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Letters: Let Surprise City Center develop at own pace, not in rush

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Regarding the front page article “Roadmap to City Center’s Future” on Aug. 18, 2021, I applaud the participants for exploring ways to get projects before the Planning and Zoning Commission early in order to allow the commission to bring its input to a proposal before it’s baked-and-finished.

A lot of times the P&Z has to hold its nose and approve something because it simply fits the legal framework but not because it’s a desirable project.

One tiny line in the article caused my heart to sink, where Mr. Phillips said the discussions would not concentrate on “specific architecture.”

The “sample parcel presentation” figure on page 22 is just boxes. We don’t need a downtown of just boxes, even if it’s more boxes with crown moulding. I don’t want our downtown to look like the stands of monster gray boxes which are gobbling up the green fields along 303. They won’t age well.

Chairman Dennis Bash hit it on the head when he expressed a desire for a masterplan. That term has been bandied about for years by the landowner, with no true masterplan forthcoming.

Mr. Phillips says they are developing a masterplan for the northeast quadrant. Really? The bulldozers are already out there laying the drainage pipe. Let’s not create a plan that rushes projects into being.

That square mile of downtown Surprise is precious, and always will be, even if “time kills deals.” Mr. West got a fabulous bargain in his land exchange, and the previous city administration was instrumental in removing the avigation easements which opened the floodgates to residential (and university) development, as well as commercial deals.

If some deals are so ephemeral, perhaps they’re not so good; let them die and there will be a better one coming down the ‘pike. Our square mile isn’t going anywhere; it just increases in value each day.

Let’s take the time to create something beautiful, not just more boxes. The concentration of a “walkable” downtown in the northwest quadrant is a good start, but what about the other quadrants? 

We need some interesting, unique design features and interesting flow patterns, and that starts with planning them in to begin with. Let’s not rush this. 

Carefree Partners don’t need to make their money and run. They will make money no matter what. 

Time for the city council to support the P&Z in its quest to get a gorgeous, unique downtown.