Sweetwater Commons – SWC N. Litchfield Rd. & W. Sweetwater Ave.
The Boyer Bakery – 13681 N. Litchfield Rd.
The Wall Company 12,900 SF office and maintenance building, 11470 N. Dysart Rd.
U-Haul Moving and Storage of Surprise – SWC Cactus Rd. and Litchfield Rd.
State of the City Address
We closed out the month of March by celebrating the 2022 State of the City event at City Hall on Thursday, March 31. What an incredible evening we had! Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us, and a huge thank you to our performers who put on a stellar show! Did you miss the video? Watch it here: https://surprisetv.surpriseaz.gov/index.php/watch...
Roadway Restrictions for Utility Work
Now through September 2022, Litchfield Road from Peoria Avenue to Waddell Road will have lane restrictions as Southwest Gas works to install a gas pipeline. Work will begin on Litchfield Road at Peoria Avenue and work toward Waddell Road throughout the duration of the project.
Traffic will be shifted away from the work area, maintaining at least one lane of traffic in both directions. Left turns may be restricted. Work will take place during daytime hours, Monday through Saturday; however, traffic control will stay in place even during non-work hours to protect the work zone. Business and resident access will be maintained. For additional information, contact the Southwest Gas project hotline at 602.532.6100.
Hall of Fame Presentation
During the Spring Training game on Sunday, April 3, we joined the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission as they inducted the following individuals into the Surprise Recreation Campus Hall of Fame.
Charlie Woodland (former Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission member)
Kevin Uhlich (Previous Senior VP of Business Operations for the Kansas City Royals)
Mike Swanson (Previous VP of Communications and Broadcasting for the Kansas City Royals)
Andrew Benintendi, Michael A. Taylor and Salvador Perez (Current Kansas City Royals Players)
Arbor Day Tree Dedication
On Friday, April 29, the Rotary Club of Surprise donated a tree to the City at Dick McComb Community Park, in celebration of Arbor Day. Arbor Day, which literally translates to “tree” day from the Latin origin of the word arbor, is a holiday that celebrates the planting, upkeep and preservation of trees. This beautiful gift will be enjoyed for many years to come by our entire community.
No Change in Property Tax Rate in Surprise
We’ve been receiving some questions about the City of Surprise tax rate. It has not increased. The primary tax rate in the City of Surprise is $0.7591 per $100 of assessed property value, plus the secondary property tax rate of $0.3880 per $100 of assessed property value. These rates multiplied by the assessed value of your home determine what you pay in property taxes. If the value of your home increases, you will see an increased tax bill; however, that is not due to an increase in the property tax rate but rather an increase in the assessed value of your home.
Schedule of Existing Primary and Secondary Property Tax
Property Tax
Current Rate
Current Levy
Proposed Rate
Proposed Levy
Primary Property Tax Rate
$0.7591
$9,974,100
$0.7591
$10,873,200
Per $100 assessed value
Secondary Property Tax Rate
$0.3880
$5,097,800
$0.3880
$5,557,500
Per $100 assessed value
No Change in Secondary Property Tax Rate for Marley Park CFD
The Marley Park Community Facilities District property tax rate is not changing. The property tax will be adopted by the Marley Park Community Facilities District Board of Directors on June 21 at or after 5:30 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 16000 N. Civic Center Plz. After adoption, these tax rates will be effective for the 2022 tax year. This Notice, including the schedule of increased taxes and the written report or data supporting the new tax, is available on the City’s website at surpriseaz.gov.
Property Tax
*Current Rate
Current Levy
*Proposed Rate
Proposed Levy
Marley Park Community Facility District
$3.4771
$1,819,700
$3.4771
$2,073,600
*Per $100 Assessed Limited Property Value
New Community Resource Center Coming to Surprise
A major investment into the vitality and well-being of the West Valley is being made by the City, in partnership with Maricopa County, with plans to build a multigenerational community resource center. On Tuesday, April 5, City Council voted to approve an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Maricopa County for the $26 million building project. The next day, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors also voted to approve the IGA, dedicating $18 million of their federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding toward the project while the City is committing $8 million from a combination of City ARPA funds and General Fund dollars.
This partnership will create an estimated 38-thousand square-foot center on City-owned land in Surprise’s historic Original Town Site. The new campus will improve resources for families, seniors, youth and vulnerable populations by centralizing and expanding programs and services from several aging city buildings, including the Surprise Resource Center, Hollyhock Library and Surprise Senior Center. The campus will be at the corner of Hollyhock Street and Santa Fe Drive, will be built on shovel-ready land and should be completed by 2025.
Fishing at Surprise Lake
Did you know the Game and Fish department keeps our community lake filled with catfish and trout most of the year? This is an excellent time to get outside and go fishing at our local lake. A fishing license is required for anyone age 10 and up. A youth license is only $5 for the entire year and is available up to age 18. Licenses are available at azgfd.gov.
Here is a schedule of when fish will be stocked into Surprise Lake (Bullard Ave. / Paradise Ln.):
• May 9-13
Catfish
• May 23-27
Catfish
Stockings will occur randomly Monday through Saturday during the week indicated. Due to the high temperatures, this will be the last stocking until Fall.
“Home Run” Day at the Ballpark
On Monday, April 4, along with the City Manager Bob Wingenroth, we had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with a few of the Luke Air Force Base Airmen at a Spring Training game for a “home run” day at the Ballpark. Thank you to the Surprise Economic Development Department for inviting us to such a wonderful event.
April Proclaimed Fair Housing Month
On Tuesday, April 19 Mayor Hall proclaimed the month of April as Fair Housing Month in Surprise. This month we feel grateful for the Fair Housing Act that was passed on April 11, 1968. This law is designed to protect Americans from facing discrimination in selling or buying houses.
New Hours at Northwest Regional Library
The City and the Maricopa County Library District are opening the Northwest Regional Library on Sundays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., beginning Sunday, May 15. The Northwest Regional Library is located in the Surprise Recreation Campus located at 16089 N. Bullard Ave. Hours are currently Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Visit surpriseaz.gov/libraryand click on Northwest or call 602.652.3000 for more information.
Virtual Speaker Series Event
Experience stories of Arizona history and culture at upcoming speaker events presented by the Surprise Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission in partnership with Arizona Humanities. Local experts from Arizona Humanities’ AZ Speaks program will present on the following topics:
Saviors and Saints on the Arizona Frontiers (Speaker: Jan Cleere)
June 8 • 11 a.m. – Noon Register here
Bisbee: The Alchemical City of Copper Borderlands (Speaker: Virgil Hancock)
October 11 • 11 a.m. – Noon Register here
The events are free, but registration is required. For more information, please contact the Human Service & Community Vitality Department at 623.222.3243.
Connect with District 6
Please check out my District 6 Facebook page at Councilmember Chris Judd! Be sure to click the "like" button to get District 6 news and updates. Please also visit my District 6 webpage at d6.surpriseaz.gov where you can subscribe to my Notify Me email list to receive important District 6 updates.
Council Meetings and Agenda
The next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting will take place on May 17 at 6 p.m. and will be open to the public for in-person attendance. You can also watch live at surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv or the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/cityofsurprise. Cox channel 11 also carries the meetings live. Agendas are always posted online at a minimum of two days prior.
If you see something on the agenda that concerns you, please reach out before the meeting so I have time to address your concern. I may even ask your questions during the City Council presentation. The best way to reach me is chris.judd@surpriseaz.gov.
Meet and Greet
Please join me for my Monthly Meet and Greet on May 7 at 9 a.m. at Spencer's Place, 15341 W. Waddell Rd. Join me for my D6 community meeting on May 18 at 6 p.m. at Venue Taproom, 13699 N. Litchfield Rd. I look forward to discussing the latest City issues and answering any questions you might have.
Please check my webpage at d6.surpriseaz.gov for updates to my meeting schedule.
