Scott Moore talks key motivations, focus at the Town of Paradise Valley
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
The race for Paradise Valley Town Council in July 2024 is uncontested.
Voters will take to the polls Tuesday, July 30, to elect a new mayor from a field of three, meanwhile candidates for Paradise Valley Town Council will be installed in January 2025.
Those candidates are:
Paradise Valley Councilman Scott Moore
Paradise Valley Councilwoman Julie Pace
Paradise Valley Planning Commissioner Karen Liepmann
Community volunteers Mary Hamway, Mark Stanton and Anna Thomasson are vying for the top elected position at Town Hall, 6401 E. Lincoln Drive, as two-term Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner has opted to not seek re-election to local office this cycle.
The Digital Free Press reached out to Councilman Scott Moore to better understand where he stands on key issues. This is what he had to say:
*What has inspired you to run for Paradise Valley Town Council?
From the start, keeping our town in great shape! Almost 12 years ago, I read in the paper about the town seeking volunteers and I immediately applied. Today, I’m still excited to be involved our keeping our community what it is today. Back then, I was at a good point in my life where I could put in the time required and give back to my community. My children, who I raised in Paradise Valley, were now grown and off to college or working towards their own exciting careers. Having been involved in a positive way with so many aspects of town affairs has been one of the most rewarding adventures I’ve been able to experience.
Scott Moore talks key motivations, focus at the Town of Paradise Valley
*What are your top three priorities for the Town of Paradise Valley if elected?
Based on my time on Town Council, residents are most concerned with public safety and maintaining our cherished low-density residential character. With that said, maintaining a vigilant eye on what happens on the state level affects us the most.
Keeping our residents safe requires a consistent commitment to funding our police department. My voting record and public support will show I’ve been 100% supportive of the tools, equipment and personnel needed to maintain our high quality of standard in policing. Our police force has made one of the few arrests in the recent “dinner time burglaries” we have been experiencing. This is all thanks to strong leadership with our Chief of Police and his highly trained and experienced department.
Regarding our residential character, seeing redevelopment projects come forward in the last several years that have earned community support is never a “given,” and I believe a key part of this is not being afraid to say “no” to bad development. I will continue to stand up for the town and its standards of high quality and low density. I have a long track record of ensuring responsible building and opposing over-development, ensuring we protect our community’s low-density residential character. Our gold standard is one home per acre.
We must look at each project individually to see how it will impact our community and ensure that any new development has a positive contribution to our overall quality of life and does not create unnecessary burdens or difficulties for residents. I am also proud of my work to find ways to make good proposals even better by looking for win-win outcomes that address resident concerns while ensuring feasible and responsible projects in our town, always keeping in mind our town’s limited government model and the reasons why people choose to call PV home — safety, low-density luxury, and responsible and accountable government.
But the work doesn’t stop there.
Dangerous proposals have been coming out of the Arizona Legislature to override existing local zoning and other negative impacts on Paradise Valley residents. These types of bills that preempt local zoning laws would be similar to the state law that opened the floodgates for Short Term Rentals across the state when it was passed many years ago. We must avoid these types of state mandates, and I’m fully prepared to continue our town’s fight.
Recently, HB2570 made sufficient progress to get to the governor’s desk. That bill would have reset across the state single-family home development and would have negatively changed standards in our town for lot size, lot coverage, property setbacks, square footage, and architectural design. While billed as the ‘Arizona Starter Homes Act,’ the bill contains no language regarding affordability.
That the bill failed to respect the proven value of established local zoning and development standards, and the importance of public participation — threatening a less democratic process that puts more power in the hands of developers to determine the future of individual communities. Governor Hobbs vetoed the bill on the last day with our strong urging, but this just shows how important it is for our local council representatives to be involved and show up to speak with experience on why this bill would have a devastating effect on all local cities and towns, most importantly ours.
*What do you think separates you from the pack?
I have eight years of proven experience of working successfully on the Town Council to protect and enhance our amazing town. My volunteer experience also includes service on the town’s Planning Commission and Board of Adjustments, as well as the town’s representative on several key regional committees to ensure Paradise Valley has a steady and strong voice in regional issues.
I have been selected twice to serve as vice mayor, and I’m proud to have earned endorsements from Mayor Bien-Willner and many other mayors and senior town leaders. My 40-year career in Arizona commercial real estate development, which includes substantial experience with development, planning, engineering, construction, and marketing, has enabled me to know how to accommodate residents’ needs and desires while maintaining public safety as well as the sense of safety, serenity, and luxury for which Paradise Valley has become famous.
My professional experience has helped me add value, which includes having taken a lead role in shaping resort redevelopment in a positive way, drafting our Storm Drainage Design Manual (to help prevent flooding impacting residents), and dealing with other concerns, all while protecting the town’s fiscal responsibility and safety.
*What is the No. 1 thing you want voters to know about your campaign for Paradise Valley Town Council?
I have a proven track record of strengthening and standing up for our town’s low-density residential and high-quality standards, safety, and quality of life. I hold myself to the highest standards, which is what our public deserves. This includes treating those around me and those I serve with respect and dignity, and avoiding fearmongering, sensationalism, or drama. In short, it’s an honor to get the job done for our community, and I’m humbled by the ongoing support and encouragement I have received.
I hope to continue to earn the confidence of our community, which I work hard to renew every day I am privileged to serve.
