Attachment F - Opposed- Concern - GPA-MV-1-19-5.pdf

From:
Walt Gray
To:
Emmanuel Gallardo-Sanidad; Walt Gray
Cc:
Toni Maccarone; Christine Mackay; Joshua Bednarek; Sarah Stockham
Subject:
Zoning Cases in District 5
Date:
Monday, May 25, 2020 6:56:45 PM
Emmanuel:
Just want to call your attention to a zoning case in District 5 that will be on the Planning Commission Agenda June 4.  
The cases, actually two cases, were heard by the Maryvale VPC on May 13 (I attended the virtual meeting)..  The VPC voted to deny two cases.  I
considered this to be a unity vote because the anti-business faction (I use the term loosely) was vocal; the pro-business faction was silent, and I believe
the votes were unanimous.  Additionally the cities of Phoenix and Glendale, through their planning departments, supported approval of both cases.  The
FAA also approved the cases after consideration because the Glendale Airport is close by.
As I understood it, one vote was on a General Plan amendment to allow higher density, low rise multi-family development.  The development is referred
to as mixed use because it also involves plans to include more restaurants and entertainment venues around the Dodgers-White Sox training facility.  
This seems to leave the final decision in the hands of the Planning Commission.
I think there are concerns:
1. The anti-business faction, led by Gene Derie and a Mr. O'neill or O'Reilly or something similar, pointed out that the community near the spring
training facilities of the Dodgers and White Sox has on more than one occasion, taken a stand for more open space and no more housing.  Theses cases
reduce open space and increase housing.
2. These cases do not meet the usual mixed use standard.  The multi-family development will have no businesses and the open house within the
development will be for the residents only.  I live in a multi-family development now some miles away, but I see a bonafide need for true mixed use
multi-family developments.  I am not familiar with the Phoenix multi-family standard, but it should be reviewed.
3. Building an entertainment district within the Dodgers-White Sox area seems like it could stand on its own.  However, this should be run by the
community--outreach by the Empire Group, while it met the legal standard, did not reach very many people for what is more than a neighborhood
facility.  The anti-business faction on the VPC expressed concerns about an anticipated increase in traffic.  One alleviating fact is that Ball Park Blvd. has
been connected to Glendale Ave.  There also was mention of linking the Dodgers-White Sox development to Westgate.
4. I think the financing of this project needs thorough review.  I think the community would strongly oppose a sweetheart deal like the ones given to the
Brewers and Suns.  We need to know who pay for what and with what money.  We also need to know who benefit from what money so that the
relationship is reasonable.  
5. Here are some questions I would like to raise: how much will the Parks Dept. invest the money in the community near the Dodgers-White Sox
facilities; will the sports authority realize a fair share of the funds for spring training facilities and other sports venues?  Was any pressure put on the FAA
to give their approval of housing close to the airport?  What is the ultimate development of the Glendale Airport?  Does the airport have potential for an
adjacent industrial/commercial Park, a la Scottsdale.
Below is communication between me and Sarah Stockhman, planner for the Maryvale VPC, which may shed additional light on these cases.
Thanks & Best Wishes
Walt Gray
Maryvale Village Planning Committee
3 messages
walt1gray.1914 <walt1gray.1914@gmail.com>
Thu, May 14, 2020 at 12:15 PM
To: Sarah.Stockham@phoenix.gov
Sarah
My name is Walt Gray.  I have been a community activist in west Phoenix since 2002, but a resident since 1979.  I've attended a number of MVPC meetings in the
past, but it has been awhile since I have been to a meeting.  However, I dialed in last night, and was partially distracted because I was driving for the second part of the
meeting.  I have the following questions:
1. Did the MVPC approve zoning for the housing project after denying a request to amend the General Plan for the same project?
2. Is this frequent, periodic or rare?
3. Was this done to put the decision in the hands of the Planning Commission at its meeting on June 4?
4. I understand the proceeds of the land sale for the project (Phoenix share) go to the Parks Dept.  What has the Parks Dept. budgeted the funds to do?
5. The project is billed as a mixed use project.  However, there apparently are no mixed uses within the housing portion.  The business development is separate and
integrated with the baseball facilities.
6. What benefit does the city receive for its investment in the baseball facilities?  Will any funds go to the sports authority for the investment in the baseball facilities?
7. How was the construction of Ball Park Rd. to Glendale Ave. financed?  In particular, did the Dodgers and White Sox participate?
Thank you for your reply.
Walt Gray, community activist, west Phoenix
walt1gray.1914@gmail
Sent from my MetroPCS 4G LTE Android Device
Sarah Stockham <sarah.stockham@phoenix.gov>
Mon, May 18, 2020 at 9:18 AM
Attachment F

To: Walt Gray <walt1gray.1914@gmail.com>
Good Morning Walt,
The Maryvale Village Planning Committee recommended to deny both GPA-MV-1-19 and Z-69-19 at Ball Park Blvd and Camelback Road. The cases will be heard at
Planning Commission on June 4th. That meeting will be virtual, the agenda and instructions on how to access the virtual meeting will be posted at this link when the
agenda gets posted: https://www.phoenix.gov/cityclerk/publicmeetings/notices. The cases will be heard by the Planning Commission regardless of if the VPC
recommended to approve or deny the cases, as that is the next scheduled public hearing for the cases. The rezoning case is for multifamily residential, not mixed-use.
The General Plan amendment is proposed to change the multifamily residential site to be designated Residential 10-15 dwelling units per acre. The surrounding area is
proposed to be mixed-use on the General Plan Land use map. See attached staff reports for reference.
I do not have knowledge of the Parks and Rec department budget, financial contributions for the development of Ball Park Blvd or city benefits for investments in the ball
park. I would suggest reaching out to these departments for further information.
-Parks and Rec (https://www.phoenix.gov/parks)
-Street Transportation 9https://www.phoenix.gov/streets)
-Community and Economic Development (https://www.phoenix.gov/econdev)
Thank you,
Sarah Stockham
Village Planner
City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor [google.com]
Phoenix, Arizona 85003
Phone: 602-261-8701
sarah.stockham@phoenix.gov
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2 attachments
 [mail.google.com] GPA-MV-1-19-5.pdf
1344K
 [mail.google.com] 69-19-5.pdf
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Walt Gray <walt1gray.1914@gmail.com>
Mon, May 18, 2020 at 1:47 PM
To: Sarah Stockham <sarah.stockham@phoenix.gov>
Thanks for your reply
Best Wishes
Walt Gray
community activist, west Phoenix
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Racelle Escolar
From:
Walt Gray <walt1gray.1914@gmail.com>
Sent:
Tuesday, June 2, 2020 5:33 PM
To:
PDD Planning Commission
Subject:
Planning Commission Meeting, June 4, Items #6 and #7
To: Phoenix Planning Commission 
 
bcc: West Side Organizations, Community Leaders and Individuals 
 
From: Walt Gray, community activist, west Phoenix 
 
I support a Planning Commission decision that involves robust community involvement to ascertain the true merits or 
demerits of the General Plan Amendment and Zoning Case.  Ilistened to the meeting of the Maryvale VPC at which these 
items were addressed.  There may have been a unity vote against the CPA and Zoning cases although there are 
divergent views on the VPC.  The opponents were more vocal than the proponents that night.  However, the proponents 
may be resting on the approvals of both cases by the Cities of Phoenix and Glendale; on the influence of the Dodgers 
and White Sox, and on their support within the VPC. 
 
I do not live in the area of the Spring Training facilities, but as a community activist in west Phoenix, I certainly hope the 
Planning Commission will give a full and fair hearing to the opponents who are up against very powerful forces. 
 
More importantly, as a 44‐year resident of Phoenix, a community activist for 18 years, and a 41‐year member of the 
Maryvale community, I believe the Planning Commission should not decide these cases until the following questions are 
fully addressed: 
 
1. Who paid for what? Who paid for the Spring Training site?  Who paid for the construction of the Spring Training 
facilities?  Who paid for the land where the single‐level, multi‐family development is planned?  How much was paid for 
each? 
 
2. Who received the proceeds and how much?  How much to the Sports Authority and how are those funds being 
used?  How much to the City of Phoenix and how were those funds used?  How much for the Phoenix Parks Dept. and 
how will those funds be used?  Any other entities (eg Glendale) and how are/were those funds used? 
 
3. Who will be the owner of the entertainment center at the Spring Training site?  Who will be the operator?  Who gets 
the proceeds?  What is the distribution formula?  Do the Cities of Phoenix and Glendale benefit sufficiently from taxes 
and fees? 
 
These are critical questions, the answers to which should be full explanations and should be shared publicly with some 
publicity.   
 
The low profile way in which the Brewers renovation project was conducted smells of a sweetheart deal unfair to the 
taxpayers of Phoenix. 
 
The unusual circumstance in which negotiations were conducted for the Suns renovation project and the overwhelming 
calling of chips at the public hearing by Mr. Sarver smells of a sweetheart deal unfair to the taxpayers of Phoenix. 
 
This is an opportunity that everybody pays their fair share and gets their fair return.

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This should become a precedent for future projects involving professional sports teams in Phoenix and the Valley, as 
well as other high profile developers., 
 
This is critical to Inner City residents who are at the bottom of the Trickle Down Economics employed by City, County 
and State governments. 
 
This is the first step toward replacing Trickle Down Economics with Bubble Up Economics that are more equitable for fair 
treatment of the Inner City. 
 
Thank you for your consideration. 
 
Walt Gray