Scottsdale mayoral candidates offer insights into quality-of-life concerns
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
Local voters who call “The West’s Most Western Town” home will take to the polls this summer to decide from a field of three candidates who will be elected as the next mayor of Scottsdale meanwhile residents will also decide from a field of nine candidates for three open positions at Scottsdale City Council.
Scottsdale is hosting a primary election Tuesday, July 30, to elect a mayor and three members of Scottsdale City Council whereas for a candidate to win outright in the July primary election they would have to receive the majority of ballots cast, election officials tell the Digital Free Press.
For races still in contention, a general election will be held to decide those races, election officials say.
In the race for mayor of Scottsdale, there are three candidates: Lisa Borowsky, David Ortega (incumbent) and Linda Milhaven.
The Digital Free Press reached out to each Scottsdale mayoral candidate to offer readers a better understanding of how these candidates view growing traffic congestion, and how the municipality can do a better job managing crosstown traffic.
Furthermore, if elected mayor of Scottsdale, how would these candidates shape their votes atop the local dais to help improve the quality of life of all residents.
This is what they had to say:
Scottsdale Mayoral Candidate: Lisa Borowsky
*As the Phoenix metropolitan area continues to see significant growth in population, where do you think Scottsdale can do better when handling crosstown traffic?
There are immediate fixes and policies that should be implemented to address short term traffic congestion. For example, the city must schedule road improvement projects strategically to avoid peak visitor months and better utilize the city’s traffic signal synchronization system to keep traffic moving in high volume areas. Looking forward, we need to identify locations where bus pullout lanes are needed to improve traffic flow in main arterial roadways.
*What can Scottsdale do today to position itself to best handle the continued flow of local and visiting motorists amid concerns regarding density and water scarcity?
We must think strategically in our long-term planning. First and foremost, we have to stop making traffic worse. The current administration’s decisions to eliminate traffic lanes (“road diets”) and approve more and more traffic-producing apartment buildings, which make the traffic problems worse, are counterproductive. We need to reverse course and think strategically about our city’s future. The decisions that are being made with respect to density are irreparably harming our city’s overall look, feel and experience.
*How would you shape your decisions if elected regarding density and development with traffic congestion in mind?
In a recent debate, evidencing her support for more apartments, one of my opponents, Linda Milhaven, compared a two employee medical office building to a two bedroom apartment in terms of traffic production. But, her “apple vs. orange” comparison doesn’t add up. Unlike a small medical office building, dense, cookie-cutter apartment projects come with hundreds or thousands of additional apartment units, typically, with two or more drivers. We can not afford four more years of this destructive thinking.
Scottsdale Mayoral Candidate: Linda Milhaven
*As the Phoenix metropolitan area continues to see significant growth in population, where do you think Scottsdale can do better when handling crosstown traffic?
In addition to tracking traffic volumes, forecasting future demands and continuing to invest in our infrastructure, we can be better collaborators with our neighbors. We share a border with Phoenix from Cactus to Jomax and have little, if any, control over what they will build on their side of the street. However, we may be able to influence the design of the projects, especially when it comes to traffic flow. Safe and efficient flow of traffic must be as important to the city of Phoenix and the project developers as it is to us. By working together, we can find design solutions to serve everyone’s interests.
The issues with the development on our western border with the Phoenix parallel the challenges we had on our eastern border with the Salt River Pima Maricopa community. When they built the baseball stadium and planned for the development in their community, the city of Scottsdale worked with them to develop a traffic and road plan that would serve everyone well. Our collaboration included sharing costs to improve roads and drainage that served both communities. This partnership should be a model moving forward.
*What can Scottsdale do today to position itself to best handle the continued flow of local and visiting motorists amid concerns regarding density and water scarcity?
Concerns about traffic and water often intersect with the conversation about development. Every property owner in Scottsdale, including owners of vacant parcels, already have zoning that allows them to build on their property. As long as the owners stay within the current zoning, meet Scottsdale’s strict design guidelines as well as health and safety requirements, they have a legal right to build on their property. The city must respect these property rights. Our General Plan looks to the future and guides the planning for roads and water to anticipate this development.
When it comes to rezoning, the City Council gets involved and we need to be mindful of the relative impacts. In all cases, we need to review the demands the new zoning would put on infrastructure —- like roads and water and sewer lines —- and, if improvements are needed, the property owners must pay those costs. We also need to consider the impacts of the existing use, the requested use and alternative uses on traffic and water.
Many are concerned about apartment developments but we need to consider impacts of other uses. For example, an apartment with two people would create fewer car trips than a similarly sized medical office with staff and patients coming and going all day. Or, a new use might use less water by using newer water conserving and recycling technologies or purchase water from other sources. All of which help protect our water supply.
To summarize, new development needs to pay for infrastructure upgrades needed to support the project and relative impacts of traffic and water must be considered to minimize the impacts on our city.
*What role does the mayor of Scottsdale play in mitigating traffic and population density?
The mayor can take the lead negotiating with new developers to ensure that they covering the costs of additional infrastructure and that the project minimizes the impact on our community.
*How would you shape your decisions if elected regarding density and development with traffic congestion in mind?
All impacts and benefits of new projects must be considered as they compare to existing uses or alternative zoning uses. We need to be sure that our roads can handle the additional traffic and if our roads are not adequate that the developer pays for the upgrades to insure smooth traffic flows.
Scottsdale Mayoral Candidate: Mayor David Ortega
*As the Phoenix metropolitan area continues to see significant growth in population, where do you think Scottsdale can do better when handling crosstown traffic?
I served on City Council in 2002 and attended the ribbon cutting of the Loop 101 which completed the Valley freeway that changed Scottsdale forever. Historically, Scottsdale relied on surface streets crisscrossing the valley, but north/ south travel was limited to Scottsdale and Hayden and Pima Road consisting of just one lane each way. Scottsdale’s prosperity was propelled by the 101, which also reduced traffic on many surface streets.
Today at the south end of the 101 a sign reads, “SCOTTSDALE NEXT 15 EXITS. At the north end of the 101 at Scottsdale Road, a sign reads “SCOTTSDALE NEXT 15 EXITS”. Some two decades later, the 101 has been widened, and over 150,000 cars daily either bypass Scottsdale or enter and exit . Maricopa County transportation and ADOT continue to coordinate with 25 cities to fully build-out the 202 and 303 outer freeways.
Generally speaking, construction of north Pima and Scottsdale roads is funded 70% by Maricopa County and 30% by Scottsdale. One thousand- one-hundred auto lanes in Scottsdale are maintained on a 5-year restoration cycle and the Transportation Department provides the status of repaving and street corner improvements. Connectivity is essential for public safety and commerce.
*What can Scottsdale do today to position itself to best handle the continued flow of local and visiting motorists amid concerns regarding density and water scarcity?
It is absolutely true that land use, population density and water resources cause traffic challenges. As mayor and architect, planning concerns originate with utilities, traffic analysis, and infrastructure— both water and waste water installations. It is vital that visitors and investors know that the City of Scottsdale has competent and reliable water security.
In 2021 upon taking office, I learned that for many years, former Mayor Lane with the acquiescence of Councilwomen Borowsky and Milhaven, permitted bulk sale of Scottsdale water to truckers hauling to unincorporated “wildcat” subdivisions. I made it very clear that the past squandering of our water resources and misuse of Scottsdale Water facilities must stop. The Lane-Borowsky- Millhaven era had already cost the residents of Scottsdale more than one billion gallons of water when sales were terminated in December 2022. I sent a strong message that our water should serve stakeholders within city limits.
It is true that I took some “heat” by cutting off the outsiders, and the council stood firm, except for Councilwoman Milhaven who sided with the outsiders who sued Scottsdale. After Milhaven left council, my colleagues remain unanimous to protect Scottsdale Water..
*What role does the mayor of Scottsdale play in mitigating traffic and population density?
As mayor I guard against the binge building which leads to traffic congestion. I have made it clear that mega projects should be pushed out of Old Town to the outer edges of the 101 Loop. Our Western legacy and pedestrian-friendly character must not be brushed aside.
At the same time when Mayor Lane, Lisa Borowsky and Linda Milhaven were squandering our water, from 2009 to 2020, they approved over 23,000 multi-apartment dwellings. In 2020 the South Bridge II project to add 975 more units on the Arizona Canal ignited a referendum signed by over 17,000 voters to overturn South Bridge II. Just before leaving office Mayor Lane voted to rescind approval of South Bridge II, yet Councilwoman Milhaven insisted it should be built.
*How would you shape your decisions if elected regarding density and development with traffic congestion in mind?
My experience driving consensus began in 2000 serving as councilman, helping to craft General Plan 2000, a 10-year horizon policy and land-use document including transportation, resources, quality of life, infrastructure and many other components. GP 2000 was adopted and won approval of the voters in 2001.
It is critical to note that Mayor Lane, Councilwomen Borowsky and Milhaven failed in 2010-2012 to craft General Plan 2025, the 10-year horizon document required by state statutes. Instead, the Milhaven, Borowsky, and Lane trio ignored sound policy and let land-use planning go off track resulting in unchecked development. Scottsdale suffered because they ignored maximum density criteria, and sound water conservation and transportation policies.
When I became mayor, I led outreach to craft General Plan 2035. We conducted dozens of meetings and affirmed our community Vision to preserve tourism, pedestrian friendly, low-profile investments in Old Town, rather than a “ metropolitan future” promoted by Mayor Lane and Milhaven. After dozens of meetings, Council unanimously approved GP-2035 consisting of 24 elements including economic vitality, well-being, arts & culture, transportation, preservation and conservation of energy and water. And voters approved GP-2035.
I commend the council for our accomplishments and I work every day to align with our values, as approved by voters.
