Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article listed the meeting date incorrectly. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Computer Reports: Scottsdale City Council regular session at City Hall
Computer Reports | Digital Free Press
Scottsdale City Council will meet 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22 for its regularly scheduled public hearing at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
The City Council will consider several items including rezoning requests, grant funding efforts and a tourism funding contract with the Arizona Major Events Host Committee to host the April 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament.
Restaurant & Scottsdale hospitality items
The Khao Thai & Sushi restaurant, 10855 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, Suite 100, is requesting a liquor license from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. The restaurant has a new owner and is seeking to replace the existing license with a new one.
The Scottsdale City Council is also considering a request to expand the patio at Amelia’s By Eat. The restaurant is at 8240 N. Hayden Road, Suite 106. If approved, the expansion would allow the restaurant to seat more customers and provide additional outdoor dining space.
Also, in local restaurant items, the City Council is expected to consider the approval if a conditional use permit for the Second Story Restaurant & Liquor Bar with downtown office commercial, type 2, downtown overlay (D/OC-2 DO) zoning at 4166 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 102. The proposal is for a bar that will be located on the second story of the existing building and will have a capacity of 75 people.
Of note: The nearest existing residential community is located +/- 750 feet to the east.
In a separate consent item, the Second Story liquor license is requesting approval from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control for a location/owner transfer of a Series 6 (bar) State liquor license for an existing location with a new owner.
Scottsdale Roads, structures and easements
Scottsdale City Council is considering a request to renew a previously expired abandonment of portions of East Morning Vista Road. The affected area is located between North 114th Street and North 116th Street and is zoned for single-family residential use.
The city of Scottsdale is considering a request to abandon a 33-foot wide general land office (GLO) patent roadway easement along with the south property line and the west 8-feet of the 33-foot wide glo roadway easement along the east property line at 28100 N. 77th St. The property is zoned single-family residential, environmentally sensitive lands, foothills overlay.
Scottsdale City Council is also considering a request to rezone a 3.5-acre site at 9000 E. San Victor Drive from multiple-family residential planned community development district (r-5 pcd) zoning to residential healthcare facility (R-HCF) zoning. The applicant is also requesting a conditional use permit to increase the maximum number of units from 71 to 73.
Another request under consideration is the Pacesetter Rezone, which is a proposal to rezone a 2-acre site from planned community district with comparable industrial park (pcd i-1) zoning to planned community district with comparable commercial office (PCD C-O) zoning. The development plan for the site includes a mix of commercial and office uses.
Another item under consideration, Scottsdale is seeking to acquire an easement interest in certain real property on the west side of Scottsdale Road, south of First Street. The property is needed to allow for the construction and installation of pavers to widen and improve a small section of existing sidewalk to provide additional clearance around an existing light pole. City leaders say they have already reached out to the property owner and is working to negotiate a purchase agreement. If an agreement cannot be reached, the city may exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire the property.
The city believes that this project is necessary to improve the safety and accessibility of the sidewalk for pedestrians.
Funding requests, Scottsdale grant funds and IGAs
The city of Scottsdale is seeking approval to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Northern Arizona University to provide transportation engineering services. The agreement would allow NAU to provide services such as traffic studies, design and construction management for transportation projects in the city. The cost of the agreement would be funded through the Transportation and Streets Department’s operating budget.
The Scottsdale City Council at the Aug. 22 regular meeting is expected to vote for a resolution to authorize funding for the Arizona Major Events Host Committee.
The committee is responsible for planning and organizing the regional hosting of the NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament in April 2024. The city will provide $432,000 in funding, which will be split into two payments of $216,000 each. The funding will come from the Tourism Development Fund, which is allocated toward destination marketing and retained by the city.
Scottsdale is requesting to be awarded a Healthy Forest Initiative Grant in the amount of up to $500,000. The grant would be used to fund fire mitigation projects over a three-year period. The city would match the grant with 30% in-kind contributions, such as staff hours and funded fire mitigation projects by various departments. If awarded, the grant would be accepted by the fire chief, or designee.
The Scottsdale Police Department is requesting a $500,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) to fund training, leasing of vehicles, purchasing of equipment, and overtime costs for the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit. If awarded, the grant would be used to support the department’s efforts to combat human trafficking and exploitation.
Scottsdale Vacation rental code update
The Scottsdale City Council will consider a request to amend the city’s vacation rental code to include additional health and public safety regulations. The amendment corrects the outdated reference by referring to the “current barrier requirements applicable to residences in Scottsdale Revised Code Chapter 31.” It also removes the language that stated that “owners of vacation rentals or short-term rentals shall have six months from the effective date of this article to come into compliance with this subsection.
The new Scottsdale code requires short-term rental owners to comply with accessibility requirements for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs. The law was passed in order to ensure that all residents of Scottsdale, regardless of their physical abilities, have equal access to these amenities. Owners of vacation rentals or short-term rentals that include a swimming pool, spa or hot tub that is accessible to the renters shall comply with the accessibility requirements outlined in Scottsdale Revised Code Chapter 31.
Scottsdale Public Hearings translated, explained & reported
The George Hotel Conditional Use Permit (16-UP-2007#2) is being considered by Scottsdale City Council Tuesday, Aug. 22.
The CUP permit, if approved, will allow for a new three-story hotel building, one-story gym/café, site improvements, and renovations and expansions to existing hotel buildings on a ±4.74-acre site with multiple-family residential planned community district (R-5 PCD) zoning. The hotel will be at 7330 N. Pima Road.
The proposal is being made to amend the existing conditional use permit (16-UP-2007) and the associated site plan to renovate the hotel site. The existing one-story, 12-room, hotel building along the north boundary of the site would be demolished and replaced with a new three-story, 50 room, hotel building. A new one-story fitness studio and outdoor cafe would be built in the southwest corner of the site, and the existing lobby building would be expanded. Site improvements would include a new pool in the northwest portion of the site, parking improvements, and increased pedestrian connections throughout the site.
The hotel site is located approximately one-half mile north of the northwest corner of North Pima Road and East Indian Bend Road. Access to the hotel establishment is provided by North Pima Road, which connects to the internal existing Inner Circle Drive, serving 17 individual lots within the subdivision.
