Tempe Tomorrow, the city’s General Plan 2050, went before Tempe City Council for its first public hearing Aug. 10, with over 30 residents for and against the proposed document speaking about the rise in density, affordable housing and other factors concerning the city’s continued urbanization.
General Plan 2050 has received mixed reviews from residents and staff since being released publicly on May 5, and it was last discussed by city officials at the July 25 Development Review Commission meeting where the commission unanimously recommended that city council approve the document.
Staff continues to prepare the general plan to reflect how the community would like to grow over the next 30 years, as explained by a city release. The plan is a development-related policy document that guides how Tempe organizes land use, transportation, economic development, historic preservation, cultural amenities and more.
Updates made to the 2050 plan include general changes to reflect current city trends, the synthesization of the land use and the residential density maps, a guiding vision for the plan, considerations for climate and extreme heat, and sustainability-related elements.
At the Aug. 10 public hearing, Tempe’s Principal Planner Ambika Adhikari and Senior Planner Jacob Payne explained to council how the plan was developed and what changes were made to reflect community feedback.
“The general plan, although it is an overarching document, is interlinked with many of the plans that we do,” Adhikari said. “As a matter of fact although the general plan guides many other plans, it is also informed and it is also compatible and consistent with the plans like the character area plan, the master plans that we do in transportation and water supply and also courts and regulations.”
While other plans target specific areas regarding the city, the general plan is used to ensure that new developments are consistent with the outlined goals, objectives and projected land use and density maps.
In their presentation, Mayor Corey Woods engaged in a small discussion with the planners regarding public revision requests to redesignate some of the areas outlined by the land use and density map.
These changes were:
A request for a portion of the Discovery Business Center at Elliot Road and Shutterfly Way to be changed back to industrial from high-density mixed-use;
The removal of a cultural resource area designation on properties at the 700 block of West Ninth Street; and
To redesignate the area between McClintock Drive, McKellips Road, Indian Bend Wash and Loop 202 to high-density mixed-use.
Speaking to the third change, Woods shared that residents of that area have been pushing for higher density so that underutilized properties can be made into valuable attractions for different demographics and replace unwanted businesses.
“They’ve said to us, ‘The only way we’re going to get those kinds of things is if we actually have higher density housing, bringing in more people with more available income to spend,’” Woods said.
While the general plan handles land use and density ranges, it does not change the actual zoning specifications on each site, but designations from the general plan give a basis for city officials when considering future rezoning applications.
The full plan is available at www.tempe.gov.
Downtown doubts
During the hearing, many residents urged council to make changes to preserve the city’s “small-town” character before its final hearing on Aug. 24, citing contradictions between its vision to support sustainability and the designation of the downtown for high-density mixed-use developments.
Philip Yates, a fifth-generation Tempe resident and involved member of the community, was unable to attend the hearing in person, but Roberta Neil Miller read a prepared statement in his place regarding the general plan.
Notably, Yates was a part of Tempe 1st, the group that protested against the Tempe Entertainment District, which was ultimately voted down by Tempe voters, for potential negative impacts to surrounding neighborhoods.
In his comment, Yates stated that Tempe has changed for the worse over the years and that high density in the downtown will contribute to the rising heat that afflicts Tempe and other Valley residents.
“Downtown Tempe is rapidly turning into a characterless block of high-rise buildings that are all the same size with little thought about scale, historical preservation or aesthetics,” Neil Miller read.
With anticipated luxury housing to come with high density, attracting new residents, Yates worries about how the city will use its funds to accommodate a rising population and continue providing necessities like water for existing and new Tempe residents.
Rather than allowing for private developers to take over the downtown, Yates asked council in his message to protect Tempe’s character and history by investing in affordable housing for its college-aged and workforce populations.
However, several of the speakers at the Aug. 10 hearing showed support of General Plan 2050, expressing interest in more high-density housing, including current Arizona State University students and longtime residents.
Trevor Malzewski, a Tempe resident and ASU student, spoke in support of a high-density downtown, to support more pedestrian traffic at the Aug. 10 public hearing.
Courtesy Tempe 11
(Courtesy Tempe 11)
Although some residents showed support for increasing density, many shared similar concerns for developing a well-rounded plan that also supports housing, public transit and other living conveniences.
ASU student Trevor Malzewski spoke about wanting to stay in Tempe after graduation, as he said it’s the Valley city that most aligns with his values and lifestyle as a young professional and college student.
But, as others had mentioned, Tempe faces growing challenges with not enough housing and public transit for its diverse population, which is why Malzewski spoke in support for higher density that would support pedestrian traffic and increase housing options.
“It seems like we acknowledge that these things are assets for the community, and the original general plan, which I support, went in and fulfilled those things, but unfortunately, we have gone totally in the opposite direction,” Malzewski said.
He explained that staff had redesignated areas in the plan to a lower density where he believes a high-density designation would have been more appropriate. Ultimately, he sees a benefit with Tempe increasing density near the downtown to provide more student housing options with corresponding amenities for the student population.
Before final council approval, the document will have its final public hearing on Aug. 24. If approved by council, the plan will then be voted upon by Tempe residents on March 12, 2024.
Reporter Caroline Yu can be reached at cyu@iniusa.org
To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Caroline Caroline Yu joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2020 as a summer intern covering Scottsdale. As an intern, she continued her coverage of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Tempe. After graduating in 2022, Caroline became a full-time reporter for Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. She is currently reporting for the Tempe market.
Community: She is a supporter of the environment and tries to get involved with related community events.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in French.
Random Fact: She used to be a ballet dancer for 10 years.
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