Attachment D - VPC Summary Recommendation - Z-15-22-4.pdf

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
Z-15-22-4
Date of VPC Meeting 
January 9, 2023 
Request To 
Amend the CNSPD 
Proposed Use 
Multifamily residential, retail use, and retention of the 
historic single-family homes. 
Location 
Northwest corner of 11th Street and McDowell Road 
VPC Recommendation 
Approve, per staff recommendation 
VPC Vote 
12-2-1
NOTE: 
Rezoning Case No. Z-15-22-4 is a companion to Z-2-22-4. The items were heard together. 
The below is a summary of the presentations and discussions regarding on Rezoning 
Case No. Z-15-22-4 and its companion case. The summary following “Floor/Public 
Discussion Closed: Motion, Discussion, And Vote” solely pertains to Rezoning Case Z-15-
22-4.
VPC DISCUSSION: 
9 virtual speaker cards were received from members of the public with 2 donating their 
time to other speakers. One speaker was registered in support and the other 8 in 
opposition. 
STAFF BACKGROUND PRESENTATION 
Mr. Joshua Bednarek, staff, introduced the rezoning case and its companion case. 
The items will be presented together but that separate motions are required for each 
item. Rezoning Case No. Z-2-22-4 is a Planned Unit Development (PUD) proposal for 
271 dwelling units and the preservation and integration of 7 historically designated 
homes. Rezoning Case No. Z-15-22-4 is a proposal to amend the Coronado 
Neighborhood Special Planning District (CNSPD) which would provide a site specific 
exception for the subject site. There has been a significant amount of public input on 
this proposal including several community meetings organized by the District 4 Council 
Office. Staff is recommending approval subject to several stipulations and, notably staff 
is asking for direction from the committee in Stipulation No. 3 which would provide 
direction between two architectural styles. He then stated that the Historic Preservation 
ATTACHMENT D

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 2 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Commission will consider the proposal on February 13, 2023, with regard to the 
proposed amendment to the HP boundary.  
 
Committee Member Rick Mahrle noted that this site was previously reviewed by the 
committee and asked if that was a separate proposal or an amendment to that proposal. 
Vice Chair Nicole Rodriguez responded that this applicant presented in the summer of 
2022. Committee Member Paul Benjamin added that this is a PUD which requires two 
hearings before the VPC with the first being for “Information Only.” 
 
Committee Member Drew Bryck noted that there was correspondence from the 
neighborhood stating that there was an error in the sign. Mr. Bednarek responded that 
staff has verified that the posting requirements have been met.  
 
APPLICANT PRESENTATION 
Mr. Paul Gilbert, of Beus Gilbert McGroder, and representing the applicant, provided 
an overview of the project, the public engagement process, and stated that the applicant 
team is in full agreement with the staff recommendation and stipulations. The site is a 
vacant, deteriorating, and obsolete medical office at an ideal location for urban 
redevelopment. The site is directly across McDowell Road from Banner University 
Medical Center and the proposal has received a strong letter of support from the Miracle 
Mile Corridor.  
 
The site contains 7 historic homes and, if the rezoning proposal is approved, the homes 
will be preserved under a 100 year preservation easement, maintain the protection of 
the historic zoning overlay, and be upgraded with front yard landscaping, windows 
repaired and/or replaced in a manner consistent with historic standards, front porches 
stabilized and enhanced as needed, and roofs upgraded in a manner consistent with 
historic standards as needed. The proposal would move the historic designation 
boundary by approximately 38 feet to reduce the depth of the rear yards.   
 
The proposed amendment to the CNSPD keeps the site within the plan area but 
exempts the site from the following standards: to allow commercial access to local 
roads; to allow an increase in building heights and a reduction in setbacks; and to allow 
a decrease in the parking requirements. He then stated that the site specific exemptions 
are appropriate because the project accomplishes many of the broader goals articulated 
by the plan. 
 
Mr. Ed McCoy, of Fairfield Residential, provided a brief history of how the project 
evolved over time. Once Fairfield became involved in 2021, the development team 
began working with the neighborhood and stakeholders and created a working group to 
refine the project. In response to neighborhood input, there is now a single story 
amenity building on Coronado Road, the northern building is now four stories with a 
podium deck oriented to the west, the site has more parking, and the architecture has 
been revised.

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 3 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Mr. Paul Gilbert provided an overview of the two architectural options which arose from 
conflicting opinions from the neighborhood. The committee has the option to select 
which of the design approaches it feels is most appropriate. He then summarized the 
proposal and rationale for approval.  
 
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE 
Committee Member Mahrle asked if retail parking will be entirely located within the 
parking structure. Mr. Paul Gilbert confirmed. Committee Member Mahrle stated that 
it is critically important that the parking lot on Coronado Road include spaces oriented 
toward the apartments, so headlights do not shine into homes across Coronado Road. 
 
Committee Member Jewett thanked the applicant team for including recycling and for 
the paseo. He asked if there is on-street parking on one or both sides of Dayton Street 
and requested more information regarding the traffic control device stipulated. He also 
asked who owns the historic homes. Mr. Paul Gilbert stated that the residential homes 
are owned by a separate owner and that these homes will not be owned by Fairfield 
Residential. There will only be parking on one side of Dayton Street. The traffic control 
device is intended to be a HAWK style crossing across McDowell Road; the applicant is 
funding the device, but it will be designed by the Street Transportation Department.  
 
Chair Opal Wagner commended the applicant for not trying to amend the CNSPD 
because there are many conservation plans throughout the city and such a removal 
could set a precedent.  
 
Committee Member Randy Schiller asked how much guest parking will be provided in 
the parking structure and whether solar will be added to the project. Mr. Paul Gilbert 
stated that there are currently no plans for solar and that the parking calculations do not 
include the parallel spaces on Dayton Street. Mr. Ed McCoy stated that the parking 
structure will include unrestricted residential guest parking in the structure, resident 
parking will be restricted to the top of the garage, and retail will be toward the bottom of 
the garage.  
 
Vice Chair Nicole Rodriguez asked if there are any design features to prevent 
headlights in the Coronado Road parking lot from shining into apartment units. Mr. 
Orion Pientak, from the applicant team, responded that there are some windows 
planned along that building face but that headlights will be blocked by patios with low 
walls and landscaping. Mr. Ed McCoy stated that the surface parking spaces are 
intended to be utilized by the residents of those units.  
 
Committee Member Ann Cothron thanked the applicant team for listening to 
neighborhood and committee input and for adding both recycling and composting. 
Further, she thanked the applicant team for the option of the architectural styles 
because the site is in a historic area. She noted that there are some mature trees on the 
site and asked the developer to preserve those trees. Mr. Paul Gilbert stated that they 
plan to preserve the trees.

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 4 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Committee Member Paul Benjamin asked if the Coronado Neighborhood Association 
has taken a position on the proposal and if that is something they normally would. Mr. 
Paul Gilbert stated that the Coronado Neighborhood Association does not take 
positions on zoning cases although the applicant team has met with many of their board 
members and other stakeholders.  
 
Committee Member Stephen Procaccini stated that he is glad that the homes will be 
preserved. He asked if they will be restored to the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation 
guidelines. He asked if egress from the parking structure onto Dayton Street will be 
physically restricted to left turn only. Mr. Gilbert responded that the conservation 
easement requires adherence to the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation guidelines. 
He stated that there are no plans for a physical restriction to limit right-turns onto Dayton 
Street. Mr. Ed McCoy added that the egress will be permitted to turn either left or right 
but that the traffic report indicates that more than 90 percent of the traffic will be left turn 
egress. 
 
PUBLIC COMMENTS 
Dr. Donna Reiner stated that she has lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years 
and is a local historian. The purpose of the neighborhood association and the Coronado 
Neighborhood Conservation Plan is to preserve the unique character of our 
neighborhood. The developer was responsive to neighborhood comments with 
alterations early in the process but, from the images shown tonight, some of those 
alterations have disappeared. Height is a central concern since there is not a single 
residential complex at a height of seven stories. The increase in height will set a 
precedent for future proposals along McDowell Road. The preservation of the historic 
homes is being misused as rationale for increased height beyond that permitted in the 
conservation plan. The conservation plan was created in response to the former 
surgicenter on the site, the removal of historic homes, and the encroachment of 
commercial properties into the neighborhood. Neither architectural option is consistent 
with those that were shown to the neighborhood and the traditional option cannot be 
called “Spanish Revival.” She asked the committee to continue the rezoning case and 
modify the design by making a good faith effort to satisfy the neighborhood’s desire for 
a maximum height of 5 stories on McDowell Road. 
 
Mr. Cody Castelletti stated that he lives nearby and has been working with Fairfield 
Residential to help move the project to a design that would be more compatible with the 
historic character of the neighborhood. He stated that he does not know why there are 
now two designs options as no residents have requested a contemporary design. The 
site is limited to 48 feet by the CNSPD and that an increase beyond that should offer a 
benefit to the historic neighborhood. As proposed, the project does not go far enough 
and, if the contemporary design is chosen, the height should be limited to 48 feet 
because it is incompatible with the area.  
 
Mr. Ryan Boyd introduced himself as a representative of the Urban Phoenix Project 
and stated that he is supportive of a few elements, concerned with a few, and agnostic 
on the aesthetic. He stated that any design should be pedestrian friendly with ground

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 5 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
floor units opening onto the street and a mix of uses to create a vibrant streetscape 
environment. He stated that they are concerned with the push for additional parking on 
the site. The CNSPD standard of 2 spaces per unit is extremely high and that Transit 
Line 17 (McDowell Road) carries the 7th highest volume of any route within the system. 
The site is on an arterial street with a high volume bus system and is therefore equipped 
to handle density. 
 
Mr. Robert Warnicke stated that the request is to break the CNSPD by exempting the 
site from its regulatory provisions and cautioned that this is a slippery slope. The 
argument that the historic homes are under threat and their preservation warrants 
additional intensity is misleading. The proposal is higher and denser than most and is 
not situated between the 7s where the city is trying to promote intensity. 
 
Ms. Jennifer O’Connor expressed concern with the 80 foot height and stated that it 
would set precedent in the neighborhood. She expressed concern with the intensity and 
asked that the density be reduced further. She asked why the developer would 
decrease the number of units and add parking. She expressed concern regarding 
pedestrian safety and urged that the design of the street is an important factor in safety.  
 
Ms. Nancy Giles stated that the developer has used certain concessions as a 
justification for ignoring some items that are important to the neighborhood. She 
expressed concern with the parking supply not adhering to the CNSPD. She stated that 
a stated goal of the CNSPD is that housing should be “in keeping with the character of 
the neighborhood.” The architecture is very important and deserves certainty beyond 
two options. Further, she expressed skepticism regarding the assertion that most 
neighbors prefer the contemporary design. The site specific exemption creates a 
precedent for how future developers will circumvent a conservation plan. She expressed 
concern over the proposed height and traffic impact on Dayton Street and 11th Street. 
She echoed Ms. O’Connor’s concerns regarding traffic safety concerns, especially on 
Dayton Street north of Coronado.  
 
APPLICANT RESPONSE 
Mr. Paul Gilbert stated that he is disappointed to hear concerns about the lack of 
communication. There have been four neighborhood meetings including the last 
meeting that was attended by several of the individuals who have spoken tonight. The 
applicant team has gone above and beyond the requirements for neighborhood 
engagement.  
 
Regarding the assertion that the project is not doing enough to recognize the history of 
the site, he stated that this site was home to the first surgicenter in the United States 
and that there simply wasn’t enough time in the presentation. Regarding height, all 
arguments asserting incompatibility require that Banner and its 250 feet of height 
entitlement be ignored from consideration. Regarding the assertion that the project will 
not be affordable to ordinary workers, the only other option available under the CNSPD 
are single family homes and those are unaffordable also and continue to increase in 
value. Regarding the design change, the design is not changing but they are instead

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 6 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
offering two options. At the last meeting, there was an immense amount of criticism 
about the elevations on the basis that they were not modern enough, so the applicant 
team is trying to provide an option to the committee. Regarding the criticism that the 
historic homes are under threat of development by the applicant, Fairfield Residential 
does not own the historic homes, but they have been included in the PUD to provide 
certainty that they will be preserved. Regarding the pedestrian safety, there is a 
stipulation that will require speed humps between McDowell Road and Coronado Road. 
For speed humps north of Coronado Road, the applicant team does not have control of 
that portion of street, but the neighbors can ask the city to install speed humps. 
Regarding traffic impact, the traffic study objectively identifies that the proposed project 
will produce fewer vehicle trips than what would be permitted by a medical office 
building. He concluded by stating that there is a strong staff recommendation to approve 
and that there is no opposition to the 48 foot building that is adjacent to residential 
neighbors. 
 
Mr. Ed McCoy stated that Phoenix is in a housing crisis and that there needs to be 
flexibility in older plans since so much has changed in the past 37 years. The height of 
80 feet is appropriate due to its location on a major arterial and adjacent to Banner 
University Medical Center which is constructed to a height of 200 feet and approved for 
250 feet. 
 
FLOOR/PUBLIC DISCUSSION CLOSED: MOTION, DISCUSSION, AND VOTE 
 
Vice Chair Nicole Rodriguez asked Dr. Reiner about the conservation plan’s goal to 
ensure affordable housing opportunities to all residents and what the neighborhood has 
done to implement that goal. Dr. Donna Reiner stated that is outside the ability of the 
neighborhood to address but that what has happened is that owners have squeezed out 
renters and demolished or renovated and increased the rent. Vice Chair Nicole 
Rodriguez asked Dr. Reiner if there are plans to update the conservation plan because 
some items may be out of date. Dr. Reiner agreed that the conservation plan should be 
updated with regard to some items that may have changed such as parking, but she 
asserted that height remains a common denominator and that the guidance in the plan 
is still relevant. Vice Chair Rodriguez stated that the history of the Coronado 
neighborhood suggests that while it was never redlined, it was established for working 
class white families. Dr. Reiner agreed.  
 
Committee Member Brent Kleinman stated that there has been significant progress 
but more that can be done by working with the neighborhood. He suggested the item be 
tabled until the February meeting because there was some confusion on the purpose of 
tonight’s meeting and to allow for another meeting between the developer and 
stakeholders before it returns to the committee for a recommendation. He also stated 
that he would like to see a list of the people in support, opposition, concerns, and a 
response from the applicant to each of the concerns. Chair Wagner asked if Committee 
Member Kleinman is making a motion. Committee Member Kleinman declined.

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 7 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
Committee Member Jeremy Thacker asked staff if the committee has the authority to 
make aesthetic recommendations. Mr. Joshua Bednarek responded that in a 
traditional rezoning case, the committee has the authority to require “general 
conformance” to elevations. For a PUD, the committee is not only review design 
guidelines but also elevations. In this case, the committee can give direction to the 
commission and the city council. Committee Member Jeremy Thacker asked how 
these standards would be enforced when the project moves toward construction and 
what would happen if they were to make changes to the proposal. Mr. Joshua 
Bednarek responded that there is a definition for “general conformance” that would 
allow a maximum deviation of 10 percent from the plans submitted. If the changes 
exceed 10 percent and “general conformance” is stipulated, the stipulation would need 
to be amended through a public process. He then added that the applicant has agreed 
to a stipulation that would require adherence to certain design elements for the Spanish 
style or to return to the committee for ‘review and comment’ if the contemporary 
aesthetic is chosen. Committee Member Jeremy Thacker noted that there is a limited 
amount of land resources within the city and that density and height are often 
necessary. 
 
Committee Member Drew Bryck asked the applicant if they feel another month would 
be productive in working toward a resolution. Mr. Ed McCoy stated that they have been 
working on the project for two years and that of the 2,000 homes in the Coronado 
neighborhood, only 5 have expressed concerns tonight and these individuals attended 
many of the many neighborhood meetings. He stated that most of the concerns related 
to height and architecture. Regarding architecture, Fairfield is agreeable with either of 
the two aesthetic approaches. Regarding height, Fairfield has decreased the height on 
Dayton Street from 5 to 4 stories, on Coronado Road from 3 to 1 stories, and the only 
way to make the project work is to place 7 stories on McDowell Road which is a major 
arterial street. He concluded by stating that he does not believe they will get to a point 
where the height will be satisfactory to the opponents.  
 
Committee Member Drew Bryck asked if the Spanish Revival style was shared early 
enough to give the neighborhood time to review it. Mr. Ed McCoy responded that it was 
part of the PUD and that they worked directly with Mr. Castelletti and Mr. Vigil on that 
design for several months. He stated that the only distinctions from the preferences of 
Mr. Castelletti and Mr. Vigil is that they wanted a maximum of 5 stories and no 
balconies. The Spanish Revival style has been shared publicly for months and the 
contemporary option is in response to more recent comments from the neighborhood. 
Regarding affordability, he added that the rents are intended to provide missing middle 
housing for tenants such as nurses, teachers, and police officers.  
 
Vice Chair Nicole Rodriguez stated that 270,000 housing units are needed. She 
stated that the parking requirements are arbitrary, but that housing demand is not and is 
drastically needed. In reviewing the conservation plan, the 7 stories are outside of the 
area that is being amended. She stated that 43 percent of households have 1 or fewer 
vehicles available. If serious about reducing housing costs, the parking supply should 
be reduced. Parking stalls in garages can range from $30,000 to $40,000 per space.

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 8 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
The applicant provided a thorough packet on neighborhood engagement, and she 
indicated that the case should move forward tonight rather than being delayed another 
month.  
 
Committee Member G.G. George expressed support for a delay. She asked if the 
applicant has a record of the citizens who attended each of the meetings. Mr. Paul 
Gilbert responded that do and have provided that to the City of Phoenix as required. 
Committee Member G.G. George asked staff what it would take to move this meeting 
to another month so they applicant can provide a detailed account of who attended what 
meeting. Mr. Joshua Bednarek indicated that the committee can make a motion to 
continue the request to the next meeting with the direction that the applicant continue 
working with the community. He added that the applicant has provided staff with 
documentation of who they have met and worked with throughout the process. 
 
Committee Member Brent Kleinman stated that he no longer feels a delay would be 
productive. He expressed interest in making a motion. Mr. Bednarek explained that 
Item No. 3 (Z-2-22-4) is the approval of the PUD and Item No. 4 (Z-15-22-4) is the 
amendment to the CNSPD. He then presented 3 versions of stipulation language that 
would 1) approve per the staff recommendation, 2) approve per the staff 
recommendation and require the Spanish Revival elevations, or 3) approve per the staff 
recommendation and require the more contemporary elevations. 
 
FLOOR/PUBLIC DISCUSSION CLOSED: MOTION, DISCUSSION, AND VOTE 
 
MOTION  
Committee Member Rick Mahrle made a motion to approve Z-15-22-4 per the staff 
recommendation. Committee Member Jason Matthews seconded to the motion.  
 
DISCUSSION 
Vice Chair Rodriguez stated that Committee Member Cothron is now attending the 
meeting by phone only.  
 
Committee Member Ann Cothron reestablished her attendance in the meeting thereby 
bringing the quorum to 16 members (9 being required for a quorum). 
 
Committee Member Ann Cothron suggested that there should be a pork-chop added 
to the egress from the parking garage onto Dayton Street to require existing vehicles 
travel southbound toward McDowell. She asked if this could be added as a friendly 
amendment. Mr. Bednarek stated that the vote for the PUD (Z-2-22-4) has already 
taken plan.  
 
VOTE 
12-2-1; motion to approve Z-15-22-4 per the staff recommendation passes with 
Committee Members Benjamin, Bryck, Cothron, Jewett, Kleinman, Mahrle, Matthews, 
Picos, Procaccini, Tedhams, Thacker, Vice Chair Rodriguez, Chair Wagner in support; 
with Committee Members George and Searles opposed, and Schiller abstaining.

Encanto Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
January 9, 2023 
Page 9 of 9 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
 
STAFF COMMENTS REGARDING VPC RECOMMENDATION: 
 
No comments.