Supporting Scottsdale's Vitality Prevails in General Plan Election
/The election to adopt General Plan 2035 for the city of Scottsdale has been decided, and the voters have spoken with a resounding yes to the updates that were added to our existing 2001 plan. Clearly Scottsdale residents approve of the direction the city has been going in for the last 20 years.
This aligns with all our city surveys, which show that an overwhelming majority of residents enjoy the quality of life in our city and are happy with the way the city is managed.
The updates happened painstakingly and undramatically over many months with outreach to every part of our community. There was over a year of discussion and debate about every detail, incorporating feedback from thousands of stakeholders: businesses, residents, board and commission members (who are also residents) and council.
When all seven members unanimously approved the updated plan and moved it forward to be put before the voters last June, it didn’t seem controversial at all. A general plan is simply that: general.
It is an aspirational, guiding document that outlines our vision and values for our city’s future. It is not legislative or legally enforceable, it is not a zoning document, and council can choose to vote on individual projects however we wish. The state mandates that we put an update to the voters every 10 years, which we complied with.
The updated general plan only became controversial when it became weaponized and politicized. Some on council claimed it would “urbanize” our city, even though no land use changes were involved. Others claimed it would prevent that very same “urbanization” and stifle development with increased costs, (which we can’t do, this would trigger lawsuits to the city under Prop 207).
Democrats decided to publicly endorse it, which triggered Republicans to publicly oppose it, partisan conflict erupted, and it was downhill from there.
Suddenly the General Plan, a broad aspirational document that the entire council had signed off on, became a political quagmire, a magic plan that could do almost anything (depending on one’s personal disposition and interpretation): raise taxes, increase costs, punish developers, reward developers, turn our city into LA, prevent our city from becoming LA — people were confused.
I was disappointed in the attempts to turn the general plan into a campaign issue going into 2022, but I am satisfied with its passage. I campaigned in 2020 on the idea of including a standalone Education Element in our general plan, and have been part of a newly created Education Subcommittee, finding areas of mutual benefit where the city and our schools can work together.
Having great schools increases our quality of life and is important in attracting residents and businesses to our community. I am proud these ideas are now a part of our long-term vision. The updated general plan also stresses the need for a diversity of housing and more live-work-play options to decrease traffic congestion and pollution and increase environmental sustainability.
It seems evident that forward-thinking interests that support our continued economic development and vitality prevailed in Tuesday’s election. I urge residents, staff and my fellow councilors to focus on this message as we tackle the controversial prospect of rolling back our Old Town Character Area Plan to 1980s zoning. This is not what the residents just told us they want.
Our current plan has served us well, and the updated plan will continue to do so into the future. Our long-term vision of Scottsdale is a thriving year-round destination for residents and tourists, with a diversity of people, housing, employers, and activities.
Scottsdale has the slowest population growth, lowest density, highest amenities, highest property values and lowest property taxes of almost any city in the Valley. We are well managed and solvent.
We have a thriving business community, excellent public safety and services, good schools, wide open spaces, high development standards and the largest urban preserve in North America. Clearly, we are doing something right, and our residents (and tourists) support our direction.
As we continue to lead this city forward, let’s take this experience as a lesson we can learn from. Leadership requires humility, communication, courage, and teamwork. No one person owns our success; no one person can claim the general plan as their “win” and there is no mandate to limit our economic development opportunities.
Our city council is made up of seven individuals, each with one vote, who represent different constituencies. The sum of the whole is better than the parts. The mission statement of our city is: “Simply Better Service for a World-Class Community.” We on City Council are here to serve. Our official priorities are to:
Value Scottsdale’s Unique Lifestyle and Character
Support Economic Vitality
Enhance Neighborhoods
Preserve Meaningful Open Space
Seek Sustainability
Advance Transportation
Our mission and priorities are encapsulated in our general plan, and the city council should continue to incorporate these priorities in our decisions as we move forward into the future as a successful city.
