Study Session Mins

City of Chandler — Regular Meeting (2023-07-12)

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Meeting Minutes 
Airport Commission  
Study Session 
May 10, 2023, | 6:30 p.m. 
Chandler Airport Terminal  
2380 S. Stinson Way, Chandler, AZ 
 
 
Call to Order 
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hawley at 6:30 p.m. 
 
Roll Call 
Commission Attendance  
 
 
         Staff Attendance 
Chairman Christopher Hawley  
 
         Ryan Reeves, Airport Manager 
 
Vice Chairman Charles McCorkle 
 
         Chris Andres, Airport Planning Program Mngr. 
Commissioner Chad Wakefield  
 
         Scott Rinkenberger, Airport Ops Manager    
Commissioner Cecil Orozco 
 
      
         Diana Alonzo, Management Assistant 
Commissioner Mark Mount       
 
           
Commissioner Robert Ehlbeck 
 
Absent 
Commissioner Mark Riesterer  
 
Others in Attendance 
Harley Mehlhorn, City Planner  
Stephanie Watney, Concord Hospitality  
Matt Hook, Concord Hospitality  
Kelly Bell, Concord Hospitality 
 
Scheduled and Unscheduled Public Appearances 
CHAIRMAN HAWLEY asked if there were any members of the public that would like to address the 
committee on any items not on the agenda. 
None. 
 
Discussion  
1. Airport Conflict Evaluation – PLH23-0012 Concord Hospitality

Page 2 of 3 
 
 
City Planner, Harley Mehlhorn, gave a presentation regarding the preliminary development plan 
approval for site layout and building architecture for the four-story hotel, Concord Hospitality. The 
site is located on the southeast corner of S. Cooper Rd. and E. Yaeger Dr. The previous approval 
for the site was for a ghost kitchen. The site is 2.67 acres, the building is 53,000 sq. ft. with a 
maximum height of 45 feet, and there will be no water features or solar panels. The proposed 
building material has low reflectivity, with stucco being the primary material along with accent 
brick. The proposed lighting is low on the building.  
 
COMMISSIONER OROZCO asked if this structure is similar to the structure being built on the 
corner of E. Germann Rd. and S. Cooper Rd. 
 
MR. MEHLHORN responded that the buildings are similar in scale and size, but they are two (2) 
different developers. 
 
CHAIRMAN HAWLEY stated that they are concerned about noise complaints with businesses 
moving in the area and asked MR. MEHLHORN if he believed whether or not this business would 
generate any noise concerns from the guests staying there.  
 
MR. ANDRES stated that when the Airport Commission does an Airport Conflict Evaluation, they 
are determining three (3) categories; the impact of noise, height impact to airspace, and 
glare/lighting concerns. In this situation, a hospitality project is a short-term stay. These stays are 
not considered to be residential uses by the FAA because they isolated to commercial standards. 
The occupants are transient, significantly different than single family home (owner, renter, or 
multi-family). The Airport does not anticipate any noise concerns from this site.  
 
CHAIRMAN HAWLEY asked what the coding is for the land use for this area for the district that it 
is in and asked if this was under the Innovation district.  
 
MR. MEHLHORN responded that he believed so. 
 
CHAIRMAN HAWLEY stated he believed Innovation was covering as much as possible like light 
industrial. 
 
MR. MEHLHORN responded that this request was only for design purposes. The land use was 
previously tied to the amendment of the land use in 2004.  
 
CHAIRMAN HAWLEY asked if the land use was approved by City Council. 
 
MR. MEHLHORN responded that it was approved by City Council when the entire Chandler Airport 
Center was approved. There have been very few instances of individual parcels zoning changes.

Page 3 of 3 
 
VICE CHAIRMAN MCCORKLE asked what hotels were going to be operating. 
 
MR. MEHLHORN responded that this particular on was Extended Stay Premier Suites and the 
other site is Woodspring Suites.  
 
COMMISSIONER MOUNT asked if there were any other similar structures to draw a better 
conclusion from about the noise complaints.  
 
MR. REEVES responded that there are if one looks at any Airport within a metro center, but 
specifically Tucson International Airport. They have a high number of hotels in the immediate 
airport area. Just outside the gates of Scottsdale there is a Best Western Hotel, also. This is an 
amenity for most airports. Airport staff is looking forward to projects like this because they provide 
overnight lodging within walking distance from the Airport, an amenity that was previously 
missing.  
 
MR. ANDRES stated the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway is adding a hotel on airport property to serve their 
customers.  
 
VICE CHAIRMAN MCCORKLE stated that he spent many nights at Airport hotels, and that from an 
operator’s perspective this is good enough for the airport. This would allow the crews from 
corporate jets to have a place to stay. VICE CHAIRMAN MCCORKLE asked if the location would have 
a conference room inside the hotel. 
 
MR. MEHLHORN responded that he would defer that question to the applicant.  
 
MR. HOOK responded that their hotel would not have a conference room, but that he could not 
speak for the other hotels.   
 
VICE CHAIRMAN MCCORKLE stated that this hotel would be a benefit because the many nights 
that he stayed in hotel rooms, even the older hotels, the noise was not a concern.  
 
Calendar 
The next Regular Airport Commission Meeting will be held immediately after the Study Session, 
in the Chandler Airport Terminal 2380 S. Stinson Way, Chandler, AZ. 
 
Adjourn 
The meeting was adjourned at 6:44 p.m. 
 
 
______________________________ 
 
 
 
______________________________ 
Ryan Reeves, Secretary                                                  Christopher Hawley, Chairman