Markets Heading Higher No Matter Who's Elected: Morgan Stanley

Strange Encounters: 100,000 Square Feet of Vacant Commercial Spaces // A Halloween Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Mesa

33rd Annual Clean Air Campaign Virtual Awards Ceremony > Oooops! Really??

Lunch Mob: With Vice Mayor Mark Freeman Sponsored by Verra Mobility

How To Talk To Your MAGA Friends & Family

TENTATIVE AGENDA: Mesa City Council Regular (REMOTE ZOOM VIRTUAL PLATFORM) Meeting Mon 11.02.2020

. . and what a Tentative Agenda it is!

Printed on. 10/22/2020 there's plenty of time to take an extended look at it now, with some unfilled gaps in any other information or meeting details for two Study Sessions ahead of the Regular Meeting next Monday.

 

Contracts - there are four in Item 4 on the Consent Agenda

Resolutions - there are five in Item 5 on the Consent Agenda

Ordinances - there's only one in Item 6 on the Consent Agenda

Subdivision Plats - there are five in Item 7 on the Consent Agenda

> Mountain Vista Marketplace

> Desert Place @ Morrison Ranch

> Mesa Technology Park

> Lehr Cove

> Zen on Baseline

ITEM 8 The last item before Adjournment is this :

ITEM 8 Items not on the Consent Agenda
Items from citizens present.

(Maximum of three speakers for three minutes per speaker).

 

November Calendar > https://mesa.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx 

 

___________________________________________________

ITEM 4 CONTRACTS

4 Take action on the following contracts:

20-1059 Dollar-Limit Increase to the Term Contract for Custodial Services for Parks and Sports Field Facilities for the Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department (Citywide)
This contract provides City of Mesa parks and sports field patrons safe, clean and sanitary restroom facilities that are free from trash and debris, and are sufficiently stocked with soap and paper goods at the City’s 32 parks and sports field facilities.  Due to COVID-19, Carnation Building Services needed to increase their starting pay scale, in order to retain employees in this environment.  An assessment will be made on whether to move forward with year 3 of the contract or to cancel and rebid.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department and Purchasing recommend increasing the dollar-limit with Carnation Building Service, Inc., by $85,403.14 for Year 2, from $262,283.60 to $347,686.74 annually, with an annual increase allowance of up to 5%, or the adjusted Consumer Price Index

20-1060 Three-Year Term Contract with Two Years of Renewal Options for Fasteners, Hardware, and Electrical Supplies for the Fleet Services Department (Citywide)
This contract will provide fasteners, related hardware, and electrical supplies commonly used for automotive and general repairs, including shelving, bins, and stocking service.
An evaluation committee recommends awarding the contract to the highest-scored proposal from Sid Tool Co., Inc. dba, MSC Industrial Supply Co., at $80,000 annually, with an annual increase allowance of up to 5%, or the adjusted Producer Price Index

20-1063 Three-Year Term Contract with Two Years of Renewal Options for Police Uniform Badges (Citywide)
This contract will furnish and deliver custom uniform badges on an as-needed basis.  Purchases may also include shirt badges, flat badges mounted in black leather wallets and cap pieces.
An evaluation committee recommends awarding the contract to the highest-scored proposal from Sun Badge Company, at $30,000 annually, with an annual increase allowance of up to 5%, or the adjusted Consumer Price Index

20-1061 One-Year Term Contract with Month-to-Month Renewal Options for Leasing of Hotel Rooms as requested by the City Manager’s Office (Sole Source) (Citywide)
This contract will provide leasing of up to 50 hotel rooms through 2021 for the City’s "Operation Off the Streets" program, which provides emergency/immediate shelter to people in the health-vulnerable homeless community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City Manager’s Office and Purchasing recommend awarding the contract, at $750,000 annually, with an annual increase allowance of up to 5%, or the adjusted Consumer Price Index.  This contract is funded by Emergency Solutions Grant - Coronavirus Federal Funding

___________________________________________________

ITEM 5 RESOLUTIONS

5 Take action on the following resolutions:

20-1077 Extinguishing a public utilities and facilities easement and vacating a right-of-way located at 4901 South Ellsworth Road to facilitate a new multi-family development; requested by the property owner. (District 6) *5-a

20-1050 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute a Project Agreement between the Maricopa Association of Governments and the City of Mesa for reimbursement under the Arterial Life Cycle Program for the Ray Road: SR24 to Ellsworth Road Arterial improvement project. (District 6) *5-b

20-1049 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a SubGrant Award Agreement with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, to accept $1,437,653 in grant funds from the Victims of Crime Act, Victim Assistance Grant Program from October 2020 to September 2023.  Funds will be used for personnel costs at the Police Department’s Mesa Family Advocacy Center. (Citywide) *5-c

20-1030 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to accept $206,000 in grant funds for equipment and training to support and sustain the Police Department’s Rapid Response Task Force. (Citywide) *5-d

20-1031 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to accept $112,500 in grant funds to purchase unmanned aircraft detection equipment for the Police Department. (Citywide) *5-e

20-1032 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to accept $145,000 in grant funds for equipment for the Police Department’s Hazardous Device Team. (Citywide)
*5-f

20-1033 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to accept $103,310 in grant funds to purchase equipment for the Police Department’s Special Operations Division. (Citywide)
*5-g

20-1034 Approving and authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Subrecipient Agreement with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to accept $62,000 in grant funds to purchase a vehicle for the Police Department’s Special Operations Division. (Citywide) *5-h

___________________________________________________________________________________

ITEM 6 AN ORDINANCE

6 Discuss, receive public comment, and take action on the following ordinance:

*6-a 20-0990 ZON19-00709 (District 6) 

Within the 8500 to 8700 blocks of East Pecos Road (south side).  Located west of Ellsworth Road on the south side of Pecos Road (11.7± acres).  Rezone from AG to LI-PAD and OC-PAD; and Site Plan Review.

This request will allow for an industrial development. 

Katie Rounds, The Kaidence Group, applicant; Pecos 10 LLC, owner. 
Staff Recommendation:  Approval with conditions P&Z Board Recommendation:  Approval with conditions (Vote: 6-0)
___________________________________________________________________________________

ITEM 7 SUBDIVISION PLATS

7 Take action on the following subdivision plats:

20-1056 “Mountain Vista Marketplace” (District 6)  Within the 1400 to 1600 blocks of South Signal Butte Road (west side); within the 10500 to 10800 blocks of East Southern Avenue (south side); within the 10500 to 10800 blocks of East Hampton Avenue (north side); and within the 10300 to 10800 blocks of East Hampton Avenue (south side).  Located west of Signal Butte Road and south of Southern Avenue (79.5± acres). 

Bela Flor Communities, LLC, developer; David Klein, Robert Johnston, EPS Group, surveyor. *7-a

20-1057 “Desert Place at Morrison Ranch - Phase 4” (District 6)  Within the 7000 to 7600 blocks of East Guadalupe Road (south side) and within the 2800 through 3100 blocks of South Sossaman Road (west side).  Located south of Guadalupe Road and west of Sossaman Road.  Preliminary Plat (6.9± acres).  PLHAZ Holdings, developer; Robert Johnston, EPS Group, surveyor. *7-b

20-1062 “Mesa Technology Park” (District 6)  Within the 3200 to 3400 blocks of South Ellsworth Road (west side) and within the 8900 to 9200 blocks of East Peterson Avenue (north side).  Located north of Elliot Road on the west side of Ellsworth Road (65± acres). 

Sunbelt Land Holdings, LP, developer; James A. Brucci, Hunter Engineering, surveyor.
*7-c

20-1054 “Lehi Cove” (District 1)  Within the 3100 to 3300 blocks of East Thomas Road (north side).  Located west of Val Vista Drive on the north side of Lehi Road (7.9± acres). 

Skybridge Companies, LLC, developer; Anthony Zaugg, Allen Consulting Engineers Inc., surveyor.
*7-d

20-1035 “Zen on Baseline” (District 2)  Within the 6000 to 6200 blocks of East Baseline Road (north side).  Located west of Power Road on the north side of Baseline Road (7.8± acres).  Pacific Rim Group, developer; David J. Buchli, Buchli Engineers Inc., surveyor. *7-e
___________________________________________________________________________________

ITEM 8 Items not on the Consent Agenda
8 Items from citizens present. (Maximum of three speakers for three minutes per speaker).

__________________________________________________________

RELATED CONTENT "Mesa Technology Park"

Mesa Elliot Technology Park is a 203-acre project located in Southeast Mesa, AZ. that will consist of over 2778000 sf of mixed-used business space. . .

https://sihiproperties.com/property/mesa-elliot/ 

Mesa Elliot is a 8,842,680 sf (203 acres) parcel of vacant land. The property is zoned for Planned Employment Park (PEP) and Light Industrial (LI) uses. The Mesa Elliot Technology Park is a Class “A” master planned mixed-use business park. The 203-acre project will consist of over 2,778,000 sf available for build to suit, ground leases, or land sales. This site is conveniently centered in the heart of the Southeast Valley, just .5 miles east of the Loop 202 on Elliot Road. The site is also adjacent to major SRP transmission lines and is less than .5 miles from a SRP Electric Substation.

Demographics	1 Mile 1 Mi.	3 Mile 3 Mi.	5 Mile 5 Mi.
Population	7,755	69,645	198,008
Daytime Population	3,759	29,829	81,197
Households	2,811	25,219	74,495
Ave HH Income ($)	83,333	93,174	83,840
Med HH Income ($)	69,457	74,621	66,465
Median Age	38.20	39.00	38.80
% College Educated	30.01	31.69	30.57

Developer adds land to big planned Mesa technology park: BREW

Sunbelt Holdings is buying land for a big development in Mesa.

By Mike Sunnucks | Phoenix Business Journal

Sunbelt Investment Holdings has bought another 67.5 acres for the planned Mesa Elliot Technology Park in the East Valley, according to a sales report by Business & Real Estate Weekly of Arizona.

BREW reports that San Diego-based Sunbelt now has 270 acres at the planned tech park development near the Loop 202 and Elliot and Ellsworth roads.

Sunbelt paid approximately $11.9 million for the 67.5 acres and the seller was El Dorado Holdings, according to the BREW sales report.

Continued: 

__________________________________________________________

Aerial Map

__-

East Valley Ho! Visions & Vistas Expanding Unsustainable Suburban Sprawl Clusterfuck >

Rogue Columnist Jon Talton must be having second-thoughts lately when he ap-pended an honest opinion to an earlier statement that he made in "a constant attempt to keep viable."

Once again hindsight is everything; it can be revised with the strokes of a pen warmed up in hell.

On April 2nd, 2006, the Viewpoints section of the Arizona Republic was dedicated to Superstition Vistas. On October 20, 2020 Talton traveled back through time to start off this article on the same subject re-visited as you read-for-yourselves in the insert below.

But why does Jon Talton - The Rogue Columnist -  choose to write now about Roc Arnett's "Superstition Vistas"??? That's anybody's guess, but he's getting nostalgic and not quite-so-rogue when he ends his article stating he likes it the way it was.

Readers might wonder what this is all about (see the post headline), with so many details included. Talton turns over more explanations on the subject to recent reports written and published online the next day.

October 20, 2020

Superstition Vistas

In 1977, when I was working on the ambulance as an EMT-paramedic, I was temporarily exiled from the city and worked for Aids Ambulance (the former Mesa Ambulance Service). . .

". . . Headlined, "A Better Vision: At this key moment, Arizona Must Decide How to Plan For The State's Next Great Community," the front page featured columns by Grady Gammage and yours truly. Gammage, the real-estate lawyer, was lead author of the Morrison report. Although an apologist for sprawl, he argued that careful planning could get Superstition Vistas "right."

Talton largely praised the April 2006 report then quite obviously had a change of heart just a few days ago in October 2020:

Of course, the honest response would have been: Another million people in single-family-house sprawl, far from jobs and amenities, adding to air pollution and environmental degradation, in a region that already has yet to build the infrastructure to meet even existing needs, where the temperature has risen 10 degrees in my lifetime, when 300,000 acres of empty land already sits in the metro area, and climate change is coming...are you insane?

But this was state trust land, meant to be sold and developed, and stopping the onslaught was never going to happen. At least given the politics of that era and now, the enormous power of the Real Estate Industrial Complex.

Other power alignments could have turned the land into a wilderness area. After all, this land was given to Arizona by the federal government at statehood to fund education . . ."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

OK. Then what happened? Let's turn to some extracts taken from an earlier post on this blog, featuring a different reporter, Gary Nelson

The next piece of the jig-saw puzzle was written about earlier in the summer.

Superstition Vistas: An EV vision on hold looks for new life

 

Gary Nelson Tribune Contributor 09 July 2017

“. . . Seldom in the history of the U.S. has there been a chance to envision the future of one piece of property this large, this strategic and this close to a major metropolitan region,” a 2006 report said. It seemed then that construction in the Vistas could begin at any moment.

But history, in the form of the Great Recession, hit the pause button . . . if life there were to be tenable, it would need untold billions of infrastructure – provided by whom, exactly? And what about the water supply? . ."

Blogger Note: The City of Mesa appears to be solving part of that solution by a taxpayer-funded $184,000,000 investment for the infrastructure and construction of the Greenfield Water Treatment Plant planned to go into operation in late 2018. 

Mike Hutchinson, a former Mesa city manager, has served for nine years as the East Valley Partnership’s project director for Superstition Vistas. It was the EVP that launched planning efforts in about 2003. . .

Maybe by so-called "Angel Investors"?? . . .

__________________________________________________________________