Attachment C - VPC Summary - Z-16-20-6

City of Phoenix — Formal (2020-12-16)

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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-16-206
Date of VPC Meeting 
November 10, 2020 
Request From 
C-2 CEPCSP (Intermediate Commercial District,
Camelback East Primary Core Specific Plan) (1.80
acres) and P-1 CEPCSP (Passenger Automobile
Parking District, Camelback East Primary Core
Specific Plan) (1.56 acres)
Request To 
PUD CEPCSP (Planned Unit Development,
Camelback East Primary Core Specific Plan) (3.36
acres)
Proposed Use 
Planned Unit Development to allow multifamily
residential and commercial uses
Location 
Approximately 440 feet west of the northwest corner of
18th Street and Camelback Road
VPC recommendation 
Approval, per staff recommendation, with a
modification
Vote 
16-1
VPC DISCUSSION: 
Ms. Sofia Mastikhina, staff, provided an overview of the request, including the 
location, current and surrounding zoning, and General Plan Land Use Map 
designation. She noted that the site is located within the boundaries of the 
Camelback East Primary Core Specific Plan, which outlines several regulations 
and guidelines that this project will be subject to. As the request to rezone to a 
PUD differs from a regular rezoning case, the regulations from this plan have 
been incorporated into the development narrative. She highlighted the prominent 
regulatory components of the plan that were included in the narrative, including: 
streetscape enhancement, improved pedestrian circulation, location and 
concealment of parking garage structure, potential future mid-block crossing, 
water feature near building entrance, and architectural details and 
embellishments. She further explained that this plan regulated the maximum 
allowed building height of all properties within its boundaries. The property in 
question is located within Core Gradient 2, which permits a maximum building 
height of 30 feet, and up to 56 feet with bonuses. This PUD proposes the latter 
height and meets the following bonus provisions outlined in the plan: high density 
housing, extraordinary design quality, exceptional mitigation of structured 
parking, and creation of extraordinarily enhanced pedestrian areas within the 
project. She then presented an overview of the proposed development 
standards, noting that the site has three vehicular access points, a fully wrapped 
Attachment C

Camelback East Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
November 10, 2020 
Page 2 of 5 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
parking garage, five stories at a maximum height if 56 feet, and a main 
pedestrian path that connects Camelback Road to the main building entrance, as 
well as to the commercial retail center adjacent to the west. She added that, 
along the eastern property line, there is a notch that is owned and operated by 
the Arizona Department of Transportation, so the proposed narrative allows for 
some flexibility in the building and landscape setbacks for this area alone. She 
presented the conceptual elevations and the proposed design guidelines of the 
PUD, which include requirements such as four-sided architecture, the use of a 
minimum of three building materials, maximum 60 percent stucco on each 
building elevation, consistent color palette, and fully screened parking. She then 
outlined the proposed landscape design standards, the amenity features included 
in the narrative, and the proposed signage standards, which will conform to the 
regulations set forth in the Camelback East Primary Core Specific Plan. She 
presented staff’s findings and recommendation for approval and listed the 
recommended stipulations. She explained that, since the staff report had been 
finalized, one of the stipulations had been changed, which is noted in the 
presentation. The applicant worked with the city’s Street Transportation 
Department and the Pedestrian Safety Coordinator to reword this stipulation as it 
is now being presented. 
 
Mr. Nick Wood, representative with Snell and Wilmer, provided an overview of 
the proposed project. He presented the proposed site plan, which depicts a 
wrapped design, meaning that the multi-level parking garage is wrapped on all 
sides by the multifamily building. He presented the proposed amenity and 
landscape plans which include features such as pool/spa area, cabanas, and 
lush landscaping. He then presented the proposed elevations, which are 
intended to retain the overall theme of the Bluewater Grill, including some of the 
restaurant’s color palette. He provided some examples of other projects 
completed by Wood Partners around the valley, to depict the quality of the design 
and amenities that are usually included. He then outlined the difference in traffic 
generation between the current restaurant use, the proposed multifamily 
residential use, and what is allowed by right in the existing zoning district, which 
could be a medical office. The traffic generated by the proposed use would be 
overall slightly less than the current restaurant use and significantly less than 
what would be generated by a medical use. In response to the traffic and 
circulation concerns that were brought up at the last meeting, he provided an 
aerial map depicting all the possible ways that vehicular traffic can exit the 
property to access the adjacent freeway during the morning rush hour. Residents 
will be able to exit the site either onto Camelback Road to the south or onto 
Medlock Drive to the north. He concluded his presentation by asking for a 
recommendation of approval from the committee. 
 
Ms. Hayleigh Crawford reiterated a question she had posed previously to the 
applicant, which is why a PUD is being requested, as well as how the applicant 
has addressed the letters of opposition that were recently submitted by members 
of the public. She also expressed concern with the way staff explained the

Camelback East Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
November 10, 2020 
Page 3 of 5 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
modified stipulation, stating that this was not a rewording, but rather a complete 
modification of the requirement. She asked why the funds to be contributed into 
an escrow account for a traffic signal were so significantly reduced. Mr. Wood 
explained that the PUD is being requested due to the configuration of the site, 
the setbacks needed to accommodate this request, the design elements that the 
applicant wants to ensure are included in the narrative, and to avoid possibly 
multiple Variance requests that a development like this might require. Regarding 
the traffic concerns, his presentation included a map that showed the projected 
circulation and exit routes during morning rush hour. He had also provided the 
projected traffic volumes graph to show that a multifamily residential use will 
generate less traffic than the current restaurant use, and considerably less traffic 
than another use permitted in the zoning district, such as a medical office. He 
then addressed the concern with the modified stipulation, stating that his team 
had been working with Kini Knudson, the director of the Street Transportation 
Department, to come to an agreement regarding a fair stipulation for this 
potential traffic control device. He stated that the originally proposed $75,000 
constituted about half of what would be needed for this device. Give the location 
and configuration of the property, the developer deemed this figure to be unfair to 
ask of a single property owner, and they were able to negotiate down to a quarter 
of the total cost, which is a more proportional contribution for a development of 
this size. Ms. Crawford then asked what the price point for these new 
apartments would be, and if any affordable housing would be included. Mr. 
Wood replied that the units would be around $2 per square foot, so a 1,000-
square-foot apartment would be rented for $2,000, and so on. No affordable 
housing will be included in this project. 
 
Motion: 
Mr. Barry Paceley made a motion to approve this request, with the modification 
to Stipulation No. 5 as presented by staff. Mr. Greg Abbott seconded the 
motion. 
 
Ms. Crawford explained that she will be voting against this case, as she cannot 
support a project that will not be adding affordable housing to an area that 
desperately needs it. 
 
Mr. Craig Tribken urged the committee to take a more active role in advocating 
for housing affordability in the community. 
  
Vote: 16-1 
Motion passes with committee members Swart, Fiscbach, Abbott, Bair, Garcia, 
Grace, McKee, Miller, Nye, O’Malley, Paceley, Scher, Sharaby, Trauscht, and 
Tribken in favor, and committee member Crawford in opposition

Camelback East Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
November 10, 2020 
Page 4 of 5 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
 
 
Village Planning Committee Recommended Stipulations: 
 
1. 
An updated Development Narrative for the Alta Bluewater PUD reflecting the 
changes approved through this request shall be submitted to the Planning and 
Development Department within 30 days of City Council approval of this request.  
The updated Development Narrative shall be consistent with the Development 
Narrative date stamped October 14, 2020, as modified by the following stipulations: 
a. 
Front cover: Revise the submittal date information on the bottom to add the 
following: Hearing Draft: October 14, 2020; City Council adopted: [Add 
adoption date]. 
2. 
The developer shall dedicate a 10-foot sidewalk easement along Camelback Road. 
3. 
The applicant shall submit a Traffic Impact Study to the City for this development.  
No preliminary approval of plans shall be granted until the study is reviewed and 
approved by the City. Contact Mr. Matthew Wilson, Traffic Engineer III, (602) 262-
7580, to set up a meeting to discuss the requirements of the study.  Upon 
completion of the TIS the developer shall submit the completed TIS to the Planning 
and Development Department counter with instruction to forward the study to the 
Street Transportation Department, Design Section. 
4. 
The developer shall construct all streets within and adjacent to the development 
with paving, curb, gutter, sidewalk, curb ramps, streetlights, median islands, 
landscaping and other incidentals, as per plans approved by the Planning and 
Development Department. All improvements shall comply with all ADA accessibility 
standards. 
5. 
The developer shall provide $75,000 in escrow to fund a future traffic control device 
along Camelback Road, between State Route 51 and 16th Street, prior to 
preliminary site plan approval, as approved by the Street Transportation 
Department. 
THE DEVELOPER SHALL PROVIDE $37,500 IN ESCROW TO FUND A FUTURE 
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE ALONG CAMELBACK ROAD, BETWEEN STATE 
ROUTE 51 AND 16TH STREET, PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMITS, 
AS APPROVED BY THE STREET TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. THESE 
ESCROWED FUNDS SHALL BE UTILIZED WITHIN FIVE (5) YEARS OF THE 
ISSUANCE OF A FINAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE PROJECT. IF 
ESCROWED FUNDS ARE NOT UTILIZED WITHIN THIS FIVE (5) YEAR PERIOD, 
SAID FUNDS MAY BE REFUNDED UPON REQUEST OF THE THEN OWNER OF 
THE PROPERTY.

Camelback East Village Planning Committee Meeting Summary 
November 10, 2020 
Page 5 of 5 
 
 
City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona 85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
6. 
In the event archaeological materials are encountered during construction, the 
developer shall immediately cease all ground-disturbing activities within a 33- foot 
radius of the discovery, notify the City Archaeologist, and allow time for the 
Archaeology Office to properly assess the materials.