Redevelopment plan goes before council for vote

After months of review and public input, the City Council is set to vote on the proposed redevelopment plan during Tuesday night’s meeting.

The plan, which the Planning and Zoning Commission approved on its conformity to the city’s general plan last week, spells out guidelines for revitalizing the older section of Maricopa’s downtown area, a roughly 3-square-mile area centered along the railroad tracks. City leaders have envisioned an overhaul of the area 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 cleanups and renovations, a trail system, better transportation circulation, overpasses and a new floodplain designation as well as area gateway markers.

During several of the public review sessions, residents in the redevelopment area expressed a desire to see more multi-family housing and infrastructure improvements, particularly implementing and upgrading water and sewage systems.

The Council is also scheduled to adopt the tentative budget, which would set the overall spending limit for fiscal year 2010 while setting the table for the council to vote on the final budget by the end of the month or early July.

If you go

What: City Council meeting
When: Tuesday, June 2; 6 p.m. work session, 7 p.m. regular session
Where: Global Water Center, 22590 N. Powers Parkway