Attachment E - Addendum A Staff Report - GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8.pdf

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ADDENDUM A
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT
STAFF ANALYSIS
September 3, 2026
Application: GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8
Applicant: City of Phoenix Planning Commission
Representative: City of Phoenix Planning and Development
Department
Location: Area generally bounded by Interstate 17 on the north,
32nd Street on the east, Broadway Road on the
south, and 19th Avenue on the west
Acreage: 4,364 acres +/-
Requested Change: To establish the Rio Salado District Policy Plan
Reason for Requested Change: To provide a district plan to realize the shared
community vision to make the Rio Salado corridor a
local and regional destination in which current and
future residents and businesses both share in the
prosperity. The plan is a collaborative effort by the
City, area residents, businesses, and community
stakeholders aimed at transforming this area beyond
the banks of the Rio Salado into a more connected,
vibrant, and healthy river-oriented community. The
plan will serve as a policy document built by the
voices of the community and research to attract,
guide, and prioritize development and strategic
investments in infrastructure, housing, economic
development, and other areas.
Village Planning May 11, 2026 – Central City Village (Information)
Committee Dates: May 12, 2026 – South Mountain Village (Information)
July 13, 2026 – Central City Village (Action)
July 14, 2026 – South Mountain Village (Action)
September 8, 2026 – South Mountain Village (Action)
Staff Recommendation: Approval, with modifications

Staff Analysis
GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8
Page 2 of 6
The purpose of this addendum is to present several modifications to the Rio Salado
District Policy Plan for case GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8, a companion case to a major
General Plan Land Use Map Amendment under case GPA-CC-SM-2-26-7-8.
PUBLIC HEARING OVERVIEW
The Central City Village Planning Committee (VPC) heard these requests on July 13,
2026 and recommended approval of both by a vote of 9-0. The South Mountain VPC
heard these requests on July 14, 2026 and recommended approval with direction on the
policy plan, by a vote of 10-4. The South Mountain VPC provided direction to staff to
include actions in the policy plan that addressed the following topics:
A. Creation of anti-gentrification task force.
B. Additional tax incentives.
C. Business support from city departments with business development programs.
D. Planning and Development Department (PDD) along with other city departments
to coordinate the task force and other plan goals.
The South Mountain VPC recommended denial of the General Plan Land Use Map
amendment, by a vote of 12-2, citing general concerns with industrial land uses,
gentrification, and displacement. Specific concerns with the proposed land use map
designations were discussed for the inactive mining pit located between 16th Street and
24th Street, south of the Rio Salado.
At the August 6, 2026 Planning Commission hearing, staff requested to continue
General Plan Amendment case (GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8) for the Rio Salado District
Policy Plan and the accompanying General Plan Land Use Map Amendment case
(GPA-CC-SM-2-26-7-8) to the October 1, 2026, Planning Commission hearing and
remand both cases to the September 8, 2026 South Mountain VPC meeting for
additional input on potential land use map and/or policy plan changes, and to review
additional correspondence received leading up to and following the VPC hearings.
OVERVIEW OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES
Since the VPC meetings, the Planning and Development Department (PDD) has met
with community members, local organizations, and other city departments to discuss the
recommendations of the South Mountain VPC and community requested changes to the
actions in the policy plan. The specific recommended changes outlined in the last
section of this addendum report are summarized as follows:
x Minor updates to the “Historic Factors” section to clarify information.
x Addition of considerations to residential development in Catalyst Site 3, east of
16th Street and Elwood Street.
x Revision to the 2050 Land Use Map accordingly per the approved General Plan
Land Use Map Amendment, accompanying the policy plan case.
x Revisions to the Land Use Building Typology Table to add affordable housing
bonus height policies to the land use categories.

Staff Analysis
GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8
Page 3 of 6
x Revision to the language on four Government-led actions, and addition of three
new actions.
x Addition of a new section to the plan that discourages displacement and
encourages affordable and market rate housing, in addition to encouraging the
use of existing preservation and other long-term affordability tools.
x Addition of a new section that acknowledges existing sources of aggregate and
clarifies policies on these areas, consistent with the 2025 General Plan.
COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE OVERVIEW
A continuance memo dated August 6, 2026, addressed to the Planning Commission,
included three letters received since the staff report was published. These include one
letter in support of the policy plan case, one in opposition to the land use map
amendment case, and one in opposition to both the policy plan and land use map
amendment cases. These letters are attached to this addendum report.
Since the memo was published last month, two additional letters have been received.
The first letter is from the Ruiz Family, who supports many of the changes made to the
policy plan actions by staff, which addressed some of their prior comments, and also
provides recommendation to update three additional actions, in addition to language in
the plan itself to address long-term housing affordability. The second letter is from
Michael Linton with Vulcan Materials company, who owns an approximately 130-acre
inactive mining pit located between 16th Street and 24th Street, south of the Rio
Salado. This letter describes the company’s desire to develop an industrial park on the
site over the next decade, as filling the pit for other uses, such as residential, is
estimated to take 60 or more years.
Lastly, this addendum clarifies that the letter received from Local First Arizona dated
June 29, 2026 is not an official position statement from the organization, and a position
letter may be submitted later with more detailed comments.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval, per the modifications in BOLD font below:
A. Page 38 – Update the “Barrios Unidos” reference in the Historic Factors
section with the following text:
1. Change first paragraph to: Located in south-central Phoenix, several
neighborhoods or barrios, are situated between Washington Street
(North), 24th Street (East), University Drive (South), and 7th Street
(West). To the west of 16th Street are Cuatro Milpas, Green Valley,
and El Campito, while to the east lies a barrio formerly known as
Golden Gate. Although the name “Barrios Unidos” represents a later
effort (during the 1970s) to unify the residents in the area, each
existing barrio has a unique identity.

Staff Analysis
GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8
Page 4 of 6
2. Change a portion of the last paragraph, first sentence to: “…the
United Farm Workers to stay at the Santa Rita Center, also known as
Santa Rita Hall, which stemmed from the Historic Sacred Heart
Church.”
B. Pages 75 through 78 – Add the following text regarding considerations for
residential uses on Catalyst Site 3 located east of 16th Street and Elwood
Street to: “Given the existing condition of this inactive mining pit, future
considerations for residential uses here include but are not limited to
floodplain regulations, accessibility, aviation noise impacts, geotechnical
challenges, and the process to fill and compact soil gradually over time to
an elevation above the floodplain.”
A.
C. Pages 85 and 86 – Revise the 2050 Land Use Map accordingly per the approved
General Plan Land Use Map Amendment, Case No. GPA-CC-SM-2-26-7-8.
D. Page 88 – Update the Land Use Building Typology table with the following
provisions:
1. Low-Mid Density Residential:
ƒ Height: 1-3 stories, up to 4 with housing bonus*
2. High Density Residential:
ƒ Height: 2-4 stories, up to 6 with housing bonus*
3. Mixed Use Category:
ƒ Height: 3-5 stories, up to 7 with housing bonus*
4. Commercial Category:
ƒ Height: 1-3 stories, up to 6 with housing bonus*
5. Add footnote below the table with the following statement –
* Affordable housing bonus: To encourage more affordable housing,
additional building height may be supported on new developments.
Areas within adopted Place Type policies may defer to those existing
policies on height and incentive standards.

Staff Analysis
GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8
Page 5 of 6
E. Pages 129 through 134 – Update the Government-led Actions with the
following text and identifying relevant city departments for each action:
1. Action No. 3: Rezone catalyst and “reimagined” properties and/or
deploy an opt-in zoning approach to encourage new development in
alignment with the community vision. Where added height, density
or change of use is requested or where the City-owned land is
utilized, or City assistance is provided to a project; when feasible,
include affordable or workforce housing components, and
opportunities for local business engagement or community spaces
or uses.
2. Action No. 14: Continue and, where feasible, expand citywide
programs that promote homeownership, housing preservation,
renter stability, home repairs, and business assistance to support
existing residents and locally owned businesses in the Rio Salado
District. Explore displacement indicators as investment occurs and
use the data to identify potential assistance programs and grants to
support the area.
3. Action No. 26: Explore the feasibility of technical assistance,
financial incentives, and/or public improvements to support new
residential development that includes long-term affordable housing
for a range of incomes, and home improvements that help existing
residents remain in place. Where feasible on City-owned land,
determine appropriate affordability terms through future Request for
Proposals, rezonings, and development agreements.
4. Action No. 41: Continue to invest in permanent housing, plus
develop and implement new housing models, including master
leasing and coordinate existing outreach and improve connection to
behavioral health supports, including substance use and mental
health treatment, especially during major Rio Salado Habitat
Restoration Area improvements for individuals experiencing
homelessness.
5. Add new action: Encourage local business and developer outreach
and engagement during the redevelopment of City-owned properties.
Advertise Request for Proposals through venues which will include
the local development community and community partners.

Staff Analysis
GPA-CC-SM-1-26-7-8
Page 6 of 6
6. Add new action: Coordinate implementation efforts in the Rio Salado
District and South Central corridor to promote a continuous
development pattern, served by comparable access to infrastructure,
programs and services. This includes identifying cross-boundary
projects in future infrastructure needs assessments and related
funding requests.
7. Add new action: Create an interactive online tool that is easy to use
by the public and reports on progress related to the actions in the
Rio Salado District Policy Plan. In addition to this tool, informing a
wider audience by updating the RIO PHX project website and
providing an annual implementation update through an existing
public forum (such as the Village Planning Committees).
F. Add a new section to the plan that discourages displacement and
encourages affordable and market rate housing, recognizing that long-term
affordability is an important objective as redevelopment occurs, and
encourages use of existing preservation and other long-term affordability
tools within or near the district when feasible.
G. Add a new section to the plan that acknowledges existing sources of
aggregate and clarifies policies on these areas, consistent with the
“Sources of Aggregate” section in the 2025 General Plan.
Writer
Enrique Bojórquez Gaxiola
September 3, 2026
Team Leader
Joél Carrasco
Exhibits
Exhibit C: Correspondence (2 Letters, 4 Pages)

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Enrique A Bojorquez-Gaxiola
From: Xocoyotzin Ruiz <xruiz@projectamericas.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 2, 2026 12:53 PM
To: Enrique A Bojorquez-Gaxiola
Cc: Fernando Ruiz; ruizarmando1@hotmail.com; aruiz@espiritu.org; rblackson@espiritu.org;
Armando Ruiz Jr
Subject: Re: Schedule Change - "South Phoenix Community Feedback on the Rio Salado Policy
Plan"
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
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Howdy Enrique,
Thank you again for working through these recommendations with the different departments. We appreciate
the changes that have been made and think the revised language substantially addresses many of the
concerns we raised, particularly Actions 3, 14 and 26 and the new action connecting Rio Salado
implementation with the South Central corridor.
After reviewing the department comments, there are four areas where we would like to see if we can
strengthen the language while still giving the City flexibility in how the actions are implemented:
Action 23, Long-Term Affordability
We recognize that the Housing Department already has CLT and housing-preservation programs with
established affordability periods, income limits, and program goals, and that those programs operate citywide
based on feasibility. We think that work is important and do not see a need to create a separate Rio Salado
program. Our concern is simply that the Plan continues to recognize long-term affordability as an important
objective as redevelopment occurs, and encourages use of existing preservation and other long-term
affordability tools within or near the district when feasible.
Action 41, Homelessness and Adjacent Neighborhoods
We support the City's proposed emphasis on permanent housing, master leasing, outreach, behavioral health
and treatment. We would just like to preserve the principle that improvements in the Rio Salado area should
not unintentionally relocate or concentrate homelessness in surrounding South Phoenix neighborhoods. This
could be accomplished with a short addition directing agencies to coordinate outreach and public-space
improvements to minimize unintended displacement or concentration into nearby neighborhoods.
Local Nonprofit and Mission-Driven Developer Participation
We appreciate the proposed outreach to the local development community. We would like this action to go one
step beyond notification and create meaningful opportunities for community-based organizations to participate.
This does not necessarily need to require a local co-developer. Options could include recognizing South
Phoenix experience or meaningful local partnerships in RFP evaluation criteria, encouraging development
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teams to include local nonprofit/community development partners, holding pre-solicitation teaming sessions, or
otherwise creating substantive opportunities for local participation where legally and programmatically feasible.
Community Implementation and Accountability
The proposed online reporting tool is a good foundation. We would like to pair it with some continuing
opportunity for community discussion without necessarily creating a new committee or bureaucracy. For
example, the City could provide an annual or semiannual Rio Salado implementation update through an
existing public meeting, community forum, or Village Planning Committee process, allowing residents and
community organizations to review progress and provide input.
Our goal is not to prescribe exactly how the City must accomplish these items, but to make sure the final
actions are strong enough that the underlying commitments remain meaningful as implementation occurs. We
are very open to alternative language or mechanisms that accomplish the same objectives.
Thank you again for continuing to work with us on this.
Fernando Ruiz
P.S. I recommend Barro’s Pizza right there on 24th St and Baseline 덛 덜 덝 덞 덟
On Tue, Sep 1, 2026 at 5:38 PM Enrique A Bojorquez-Gaxiola <enrique.bojorquez-gaxiola@phoenix.gov>
wrote:
Perfect! That works for me – I will call you tomorrow at 10am.
Thanks again and have great evening,
Enrique Bojórquez Gaxiola
Planner III
Urban Planning and Policy Team
Growth, Infrastructure & Financial Division
Office: 602-262-6949
E-mail: enrique.bojorquez-gaxiola@phoenix.gov
City of Phoenix
Planning & Development Department
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85003
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9XOFDQ 0DWHULDOV
Enrique A Bojorquez-Gaxiola
From: Linton, Michael <Michael.Linton@vulcanmaterials.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2026 12:28 PM
To: Enrique A Bojorquez-Gaxiola
Cc: Nathan Wright; Alan Stephenson; Joshua Bednarek; Joel Carrasco; Grant Belter
Subject: Re: Vulcan 16th St to 24th St.
CAUTION: This email originated outside of the City of Phoenix.
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Enrique
We prefer Option A. We have successfully built industrial parks in
pits, which would allow development to move forward within the next
decade. We would not consider building residential in the pit. At the
rate we filled our smaller property along 24th Street on the north side
of the Rio Salado, it will take 60+ years to fill the pit in question.
Mike
On Wed, Sep 2, 2026 at 5:34 PM Enrique A Bojorquez-Gaxiola <enrique.bojorquez-gaxiola@phoenix.gov>
wrote:
Hello Mike,
Thanks for chatting with me yesterday about your property and plans to develop a commerce/industrial
park project there in the coming years, with 10 acres of commercial along 24th Street.
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