is bringing like I mentioned 132 new multif family units to district 8 which is significant portion reserved for low to moderate income families. The project is exactly the type of investment we need to see the grow for the growing to meet the growing demand for quality housing in the urban core. With partnering with Brinshore Development and utilizing the Phoenix Industrial Development Authorities's financing tools, we are creating opportunities for residents to live near jobs, schools, and public transportation. All of which strengthen the fabric of our community. Housing isn't just about providing a place to live. It is about creating stability, opportunity, and long-term growth for families and neighborhood. The more than one projects demonstrate how thoughtful development and innovative financing can help us achieve these goals. I wanted to thank the Phoenix IDA, city staff, and our development partners for their work in bringing this project to life. This type of private public collaboration shows how we continue to make progress towards one of our top priorities, which is ensuring that every resident has access to housing that is both affordable and attainable right here in District 8 and throughout the city. Thank you, Vice Mayor. >> Thank you for those comments. No other comments or questions? Roll call. Guardo, >> yes. >> Ernnandez, >> yes. >> Hajj Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. Do >> a motion for item 28. >> I move to approve item 28. >> Second. >> Second. >> So, we have a motion and a second. And I will turn to Councilwoman Gordado for comments. I'm excited to see the Helen Drake Village project moving forward and leading the way for more developments like it here in Phoenix. This project is a great example of what we can achieve when we put our community first. Quality affordable housing that gives our seniors the comfort and dignity that they deserve. With 88 new units in construction starting in this December, Helen Drake Village will make a real difference in people's lives. This project represents a meaningful investment in the well-being and quality of life of our community seniors. Helen Drake Village is more than housing. It's a testament to our share commitment to inclusive growth, dignity, and opportunity for all of our residents. I want to thank everyone who helped make this happen. the Richmond Group for their collaboration, the Phoenix IDA deputy city manager Ginger Spencer and city manager Jeff Barton. This is what it looks like when we work together to build a more inclusive Phoenix. Thank you. Thank you for those important comments. Seeing no other comments, roll call. >> Yes. >> Hernandez, >> yes. >> Haj Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Pass is 90. >> Do we have a motion for item 35? >> I move to approve item 35. >> Second. We have a motion and a second and I turn to Councilwoman Hodgej Washington for comments. Thank you again for the opportunity to provide some uh to highlight this program and in support of it. Um I want to start off by thanking um well sorry I want to support this item as we recognize the installation of Jimmy Carter's way ceremonial sign which holds special meaning to our community because it represents more than a name. It symbolizes the commitment again to affordable and attainable housing for our families who want to put down roots and thrive in our city. The neighborhood where the sign will be placed was part of the Jimmy and Roslin Carter work project with Habitat for Humanity which helped clear help local families achieve home ownership and stability. This effort is a clear example of what we can strive for for every day which again is ensuring that every resident regardless of income has access to a safe, quality and affordable home. As we dedicate Jimmy Carter way, we celebrate not only Jimmy Carter's leg legacy, but we also the collective efforts of residents, the volunteers and organiz organizations who continue to build a more inclusive and affordable Phoenix. I want to thank the requesttor and the streets transportation department for helping us to highlight a message that remains at the heart of our city's progress and that is that everyone deserves a place to call home. Thank you. >> Thank you for those comments. Any other comments? Councilwoman Gordado. >> Thank you. Congratulations to the city of Phoenix for honoring President Jimmy Carter with a street bearing his name. A beautiful tribute to a leader whose compassion, humility, and lifelong service continue to inspire. President Carter once said, "The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens." President Jimmy Carter lived those words every day, standing with Hispanic and immigrant families, building homes, and serving others with grace and integrity. Honoring him here in Phoenix means even more at a time when our country is in desperate need of compassion and unity. I want to thank Councilwoman Hutch Washington for her help, for her leadership in making this tribute possible and helping Phoenix celebrate a legacy rooted in unity, service, and hope. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Roll call. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Haj Washington. >> Yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. >> Wonderful. So, we will um go to items 46 and 47. And I understand uh we do not need a staff report on this, but it will open the public hearing. We have nobody here to comment on uh these items. I will close the public hearing. Then I will turn to Councilman Wearing because these items are in his district. >> All right. For item 46, I make a motion to approve the item per the planning commission recommendation and adopt the related resolution. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Are there any comments or discussion? Seeing none, roll call. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Hajj Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. And Councilman Wearing, item 47. >> Motion to approve the item for the planning commission recommendation to adopt the related ordinance. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. Any comments or discussion? Roll call. >> Wardo, >> yes. >> Ernnandez, >> yes. >> Hajj Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. Thank you. Items 48 and 49 are together. Um, we'll have a staff report on this one. Yes. And look there you. No staff report on 48 and 49. I apologize. I I skipped ahead in my notes. No staff report on 48 and 49. But I will to turn to Councilwoman um Oh, nope. I will open the public hearing and we have only if necessary public speaker. So I will close the public hearing and turn to Councilwoman Hernandez for the um motions. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. I move to approve item 48 per the planning commission recommendation and adopt the related resolution. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Are there any comments or questions? >> Councilwoman Hernandez. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, today is a great day for Lavine Tollesen and the whole southwest corner of the city of Phoenix. For years, residents have asked for more retail, more restaurants, and more family-friendly activities in Lavine. Now, through this project, we are delivering. Um this project has been a huge undertaking so far and I want to specifically thank the planning and um development department um and the streets department for the work they have done to find creative solutions to the challenges um this project has faced. Y'all have really delivered for our residents um and I am forever grateful for all the work and the support. Um, thank you to the Lavine VPC and the planning commission for your work and recommendations and for pushing us to make this project great. Um, I also want to thank Vestar and Brio Investment Group for your commitment to the residents of Phoenix. um and my constituents in District 7, your commitment to bring retail and new dining entertain um dining and entertainment and your commitment to bring several hundred units of housing um has been seen and I am forever for I am grateful for your work to make this project a reality. To the residents of D7, please join me in celebrating the approval of this project. I look forward to shopping and eating alongside you. >> Okay, roll call. Yes. >> Ernnandez, >> yes. >> Hudge Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, >> O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. >> Councilwoman Hernandez, 49. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. I move to approve item 49 per the memo from the planning and development director dated November 3rd, 2025 and adopt the related ordinance. >> Second. We have a motion and a second. >> Roll call. >> Or >> yes. >> Ernnandez, >> yes. >> Haj Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing, yes. >> O'Brien, >> yes. GGO. >> Yes. >> Passes 90. >> Thank you. So, we'll go to staff for items 51 and 52. And we have a staff report. >> Thank you, mayor, vice mayor, members of the council. Items 51 and 52 are companion items and can be heard at the same time. They are a text amendment and resoning case regarding middle housing. Uh, Deputy Director Trisha Gomes from our over our planning and zoning section will provide a brief staff presentation and then we're happy to answer any questions. Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the council. The state law defines middle housing in Arizona as buildings that are compatible in scale, form, and character with single family houses that contain two or more attached, detached, stacked, or clustered home and includes duplexes, triplexes, forplexes, and town houses. The middle housing statute is outlined in 9-46213 of the Arizona Revised Statute. The key points are the statute requires the city of Phoenix to allow middle housing, which is up to four dwelling units on one single family lot. Middle housing must be permitted within one mile of downtown Phoenix with exclusions and in and in up to 20% of 10 acres or greater subdivisions citywide. Historic districts are not exempt, but the existing regulations for historic districts have not changed, including design review and stays of demolition. It is also important to note that the city risks losing all zoning regulations and design review of middle housing if we do not comply by January 1, 2026. The required area for middle housing is shown on the next two slides. On the right is the overall area and on the left is zoomed in for the north half and the south half. There are area there are some areas south of downtown that are not included since they are located within the airport airport noise overflight area and excluded in the state law. Middle housing must be permitted in all new subdivisions citywide that are a minimum of 10 acres contiguous in size. The subdivision developer may select up to 20% of the platted lots to have middle housing development rights. There are no restrictions on which lots may be selected within the 20%. Once again, this is for new subdivisions only. In terms of historic preservation, properties zoned or designated historic are not exempt under the state law. However, the law does not change existing design review procedures for historic or HPZ zone properties, change existing demolition restrictions for designated historic properties, or require the city to allow two-story structures everywhere on a lot. There was a severe penalty clause written into the law which states if a municipality does not adopt the regulations required by this section on or before January 1, 2026, middle housing shall be allowed on all lots in the municipality zone for single family residential use without any limitations. The words without any limitations is not further defined and could mean with no zoning controls whatsoever such as height setbacks, lot coverage, parking placement or design. In response to the state law, there are two items before you today. Item 51 is Z-TA125-y, a text amendment that revises zoning regulations to permit middle housing as required by state law. It also revises zoning regulations to comply with the restrictions of the state law. Item 52 is reszoning case Z-3-25-4-7-8 which conveys rights to developmental housing to lot zoned for single family use within the required areas surrounding downtown. The proposed text amendment includes three main components. The first creates the middle housing overlay district in section 632 of the Phoenix zoning ordinance. Two, it revises various sections of the zoning ordinance to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Arizona revised statutes. And three, revises various sections of the zoning ordinance to clarify and cross reference the zoning ordinance terms and provisions which were updated for compliance with requirements of the new state law. The middle housing overlay district permits construction of up to four dwelling units per lot if not already permitted by the underlying zoning district. It also reduces parking requirements to one space per dwelling unit when middle housing is developed which is required by the state law. It modifies other development standards for middle housing to match those required for single family housing within the same zoning district. And two, it allows or creates the procedure to assign middle housing overlay to up to 20% of the lots created for new subdivisions of 10 acres or greater in size. The village planning committees were provided informational presentations in September 2025 and the planning commission heard these items on October 6, 2025 and recommended approval of the text amendment as shown in the recommended text in exhibit A of the staff report by a vote of 6 to2 and approval of the resoning case as shown in exhibit B of the staff report by a vote of 5 to three. And with that, staff re recommends approval of TA-1-25-y per the planning commission recommendation and adopt the related ordinance. As well as staff recommends approval of Z-3-25-4-7-8 per the planning commission recommendation and adopt the related ordinance. With that, we're happy to answer any questions. >> Okay. Does anybody have questions or comments now, or would you like me to go straight to public speakers? >> Open the public hearing. >> I just have a technical question. Okay, council. >> I think we should hear from the public first before we make comments. But going back to the 20% in new areas and new subdivision plants, it's not mandatory they do 20%. Correct. They they have the option of doing it or not doing it. I just want to get that clarified. >> Mayor, vice mayor, members of the council, they do have to have the ability to um designate up to the 20% in their subdivision. >> The ability Okay. Thank you. Okay, then we will open the public hearing and we will go to our um speakers and I'm going to just ask for a blanket uh apology forgiveness right now if I misstate your name. the we have um Jacob Armor and then after Jacob we have Micah Kadis. [Music] [Music] >> Do I need to turn? Sorry, I haven't >> It's all ready to go. Jacob, you just need to speak. Good afternoon. My name is Jacob Armer and I live in the historic Palm uh Eno Palm Craftoft neighborhood for about six years. I strongly support the middle housing law and expanding the overlay to the citywide. This law has a multitude of benefits as increased density supports things like housing affordability, local business development, usage of parks and schools, racial and social socioeconomic diversity in neighborhoods. Um, it promotes uh use of transportation including light rail and increased walkability of neighborhoods and further it helps with things like climate change and water conservation. I've heard arguments that this law does not support housing affordability as there are no direct affordable housing requirements. This is not true. While specific units may or may not be affordable, it's widely accepted that single family zoning is one of the biggest obstacles to housing affordability and in increased density is one of the most effective ways to help. This city should not squander this real opportunity to help the many people struggling with everinccreasing living expenses, most of whom can't take the afternoon off to speak here today. While there is seemingly strong opposition here from some historic neighborhoods, including mine, with many good people that I like and respect, the city should not be held hostage by an overall small nimi interest group which fails to acknowledge the real potential benefits while focusing on unrealistic threats to historic homes. While I support historic preservation and would like to see enhancements to existing rules, this law does not impact those rules, which has been confirmed by staff. This law only affects the density zoning. It's extremely unlikely that any developers will pay a premium for historic homes only to go through historic review process, then tear them down and build new units. Middle housing allows for infill where vacant lots of homes that are in disrepair or otherwise of no historical value can be replaced by multi-units. Additionally, um I've spoken to many historic home owners who support or don't oppose this law. My neighborhood's against it, but based on a vote that only 39% of the neighborhood participated. Thank you for your testimony. Our next um is Micah here. My name is Mika Caddis. I live in the Evans Churchill neighborhood. I support expanding middle housing, the middle housing overlay citywide. We're currently uh living in an era of near unprecedented housing and affordability, the consequences of which are unimaginable for the people here who were fortunate enough to buy a house 30 or 40 years ago. Middle housing is one of the best ways uh we can address this shortage. And we know that it works because it's worked elsewhere. In Zurich, for example, housing supply and quality increased without raising rents. We also know that in general, increasing the housing supply, including by adding market rate housing, makes all housing affordable, including for people at the lowest income levels. Uh I think there's a lot of fear surrounding middle housing, but these are the facts from peer-reviewed studies. I've heard people argue at previous meetings that middle housing will destroy the American dream for those who bought their houses decades ago by making their property values drop to zero or even by leading to the demolition of all historical housing. Even if we ignore how fantastically unlikely this claim is, this hasn't happened in Minneapolis, Zurich, Auckland, or any of the other cities that have pursued zoning reforms even more aggressive than this. I have to ask, what about the American dreams of all the other Phoenicians who have been squeezed out of our current housing market, who struggle to pay rent? This demographic is disproportionately young, non-white, lower income, the kind of people who typically can't make it to a meeting like this. Do their voices not matter? Do we not matter? Are we not equal and essential members of the community? Do we not work equally hard for our American dreams? If we believe in community, then that community has to include all of us. If we believe the American dream is real, then we have to believe it's real for everyone. >> Thank you so much. And we have a very long list of speakers. So if if between speakers we could not clap or boo or make any noise, I would help the decorum of the meeting. Our next speaker is Ann Bales and then um Beth Joy Boris. And after that we will go to Evelyn Castillo. If you don't mind getting ready so we'll have Ann Bale S then Beth joy Boris and then Evelyn Castile. Is Ann here? Okay, just making sure. Good afternoon. I'm afraid I'm not well prepared like your previous speakers. Um, I'm all for affordable housing, but can somebody just explain to me does this mean that condominiums will not be built in any of our historic neighborhoods because there are so many uh condominium units all around that are not um for all incomes. What? How can we guarantee that if this is approved that it really will be for people of all incomes? I'd ask that you finish all of your comments and then we could Is that your only question? >> Yep. >> So, staff, could you answer her question? Thank you for your question. I don't think [Music] >> mayor, vice mayor, members of the council, uh to clarify what what's required in state law is that properties be allowed to have duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes. Those properties per the text amendment that we put forth are still subject to the underlying zoning standards with respect to sepex and height. So to the degree that they can put a 4unit quadplex on there, it would if the base underlying zoning is uh one to two stories 30 ft, they would be subject to that. So it would be a four uh a twotory 30 ft forplex would be the most intense version of what you could see if the base underlying zoning is single family. >> Okay, thank you so much for your question and for that answer. And then our next speaker is Beth Joy Boris, followed by Evelyn Castillo. Good afternoon, mayor and council members. My name is Beth Joy Boris and I live in the Willow district in district 4 with uh council councilwoman Pastor. All right. I am speaking in opposition to item number 51. This amendment, as written, encourages development without ensuring that our infrastructure, public services, traffic capacity, and water resources can support it. Phoenix is growing, yes, but growth must be responsible. When zoning moves faster than planning, communities pay the price. Residents have been clear. We need transparency, neighborhood impact, review, and meaningful public input. This amendment does not provide enough safeguards, clarity, or accountability for how these changes will affect neighborhoods such as the Willow where I actually live. I'm not opposing development. I'm opposing unchecked development. And I am opposing any destruction of the neighbor of the historic neighborhood that represents what where Phoenix came from and its history. I think it's really important to preserve that. So, I am respectfully asking you to vote no on item number 51. Thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony. After um next speaker is Evelyn Castillo and then we will hear from Laura Boyer Jeene. Please go ahead. Good afternoon, mayor and council members. My name is Evelyn Castillo. I am the Phoenix field community organizer with Organized Power and Numbers. And I'm here today to express my support for agenda item 51. Across Arizona, it's still incredibly hard in many places to find the kind of homes families actually need today, like duplexes, small cottages, or backyard units. When only large, expensive houses are allowed, young families are priced out, seniors can't downsize, and essential workers are pushed far from their jobs. That's why a statewide housing reform passed last year, requiring cities to allow smaller, more affordable homes near jobs, transit, and daily needs. But passing a law clearly isn't enough. It must be put into action. Local governments now have the responsibility to make sure these housing options are carried out fairly and consistently and work for all workingclass people. Under this expansion of zoning, new homes or modifications, still existing homes would still go through the same review process to ensure they meet the design and preservation standards. That means we can both protect unique historic districts and make space for more neighbors who want to share it. While some here are pushing back thinking they want to protect neighborhood character, the impact is another altogether. This is about whether our city will be doing all it can to be open and affordable for everyone or whether it will continue a historic trend of upholding exclusive pockets for the wealthiest among us. This comes down to fairness and opportunity. Every Arizonan deserves a chance to live in a safe, connected, and beautiful neighborhood, not just those who can afford the most expensive homes. I urge you to support agenda item 51 and move forward with housing solutions that make our city more inclusive, sustainable, and affordable for everyone. Thank you. >> Is Laura here? Do we have Laura? Okay, great. Laura and then after Laura I just I have Ann Bombersbach but I have to speak only if necessary. I just want to Is that accurate or do you want to speak? No, I do not. >> You do not. Okay. And then then instead we will go to um Melissa Bole after our the speaker. The floor is yours. >> Can I submit something for the record? It's a comprehensive speech that I'm really not going to be able to give. It's copies for everybody and then some. >> Somebody will come get it from you. >> We can do that. Thank you. was my time started. Good afternoon, Mayor Gayo, city council members, and vice mayor. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Laura Boyage, and I'm a realtor who specializes in historic homes. 21 years ago today, ironically, I moved into my 1942 North Encanto historic district home. About 6 months later, I became a licensed agent. I oppose this bill in the biggest way. I used to be a news reporter and I have investigated a lot of stuff and I've kind of followed the money on this. Um, when you tear apart this bill, it gets uglier and uglier and uglier. Uh, one thing that concerns me greatly is the uh the bill's structural overhaul that sets the stage for very broad reasonzoning. Uh, this is real. one thing can lead to another here and I think there's a lot of hidden mechanisms in this bill that a lot of people may not realize uh could happen in the future. So because of the loopholes uh it removes you know many key layers of local oversight uh it bars the stricture the stricter design review for middle housing more more than uh for the single family projects. It's got very little resistance that can gradually turn transition these neighborhoods into business corridors, mixed use and and whatever. So, you know, and under the law, the the homeowners are we're as mentioned, we are stuck abiding by the historic preservation rules, whereas anybody else is not. You can the as soon as this law takes effect, the the these houses will be gobbled up. They will be bulldozed to the ground. In a year, we're going to have a completely different landscape. The historic districts will be decimated. History will be erased. We cannot let this happen. I urge you to vote opposing this bill. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for your comments. After after Melissa Bole, we'll hear from Dr. Robert Cannon and Joanne Kaufman. Hi, my name is Melissa Bole. I am a Willow homeowner and a registered voter and I'm here today to ask you to oppose this zoning resoning. These neighborhoods are treasured gems that speak to our history and there's not a lot of history left around that I see. And um I can only speak from the heart and say that it's a very I feel it's a very unique opportunity to live in one of these areas. I recently visited um uh Bradenton, Florida, where I saw some similarities between the two neighborhoods where in Bradon the homes that had been built were singlestory, single family homes, very unique in their own Florida type of way. and um interspersed throughout were two and threetory homes with rooftop decks and it just completely ruined the area. And it came away grateful for all of my neighbors who came before me and fought so hard for the preservation of these homes and these neighborhoods. And I would hate to see all of their hard work undone. They spent many, many years and many of much of their own personal time to protect this area and I'm just asking that we continue for those historic protections. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Dr. Robert Cannon followed by Joanne Kaufman and then we'll hear from Ryan Ryan Cutter. Floor is yours, sir. >> Good afternoon. Thank you for allowing me to speak. My name is Dr. Robert Cannon. I have lived in Willow district for 28 years at a time where nobody wanted to live in Willow. It was a blighted area. I worked two jobs to get my down payment to live in Willow. I've been through multiple multiple interior designs. I have been the president on the board 20 of those 28 years. What we haven't heard today is the willow conservation plan which is approved by your predecessors which was the fabric of the community. It made us strong. It made us who we are today. We have collaborated with city on light rail. Every construction project around Willow we embraced. We did not deny anything. Anything. When you go to the city of Phoenix, you go to neighborhoods, you go to our kids club, you go to our social committees, the fabric of our community was born in 1986 and it thrives today. The people behind me in white show integrity, which many of you has said today, honesty, the real deal, commitment, commitment to the city, passion, dedication, and all of a sudden now I'm a nimi. Give me a break. Without us, we wouldn't be here today. Without your cooperation, we stood, hundreds of us, outside the library in the middle of last summer in the heat. in the heat. You didn't hear it. We were We are here today. All these people behind me in white, we love this city. We want to work with you. We don't want to argue with anybody, but we expect collaboration, respect, and to work together as one. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Joanne Kaufman, followed by Ryan Cutter and then Arthur Cortez. Good afternoon. My name is Joanne Kaufman. I'm a 39year resident of the Willow Historic District. Uh the plan to build multifamily dwellings in our historic neighborhoods appears to be a solution in search of a problem. Our neighborhoods are not broke and do not fix need fixing. They are already gentrified. The owners of historic neighborhoods in Phoenix have put a great deal of money, time, and sweat into restoring these one-of-a-kind homes and are not pleased by the prospect of multif family homes being constructed on lots intended for single family homes. The architectural design of the newly built condo constructed on lots I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm not used to public speaking. I have to ask how many of you would like to have multi-story homes built next to you when you've already purchased your home as a single in a singlestory neighborhood. I'm against tearing down existing well-built and restored older homes. Before Willow was designated a historical neighborhood, I was on the board and we fought hard to get the overlay that ostensibly protected us from inappropriate development. Therefore, I am disappointed that the city seems intent on breaking the covenant it has with Willow and other historic neighborhoods. I feel this is nothing less than a betrayal of the agreement we had. I am respectfully requesting that the city council reconsider this plan and work to protect our viable and vibrant close-knit neighborhoods instead of destroying the historical crown jewels that are truly a Phoenix point of pride. Come elections, we will be watching and voting accordingly. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Ryan Cutter is next, followed by Arthur Cortez and then Jamie Cowgill. [Music] Council members, my name is Ryan Cutter. I was born and raised in Phoenix. I've lived across the valley for over two decades. Went to Kyne de la Sierra, Karen de la Vista, and later graduated from ASU. I did what we ask of young people. I got a degree. I followed my ambitions and I put in hard work. I built a career for myself at the same company for over 5 years now, earned promotions, and I make a respectable salary. So I ask, if that is the model of success, why is home ownership in the city that raised me still out of reach? Rent consumes my budget. I skip social events, set aside hobbies, and forego healthier food just to make it to the 1st and the 15th. If this is my reality with the privileges that I carry, how many of our neighbors are struggling even more and never get the chance to tell you the path we are on is not sustainable. That's why I'm here to support agenda item 51. Phoenix is short on homes. When we don't add options, prices rise and people get pushed out. Working people, seniors, and young families. Middle housing is a practical way to open doors again. small-cale homes like duplexes, triplexes, forplexes, and town homes that fit on our blocks and look like houses, just with room for more than one household. Middle housing alone won't build affordable units. But it lays the legal foundation for more attainable options and gives the city leverage to pair future projects with affordability tools and incentives. Stability and inclusion requires more than one approach, and this is one of the best tools to reduce displacement over time. Some opponents, especially in historic neighborhoods, uh say middle housing won't be affordable and will change the neighborhood. We've heard this countless times. I would like to say character is not found in architecture alone. It's also found in the people that we call our neighbors. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Arthur Cortez, followed by Jamie Cowgill, and then Veronica uh Corbin. Is Arthur here Jamie? Okay. Good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and council people, council men and women. Um what I would like to talk about very quickly is it's not that people do not disagree with middle housing but it is where it goes. It is also about where it is also about the fact that most of this has been not very transparent by the staff. Um I don't know if you've read the 1200 pages of your packet. Um, I went through each of the village planning committee meeting minutes and every one of those committees asked questions of why is it being so focused on the Encanto Palm Encanto village and the central village. We are the only two villages in the entire city that is being targeted with this. There is also the fact that each one of those in those meetings members ask questions of why is that being done? Is there things that we can do? Willow and our and the Encanto district have reached out to staff saying we would like to work with you and work with maybe how this mapping has been decided, but we were never allowed to make comments. We were never allowed to participate in the conversations. On August, we were told that this is what was going to happen. And at the planning commission, there were three people who stood up on the on the board and said, "This is some of the worst planning that we have ever seen. We don't like it." And they voted against it. The other five that voted for it said they want to take it citywide. I'd like to hear what happens to North Central, Arcadia, and the Builtmore District when they're pulled into this. Thank you. I'm sorry, ma'am. >> Ma'am, could you please come back to the podium? There's a council member question for you, Councilwoman Ernnandez. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Just a quick question. Uh, I was listening very intently to your comments, so just have a question. Ideally, where would you place meal housing? >> I'm sorry. Ideally, where would you place mental housing? >> If you see the map where anywhere, there's a lot of vacant lots in every other community than the historic districts. There is you guys just approved or the city approved a $100 million development for high-end condos right across from the street from the ASU, which is in the flight path. Flight, excuse me, I got a dry mouth. the flight path that has been eliminated from this onem circle a hundred million dollar multiuse project with high rent condos that if you read through the papers say m but my question wasn't about condos where would you ideally place middle housing if not within with where this ordinance will allow it >> everywhere >> thank you >> okay so our next speaker is Veronica and then we'll go to Sebastian Estrada. Hello everyone. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Please save uh Phoenix historic district as now we are walking a very fine line where our humanity might lost a path to preserve our core cultural values that are essential to the spirit of humankind which made America such a special place that we can allow to be erased and bulldozed. We are living in times uh because I study around the world and I live around the globe and there is no place in the world that based on such incredible foundational principles of our constitution and our freedom should always come from mighty god and not from the corpor capricious corporations often in cahoots with governments. This this project is personal to me because long time ago in Europe I worked as an urban planner for the ministry of spatial planning myself overseeing urban development of beautiful eur European historic towns that were preserved for a very good reason. We can make out path sustainable when we putting red integrity first and God alone will help us. We need to honor each other. We need to honor those people that live in those neighborhood. If we fail to preserve our traditional culture and connection with what makes us human, we won't preserve our society, our country, and our planet. Moving to Arizona, I have learned to appreciate America and especially our constitution, an incredible principle. Founding fathers have fought so hard to build this country on this moral on the highly moral principles. Please stand for those in this time of intense technological development. Mental and emotional health is far more essential than ever to treat people with outmost respect and giving them space. They need we can't treat people just like object to isolate them. Put them in homes that they are connected to the they need to be connected to the mother earth. They need to see families. They need to understand who we are. >> Comments. Our next speaker is Sebastian Estrada, followed by Katherine Eden. >> Um, good afternoon, council, uh, and mayor. Uh, I'm here today as a resident of district 4, a resident of the Willow neighborhood, and as someone who organizes for workers rights and housing justice in our city. I'm here in support of this tax amendment because we need to build a city that works for everybody. The city has done and continues to do a lot of work to make itself one that can house all working families that call it home. But the truth is, we're far from that goal. And economic segregation persists in Phoenix in ways that affect us immensely. This amendment is a step in the right direction to build the zoning framework necessary to ease the housing crisis we're experiencing. The fact is, we need every mechanism available to provide housing that is accessible and affordable. And middle housing is part of that solution, guys. So many people in Phoenix, fact of the matter is, are being priced out. I mean, maybe not a lot of people in this room, but many young people and people of color. And I would like to remind us that the purpose of this is to ensure a future where working people can access safe and dignified housing and most importantly provide them with stability like the stability that many of us in this room already enjoy. So, we just simply cannot continue to create exclusive neighborhoods for the wealthy and ignore the impact that exclusivity politics have for the working poor in this city. This amendment can and should be leveraged, and this is what I urge from council. It should be leveraged to ensure low-income working families, poor working families, and immigrant families who are such an important part of making this community function have safe and dignified housing. And I believe that this city and all of us in this room right now have the capacity to open our hearts, think about the least fortunate in our communities, and create a city that works for us all. >> Our next speaker will be Katherine Eden. And after we hear from her, we will hear from Susan Edwards, Anne Ender, and Monica Fage. Vice Mayor, members of the council, and especially our council person pastor. My name is Kathy Eden, and I be come before you today to oppose the middle of Texas amendment, and I'm a 34 year owner in Willow. You know, it is amazing that Willow and Cheaper Housing, we are put at war with each other. I sat through a city council meeting, many, when they decided to take the 10 and blast through our neighborhoods. And that's what happened. It was it was a big deal. I mean is uh and mayor H said, "Who cares about those poor people? Who cares about those cheap Freddy houses? We'll get them better ones." I sat there and heard that. And so what happened? You, the city council, after they put through the 10 is you really stepped up and taught us how to do historic neighborhoods, how to protect ourselves, how to turn into neighborhoods. you were the one that did all that good work for us and you had um staff people working with us and it made a huge difference and our anxiety went way down bec because then we put a lot of money in our houses. We're not the rich people. Those were poor at referred to by the city of Phoenix. So you could put through a freeway poor crappy houses. And so and then all of a sudden the freeway went in and said, "Okay, let's rethink this whole thing. Let's try to figure out and you did a fantastic job is to protect us, to help us, and we're not we're not the enemy. We're not the enemy. We understand affordable housing. We understand a lot of these issues that are going on before us right now. But how did we get to be taking our old homes that we turned into wonderful neighborhoods? We put a lot of money into and there was beautiful gentrification and the city of Phoenix gets to brag about us all the time. How many cities can have this? It's wonderful. Wonder the enemy. Thank you. Susan Edwards, Annne Ender, Mona Fage. >> Is Susan here? >> Oh, >> I am. So, I thought that was No, that was Catherine. >> Oh, Catherine. That was >> Susan's right. Susan's right here. I see you now. Thank you. >> Uh, mayor, council members, I'm Susan Edwards, president of the Arizona Neighborhood Alliance. I'd be all for this bill uh or this change if it would uh achieve the goal that it pretends to achieve. But it what it will do is ensure exclusive neighborhoods for wealthy out ofstate investors. There is nothing whatsoever in this change this bill or the ADU bill that does anything to provide housing. What it's going to do is give opportunities for out of state investors and you have a handout that proves that already just the start of it to uh developers and investors to scrape our historic homes surround us on all sides with forplexes of short-term rental partyes uh and or buy up moderately prices homes priced homes add either add ADUs then sell them out for for over a million dollars. Uh I believe Congresswoman or Councilman Pastor handed this to you. We are already commodified out of our ears, which is why housing is such a problem. These are the orange dots on this map are only 10% of the short-term rentals in Maricopa County. The blue ones are investor-owned homes. And this is why why people of moderate means can't find a darn house. we are already more uh investor-owned homes in air in Phoenix than any other city in the country. Uh and so what they're doing thi this is evidence and it took me 10 minutes to find these and I could find you a hundred of them already and this is only the start. They're going to there's no prohibition against all these becoming short-term rentals. So they could all be forplexes with short-term rentals and cars all over the place. There's only one parking spot required for each unit. In Scottsdale, there are bachelorette places with blow up penises in the front yard. Do we want that? >> Thank you for your comments, ma'am. >> After this, also not statewide. It's only in cities of 75,000 or more. >> After we hear from Anner and Mona Fage, we will hear from Kieran Goff. She's awesome. Um, my name is Anne Ender and I'm here as a citizen and a resident of District 6. And, um, I am a proud native Phoenician and a lifelong resident of the Westtown amended area as well as North Central. And I'm deeply committed to preserving the character and history of our neighborhoods. But I want to level set something. The plight of the younger generation of which my son is that are priced out of the market is nothing new. In 1987 when I married my husband, he was an active duty naval person. I'm not going to tell you his rank. And we were we couldn't buy a house in San Diego or Coronado. This is not new. I've worked my entire life. I didn't stay home with my kid because to just to afford to live in a safe neighborhood. It's not new. Back to the um what we are looking at right now. I am proud to own my childhood home and my husband and I have lovingly renovated it and we've been blessed with renters who appreciate the home in the community. So, um because I'm running out of time, um I've watched neighborhood leaders protect their neighborhoods. North Central Phoenix Homeowners being one of them. For over 10 years, they've protected those historic trees, the bridal path. Those are assets to this city. So, I think that I urge the city to review this amendment carefully and develop solutions that meet the needs of our residents while protecting the historic neighborhoods that make Phoenix unique. Um, and I invite the legisl legislators that created this bill. Let's start the density in on their properties. Thank you. Thank you. After we after we after we hear from Mona and Kieran, then we'll hear from Scott Ferrer and Stanley Gearing. My name's Mona Figgy and I live in Kanto Palmcraft. Um, thank you for allowing me to address the council and the the mayor and vice mayor. Um, first of all, I'm not a public speaker. Uh the fact I'm up here is a testament to how passionate I am about this. I do not object to middle housing. I do object for to being called an elite wealthy person because I live in Candle Palmraftoft. Uh I've owned my home since 1989. I originally moved to the valley in 1979. uh we were gone for 5 years and when we came back in 1989, we chose a neighborhood that had a history to it that we knew what it looked like when we were here in the 70s. We knew what it looked like when we were there in the 80s and we hoped we knew what it was going to look like next year. Um I when I bought my home, I honestly could have purchased a house anywhere in the valley. I have one of the smaller homes in En in Candle Palm Craftoft, but I chose we chose to locate in Encanto Palm Croft. And with that, we felt like we signed an invisible contract that we would maintain the home and maintain the integrity of the community. We don't just have houses there. We have a community and we have a family because many of our families are not here in Arizona. We've I've also owned property in Proscat. Um that was our second home and I watched as it transitioned from retirement community and weekend rental or weekend occupied homes to uh Airbnbs. And let me tell you that the short-term rental people that uh rent in those areas don't rent to get a good night's sleep. Um, I'm I'm proud to be a part of this community. I am I'm very active in the community and I deliver food boxes to the areas that have been gentrified in the area. Um, the the people that need to be there are being outpriced. >> Thank you for your comments. >> All right. Next, we have Karen. Did I get that right? And then Scott and Stanley. >> Hello. I'm Kieran Goff. Uh I was born and raised in Phoenix and I'm executive director of Arizona Neighborhood Project. I'm uh excited about the middle housing implementation and excited that the city is considering expanding it, expanding the area for middle housing implementation. The law allows homes that look almost exactly the same from the outside to become a duplex or triplex or a forplex. And this allows our city to grow incrementally. And the more places that we allow it that uh the more that we allow spread that incremental growth across many neighborhoods and people have the opportunity to choose where they want to live. I also want to think about what the alternative is. Phoenix is now the fifth largest city in the US and many cities put most of their new growth within the city into bigger apartments uh only in a few places often kind of random places that are less nice like on arterial roads. uh only in a few neighborhoods where then those few neighborhoods are subject to sudden big changes. And the incremental growth of middle housing um is especially when it's spread across many neighborhoods, but but even in smaller areas um lets people uh have a lot more choices for the housing that they want to live in. Lets the neighborhood grow incrementally over time um and more naturally gives people opportunities to um own instead of rent. Um, so I'm really excited about this and I hope that you'll you'll consider not just implementing the minimum but but expanding it. Uh, and then finally, there's a lot of misinformation about the bill. Uh, with a few narrow exceptions, it doesn't actually uh change a lot about what the buildings themselves look like. Um, it uh historic preservation still applies. Design standards still apply. Um, so as long as you allow for the same sized home to be a duplex or a triplex instead of just one house. Um, >> thank you so much for your comments. After Scott and Stanley, we will hear from uh Jill Garing. [Music] Scott Ferrer here from district 4 uh Willow specifically representing several families with young kids who are working and couldn't be here today. So, mayor, vice mayor, and esteemed members of the council, I urge you to reject this middle housing text amendment and demand crucial changes. We are here to say amend, delay, and study. Now, as others before me have stated, we object to the process that brought us here today. This plan was drafted for years behind closed doors, ignoring the spirit of public involvement. Residents deserve full disclosure, not an amendment that was sprung on us without meaningful input. The text amendment, as written, is fundamentally threatening. It puts 21 of our 36 historic districts at risk for demolition. For 40 years, Phoenix has encouraged us to invest in and restore these homes. Now, this plan threatens to allow developers to destroy irreplaceable historic homes and replace them with luxury rentals, profiting corporate investors while destroying our culture and economic assets. Furthermore, this proposal unfairly burdens neighborhoods like Willow and Encanto Palmraftoft, which are already some of Phoenix's most densely populated villages. Middle housing must be distributed citywide around all economic hubs, not just downtown. Therefore, what we're asking is a delayed implementation and commissioning a study. You must delay implementation for 9 months and commission an independent study by the Morrison Institute just like Tucson did to better understand the true impacts before we act. We are asking you to protect historic neighborhoods. The middle housing overlay district must be redistricted. Sorry. And uh and we're asking for an expanded solution. We must significantly expand the middle housing overlay citywide to major roads like Baseline, Indian School, and Glendale. I appreciate your time. >> Thank you for your comments. We'll hear from Stanley and Jill. And then we'll hear from Will Green. Miss Stanley. Who? Sorry. Did you sign up, ma'am? [Music] >> Jill. Yes. Yes, ma'am. You're next. Okay. >> Hi. Um, I'm a past president of the state organization that protects homes. I'm uh have met worked many times. I live in Well, there is one thing that is not being discussed here that really has to be discussed. One thing is that we sit on top of what is what is the Salt River Project aquifer and that the reason that we put worked really hard to put light rail on central is because the land underneath it if it gets too wet will go up and down. It's It's kind of like a sponge. It's kind of like It's not really hard. It's basically tilts a little bit sometimes. Uh I still I just recently have had two cracks so the doors that closed three days ago kind of stick and it most of that goes on. But if you start putting more weight on that particular this particular part of the you know it's it's not about whether you're rich or poor or anything else. It's about how heavy a burden you can put on a certain part of the city. And there are places where you places like uh oh well Kanto and some of those some of the reasons that they have those great big lots and everything are that you can is that to relieve the pressure of that flood plane. I mean, they built big houses there because their lawns were selfwatering and because they needed all that space to stop from creating sink holes or and I know you don't you maybe don't believe me. It's true and I will go and >> but I would vote no on this. >> Thank you for your testimony. After Will Green, we will hear from James um Guff and then Raquel Gustiffson and James Huntwork. Good evening, uh, council. My name is Will Green. Um, and I live in the central Phoenix area near Coronado. I'm also the Arizona rep for Southwest Energy Efficiency Project or SWEP. And I'm speaking for SWEP today. Uh, sweep advocates for energy efficiency in every aspect of our economy. And we believe uh a more walkable city is essential to making daily transportation more efficient to get to a future where we're less chained to our cars for even the most simple trips. We believe lifting the ban on m middle housing citywide by extending the middle housing overlay to the whole city is essential to this goal and to the goal of making Phoenix the sustainable desert city that we're striving towards. Middle housing that fits well into existing neighborhoods will allow seniors more options to age in place and stay in their neighborhoods as empty nesters uh when the upkeep and utility bills of four bedrooms in a yard uh becomes a burden. middle housing will mean more citizen developers who decide to invest in their property. Um, I lived in a duplex in Coronado uh when I first moved back to town, renting from a retired teacher, and this was her primary source of income. Um, it was a great way to live. We had we had privacy, but we checked in on each other. We looked out for each other. Um, and it was affordable for me. Um, I could not have gotten into Cornado without that duplex. And these setups used to be allowed. That's why the the duplex existed or exists. I'm a part of the pro housing uh coalition in favor of middle housing. Many of our volunteers are young professionals who can't, you know, get get in line at 1:30 on on a weekday. Um but I'm happy to say our coalition in recent days has engaged with leaders in the historic preservation community on an alignment of interest specifically around the idea of allowing middle housing citywide. And for historic preservation leaders, this is to relieve development pressure on the core older neighborhoods. And for housing advocates, it's because we know middle housing will be a great compliment to neighborhoods across the city. I urge this council to expand the middle housing overlay citywide. Um, and also like to thank staff for their tireless work on the policy. >> Thank you for your testimony. Next, we have James and then we'll have Raquel and James and Tracy. Tracy Kaufman. >> Good afternoon. My name is Jim Goff. I'm the uh past president of the Willow Neighborhood Association. I have lived in Willow since 1999. Um, I have reviewed this amendment and it says if a municipality does not adopt the regulations required in this section on or before January 1st, 2026, middle inome housing shall be allowed on all the lots in the municipality zone for single family residential use without any limitations. That's the key there without any limitations. Um, you know, we talked about earlier we talked about John Kennedy and we talked about um Jimmy Carter. And all I can say to you on the council is I hope you have the courage to fight back against this resolution or excuse me this law that says without any limitation because you should be able to set the zoning for these areas and protect the will and neighborhood association. Thank you for your courage and your vote. >> Our next speaker is Raquel. >> Thank you for listening to me. I actually didn't sign up to speak, but after sitting here for so long and hearing everyone else in my neighborhood talk, I feel it's important to let you know that I oppose this article. There's a lot of hidden things in,200 pages. It's not as simple as it sounds. And no part of this is going to guarantee affordability. I live right next door to a home that was purchased, looked like a regular person who is just going to buy the house and move in with his family. It's an investor. They changed this this regular single family home to now have six sleeping rooms. They added bathrooms to the garage unit. It is listed for $1.4 million. Please tell me how that's affordable. What's really unique about this is that it's currently while for sale being run as an Airbnb. I have constant traffic through that home. I don't feel comfortable that the bedroom upstairs, which used to be a laundry room, it completely overlooks my entire house. I don't know that there aren't vacation renters sitting there. Maybe it's their teenagers in that tiny room that they converted to a sleeping room that are there with their little cameras and Tik Tok and all this other stuff that's going on. Everything's digital and recorded. I don't feel comfortable in my own backyard knowing that I'm being overlooked by vacationers. It's very unsettling. $1.4 million is not affordable housing. It's there's no rules or regulations that say it's not going to be out of state investors. They don't these people who live in other states, they don't care about what's happening in our neighborhoods. And where will all of these people park? Where will they park? That's not affordable. It's not it's not responsible. There's now going to be I I saw things that in the last meeting that talked about alleyway access. It's going to destroy everything that we've worked so hard for. We bought our homes way back when when the city said it was going to be historic. We invested in them and now we're at risk. Thank you for your comments. After after James and Tracy, we'll hear from William Kubanka. Madame Mayor, vice mayor, members of the council, thank you for your service. My name is Jim Huntwork. I live at 374 East Monavista Road in Phoenix. I've lived there for the past 47 years. During that time, the city has encouraged us and our neighbors to invest in our central city housing. Now, the city tells us that it has no choice but to target our homes for destruction. Why do I say destruction? Because you're targeting only 1% of the entire city, less than 1%. If you do this, it will be the first time that any major US city has applied a middle housing law to less than the entire city. If you apply it to the entire city, then the council woman's question of where middle housing shall go will be answered by the free market. But we know because your staff told us that the city of Phoenix has not even done a study to determine where middle housing is most needed or where it can be built most quickly and cost effectively. We also know that you didn't do an economic impact study to see what the effect would be on the tiny area that you're targeting. We who live there believe that one of the possible outcomes is the destruction of our neighborhood. Why? Because people will not choose to invest further in houses that have been targeted for destruction by the city. Families looking for new places to live will look elsewhere. Property values will fall. The potential losses to current homeowners could amount to billions of dollars considering the number of housing units and their current value in this area. [Music] >> Thank you very much for considering. >> Thank you for your time. We'll hear from Tracy and then we'll hear from William and then we'll go to Michael. Um, I'm going to misspell it or miss it, so I'm just going to say Michael M. >> Uh, thank you. I'm Tracy Kaufman on in District 4. I've been a resident in downtown Phoenix for uh 7 years now. Um, happily I have seen uh significant changes and improvements to the area that we're talking about that's impacted since the time that I worked downtown uh in the late 80s and things have been much better. Um, and those of us who have invested in uh these neighborhoods to improve them and maintain them are what who has made this a desirable place to be. So, I understand where we're at today. I understand what this text is asking us. It's say it's the revol um revision of the zoning ordinance to comply with the state law. What I am asking you now is please pay attention to some of the things that people will talk about as this impacts us going forward. The parking issue is a nightmare today on many of these streets. It's going to get worse. And I say this as somebody who uses public transit and my bicycle extensively. So please, as we go forward, figure out something to deal with the parking. Second of all, we've heard that the um there's nothing in this that requires this to be affordable housing. We all know about the developer likelihood and the short-term rental likelihood. Please prevent that from degrading our neighborhoods and the quality of life that we have built. Thank you. >> Thank you. After William and Michael, we'll hear from Dustin Moreno and Kevin Oor. >> Hello. I am William Kbinka. I am a resident near Hance Park. Um, I would like to thank everyone for coming out today. It's clear that we all care about this city and we all really do just want what's best for it. Um, I would like to take the temperature down. No one here believes anyone else is the enemy. We just want different things. And that's why I would like to encourage the city to make this a citywide policy as opposed to simply these neighborhoods. allowing the development of middle housing citywide will take the pressure off our historic neighborhoods because for when those developers come in, they're going to be looking for the easier work. they're going to be looking for the more profitable activities and going back and forth with the city zoning committees and the historic preservation committees and all of this um in addition to the normal permitting requirements is going to take a lot of extra work that they would prefer to just put into a slightly different neighborhood a mile over. However, a couple of the houses in these neighborhoods probably will get updated, but they're probably going to look basically the same. Now, I think overall, whether or not this is just in the historic districts or whether it's citywide or not at all, it's probably not going to make much difference to the historic neighborhoods. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Now we'll hear from Michael and then Dustin and then Kevin. Good afternoon, city council and vice mayor. And I thank you for not massacring my last name. It's Marinowitz. Um and I live in Willow and um I'm a newbie. We've only lived here for six years and um we had were familiar with Willow because we when we had come here on vacations, we always managed to go through Willow for some reason or other and always thought like, "Yeah, someday this would be a great place to live because we lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where there was no restrictions, anything goes. Our historic neighborhood didn't have any regulations and it was being torn down before our eyes. Every day there was another house that was slated for demolition. And when you see your neighborhood just being demolished before your eyes, it's it's just devastating. So, we picked Willow and we thought we were safe. These houses aren't going to be torn down. It's going to be here forever. And now this thing slipped through. And we don't I don't understand what it is that's got so many ifs and ends. And I don't see I see developers taking the advantage of our neighborhood and ravaging our neighborhood. And it's not lowincome housing. It's not middle inome housing. It'll be high-end housing whether you like it or not. And I agree with putting it all over the whole city. Paradise Valley. Scott well Scottsdale is a different city but all all over the all over our city. So everybody has this burden of middle housing rather than concentrating it in historic neighborhood. I mean these neighborhoods are beautiful and I I hate the term nimi. I'm sorry but you know and I'm not a rich person. There's rich people in my neighborhood. There's middle inome people in my neighborhood. It doesn't matter to me. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Mark Slitz. After Destin and Kevin, we'll hear from Janice Oor. >> Thank you, mayor. It's good good you're here. Council, my name is Dustin Moreno and I live in the Del Norte Place Historic District. Um, I had something prepared, but after listening to what everybody had to say, uh, you had some great speakers today. I think the biggest thing that the intent of of this law, we're not arguing with so much as the power that it has taken away from our municipality. Just seeing the fast track of how this text amendment started in May of 2024 and was thrown in our laps in August for the first meeting. Um, that was just mind-blowing. They did not ask for any of the input from the VPCs. There wasn't any input from residents that are actually going to be targeted. They had over a year to research alternatives with impact study experts and progressive thinking residents to find ways to modify and expand expand the middle housing overlay map without harming these already dense historic neighborhoods. We have forplexes. Historically, we've had them. We have duplexes. We have triplexes. There will be a speaker speaking to that later. Historic districts deserve more than becoming a testing ground for special interests and the latest quick fix policy. This is a defining moment. Everything rests with council. I would ask that you would place a stipulation on this text amendment so that you can clarify what the impacts will be. Look at the impact studies. listen to the experts instead of fasttracking and being concerned that there will be sanctions. You've already been sanctioned. They took your power away. If the next session with the state exempts our historic districts, how you vote today will immortalize your vote. Thank you. After after Kevin and Janice, we'll hear from Andrea Luna and then Sasha Robinson. Are Kevin and Janice here? >> You have to come to the microphone, sir. >> You okay? Do we have Janice? >> I'm declined to speak. >> Okay. And then we have Andrea Luna. Please step to the mic. And then after Andrea, we will go to Sasha Robinson and then Mark Rogers. >> Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. My name is Andrea Lunas Advantes and I'm here to support agenda item 51. I am an organizer with Organized Power and Numbers where we work with renters, families, and community members across Phoenix who are directly impacted by the housing crisis. And I am here today because we deserve a future in the city. Right now, too many people are being priced out. Teachers, nurses, young families, the workers who make this city run every single day. This policy doesn't instantly solve affordability and we should be honest about that. But if we want affordable homes later, we need the zoning framework now. This opens the door for future affordability instead of shutting it down before we even begin. Historic neighborhoods will still be protected, unlike we've heard. Design review will still apply. What this changes is simple. It creates a pathway for thoughtful middle housing that allows more people to live near opportunity, not just those who already own property there. This is about making city policies that work for all working people in this city. It's about preventing displacement before it happens. Every neighborhood, especially those with the most resources, should help meet our housing needs. We need to build a city in Phoenix where people who work here can live here, where longtime renters and young families have a future and where we plan for affordability instead of pretending it will appear on its own. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. We have Sasha Robinson. and then Mark Rogers. And then we'll have um Senator >> Senator Annaise Hortiz, mayor, vice mayor, council members. Thank you for your time. My name is Sasha Robinson and I am serving as president of the story preservation association for FQtory. On October 6, I stood here in front of the planning commission and spoke about the strong sense of community that you will often find in historic districts. The unique historic character of our neighborhoods provides a sense of place and purpose that easily brings and binds us together. Passing this text amendment as written threatens to erode away our historic designation and by extension our strong sense of community. FQTO is especially vulnerable to this erosion because we still have contributing homes that need care and restoration. Our neighborhood has already suffered deeply at the hands of the state. Uh cut in half by the I 10, losing hundreds of homes. Yet our historic designation earned through the persistence and passion of our residents continues to bind us together. I am proud to stand here today and represent those same people and demand a better future for our neighborhood and for the areas across Phoenix that could benefit from this law. If the goal truly is to address our city's housing challenges, then the responsibility must be shared across all districts. The current text amen a amendment may satisfy the letter of the law, but it unfairly concentrates the burden of it within a tiny geographical area containing more than half of Phoenix's irreplaceable historic neighborhoods. I am advocating today for a city-wide expansion that would distribute middle housing opportunities fairly while reducing development pressure on historic districts and allowing our preservation protections to work in a meaningful way. That is how Phoenix can honor its past, meet the needs of today, and build a city worthy of tomorrow. Thank you for your comments. Mark Rogers is next, followed by Senator Ortiz, and then we will go to Jeremy Shakar, Mr. Rogers here, Mark Rogers. Okay, then we will go to um Senator Ortiz. Thank you. Thank you so much mayor and council for the opportunity to be here today. I'm Senator Anais Ortis. I am a resident of D7 and I have the honor of serving the people of Mary Bale and Glendale in the legislature. I'm also a proud co-sponsor of HB2721, the bill that has landed us here today. I want to share a little bit about my own story. First of all, the median age of a firsttime homeowner has exceeded 40 for the first time in history. So, no, it has not always been this way. I am 32 years old. I'm crossing my fingers hoping in 8 years I can own a home. I recently had to move from the home I rented a 1,700 ft home in Mville because the rent was too high. I wanted to live in a similar single family home with a yard without shared walls or even a town home with shared walls would have been just fine, but I could not find any because there were so few of that missing middle housing in my community of Mville. The few that were on the market were very old and not in great condition because it has become so hard to build missing middle housing. I was left without options, too poor to afford a single family home to own. And my only choices were giant corporateowned apartment complexes, the kind that call themselves luxury because they put in granite countertops, but they got the same roaches and they got the same plumbing problems. but they're charging 1,500 to 1,800 a month for a twobedroom and that is before the hidden fees. I would love to see this ordinance be citywide because it would mean that my community of Mville is not locked out and that's something I advocated for in the legislature. But the reason why this ordinance is uh only to this small area that a lot of people have objections here today is because the League of negotiated with us on this bill demanded that they demanded that it was a smaller piece of the city that was able to have missing middle housing. They demanded that it did not apply to all of the cities including places like Paradise Valley. So, I really encourage you to pass this ordinance and let's keep working together to pass positive policy to make housing affordable. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Sorry. Um, Senator Ortiz, if you would uh entertain a question, Councilwoman Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Senator Ortiz. Uh, you just said that you were proud co-sponsor in this bill. Uh, fun fact, I was also a co-sponsor on this bill, helped draft this bill while I was at the legislature. Uh, earlier, somebody posed a question or a comment. If you were a homeowner, would you support density on your property or in the properties near you? >> Well, if in eight years time I'm able to afford to become a homeowner at the median age of 40. Um, yes. I would absolutely welcome density. As I said, the home I rented was 1,700 square ft in a um kind of like a home a town home development. You open the front door, you see my neighbor's front door right there and like a shared sidewalk. It's all very very dense housing. I could walk to the gym. I could walk to Target and I could see all of my neighbors and the kids playing in the street. I love that type of dense housing. It's really what makes communities walkable. It's what makes places a nice place to live and young professionals should not be locked out of those opportunities to live in those nice neighborhoods like historic neighborhoods where you do value that sense of community. And last thing I'll say, those types of duplexes and triplexes already exist in places like Willow. They're just very old. >> Yeah. Uh just one other question. Um you know I want to make sure that you know there's a concern that this doesn't bring affordability. Can you share with us if like why is affordability such a problem when we're talking about developers right? Have we ever heard like why do develop why is this fear that developers won't make something affordable or we see the things that are being built be so expensive? Well, when we talk about affordability, really the only way to make something absolutely guaranteed affordable is to have a subsidy like to require that these missing middle homes accept section 8. Um, that is just we know that things are not easy right now when it comes to funding lowincome housing and those types of housing vouchers. The city quite frankly doesn't have those tools. I'd love for you to be able to. Um, but housing is a spectrum. So, the homes that open up in one neighborhood are going to open up and it's going to trickle down in terms of making sure that we have lowincome uh vacancies. Uh, and then people like myself who are taking up space in a uh a um apartment are then able to move up to missing middle or to a homeownership opportunity. And it's regional as well. What happens in Phoenix impacts Mesa and Tempe. And I would say that a lot of the renters who are not in this room here today is because they're working one or two jobs to put food on the table and to pay their rent or they've been pushed out to places like Mesa or Tempe. Let's welcome them back to the city of Phoenix and make this a welcoming place for all neighbors. >> Thank you, Senator Ortiz. Thank you. >> Okay, so we'll have Jeremy next followed by Charles Sever and then John Wagner and then we'll go to Nicole Rodriguez. Good afternoon, uh, mayor, vice mayor, and council members. My name is Jeremy Chapter, and I live in the Willow Historic District. I take great offense to people here who are stating that Willow or people who live in historic neighborhood are rich and entitled entitled. I bought my house I bought my house in 2009. I with blood, sweat, and tears, I saved up 3 and 12% so I can go into FHA loan in 2009. For the people that weren't working in 2009, I was in the middle of the housing crisis. Do you know why? Because I'm a 25-y year veteran in the mortgage industry. I understand about home affordability, and I'm for home affordability. I just did a loan on a refinance in in a historic neighborhood with 1500 square ft for $832,000. If someone bought that home, grazed it, put a forplex on it, if you were an investor, council members, would you charge $1,000 rent or would you charge $4,000 rent for a forplex to make your ends meet to make that ROI possible? When I bought the house in 2009, I had to decide between a garage or having my laundry inside my house. I could have easily gone to Aenddale or Chandler or outside areas and actually had more than a two-bedroom, one bath that I have today. So, I ask you to vote no on this 51 and 52 amendments. Sorry, 51 and 52 amendments. I believe in affordable housing, but this is not affordable for councilwoman um Hernandez who's asking where we should do this. How about the city getting together and doing a down payment assistance program so people can afford to live here and going up instead of out and building houses where building apartments and condos and getting builders here to have fixed um a fixed housing so they can afford it and giving a down payment for people that need it. not grazing historic neighborhoods and getting rid of all the history that we have in Phoenix and and embracing people and giving them the tools they need to uh to get the American dream. >> Thank you for your comments. [Applause] Can um next we have Charles. Thank you mayor and council. My name is Charles Cyber. I'm a 49y year of native Phoenician and I would like to just uh ask you all to stand proud for the Phoenix you've helped create with careful planning. Please do not succumb to the hasty overtures of 42 lawmakers and a governor who did not do their homework. Middle housing overlay is likely an unconstitutional state law manufactured by artificial intelligence and paid for by high-rise developers from out of state. The middle housing overlay district is a destructive overreach of the state to claim imminent domain for middle housing on private property historically zoned for single families. This there is no public benefit to middle housing overlay as there is no guarantee of affordability or inventory relief for any middle housing development. And this law only serves the bottom line of private profiteers who see a tenth of an acre going for $400,000 and salivate at the prospect of 10 times its value by raising the roof 10 stories. Regardless of neighborhood aesthetic and federal registers of historic sign significance, do not let your vote become complicit in a highly illegal imminent domain shenanigan foisted upon this council by shortsighted state lawmakers whose allegiance to the citizenry is questionable at best, treasonous at worst. I urge city council to fight this bogus state law in court and reaffirm council's rightful jurisdiction in maintaining and finalizing all city planning and zoning decisions. I urge the city attorney in conjunction with the Arizona attorney general to immediately investigate emolements violations under article one of the United States Constitution committed by the public officials who passed this pathetic attempt at feudal law. to paraphrase Gandalf the Wizard and Tolken's Lord of the Rings, middle housing shall not pass. Thank you. They have Nicole Rodriguez as our next speaker and then Zachary Samson and Sterling Sark. Yes. Thank you, uh, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Council Nicole Rodriguez with the Valley Urban Action Alliance and Urban Phoenix Project. Um, I'm here today in support of expanding middle housing and for creating a better history. And I want to also say I appreciate the various uh perspectives shared here today, especially for those of us who are listening to one another. Thank you neighbors. I appreciate that. Um, as we know, Phoenix has a housing shortage, but more importantly, we have housing mismatch. Our zoning code currently makes it nearly impossible to build the types of homes that used to be common here. Duplexes, triplexes, forplexes, and even courtyard apartments. Um, these are the kinds of homes that fit naturally in neighborhoods, create opportunity for families to stay near jobs and schools, and provide a path for local smallcale builders to participate in Phoenix's housing market. Middle housing is not about massive apartment blocks. Thank God. Um, it's about the teacher, the nurse, the retiree, uh, the young family, and the essential worker who can't find a home they can afford. not because the homes don't exist, but because our zoning doesn't allow them to be built. So, middle housing isn't about density. Um, it's about belonging. It means a young family can stay in the neighborhood where they grew up. It's a teacher who doesn't have to drive an hour to afford rent. um if we don't um or I even an aging parent who can live near their kids without moving to the suburbs. Um if we don't allow affordable housing types, we can't claim we're serious about affordability. Um citywide housing, middle housing aligns with our climate goals, our transportation goals, our economic development goals. It supports our investments in schools and transit. It keeps our workforce in our city and it lets people live near near where they work, cars off the road like myself. And with that, thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Zachary Samson. >> Uh hello fellow Arizonans. My name is Zachary Samson. I'm born and raised in the state, born at Luke Air Force Base specifically. Um yeah, I'm in a unique situation. I'm trying to buy a house in a historic district right now. Um, and I will be what is known as colloally house poor when this process is over. Not a lot of cash to my name. Again, 31 years old, uh, graduated about a decade ago, and yeah, I did save and I've been able to get where I'm at because, uh, I have a wonderful partner who's helped me. And, you know, that's how it works when you grow up. However, I don't think the generation behind me has this same opportunity. And I want to make that very clear. I understand that there's maybe a little bit of a generational gap between who's for and against this ordinance. As I understand it, the generation above me is going to be able to supplement their retirement or depend entirely on their retirement from owning a house. The generation behind me that is they're not expecting to take social security checks when they reach some of these ages. Um [Music] that's fair. Um, what I would like what I would like to really just get across here is a couple of data points that I understand. I have a nephew who's a junior in college. >> Just make sure you're addressing the council. >> Yes. Sorry. >> Exactly. >> Um, sorry. Speaking to all of Arizona. Um, my nephew is about to graduate from college next year. Um, couple stats over the past 10 years. Incomes coming out of college down. health insurance payments or the types of policies they can get down and their cost has gone up. Um, I believe that this is an ordinance that might be five years too late. We need units now and that's just a reality. I don't love some of maybe the specific details that have been pointed out. Um, investor properties, not a big fan of that. Again, I've been renting um historical houses for the past 3 years. Two of them uh were owned by people who don't live in the state. Um, so I understand wanting to get assets, wanting to get a home here in Arizona. What I'm saying is it's not possible for the generations behind me. >> Thank you for your comments. Sterling Sterling Sarkc, I apologize if I butchered your last name. And then after Sterling, we will go to John Wagner and Opal Wagner. >> Hi, uh, mayor, vice mayor, uh, council members. Um, I'm Sterling Sorc. Um, I live in North Central right now, but I grew up in the Coronado neighborhood. And, um, I I I think it's wonderful that we are considering allowing duplexes and triplexes, which have historically been built in the Cardone neighborhood, that we're allowing them to come back. And, um, I I fully support that. And I support uh, moving further to allow this in the entire city of Phoenix. I think it'd be good uh good for people looking to to buy a home, good for people who don't want to, you know, live in in Goodyear to be able to like have a teaching job in in central Phoenix. And so I think it's it's going to be good for that. It's good for professionals. It's going to be very good for community. Um, density is good, but also just being able to have the the dignity of being a workingclass lower middle income professional, but being able to afford the dignity of owning a home. Um, and I think that's what this missing middle duplexes and triplexes can bring. They look nice on the street. They're not going to cause like shadows and like issues that can come with with highrises, but they look nice and they fit for families. And so I I really hope you consider approving this and also expanding it to the entire city. Thank you so much. Thank you for your comments. Next, we have looks like Opal Wagner. >> Is John not speaking? >> Well, he just signed in in case he could donate his time to me, but I honestly don't think I'll need it. Okay, go ahead ma'am. >> Okay, thank you so much. My name is Opel Wagner. Um, good afternoon, um, Mayor, Vice Mayor O'Brien, and council members. Um, and again, I live in District 4 in the Willer Historic District. I'm also co-chair of Safe Historic Arizona where we believe um that housing opportunities should be and can be expanded while still recognizing the cultural, social, economic, sustainability benefits of our unique and irreplaceable historic districts in Phoenix. Um normally I want to talk about some things that happen with the the background of this text a minute. Normally, when such a major policy shift is proposed as middle housing, we expect it to be guided by expert analysis and informed public engagement, including things that happened in Tucson and Flagstaff with our middle housing. That has not happened here, including public opinion polls surveys workshops etc. Unfortunately, none of that has occurred here. Not the not the expert guidance, nor the public collaborative input. This proposal as written, make no mistake, is purely experimental. There is no precedent for adopting middle housing in such a small central portion of a major city. Everywhere in the US that this has been adopted has been citywide or statewide. There is nothing like what our state legislature has done and what they're asking you to do here. Um and and in our case, the uh central tiny little portion of our city, it's about 1.5% of a 520 square mile city is um includes 21 historic districts. That puts an inordinate amount of pressure on our historic districts. Our neighborhoods are far too important to serve as a testing ground and we should not be serving as your guinea pigs and lab rats in this experiment where none of you know what kind of housing is going to be the outcome because you don't have anything go on. Please delay implementation. I know you can't vote no. Please delay implementation on this to get an expert study performed. >> Thank you for your comments. We'll go to some virtual speakers online. We'll go to Jason Bar. Is Jason online? Jason Bar. >> Jason, the floor is yours. >> Uh Jason Bar, Valley Urban Action Alliance. Um I'm here to express support for applying the middle housing overlay citywide. Uh there's a housing affordability crisis in this city and across the country and it pains me to even be here today knowing that this is such a layup. Uh don't even know how this is even a question if we want to add more housing to our city. This is supply and demand. This is basic economics. This is how it works if you want to make life more affordable for people. Uh I don't know why people have to basically scream out for help. Um, people have been crying out for help from leadership for a while now. And I don't know why it feels like pulling teeth. Uh, we live in a society that we all share. It's this is a world and a society that we all share. People really seem to forget that it's not just about an individual. This is about all of us. We share this world. If we don't share it, society degrades. Greater good is important. Don't know why this is so difficult. We have a bunch of working age people taking time out of their day to come here for what should be a layup. Why? Um I get envious. I see other cities around the world. I speak to my friends who have lived in other countries. Uh and when there's a problem, there's a common sense solution that is taken. No question about it. And other places quite frankly, they pity us because we don't do that. They pity us. It's sad. It's pathetic. Uh, too many people are just hanging on and we have to come here and debate this silliness middle of the day. Uh, when people are supposed to be working. Um, we we know the answers to this test and we decide to turn turn away. I don't know why, but I support applying the overlay citywide. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Next, we'll go to Mike Gel. Jhl. I apologize for the Mike. The floor is yours. Yep. Hi everyone. Uh, good afternoon mayor and council. My name is Mike Yale districts neighborhood trees ability also see how many people are being priced out teachers service. >> Sir, you're breaking >> for >> you're breaking up so we can't really hear all the your words. Housing overlay >> luxury condos not it's right >> sir >> courtyard homes adus bring affordable and a table options to the new we love >> okay he's dropped off we'll see if he comes back on we'll move to Nicole Sanderson Nicole, the floor is yours. Nicole, are you there? Okay let's Okay, maybe we could try Edward swing. Okay. Kirsten Thman. Oh, Kirsten, the floor is yours. >> Hi. Hopefully you all can hear me. Okay, >> we can. >> Okay, great. Um, so hello council members and also my fellow public commenters. There's a lot of us today. Um, my name is Kristen. I'm a district 4 resident and I'm speaking today in support of the middle housing overlay and expanding it citywide. I truly believe from my firsthand experience that this will make our city more vibrant, more connected, and what we're all here working for, which is a better place to live. When I first moved to Phoenix in 2018 as a single woman in my 20s, just out of graduate school and starting a new professional career, there were just a few housing requirements that I had. I wanted to feel safe. I needed something affordable. And I wanted to be connected. connected to our downtown, to public transit, and to a community. The Forplex apartment that I moved into just off of Seventh Street gave me all of these things. The building was really cute. It was made of gray cinder block. It had really nice orange trees in front of each unit and a well-maintained gravel driveway. It was also owned and managed by a local Phoenix resident. I heard another commenter mention the importance of community and I totally agree and it's one of the reasons that I love middle housing. The three other renters that I shared the forplex with went from being my neighbors to being some of my dearest friends and that community is irreplaceable. When we were there, doors were open for shared meals. If someone had a long day or was in between jobs, they weren't doing it alone. I learned more about my city through these companions and their tips and tricks. And there are so many other benefits that I can't fit into two minutes of public comment. So I hope you all hear this as just one example of the good that middle housing can bring. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We could go to Lucas Vargas. [Music] Lucas, the floor is yours. >> Hi there. Uh thank you, council members. My name is Lucas. I'm a 17-year-old high school student. In fact, I just got home from my high school in District 4. Um, frankly, I love my city. I love Phoenix. I've loved it since I've grown up here. But I'm I'm afraid for my future. I don't know if there is the affordability for me to stay here and to live the same life that my parents were able to give me. I just want to remind the council a few things that help to characterize the situation for young people like me. First off, it's important to remind ourselves that this one mile um selection is because downtown is the place to be. We want to create an environment where our city is a economic powerhouse of the southwest. And if we are surrounding our downtown core with the type of housing that pushes out young people who want to move to our city, then we are just digging our own grave. the plan that got us from 1950 to now is not the same plan that's going to bring us from to now into the year um 2100. And I'm going to be around for most of that time. And I want to see a reality where I can live affordably and live the life that my parents were able to give me. This plan isn't about pushing out people for the corporate overlords. It's about inviting more families in more opportunities, which is what these historic areas are supposed to be about in the first place. We're in a housing crisis right now and we need all the economic development we can get. All the people we push out for these type um all the people we push out because we don't have affordable middle housing are people that are going to Lichfield Park to Mesa to Goodyear and not spending their dollars, their lives and their community in Phoenix where we want it to be. So please, for the future of young people like me, I really, really encourage you not only to pass this measure and to get middle uh middle housing where we need it most, but also to get it citywide as well. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for your testimony. Do our next speaker is Steve Ellis Salah. Do you have the next Steve? The floor is yours. >> Yes. >> Hello. Uh hi. Thank you. Uh good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, uh council members, Stephen Elisalo, living in district 4 and vice president of the urban Phoenix project, and I'm here to urge your support uh for agenda item 51, expanding the missing middle housing overlay citywide. Phoenix is once again being asked to meet the moment. We are here because for too long, the city hesitated to adapt to change. The inaction, that inaction has brought us to a housing crisis. Home prices are out of reach, renters spending more than 30% of their income every month, and young people unable to imagine owning a home in a city that they grew up in. The state's recent action, which is why we're here today, should be a wake-up call. If we don't meet this moment, the consequences will be real. Rising homelessness, worsening affordability, and a fading dream of building a life here and even more state intervention if we don't go big now. Missing middle housing is not some radical thing, but built our most beloved neighborhoods before it was made illegal. These homes are part of our history and should be part of our future. The greatest cities in the world aren't dominated by single family neighborhoods, but by a mixture of all kinds of housing and other infrastructure that creates community and opportunity and prosperity. Opposition would have you believe that it should continue to be the policy of the city to restrict housing and thus do nothing to address the housing crisis. Opposition to missing middle resi talks a lot about neighborhood character, aesthetics, and nostalgia, but they aren't for community. To be clear, they were they wouldn't be here fighting to pull the ladder of ladder opportunity up for everyone else. We're experience we've experienced so much growth because people see the promise of Phoenix and want to be part of something special. Yet there are nies in that room who are in opposition to progress who are demanding from you council to fight the future. I urge you to think bigger. Vote with abundance for our city in mind and for the future. The choice is simple. Lead now. support the middle missing h housing overlay and make Phoenix a place where people can live here, raise families here, and build community here across all of Phoenix. Thank you. >> We'll next go to Harry Baldwin. >> Harry, the floor is yours. >> Hi there. Thank you. Yeah, so I would urge the council to oppose this measure. Um, I want to talk about momentum versus a transaction. These historic neighborhoods have been in place for the better part of a hundred years and with it it carries a certain momentum. The minute that the developers like Blackstone, Black Rockck are allowed to develop it becomes a transaction. They have a duty to investors to shareholders to maximize profits. That's all that they adhere to. So if you think for a second that these houses will become affordable and world hunger will be solved, I think you need to take off your glasses. This does not address affordability. It affects a small portion of the city and the effects are minimal at best. So again, I urge the council to oppose this measure. Thank you. >> Okay, our next commenter is Nicole Martinez. Do we have Nicole online? Nicole, the floor is yours. >> Hi, it's uh Nicole Marquez. I apologize. Can everybody hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you, Nicole. >> Great. Um, so as I said, my name is Nicole Marquez. I reside in the northeast part of Council District 8 and I serve as an elected governing board member in the Kraton Elementary School District, which encompasses parts of council districts 4, 6, and 8. and I am speaking today to share my support of expanding the middle housing overlay um as presented. Uh two major issues cause problems for our urban school districts and those are decreasing enrollment and teacher retention. These are issues that um can have you know a well partially a practical solution which is this overlay increasing u middle housing options. Not all families need a standalone house. Some families or many families as as you probably know now have are single family single parent households with maybe one or two kids um so are more you know looking for more middle housing options um to to be able to keep their their kids in in their communities and their school districts and also um addressing the teacher retention issues. I know in the last 5 years of being part of this district, I've seen many good teachers go because they simply couldn't afford to live in the area and they couldn't afford the commute. So, um, you know, in our district specifically, I know we we have a a tiny a tiny sliver of our district will be kind of impacted by this overlay expansion if it if it happens. Um, but I know that it could have a positive impact for our families and even for our teachers and thus our district. So, um, and not just our district, but Phoenix Elementary and some of the other districts that land within, um, those boundaries. So, there's, you know, a variety of of housing problems and and families and people, workers that would be affected by this. And, um, I hope you would vote to pass this and perhaps with a few, um, restrictions to prevent some of what people are fearing, which is takeover by big corporate overlords. Thank you. Could I please have um Claire Michael? Is she available? Claire, the floor is yours. >> Hi, my name is Claire Michael. I grew up in Arizona. I own my home and live in district 6. I support widespread adoption of middle housing across all of Phoenix. I have a degree in social work and urban planning. So, for me, this issue is really at the heart of those two things. Um, some of my greatest joys right now is that I can walk to my sister's house. I have access to a corner store and my neighbors, renters and owners alike. Um, I know them and we're able to build community and look out for each other. And that's partially due to our physical proximity in a dense complex. Middle housing will allow for more of that and improve affordability and walkability, which will amount to significant secondary benefits for physical and mental health, among many other things. This policy will change lives by opening up a path to home ownership for a larger amount of people. Increase the amount of small landlords, creating muchneeded competition, considering Phoenix has one of the highest rates of private equity ownership of rentals in the country. It will support housing types that allow seniors to age in place. seniors who have been one of the fastest growing homeless populations the last few years, which may not have been the case if we had diverse housing options. Citywide adoption will enhance the effectiveness of middle housing and improving well-being and housing and financial security. And to Senator Ortiz's point, I have looked into buying a duplex in Mesa because that's a more affordable and financially sustainable option for me long term, but I'd like the opportunity to do that in Phoenix in my community. Some of my favorite places in the city could not be built today because of our zoning regulations and supporting widespread city adoption of middle housing is really a step toward zoning policy necessary for innovation, affordability, inclusion, and community connectedness. All of which are things that I want in the area I live and I think other people would agree with that. So, please support middle housing across all of Phoenix. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. And now we'll go to Neil Hadad. Neil, the floor is yours. >> Hi there. Uh, good afternoon, Vice Mayor, mayor, and council members. Thank you. This is Neil Hedad, and I'm with the Neighborhood Coalition of Greater Phoenix, an organization active in our community since 1984. I'm here today with serious concerns about HB2721 and the proposed text amendment ZTA125Y. The legislative intent to promote density through HB2721 is misplaced when applied to our historic districts which already demonstrate the highest density levels in Phoenix. Our historic neighborhoods currently allow duplexes on R16 and R110 lots subdivided before 98 and 99, meaning they do not meet the statute's definition of single familyonly zoning. The preserved Phoenix plan 2025 confirms these areas already exceed citywide averages in density, diversity, and economic performance. Despite these facts, staff recommendations have failed to address our community's legitimate concerns. We urge the council to take four specific actions. Formerly formally exempt historic districts from HB2721. Affirm your commitment to preserving these neighborhoods existing character. continue to uphold the city's historic preservation ordinance and ensure meaningful engagement with affected residents. These historic districts are the heart of Phoenix's legacy. They represent our city's heritage and continue to demonstrate the very qualities the legislation seeks to promote. We ask you today to protect these irreplaceable neighborhoods by exempting them from HB 2721 and ZTA125Y. Thank you for listening. Thank you for your testimony. We'll now go to Nicole Sanderson. >> Hear me? >> Hi. Yes, Nicole, we can hear you. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, good evening, Mary Council. I'm Nicole Sanderson, resident of District 7, board member of the downtown core community. Um, the boundary proposed by staff needs to be expanded. I think that's pretty clear from tonight. Expansion would alleviate a lot of the concerns that speakers brought this afternoon. I personally don't see middle housing as a burden. Um, and I don't think it's 5 years too late this bill. I think it's a hundred years too late. Having more neighbors and more compact land use helps local businesses, supports new jobs, better economy, supports family size and income diversity, which are good things for our society and our city. Um, I just got 750 new units next door to me. I'm thrilled about it. There's going to be more people walking next to me back and forth from the grocery store. That really like benefits me a lot. Um, the downtown area is the best place for us to put jobs. I'm currently on the bus and sitting in traffic. Part of the reason is because it's so hard to build housing near the core of our city which is transit rich and it's much easier to build it really far away. Um the state had to intervene unfortunately because the city wasn't doing enough previously about the broken housing market. Middle housing should be welcomed by right in the same way with the same support from the city that single family homes are welcomed. Discouraging it by burdening builders with hearings etc. and unpredictability has been contribute a contributing factor in the decline of middle housing in our housing stock and has contributed to our unaffordability crisis and we can reverse that. Um there doesn't need to be a conflict between middle housing and historic preservation. Phoenix can empower its historic zones and neighborhoods to implement historic design guidelines by architects and approved by the city that would put limits on material styles form facades. Putting these in place would completely eliminate many of the concerns have been expressed. They would make sure that middle housing that's added to our historic districts would be historically accurate and aesthetically congruous and it would ensure compliance with the new law that insists middle housing be treated equally to as single family homes are in the administrative sense. That said, we live in a city and anyone who lives within walking distance of >> Thank you for your testimony. So, we will go to Brent Kleinman. Brent, the floor is yours. >> Good afternoon. Thank you, Vice Mayor, mayor, members of the council. I I feel like I'm in a strange place because I had a speech written out as I logged on to this call today. And I've been listening to many of the people speaking from both sides. And I believe I probably hopefully feel like some of the council members do listening to this that there are way too many questions unanswered to pass this today. And I I think your best act and the best act for the benefit of the city is to find some way to continue this for 30 or 60 days either to vote on it or for implementation of it. But to make a decision today would be very shortsighted because there's too much out there from expanding it to doing things that still need to be answered before you make a decision on this on this item. And I would just like to correct some things. People say historic preservation would still have a say in the historic neighborhoods after these houses are demolished. The historic preservation goes with the home, not with the property. As soon as a house is knocked down, there is no historic preservation to the property. So, we have to find a way to protect historic homes and neighborhoods and find a way to create affordable rentals because these are not going to be homes for purchase. The middle housing law does not allow someone to split a property into two, three, or four and sell off any of those homes. They will all be rentals. And also lastly, before my time runs out, please consider a way to limit the ability as far as you can under state law to keep short-term rentals out of middle housing because if I can change my home into a forplex and use that all for short-term rentals, that is only a disservice to our communities. >> Thank you for your testimony. [Laughter] So um our next speaker is Vicki is Rup online. Vicki the floor is yours. >> I did not ask to speak. >> Okay. Thank you so much ma'am. All right. And then we will go to Stephen. Is Stephen online? >> Yes. >> Stephen, the floor is yours. >> Hey, I already went, but I mean I I can go again. >> I thought you did go already. Thank you for for your honesty. We appreciate that very much. So, is there anybody else online? Great. We're good. Okay, then we're going to go back to in person. I have Robert Waricki, Julie Wellahan, and Anne Durning. Can >> floor is yours. >> Good afternoon. I'm Robert Waricki. I'm the leader of Lahasanda Historic District. I'm the vice president of Phoenix Neighborhood, Phoenix Historic Neighborhood Coalition. So, you've been misled. The middle housing law does not apply to neighborhoods in central Phoenix. It applies to quote all lots zoned for single family residential use. What we may think of as single family zoning in central Phoenix is currently zoned for duplexes and our code even describes these lots as multifamily, not single family. Staff claims that our interpretation is in bad faith because the misle housing law would apply to very few areas. We disagree. If the state wants to take power away from a charter city, take power away from you, then it should have been more clear. But let's not leave it at that. You can act in good faith within the ten of the law and the perceived need. First, you should exempt historic neighborhoods. You might not know this, but historic neighborhoods already have duplexes, forplexes, and other multifamily options that were built almost exclusively on corners and busier streets. Historic districts have proved that middle housing on corners and busier streets can be absorbed by our neighborhoods. Second, you can be leaders on the issue of middle housing by extending the proposed boundaries of the middle housing overlay, allowing middle housing on corners and busier streets in areas lacking any. Following the pattern that historic neighborhoods through at least the 1920s built and coexisted with, the state has failed to make any measured planning decisions or to take your powers away. You can exercise your power in good faith to exempt historic neighborhoods and then following the historic pattern of where middle housing exists, expand the right to middle housing to other areas where it was never built and be leaders on middle housing. Finally, we are going to the state to make changes to the middle housing law, but entitlements are permanent. If you act broadly now as staff requests, please adopt a sunset clause so that when we change the state law, you'll have the option, the power, and the freedom from litigation to let the middle housing ordinance expire and adopt a new housing considers planning with the scope of the >> Our next person is Julie Wellahan. Is Julie here? Okay Ann. Good evening. My name is Anne Durning. I live in Enano Palmraftoft, which I really love and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to all of you today. I don't object to middle housing. I think it's a good idea, but why only in this small area of historic districts? That's not going to solve the problems that so many people have spoken about tonight, Senator Ortiz and others. It's not going to solve affordability issues anywhere in the city to have a handful of middle housing units in this small area. Um, I I endorse what Miss Wagner said, what Mr. Huntwork said, Miss Robinson, and Mr. Kimman as well, and Mr. Waricki, I urge you to vote to delay implementation of the measure until a study can be done. That the area be expanded to include the entire city and that it be amended to exempt historic districts. Thank you, [Applause] Ted Luther. And then Martin Bogle. Are you still with us? Okay. My name is Martin Vogle. I hope I'm not jumping the gun here. >> You go right ahead. Ted didn't stand up yet. So, >> great. My name again, Martin Vogle. Uh I have been a resident of uh one of these historic neighborhoods. During my time residency there, I was on the neighborhood association board for 14 years and serves three years as its president. I speak in favor of expanded middle housing. Um the key point that you've heard expressed here this even this afternoon is that there is a shortage of housing uh in central Phoenix. An increase in the supply of housing may lower the cost. Uh I speak in favor of a an amendment to the middle housing uh proposal uh to extend it on a city-wide basis, if not on a citywide basis, at least on a basis of more than a onem radius around the central business district. Broadening the scope of the middle housing in Phoenix will be similar to the efforts and the approach taken by Tucson and Flagstaff to other major urban areas. Uh the benefit of an expanded uh approach to middle housing is that market economics will determine the locations uh for new units and maximize the supply. This is a market economics approach that may hopefully resonate with the lawmakers uh at the state level uh to maximize the supply and ultimately lower the cost of housing. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Brought um do we have is it Ted Vogle? Sorry, I lost my Ted Luther. Is Ted with us? Nope. You're good. Sorry sir. um Bradley Brower and then Richard Carr and then Paul Karesi. >> Okay, great. >> Good afternoon or is it evening? I'm not quite sure yet. Uh my name is Brad Brower. I've been a resident of the with 302 Westmin Vista for 21 years and I currently serve as the president of the Willow Neighborhood Association. I'm also a licensed real estate broker in Arizona with 20 more than 25 years experience. HB2721 is nothing short of a tool of destruction for Phoenix neighborhoods. It threatens to erase our architectural character and the history that makes our city unique, something we have so little left of. For over 40 years, my neighbors and predecessors have worked very hard to build communities the city can be proud of. Places where the families aspire to own a home, not just rent one. That's the American dream that we've all been told is possible. The bill was passed under the false promise that increasing inventory and creating affordable housing. But what it actually delivers is the loss of homes, history, and the dreams we grew up with. We look to the city to protect our historic neighborhoods just as we in turn support the city. Yet in this situation, faced with this bill and this text amendment as we do not feel protected. At city meetings, we've seen an example on the the uh show the show from P of PPD that we saw earlier of 302 West Culver built in 2021 sold for $2.3 million. A forplex, 1100T units rented for 2,00 to 2,200 a month. Today, one's on the market as an a STR for $3,600. That's not affordable housing. It's corporate ownership turning homes into investment vehicles. Meanwhile, Phoenix has 278,000 single family homes already uh 4100 41,000 are rentals. And still, we've added more than 25 luxury apartments building downtown in just the last 5 years with 3,000 new luxury units under construction this year alone. This bill isn't about affordability. It's a gift to developers. It pushes home ownership out of reach and risk further to destroying the neighborhoods that give Phoenix soul. We expected the city to stand with us and we're still waiting. My neighbors and colleagues are providing great options for the city in extending implementation and commissioning a study to how to best implement this. >> Thank you for your remarks. >> Please do not approve this. >> Is do we have Richard Carr with us? Richard Carr. Okay. Paul Karesi and then we'll go to Kelly Daly and Barbara Duel. Thank you to the mayor and the vice mayor and the council members. Um, thanks for allowing such public comment. I'm a resident of Willow. My wife and I have lived in Willow for 8 years. I think the extensive public comment today can be summarized as showing that the good intentions of the law and this this council proposed council ordinance. Uh the the debate deliberation this afternoon shows that the the ordinance does not include the safeguards against likely bad consequences to come and it does not include adequate measures to ensure that all the wonderful hoped for good consequences could actually occur. So the responsible thing for the council to do is not to vote for this ordinance as it is to amend in the menu of ways that have proposed uh today. Uh, I support the remarks made by various speakers and the the opposition comment from the safe historic Arizona letter suggesting that the state law implicitly does not include historic districts because the historic districts are not single family zoned. And so the council could make that option to ex exclude um as or is implicit in the state law exclude historic districts. also could extend it uh citywide. Uh but in my remaining time, just to emphasize that this is to to vote in favor of this is one heck of a gamble. You only get one chance with history. These historic districts have one chance. If you open the gates to this kind of change, you don't get these historic districts back. So the council should pause, should amend, should revise any options other than passing this uh ordinance as proposed today. I know you have a balance of considerations, many different principles involved, but that would be the prudent course. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir, for your comments. Do we have Kelly Daly or Barbara Duel? Patricia Gillespie, Arlene Hazelorn. Okay, just come on to the podium and state your name so we know who you are. >> Hello. Thank you, council. Um, members, this I'm Trisha Gillespie. I live in one of the historic districts and have lived there for 20 plus years. Um, one thing I think that um, it may perhaps has gotten a little bit lost in this conversation is the fact that diversity was part of our establishment of our communities. We have been here for, as it's been mentioned, nearly a hundred years. We have duplexes, triplexes, and single family homes. All that fit within every different gen generation of zoning and design overlay that has been part of the city development. From my house, I am within two miles of three different hospitals, two premier museums. That isn't true of the majority of the subdivisions that have come in since 1970. And yet this focus while it is over 330,000 acres of land is focused on maybe 600 acres. So there's been a lot of conversation about the fact that it needs to go everywhere. But that isn't what those provisions are that are in front of you today. Those provisions are about implementing the mile restriction that the law was originally written as running the risk that if in fact it's not implemented that then it is pervasive throughout the city. It's apparent through the audience here for the people who are interested in the middle housing being expanded and the overlay concerns that the historic district has that the only answer that you have for today is to delay and rework to accommodate what the goals are. And affordable housing is not gained by acquiring land to the tune of 200, 300, 400, 500,000 only to put four units on. Thank you for your testimony. Do we have is Arlene Hazel Corn here? >> Okay. >> Good afternoon, mayor and council members. My name is Arlene Hazelorn and I am speaking in opposition to item 52 blah blah blah blah. Um, this proposal moves forward intensified development without adequately addressing the real impacts on surrounding neighborhoods. We are already seeing increased traffic congestion, strain on emergency services, and pressure on existing water resources. Our sewers cannot handle any more people living in the Willow. If you were here during the rains uh a few weeks ago, you saw what happened in the 100 block of the Willow. Uh they were inundated with water. Approving this zoning change now would add density without ensuring that the infrastructure and services can responsibly support it. Our communities are asking for balance for planning that respects neighborhood character and the people who already live here. This amendment does not provide enough transparency, clear impact review, or community input. Again, this is not a statement against growth. It is a statement for responsible, thoughtful growth that prioritizes livabil livability and sustainability. For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to vote no on item number 52 or return it for further refinement and public engagement. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Do we have Amy Cafir or Michelle Cop or Cheryl Pot? Um Beth Trae. Okay, please come to the microphone and state your name for the record. Hello, my name is Dr. Amy Kefir. I am a resident of Del Norte and have been uh since 1991. While I understand the value and necessity of middle housing and that we need to make housing more attainable for younger generations, there certainly must be a way to do so without risking the destruction of our Phoenix history. This is already occurring in the FQ story in Fairview neighborhoods. These houses were built before most of us were born and we have so few left. We are stewards of these rare and unique gems and we are their protectors until we pass them on to the next generation or the next steward. I could not have afforded to buy my house when I was in my 20s in 1991. I had to rent it and I had to do so with roommates and we shared one bathroom and I did that until I was able to purchase it in the in my 40s. Being able to purchase how I understand it's gotten worse, but it's nothing new that young people have struggled to purchase homes. My next door neighbor has lived in her home since the 60s, and she's in her 90s, and I'm kept awake at night wondering if when she passes on, will her adorable World War II era home that I've lived next to for 34 years be sold to an investor be raised along with all of its charm and a two-story modern forplex erected, destroying the beautiful charm of the mature line to Wilshire Drive. Will it become a short-term rental that only worsens the housing crisis that this ill-formed measure is supposed to address? Uh why are we not drafting laws restricting Airbnbs, especially by out of state investors instead? I have worked for 34 years providing mental health care to mostly underserved citizens in this city in English and in Spanish as a case manager, then as a social worker, and now as a psychiatrist. I beg the city now to help me back by having the courage and the and the will to fight to protect our historic homes and to put our heads together to develop another way to comply with this otherwise well-intended law as other cities like Tucson and Flagstaff are doing. We have a duty to re rebuke the investors. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. [Applause] >> Please step to the mic and just tell us your name. >> Good evening and thank you. Michelle Cop from the Willow neighborhood. Um, I very much appreciate all of your time and attention tonight. This has been probably much longer than anyone expected, but truly it's been heartwarming and endearing to hear everyone supporting the need for affordable housing. Every person, regardless of if they are for or against, understands and recognizes that that's a huge need we have in our society, in our community. Um, I I want that for my children. I want them to be able to buy a home. I think many of us do, but I haven't heard any reason why we can't protect historic properties and provide housing. The city of Phoenix has a substantial amount of vacant lots and empty land. The thing I oppose is the onem radius that has currently been proposed. It should be the entire city. Every neighborhood should benefit from affordable housing. It shouldn't just be one small area. Wouldn't we want every neighborhood to give the opportunity to for families to live together for children and parents to be able to afford homes in the same neighborhood? Some town houses, some condos, some duplexes, some single family homes. it would accommodate just a a wonderful family structure that everyone should have the benefit of. I've heard a few people say that they feel affordable housing would be a burden on their neighborhood. I think it would be a blessing. I think it's a wonderful thing. I grew up in Brooklyn, which is a very very dense neighborhood and very diverse in in a million different ways. And I loved it. I loved every second of it. And I hope that we can find a way to provide that for all of the wonderful people that have moved here to Phoenix and give them the opportunity to enjoy the same. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for your testimony. We have Cheryl Pot or Beth Trae or Ted Luther. >> I'm talking for Beth Tracy. Okay. >> You can't speak for Beth Tracy >> because she left. She couldn't stay here and she >> Sorry. Sorry. I is Cheryl Pot or Ted Luther, Emily Kirkland or and then Abiek Chowry. Hi, good evening Mayor and council members. Uh my name is Emily Kirkland. I'm speaking here today as the co-chair of the Phoenix Democratic Socialists of America. We organize with working people across the metro area. We have hundreds of dues paying members in Phoenix and as you may have seen our counterparts in New York City just elected a DSA member there as mayor in Zan Mandani. I'm here to speak in favor of this agenda item and in favor of expanding middle housing more broadly. As you've heard over and over again, the Phoenix metro area has a serious housing shortage that drives up rent and housing prices, and workers, seniors, and young people are being priced out. We need to be offering more affordable options, including duplexes, triplexes, and town homes. And yet, those types of options have been illegal to build in many places, including many of the places closest to jobs and transit. Correcting this and allowing for more middle housing will make the city more affordable and it's a vital step towards building a Phoenix that genuinely works for everyone. Um, one speaker asked, "Why can't we support housing and protect historic neighborhoods at the same time?" As I see it, that is exactly what this ordinance does. Um, it keeps historic preservation rules and design processes in place, but it allows for new types of housing that are more likely to be affordable for young people, for workers, for everyone who's just trying to find a way to continue to call Phoenix home. Um, and I'll also share that this is not just about Phoenix. This is a change that is under consideration in cities across the valley and even across the country. And by approving this and by working to expand housing more generally, Phoenix can really lead the way um and show other cities a path forward at a time when that's really needed. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for your comments. And can you clarify that you want to speak on this item? >> Yes. Okay. Awesome. >> Just wanted to verify because you signed up for public comment. So I just want to make sure you're in the right spot. Floor is yours. It's my first rodeo, so I appreciate getting in here. And my name is Aick. Nice to see you guys. Uh, I was born here. I would like to start a family here. And so that's what a home means for me is a place to start a family. And if you are in a home, a house, not starting a family, not raising kids, I see that as not a single family home and as an invest and as an investment. And for me, I selfishly would like to use a house as a home for my family and I appal and do not have too much care for others investments in that manner. So, this is a bit more of a selfish one. Uh, these houses I will not be able to afford, but my kids in 30 years may be able to afford them and not have to fight over the same ones that Representative Ortiz was looking at and excited for that as well. Another one. Uh, so those are my selfish reasons. Some less selfish reasons were I I know I live in a single family home. Shout out to other 29year-olds living with their parents. Uh, it's a great time. I feel a lot of security being there. And it's scary, you know, to have duplexes around but I've been volunteering more with the homeless population. And it really opened my eyes to someone who's always kind of lived in that environment with a house and has the opportunity to have investments about people who there's a crisis in homelessness and anything to relieve the pressure. I have been very moved lately on that to expand the housing supply and I feel as a human that's important to me versus I Yeah. Yeah. I can I can't imagine, you know, let alone not helping, but coming out in the middle of the day to make it harder for housing supply does not does not link in my mind. >> Thank you for your testimony. >> Appreciate it. >> And then our I believe our last speaker will be K. Switzer K still with us. Okay Switzer. All right, appears that we have um gotten through all of our public speakers. [Music] Thank you all for bearing with me and for your your testimony um this afternoon and evening. And I'll uh turn to Councilwoman Pastor. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, well, I would I would like to thank uh all our constituents. Um, just because I represent district 4 doesn't mean that they're not part of our constituency. And as I stated at a certain point, uh, it doesn't really matter what district we represent. It's really our city and it is a collective vote that happens. Um, I have heard a lot of new issues. I have been working on this for quite some time but today I as a collective I've heard new issues and um I think um I'm going to ask my colleagues uh to support me in giving grace with all the concerns that are here uh to uh to be able to uh continue this item for uh November 19th. I want a two week uh I want to have the ability to work on some of the issues that have been uh brought to my attention and be able to work with the lawyers and the city staff on some of the concerns that have popped up. Um, ultimately our residents may not like the way we may vote on November 19th, but uh, we have the right uh, they have the right for council to fully vet all the concerns that are here and I would like to take that lead in vetting some of the issues that are have been presented today. So, uh, I will be making a motion to continue this item to November 19. Pastor, sorry, I forgot to close the public hearing. Sorry, I need to close the public hearing and then >> I'm not going to repeat what I said. I think it's >> I think that that's okay. You don't have to repeat that part, but we needed to not go any um further before we um did that. And that would ask if before you make your motion if I could ask a couple question. I'm going to ask a couple questions. Thanks, >> Josh. Um, if a property owner wanted to demolish a home in a public, oh, sorry, in our historic community, would the property owner still be bound by the city's regulations on historic preservation? >> Mayor, vice mayor, members of the council, yes, the in our HP districts, there is a one-year stay of demolition. they would have to apply for that demolition and then apply for where they would like to replace that demolition. Uh if they deny the uh permission to demo, they would have to wait the one year and then they would ultimately have to secure approval through the HP review pro process for the new structure. >> So they still have to go through the historic preservation hearing officer and the historic planning commission for design approval as well. and they have to wait the year for the demolition. >> M uh mayor, vice mayor, members of the council, the the HPO, the the historic preservation hearing officer and the HP commission are are part of an appeal process, a public hearing process. There is a scenario where HP staff could approve something administratively. Now, if if somebody wants to appeal that, if the owner is is is not okay with that, then they could they could appeal that decision to the HO and then subsequently uh proceed through the process. >> Okay. And then Julie, subsection E of this of this state law requires us to adopt the regulations by January 1st, 2026 or we risk having this um implemented citywide without the proper study for the rest of the city. And subsection A says we must authorize the ability for a property owner to build middle housing products. H how can we fulfill subsection E if we don't fulfill subsection A? >> Uh mayor, vice member, uh I'm sorry, mayor, vice mayor. Um I do have uh council here that I'll ask to come forward to answer that question. >> Okay. Thank you, Julie. Um, mayor, vice mayor, members, um, vice mayor to your question. Um, you're correct about the text of the statute, what we're required to do. The city is required to adopt an ordinance by January 1st, 2026. Um, you asked about the connection between subsection A and subsection E. They both include the date of uh January 1st, 2026. Uh, and they both require you to adopt the ordinance um allowing middle >> uh adopt and authorize the ability for an owner to do this. >> Vice Mayor, I don't believe those are the exact words of the statute. >> Okay. Um, yes, Councilwoman Stark, and then I'll come back to you, Councilwoman Ernnendez. >> Yeah, I I I do have a question. When it says authorize, it says we have to comply, but that doesn't mean that the next day someone can come in necessarily and because there is a 30-day waiting period, correct? for uh uh for a zoning text amendment, zoning ordinances. There is a by state law requirement. There's a waiting period. Correct. >> Um yeah, >> I'm a little >> there is I don't >> I'm a little concerned that we're doing legal advice and an open meeting. >> Well, that's I think you were asking >> I I was asking about the text of >> specifically the text. I'm not asking for legal advice. I if if the text of the of this the statute that is in place is what I was specifically referencing and and one says we have to adopt it and the other one says we have to authorize it. So I guess >> mayor vice mayor council member I think the the exact text of the ordinance is that we must authorize by ordinance. Sorry the exact text of the statute. So one says we have to adopt the ordinance. You're right and that's subsection E. Subsection A says we must authorize by ordinance. So they they both make reference to uh that action. >> Thank you. >> And and and I apologize, Council Member Stark. I don't think I fully understood your question. >> So thank you. I I mean generally when we adopt a text amendment or a zoning change, there is a 30-day waiting period by state law. It is required. However, um I you know I I'm not and I'm going to support your continuence. I think you do have some >> Well, I heard you say you were going to do it, so I'm going to support it because I think there are some questions to be asked. I actually reached out to um ASU, the department of of planning, uh and where I got my degree in planning. And my concern is middle housing as someone said was the new quick fix theory. And and so in Minneapolis in 2020, they did adopt middle housing. They did away with all single f well not every single but the majority of the city did away with single family zoning. And since then, maybe 30, 40 duplexes have been built in a city maybe not as large as Phoenix, but is a major metropolitan area and they're just not building it. It's not happening. And so my question is why not? And I so I reached out to ASU and they said, "No, that's a good question. We'd like to study it." They reached out to Morrison Institute. I'm meeting with them tomorrow. I think we need to kind of look at this. There's got to be solutions to get us into middle housing. I live in middle housing. I I live in a in a two-phase. The first phase is duplexes. Mine happens to be patio homes. I live on a 3,000 square foot lot in a small house, 1400. I love it. I'm an empty neester. My husband and I love it. That was our choice. We're lucky we're in middle housing. So there is a need for mental housing not just for young folks but for empty nesters. And so I think there's we really do need to research this because I think we do have to solve the problem. I'm just not sure by doing this and I know we have to we have to comply with state law. I get that. Well, we will comply with state law. But I I want to understand what can we do to actually provide middle housing to provide affordable housing. There's got to be something out there because clearly it isn't working in Minneapolis. Otherwise, there would have been a boom. There would have been a lot of middle housing. It's just it's just not working. So, I am asking my former alumni to please look at it and they I think will do it. I'm talking to them tomorrow. But I I um I have some concerns as well. Again, I don't want to violate state law. They pass something. We have to do something. So, but with that, I think there is additional research and some other questions we have to ask. I still would like to understand what Mr. Waricki was talking about. Um and it sounds like there might be a grandfather clause there. So, if we could have a couple weeks to understand that, I think that's what I need. >> Vice Mayor, >> I know that we were in public um comment, but I was and we needed to close it. Um I wanted to make a motion to continue this item. >> Second. >> There's a mot I apologize. A motion to continue it to when? >> Till November >> 19th. 19th >> 19th. >> There's a motion and a second to continue till the 19th. Are there any comments or questions about that motion? Councilwoman Haj Washington, >> I just wanted to start off by saying thank you to all of our members of the community that showed up today. It is an evidence, it is evident that this is very important on both sides. I want to say thank you for taking the time. I walked over, we saw individuals standing in line um to to exercise their right. And I will say that you have brought up issues that I personally had not seen. So I am in support of the continuence so that we can at least flesh out these items so that we can make decisions that work for both of you for both sides. Um this is unfortunately from my perspective a situation that that arises when some of our legislative partners did not we didn't collaborate as best as we could going forward and some of our residents are kind of stuck in the middle now on how we move this forward. So, I just wanted to say take a minute to say thank you for participating in this process. We know it was a long day. Um, and there's a lot and I just wanted to let you know that we were I I am listening. I can't speak for everyone up here, but I was listening and I heard the concerns that were raised. I am definitely a supporter of housing, but I think we need to do it in a way that affects and does and gives us the results that we want. I just want to also comment one thing. We are talking a lot about h the housing crisis here in Phoenix. Um, but I think we have not celebrated some of the successes that we've seen here in Phoenix. Phoenix had a goal to provide um to to create and preserve 50,000 units by 2030 and we did that 5 years early. We also in doing that we did 22% of those units were affordable housing, 25% were workforce housing. So we are making strides. It is a I say all that to say that as a council I think we are definitely tuned in on this and we are working towards this. we all want the same goal. The question is how do we do it in a way that creates um that that that benefits all residents. So, thank you for the opportunity to say that. I just wanted to say thank you to the community for signing up. I think this is one of the most attended council me I have seen and I just want to let you know that we were listening. I am listening to you. So, thank you for that. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Haj Washington, Councilman Ernnandez and then >> Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, I just want to make a couple things clear for Well, first, thank you everybody for being so engaged on this item. Um, it is refreshing to see that so many of us care about housing. Um, I think it's an unfair comparison to to compare Minneapolis to to Phoenix. One, because nothing in this language in HB2721 eliminates single family zoning. So, just let's be clear about that. So that's a that's a apples to oranges comparison. Um it's not eliminating single family residents. So you cannot compare it to what Minneapolis did. Um also I I want to be clear. I heard a lot about why only in the one mile within the downtown and as someone that was a co-sponsor on HB2721 and was part of the the broad coalition that helped write the language. um the original introduction of the legislation was not that narrow. So I would encourage you that if you have further questions about why it was finalized at one mile at within one mile of the central business district, reach out to Nick Ponder that was tasked with lobbying for the Arizona Leagues of Cities and Towns. Um and that was a demand that he had uh in order for that to to be reduced. So that is where your question should be appropriated um to him. Uh nobody on this council made that decision. It was the lobbyist for the League of Cities and Towns. So I want to make that clear for everybody. Um, also I I I hear a lot of concerns and I while I don't think a two-week wait is going to change um what we have to do as a council in order to comply with state law, I do want to show good faith to my fellow members to give them time to vet more questions. Um I I don't think it changes much and we are tasked with doing to making the decisions that we have to make. Um, and I also want to just remind everybody, especially the people that spoke in in opposition to this text amendment, to I would encourage you to just to go home and really reflect on your on some of the comments that were made here. Um, and really reflect on how you being a homeowner has really been beneficial to your life. Um, there are a lot of younger generation and a generations coming behind us that are not going to have the same opportunities. And like it or not, we are in the middle of an affordability and an attainability issue. And we need all the tools in the toolbox. This alone, nobody has ever said that this piece alone is going to solve the entire crisis we have. But it is a step in the right directions for a lot of reasons. And I I unfortunately because a motion was made prior to my questions, um I will save my questions for November 19th. Um but just wanted to to make those comments. And I think staff, you have done an amazing job of doing what you were tasked to do. The state passed the law. The city has to adopt it. You have worked your butts off to make sure that this is written in a way that would allow it to happen and that will allow paths for more of our residents to really see the Phoenix that they deserve. So, hats off to you. you have went above and beyond to make sure that the information is out, answered any questions that have been posed by community members, by council members. I know I've had a laundry list of questions for you all. We have discussed this so many times. Um so, thank you so much for for that. I will save my questions for November 19th. Um and again, I I don't think it changes how the vote how we have to vote. Um, but want to show goodwill to my colleagues that still have some concerns and give them the opportunity to vet those concerns. >> Councilwoman Gordado, >> thank you. Um, first just want to say thank you to the community for coming out. Um, I know that it takes a lot out of your day to be able to come out here um, listening to all of the comments um, on on both sides. Like I understand, you know, my my father was a homeowner. I'm a homeowner myself. I was very lucky to be able to buy a home in 2008. Um, and I also want to make sure that my son also has a a house that he will be able to buy when he grows up himself as well. But I also think that the underlying issue here, which is something that's probably out of all of our hands, is just the fact is is that a lot of our people cannot afford to buy a home just because poverty wages, which is something um that no one really spoke about today is one of the main reasons why people cannot really afford to buy a home is because of the poverty wages that we have and how rents continue to skyrocket. And we do have companies that are taking advantage of that. And I would love for us to be able to come to a better conclusion to a place where we're all working together and that we're able to aim the issues at the right people, right? Cuz the people responsible for this are not in this room. I applaud the community that came out here um speaking out for their community um that had lived in their community for many, many years. But I also applaud the community that came out and said, "I want to be able to buy a home as well." So I think, um, there's a lot of work to do. Um, every year, um, the state continues to come after us. There's one thing after the other after the other. Um, so hopefully in this upcoming year, we'll be able to continue more work together more with all of you to figure out all all of these challenges and all of these issues um that the state continues to put us through and hoping to work with all of you on this. I definitely seconded the motion because I think it's important to look at all of these issues and making sure that all of the comments don't fall on deaf ears. Um, if you guys know me, you guys know that I will always side with the community and that I will always listen to all of you to figure out where is the middle ground and what is it that we can do that everyone feels respected and that all of you feel and have I want to make sure that all of you have ownership over your community and that you guys feel that way and that we're here to support them. Um, with that, thank you and we'll see you guys in a couple of weeks. Councilman Robinson. >> Well, thank you, Vice Mayor. And actually, I had more of a question than anything else, and I don't know, it might be for um Council Councilwoman Stark or Councilwoman um Pastor to answer. Will this two weeks give um if we're asking ASU at the Morrison Center, if we're asking them to help or to dig a little bit deeper for us, is that going to be ample time for them to get back with us? And will it be obviously enough time to look at what Tucson is doing or what have what they have done? I well I actually was asking them to do more than what uh the University of Arizona did to look actually at different options to incentivize mental housing. So it's going to take a little bit of time and I know we have a a timeline on this particular uh house bill but I still think what they could do would be very valuable in helping address issues with regards to affordable housing and middle housing throughout the city. Thank you very much. Thank you, Vice Mayor. >> Thank you, Councilman Robinson. And so, I too would like to say that, you know, I want to say I want you all to know that I hear you. I understand how much you deeply love your neighborhoods and your home tours and your street fairs are expressions of love for what you've built. Phoenix's historic districts are living, breathing parts of our city's identity, and none of us wants to see the unique character of these neighborhoods lost. At the same time, we're facing a housing crisis that affects thousands of our neighbors, young professionals, essential workers, and families to that are trying to stay together across generations. They can't find places they can live, that they can afford. My housing plan proposes more than 30 solutions to address our crisis. More from federal advocacy to local fixes. And nowhere do I call for the state legislature to preempt local authority as they did with the state law. The state law limits our abilities to ensure cohesive integration into existing communities. and Phoenix is required to follow the state law no matter how poorly it is written. However, what's often missing in this discussion is that this law doesn't just affect historic areas. It also allows new large developments across Phoenix from Mville to South Mountain to North Phoenix to set aside 20% of their land for the same housing types, duplexes, town homes, all of it. It spreads the responsibility to increase diverse housing options across the entire city. Districts one and two have the largest amount of state land and undeveloped land. We will see these products entering our new neighborhoods as will districts 8, 7, and five. And I understand our historic neighborhoods are treasures. They tell Phoenix's story, and we don't want to lose what makes them so special. Should this action be passed as required by state law, historic districts will still maintain protections that don't exist elsewhere in the city, property owners must observe a one-year demolition stay and navigate design review through both the historic preservation hearing office and commission before proceeding. These safeguards will remain in place. To be clear, we here on the council do not have an option. If this ordinance does not pass, we risk losing state shared revenue, which accounts for nearly $700 million. That's more than 35% of our budget. It's not a risk I'm willing to take with 1.7 million residents who depend on city services, especially when some neighbors have already lost federal services and benefits due to the federal government shutdown. And what makes this particularly frustrating is Phoenix has been leading on housing solutions. We passed an ordinance allowing backyard cassitas before the state mandated and then watched the legislature undo many of the neighborhood protections that we carefully built in. We allow residential housing within commercial zones, dramatically expanding where middle housing can go by right, something most municipalities don't permit. We consistently approve housing entitlements at every council meeting other cities and towns do not. Time and again, the development community and state legislators themselves acknowledge that Phoenix is not the problem when it comes to housing. So why do the bills coming out of the state legislature continue to target Phoenix? Three years ago, there was legislation that would have eliminated all zoning protections, allowing highrises in residential backyards. Which cities would that law have impacted? only those with light rail lines and populations over 500,000. That's Tucson, Mesa, and you guessed it, Phoenix. This law today, it's aimed at cities with more than 75,000 residents. According to the state legislature, small smaller communities like Queen Creek, Fountain Hills, and Prescuit are not impacted by the housing crisis. The pattern is clear. Phoenix proactively tackles housing challenges, and the state responds by tying our hands. We're being punished for finding solutions at the local level. I've heard murmurings that some people want to seek a referendum on this ordinance. I would encourage any interested parties to do so. That's what the process is for. I also encourage you to call your state legislators and demand they stop preempting local authority. Time and time again, the state passes these mandates because other communities are not as proactive as Phoenix. Increasing diverse housing options is complex and there are no perfect solutions. I will be supportive of this ordinance when it comes back, not because I'm indifferent to our historic communities, but because I cannot risk essential services for 1.7 million residents. I support diverse housing options that allow generations to age in their communities. And I support exploring this ordinance citywide with both rental and for sale options. and I will support tonight the continuence out of deference to my colleagues as well as those who came. We are committed to working with neighborhood leaders, associations, and residents during the next legislative session to preserve our neighborhoods while meeting our housing needs. I believe we can move forward in a way that honors our past while building a future where more people can afford to call Phoenix home. Lastly, I need to clarify, Laur Councilwoman Pastor, that your continuence to November 19th, 2025 is for both items 51 and 52. >> Correct. >> And that you, Councilwoman Gordado, agree to that. So, we are doing one vote to continue until November 19th, both items 51 and 52. Roll call. >> Yes. Hernandez. >> Sure. Hodge Washington, >> yes. >> Pastor, >> yes. >> Robinson, >> yes. >> Stark, >> yes. >> Wearing O'Brien, >> yes. >> GGO, >> yes. >> Passes 90. So, we now have um public comment to go to. So, if we have Diane Barker, did she leave? Okay. Ezra Davis, if you are still here, we will hear your comment. And then Camila Morados. Is that Camila? Oh, is Ezra are you? Okay, you are coming. Thank you. If you want to wait until the >> gallery clears so we can make sure to hear you. Okay, the floor is yours. >> Hello everyone. My name is Ezra Davis. I'm an airline passenger assistant or wheelchair pusher at Sky Harbor International Airport. I'd like to speak to you all today about pride and permanence. Every day I hear from passengers that I'm pushing about how they wouldn't be able to get around the airport without me. It's an important job and I'm happy to help so many people, but I don't hold my head high outside the airport. Mayor Ggo and council members, I'm struggling. I'm embarrassed to tell people that I'm only paid minimum wage, $14.70 an hour, for a job that provides safety and security for so many people I assist every day. I'm embarrassed to tell people as a 26-year-old man that I still live with that I still live with my mom. Um, I help her pay rent and take care of the credit card debt that she's accumulated because she doesn't make enough to make ends meet after she adopted my little cousins when their mom passed away. I do this to help my family, but I still want to be able to live my own life and a life that I'm proud of. The MIT calculator indicated that $2463 an hour is a living wage for a single person living in Phoenix. We ask that the city council invest in the workers who keep our great airport running by raising the standards for all contracted airport service workers and supporting a $25 an hour living wage. Um $25 an hour would ensure that we're able to provide for ourselves and our family. Right now I can't envision building a future or ever fully supporting a family of my own working working at the airport. I'm asking Mayor Ggo and council I'm asking that you take action immediately to help us live better to help us live a better life. I'm I'm asking that you that the mayor direct our city manager Ed Zer Ed Zurker and aviation director Chad Makovski to conduct an economic impact study of our airport. Um this time that study should provide details about the needed wages and benefits of our airport workers including contract workers such as myself. Recently, SEIU has conducted our own e economic impact study through Arizona State University. It it determined that a wage of $25 an hour um for contracted service workers will help build a stable, experienced workforce who see airport service jobs as good paying careers that they should be and add over $300 million to the state GDP. Uh I would be more than happy to provide that study to Mr. Zurker and Mr. Makovsky to assist them in their study. Mayor and council, please take action to help us. It feels like I'm spinning my wheels and going nowhere. Passengers depend on us. We push grandparents and injured family members. We push veterans and those who served our country. We guide the blind and the impaired. It should be a job that fills us with pride and one that we should be able to see ourselves doing permanently instead of having a stepping stone like so many of us view it as. Sky Harbor is a shining jewel for our city. We should be proud to give our all to serve the airport and its passengers. Um, we need a real living wage of $25 an hour. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Camila Moratus is Camila here. Looks like we might have lost her. Do we have anybody online? >> Don, the floor is yours. He signed up. >> Sorry. >> Donald, can you hear us? You have the floor. Okay, we'll try him in again in a second. We have Kai Meltton. Sorry. >> Hi, thank you for your time. I was hoping to speak before. One of the questions I have for you is I want to make sure that I understand this correctly. And in fact, I believe um it was already readressed just a few minutes ago, but I'd like to hear you state it. This is also including building in someone's backyard. Am I correct? >> You said so earlier. >> Relative to items 51 and 52. >> Correct. >> I that we had passed a bill. Sorry, I can't speak about it because the item's closed. >> So to me, it's ludicrous. It's unthinkable uh to consider taking somebody's land or or basically suggesting or forcing them to do this. They worked hard. Now, let me just say I come from California and Hawaii. I could have stayed there and my parents owned condos, but I wanted to make my own way. I got Lyme disease. I was a nurse. Couldn't work anymore. And then I learned and studied and got better. I became a naturopath. Okay, all of this I did myself. I own a condo in North Central. Um, I wish I would have bought a home. I could about the time I was sick and I needed something smaller. So, what I want to suggest to people is go the old-fashioned way. Work hard like we did. I have a friend who just moved to Florence. They took $100,000 off of her of the amount, the purchase amount, and they paid 26 grand in her closing. And now she lives in Florence and she's driving an hour away. Why? Because she would never think to impose herself on someone else's property. It's awful. It's unheard of. It's ludicrous. They worked hard for this. And they want privacy. Now I'm having to to look to move and I'm looking to go back to California because of the neighbors that moved in. 20-year-olds who have no selfrespect or respect for those around them. We can't even sleep at night. It's so bad. and we're just a corridor away. What is this going to be like? And Tempe, according to the new Tempe law, metal law, whatever you call it, it shows diagrams and they've crowded in six buildings behind somebody's house and then it says live slashwork. That means it's a 15minute city. So, I hope people I wish I could have spoke like I said before. Do you guys want to live in a 15-minute city? This is what this is about. It's an agenda. Agenda 2030. And I would ask you not to be on board and to vote no. I just can't even imagine if I walked up to your house and I said, "Make make way for me cuz I'm going to live right here in your backyard. I'm going to live right here and I'm going to live the way I want to live." And it might not be the way you like to live with self-respect. It might be they want to live loud and noisy and smoke chemical marijuana. What I'm going through right now. Thank you for your time and I pray and hope you do what is right. Come back to haunt you if you don't. >> Verona Veronica Coorin. Hope I didn't butcher that too badly. >> I thank you. Yeah, I see the the clash of generations here clearly we have today in display and um I just want to put this on your heart and all of us that what is this really about is to realize that the young people they need to learn to respect the foundation of this country. We don't we didn't teach them that. Unfortunately, about 50 years ago, the enemies of this country were not happy that our country was doing well. They came up with a lie that politics is dirty and the Jesus is coming back and good people left in dross. And that's how we got the agenda we have in schools today that we have the transgender uh euphoria. our uh governor husband is prescribing uh change of sex. Look, if you cannot drive a car if you're 60 years old, 16 or in Europe 18 years old, how could you decide to change your gender? This is pure child abuse. I have a lot of issues with where we're going as society and the soul that of our society is what will save us. If we don't stand a foundation of values, these young people, of course, they want housing. I I want that too. But you know, when you work hard like this lady here, you appreciate what you've done. Nothing in life is free. Absolutely nothing. And if you know, my mom taught me long time ago back in in Europe, if somebody gives you a free candy, run because they want something from you. And I was in a restroom and I saw something. It says human trafficking. Do you see me? I am afraid that all this planning is a form of human trafficking. We don't allow our children to have Bible in our schools. We took the civics out of schools over 50 years ago. make us susceptible to leadership and that we bow to authority instead of to what is right in our constitutional foundational principles of this country. I have family in Germany. You say something on social media on Germany right now. Gestapo Nazi point to come to your door. They take your computer. They put you in jail. God forbid you said something against the government. How precious is that? What we can still speak here. But that's happening in Germany and nobody talks about it. >> We have to keep your comments to what the city council can vote on. >> Well, this is a public comment. I thought I have a right to to say because it's of the because of the soul. Young people want to own something. Teach them to own. That's not just renting. It's like fun life. You can take advantage of young child but not adults. >> Thank you for your comments. Online we have Tammy Weaver. Hi, this is Tammy Weaver. Can you hear me? >> We can. >> Hello. Okay. Um, I am commenting regarding North Park. I live in North Phoenix, resident of Stenson Valley. I'm talking as a homeowner. I'm very concerned about the impact this particular project would have on our neighborhood. It's 15,000 homes, anticipated 160,000 cars. Uh so daily trips. Um the density is too much. The traffic would be way too much coming through our quiet residential community. Now, um there are a ton of environmental concerns with this as well, not to mention, you know, air, water, um soil contamination. We have a lot of concerns and we want our voices heard as a community as well to make sure that um the density on this particular project could be reduced and environmental concerns addressed. Thank you. >> Thank you for your testimony. Our last speaker for the evening is Ann Renee Wolsy. And Renee, the floor is yours. >> Yes. Can you hear me? >> We can. I would like to thank the council for giving me the opportunity to talk with you tonight. My name is Anne Renee Wily and I am a longtime homeowner in the Stson Valley neighborhood and have concerns about how the proposed North Park development will impact Stson Valley. I would like to let you know that two other one other speaker Amanda McGawan will not be able to speak because she had to leave for an executive session of our HOA. Our neighborhood consists of over 2200 homes along with walking trails, neighborhood parks, and a strong sense of community. While I am not opposed to the North Park development, I do have concerns that need to be addressed. The village planning committee have ignored our request to meet with them to voice our concerns and we understand that the TCMC has representation on that committee and we would like representation on that committee as well. The innovative corridor should not be incorporated in an area of housing and retail establishments. I believe there's plenty of land to the north of 303 for TCMC and other entities to grow their business. Industry should be to the north of 303 where TMC is currently located and housing and retail should be to the south of 303. Uh, currently 51st Avenue ends north of our community at the Cap Canal. Leave it as is, please. It's very common in Phoenix to start and stop streets in various locations. The new 51st can end prior to the preserve by the Cap Canal and begin again where it currently ends at the north end of our neighborhood. By breaking through the mountain and desert to connect to 303, you are creating traffic from the new housing development that our neighborhood cannot handle. This would be significant impact in splitting our neighborhood in half. Current traffic studies would need to be conducted with an agreed upon solution for all the neighborhood. Uh, I have written to each of you regarding our neighbors concerns and invited you to walk with me through the neighborhood to understand our community's needs and request that this be done prior to your vote in the December meeting. I believe you need to truly understand our concerns before voting. This may be an issue in Council O'Brien's district, but all of you are voting and need to make an educated and informed decision and not just rely on the council woman's approval. Thank you very much for listening to our concerns. >> Vice Mayor, we're missing one person to speak that signed up. Jacqueline Musa, >> before we go very hard, my name is Don Dean. I couldn't get off mute before. >> Okay, Don. Hey, thank you uh everybody for here. >> Hi everyone. >> Can you guys just wait a second? We have someone online. Don, go ahead. >> Okay. Um, I'm here as uh vice president of the Stson Valley Owners Association and like Tammy was saying, a community over 200 homes that will be heavily impacted by the proposed reszoning to allow heavy industrial use tied to TSMC's expansion south of the 303 303. part as North Park development, our residents have been emailing and calling the offices, all of your offices, asking you to deny the reszoning as proposed and meet with our HOA board to discuss the solutions. Most of those requests have gone unanswered. The only persons that people that council persons that we've been able to um have any uh have agreed to talk with us was um vice um vice mayor, councilwoman Graat Graado and Hod Washington being responsible and meeting with us and we're asking that the rest of the com council do the same before your December 17th October December 17th uh vote. We're deeply concerned about all the safety risks. As Tammy um talked about, hazardous trucks cutting through our neighborhood, traffic and school safety, environmental impacts to the sonor and preserve, all of which remain unressed. So far, everybody's been listening to to BYI and TSMC. We're already an established community here, and we really need to we really need to be heard, not ignored. Um, Cammy also alluded that the uh committee that oversees these decisions to you um has we have no homeowners for it from our area um that that's in that uh council. Our neighbor neighborhood totally feels unheard. We're asking for a fair process and the opportunity to meet and find solutions that protect our families and the environment before you vote on this issue. One final note that I want to bring up is there have been some social media and some emails going around um and I I hate to point a finger but um Councilwoman uh O'Brien um some of it has said that we've been in a lot of meetings with you and all of this has been previously discussed for years. Uh, as you know, I was in the the first meeting with with another one of our um um uh members of our uh board and at that time the only thing that was discussed was the reasonzoning for more more housing. None of the stuff talking about ASMC being built in innovation corridor or any of that stuff was discussed at that time. In fact, we didn't find out about any of that until the uh night before last um um what would you call it? The um um exp the expansion for about planning meeting um last night. >> Thank you for your remarks. >> We'll hear from um Jacqueline now. Thank you for your patience and I apologize for um having o overlooked the name. Jacqueline, you have the floor. >> Okay. Hi everyone. My name is Jacine Mabira and I have worked for Sky Chief at Sky Habu for years. I'm one of the hundred of airport Katherine worker affected by the recent transition to new contractors. 3 months ago, Sky Chief announced that 230 of us, we are facing layoff. It was the first thing for all of us who have spent years, even decades, serving this airport and its passengers. We take pride in our worker and in keeping Sky Harbor learning uh smoothly and every single day. Today more than 60 of of my co-workers are without job. This morning they woke up unemployed for the first time in years. Families who depends on this job are now struggling to figure out how to pay rent, cover bills and put food on the table. This should now have happened. Sky Cafe and its own atranty street capital could have chosen to rehire the experienced workers who already know this worker. Instead, they refuse to cooperate with us uh with our union and left dozen of dedic uh dedicated employees behind. um their choices uh have caused cows, trace and real harm to working families in this community. We need action from this uh counselor, please pass a worker detention ordinance so this never happen again. workers who have given years of service to Sky Harbor deserve stability, respect and uh a fair um chance to keep their job when contract contract change. Thank you so much. >> Thank you so much again for your patience and I've just been informed that there might have been one more person that we missed. Is Camila still here? Just want to verify that. Okay, Camila is not here. So therefore, we are adjourned. Thank you everybody for your help and patience. [Music] Travelers that come through beautiful Sky Harbor Airport. It's also a point of pride for all of us here in the