9.28.22 EDE Draft Minutes.docx

Attachment A 
 
 Phoenix City Council 
Economic Development and Equity (EDE) Subcommittee 
Summary Minutes 
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022 
City Council Chambers 
200 W. Jefferson St. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Subcommittee Members Present                    Subcommittee Members Absent 
Vice Mayor Laura Pastor, Chair 
Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari 
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien 
Councilwoman Debra Stark  
 
CALL TO ORDER 
Vice Mayor Pastor called the Economic Development and Equity Subcommittee to order 
at 10:05 a.m. with Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, Councilwoman Debra Stark and 
Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari present.  
CALL TO THE PUBLIC 
None. 
MINUTES OF MEETINGS 
1. Minutes of the Economic Development and Equity Subcommittee Meeting 
Councilwoman Stark made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 22, 2022 
Economic Development and Equity (EDE) Subcommittee meeting. Councilwoman 
O’Brien seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 4-0. 
CONSENT ACTION (ITEMS 2-3)  
Items 2-3 were for consent action. No presentations were planned, but staff were 
available to answer questions. 
2. Amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of 
Phoenix and Arizona State University (ASU) for the development of the Health 
Solutions Center at the Phoenix Biosciences Core 
 
3. 2023 Downtown Enhanced Municipal Services District (EMSD) Work Plan and 
Budget 
 
Councilwoman O’Brien made a motion to approve Consent Action Items 2-3. 
Councilwoman Ansari seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 4-0.

INFORMATION ONLY (ITEM 4) 
4. Key Phoenix Economic Indicators Quarterly Report 
Item number 4 was for Information only. No Councilmember requested additional 
information. 
Vice Mayor Pastor requested the presentation on the Hermosillo, Mexico Trade 
Development Services Contract Award be heard as the fifth item and the Economic 
Development Strategic Plan as the seventh item. 
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION (ITEMS 5-7)  
7. Hermosillo, Mexico Trade Development Services Contract Award (RFP-CED22-
HTDS) 
This item was heard out of order. 
 
Community and Economic Development (CED) Director Christine Mackay, Deputy CED 
Director Nathan Wright, CED Program Manager Juan Batres and CED Special Projects 
Administrator Gretchen Wolfe gave a presentation on the proposed Northern Mexico 
trade development consulting services which was not to exceed $280,000 for the first 
two years. Staff requested to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to contract 
with Discover Phoenix and Arizona, LLC. 
 
Councilwoman O’Brien asked about the economic impact of companies who located to 
Phoenix.  
 
Mr. Batres replied with an overview of impacts to capital investment, leasing of space 
and job creation.  
Ms. Mackay added in the first five years, the City would see close to $50 million in 
economic impact from the businesses.  
Councilwoman O’Brien commended the small businesses for their positive economic 
impact on the community.  
Ms. Mackay corrected the presentation slides stating the contract was $140,000 a year, 
making the combined two years a total of $280,000. 
Vice Mayor Pastor praised the Mexico trade, referenced positive conversations she had 
with the small businesses and advocated for a longer conversation to discuss how the 
City could bring in other partners to support this work.  
Councilwoman O’Brien made a motion to recommend approval of the Hermosillo 
Mexico Trade Development Services Contract Award to the full City Council. 
Councilwoman Ansari seconded the motion.

Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson noted the agreement was $280,000 over two 
years. 
The motion was passed unanimously, 4-0. 
6. Community and Economic Development Department Update on Solicitations 
for the Disposition of City-Owned Property  
Community and Economic Development Director Christine Mackay, Deputy CED 
Director Xandon Keating and Community and Economic Development Special Projects 
Administrator Gretchen Wolfe gave a presentation on the recommended Phoenix 
properties for disposition in Fiscal Year 2022-23. Ms. Mackay stated CED staff would 
bring each property back to the subcommittee with full details for redevelopment and 
site disposition options before issuance of Requests for Proposals (RFP).  
Councilwoman Ansari thanked Ms. Mackay and Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson 
for their efforts to save the Phoenix Public Market building and asked if City parking 
could be limited or put underground to promote a walkable, transit-oriented community. 
Ms. Mackay replied CED staff could add language about Councilwoman Ansari’s 
creative and unintrusive parking idea to the RFP. 
Mr. Stephenson added that because properties were city-owned, Planning and 
Development staff could work with a potential developer to create a project and 
proposal encouraging walkable design. 
Councilwoman Ansari reemphasized support for parking reform and expressed concern 
about basic amenities missing in downtown such as hardware stores, laundromats, and 
grocery stores.  
Ms. Mackay responded with support for Councilwoman Ansari’s suggestion to add more 
basic services in the downtown area.  
Councilwoman Ansari emphasized affordability should be a priority for people who work 
in downtown businesses such as restaurants, bars and more. She referenced the 
increased homeless population and need for affordable, sustainable growth.   
Ms. Mackay discussed leveraging City-owned properties for lease instead of sale to 
provide more affordable options.  
Ms. Stark responded she hoped people would be interested in purchasing the 
properties. 
Vice Mayor Pastor asked if Ms. Stark meant purchasing or leasing.  
Ms. Stark replied she meant leasing and asked if some properties had to be sold.  
Ms. Mackay responded the City would remain the landlord of the property.

Vice Mayor Pastor described her experience visiting the D.C. Eastern Market, asked if a 
similar concept could be applied to aspects of the greater Phoenix area and advocated 
for 20 percent affordable housing or higher.   
Ms. Mackay replied this discussion would be brought back to the October EDE 
Subcommittee meeting.  
Mr. Stephenson clarified the 20 percent referenced was specific to the Government 
Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) discussion in November but higher percentages 
for affordability could be applied to each of the individual parcels based upon other 
Council priorities. 
Vice Mayor Pastor asked if the parcels were vetted by their council people and those of 
the surrounding areas.  
Ms. Mackay responded Vice Mayor Pastor was correct. 
Vice Mayor Pastor asked if the next step would be for an RFP to be drafted. 
Ms. Mackay replied Vice Mayor Pastor was correct and the RFP would come back to 
the EDE Subcommittee before moving to the Formal Council for approval prior to 
issuance.  
Vice Mayor Pastor asked about the RFP timeline. 
Ms. Mackay responded CED staff would move quickly, noted Councilwoman Ansari 
requested 1st Street and McKinley be one of the first to move out, acknowledged 
Councilmember Garcia’s priority for 24th Street and Broadway Road and discussed 
transit components of 19th Avenue and Montebello for the third and fourth quarters of 
Fiscal year 2022-23. 
Vice Mayor Pastor asked about the timelines for properties located at 16th Street and 
Wier Avenue, 12th and Washington Streets, 1st and McKinley Streets, and 24th Street 
and Broadway Road. 
Ms. Mackay replied CED staff would work with Housing staff to seek potential tenants 
for developments at 16th Street and Wier Avenue in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 
2022-23. She confirmed properties at 1st and McKinley Streets and 24th Street and 
Broadway Road would be expected by the end of December, and 12th and Washington 
Streets may move into the following fiscal year.  
 
Mr. Stephenson clarified the 24th Street and Broadway Road property staff were 
working with Councilmember Garcia and the community to update the vision for that 
area. He commented timelines would be dependent upon ensuring community 
participation and clarity in the process.

5. Economic Development Strategic Plan  
This item was heard out of order. 
Ms. Mackay gave a presentation on the 2022-23 Economic Development Strategic Plan 
including efforts to advance the City’s strategies, priorities, programs, and tactics to 
enhance Phoenix’s position in the economy.  
Councilwoman Stark asked how CED staff collaborated with other departments like 
Planning and Development, Water Services and Streets.  
Ms. Mackay replied with gratitude for the other City departments, especially Planning 
and Development, which helped execute visions and solve problems.  
Mr. Stephenson added praise for Ms. Mackay’s relationships with real estate 
development and business communities in addition to collaboration with other City 
departments.  
Vice Mayor Pastor re-iterated the importance of working with other City departments 
and asked this be added as a Council priority.  
Councilwoman Ansari expressed concerns about the need for housing near places of 
employment and asked about plans to bring in more materials manufacturing such as 
modular building.  
Ms. Mackay responded with a discussion on modular building, referenced Hyatt Place in 
downtown Phoenix as an example and spoke about other innovative ideas such as use 
of shipping containers. 
Mr. Stephenson commented on the rapid growth of modular construction, what Planning 
and Development staff were doing in this space, and discussed using employment 
corridors to link housing to employment areas.  
Councilwoman Ansari asked if affordable housing would be easier to develop if parking 
minimums were not required.  
Mr. Stephenson replied removing parking minimums could reduce the cost of 
development and said they were often not required along the Light Rail.  
Councilwoman Ansari asked about the potential for more direct international flights. 
Ms. Mackay responded with a discussion on using patterns in business travel to 
consider new direct international flights.  
Councilwoman Ansari advocated for renewable energy to be added as a Council priority 
and asked if there was a strategy to retain young talent from around the country.

Ms. Mackay replied CED staff currently worked with local universities and colleges to 
encourage young talent to stay. She commented this could be added as an item for 
Council priorities.  
Councilwoman O’Brien thanked CED staff for their work. 
Ms. Mackay thanked the Council for their guidance, direction, and engagement with the 
public.  
Vice Mayor Pastor commented on return on investment for airlines, the need for water-
smart businesses and advocated for local residents to have access to quality job 
opportunities. 
 
CALL TO THE PUBLIC  
None. 
 
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 
None. 
 
ADJOURNMENT 
Chairwoman Pastor adjourned the meeting at 11:46 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Danielle Vermeer 
Management Intern