4.9.25 MEETING MINUTES APPROVED.PDF
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Minutes of the Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake Council Subcommittee meeting held on April 9, 2025, 2:30 p.m., Hybrid Meeting- Tempe City Hall, 31 E. 5th St. and virtually through Microsoft Teams. Members Present: Councilmember Nikki Amberg – Chair Councilmember Jennifer Adams Councilmember Berdetta Hodge City Staff Present: Melissa Westbrook, Council Assistant Vanessa Lopez, Council Assistant Tanya Chavez, Chief of Staff for Mayor & Council Keith Burke, Deputy City Manager Shauna Warner, Neighbor Program Manager Alex Jovanovic, Deputy Parks & Recreation Director – Park Services Craig Hayton, Community Services Director Tara Ford, Municipal Utilities Director Mark Weber, Water Engineering Manager Gregg Kent, Principal Civil Engineer Rosa Inchausti, City Manager Keaton Hill, Council Assistant Mariana Pena, Mayor’s Assistant Savannah Driskill, Public Info Officer Kris Baxter, Communications Director Stakeholders: Phil Amorosi Lori Foster Sue Ringler Minutes Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake Council Subcommittee April 9, 2025 Agenda Item 1 – Public Appearances No public appearances. Agenda Item 2 – Approval of the Feb. 11, 2025 Meeting Minutes Councilmember Amberg made the motion to approve the meeting minutes from the previous meeting, with a second from Councilmember Hodge. The minutes were approved. Agenda Item 3 – Update on Request for Proposal and Request for Qualifications released by the City of Tempe for Rio Salado Master Plan Craig Hayton, Community Services Director, presented the City’s update on the public specifics of the RFP and RFQ. Talked about 10 different activity zones with 135 acres, six on the north side and four on the south side. Primarily focusing on the red-boxed area on the north shore to bring more people out to the lake, which is about 20 acres. He indicated that the city is currently a couple of weeks away from releasing the RFP and RFQ as the final documents have been drafted after extensive stakeholder input. Due to the nature of the RFP and RFQ, staff will be working closely with the Communications department. The city is primarily focusing on engaging private business interests to enhance activities around Tempe Town Lake. This includes recreational uses and amenities such as food and beverage offerings to create a vibrant experience. Firms will submit proposals for the development and operations (they will build, maintain, and operate on city grounds – not the whole 20 acres) while being cash positive for the city. The city wants to expand on new opportunities while not impeding on existing ones. Councilmember Hodge asked about a restaurant on the waterfront as well as boat service, highlighting potential opportunities the city hopes to explore through these proposals. The goal is to keep each zone’s requested land focused to facilitate detailed planning. Art will also play a crucial role in the Rio Salado Master Plan. Craig explained the city’s criteria: design quality, team and individual experiences, proposal content, and financial viability. Recommendations will be presented to the City Council after selection. The goal is to diversify recreation options, balancing between passive and active zones, with a variety of amenities like family-friendly parks. Staff will meet with Boards and Commissions and the Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake Subcommittee to ensure inclusivity, ADA accessibility concerns, etc. We anticipate receiving RFP and RFQ submissions by late summer or early fall, following a thorough review process with community feedback sessions. Agenda Item 4 – Discussion of the constructability of the zones Gregg Kent, Principal Civil Engineer, showed a map of the zones and spoke on the constructability. The map showed things such as regional sewer pipes, ADOT roads, Tempe roads, and power lines. The goal was to show what obstacles could come in the way regarding building specific projects. We cannot build anything substantial on top of a sewer line, but passive items like a playground would be perfect. Anything more structural will have to be away from the flood control zone. Councilmember Amberg asked where a restaurant or bar could go, to which Gregg pointed out the flatter areas on the map. A challenge will be to figure out how to get utilities to certain areas, as there has been a problem with water and sewer in other locations on the lake. Stakeholders and members described how they want steps down by the lake, like the river in Chicago, so it’s an overall immersive experience with the water. Agenda Item 5 – Future Agenda Items Councilmember Hodge expressed interest in discussing the potential integration of public safety services at the boathouse once a concept is developed. Councilmember Amberg mentioned that another meeting won’t be held until after the RFQ and RFP process is complete. Meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. Prepared by: Melissa Westbrook, Council Assistant, (480) 350-8635 Reviewed by: Tanya Chavez, Mayor and Council Chief of Staff, (480) 858-2215