"Quick Jab" Bill, Mr. Bopp, and Sally Jo All Late > Request for Continuance Rejected by Queen Creek City Council

In a report by Wendy Miller that was published on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 in The Mesa Independent officials from the City of Mesa's Office for Economic Development and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce were rejected after trying to make their case intervening in  a different municipality  in a change for a rezoning motion heard on September 21 in front of the Queen Creek City Council. The reason: way late

"After nine  months of discussions, the Queen Creek Town Council approved motions to move forward the proposed Barney Farms residential community at the north end of the community.

The council rejected requests for a continuance by area businesspeople and a local municipality, saying the latter could have discussed their issues earlier, . . "
 

The issues: Land-use planning, specifically around a regional asset Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport

Mesa wants industrial. Queen Creek wants residential

Apparently the slick presentations often prepared for Mesa city officials to use in public meetings for presentation of proposals were not convincing enough in a different municipality where they don't control the politics.

Here's the caption published with the accompanying image

William J. Jabjiniak, economic development director for the city of Mesa, right, addresses members of the Queen Creek Town Council during a public hearing Sept. 21 on rezoning changes to the proposed Barney Farms residential community. Mr. Jabjiniak requested a continuance on the matter. Holding a graphic of the impacted area is Aric H. Bopp, the city of Mesa’s deputy director of strategic initiatives. The man seated and taking notes works for TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc. according to his badge. (Independent Newspapers/Wendy Miller

According to Wendy Miller's excellent reporting, among those requesting a continuance were

• Bill Jabjiniak, economic development director for the city of Mesa;
• Sally Harrison, president/CEO of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce
• Dawn Helms, regional manager for CRM of America.

All three have interests in the Mesa Gateway Area north of the project site.
Heavy industrial and manufacturing companies such as CRM of America, CMC Steel, Fujifilm, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical and TRW all have major operations in the Mesa Gateway Area, according to the city of Mesa website.

 

Two public hearings had taken place during Queen Creek planning and zoning commission meetings and two town council agendas in both August and September. discussions about the site - a 534-acre, 1,718-lot residential community  - began in January with meetings with local property owners.

Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney, a member of the city council,  recused himself because of a conflict of interest — the land is owned and being developed by the Newell Barney Family Farms of Queen Creek. The project site has been farmed for more than 60 years by the Newell Barney Family Farms operation, which encompasses more than 720 acres within the town of Queen Creek.

 

Prior to the public hearings, the council excused itself to meet in a closed-door executive session to receive legal counsel regarding the Barney Farms requests.
After the regular meeting reconvened, developer Jason Barney addressed the council. He said he has had ongoing conversations with his neighbors to the north in Mesa with the heavy industrial users.
“We as the Barney family … value very much the role that they play as being a major anchor for employment, job attraction and that sort of thing,” Mr. Barney said.
“The city of Mesa is our most important economic partner, and we will remain committed to a collaborative relationship,” he told the council.
Mr. Jabjiniak was the first of several people to speak during the public hearing for the Major General Plan Amendment. He told the council about 2,000 persons already employed in the commercial corridor immediately north of Barney Farms.
“We want to protect these employers with that amount of growth,” Mr. Jabjiniak said. “Trucks carrying steel to CMC, chemicals from Fuji. We don’t want to mix those or explosive devices from TRW with vehicles.
We’re talking about 17,000 vehicles being added to Germann Road.”

Next to speak was Ms. Harrison. She told the council the chamber is committed to “improve, protect and promote Mesa businesses.”
Ms. Harrison said the chamber is concerned about residential encroachment on a commercial area. She said it could impact the quality of jobs as concerns are raised about noise abatement and third-shift employment. She asked for a continuance to allow representatives from the impacted businesses to talk to the developer.
THE CONTINUANCE WAS REJECTED

Mr. Jabjiniak was disappointed with the vote, he said during a phone interview. He said the city of Mesa will continue to work with the businesses there to address their concerns.
Councilwoman Wheatley said those concerns could have been addressed during the nine months of conversations leading up to the Sept. 21 vote.