A 14-year-old master plan on how to develop downtown Apache Junction will be updated as part of a $99,000 contract approved recently by the city council.
Council on Feb. 20 voted 6-0 to approve awarding a contract for a concentrated downtown master plan update with Swaback in an amount not to exceed $99,000. Vice Mayor Robert Schroeder was absent.
Swaback PLLC of Scottsdale offers services including architecture, planning, interiors, sustainability and graphic design, according to swaback.com.
The contract will update the city’s downtown master plan, also known as the Downtown Redevelopment and Implementation Strategy, said Economic Development Director Patrick Ainsworth during the council meeting.
“We refer to it as the DRIS. The DRIS was approximately a 14-year-old project that the economic development department administered back in 2009, and having that be adopted in 2010. Quite a few things have been implemented, but with a 14-year plan our economic development strategic plan — which was adopted in 2022 — highly suggested for the city council to consider an update to that plan,” he said. “With the emphasis of downtown and livability, we certainly want to make sure that our vision for downtown matches market-realistic trends.”
A request for proposals to update the master plan was issued on Dec. 11. Two responsive proposals were reviewed: Swaback for $90,000; and Upfront Planning and Entitlements for $88,932.14, according to city documents.
“City staff reviewed based on technical ability, qualifications and experience — and pricing is considered. However we do find that Swaback was deemed most responsive and the most-responsible bidder,” Ainsworth said to the council.
With a 10% contingency, the original $90,000 becomes $99,000, he said.
The downtown master plan update will be a public process, Ainsworth said.
“The public will be heavily involved. It will probably be a six- to eight-month process,” he said. “Economic development staff and city staff will be working with the consultant every step of the way. This will be a dual partnership between the city staff and consultant as well as their subconsultant.”
The plan will come back before council for review and to be adopted, Ainsworth said.
The work will be done in three phases, according to the agreement with Swaback: An information collection phase, for $15,000; a public-involvement phase, for $25,000; and a plan document preparation phase, for $47,500. An additional $2,500 is for reimbursable expenses.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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