=The Tempe City Council gave the green light for a family to move their driveway, despite concerns from neighbors and the potential impact to a school across the street.
The Goettle family owns a home across from C.I. Waggoner Elementary School and were seeking approval from the council to abandon an easement to move the home’s driveway from the property’s south end to its west end.
After hearing public comment and concerns from the neighborhood, the council voted 5-2 with Councilmember Doreen Garlid and Vice Mayor Arlene Chin dissenting.
Councilmembers Brooke St. George and Nikki Amberg, who both opposed the project during the first hearing Aug. 31, said despite concerns, they were happy to approve of the project because of changes made and the approval from the school.
“I’m not a safety expert. I’m not a transportation expert, but I asked you to go to the school and ask them about their concerns. I’m going to be voting yes because it’s very rare that when we get up here people take the time to correct the changes we’re asking for, and you actually did that. Thank you,” she said.
She spoke directly to Jon Gillespie of Rose Law Group, who represented the Goettle family.
Neighbor Sandy Walborn said her granddaughter uses the sidewalk in front of the house to walk to school every day. She shared that she was concerned about all the children and families that create pedestrian traffic.
“I want each of you to think back to when you were 11 years old and had to walk to school. Please think of that and vote against this request,” she said.
Garlid, who said she also lives in the area, agreed there is an issue of traffic safety and that driving a vehicle in reverse creates a more dangerous zone for pedestrians.
“We cannot guarantee that the drivers will be exiting correctly and there is a bus stop across the street. It’s too busy, and that’s why I’m a no vote,” she said.
City Attorney Eric Anderson later stated there was a stipulation made by the city that would require all vehicles leaving the driveway to be driving forward as well as a space for the vehicles to turn around to accommodate that request.
Anderson said because it is part of the ordinance, it is enforceable by city code and can result in a civil citation. He also clarified that a parent or other community member could send in a photo of a wrong exit point to city officials.
Chin agreed with Garlid and said after driving by, she was concerned with the narrowness of the road and the high traffic during pick-up and drop-off at the school.
The council voted 5-2 and authorized the ordinance to allow the project to continue.
To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
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.
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