03/18/15
Good morning COGS E-News Reader. What are the current city
issues? What happened last night at city council? Do you want a
small fix-up or renovation project in your southern city home or
business ? Check out the new fee reductions to give your budget a
jump start. -informational link is below.
Current City Issues that COGS has received from residents and
merchants: (1) Golf cart transportation with posters on 3 sides
imaging "inappropriately clad/unclad women".(2) A
submitted petition to allow short-term residential leases such as
nightly or weekly but less than the 30 day minimum as allowed now
(3) temporary arts & crafts sidewalk or Marshall Way Bridge
selling tents in competition with brick-and-mortar art businesses
(4) AZ State Land auction in April and the Camelot Homes
application to rezone the land to allow 100 homes at Pima Rd/Los
Gatos Rd (5) insufficient downtown parking for shoppers, baseball
fans and festival patrons (6 ) insufficient surface and garage
parking in the 5th Avenue area to accommodate the additional
employees in the Galleria complex and the 5th Avenue shoppers and
employees at the same time (7) the proposed Downtown Trolley route
change for fall (8 ) residential alley trash ** (9) persons
handing out religious materials in Chaparral Park and at the Civic
Center Library
Issue comments from COGS:
- Golf cart signage: According to the city's Code
Enforcement, the 1st Amendment protects the signage content.
Unfortunately these Elite passenger carts are driving daytime
in our family-tourist areas and not limiting themselves to the
Entertainment District. Some passengers were observed
yesterday as unruly and shouting at pedestrians.
- Parking needs: The city expects to have a
comprehensive parking study completed by fall that will
include options & solutions for 2016. The contract was
approved last night at city council.
Alley Trash Issue: All homeowners are responsible to clean
their alleys from their property line to the center of the
alley. No construction materials are suppose to be dumped into
the alley for the city Bulk Pickup truck. You might check for
weeds that need removal as well.
- Trash cans: If you pull your trash can to the curb it
is not to be located on the sidewalk but in the street next to
the curb. The sidewalk is to be free for wheelchairs,
pedestrians and strollers
- White tents on Marshal Way Bridge: These vendors have
a city permit to operate on the bridge and canal.
- Renting a bedroom or your home for less than 30 days:
Current city ordinance does not allow renting your
residentially zoned property for less than 30 days.
- Paper handouts to the public on public land:
According to our city attorney, unless the person is harassing
you they have the 1st Amendment right to be on public property
distributing
Last night City Council decisions: (1) approved nine
liquor licenses (2) approved the Zara Court 6 single-family home
lots at 8346 and 8354 E. Thomas Road (3) approved multiple
infrastructure contracts related to sewer and drainage at 8525 E
Pinnacle Peak Rd, Paradise Drive, 3rd Ave & Craftsman Court,
and Eagle Feather Road (4) approved a new program called the
McDowell Corridor Building Permit fee modification -see details
below.
Thursday the 19th 7 pm to 8:30 pm- Learn about the McDowell
Corridor History from the Experts: The monthly speaker public
meeting of the Community Council of Scottsdale will host
JoAnn Hanley who grew up in the original Scottsdale and is a
wonderful story teller. Additionally, writer Joan Fuquala who has
written multiple books about our city's McDowell Corridor history
will share her findings. The meeting is held in the Granite Reef
Senior Center 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd/McDowell Rd n Rm 8.
*Keep up--Downtown Trolley Fall 2015 Proposed Route has
changed again Merchant and public comments have driven another
route change. Open this
link for the most recent proposed trolley route
map
LIVE IN SOUTHERN SCOTTSDALE? GOT A HOME or BUSINESS PROJECT?
Last night the city council approved a program that will begin
April 15th that should encourage you to do that renovation or
small fix-up project. Specific city fees will be reduced saving
you as much as $777 according to the example presented. Open this
link for more details. This is for home and small
business owned properties south of Osborn Road to the southern
city boundary. Hustle your application because the program ends in
two years.
ODYSEA Aquarium. A ground-breaking ceremony was held on
Thursday for the construction of a 200,000-square-foot aquarium
that is to open about July 1, 2016. The OdySea Aquarium is being
built near Loop 101 and Via de Ventura Drive as part of the
Talking Stick Cultural and Entertainment Destination on the Salt
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The same people behind the
Butterfly Wonderland are behind the aquarium. The developer states
that they have a new technology and the OdySea Aquarium will
include theme-park attractions. (www.BizJournals.com/Phoenix )
For the Coalition of Greater
Scottsdale (COGS) Board of Directors,
Sonnie Kirtley, Chair e-mail sonniek@cogsaz.net
Coalition of Greater Scottsdale
7904 E. Chaparral Rd., Suite 110, PMB 127
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
If you wish to support our all-volunteer group the
"dues" are $10 per year. Click HERE
to join or HERE to
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