06/15/15
Good morning, COGS E-Newsletter Reader.
Important public meetings occur in the next two weeks. See the
list below. COGS continues as a non-profit citizens’
organization to advocate for land planning decisions that support
the residents’ and small business owners’ city vision. What is
written in the proposed General Plan 2035 becomes
guidelines/policies for city council and commissioner decisions
that affect every homeowner, neighborhood, business and our
tourism industry in Scottsdale. At this time, we
respectfully recommend tweaks, clarifications, improved
definitions and importantly, a revised
land category matrix that provides
greater neighborhood protection in the use of Minor and Major
General Plan Amendments.
(Major requires 5 to 2 minimum council vote to approve a proposed
project It also requires greater City Council
discussion and public outreach.) Thank you for taking your
valuable time to be informed.
PLEASE PRINT THE FOLLOWING OR MARK YOUR
CALENDAR AND ATTEND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE:
Thursday 18 June 7 pm to
8:30 pm The Bond Election
will be the topic of Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield at the public
meeting of the Community Council of Scottsdale. At the beginning
of the meeting, Nancy Cantor of Scottsdale Coalition will provide
a brief update on a Scottsdale Unified School District issue. Come
to room 8 in the NW corner of the Granite Reef Senior Center. (NWC
of McDowell Rd/Granite Reef Rd) . Ride the free trolley if you are
near the southern neighborhood route.
Friday
19 June noon to 2 pm Your city wants feedback on “all things
bike”.
Join the
Transportation Department staff in the Community Design Studio
(church-like bldg.) 7506
E. Indian School Road, to
talk “all things bike.” Share your ideas to help Scottsdale
continue to be a safe, healthy, bike-friendly city. Get
information on the city’s bikeways network, Transportation Master
Plan, education and enforcement activities and the Tourism
Advisory Task Force’s Bike Strategy. They will also gather your
ideas on ways to improve cycling in Scottsdale.
Attendees can enter a drawing to win
several raffle prizes, and
everyone will receive a reusable grocery bag. ...Can’t attend on
the 19th?
Please consider attending a second bike discussion from
6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 23,
at the same location.
Tuesday 23
June 4 pm
start for the
City Council’s General Plan 2035 Work Study Session
in the Kiva (city hall), 3939 N.
Drinkwater Blvd. The General Plan is the primary tool for guiding
future development and character of the city over the next 20
years. State law requires the city to update its General Plan
every 10 years and the first attempt was rejected by the voters.
We are of the opinion that there are still some edits needed.
This is the Public Comment period and COGS has submitted specific
Recommendations and Rationale for each on our website
www.cogsaz.net
. Contact us at
board@cogsaz.net
if you would like us to send electronic versions to your personal
computer.
Thursday, 25 June
Public Comment meeting on the Preserve’s Cultural Resources Master
Plan
You are invited to provide feedback on
the draft Cultural Resources Master Plan for the McDowell Sonoran
Preserve. Cultural resources include archaeological and historical
sites, architecture, artifacts and landscape features. The meeting
will be from 6 to 7:30
p.m. in the
Florence Ely Nelson Desert
Park, 8950
E. Pinnacle Peak Road. There
will be a brief
presentation at 6 p.m.,
followed by breakout sessions addressing various topics. When
completed, the plan will guide decisions related to the
interpretation, protection and management of resources. The draft
plan will be posted on the city’s
website
Wednesday, June 24.
Those who can’t attend the meeting can provide feedback online.
COGS
recommends changes for the General Plan 2035 city draft.
Although
several COGS members were appointed by city council to the GP Task
Force and that work ended after nearly two years, we’ve taken a
slow and careful look at that proposed product. During this
Public Comment period, we invite you to open the “COGS
Rationale” to review the months of our respectfully submitted
“tweaks” . COGS will support assurances that the final text
represents the Scottsdale residents’ city vision and the
preservation and support for our expected quality of life.
The attachment shares WHY we deemed
changes important. As always,
we invite your comments and
recommendations.
As
citizen advocates for our city, we want to support the finished,
ballot-ready product.
For the Coalition of Greater
Scottsdale (COGS) Board of Directors,
Sonnie Kirtley, Chair e-mail
sonniek@cogsaz.net
Coalition of Greater Scottsdale
8924 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Suite G5, PMB 518
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
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