Council to approve Redevelopment Plan Tuesday night; advisory group slated

After months of review and public input, the Maricopa City Council is set to vote on two Redevelopment District Area (RDA) resolutions Tuesday night.

The first, Resolution 09-24, would approve and adopt a Redevelopment Plan for the RDA. The second resolution (Resolution 09-25) would designate an area as the Single Central Business District of the city.

The plan, which the Planning and Zoning Commission previously approved as conforming to the city’s General Plan, spells out broad goals and guidelines for revitalizing the older section of Maricopa’s downtown area, a roughly three-square-mile area crossed diagonally by the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The plan itself will be “used as a tool to encourage and aid private development,” according to the economic development staff report.

Implementation of the plan would take place over the next 20 plus years, with specific objectives designated for attainment in five-year increments. Creation of a Single Central Business District is required to allow for government property improvement tax rebates for the RDA.

During the past six months three public workshops have been held, each with translators present as well as bilingual mailings and materials, to gather input from residents and property owners, special stakeholders, utility and service providers, the school district and the two nearby Indian communities. Team members from the consulting firm, Morrison Maierle, Inc., have made presentations to the Planning & Zoning Commission as well as to city council.

City leaders envision an overhaul of the RDA that preserves its history while creating a centralized region with a mix of civic buildings, recreation facilities and business development. Among the projects included in the plan are the establishment of a Heritage Park, a transportation center, an aquatics center, neighborhood renovations, a trail system, better transportation circulation, including overpasses, and a new floodplain designation as well as area gateway markers.

During the public forums RDA residents expressed a desire to see more multi-family housing and infrastructure improvements, particularly upgraded water and sewage systems.

“We have been very impressed with the interest of citizens and their input,” said Morrison Maierle Engineer, Greg Crossman, earlier.

Keith Belden, project manager and vice president of Morrison-Maierle, told residents initially, “This plan will set you up to attract the types of businesses and development you want in this community. It’s a plan to meet the community’s needs.”

On June 15 Ak-Chin Chairman Louis J. Manuel, Jr. submitted some of his community’s concerns regarding the approval of the Redevelopment Plan to Maricopa Mayor Anthony Smith. They included a need for attention to the respectful treatment of Native American human remains and artifacts. Manuel asked that the following language be included in the plan, “The land base for the City of Maricopa was once the ancestral land base of the O’odham and all areas of the RDA have potential for inadvertent discoveries (not just the border areas).”

Other Ak-Chin Community concerns included illegal dumping and trespassing on community lands and discharges, alterations or impediments to Ak-Chin waters or wetlands as well as the “buffering” of what could be high density, high rise residential and commercial development from adjacent Ak-Chin lands now used for agriculture. City staff has addressed those concerns, which did not necessitate policy changes.

Approval of the Redevelopment Plan and designation of a single, central business district do not require expenditure of funds at present. However, the recommendations included in the plan “require future budget planning and funds designation to accomplish plan goals and objectives,” according to the purchasing summary of the staff report.

According to Danielle Casey, economic development manager for the city, several residents have already volunteered for an RDA Citizen Advisory Committee to serve as an oversight group and help monitor the plan’s progress. Morrison Maierle recommended the committee to help maintain the momentum of the plan.

At last Wednesday’s Transition Task Force meeting Casey explained the importance of using the advisory committee to communicate with residents in the redevelopment district, “This is fairly standard. Other plans represent the folks in this area so they can make sure projects are on track.” The committee would also be tasked with presenting an annual report to council.

Of the seven proposed members of this citizen group, four would be development area residents or business owners appointed by council. Other members could be representatives from that area’s water district board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Industrial Development Authority board and the Ak-Chin Community.

Councilman Edward Farrell urged that at least 50 percent of the group be composed of residents from the RDA. “These are the long, longtime residents of Maricopa,” he said.

“This is a great way to keep citizens involved,” said Smith. “This is a good opportunity for strategic appointments. I think it needs to be dominated by people in the area.”

A recommendation to institute a Redevelopment Area Citizens Advisory Committee will go to council at its next meeting on July 21.

Photo by Joyce Hollis