March 5, 2021 Special Meeting - Retreat Minutes
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CHANDLER CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING - RETREAT
Thursday, March 5, 2021
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING - RETREAT OF THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER, ARIZONA, held on Friday, March 5, 2021, in the Public
Safety Training Room, 3550 S. Dobson Rd., Chandler, Arizona.
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY MAYOR KEVIN HARTKE AT 8:24 A.M.
The following members of the Council were present:
Kevin Hartke
Mayor
Mark Stewart
Vice-Mayor
René Lopez
Councilmember
OD Harris
Councilmember
Terry Roe
Councilmember
Christine Ellis
Councilmember
Matt Orlando
Councilmember
City staff present: Joshua Wright, Acting City Manager; Kelly Schwab, City Attorney; Dana DeLong, City
Clerk; Debra Stapleton, Assistant City Manager; Matthew Burdick, Communications and Public Affairs
Director
PATRICK IBARRA, The Mejorando Group, thanked staff for putting together these meetings and
introduced the discussion item. Mr. Ibarra recapped the March 4th meeting and the discussion that
was held.
VICE MAYOR STEWART asked if these were similar discussions to other cities and asked if there was
anything they were missing.
MR. IBARRA said each community is different. Many communities discuss amenities and beautification
and economic development. Mr. Ibarra said those items Chandler has always addressed. Mr. Ibarra
said many communities have also discussed homelessness and it is an issue communities everywhere,
including the Valley, are trying to address.
MAYOR HARTKE said there have been past initiatives that came from multiple master plans and some
of these items may already be in process. These items were important in the past and would continue
to be. Mayor Hartke said they need to have a good understanding of what is in each category now
that is in progress already and what should be added.
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MR. IBARRA said another area of focus is regionalism and advocacy with the State Legislature whether
it is formally though the League or informally. Mr. Ibarra said cities are joining together regarding
policy issues and keep the State from dipping into the cities’ sales tax portion. Mr. Ibarra said cities are
trying to find ways to work together even if they do not agree on everything to advocate on behalf of
the region.
1.
Discussion of potential modifications to the five key focus areas of the existing Strategic
Framework.
MR. IBARRA talked about the discussion of each topic listed in the strategic framework and to go
beyond just a concept.
•
Strategic Framework 2019-2024
o Community of Innovation
•
Our Vision
o We are a world-class City that provides an exceptional quality of life
•
Our Goals
o City Council Strategic Policy Goals
o Being the most connected City
o Being a leader in trust and transparency
o Maintaining fiscal sustainability
o Attracting a range of private sector businesses
o Fostering a contemporary culture that embraces unity
o Being safe and beautiful
•
Infill and Redevelopment
o Strategic economic development with:
▪
Destination mixed use projects that support continued vitality of surrounding
neighborhoods
▪
Targeted efforts to repurpose vacant retail space
▪
Unique amenities, events and experiences that attract people to Chandler
▪
A deliberate, calculated approach to infill projects and annexation
▪
An emphasis on workforce development and high-quality education
•
Innovation and Technology
o Embracing global technology that offers enhanced opportunities for citizens and
businesses through:
▪
Smart, sustainable solutions that empower, engage and improve the quality of life
for residents, visitors, and businesses
▪
Piloting innovative ideas to promote efficiency, productivity and connectivity
▪
Leveraging partnerships and alternative funding sources
▪
Marketing Chandler as the premier location for cutting-edge technologies
▪
Investing in infrastructure to drive future technological advancements
•
Mobility
o Forward-thinking transportation networks with:
▪
Multiple, integrated options to access Chandler’s employment corridors
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▪
Convenient connections to the greater East Valley region
▪
High-tech, multi-modal transit options for residents and visitors
▪
Safe, attractive and well – managed roadways and traffic systems
▪
A modern airport that serves as an engine for economic development
▪
Open spaces and multi-use paths connecting developments and neighborhoods
▪
Regional resources that maximize Chandler’s ability to finance transportation
projects
•
Neighborhoods
o Unique and vibrant neighborhoods with:
▪
Services and amenities that build a community aligned with the needs of the
people in the surrounding area
▪
A holistic approach to neighborhood improvement through coordination with City
departments, non-profits, business partners, faith agencies and community
members
▪
Innovative programs that provide housing options for residents’’ diverse needs
▪
Well-maintained and enhanced infrastructure that promotes aesthetics, safety and
community vitality
•
Quality of Life
o Providing a safe community and an exceptional quality of life through:
▪
People, resources and relationships that foster a stable and secure environment
▪
High aesthetic standards incorporating innovative architecture, art and landscaping
elements
▪
Destination parks and open spaces with amenities catering to the demographics of
the surrounding area
▪
Re-imagined public spaces that are usable year-round and minimize blight
▪
Activities, entertainment and business retention that capitalize on Chandler’s hip
culture, unique history and burgeoning arts scene
▪
Use of creative partnerships to provide recreational opportunities for all
•
Our Brand
o A safe community that connects people, chooses innovation and inspires excellence
MAYOR HARTKE talked about the process for the discussion and how he would get a feel for how
many Councilmembers are in support of an item to determine their next steps as a City. Mayor Hartke
said there may be some items that are not addressed now or some that may require more information
before giving direction to staff.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said this is a good dialogue and everyone has a few projects.
MR. IBARRA said there is overlap in some of these areas.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said he would like the City Manager to hear these things to best determine
staff direction.
MR. IBARRA said to focus on strategy and not tactics and would help navigate the conversation. There
are projects, programs, policies, and practices that are underpinnings of Council’s purpose.
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MR. IBARRA introduced the Neighborhood focus area.
MAYOR HARTKE asked, without using Chandler tax dollars, what options are available or best
practices for housing options to meet diverse housing needs. Mayor Hartke said there was a
Subcommittee meeting that had great conversation and would like more definitions about workforce
housing. Mayor Hartke said they have heard options and wanted to see what options are available.
Mayor Hartke said he was not interested in some of the development agreements or lowering the
quality standards, but wanted to see what programs are available to further the conversation.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said in the Subcommittee they talked about ordinances, but he wanted
to begin dialoguing the questions to see what is out there. Councilmember Orlando said one thing
staff proposed is, instead of parking for three cars there are two. Councilmember Orlando said they
need to look at diversity and other communities. There is still not a good understanding of what the
inventory is and there may be enough diverse housing and the issue then is just sustainability.
Councilmember Orlando said the business and the residents are saying things and they need to
determine what options they have and models that are used in other communities. Councilmember
Orlando said they need to see what is there and create a reasonable plan.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he believes they are more aligned than what he previously thought.
Councilmember Lopez said he agreed and they need to know what the inventory is like now and have
staff look to see what housing availability looks like. Councilmember Lopez said it is important to see
what is going to be coming online soon, what is left to build, and then how much of that is
multifamily. Councilmember Lopez said it is important that Council is on the same page when it comes
to the overall plan.
MAYOR HARTKE said they would like to have staff get more information and hold a work session with
some of the information that was presented at the Subcommittee. Mayor Hartke said if they are giving
mixed messages to the community they are going to get mixed messages back. Mayor Hartke talked
about a previous development project and how Council sent mixed messages and they need to be
clear on their message.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said it helps staff as well.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS asked how they get on the same page.
COUNCILMEMBER LOEPZ said that would happen at the Study Session.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said the study session is too formal and they need another retreat to lay
out a foundation and have more clarity on what they are trying to define.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said housing is a big discussion and the City is giving a lot of things the
zoning attorneys are asking for. Councilmember Roe said the land is valuable because that is all the
housing for the future. Councilmember Roe said they need to determine what is next and housing
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should be a gold standard. Councilmember Roe said apartments and multi-housing comes with all
sorts of issues and they need to be careful and it is a huge challenge.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said it can be done.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said it would be important to go back to those troubled areas, look at
redevelopment, and elevate the area. Councilmember Lopez talked about a redevelopment project at
101 Pecos and Arizona. That used to be a bad area and now it has been remodeled and it is a nice
area.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said that is investing in the community so people want to continue to reinvest
in projects like that. Vice Mayor Stewart talked about the last zoning case and how they divided and
conquered Council. Vice Mayor Stewart said he talked to staff about this and how Council was worked.
Council needs to be aligned on what a good project is and what Chandler deserves. Chandler is the
best emerging City in terms of development and business and they need to start acting like it as a
Council.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked if that was a separate item to talk about building standards.
MAYOR HARTKE said there are two conversations.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said when they come forward with these projects they all need to be on the
same page.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said they always talk about innovation and asked if people see that when
people drive down the street. Councilmember Harris said he has a lot of good ideas and mashed with
someone else’s idea it would become a greater idea. Councilmember Harris said it is important to look
at what Chandler looks like tomorrow and what the architecture would be. Councilmember Harris said
they need to spend time defining what architecture would look like.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE asked for a scorecard that would come out of Development Services and
Planning and Zoning Commission and maybe even provide some type of award that it is a gold
standard project. Councilmember Roe said Council would value something like that.
MAYOR HARTKE said that information is in the narrative, but perhaps something more like a
dashboard. Mayor Hartke said this is an extended work session and they are covering a lot of topics.
Mayor Hartke suggested they start their work sessions earlier so they do not get cut off to go to the
next meeting.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked to add the word quality housing projects and if that made a
difference.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said yes.
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VICE MAYOR STEWART said he thought it did for staff. Vice Mayor Stewart said this gives staff backing
to demand quality projects.
MAYOR HARTKE said there are two conversations and he wanted those award winning types of
projects, but to remember that a development cannot have all of these amenities and still be priced at
work force housing.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said when it is an elevated product it would generate better opportunities for
everyone. Vice Mayor Stewart said it would generate more income, more cash flow, and provide more
support for programs. Vice Mayor Stewart said they could have a fiscally responsible City and do
everything.
MAYOR HARTKE said they could have anything they want they just cannot have everything they want.
Mayor Hartke said maybe they need to relook at issues and see what opportunities there are. Mayor
Harke they would not be able to have everything in one development.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said they need to find a way to determine what the gold standard is for
Chandler and what it would look like in the future. Councilmember Harris said Chandler looks boring
and does not look like a smart city. Councilmember Harris asked if staff could send samples of what
other communities have done that are deemed smart cities to have a visual idea of what Council
should look for in a project. Councilmember Harris said then they can better tell the developers what
they want. Councilmember Harris said they need to do the same for the business community as well
and invest the time in researching this.
VICE MAYOR STEWART agreed.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he agreed he would like more information.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said they need the items with enough time, not the day before the meeting.
COUNCIL agreed to move forward with studying this.
MAYOR HARTKE asked if Council was in agreement to hold additional Work Sessions.
COUNCIL agreed.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said these conversations are more direction for staff about where Council
wants to go. Councilmember Lopez said some things may require multiple sessions.
MR. IBARRA said for staff to bring back to Council the subcommittee report, standards for
development, and what it looks like in the future. Mr. Ibarra said housing is a big subject and there is a
lot to discuss.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said they need multiple work sessions because it is so involved. They need
to know where the City is now in regards to inventory and then requirements to give to staff of what a
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good project looks like from Council’s perspective and then review the stipulations on the project.
Councilmember Lopez said this would tie back into beautification and what the City would look like in
the future. Councilmember Lopez said they need to determine what look they want.
MR. IBARRA said they need to reconcile their current ordinances and there are a lot of moving parts to
create consistency.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked if art projects were still added in developments today like they
were in the past as he had not seen much of it lately.
MAYOR HARTKE said most major development have and the buildings by the airport are themed.
Mayor Hartke said if there are more changes on developments it could be sent to Planning and
Zoning and Council direction needs to be clear to them as well. Planning and Zoning Commission is
trying to follow Council and send projects that Council wants.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they should have added an art piece to the last one.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS confirmed they were going to add the word quality.
MR. IBARRA said he added it.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said they need to define what quality means. Councilmember Harris talked
about the power charging stations and maybe that was defined as innovation neighborhoods or
innovated development so it speaks to the progression of the City.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said they should look at Smart Cities and what that means to the business
community not just in terms of charging stations, but inside the building as well. Vice Mayor Stewart
said Chandler has always been a free market and he has changed his mind over the years. Vice Mayor
Stewart said the developers come in and develop and then leave, but perhaps they add more
standards for sustainability.
MAYOR HARTKE said everyone calls themselves a smart city and every City defines what they mean by
that. Mayor Hartke said there was a presentation a while ago about where Chandler is and regional
initiatives. Mayor Harke asked for a presentation on what a Smart City is and where Chandler stands in
regards to that.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said the last discussion that was held was very generic. Councilmember
Lopez said they talked about this before and did not want to be pigeon holed into that.
Councilmember Lopez said when they talk to the general public about being a smart city they also
have different views of what that means such as free Wi Fi. Councilmember Lopez said they need to be
careful of creating pot holes they cannot fill.
MAYOR HARTKE said it would be worth understanding and what that would mean to the City.
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MR. IBARRA said it is important to think about innovation as not just technology. Mr. Ibarra said it is
good to talk about what innovation means and it is a mindset.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS spoke about Cox bringing in fiber optic and they need to provide access
for residents and it could be a partnership. Councilmember Harris said public buildings also have Wi Fi
so people have access if needed. Councilmember Harris said they need to think about how the citizens
can have access to the internet and be connected using community partners.
MAYOR HARTKE said they have done a lot of work on the fiber network.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said Cox has already run fiber throughout the City.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ thought they should remember that there are unintended consequences of
innovation and change within the community as some are resistant to that.
MR. IBARRA said technology is one component and it is not the whole piece.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said Chandler historically has set the standard and set the definition and
was not afraid of defining what Smart City is. Councilmember Orlando said that sets Chandler apart
from other communities. Councilmember Orlando said the City can define what that is.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he liked the idea of Chandler defining what a smart city is.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said the definition could be small, but it needs to be defined. Chandler is
the community of innovation, but they need to define what that means and they need to be clear and
concise.
MR. IBARRA introduced the Mobility focus area.
MAYOR HARTKE said he serves on different transportation committees and talked about Prop 400.
The West Valley is very organized and there are a lot of projects and conservations happening about
other freeways. Chandler does not have any more freeways to build, but there is more work on
circulars. Mayor Hartke said there is also work on a technology fund as transportation will look
different in the next 20 years.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said this was well defined. Councilmember Roe said he wanted to see a fleet
of self-driving electric vehicles that take people where they need to go and a control center to
coordinate this and not just first mile last mile but the whole trip. Councilmember Roe said Metro
could not completely dictate what the City does. Councilmember Roe said instead of having empty
bus routes they could have self-driving vehicles that move up and down the transit corridors and
there would a lot of monitoring of the vehicles.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO agreed with the idea as we do not need trains or buses any longer
Councilmember Orlando clarified that it would be complex to coordinate all of that.
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COUNCILMEMBER ROE said Express in Downtown has proven itself and the money is worth it.
Councilmember Roe said mobility for those who do not have the means that this would be a solution
to help them and other to get to and from work.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked if there was a public private partnership.
MAYOR HARTKE said Waymo is moving towards that and there is a partnership with Lyft for the first
mile last mile in South Chandler. Waymo has a partnership with Valley Metro and there was a pilot in
the City in 2019 with the City employees. Mayor Hartke thought there would be one with Uber, but
they went to another city. Mayor Hartke said they are not that far off from being able to have a light
rail experience, but without the traditional light rail. There may be a pilot project, but it would not be
with Valley Metro because they own buses.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said they need to evaluate how much money is being invested and
determine how the bus routes are performing. Councilmember Lopez said mass transit has always
been subsidized to get low income areas to their jobs. Councilmember Lopez said if that money was
reallocated and they did a different program that could be more impactful. If they were to do a
circulator it may be more effective and reevaluate with more information what they are spending and
where they could innovate. Valley Metro may not like the idea, but once there is a circulator in the
employment corridors and park and rides especially riding in a regular car and not a bus. Other cities
may want to get in on it and then the program could expand.
MAYOR HARTKE said it is not easy to drop a bus because of the regional system.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he often sees empty busses, but it may be at the end of the line and on
its way to pick up other people. Councilmember Lopez said they may drop a couple miles from the
bus route because the circulators come more often.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said the circulator would drop them off at that bus station where it
picks up.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said the circulator could come more often to the bus stop and if goes well it
could be expanded. Councilmember Lopez suggested having a work session about the bus system
and how much the City pays.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said Council should look at Tempe’s system because their system is
effective and has some destination stops.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said ASU subsidizes that system.
MAYOR HARTKE said the cities that offer that also have a transportation tax and Chandler does not.
Mayor Hartke said that is a way to do the circulators and offer the service; there is no City that offers
that service without a self-imposed tax.
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COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he would like to see what is already being spent so they do not have to
raise the tax.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said he liked the idea because the circulators are more convenient for
people and they need to look at a way to reimage the way to move people. Councilmember Orlando
said there was discussion in the past about a tax for the light rail and it did not move forward. If there
is a pilot program that shows autonomous vehicles or a circulator it is more palatable and convenient.
Councilmember Orlando said he was in support of pilot programs and see what works.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said decentralization is the next step in everything we do. Mass transit is
centralization. It is master planned, routes, an old technology, and is an outdated way to move people.
Phoenix built an infrastructure to move people around by cars. Chandler built six lane roads through
neighborhoods to move people around by cars. People are being moved by cars and buses. Vice
Mayor Stewart said the need to look at micro targeting which is happening in every industry. Vice
Mayor Stewart said this mass approach is a broken approach and is an old style. Vice Mayor Stewart
said Valley Metro would be fighting to keep the buses and shared his experience with working with
them. Vice Mayor Stewart said they should look at how many rides could be direct to the destination
or bus stop for the same amount of money. Vice Mayor Stewart said if they find a way to change the
approach and find a public private partnership to be more efficient and effective.
MAYOR HARTKE said one of the reasons we did not get Uber was partly because of the regional
transportation not in Chandler.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they have to think regional.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said the 101 and 202 could have express buses, but he is more focused on the
surface streets and getting people where they need to be.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said they are aligned with the items, but they need to review the public
transportation budget and the ridership levels. Councilmember Lopez said when COVID-19 came they
are still being billed for the buses, but if there was an alternate option that was as needed the cost
would drop as it is not being used.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said service would go up.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said that would be a massive savings.
MR. WRIGHT said they did receive federal funding. Mr. Wright confirmed there was Council interest in
micro transit, public private partnerships, and door to door service. Mr. Wright said it is a complicated
issue due to regional factors.
MAYOR HARTKE said this issue has come up before and Chandler is not the same as it was 10 years
ago.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said micro transit is not regional.
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COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said the airport is valuable as an economic engine and there was a lot of
discussion on what it would be. Councilmember Ellis said they all have some different ideas and
wanted to define what a modern airport means to them. Councilmember Ellis said the airport needs to
find its place in mobility.
MAYOR HARTKE said a modern airport could have modern airplanes come in. Mayor Hartke said if
they could displace the touch-and-goes which is where most of the complaints come from and focus
on an appetite to modernize it.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said there are some remodel projects in the CIP plan and could be a hub for
businesses. Councilmember Lopez said modern aircraft could come in and out of the airport.
Councilmember Lopez said they need to leave the door open as the private sector catches up.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO suggested it be a modern airport that serves as a business park engine
for economic development.
COUNCIL agreed they liked the wording.
MAYOR HARTKE said they have heard from the Parks Master Plan that people want more places to
walk and they receive funds from other agencies on these projects. Mayor Hartke said the City pays
5%.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said he had requested additional safety barriers or something to be added to
keep the bicyclists safe.
MR. WRIGHT said they are working on some solutions for future bike lanes.
MAYOR HARTKE asked if there were any reports regarding cell phone laws in terms of making biking
safer.
MR. WRIGHT said it just started January 1, so he has not received a report yet.
MAYOR HARTKE said he would like in six months to see the impact.
THE MEETING RECESSED AT 9:44 A.M.
THE MEETING RECONVEINED AT 9:59 A.M. ALL PRESENT
MR. IBARRA introduced the Innovation and Technology focus area.
MAYOR HARTKE talked about a scorecard to see where the City is at overall and how the City’s
definition of a Smart City is developing. Mayor Hartke said after they define what a Smart City is then
other projects and direction may come from that. Mayor Hartke said that direction would come after a
presentation on the subject.
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COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS agreed.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE suggested there be a speaker that is forward thinking come to the City to talk
to staff about the next big ideas and see how Chandler can innovate and if we are missing something.
Councilmember Roe said there are dynamic people that have big ideas that we can consider.
MAYOR HARTKE said there are some events and suggested Council attend events in other cities and
ASU to see regional innovation. Mayor Hartke said they can be vocal about further understanding of
smart cities.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said Council needs to discuss some of the ideas.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said this is a great thing to talk about and this fits within the City’s brand. Vice
Mayor Stewart said he would like more information on where Chandler is being marketed and micro -
targeting to CEOs outside of the State and market Chandler’s accolades. Vice Mayor Stewart asked for
a report on dark fiber and they have to be able to move data.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said it needs to be throughout the whole City because there is still an area
that is struggling to get data.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said infrastructure and fiber is not the way of the future anymore and they
need to weigh the options. Councilmember Lopez said they need to make sure they are not spending
money or pre-engineering a solution that is a thing of the past.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they need to have a presentation to see where they want to go.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said it was a good point.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they need to look at redundancy and a Smart City would have
redundancy in the event of an emergency. Councilmember Orlando said if one system goes down
they need to have redundancy and they have learned that lesson with COVID-19 and they did not
have the infrastructure to work remotely.
MAYOR HARTKE said as part of GPEC the City advertises with them instead of sending our own ads so
we do not compete with our neighbors.
VICE MAYOR STEWART asked if that was a good thing.
MAYOR HARTKE said it has been a good thing and has opened opportunities in the past and that is
how they got GPEC.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS asked if we could advertise ourselves.
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MAYOR HARTKE said we could but people do not do that as much anymore. Mayor Hartke said
people approach the State and the region. Marketing the City to businesses is different than
marketing for tourism.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said businesses know their employees may not all live in that City so they
look at the region and it is better to share the advertising costs.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said micro-targeting is the future and handing over marketing to another
organization is great, but having our own and put effort into marketing is not a bad thing.
MAYOR HARTKE said they get some through cultural development too.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said Chandler is a first tier global community and was interested in
marketing globally. Councilmember Orlando said there is a large Asian community in Chandler as well
as Pakistanis and Indians.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said Brazilians as well.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they need to look at places such as the mall to attract residents.
The City is diverse and we should market to those diverse communities to bring other global
companies here.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said Chandler’s success would raise the bar for the other neighboring cities
and would help the State. Vice Mayor Stewart said if they do some of their own marketing it would be
beneficial and is inexpensive.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO agreed.
MAYOR HARTKE asked staff to explore marketing expansion globally.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said they should ask the business community about what future expansion
looks like. Councilmember Lopez talked about a CIO round table and show they want to be the
forefront in technology.
MAYOR HARTKE said the Citizen Bond Committee had great stakeholders from the community.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they could continue to work with them.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said it was a very diverse high powered group.
MAYOR HARTKE said the City’s IT Director is great.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he does really well.
MR. IBARRA introduced the Infill and Redevelopment focus area.
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MAYOR HARTKE said they have talked about some of these areas such as development standards.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS asked if this needed to be part of the strategic plan. Councilmember Harris
said by focusing on the other pillars they are already doing this and should this just be part of the
expectation. Councilmember Harris asked if this needed to be singled out as its own.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said yes, for the public and the developers to see redevelopment is a focus.
There are hot spots around the City that are precious and there could be great projects to help these
areas. Councilmember Roe said they need to look at the next big thing and have quality
developments.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said when he reads this he thinks of properties being built, but not
economic development. Councilmember Harris asked what redevelopment meant to Council because
they should automatically be doing this and maybe should be part of the other buckets.
Councilmember Harris suggested adding economic development to make it clearer instead of having
to read into it.
MAYOR HARTKE said two years ago, Chandler was at 12% buildout and now they are at 9.1%. Looking
at the developments it takes on a greater sense of importance because there is less land. Mayor
Hartke said every time there is development this becomes more important.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO talked about other cities and said this is important because this is where
we are in the maturation of the City. Councilmember Orlando said as retail begins to go away they
need to think about what to do with the land. Councilmember Orlando said to him this is a top priority
because if they do not focus staff time, developer time, and Council time on this then we lose out a lot
and they would go somewhere else if there is not a concrete plan.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said this also is applicable to small businesses and that we want them here.
Councilmember Lopez said in the past it was important to have this pulled out on its own because of
where the City is at and ensure that small businesses understand the City needs to be adapted.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said it is like the public safety discussion from the day before, if this is
put as an overlapping element or standalone.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said as they look at the strategic plan they talk about economic
development and infill and redevelopment. Councilmember Harris suggested economic development
could be its own pillar and discuss entrepreneurship, small businesses, large corporations, and all of
these different things. Councilmember Harris said residents are not going to read as deeply into it as
the Council is philosophically. Councilmember Harris said entrepreneurs and small businesses are not
going to think infill and redevelopment.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS asked if another category should be added. If they are really going to push
the City forward and discuss what they are going to do with small businesses then it may need to be
separate.
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COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said he understood what everyone was saying but it did not stand out in
this category. It is important to keep the focus areas simple so that people can clearly understand
what Council’s goals are. Councilmember Harris said people would not associate economic
development with infill and redevelopment.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they could have both and really have points in each area to have clear
focus on what the City is doing. Councilmember Ellis said they are doing these things already and it
would be clearer for the residents.
MR. IBARRA said these focus areas are points of emphasis and this document gives staff direction, but
the audience are the residents and businesses.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ asked if there were going to be two buckets or rename infill and
redevelopment to include economic development.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said it could be both and they could focus on economic development
initiatives as well. Councilmember Harris if they add another pillar then it could in the airport, Price
Corridor, and areas that are struggling such as North Chandler. Councilmember Harris said this sends
a clear message that economic development is important to the City especially as they market the
City. Councilmember Harris said they need something that says they want companies here when they
do global marketing and they have defined this as a focus area.
VICE MAYOR STEWART agreed and said infill and redevelopment is a function of economic
development and the title should be economic development. Vice Mayor Stewart said this is a
valuable marketing tool.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said having something in more common terminology would be a good idea
and they could move the airport into this category.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they are changing the narrative.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said each category has an economic element and those could be pulled
into one category.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ agreed for the title to be something that is encompassing that is easy for
people to understand. Councilmember Lopez agreed the airport could be moved and this category
would show a higher level of priority. Councilmember Lopez said not pulling every piece of economic
development from the other categories but have a balance.
MR. IBARRA said some cities use the term economic viability which is more of a broad term than
economic development.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he liked that.
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MAYOR HARTKE read the vision statement and information about the focus areas. Mayor Hartke said
infill and redevelopment is important, but it is important to serve the existing businesses and broaden
the diverse business climate. Mayor Hartke said it brings a sense of empowerment and asked staff to
look at the wording.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said she liked economic viability and add information about existing
businesses. Councilmember Ellis said it is important to show there is City support.
MR. WRIGHT clarified both the built environment and the people.
MAYOR HARTKE said people rave about the City being a business friendly city and others who do not
work often with cities think Chandler is difficult to work with. Mayor Hartke asked to add a point about
being business friendly to existing and developing industries.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS talked about Economic Development staff going the extra mile for the
business community and empowering that team to do more. Councilmember Harris said Council has
tasked them to do a lot of work.
MAYOR HARTKE said Development Services staff also does a lot for the business community and
there has been a lot of progress done to make the process simple. These departments are all part of
doing business in Chandler.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said, easy to do business with but not a push over.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said that was right.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS asked if it would be a pillar or something added to the name.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said infill could go underneath.
MAYOR HARTKE said they would change the title.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said infill and redevelopment would be a subcategory.
COUNCIL determined infill would be a under economic viability as a subcategory.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked if there is anything else they should be doing regarding
redevelopment.
MR. WRIGHT talked about the infill incentive program the City currently has. Mr. Wright said they
need to have a discussion about standards. Mr. Wright recommended Council add protecting
employment corridors as it is an ongoing discussion as they fill in the blank spaces.
COUNCIL agreed.
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VICE MAYOR STEWART asked what kind of economic development Council wants to do. The City has
evolved into a different type of economic development and the City is bringing in high paying jobs.
Vice Mayor Stewart said they have moved away from call and data centers and are bringing in white
collar jobs that are six figures. Vice Mayor Stewart asked if they are committed to that. Vice Mayor
Stewart said they need to think about what types of jobs they want and be selective.
MAYOR HARTKE said they were protecting Price Corridor for certain type of jobs and the Airpark for
light industrial. Mayor Hartke said it would be good to have this conversation with the Economic
Development staff otherwise they could just be getting warehouse type of developments and decide
what they want.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said he liked the idea of protecting employment corridors and for the
airport to be a focus area and being entrepreneurship friendly. Councilmember Harris suggested
adding innovation to the category as well.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they are losing land and would potentially annex land and asked
what the major impediment was to redevelopment. Councilmember Orlando talked about a developer
who wanted to take out some stores to add multi-housing which would help the area. Councilmember
Orlando discussed redevelopment in the City and asked what they should do with the older sections.
MR. WRIGHT talked about a redevelopment area and the challenges redeveloping the site. Mr. Wright
said each site is unique and there is the cost of redeveloping as well as some difficulty with
envisioning what the site could be. Mr. Wright said Council should have a clear vision for developers
of what should go there and support the other retail areas. Multifamily and mixed use is a great
option for those areas.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked about Mariposa and the transition.
MR. WRIGHT said there are multiple types of housing options in the area.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE talked about another redevelopment site in North Chandler.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they need to have a vision.
MR. WRIGHT said staff needs to know what Council is comfortable with.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ asked for a work session to get more information.
MAYOR HARTKE said they could have a work session regarding the issue.
MR. IBARRA introduced the Quality of Life focus area.
MAYOR HARTKE said there was discussion regarding public safety to add as a focus area and a fiscally
sound budget is just as important.
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COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said because of the environment, he suggested adding a public safety
header and to show the City sees that as a priority. Councilmember Lopez said he did not think public
safety should be a separate pillar, but should be a subcategory and moved towards the top of the list.
Councilmember Lopez said he also wanted to be respectful of our history as we begin redeveloping
and new innovation. Councilmember Lopez said it is important to show the evolution of the City and
pay homage to the past.
MAYOR HARTKE suggested staff add something to the beginning to talk about the history.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said he liked the new mural in the breezeway that is on the agenda and that
it shows the evolution of the City.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO talked about sustainability and that they have a sustainability
coordinator and there have been briefings. Councilmember Orlando asked if that fit into quality of life.
MAYOR HARTKE asked what sustainability meant to Councilmember Orlando.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said some cities have a sustainability plan and asked if Chandler had
created one.
MR. WRIGHT said the City does not have a sustainability or climate action plan. There are some
standards as far as City buildings, but there is not a specific plan.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked if the City should have one as there is more emphasis on that in
terms of federal dollars.
MR. WRIGHT asked if Council had specific goals or if it was more general.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said there are recycling programs and said it is important to educate the
residents about sustainability, encourage them, and show the benefits to the City. Councilmember Ellis
said it is important to see where they can have more emphasis and work with the residents.
MAYOR HARTKE said solar, planting trees, water, and recycling have always been important topics.
Mayor Hartke said they could give out awards for sustainable developments as they come on board
which they have done in the past. Mayor Hartke said he was not interested in creating a document to
become a carbon neutral city, but wanted to look at ways to highlight sustainability.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said as a region there are a lot of talks about water.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said they are already doing sustainable things as a City and asked if this
should be added.
MAYOR HARTKE said to increase sustainability efforts.
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VICE MAYOR STEWART said there are cost neutral ways to be sustainable. A chosen effort to be
sustainable without giving money away to unproven technology. Vice Mayor Stewart said if they are
doing a new project they should look at being sustainable.
MAYOR HARTKE said yes, it should increase their revenue.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO talked about past sustainable additions to projects such as shade
canopies in the parks.
VICE MAYOR STEWART talked about the heat effect of concrete in the City and how it has increased as
the City has grown.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said to add sustainability as a bullet point.
MAYOR HARTKE said there seems to be collection around sustainability.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said some of these initiatives are far away.
COUNCIL agreed to add sustainability to Quality of Life.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said he as in favor of a multigenerational project and about adding more
space for the Senior Center such as giving up some space from the library.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS asked if it could be somewhere else.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said the libraries are on a decline and the library could give up some real
estate to make the Senior Center more inviting.
MAYOR HARTKE said there was discussion about a multigenerational facility at a few locations and
there was some question as far as Council’s appetite for something like that. Mayor Hartke asked if
Council wanted to pursue options.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said his understanding was that they did not want to spend that money.
Councilmember Roe said most everyone wanted something, but there was concern about the cost.
MAYOR HARTKE said it did not go to the Bond Committee.
MR. WRIGHT said it did not, but it sounds like Council is interested in revisiting the topic. Mr. Wright
there are options that are a lower cost and could partner with other facilities or partner exchanges
with the private sector. Mr. Wright talked about options and about revisiting the topic.
MAYOR HARTKE said they rejected the standalone option.
MR. WRIGHT said when doing a study they give the whole range of options.
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MR. IBARRA talked about the trend of repurposing libraries as community centers being
multifunctional. Mr. Ibarra said the librarians know they need to reevaluate their value proposition
because of technology so cities are building community centers that have multiple services and
amenities that appeal to a wide variety of audiences.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they can still keep jobs and hire people.
MR. IBARRA said it is a community center with a library and it created as a life style center. Mr. Ibarra
said this is what is trending because of people’s habits.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ said the naming plays into it as well. Senior center and multigenerational
center have negative connotations. Councilmember Lopez said a multifunction center or community
center makes it feel like it is for all generations not just one.
MR. IBARRA talked about Community Services and how they serve a diverse population. Mr. Ibarra
said they work with the youngest kids and the senior generation. Mr. Ibarra said there is a larger
demand for other sports as well such as cricket fields as the populations become more diverse.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS asked if Council wanted to add diversity and inclusion as part of quality of
life or if it should be its own category. Councilmember Harris said that public safety should be its own
category because it is something that is under scrutiny right now. Councilmember Harris said
inclusivity is also under scrutiny and many companies in Chandler have initiatives around this.
Councilmember Harris said it is a focus in the community and businesses in Chandler have the vision
of being very inclusive. Councilmember Harris said he did not know if the community knew the
emphasis the City places on diversity and inclusion as much as it practices it. Councilmember Harris
said this should be a top priority and show the City cares about diversity and inclusion.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said they should brag about it.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said yes.
MAYOR HARTKE did not see it as a standalone category, but thought it should be in quality of life.
COUNCILMEMER LOPEZ agreed to add a bullet point.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said it should be a sub heading so it shows that the City really cares about
it. Councilmember Harris said staff understands when there is an issue with public safety it needs to be
elevated and diversity and inclusion should be the same. Councilmember Harris said they are talking
to today’s and tomorrow’s generation and they care about public safety and diversity and inclusion
and not marginalize it.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they need to embrace our diversity and make it a priority. Chandler has
done that for a long time and it is not by accident that the City has not been affected the same way as
other cities and Chandler has really fostered a sense of community for everyone. Councilmember Ellis
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said not everyone hears how diverse the City is and what the City has done to foster this welcoming
environment. When we embrace our diversity inclusion automatically follows.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said diversity does not automatically mean inclusion and it has to be
spelled out. Councilmember Harris said they can talk about diversity but inclusion is for everyone.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ asked for this to be defined further. If this is in the forefront they need to
look at what metrics they are looking at to show they are meeting these goals and what it means for
policy.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said diversity and inclusion is a way of life. Councilmember Ellis said they can
create an environment where people feel they can thrive and be who they want to be. Councilmember
Ellis said they need to let people know, but it’s not something they can legislate.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said this is an important conversation. Councilmember Harris said they
practice diversity and inclusion in the City and spoke about what the City does to achieve this.
Councilmember Harris said to have the world take it seriously that Chandler is doing this they need to
add this as a focus area. Inclusion is a policy that impacts diversity and they need to have both
together. Councilmember Harris said having diversity and inclusion is already here and other cities and
business have already embraced it and Council should not shy away from it. This is the missing
element and it needs to be featured.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO said diversity has been in Chandler’s DNA for a long time. Chandler was
one of the first to put together diversity committees, the first to address the roundup in 1997,
Chandler elected the first black mayor in Arizona, and we have world class companies and people.
Councilmember Orlando said this is part of our brand and they should add diversity and inclusion to
the brand statement.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ agreed with adding to the brand. Councilmember Lopez said it should not
be its own pillar. Councilmember Lopez talked about diversity and inclusion scores and how some of
these scores are based on quota requirements of who is hired based on race and gender.
Councilmember Lopez said he did not want that in Chandler. They should hire the best candidate and
not hire to fill a quota.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said then diversity is not from the heart they are just checking a box.
Councilmember Ellis said they want to embrace a community where people can be who they want to
be and continue to encourage the diverse community to apply for jobs, be educated, and provide
mental health services to all. Councilmember Ellis said if this was added to our brand then anything
could happen from there.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said it would send the right message and it is already embraced by many.
VICE MAYOR STEWART asked what this meant.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said diversity and inclusion.
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VICE MAYOR STEWART said Councilmember Harris is talking about policy and Councilmember Ellis is
talking about volunteerism and bragging about the community.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said adding it to the brand.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said there is a difference between policy and what the community is
embracing. Vice Mayor Stewart said they should be talking about this, but they should not be creating
a policy to criminalize people. Vice Mayor Stewart said he brags about the community and is proud of
being a diverse community. By leading with a passion they can continue to tell the story and
supported putting it in the document but was leery about criminalizing people.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said they should add diversity and inclusion as something to be proud of
as it is part of the City already. Councilmember Harris said it should be highlighted and there should
not be hesitation to add it to the document. Councilmember Harris said he would prefer to add it to
the mission statement or the brand.
MAYOR HARTKE talked about his children going to Chandler High and how it was a diverse school.
Mayor Hartke said he was cautious of the other cities’ documents and they all have language that
gives fines for not complying. Mayor Hartke said he wanted to celebrate their diversity and did not
want to add something that criminalized people. Mayor Hartke said he agreed to add the words to
the brand.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS talked about the unintended consequences. Councilmember Harris said
people will change the way they think in the future and this keeps the direction forward.
Councilmember Harris talked about the founding documents of government and they put things in
writing to clarify how they do business and what makes them standout. Councilmember Harris said
adding diversity and inclusion would be a great start.
COUNCILMEMBER LOPEZ asked about where it would fit in the document.
MAYOR HARTKE said Councilmember Orlando’s idea was to add it to the brand.
MR. IBARRA said this topic is front and center for a lot of communities and they all look at it different
based on each generation. Mr. Ibarra said a lot of cities are looking at being intentional. Mr. Ibarra said
if it was easy to solve it would have already been done. Mr. Ibarra said people want to know that the
Council can collaborate on these difficult issues. Mr. Ibarra said they need to translate the concept into
practice and how they would achieve these focus areas.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said they should start here and there would be more conversations.
VICE MAYOR STEWART asked where they are trying to get to.
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COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said they started a long time ago and they did not just start here.
Councilmember Ellis said they need to rethink as there are things happening all over the world and
they need to look at these changes and the City evolves.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO asked as a City if they are practicing these things and would like a
further discussion about what the City is doing to live up to this before going out to the community
and tell them what to do.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS said he wanted to have a starting point and look into the issue further.
Councilmember Harris said they should adopt this into their brand and look at what the City is
currently doing and asked staff to look into it further and see where they need to go.
2.
Summary and Wrap Up
MR. IBARRA made summary remarks and wrapped up the retreat.
COUNCILMEMBER ORLANDO thanked the Mayor and appreciated his leadership. Councilmember
Orlando said he felt more connected to the issues.
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS thanked the Mayor for creating an environment to share their diverse
ideas.
COUNCILMEMBER ROE said it was a great opportunity.
COUNCILMEMBER ELLIS said open communication was important and respect others opinions and
thanked Council for listening.
VICE MAYOR STEWART said he was grateful for the new Councilmembers’ perspective and the
discussion Council had on these topics.
MAYOR HARTKE thanked the Council for their comments and ideas over the past two days, and said
staff would take the information and bring back details for the Council to review. Mayor Hartke said
they have had some difficult conversations and appreciated Council’s collaboration and thought there
was great discussion.
MR. IBARRA said Council has a passion for the community and thanked them for the opportunity.
ADJOURNMENT: The Retreat was adjourned at approximately 11:57 a.m.
ATTEST: __________________________
______________________________
City Clerk Mayor
Chandler City Council Retreat Meeting Minutes
Friday, March 5, 2021
Page 24
Approval Date of Minutes: April 22, 2021
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Special
Meeting – Retreat of the City Council of Chandler, Arizona, held on the 5th day of March, 2021. I
further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present.
DATED this _______ day of April, 2021.
__________________________
City Clerk