HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Planning Commission - Meeting Date: 8/15/2019MINUTES
PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL WORKSHOP
CITY HALL
5850 WEST GLENDALE AVENUE
CONFERENCE ROOM 2A
GLENDALE, ARIZONA 85301
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019
5:00 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Hirsch called the meeting to order at 5:04 PM.
Commissioners Present: Commissioners Ed Nyberg, Vern Crow, Rick Harper, Martin
Nowakowski, Warren Wilfong, and Chairperson Gary Hirsch were present.
Commissioner Absent: Vice Chairperson Al Lenox.
City Staff Present: Tabitha Perry, Special Project Executive Officer, and Maggie Dellow,
Contract Employee, Field Operations and Planning, and Jim Gruber, Chief Deputy City Attorney.
WORKSHOP ITEM
COMMISSION INITIATIVE FOR A MINOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND
ZONING APPLICATION RELATED TO THE ARROWHEAD MALL SITE,
OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED AS PARCEL 8.
According to Ms. Perry, the zone ordinates authorize applicants for an amendment to change the
zoning on a property. The Planning Commission or City Council can be an applicant of a rezoning
application, and this is the purpose of this workshop. The request today is for the Planning
Commission to initiate a rezoning application for Arrowhead Mall.
Ms. Perry identified the three most recent rezoning requests. Ms. Perry noted that with the rise in
online shopping, many department stores have begun to close nationwide. In partnership with the
property owner, its staff is seeking to amend the current amenities, be proactive, and find the best
ways to make use the property while simultaneously thinking about the future of the property. If
the commission initiates the request, the staff can begin working on a future entitlement proposal.
Chairperson Hirsch then asked how the Arrowhead Mall discussion began, and Ms. Perry
explained that it began with the rising trend of shopping malls closing across the nation. Ms. Perry
explained that the property owner wants to open up the land for potential additional development
(EX: a hotel replacing a former Sears department store, replacing the abundant shopping mall
parking with office buildings, etc.). Ms. Perry encouraged the Planning Commission to understand
that it is not the intent of looking at development, but rather redevelopment and reevaluation.
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The Commission had no objections to this workshop item, and applauded the city for desiring to
be proactive and not suffer the fate of a "dead mall."
Ms. Perry confirmed the Planning Commission's guidance, and the city staff are welcome to
proceed with the general plan amendment and rezoning. Chairperson Hirsch confirmed this, and
there were no objections from the commissioners.
COMMENTS
Chairperson Hirsch recently asked Diana Figueroa, Recording Secretary, to add the commissioners
to the list of interested persons who are notified of new applications and zoning. Chairperson
Hirsch made mention of this in an effort to inform the commissioners to expect new emails and
mail from the city.
Chairperson Hirsch also wanted to discuss the recurring traffic and planning discussions that the
Planning Commission is seeing. Chairperson Hirsch suggested that a future workshop includes the
city traffic engineer's office so the Planning Commission can have a greater understanding of the
data. The commissioners felt this would be a great workshop to have. Ms. Perry then said that she
would report this matter to the Development Service Director and the Transportation Director on
Chairperson Hirsch's behalf.
NEXT MEETING
The next workshop for the Planning Commission is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2019,
at 5:00 PM.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:26 PM.
Respectfully submitted by:
Diana Figueroa
Recording Secretary
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