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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 12/19/2000 (3) MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, HELD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2000, AT 7:00 P.M. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Scruggs, with Vice Mayor Eggleston and the following Councilmembers present: Clark, Frate, Goulet, Lieberman, and Martinez. Also present were Martin Vanacour, City Manager; Ed Beasley, Assistant City Manager; Rick Flaaen, Acting City Attorney; and Pamela Oliveira, City Clerk. COMPLIANCE WITH ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6(c) OF THE GLENDALE CHARTER A statement was filed by the City Clerk that the two ordinances to be considered at the meeting were available for public examination and the title posted at City Hall more than 72 hours in advance of the meeting. LAND DEVELOPMENT ACTION 1. DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION DR-00-33: "ARROWHEAD COMMERCE PARK" - 7290 WEST CAMINO SAN XAVIER This was a request by Beus Gilbert for design review approval for the Arrowhead Commerce Park. The 21-acre parcel is located at the northeast corner of the 73rd Avenue street alignment and Camino San Xavier, immediately south of the Secluded Acres neighborhood. City Council approval of this development plan is required as a stipulation of the PAD (Planned Area Development) zoning on this property. The applicant's development plan and project narrative show an 18—lot business park development that will accommodate office and light industrial uses. The property will be subdivided at a later date and be served by private streets. All uses in the park will be subject to the City's Development Guidelines. The Development Guidelines include approved building materials and colors, an approved landscape palette, and design standards for perimeter walls, lighting, and building architecture. The project is intended to be a campus-like design, compatible with the existing neighborhood. The building setbacks from Secluded Acres will be a minimum of 60 feet and include a 50-feet wide equestrian and bicycle path. On July 12, 2000, the applicant met with residents to explain the project and receive comments on the site design. Nine residents attended the meeting and expressed support for the project. 1 This request is consistent with the North Valley Specific Area Plan, the PAD zoning, and the City's adopted Commercial Design Expectations. Due to several gaps within the Development Guidelines, several stipulations are necessary to ensure an overall quality development. The recommendation was to approve Design Review Application DR-00-33, subject to the stipulations recommended by staff. Dr. Martin Vanacour, City Manager, requested that Agenda Item No. 1 be tabled. It was moved by Lieberman, and seconded by Clark, to table Agenda Item No. 1 - Design Review Application DR-00-33: "Arrowhead Commerce Park" — 7290 West Camino San Xavier. The motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING - LAND DEVELOPMENT ACTION 2. ZONING AMENDMENT APPLICATION Z-00-25: 5101 WEST OLIVE AVENUE Ms. Molly Hood, Senior Planner, presented this City Council initiated request to amend previously approved zoning stipulations for a 39-acre property located at the southwest corner of 51st and Olive Avenues. On September 14, 1999, the City Council approved a request for C-2 (General Commercial) zoning, subject to 23 stipulations. On July 6, 2000, a Development Master Plan was submitted for City review that showed a 220,000 square foot superstore. The proposed superstore was not included on the plan presented to the neighborhood, the Planning Commission, and the City Council during the initial zoning process. In response to numerous concerns raised by the community, the City Council initiated this application to amend the stipulations of approval on October 24, 2000. Ms. Hood stated that the proposed amendment will revise stipulations #7, #8, and #23 and add two new stipulations #24 and #25. She said that copies of the proposed stipulation amendments were available on the table by the entrance to Council Chambers. Ms. Hood read the following proposed stipulations: 7. The approval of this rezoning application shall be conditioned upon the development of the site in substantial conformance with the site plan of development (attached hereto as Exhibit 2) which was presented to the Planning Commission and the City Council during public hearings and included in the Transportation Study dated December 31, 1998, especially the sizes and locations of the six major tenant stores depicted thereon. (There shall be no commingling of the area of the six major tenant stores.) A minimum of 140,000 square feet of retail space shall be built in the first phase of development. The approval of this rezoning application shall be conditioned further upon the commencement of construction of the first phase of development within two years after the date of approval of this amended stipulation. "Commencement of construction" shall mean the issuance of all required permits and approvals by the City of Glendale and the start of on-site construction or improvements and the continuous performance of work to substantial completion. In the event of the failure to commence the work within such two-year period or the abandonment of work once commenced, the City may initiate action to revert the zoning on the property to its classification prior to September 14, 1999. 8. (Vehicular access shall not be provided on Barbara and 53rd Avenues.) 23. There shall be no deliveries between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The stores designated as major tenants 1 through 6 on Exhibit 2 shall not be open to the public between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Delivered items may not be stored at any time in the parking, loading or other areas outside of a building. 24. (No overnight parking of commercial trucks or trailers, or recreational vehicles (RVs) will be allowed on the premises, nor will commercial trucks or RVs be allowed to park and idle between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.) 25. (Temporary storage structures or containers shall not be permitted on site.) Ms. Hood indicated that the stipulations were written in legislative format to reflect the changes that were made during the citizen participation process and public hearing process to date. Ms. Hood stated that the effects of a community level center on the area were assessed prior to the rezoning. Based on the representations made by the property owner, and the support of the neighborhood, the City Council determined that the effects of a community level center would be minimal and that they could be handled by the stipulations of approval. The property owner provided a site plan "to determine the relationship of proposed uses to the surrounding properties". The plan showed 6 major stores, the largest of which is 92,000 square feet. The property owner also consistently referred to specialty retailers such as SteinMart, Linen's Plus and Marshall's. 3 The property owner claims that a site plan, other than the one included in the 1998 traffic study, was shown to the neighborhood, the Planning Commission and the City Council during the initial rezoning process. However, the graphic shown by Ms. Hood at the meeting demonstrated that the two site plans are identical in regards to building size and configuration. Both plans depict six major stores, the largest of which is 92,000 square feet. The City Council relied on the property owner's site plan to determine the relationship of the proposed uses on the surrounding area. The introduction of a 220,000 superstore changes the Council's determination of minimal effect and warrants additional scrutiny. While the square footage currently proposed is comparable to the original site plan, the impacts of a superstore on the area are much greater than 6 smaller stores. Big box stores are a relatively new retail model that is based on large quantities, high margins, efficient distribution, and low overhead. To accommodate the large quantities of merchandise, big warehouse type buildings are necessary and, over time, they have increased in size. A 220,000 store is the largest yet proposed in the City and the potential impacts of such a large store are unknown. What is known is that big-box superstores draw customers from a much larger trade area than smaller stores, thereby increasing the impacts on the surrounding area. One of the major impacts of a superstore on the surrounding area is traffic. The amount of traffic generated by a superstore is significantly greater than that generated by the community level center proposed during the rezoning process. The City's Transportation Department compiled trip generation information at two existing superstores in the Valley and discovered that superstores generate significantly greater traffic per day than the community center proposed in the 1998 traffic study. They found that superstores generate much more traffic per day, especially during the morning rush hour and during late evening hours. The intersection of 51St and Olive Avenues is currently at capacity and the additional traffic that a superstore will generate will result in an intersection that is inadequate and incapable of handling the traffic resulting in significant traffic congestion, cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets and more accidents. In addition to the study conducted by the Transportation Department, staff turned to several economic impact studies to determine the impacts that a superstore will have on the surrounding property and business owners. Staff found that big-box stores: 1 . Displace existing retail sales from smaller stores; 2. Increase the vacancy rate of smaller stores; 3. Increase incidence in crime; 4. Decrease property values; and 5. Increase traffic and congestion. 4 All of these impacts will lead to the neighborhood's instability and decline and will result in increased costs for the City. The proposed amendments are warranted to protect the surrounding properties. The amendments will tie future development to the plan that was represented at the time of rezoning. Access to 53rd Avenue will be eliminated to minimize cut-thru traffic, the hours of operation will be limited, the overnight parking of oversized vehicles will be prohibited, and temporary storage containers will be prohibited. These are the minimum amendments necessary to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the surrounding property and business owners. The City held a neighborhood meeting on November 6, 2000, at which 290 people signed in. At this meeting, 29 people spoke in favor of the stipulation amendments and 10 people spoke in support of the superstore. During the Citizen Participation process, the City also received numerous letters, e-mails and petition signatures. The Citizen Participation Report and the minutes from the neighborhood meeting were distributed to the Council. The entire Citizen Participation Final Report is on file in the Planning Department. The Planning Department has received 56 letters in support of the proposed amendments and 2 letters in opposition since the completion of the Citizen Participation process. The Planning Department also received a petition with 1,396 signatures, stating support for the proposed stipulation amendments and suggesting some minor modifications. The property owner submitted a petition with 1,007 signatures opposing the proposed stipulation amendments. Copies of both petitions were included with the Council packets which were distributed for this hearing. Staff analyzed the location of the signatures on both petitions in response to concerns on both sides about the legitimacy of the petition signatures. A graphic shown by Ms. Hood at the meeting illustrated where those in support of the amendments live and where those in opposition to the amendments live. The graphic clearly indicated that those individuals within a mile of the site overwhelmingly supported the proposed stipulation amendments, and those individuals in opposition, for the most part, live over a mile from the site. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on December 7, 2000, at which 48 people spoke in support of the proposed stipulation amendments. Thirteen people spoke in opposition to the proposed amendments. At the end of the three-hour hearing, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the stipulation amendments. 5 Ms. Hood noted that letters and e-mails which were received after the Council meeting packets were delivered to the City Council had been distributed prior to tonight's meeting. The recommendation was to conduct a public hearing and approve Zoning Amendment Z-00-25 Mr. James Book, Transportation Director, discussed the traffic implications of superstore developments. Mr. Book told the Mayor and Council that he wished to elaborate a little bit for the reasoning behind the auxiliary studies that the City had conducted. Kimley Horn & Associates, the firm that conducted the study at 51st and Olive Avenues, also conducted a study for the site at 83rd Avenue and Union Hills Drive. When Kimley Horn & Associates conducted the site study at 83rd Avenue and Union Hills Drive, staff requested that the firm provide specific numbers for a Wal-Mart site or, at least, for a big-box user. Staff did not receive any specific traffic generation information at that time. When it was learned that they were looking to do a big-box use at 51st and Olive Avenues, staff went out to get their own trip generation. He noted that Ms. Hood had gone through and told the Council about the three things they had seen: (1) there was a major increase in the a.m. peak hour traffic; (2) there was an increase in the p.m. peak hour traffic; and (3) there was a total traffic increase from any other similar use. As a point of clarification, Mr. Book stated that, when they do trip generation, they do it on per thousand square feet. Therefore, they know that a bigger store will generate more trips than a smaller store. He noted that they were referring to the rate. He stated that, since a larger big box use generates at even a higher rate, it is not purely a square foot question. It is also a question of the rate at which those trips are being generated. Mr. Book noted that another concern was that 24-hour activity was disruptive to an adjacent neighborhood. He added the fact that, when there is 24-hour activity, it tends to extend the peak hours. Therefore, in many cases where you may have a peak hour rush that is an hour, the peak hour gets extended when you get large traffic generations and, all of a sudden, it goes to two hours or even three hours. This is critical at 51St and Olive Avenues. The major reason is, if you can picture that intersection, the Valley has always looked at traffic from a viewpoint that there are less trips in the morning. Therefore, the classic street configuration in Phoenix and adjacent cities is what is called a 3-1-2. There are three lanes in one direction, one continuous left turn lane, and two lanes in another direction. What has consistently been done there is to have two lanes inbound to Central Avenue and three lanes leaving from Central Avenue. The major logic behind that type of a configuration is that, in the classic sense, the commercial trip is not during the morning peak hour. Typically, businesses do not open before 9 or 10 a.m. The reason for concern in this particular instance is that the neighborhood is dealing with a store which will be open 24 hours a day, thus presenting the city with a new traffic pattern. Mr. Book said that he and the rest of the staff would be happy to take any questions the Council might have. 6 Councilmember Frate asked Mr. Book by what percentage morning traffic had increased. Mr. Book stated that the 515t and Olive Avenues report showed a morning peak hour rate of .99 and studies indicate the morning peak rate for a super center to be double that rate. Mayor Scruggs outlined the procedures for the public hearing. Ms. Karrin Taylor, with the law offices of Biskind, Hunt& Ta Iy or,attorneys representing Hayscale, LLC, read a statement into the record. In her statement, Ms. Taylor said Council's decision to vote to take away the property rights granted her client would inevitably lead to more legal and political turmoil for all parties involved. She stated that Council had granted specific property rights to Hayscale in September of 1999, which have been relied upon and acted on by Hayscale. She said, as a land use matter, the rezoning was approved based on facts presented by Hayscale and City staff. Ms. Taylor admonished people for their lack of civility during the process, stating that the uncivil behavior has, to a large degree, been encouraged by the process. She said her clients have had their name and reputations disparaged, not only by members of the public, but by members of the Council as well. She expressed her opinion that the disregard for civil discourse in this matter has been perpetrated by the Council itself. Ms. Taylor argued that the Council had all of the information necessary to make the land use decision it made. She referred to comments made by Mr. Dennis Powers, a concerned citizen residing in the City of Glendale Barrel District, who stated that the Council knew or should have known what it was doing when it granted zoning on the property. She stated that all of the documents for the rezoning application indicated a power center would be placed on the site and the Council relied on those documents when it made its decision. She reviewed comments made by Councilmembers during the September 14, 1999 meeting with regard to prohibiting a 24-hour operation and restricting delivery hours. Ms. Taylor said a site plan was developed as part of their Citizen Participation Plan to communicate the layout of the development to the neighbors. She emphasized the site plan was in front of the Council at the time the vote was taken on September 14, 1999. She stated that the Council was now using a different site plan, one that more readily fits the political expediency of the moment. She explained that the site plan used by the development team clearly depicts building envelopes on the site within which all development would occur and clearly displays language specifically indicating that the ultimate configuration of space would be determined by specific tenants. She noted that the site plan substituted by the City would not even meet the stipulations imposed by the Council. She emphasized the fact that the Council imposed the requirement of having one anchor tenant of at least 100,000 square feet, stating it greatly limited the marketability of the site. She admitted that Wal-Mart had discussions with Hayscale prior to the zoning of the property. She stated that several potential users approached Hayscale about the property over the course of several years. 7 Ms. Taylor's statement concluded with a brief chronology of the site and subsequent execution of the Wal-Mart lease. She questioned what happened between May and September of 2000 that prompted the Mayor to so dramatically change her position on the issue. She said the Council had granted Hayscale certain rights and imposed certain restrictions and Hayscale relied on those rights and, thus far, has lived by the conditions. Ms. Amy Hill, Director of Community Affairs for Wal-Mart Stores, said Wal- Mart has been part of the community since 1990 and currently has 640 associates and their families living in Glendale. She suggested that Council's original stipulation of one tenant being at least 100,000 square feet in size mandated that a big box store be located on the property. She provided additional documentation to the Council. She noted numerous stores in Glendale that operate on a 24-hour basis. She also pointed out that there are several locations throughout the valley where Wal-Mart Superstores and other stores co-exist. Mayor Scruggs informed Ms. Taylor that the Council had compiled a series of questions for the property owners and their representatives. She asked Ms. Taylor if she would allow her clients to be asked questions. Ms. Taylor stated that she would not, without first having an opportunity to review the questions. After consultation with her clients, Ms. Taylor offered to answer the Council's questions on her clients' behalf. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor what the differences are, if any, between the site plan with the disclaimer and the Exhibit 2 site plan. Ms. Taylor explained that the material difference is the disclaimer and the building envelope clearly depicted in red on the site plan presented to members of the Council and the community. She said the site plan that the City chooses to use is the site plan used in the traffic report. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor if Hayscale had explained, during the meetings that were held at Pizza Hut, that the six major stores shown on the site plan could be combined into one large supercenter. Ms. Taylor stated that she did not believe question was ever asked. She noted that every member of the development team was instructed to indicate that the ultimate configuration of the tenants within the building envelope would be determined by the tenants. She stated that, although she had never offered an affirmative explanation of that possibility, other members of the development team might have. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor if Hayscale had ever contacted SteinMart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Linens Plus, Borders Books, or any of the other specialty retailers listed in their marketing study submitted to the City. Ms. Taylor noted that she was not involved in the marketing of the site. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor if Mr. Jay Schneider knew the answer. Ms. Taylor stated it was her understanding that SteinMart had contacted the Hurleys and were interested in the site. 8 Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor why Hayscale had complained about the original stipulation requiring two 40,000 square foot retail spaces, but not the requirement of a 100,000 square foot minimum. Ms. Taylor explained that they had originally complained about the entire stipulation; however, staff felt it was not in the City's best interest to amend the stipulation. She stated that, while they would have preferred to eliminate the stipulation, they had asked the Planning Commission to modify the two 40,000 square foot tenants to two 20,000 square foot tenants. She said the stipulations were modified upon the Planning Commission's recommendation. Mayor Scruggs asked if Hayscale could successfully develop the 40-acre parcel if the City were to adopt the new zoning stipulation 7. Ms. Taylor stated that she was not in a position to speculate on the marketability of the site. Mayor Scruggs asked if Hayscale knew Kimley Horn & Associates had regularly performed traffic impact studies for Wal-Mart at the time they hired them to do the traffic study at 51st and Olive Avenues. Ms. Taylor stated that she did not know. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor if Hayscale had spoken to Wal-Mart about locating a Wal-Mart store at 51st and Olive Avenues prior to January of 1999, when Kimley Horn & Associates submitted its traffic study to the City. Ms. Taylor stated that Wal-Mart, as well as other big-box users, had contacted Hayscale over the years about purchasing the property. Mayor Scruggs asked when Hayscale first had discussions with Wal-Mart about locating a Wal-Mart Store at 51st and Olive Avenues. Ms. Taylor stated that she did not know. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor if the discussions between Hayscale and Wal- Mart were about a regular Wal-Mart store or a Wal-Mart superstore. Ms. Taylor stated that she did not know because she was not involved in the marketing of the site. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor when Hayscale had first informed the surrounding neighbors that there would be a Wal-Mart Supercenter developed at 51st and Olive Avenues. Ms. Taylor stated that she did not know. She said September 14, 1999 was her last active involvement in the case until January of 2000, when the Hurleys indicated that they were going to survey the residents who were involved in the Citizen Participation Plan. She stated she was contacted in May of 2000 and told that the negotiations were well underway and the Hurleys wanted to meet with members of the Council to share that information. Mayor Scruggs asked Ms. Taylor if Hayscale still believed it was appropriate, after hearing the public's strong objections, for it to continue to press forward with plans to develop a superstore at 51st and Olive Avenues. Ms. Taylor said Hayscale has evidence that there is a significant amount of support for the site and, therefore, it believes it is appropriate to move forward. 9 Ms. Taylor offered to respond in writing to questions that she was unable to answer. Mayor Scruggs opened the public hearing on Agenda Item No. 2. Ms. Lisa Conaway, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, noted that she lives approximately one-third of a mile from the proposed site. She said she supports the stipulation amendments as recommended by the Planning Commission. She expressed her opinion that a big-box, 24-hour retailer would not fit in at that location. She said traffic impacts would be significant and not appropriate. Mr. Stanley H. Walters, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that he lives approximately eight-tenths of a mile from the proposed site. He stated that he opposed the action and was not convinced that a 40-acre hayfield was the best economic use of that land. He said development of the site is inevitable and, regardless of the type of development, additional traffic would be created. He said the owners of the property have a right to reap the best economic benefits they can, without significantly damaging the neighborhood. He questioned statements made regarding . an increase in crime and a decrease in property values. He said citizens have to be able to rely on promises made by their elected officials. Ms. Dorothy Gallagher, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said she lives one block from the proposed development. She noted that a stranger, who stated that he was a representative of the Hurleys, had approached her, asking questions. She said the gentlemen refused to disclose his last name. She noted that other residents in the area had reported anonymous individuals calling and coming to their homes. She questioned why the applicant was not allowing their representatives to reveal their identity and relationship to the applicant. She stated that her husband asked Ms. Hurley and Ms. Taylor at one of the Pizza Hut meetings if they were considering a big-box development. She said he was assured that they were not. She noted that citizens residing outside of the immediate area had attended the Horizon School meeting to speak with regard to their experience in having a Wal-Mart store in their neighborhood. She asked the Council to require future developers to reveal any perspective tenants to preclude a similar situation from occurring again. She pointed out that residents in the area have emailed Wal-Mart regarding their concerns and have only received a standard response. She questioned why the Hurleys did not reveal that they had been contacted by Wal-Mart at the initial meetings. Mr. Mike Crusa, a resident of the City of Phoenix, stated that his office is located approximately 16 miles from the proposed site. He explained that his company, The Summit Group, works with neighborhoods and neighbors to provide information on individual zoning projects. He stated that the gentleman who approached Ms. Gallagher was from his office and he apologized if he did not identify himself. He explained that they had been asked to attempt to contact as many residents as possible within a one and a half mile radius of the project site to provide information about the project, to ask residents if they knew about the inclusion of a Wal-Mart, and if they 10 opposed or supported it. He said they were unable to speak to everyone, as some people stated that they did not care and others said they were not familiar with the project. He referred to 923 orange dots on an aerial map representing 1,115 residents in opposition to the project and in support of the amendments. He referred to 1,853 yellow dots representing 2,505 residents in support of the project and in opposition to the amendments. He submitted 1,838 individually-signed statements in support of the project. He noted that the individuals all live within one and a half miles of the site. Mr. Marcus Moran, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that he lives approximately 60 feet from the site. He said he was originally in favor of the Hurley's development, but now believes he and his family were deceived, tricked, and lied to. He explained that he was shown a drawing, which provided no square footage and did not indicate the type of stores that would be developed. He said the Hurleys willfully deceived the neighborhood, as a Wal-Mart was planned for the site from the beginning. He noted that neither he, nor the owners of the three homes to his left or right, were contacted by those representing Hayscale. He noted that he had spoken to Ms. Taylor and asked her if there was any other site in the City comprised of a 40-acre open field, surrounded on three sides by residential homes. He said she had acknowledged that there was not another comparable site. He stated he also asked Mr. Jay Mr. Schneider if he believed Hayscale would have been able to gain citizen support had the citizens known from the beginning that Wal-Mart was going to be the major tenant. He said Mr. Schneider stated that he did not believe the citizens would have supported the development. He questioned why he was not personally contacted about the development. He stated that he only found out about the inclusion of Wal- Mart after reading about it in the paper. Ms. Violet McComsev, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said she lives approximately one block from the proposed site. She stated that she firmly supported the development and believed it would be an asset to the community. She stated that the elderly residents in the area would benefit and the development would create new job opportunities. Ms. Kay Fulghum, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, noted that she lives approximately three-quarters of a mile form the proposed site. She stated that she supported the proposed amendments. She expressed her opinion that the City Council had extended a courtesy to the developer with respect to outlining the final details regarding square footage of tenant spaces within the main structure and that the courtesy was misconstrued by the developer and not communicated to the community. She stated that she had nothing against the Wal-Mart Corporation. She suggested that Wal-Mart build a 100,000 square foot store instead. She said the action taken by the Planning Commission with respect to the stipulation that those interior spaces remain separate entities was entirely necessary and reasonable given the initial presentation by the applicant. She stated that the traffic associated with a 24-hour superstore is appropriate for a commercial corridor, not a residential neighborhood. She said the stipulations restricting nighttime operations, deliveries, and overnight parking of semi- trucks and recreational vehicles for the development location are critical to preserving 11 the peace and safety of the neighborhood. She questioned whether another 24-hour operation was necessary in the City of Glendale, especially in the middle of a neighborhood. She asked the Council to closely scrutinize the actions taken by Wal- Mart and other project supporters in gaining support for the project. She noted that the employees at the 59th Avenue and Bell Road Wal-Mart are afraid that they will lose their jobs once the supercenter is built. Mr. John Cuthbert, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said he originally thought it was great that the Hurleys wanted to involve the community in the development of their property. He said the Hurleys should now stand up for the community and keep the promises they made. He clarified for Mayor Scruggs that he opposed the Wal-Mart development and supported the proposed amendments. Ms. Suzanne Dreher, a resident of the City of Phoenix, stated that she lives approximately 11 miles from the site. She said she understood why the immediate neighbors would hate to lose the field. She noted, however, that people must have known when they purchased their homes that the location would one day be commercially developed. She said people go to Super Wal-Mart because of the money they can save. She questioned whether people would be willing to pay more for products in order to support smaller businesses on the property. She said 24-hour operations are a sign of the times and people want that kind of convenience. Ms. Linda Hamilton-O'Sullivan, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said she lives less than one mile from the proposed site. She said she was proud and appreciative of many of the things the Council had done for the City of Glendale, including the recycling program, the sensory garden, and the Civic Center. She said the people involved in the development had not informed her of the inclusion of a Wal-Mart. She said she took issue with disparaging comments made by Hayscale's attorney as to Mayor Scruggs' integrity stating, once the public came forth with their concerns, she and the Council have listened to and acted upon those concerns. She said she also had questions as to what other retailers Hayscale had contacted. She noted that there should be letters of declination from each of those companies and she suggested they be entered into the public record. She said, if the Hurleys really want what is best for the community, they could withdraw their lawsuit against the City, produce evidence of having contacted other retailers, and have Wal- Mart provide documentation that Manistee Town Center's owners declined to have Wal- Mart take over that property. She asked if the Council could consider vacating the original zoning decision of September 14, 1999, basically rendering any lawsuits moot. Ms. Malena Chapman, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, submitted a public hearing speaker's card, indicating her opposition to the proposed amendments. When called upon to speak, she was not present to address the Council. Mr. Peter Abbott, a resident of the City of Glendale, submitted a public hearing speaker's card, indicating his opposition to the proposed amendments, When called upon to speak, he chose not to address the Council. 12 Mr. Al DeLossa, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said he believed the original plan which was presented to the neighborhood was a town-and- country type development that would be neighborhood friendly. He emphasized that no one had ever mentioned a big-box store going into the development. He questioned why Wal-Mart was not present when the rezoning case was presented. He said the Hurleys knew there would be opposition, but believed, if they had a contract in writing, they would be able to fight it. He stated he was in favor of Amendment 7 and believed it to be the right thing to do. With regard to Amendment 8, he said he had spent a lot of time analyzing the traffic situation at 51st and Olive Avenues. He agreed that, although traffic would increase by whatever type of development goes in at that location, a megastore would create a tremendous amount of traffic. He stated he also supported Amendment 23. Ms. Julie Effron, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she lives approximately one and a half blocks from the proposed site. She thanked the Council for taking into consideration the addresses of those speaking. She stated that she did not look forward to increased traffic and crime, or decreased property values. She referred to an article in the Arizona Republic which reported that Glendale has a five-minute emergency service response time. The article noted that people have previously testified it takes emergency vehicles one to two minutes to get through the intersection at 51st and Olive Avenues. She stated that residents north of the proposed site would have decreased emergency service response times. She expressed her resentment of a telemarketing call she had received. She noted that, once she said she was not in support of the project, she was never asked how many people live at her residence. She asked to have the public record include documentation showing when Wal-Mart initiated conversations with Hayscale and when the deal was actually signed. Mr. Dennis Powers, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, noted that he lives approximately one-quarter mile from the site. He said he felt that Hayscale overlooked his neighborhood during its surveying process. He noted that the same group of people are involved with the Wal-Mart development at 83rd Avenue and Union Hills Drive. He stated that previous conversations with Ms. Amy Hill revealed that Wal- Mart's original development plan was to put a Wal-Mart at the Manistee Town Center, with a Sam's Club at 51st and Olive Avenues. He said negotiations with Manistee were abandoned two and a half years ago. He said this made him question how long conversations between the Hurleys and Wal-Mart had been going on. He agreed the site would, and should, be developed. He noted, however, that he did not believe this particular development was appropriate for the site. Ms. Sharon Luebkin, 5243 a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she lives approximately one-half mile from the site. She noted that neither she nor her husband had received notification of the development, either early in the process or recently. She mentioned the year-round school in their neighborhood and stated that a large store would create serious safety hazards for the students attending 13 that school. She said she was particularly in favor of Amendment 7 because it would address her traffic concerns. Mayor Scruggs noted that she did not have any additional public hearing speaker's cards in opposition to the proposed amendments. Ms. Debra Kist, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she lives approximately three-quarters of a mile from the proposed site. She pointed out that none of the homeowners who were part of the original group meeting at the Pizza Hut had once stated they were aware that a big-box store was being considered. She said the residents of the area have set their lives aside for the past four months to focus on this battle because it will have a direct impact on them. She said convenience does not matter when compared to safety, traffic, the welfare of children, and property values. She stated the Hurleys had promised no negative impact and an enhancement to the neighborhood; however, those promises would not be kept if the development proceeds. She said Wal-Mart and the Hurleys requested a tax abatement equaling several million dollars, even though they stated in their proposal that they would pay their share of infrastructure. She stated that the Hurley's proposal only mentioned a discount warehouse, and not a big-box development. She said most stores have found that it is not profitable to operate on a 24-hour basis and have gone back to an 11:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m. closure. She emphasized that the real issue was that the neighborhood itself was deceived. Ms. Dee Sn der-Johnson a resident of the Cit of Glendale Barrel District, said she lives approximately 30 yards from the proposed site. In response to Ms. Hill's comments, she stated this was not a Wal-Mart issue. She noted that most of her neighbors shop at Wal-Mart. She said they were opposed to a big-box development, regardless of the specific tenant. She stated that a 24-hour big-box store would drastically increase her travel time. Noting that quite a few disabled people live in the neighborhood, she stated that it would no longer be safe for them to stroll through the neighborhood. She stated that she had not been personally contacted by the Hurleys to ask her about the proposed development and only knew about the proposed Wal- Mart because of an article in the newspaper. She said she was assured during conversations with the Hurleys that a big-box store would not be developed. She said she contacted several retailers, including Barnes and Noble, Starbucks and SteinMart and was told by Barnes and Noble and Starbucks that they had no knowledge of ever being contacted to build a store at the site. She said Starbucks did not respond. Mr. Rick Tennehill, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that he lives approximately one and one-half blocks from the proposed site. He said he had attended several of the citizen participation meetings and asked the Hurleys and their representatives specifically what stores they intended to have in their development. He stated a big-box superstore was never mentioned. He accused the Hurleys and their representatives of lying by omission. He cited increased traffic at an intersection that could not easily be widened and decreased property values as two of the major problems that the proposed development would bring to the neighborhood. 14 He said the proposed amendments are absolutely necessary and probably sufficient to ensure that the original development plan is strictly adhered to. He asked the Council to give the greatest consideration to those who live in the immediate neighborhood. Mr. David Gallagher, a resident of the City_of Glendale Barrel District, said it irritated him that the Hurleys and their representatives were now crying "foul" when they had deceived the neighborhood from the beginning. He asked the Council to support the amendments on behalf of everyone in the neighborhood. Ms. Elizabeth Polak, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she lives approximately one block from the proposed site. She said she recently attended a meeting where the architect presented an illustration of the site plan and mentioned verbiage contained in the site plan that indicated the layout of the stores could be changed, depending on the tenant. She said they were never before told the layout of the stores was dependent on the tenants. She stated the Hurleys and their representatives deliberately misrepresented how the property would be used and asked the Council to take that into consideration in making its decision. She also asked the Council to give those in the neighborhood the greatest consideration. Ms. Arline Yzquierdo, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, mentioned a big-box store that was built in the City of Mesa. She stated that the City of Mesa told her that traffic in the area increased by 37%; the accident rate had gone up by 30%, and the City of Mesa predicted it would go as high as 50% during the holiday season. She said people who are in favor of the proposed development do not live in the area. She stated that she lived approximately three blocks from the proposed site. Ms. Patti Wvrick, a resident of the City_of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she lives a little over one mile from the proposed site and was in favor of the proposed amendments. She said the restriction against combining individual store spaces was necessary. She stated that access to 53rd and Barbara Avenues needs to be restricted for the safety of those residents who live in the area. She said she liked the restriction on delivery and operation hours. She agreed that the prohibition of overnight parking of trucks and recreational vehicles and outside storage containers were in the neighborhood's best interest. She noted that she had previously served the City on its Board of Adjustment and stated that she believed what was happening at 51st and Olive Avenues does not fit into the City's General Plan. She said she was pleased to see that elected officials can admit their mistakes and attempt to correct them. Mr. Charlie Grim, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel_District, stated that he supported the amendments. He said the traffic that would be generated by a big-box store was his single biggest concern. He noted he lives approximately one- quarter of a mile north of the proposed site. He said Ms. Taylor appeared to threaten the City with the high cost of a legal defense. He would like to ask her, however, how much is too much to pay to preserve their neighborhood. He pointed out the text of the 15 petition presented by Ms. Hurley at the Planning and Zoning hearing held on December 7th did not mention Wal-Mart. Ms. Trish Edwards, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she lives adjacent to the proposed site. She said she was in favor of the proposed amendments and supported the work that the City was doing to separate commercial development from residential development. She said the proposed amendments would bring the project into conformance with the original site plan and provide the minimum protection needed for the neighborhood. She said she had attended one of the original meetings at Pizza Hut, at which they were shown a flat representation of the site layout, which clearly indicated six distinct, segregated, separate businesses. She said she specifically asked Ms. Hurley if those lines represented walls and if they would be moved to combine spaces. She said Ms. Hurley's response was that, until they knew who the tenants would be, they could not know the exact square footage of each section. Ms. Edwards stated that she understood this to mean that walls would be moved within reason of the plan presented. She said they were never told that there was the possibility of a wall, much less all walls, being removed for combined usage. She stated they were never notified of a Wal-Mart going into the development and had to learn about it from the newspaper. With regard to previous statements made that 1,000 cards were sent out, surveying people as to the types of stores they would like to see included in the development, Ms. Edwards stated that 23 cards were returned, indicating Wal-Mart did not represent the majority. Ms. Jordan Rich Rose, an attorney with the law firm of Jordan and Bishoff located in the City of Scottsdale, stated that she represented Wal-Mart. She said some of the development's supporters, including Ms. Joan Schaffer, the Mayor of the City of Surprise, were not able to attend the meeting. She read Ms. Schaffer's letter into the record. Ms. Susan Stutzman, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said, since the Hurleys promised an upscale shopping center with a relaxed atmosphere, the amendment to Stipulation 7 was acceptable. She stated that Stipulation 8 was necessary for the safety of their children. She said Stipulation 23 was important because it would preserve the quiet and peacefulness of the neighborhood during the night-time hours when children are trying to sleep. She said the restriction on overnight parking was also important. She noted that she had led the charge in getting a stop sign installed at 53rd and Barbara Avenues. She asked the Council to support the proposed amendments, thereby forcing the Hurleys to keep their promises. Mr. John Lewis, a resident of the City of Glendale Cholla District, said, although he lives approximately 12 miles from the proposed site, his business is located at 5132 West Olive Avenue. He pointed out that a majority of the supporters of the development do not live in the immediate area. He said the further people live from the proposed site, the less they care about the impacts of the development. He noted a comment made earlier by a woman from Waymark Gardens who stated that the 16 residents of Waymark Gardens would support Wal-Mart 100% when it is built. He noted that this would impact existing businesses in the area. Ms. Kathleen Lewis, a resident of the City ofGlendale Cholla District, said she lives approximately 12 miles from the proposed site and is the co-owner of the business located at 5132 West Olive Avenue. She said they have ten employees who work and live in the neighborhood. She asked the Council to consider the viability of their business when making its decision. She said her customers are overwhelmingly in opposition to a big-box development at 51St and Olive Avenues. She said big-box stores belong in commercial corridors, not residential neighborhoods, because they destroy property values and drive out small businesses. She said the property should be developed in a way that complements the neighborhood. She stated that traffic at the intersection of 5e and Olive Avenues is a nightmare and would not improve with the introduction of a big-box store. She said the City of Glendale should be commended for the steps it has taken to protect new and older neighborhoods, business owners, and shopping centers. Mr. Leonard Clark, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that he lives approximately one and one-quarter miles from the proposed site. He thanked the people in the audience for attending the meetings and addressing the Council. He said he believed the Council made an honest mistake and has only the best intentions for the City. He noted that emergency service vehicles have had problems getting through the intersection. He said the principal of neighborhood sanctity is very important and should be preserved. Ms. Beverly Black, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said she lives three blocks from the proposed site. She stated that she and her husband had attended two of the meetings held at Pizza Hut and have since received two newsletters from the Hurley family. She read excepts from the newsletters, which acknowledged the impact the development would have on surrounding neighbors and expressed their intent to develop a high-quality, family orientated commercial center that would enhance the neighborhood. She said she and her husband were both in favor of the proposed amendments and the original plan, which showed several tenants, none of which were larger than 92,000 square feet. Mr. Warren Doede, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, expressed his opinion that Wal-Mart is a predatory company and not a good corporate neighbor. He said he was opposed to the Wal-Mart development. Mr. William Baker, a resident of the City of Glendale Cactus District, said he lives approximately five miles from the proposed project. He stated that he has been involved in many shopping center constructions and seen many of them fail. He said most of them fail due to lack of a strong anchor store. He stated small stores do not bring in the people necessary to sustain the shopping center. 17 Mr. Ron Prothero, a resident of the City of Glendale Ocotillo District, said he has gone to various shopping centers and concluded that a 200,000 square foot store would not fit in the community. He estimated his home to be located two and a half miles from the proposed site. Mr. Joseph Butter, a resident of the City of Glendale Cactus District, stated that he lives one mile south of the proposed site. He expressed sympathy for both the Hurleys and the residents of the area. He said the City does many things well, but, in his opinion, city planning and development does not rank amongst them. He said he was concerned by statements made by the Planning Commission and the Council that they had been duped. He said he had observed a Council that could easily get to the facts and he questioned how it could have let the proposed development get by. He expressed his opinion that the City has two competing agendas. He explained that the Council has stated, on several occasions, its belief that there is an imbalance of commercial and residential property in the City of Glendale. He stated his belief that commercial development is encouraged by the Council whenever public opposition is low, thus creating traffic hazards and the insertion of commercial developments into residential areas. He said that, although Hayscale may have been dishonest, they went through the process and obtained their zoning in a legal manner. He said he did not believe the City was duped and their actions have resulted in Hayscale bringing a lawsuit against the City. He encouraged the citizens of Glendale to remember this case when they vote in the next City election. Public Hearing Speaker's cards were received from the following people, who indicated that they supported Zoning Amendment Application Z-00-25 , but did not wish to speak: Ms. Celle Ambers, a resident of the City of Glendale Ms. Sandy Beauchamp, a resident of the City of Glendale Yucca District Ms. Regina Boulais, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Warren Doede, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Timothy A. Gath, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Ms. Terri Harrington, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Ms. Ann Hei, a resident of the City of Glendale Mr. James Hei, a resident of the City of Glendale Ms. Kathy Inoshita, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Minoru Inoshita, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Ms. Gail Jackson, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Jay Jackson, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Bruce Janing, a resident of the City of Glendale Ms. Patricia Janing, a resident of the City of Glendale Ms. Dolores Kalowaski, a resident of the City of Glendale Mr. Raymond Kalowaski, a resident of the City of Glendale Ms. Helen M. Moriarity, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Thomas P. Moriarity, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Ms. Rose D. Muler, a resident of the City of Glendale 18 Mr. Wayne S. Nielsen, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Tony Remo, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Ms. Carol Robideau, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Ms. Frances Rogers, a resident of the City of Glendale Mr. Marvin Rogers, a resident of the City of Glendale Mr. Steve Snyder-Johnson, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Robert Stone, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Jeffrey P. Suttles, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Mike Vespoli, a resident of the City of Glendale Cholla District Ms. Tammy Vogel, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Charles L. Wyrick, Ill, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District Mr. Fred Yamashita, a resident of the City of Glendale Sahuaro District Public Hearing Speaker's cards were received from the following people, who indicated that they opposed Zoning Amendment Application Z-00-25 , but did not wish to speak: Mr. Rick Butler, a resident of the City of Phoenix Mr. Mike Ebert, a resident of the City of Scottsdale Ms. Allison Heron Mr. Randy Johnson, a resident of the City of Glendale Cholla District Mr. Steve Martin, a resident of the City of Glendale Sahuaro District Mr. Robert Miller Mr. Mike Smothermon, a resident of the City of Glendale Cholla District Ms. Vicky Smothermon, a resident of the City of Glendale Cholla District Mayor Scruggs closed the public hearing on Agenda Item No. 2. It was moved by Eggleston, and seconded by Lieberman, to approve Zoning Amendment Application Z-00-25 amending the stipulations of approval for the C-2 zoning previously approved under Rezoning Application Z-99-01. Councilmember Martinez read an excerpt from the minutes of the December 7, 2000 Planning Commission hearing. He said, in his opinion, the development would not enhance the quality of life of the citizens who live close to the project and he, therefore, supported the amendments. Councilmember Goulet thanked all of the speakers and residents who came to tonight's meeting to give testimony. He said it was ironic that comments were made implying that those in favor of the development felt threatened or intimidated, when the first speaker, herself, sought to threaten and intimidate. He said the issue has never been about Wal-Mart, it has been about the most appropriate land use for the community. He said he also supported the motion. 19 Councilmember Lieberman said it was a difficult decision for him because he knows the Hurleys and a number of people who live in his district had signed petitions in favor of the big-box store. He said he had reviewed the plans and was aware at the time of the original rezoning that there was the possibility of a big-box store being included in the development. He said he had weighed what would be best for the City in the long run and, therefore, he would support the stipulations. He noted that he was the one who recommended the original stipulation regarding the delivery area fifteen months ago. Mayor Scruggs read the following prepared statement into the record. "Over the past weeks, some of my remarks from the Council meeting of September 14, 1999 have been used and misused by various individuals. Significant newspaper space has been taken up with the use and misuse of my remarks from that evening. Now, this evening, I have had to endure my name used in a third party reference by Ms. Taylor with reference to a meeting at which she was not present. At the same time, Ms. Taylor did not recount my unfavorable reaction when told about Wal-Mart at the May meeting she was present at. However, nowhere have I seen certain sentences of mine printed nor repeated. Those sentences are as follows: "Mayor Scruggs thanked everyone who had participated in the Citizen Participation Program related to this case. She encouraged the Hurley family to wisely handle the amount of trust that has been given to them." What we are here for tonight turns on the citizen participation and the resulting trust given to the Hurley family — not just by the citizens, but also by the Planning Commission members, the City Council, and the staff of the City of Glendale. From the Final Citizen Participation Report prepared bv the Hurleys dated April 8, 1999 Page 1 : "Property will likely be developed as a Community Shopping Center, with the potential for three anchor tenants, inline retail space, and approximately five freestanding pad sites." 20 No word about a power center. Page 1: "The Hurley's desire is to see that the property is developed in a suitable manner, which will contribute to and enhance the quality of life in Glendale and for adjacent neighbors". This is what the proposed amendments being considered tonight will accomplish. Page 2: Neighborhood effort began in July 1998. The Hurleys implemented their own plan, devised by them and without City of Glendale direction. • Met with 28 adjacent residents through door-to-door • Held 3 open houses at Pizza Hut for those residents (23 signed in) • Distributed flyers to 226 homes within 300 feet of the site and went door-to-door to meet the residents • Held 2 open houses at Pizza Hut for those residents (37 signed in) • Sent follow-up letters to all 226 homes, whether anyone attended or not • Sent flyers to 885 homes within an approximate one-half mile radius • Held open house meetings (42 signed in) • Sent follow-up letters Page 3: To meet the requirements of the Glendale Citizen Participation Ordinance, over 1200 letters were mailed, inviting people to a meeting on March 25, 1999 at Horizon Elementary School (29 signed in) Difference in City of Glendale Citizen Participation Plan over Hurley plan is a wider notification area and having all people hear the same information at the same time. 21 Page 4: Hurleys made personal contact with 4 homeowners' associations: Rossmore — Suncrest — Windstream —Woodglen • Traffic was #1 • Types of uses/do not want negative uses was #3 • Impact on property values was #4 • Noise was #14 Page 7: "Frequently mentioned uses were 'nice sit down' family restaurants. bagel and coffee shops, banks, bookstores, and other high quality stores." "Additionally, at the suggestion of one of the neighbors, the Hurleys would like to work informally with a group of neighbors in reviewing and suggesting appropriate uses for the site." If the last statement had been fulfilled, we most likely would not be needing this meeting this evening. The Hurleys and their representatives had gained the trust of the neighbors — and therefore the trust of the council—by this commitment and others like it. By representations of a friendly, neighborhood oriented shopping center filled with stores desired by the residents, 146 neighbors signed a petition that reads as follows: "NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL SHOPPING CENTER We, the undersigned property owners and residents in the vicinity of 51st Avenue and Olive in the City of Glendale, have had an opportunity to review the proposed Zoning and General Plan Amendment for the proposed retail shopping center at the southwest corner of 51st Avenue and Olive. We support the General Plan and zoning changes to allow the development of the proposed retail shopping center." If the proposed retail shopping center, as alluded to and described by the Hurley family in personal meetings with neighborhood residents and certain elected officials, and in the marketing and traffic studies given to the City, was the project being delivered now — there would be no reason for this 22 meeting. We placed our collective trust in those representations and granted approval for those representations to be constructed in our neighborhood. Nowhere in this very thick Citizen Participation Report presented to us by the Hurley family is there any reference to any superstore - of any brand or name. To the opposite. All references were always to friendly, pedestrian oriented, neighborhood compatible stores of an "upscale nature". To the issue of a 100,000 square foot store. After months of hearing about Bed, Bath & Beyond, Linens Plus, SteinMart, Barnes and Noble, and other stores of that nature being planned by the Hurley family - and being indicated by their marketing report as being needed in this area - why would i or any of the other members of the City Council - or the neighbors themselves - expect that 100,000 square feet is not the size of any of those retailers? When I go into a Bed, Bath and Beyond or a Barnes and Noble store, for example, I see a very, very large open space and I know that there is storage and warehouse space behind what I see. I am sure you are just like me in that you don't know - nor try to find out - what is the square footage of any of those stores. But real estate brokers, and owners of land to be leased, and retailers themselves know that information. In this case, they knew it but chose not to share it with us. The Hurleys and their many representatives chose not to protest when Glendale staff - in trying to ensure significant development occurred but also unaware of the limited number of retailers that consume 100,000 square feet - developed the original Stipulation #7. The Hurleys and their many representatives sat silently rather than telling us to make the changes that would enable them to secure the retailers they assured us were needed in our area, were interested in our area, and which they were planning to bring to our area. Why would they do that? 23 We had all placed our trust in the Hurley family based NOT on how the property COULD be developed, but on their own description of how the property WOULD be developed by them. And it was upon that trust — painstakingly built over a 14-month period that the Glendale City Council gave unanimous approval to the General Plan and rezoning requests from the Hurley family for their property at the southwest corner of 518 Avenue and Olive. And that is why we are here tonight to amend the actions of September 14, 1999 to ensure that the Hurleys follow through with the plans that gained our trust and gained the rezoning they desired. And that is why I will vote in support of Zoning Amendment Application Z-00-25: 5101 West Olive Avenue." Upon a call for the question, the motion carried unanimously. The meeting recessed for a short break. PUBLIC HEARING - ORDINANCES 3. ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT Z-00-23 BIG-BOX RETAIL IN C-1, C-2 & C-3 ZONING DISTRICTS Mr. Ray Jacobs, Zoning Administrator, stated that the next two items on the agenda are text amendments that address the community's concern regarding the location and operations of large retail stores. The first, Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-23, recognizes existing zoned properties, as well as existing large retail stores. The second, Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-24, provides new shopping center districts to better accommodate both neighborhood and community level retail uses. Text Amendment Z-00-23 is a City Council initiative to amend the C-1, C-2, and C-3 zoning districts. The amendment adds new single retail uses with a gross floor area greater than 75,000 square feet to the list of uses subject to a conditional use permit. The amendment also requires existing single retail uses in the C-1, C-2, C-3 district with a gross floor area greater than 75,000 square feet to obtain a conditional use permit to expand the floor area by 5% or more. Single retail uses with a gross floor area greater than 75,000 square feet represent a threshold for review between neighborhood scale stores to those community level retail uses with an extended market area. This threshold provides for anchor stores clearly community in scale to be subject to additional review through the conditional review process. 24 The amendment provides for additional review of large retail uses through the use permit process. The process will address the issues of whether the proposed location is suitable for the surrounding neighborhood, including traffic analysis, site plan review, and consideration of potential operational measures to address impacts and compatibility with surrounding land uses. The existing SC (Shopping Center) district that was adopted in 1993 includes a similar provision for conditional use permit for large retail uses. This standard was established after extensive discussions of the appropriate scale for neighborhood uses, while allowing for approval of larger stores through the use permit process. Text Amendment Z-00-23 adds a similar requirement to other potential shopping center locations in the C-1, C-2, C-3 districts. Many C-1, C-2, C-3 locations may be suited to large retail uses, but there are also properties with this zoning that are not suited to accommodate community scale uses due traffic impacts and operational impacts that are detrimental to the surrounding area and community as a whole. There are currently 22 other land uses in the C-2 zoning district, which are subject to approval of a conditional use permit. All the uses with that category are generally consistent with the intent of the C-2 district, but, because of their potential impact, operational characteristics, traffic generation, or possible relationship to adjacent uses, they are reviewed on a specific location-by-location basis to ensure that any changes are subject to future review. The use permit process provides a review mechanism and an ongoing basis for potential changes to the use over time. The use permit process provides mechanisms to mitigate specific concerns on a site-by-site basis. The citizen participation process for the text amendment included the notification of 1,176 property owners of C-1, C-2, and C-3 zoned properties. This was an effort to contact as many existing property owners as possible to notify them of the proposed changes. Additionally commercial developers and brokers familiar with the community were contacted. Most responses were from property owners asking questions regarding the amendment's application to their property. Representatives of WM Grace, on behalf of K-mart and Costco, requested that their projects be exempted from the amendment. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-23 at its hearing held on December 7, 2000. The recommendation was to conduct a public hearing, approve Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-23, waive reading beyond the title, and adopt the ordinance amending the text of the zoning ordinance. 25 Mr. Dean Svoboda, Planning Director, said that Mr. Jacobs presented the basic concept and rationale for the proposed amendment and he wanted to address the need to adopt the ordinance with an emergency clause. Large-scale retailers bring many benefits to our community. They can also have a detrimental effect if not properly located and regulated. The scale and mass of the building, warehouse-style architecture, unrestricted loading, outdoor storage, inadequate setbacks and buffers, and onsite and offsite traffic congestion are just a few of the many issues we have dealt with over the years. Our research indicates that these concerns are nationwide and not isolated to our community. The impacts of a big box store and the potential options for mitigating these impacts are affected by the location of the property, its size and shape, and its orientation. This requires a site-specific evaluation and consideration of a wide variety of variables that are unique to each site. Experience leads me to believe that big box uses, as defined in the proposed ordinance, should not be permitted outright in all commercial zoning districts under general development standards. A conditional use permit requires a site-specific evaluation with required findings prior to approval. I believe this is the minimum level of regulation needed to ensure that big box uses do not adversely affect our community. The precedent for regulating large-scale retail uses with a conditional use permit is already established in the zoning ordinance by the SC district. The City Council first recognized the need for this type of site-specific review when it adopted the ordinance in 1993. The trend toward larger stores has increased since then. The proposed text amendment simply adds the conditional use permit requirement to the C-1, C-2, and C-3 zoning districts. These districts make up the majority of the existing commercial zoning in our City. The parcels with this zoning are widely scattered in a variety of settings, and this is where the majority of big box development activity is occurring. We currently have several big box users proposing to develop in our City. It is important that this ordinance become effective immediately in order to minimize any adverse effects on our community and ensure that all applicants are treated fairly. Mayor Scruggs opened the public hearing on Agenda Item No. 3. Mr. Grant Woods, an attorney representingWal-Mart, explained that he had been retained to handle any litigation against the City of Glendale that may occur as a result of this action. He stated that Wal-Mart specifically requested exemption from this ordinance. He said the substance of the lawsuit would be that the City is seeking to enforce the ordinance upon companies that have been involved in the City's process for some time. He said they believed arguments of estoppel, arguments of due process, and even arguments of equal protection could be made. He urged the Council not to 26 pass the amendment and have it take into account projects that have already complied with the City's existing rules. He said A.R.S. 9462 makes it clear that, in effect, the City is rezoning or substantially changing the rules as they apply to Wal-Mart. He stated that they believed the emergency clause was not appropriate or allowed by Arizona State Statutes. He said they would take the issue to the courts if the amendment was passed with an emergency clause because they felt no other recourse would be available to them. He stated that there was no emergency in the City of Glendale requiring the Council to take emergency action on a big-box ordinance. He stated that the emergency clause was made up to keep it from being referred to the public. He urged the Council to exempt the people who are currently in the process and, if not, asked that the amendment not be adopted on an emergency basis. He said this would give Wal-Mart three options: (1) beginning the process of taking the issue to the public to see if there is support; (2) try to move through the Conditional Use Permit process and hope it moves smoothly; or (3) do both simultaneously. He concluded by stating that they did not want to have litigation and would not sue if the amendment was passed without the emergency clause. Ms. Jordan Rich Rose, an attorney with the law firm of Jordan and Bishoff located in the City of Scottsdale, recommended that the Council follow the Planning Commission's suggestion to give consideration to parties that are already in the pipeline. She said passing the amendment without the recommended modification forces all commercially zoned property in the City of Glendale to go through the Conditional Use Permit. She explained that, by including the recommendation, the Council would be accepting five sites: (1) Costco, (2) K-Mart, (3) Sam's Club, and (4) Wal-Mart at 83`d Avenue and Union Hills Drive, all of which have public support, and (5) the Wal-Mart at 51St and Olive Avenues which was taken care of through the previous action. She recommended that they include the language "except properties that have received first round design review comments". She stated that adopting the language would save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation and referendum expenses. She stated that they had research and expert outside counsel tell them that they would be successful if they chose to bring action against the City. She urged the Council to pass the amendment without the emergency clause. Mr. Marcus Moran, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, urged the Council to pass the amendment with the emergency clause in spite of the threat of litigation. Mr. Chuck Coughlin, with High Ground, Inc., 830 North 4th Avenue, Phoenix, spoke on behalf of Hayscale L.L.C. and Wal-Mart. He agreed that there was no emergency. He said the use of an emergency clause would only prevent any further voter participation in this matter. He said, should Council decide to go forward with the emergency clause, he would ask for a citizen's review of the Council's ability to use the emergency clause for non-essential City services. 27 Ms. Lisa Conaway, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said she supported the zoning ordinance amendment because it prevents what they have seen happening tonight from happening in the future. She noted that the Planning Commission unanimously recommended the amendment. She stated that she also supported inclusion of the emergency clause. Mr. David Gallagher and Ms. Dorothy Gallag er residents of the City of Glendale Barrel District, submitted public hearing speaker's cards, but were not present to address the Council. Ms. Julie Effron, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, submitted a public hearing speaker's card, but was not present to address the Council. Ms. Dee Snyder-Johnson, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said she supported the amendment. She stated that the lawyers have said they want the issue taken to a public forum, pointing out that is what tonight's meeting provided. She said every citizen of Glendale is welcome to come to the Council meetings. She agreed that the emergency clause should be included because the issue at 51st and Olive Avenues is not over. Mr. Leonard Clark, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, urged the citizens of Glendale to patronize small businesses. He stated that they are the backbone of the country. He said those who are willing to stand up against such huge forces have been given a great opportunity and suggested a statewide force of concerned citizens and neighborhood groups meet with the legislatures. He noted that corporations are considered individuals under State law and afforded the same rights as individuals. He stated that he did not agree with that. He said he would work day and night to inform the citizens of Glendale on this matter. He acknowledged the threat of litigation. He stated, however, that he did not believe that the arguments of those in opposition to the amendment were as strong as they believed. He expressed his opinion that this issue was worth spending money on because it protects the rights of the citizens. Mr. Charlie Grim, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that he supported the ordinance because the issue at 51St and Olive Avenues is going to end up in the courts. He stated that, if all Wal-Mart and Hayscale representatives were willing to sign and withdraw all lawsuits involving the 51st and Olive Avenues store, there would be no emergency. Mr. John D. Carter, a resident of the City of Glendale Cactus District, asked the Council to not include the emergency clause and allow time for additional input to be obtained. He praised the Council for keeping the best interests of the City of Glendale at the forefront. 28 Ms. Debra Kist, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, expressed her opinion that the amendment should include the emergency clause. She noted that no other big-box representatives were present at tonight's meeting. She said the long run costs could well outweigh the cost of any possible litigation. Mr. Dennis Powers, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, agreed that, although there is a need for a big-box ordinance, the emergency issue is one of perspective. He said the citizens of Glendale are not against big-box development, they just want properties developed in a reasonable manner. He agreed that the 51St and Olive Avenues issue is not over and, therefore, it probably constitutes an emergency. He encouraged the Council to move ahead on the ordinance, including the emergency clause. He also pointed out the lack of other big-box retailers voicing their opposition to the ordinance. Mayor Scruggs closed the public hearing on Agenda Item No. 3. Ordinance No. 2176 New Series was read by number and title, it being AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, ARIZONA, ARTICLE 5 (ZONING DISTRICTS) BY ADDING BIG-BOX DEVELOPMENT AS A CONDITIONAL USE IN C-1 (NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL), C2 (GENERAL COMMERCIAL) AND C-3 (HEAVY COMMERCIAL) DISTRICTS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. It was moved by Eggleston, and seconded by Goulet, to approve Ordinance No. 2176 New Series, Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-23 regarding single retail uses with a gross floor area greater than 75,000 square feet, and that Ordinance No. 2176 New Series be approved as an emergency, with the emergency clause set forth in the proposed ordinance. Councilmember Martinez said he had watched the Planning Commission meeting at which this item was discussed and felt the Council had given the consideration requested by the Commission. He stated that he would support the motion. Mayor Scruggs said the Council was appreciative of the Planning Commission's concerns and had spent a great deal of time considering the matter. Motion carried on a roll call vote, with the following members voting "aye": Clark, Goulet, Lieberman, Eggleston, Martinez, Frate, and Scruggs. Members voting "nay": none. 29 4. ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT AMENDMENT Z-00-24 NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY SHOPPING CENTER ZONING DISTRICTS Mr. Ray Jacobs, Zoning Administrator, presented this City Council initiative to add the NSC (Neighborhood Shopping Center) and CSC (Community Shopping Center) zoning districts to the ordinance. These new districts will better reflect the different characteristics of neighborhood and community centers and facilitate implementation of the General Plan. Currently, the only district that accommodates commercial level centers is the C-2 (General Commercial) district. The new NSC zoning district is intended to serve daily shopping needs and be compatible with surrounding neighborhoods. The maximum lot area is 20 acres. Single retail uses with a gross floor area greater than 75,000 square feet are not permitted within the district. The new CSC district is intended to meet the shopping needs of large segments of the community. The minimum lot area must be larger than 20 acres. Single retail uses with a gross floor area greater than 75,000 square feet require conditional use permit approval. The new shopping center districts require a master development plan as part of the rezoning application. The master development plan will become an integral part of the approved zoning. Both the new districts also include performance standards for development. This will allow a more complete review of the character and impacts of proposed shopping centers during the rezoning process. The Planning Commission recommended approval of Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-24 at its hearing held on December 7, 2000. At this hearing, representatives of Valley Partnership and Wal-Mart requested that the item be continued to allow further review by the development industry. The recommendation was to conduct a public hearing, approve Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Z-00-24, waive reading beyond the title, and adopt the ordinance amending the text of the zoning ordinance. Mayor Scruggs opened the public hearing on Agenda Item No. 4. Ms. Maeve Johnson, Executive Director of Valley Partnership, 4520 North 12th Street, Suite 201, Phoenix, explained that her non-profit organization advocates responsible development on behalf of the commercial, industrial, and master planned community real estate development industry. She said, although she understood the reasons behind fast-tracking the amendment, she believed that community and industry comment would provide a better ordinance that meets the needs of the public. She said everyone benefits from big-box developments if the sites are well planned, protecting adjacent residential uses while meeting the needs of the site developer and users. She said they had met with City staff and commended them on their willingness 30 to clarify items on which they had questions. She said there were certain policy issues, however, that the Planning Department directed them to address with Council. She said her preference would be to have the item continued to allow them to work with the Planning Department to address the complex issues in a more comprehensive manner. She reviewed a letter outlining their most significant concerns. Ms. Lisa Conaway, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, stated that she supported the ordinance and would also support a 40-foot landscape buffer around the perimeter of a site. Mr. Leonard Clark, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, said he strongly supported the ordinance. He stated that the Council was trying to ensure that the needs of the citizens are met and developers are held accountable. Mayor Scruggs closed the public hearing on Agenda Item No. 4. Mayor Scruggs said she was not comfortable with Ms. Johnson's suggestion of one convenience use per five acres. She asked what the City would lose or gain by Ms. Johnson's suggested modifications to the drive-thru language. Mr. Dean Svoboda, Planning and Zoning Director, explained that, over the past eight or nine years, the Council has made a practice of not encouraging drive-thru's to be located on the street side of convenience uses. He stated that, although they do not want to exclude convenience uses, they want to ensure they convey a quality development. He agreed that, in some cases, it is difficult to place drive-thru's away from the street side and, if Council feels flexibility is necessary, they should agree to the wording proposed by Ms. Johnson. He said, conversely, if Council felt it was important to discourage drive-thru's from being located on the street side, the wording should remain as initially proposed. Mayor Scruggs asked if a developer would be able to ask for a variance if the Council proceeded with the ordinance as written. Mr. Svoboda said it would be a provision of the Conditional Use Permit and would not be negotiable, nor could a variance be granted. Mayor Scruggs asked why the Planning Department placed it under the Conditional Use Permit versus Development Standards. Mr. Svoboda said it was intended to reflect the level of concern they believed the Council previously expressed regarding convenience uses. Mayor Scruggs asked Mr. Svoboda to explain the wording regarding pad sites. Mr. Svoboda explained that the intent of the wording was that once the first anchor went in, the pad sites would be released for development. He said the pad sites could also be developed concurrently with the major anchor. He stated that he was not comfortable with the wording proposed by Ms. Johnson and believed the initial wording was sufficient to meet the Council's intent. He offered to explore additional wording if the Council so desired. Councilmember Clark suggested that they pass the ordinance, but direct staff to go back and further explore some of the issues raised. Mr. Svoboda said the Council could continue the item for further study, could ask staff to make revisions from the 31 floor, or pass the ordinance and direct staff to continue to work with the development community and Council to fine tune the ordinance. Mayor Scruggs asked Mr. Svoboda if staff would be able to complete its reconsideration by the January 9, 2001 Council meeting. Mr. Svoboda said he would continue to work with the development community; however, should Council choose to do so, they would need to continue the item to that specific date. Based on comments received from Ms. Johnson, Mr. Svoboda recommended continuing the issue to a later date in January of 2001. Councilmember Lieberman said he would be in favor of continuing the item. He asked what would constitute development of the first major anchor. Mr. Svoboda stated that the wording provides administrative discretion for the Planning Director and he would interpret it to mean the issuance of building permits. Mr. Flaaen suggested that they move forward with the item and, if necessary, come back at a later date to amend it. Mr. Svoboda stated that Ms. Johnson said she would be happy to have the ordinance adopted and continue working with the City to pursue any necessary text amendments. Ordinance No. 2177 New Series was read by number and title, it being AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GLENDALE, ARIZONA, ARITCLE 2 (DEFINITIONS), ARTICLE 4 (ZONING DISTRICTS) ARTICLE 5 (ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS), AND ARTICLE 7 (GENERAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS) BY ADDING THE ZONING DISTRICT FOR "NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTER" AND "COMMUNITY SHOPPING CENTER". It was moved by Goulet, and seconded by Frate, to approve Ordinance No. 2177 New Series, Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment establishing neighborhood shopping center and community shopping center zoning districts within the City of Glendale. Motion carried on a roll call vote, with the following members voting "aye": Clark, Goulet, Lieberman, Eggleston, Martinez, Frate, and Scruggs. Members voting "nay": none. REQUEST FOR FUTURE WORKSHOP AND EXECUTIVE SESSION It was moved by Eggleston, and seconded by Martinez, to vacate the regularly scheduled Council meeting on Tuesday, December 26, 2000, as well as the Workshop on January 2, 2001. The motion carried unanimously. 32 CITIZEN COMMENTS Mr. Karl Boettcher, a resident of the City of Phoenix, stated that he is the Chief Operating Officer of the Global Group. He said they had been informed that the Glendale Municipal Airport Manager, Mr. James McCue, would be resigning as of the end of the month. He expressed deep concern over this development. He stated that they had become the major tenant of the Airport terminal building. He said Mr. McCue's vision and support helped the Airport and his company develop the brink of active contribution to the Glendale community. He said Mr. McCue also provided the initiatives, guidance, and experience necessary to raise funds. He asked the Council for their guidance in solving the conflict. Mr. Mel Smith, a resident of the City of Glendale, noted that he has five variance cases pending before the Council under an appeal by Councilmember Goulet. He expressed his displeasure with the City's discriminatory action against one group, class, or individual over another group, class, or individual as it pertains to the granting of variances. He said the Board of Adjustment rightly passed a variance for Habitat for Humanity. He noted that all Habitat cases have passed the Board of Adjustment's watchful eye, with no appeals being filed. He said the City's Habitat for Humanity program is discriminatory in four ways: (1) it sets aside a full range of development fees charged to one group, class, or individual; (2) it allows reduced design and building standards in R-3 zoning to meet or fall below R1-6 residential standards for one group, class, or individual; (3) it allows alley ingress and egress to homes, whereby denial is sought in other cases; and (4) imposing 15 to 30 houses in one small area could be detrimental to existing neighborhoods. He stated that he wanted to enter his concerns into the record so that they might be considered when his case comes before the Council. He asked to have his case put on the agenda in early 2001. Mr. Joseph Butter, a resident of the City of Glendale Cactus District, said he was concerned that the City of Glendale is engaging in reactionary zoning practices. He encouraged the City to be more proactive in its zoning practices and suggested that many of the commercial and residential zonings need to be updated. Mr. Leonard Clark, a resident of the City of Glendale Barrel District, wished the Councilmembers and community members a Merry Christmas. He commended the Council for acting in the best interests of the community and for listening to the City's residents. He complimented the Council on their concerns with regard to transportation. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS Councilmember Clark wished everyone a happy holiday season. Councilmember Goulet thanked all of the people who had participated in the meeting and wished everyone a happy holiday season. He stated that he was extremely proud of what Habitat for Humanity has done in the community. 33 Councilmember Lieberman said he was proud of all they had accomplished at tonight's meeting. He wished everyone the best holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year. Vice Mayor Eggleston wished everyone happy holidays. Councilmember Martinez also wished everyone a happy holiday season. Councilmember Frate said tonight's meeting proves that city government is the best one to serve on because it is closest to the people. He expressed his appreciation for those who attended the meeting and wished everyone a happy holiday. Mayor Scruggs noted that there were a number of people who submitted public hearing speaker's cards on Agenda Item 2, indicating that they did not wish to address the Council, but wanted to register their support of or opposition to the item. She said 31 cards in support of, and 8 cards in opposition to, the amendments were submitted. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:15 a.m. 7'"1//7 Pamela deira - City Clerk 34