Attachment D - VPC Summary - Z-14-20-2.pdf

City of Phoenix — Formal (2020-12-02)

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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-14-20-2 
Date of VPC Meeting 
November 2, 2020 
Request From 
CP/GCP PCD (7.80 acres) 
Request To 
PUD (Planned Unit Development) (7.80 acres) 
Proposed Use 
Planned Unit Development to allow office with minor 
commercial uses
Location 
Southeast corner of Kierland Boulevard and Marilyn 
Road
VPC Recommendation 
Approval, per staff’s stipulations and applicants 
proposed stipulations
VPC Vote 
14-2 
VPC DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDATION:
3 speaker cards were submitted in opposition, wishing to speak.  
2 speaker cards were submitted in support, wishing to speak. 
Mr. David Simmons, staff, provided an overview of the request. He discussed 
current heights in the area, the General Plan Land Use Map designation, the 
surrounding zoning designations and uses and setbacks proposed. Mr. Simmons 
also discussed several policy plans in which this proposal is in line with, including 
the Bicycle Master Plan, Major Employment Centers, Complete Streets Guiding 
principles and more.  
Mr. Larry Lazarus, with Lazarus Law Offices, representing the applicant, 
provided an in depth presentation going over every facet of the project to include 
setbacks, distance between surrounding building, heights, amenities proposed, 
landscaping, development standards, parking, open space, phasing, circulation 
plan, the onsite pedestrian experience and more. He also went over the 3-year 
public outreach process he and the development team went through with 
surrounding stakeholders to get to the design they are proposing today.  
Mr. Robert Goodhue shared concerns about the reduction in parking proposed.  
Mr. Eric Cashman stated that it is clear that the applicant worked with the 
community and did their homework on this proposal. However, he stressed 
concerns with the proximity to the condo development to the south. He asked if 
Attachment D

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
the owners of the condo development were notified and if so, what was their 
opinion of this proposal.  
Mr. Lazarus explained that he and his team went above and beyond in regard to 
public outreach. He shared that no one from the condo complex attended any of 
the public meetings and that he met the notification distance requirements, which 
included many of the condo owners within the development. The registered 
neighborhood associations were also notified of each meeting.  
Mr. Alex Popovic shared that he too has concerns about the proximity of this 
proposal to the condo development to the south. He asked Mr. Lazarus id they 
were informed. He also has concerns about the reduction in parking.  
Mr. Lazarus stated that the proposed reduction in parking is only a 3.8 percent 
reduction, which is miniscule.  
Vice Chair Robert Gubser asked what the notification requirements were.  
Mr. David Simmons, staff, shared that the requirement for notification is a 600-
foot circumference from all property boundaries for property owners and a 1-mile 
circumference for registered neighborhood associations.  
Vice Chair Gubser asked the applicant if anyone from the condo development 
reached out.   
Mr. Lazarus shard that no one from the condo community reached out in support 
or opposition. 
Public Comment: 
Ms. Isadore Yetnikoff residing at Acoma and 69th Street stated that increased 
traffic was of concern as well as the character of the area changing as well as the 
proposed height.  
Ms. Christina Noyes residing at 14238 70th Place shared that she has concerns 
in regard to density, character of the area changing, proposed height and 
proximity to residential uses.  
Mr. Jim Combs residing at 6409 Gelding Drive shared concerns about height, 
view corridors, and an increase in traffic.   
Mr. Wayne Mayu residing at 7120 Kierland, president of the Kierland Community 
Alliance (KCA), shared support for the project. He shared that the KCA has been 
working diligently with the applicant for the past three years. He stated that the 
proposed open space, circulation plan, setbacks and, traffic mitigation fund 
agreement were all results of this collaboration. He shared that the KCA is in full 
support.  
Mr. Mark Spinrad residing at 6840 Evans Road shared concerns of an 
overabundance of available office space in the area. He stated that eh area is 
already saturated. He also shared that he feels the applicant is disingenuous to 
offer open space as he thinks it is ridiculous to imagine the neighbor walking over 
to a commercial office building site to hand out in the open space area. He thinks

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
this is unrealistic. He also shared that ingress/egress was a point of concerns as 
well as the reduction in paring.  
Applicants Response:  
Mr. Larry Lazarus iterated that traffic mitigation is of utmost importance. He also 
shared that a study was done reflecting the need for additional office space int eh 
area.   
Mr. Eric Cashman asked why this wasn’t just developed under the existing 
zoning designation since it allows up to 80 feet with a Use permit.  
Mr. David Simmons, staff, went over the CP/GCP development standards and 
explained that the height would not have been able to be achieved through 
CP/GCP due to required stepbacks in the current code section.  
VPC Discussion: 
Mr. Alex Popovic shared that he believes it is a dangerous precedent being set 
by allowing a reduction in parking.  
Mr. Eric Cashman shared that he has concerns about the HOA notifications. He 
is worried the condo association was not notified.  
Mr. David Ulibarri stated that the applicant met all notification requirements. 
Otherwise, they would not be allowed to be in front of the committee today. They 
must meet requirements prior to moving through the hearing process. He stated 
that id the condo owners did not respond, that is in no way the applicant’s fault.  
Ms. Toby Gerst shared that she believes this project would change the 
character of the area and thinks Kierland needs a Master Development Plan or 
Policy Plan to guide future development.  
Chairwoman Jennifer Hall also stated that it is imperative that Kierland have a 
policy plan in the near future.  
Mr. Roy Wise stated that the community members that have voiced concerns 
are nit picking at this point. He applauded the applicant for working with 
neighboring stakeholders for three year prior to coming in front of the committee.  
Vicechair Robert Gubser stated that the committee is flying high without a 
policy plan for the Kierland area. He shared that he did a quick search for het 
owners of the condo complex and found that 65 plus/minus were notified by the 
applicant and none of them reached out. He shared that he is in support of the 
proposal.  
Mr. Alan Sparks shared that he agrees with staff’s comments as well as Vice 
Chair Gubser’s comments in regard to the notification requirements being 
fulfilled. He is pleased that the KCA is in support of the project as they provide a 
critical eye. He shared that he disagrees with Ms. Gerst. This will be a class A 
office building where a current class C office building exists. It will be a major 
improvement to the area.  
Ms. Louisa Ward left the meeting at 9:15, bringing quorum down to 16.

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
MOTION:  
 
Mr. Alan Sparks made a motion to recommend approval of Rezoning Case No. 
Z-14-20-2 per the staff recommendation and the addition of the stipulations 
requested by the applicant in regard to escrow funds for traffic calming 
improvements and that outdoor uses and height be added to the development 
narrative. 
 
Mr. David Ulibarri seconded the motion.   
 
VOTE:   
 
14-2 with committee members Balderrama, Cantor, Enright, Goodhue, Lesher, 
Mazza, Mortensen, Popovic, Severs, Sparks, Ulibarri, Wise, Gubser and Hall in 
favor. Committee members Cashman and Gerst not in favor. 
 
Stipulations: 
 
1. 
An updated Development Narrative for the Kierland Sky 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 16, 2020, as modified by the following stipulations: 
 
 
 
a. Front Cover: Remove “HEARING DRAFT” and revise submittal date information on 
bottom of the cover page as follows:  
1st Submittal: May 17, 2020 
2nd Submittal: June 20, 2020 
Hearing Draft: September 11, 2020 
City Council adopted: TBD
 
 
 
 
b. Add the landscape setbacks to the comparative development standards table. 
 
 
 
 
c. 
Provide a dimensioned landscape plan depicting distance between sidewalk and 
back of curb and landscape setbacks. Include caliper sizes of trees, number of 
shrubs under each tree, groundcover percentages in a table format on the plan.
 
 
 
 
d. 
Provide landscape standards for the terraces to include minimum 5 gallon shrubs, 
with 50% live coverage at maturity. 
 
 
 
 
E. THE SOUTHERN BUILDING WILL BE NO HIGHER THAN 56 FEET, AND NO 
CLOSER THAN A MINIMUM OF APPROXIMATELY 560 FEET AWAY FROM THE 
CLOSEST EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE; AND THE BUILDING 
CONNECTED TO IT, NO HIGHER THAN 84 FEET, AND NO CLOSER THAN A 
MINIMUM OF APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AWAY FROM THE CLOSEST 
EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE.
 
 
 
 
F. THE NORTHERN BUILDING SHALL BE NO HIGHER THAN 88 FEET.

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
 
G. THE FOLLOWING SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE USE STADARDS SECTION: 
THERE SHALL BE NO OUTDOOR MUSIC OR DJ MUSIC ON SITE, ONLY 
OUTDOOR BACKGROUND DINING MUSIC SHALL BE ALLOWED. 
 
 
 
2. 
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.
 
 
3. 
The developer shall submit a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) to the City for this development. 
No preliminary approval of plans shall be granted until the study had been reviewed 
and approved by the City. Additional off-site improvements and right-of-way dedications 
may be required as identified in the approved traffic study. Development shall be 
responsible for the cost associated with these improvements and dedications. 
 
 
4. 
The property owner shall record documents that disclose the existence, and operational 
characteristics of Scottsdale Municipal Airport (SDL) to future owners or tenants of the 
property.  The form and content of such documents shall be according to the templates 
and instructions provided which have been reviewed and approved by the City 
Attorney.   
 
 
5. 
The developer shall provide documentation to the City of Phoenix prior to final site plan 
approval that Form 7460-1 has been filed for the development and that the 
development received a “No Hazard Determination” from the FAA. If temporary 
equipment used during construction exceeds the height of the permanent structure a 
separate Form 7460-1 shall be submitted to the FAA and a “No Hazard Determination” 
obtained prior to the construction start date.
 
 
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.
 
 
7. 
AT THE TIME OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR 
PHASE I THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL ESTABLISH A FUND TO PAY FOR 
TRAFFIC MITIGATION MEASURES TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY OF PHOENIX 
STREET TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WITHIN 1 MILE OF THE SITE. THE 
FUNDS WILL BE HELD FOR 5 YEARS UPON WHICH ANY UNUSED PORTION WILL 
BE RETURNED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
 
 
8. 
AT THE TIME OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR 
PHASE II THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL ESTABLISH AN ADDITIONAL FUND TO 
PAY FOR TRAFFIC MITIGATION MEASURES TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY OF 
PHOENIX STREET TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WITHIN 1 MILE OF THE 
SITE. THE FUNDS WILL BE HELD FOR 5 YEARS UPON WHICH ANY UNUSED 
PORTION WILL BE RETURNED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. 
 
 
9. 
AT THE TIME OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR 
PHASE II THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL ESTABLISH A FUND TO CONTRIBUTE 
TO A HAWK LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF ACOMA DRIVE AND  KIERLAND 
BLVD. OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE FUND TRAFFIC MITIGATION MEASURES TO BE

City of Phoenix • Planning & Development Department 
200 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor • Phoenix, Arizona  85003-1611 • (602) 262-6882 
APPROVED BY THE  CITY OF PHOENIX STREET TRANSPORTATION 
DEPARTMENT WITHIN 1 MILE OF THE SITE. THE FUNDS WILL BE HELD FOR 5 
YEARS UPON WHICH ANY UNUSED PORTION WILL BE RETURNED TO THE 
PROPERTY OWNER 
 
STAFF COMMENTS REGARDING VPC RECOMMENDATION: 
 
Staff has concerns with the stipulations proposed by the applicant for traffic mitigation 
as they are not currently enforceable with the current language.