By Dianna M. Náñez | The Republic | azcentral.com
The Tempe City Council vote Thursday to approve the city’s General Plan was unanimous, but the antics that preceded the action reflected the conflict surrounding the city’s long-term vision for development.
Thursday’s approval paved the way for the plan to go before the voters in a May 20 special election.
But the vote came after a contentious meeting that included threats from development attorneys to sue the city and an appeal from neighborhood leaders. The residents pleaded with the council to keep the plan as it stood with protections from high-density projects near their long-established community of single-family housing next to the light-rail line near Apache Boulevard and Terrace Road.
