Map of Proposed Rezoning Areas from ASLD 19-ZN-2014
First and foremost, GPPA-Friends of the Scenic Drive thanks the standing-room, out-the-door crowd of more than 175 residents that attended the meeting that it organized on May 20th in north Scottsdale. We wish people could have left in a better mood, but at least they had a better grasp of the issues surrounding the state’s commercial zoning proposal.
The meeting gave concerned residents – and there were many – the opportunity to listen to, and question, state and city officials about the state’s request to place commercial zoning on Scottsdale and Pima Roads to support acquisition of land for the preserve. It was obvious from the flood and tone of questions that most of the residents opposed the proposal. The reasons for this opposition is reflected in the comments that attendees left with city staff.
These comments are summarized below, and no punctuation was added. The list is a representative sample of the comments that were submitted to the city.
- Keep the zoning as residential
- I’m very much against the small lot zoning
- Scottsdale residents should be asked to vote on whether to acquire land and complete the preserve they authorized in the past.
- Please reconsider rezoning for use to preserve the desert character of the area and addition to an increase in traffic. There is more than enough commercial sites available, e.g. Scottsdale North Marketplace at Scottsdale Road and Lone Mountain Road, etc.
- Place commercial development on Pima Road, not Scottsdale Road. Development on Scottsdale Road will require widening of Scottsdale Road and remove the scenic corridor
- The resort has already been approved – Reata Ranch Resort & Serano Canyon Resort … that uses the “floating star”
Ironwood, Saguaro Bloom, Desert Foothills Scenic Drive, 2013
- The key question is “what allows the commercial entitlement to be moved all the way from Lone Mountain & Pima to Scottsdale Road just north of Happy Valley?” This is not what was agreed to in the 2002 agreement. Both squares, south of Dynamite were to remain in the Desert Foothills Character Area and remain as “Rural Neighborhoods.” See city council meeting minutes where this general plan change was approved.
- Any zoning for more homes or commercial locations in the State Trust Land requires wider roads, Scottsdale Road and Pima Road. When will they be six lanes? When Scottsdale Road went from two lanes to four lanes past Monterra at Jomax, it eliminated a drainage pipe and it now floods with every rain. When will that be fixed? We don’t need the traffic addition or the added businesses!
- Scottsdale Road has been too visually ruined by development too close to the road, 100 foot setback is nothing to preserve the desert.
- We don’t need more trails and trailheads. We just need to preserve our beautiful desert as much as possible!
- I believe the prior handshake understanding between the city council and the state back in 2002 is now badly outdated … Please send this issue back to the voters, i.e. the acquisition of remaining land. Listen to the voters.
- The agreement in 2002 between the city council and the State Land Department should be put to the voters for reconsideration. At the time of this agreement, voters had NO input. We pay the bills and our opinions need to be taken into account.
- We have owned land in N. Scottsdale since 1957, and we would like to express our displeasure at the proposed rezoning
- This land should be part of the preserve – let the people vote to fund the purchase. DON’T hold city meetings in the summer!! Do so when more people are here.
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“Saguaro Sunset” by Tom Morris
Voters should determine what happens to the land in question, re: the postage stamp parcels and land along Scottsdale Road. Money can come from bonds, etc.
- City should work to purchase open space along Pima Road. If not possible to purchase all this land then zone along Pima Road residential, min. one acre lots
- I object to rezoning parts of Scottsdale Road to commercial. This has been designated the Scenic Drive for 50 years and maintained by GPPA and Friends of the Scenic Drive for this time.
- I am opposed to rezoning the land from residential to commercial because it will be at the entrance of the historic Scenic Drive. We do not need commercial property in this area and it was never meant to be commercial. Please choose another location.
The GPPA-sponsored public meeting was held at Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park building (formerly La Mirada Park), 8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Road in north Scottsdale.
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