By Madeline Bates
Mail

Nearly a year after presenting to the Development Review Commission, rezoning for the Marshall on Spence apartments, planned for Rural Road and Apache Boulevard, has still not been put to a vote by the city council.

At the April 16 regular meeting, Mayor Corey Woods suggested to the council that the numerous delays of the project have been excessive and that June 4 would be the final date that the council would hear the rezoning request.

“I would like to see if the June 4 regular meeting could be a firm date and we would not grant any continuances,” said Mayor Woods.

The council voted unanimously to allow the hearing to move to June 4 for the project to be rezoned to a mixed-use property instead of a residential one.

The site, currently known as the Tempe Palms apartments at 1026 E. Spence Ave., has proposed changes to become a seven-story, 105-unit apartment complex.

The site is on 0.88 acres and has 89 proposed parking spaces. Concerns about the space from the public and the council could have led to planning delays.

City Attorney Eric Anderson recommended the council add to the motion that no further continuances would be granted aside from what he called “an extremely good cause.”

Anderson did not elaborate but the council passed the motion and will hold a second and final hearing for the Marshall on Spence project on June 4 at the regular council meeting at 6 p.m. at the city chambers, 31 E. Fifth St.

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Madeline Bates
Reporter | Tempe/East Phoenix

mbates@iniusa.org

Meet Madeline

Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).  

Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.

Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.

Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.

Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.