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Alexander: Why I support Southbridge and doubt the referendum

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I support Southbridge II. I have reservations about the Southbridge referendum.

This surprises a lot of people, and has made others hostile. I’ve been accused of accepting money, being a sellout. No one had any doubts about my motivations when I gave three years leading the fight against the Desert Discovery Center.

I think Southbridge is a good project. The referendum against Southbridge has precious little in common with Proposition 420. 420 was about the misuse of public land and public funds, and millions of tax dollars wasted each year.

The Southbridge referendum is about businesses fighting another business.
I have no problem with businesses spending money and hiring lawyers to defend their interests.

I fully support citizens using the referendum process, and their right to petition their fellow citizens. But it looks like the PAC behind the referendum is draping themselves in the flag, not serving the greater good of Scottsdale.

I emailed the referendum PAC on Dec. 13, and asked what is their vision 10 years from now? What happens if Southbridge is defeated? What compromises have they proposed? I have gotten no response.

I’ve had many respectful conversations with friends who want the referendum to pass, who I’ve teamed with on other issues, and they haven’t given me a “next step” either. I feel like the only plan is “save 5th Ave!” I get that, 100%.

The people who first objected to the Desert Discovery Center were the nearest too.

These businesspeople and investors are directly affected by Southbridge. I’m not diminishing their concern for their interests. However, I think “NO” without a gameplan is not enough for the rest of Scottsdale’s 250,000 citizens.
Spring Creek owns a large collection of land. They have the right to build a very blocky and very profitable ~75 foot project, that could be more massive and less open, because it is already within the current zoning.

The Coalition of Greater Scottsdale --- our oldest and strongest citizen-advocacy group --- reviewed the zoning facts in their recent newsletter.

Stopping the SB2 proposal doesn’t stop a different big project. It doesn’t stop the tall buildings already approved Downtown, and won’t stop others currently in the planning process. The entire referendum is over 4-5 stories on a single project.

If Southbridge is stopped, I don’t know what happens next. But here are a few ideas.

  1. Spring Creek searches for Plan B. This takes years, land is sold and bought and reparcelled and replanned. Meanwhile, the properties undergo 10 years of stagnation. No one puts money into them, leases get shorter, businesses become more uncertain. The city makes no money vs $4 million a year from Southbridge. Ten years later, something else big comes along, and we have this discussion all over.
  2. Spring Creek or someone else builds a few not-quite-Optimas and makes more profit for less risk. Fifth Ave is still impacted by construction. More residences. Less public space, hotel, retail, office, and no grocer.
  3. A few deals move forward after a few years, for medium sized projects, with various impacts and designs. Maybe better or worse than Southbridge overall? Constant construction from different owners impacting Fifth Ave.
  4. The land is sold out in precious bits to smaller expensive houses and shoppes, creating a California coastal of insanely expensive, diverse properties. James Maynard Keenan and Larry Fitzgerald join jillionaire neighbors on the hottest block between LA and Austin. Michael Phelps trains in the canal.
  5. A nice quiet subdivision is built, everyone is happy, Santa comes down the chimney.

A friend posted she felt trapped. She is correct, we have limited choices, and they all have downsides. A reader on my page Scottsdale Together complained that money should be irrelevant. It would be nice, but, might as well get milk and cookies ready for Santa. I understand why Concilmembers Littlefield, Whitehead and Phillips voted against Southbridge.

All have good points for their objections, and sincere concerns that I respect even in disagreement. But that fact is the zoning for something big has already been passed. The cat will not go back in the bag.

I don’t like how a few Southbridge supporters have gone low, started arguments with petition circulators, gotten utterly nasty with Councilmembers. I’m equally sick of the garbage coming from a radical few of the Southbridge opponents.

Everyone please ignore the blowhards, and do more listening to each other. For some, Fifth Avenue is home --- as a merchant or long-time resident.

For others, Fifth Avenue is charming and enjoyable but not historical. I grew up near Philadelphia and worked every day one summer down the block from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

You can’t buy gas in South Jersey without running into a Revolutionary War or Native American site. My family goes to Old Town and Downtown because of all the choices --- public events, bikes, art, shopping, food, the mall, the library.

We’ll continue to enjoy that as long as its such a fun, eclectic, quality area. I think Southbridge will help that transition, overall. I respect my friends who see it differently.

There is a compromise out there, and I feel like we’re not far from it. I’m disappointed collectively in all of council for not getting us there. Can Lane, Korte, Klapp and Milhaven only count to four when building a coalition?

Littlefield and Phillips have had since July 2018 to find a way to win this issue while losing the zoning battle for density.

They’ve underperformed too. Is a second referendum in two years the legacy of leadership six of you want to leave?

I’m beyond disappointed the PAC opposing Southbridge hasn’t presented a specific list of changes, or responded to Spring Creek’s proposed relocation fund. Where were they for the last 18 months, when their property values were going up because of other tall projects like Museum Square? Again, they don’t have a vision for the rest of us.

All of you need to get back to the table and find a compromise.

There are things City Council should do, now, to help manage growth in Old Town.

We need to revisit the parking code for guest and staff parking, and enforce parking limits to keep commerce moving. Electric scooters need to pay their real costs. Promote and expand trolley service. Define marketing goals with Experience Scottsdale to target Old Town. And most importantly, create an historic overlay district in the actual historic areas to limit density where appropriate.

Nancy Cantor wrote a good article last week calling for more diverse representation on the Planning Commission and Development Review Board, and adherence to the area plans. I agree completely, and we need a new General Plan as our current one is 20 years old. I see the answer as electing resident-friendly healthy-growth Councilpeople in 2020. Not burning your matches fighting an issue that can’t be won.

Editor’s Note: Jason Alexander is a citizen advocate and editor of Scottsdale Together Facebook fan page.