Car wash on prominent Tempe corner denied (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Michael Pollack, who, along with 600+ residents in one mile radius, opposed the car wash.) And Arizona Republic reporter Jerod MacDonald-Evoy was there, covering the three-hour plus Tempe City Council meeting. Check out his REAL TIME tweets, in Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2G1yL1j
4 home developments headed to Glendale as northwest Valley grows.“The developments come as part of what [is described as] a ‘housing boom’ in the northwest Valley, including Peoria and Surprise.” Details on each of the four developments at AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2H2Sxeb
Three subdivisions approved for Anthem’s Merrill Ranch. Florence Town Council “approved final plats for three new subdivisions… that are not owned by original developer Pulte Homes. Franklin 643, LLC is the owner of these new communities.” (NOTE: Details for this project, few as they may be, show up near the end of this Florence Reminder report. So scroll down upon arrival, unless you’d first like to wade through news concerning “special assessments” in Merrill Ranch Community Facilities District No. 1.) http://bit.ly/2EsWb2C
This year marks 80 Years of Frank Lloyd Wright in Arizona. “Wright’s designs and principle are more relevant today than ever before and are alive in the buildings he worked on across the Valley.” Experience AZ profiles of six of these “notable designs,” including the David & Gladys Wright House: http://bit.ly/2EfsPpb
Most expensive home sales in Phoenix. Arizona Foothills Magazine once again has the “top home sales from the past week (1.29.18 – 2.4.18),” during which combined sales totaled “over $20 million,” a PLUNGE of $6 million from the previous week. This week’s installment features homes with handcrafted ceilings, custom cabinetry, crafted iron gates and, if you listen closely enough, sounds of what appear to be occupants giggling over how much bank they have. http://bit.ly/2EcVqvn
NAHB seeks nationwide injunction on WOTUS rule. The National Association of Home Builders has “joined a broad coalition of farmers, miners andforesters” in asking a U.S. District Court “to issue a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting” the feds from “enforcing or implementing the 2015 [‘watersof the United States’] rule.” The “coalition motion” states that “billions of dollars and many thousands of jobs hang in the balance,” and it lays out “three reasons that the WOTUS rule is likely unlawful.” Details in NAHBNow. http://bit.ly/2ETGrUd
No HQ2 for Phoenix, but the growth outlook downtown is solid anyway.<– That was the major takeaway from “development panel speakers at Bisnow’sFuture of Downtown Phoenix event.” And while upbeat terms like “momentum,” “vibrance,” and “optimism” get tossed around in Bisnow’s recap of the event, the report also notes that “there are some missing pieces of the Downtown puzzle…” http://bit.ly/2sgFUsG
City leaders optimistic after Glendale Municipal Airport’s turbulent decade. “The airport, sprawling across more than 500 acres off Glendale Avenue just west of Loop 101, is slowly growing again… Legal disputes over land and with pilots are long settled, the city expects to open [95 acres of] airport property for development and millions of dollars in upgrades continue, from extending the runway to repaving.” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2BOVYps
Foothills Reserve legal case threatens South Mountain Freeway progress.A “Foothills Reserve homeowner… has asked state Superior Court to allow him to challenge condemnation proceedings for an 11-acre parcel of common grounds owned by his homeowners association… [The homeowner] has charged, among other things, that ADOT cannot even launch eminent domain proceedings because it has not proved the freeway meets a public need…” Responses from ADOT, the AG, and the aforementioned HOA in this acronym-laden report from AFN. http://bit.ly/2H3NASj
[OPINION] My View: Maricopa County must take leadership role on complex issues. In Phoenix Business Journal, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors chairman Steve Chucri lays out his vision of leadership, with an acknowledgment that the “challenges we face require planning that transcends this present day, partnerships that broaden our potential impact, and leadership that understands our future is not found in the shifting moral sands of political trench-digging…” Tap through for the unpacking of that: http://bit.ly/2sjSKGL
Parks, recreation group asks Flagstaff council to sponsor $58 million tax measure. “Flagstaff Open Space, Parks and Recreation campaign… has created a ballot question asking voters to approve a one-eighth cent sales tax that would be used to fund 13 projects that were proposed by various citizen groups and finalized by a steering committee.” Arizona Daily Sun has a list of the 13 projects, along with coverage of this week’s Flagstaff City Council meeting where a “standing-room onlycrowd implored” the council to let “voters weigh in on [the] sales tax.” http://bit.ly/2nV3lCt
‘CRAZY SAFE’ – Florence named Arizona’s safest city. In naming Flo the state’s “safest city for 2018,” the website HomeSnacks says Flo is “a classic example of everything that makes Arizona great… We are talking about only having a 1-in-206.2 chance of being the victim of a property crime and a 1-in-1,415 chance of being the victim of violent crime. That’s crazy safe…” More about it in Flo Reminder. (NOTE: “Flo” is our doing, in the interest of brevity.) http://bit.ly/2BRkm9W
WalletHub names Chandler No. 1 place to get job. “The report gave 180 U.S. cities a ranking based on 26 indicators sorted between two primary factors, job market and socioeconomics, with job market weighted more heavily.” AzBigMedianotes that Chandler’s top ranking in WalletHub’s national survey “cap[s] a year of growth for the city and signal[s] further investment to come.” http://bit.ly/2Ei8Ru0
State of the City for Apache Junction held. “In addition to residents from Apache Junction and Gold Canyon [about 130 in all], area officials at the… presentation included a Mesa councilman, Gilbert official, a Pinal County supervisor and members of the legislature.” And let’s not forget a certain mayor from AJ! Mayor Jeff Serdy was there, too! Apache Junction Independent reports that the “opening of the Fry’s Marketplace Store and the city’s Flatiron Community Park were top accomplishments” that “featured prominently” in Mayor Serdy’s address. Tap through for a recap and full video of Mayor Serdy delivering AJ’s VERY FIRST State of the City. http://bit.ly/2EsImkW
Coolidge mayor not happy with ADOT work on Central Avenue. In the words of Coolidge Mayor Jon Thompson, as reported in Coolidge Examiner: “We weren’t real happy with the product we got… We had input (on the project) but our input was the kind of input that nobody listens to.” http://bit.ly/2nOcGN0
Flagstaff city manager resignation cites ‘discourteous’ treatment from council members. Here’s just a snippet of what Flagstaff City Manager Josh Copley had to say in “his letter of resignation” submitted Wednesday: “Over the course of the past few months, I have repeatedly been treated in an unprofessional and discourteous manner by two city council members who seem to be more concerned with their political ambitions and personal agendas than the good of the city as a whole.” More in Arizona Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2Ey4z0T
ADOT brings back HURF exchange program aiding local transportation projects. The Highway User Revenue Fund has been revived. The program allows “local governments to build transportation projects faster and at a lower cost by reducing red tape…” Queen Creek Independent reports that HURF is what “Queen Creek could have used… to offset the cost of its $5.49 million project to widen and realign Ocotillo Road…” Too late now; the project was “completed last July.” (But we’re pretty sure there will be plenty of other eligible projects down the road.) http://bit.ly/2slrS9i
Phoenix Transportation Department rearranges leadership. “Street Transportation Department Director Ray Dovalina moved from his position to take a new post in the Public Works Department… Maria Hyatt, the former public transit director, took Dovalina’s place as director of the Street Transportation Department… These changes were made in ‘an effort to strengthen and improve service in key areas…’ ” A Downtown Devil report, which thankfully steers clear of employing an acronym for “Street Transportation Department.” http://bit.ly/2ExPaxq
[VIDEO] Find out what it’s like to live at Arcosanti, Arizona’s micro city. “Two BuzzFeed reporters traveled to Arcosanti, an experimental micro city in central Arizona, to find out more about the society and about how residents live.” WATCH via KTAR. http://bit.ly/2nQHCwl
Canadian solar companies sue Trump over tariffs. “Canadian companies that make solar panels are suing the Trump administration over the 30-percent tariffs the president imposed last month on their products… [Silfab Solar Inc., Heliene Inc. and Canada Solar Solutions Inc.] say that since Canadian solar imports do not harm United States producers, the tariffs violate the Trade Act and [NAFTA].” The Hill also reports that “South Korea, Taiwan and the European Union have separately filed complaints.” http://bit.ly/2nWgqeR
Shutdown #2: Bipartisanship goes only so far, says Flake. “Arizona lawmakers split early Friday on a budget bill that reopened government after a brief midnight shutdown, with opposition coming from an unusual coalition of budget hawks and immigration advocates….” As one of those budget hawks, Sen. Jeff Flake says in Cronkite News, “I love bipartisanship, but not when it’s bought and paid for with billions of taxpayer dollars.” (RELATED, from Governing: “What the Budget Deal Means for States and Localities.”) http://bit.ly/2ESLa8p
Ducey, 18 other western governors don’t support plan to change Interior Dept. boundaries. “[Interior Secretary Ryan] Zinke wants to reorganize the department’s regional management system, shifting authority away from state boundaries toward new ecologically-determined regions.” Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and 18 other “governors of Western states are protesting,” basically saying, “Hey, thanks for talking to us about it first.” The Hill. http://bit.ly/2sgGbvW
Those darn cities think they’re above the law. “SB1487 [is] a 2016 law that allows any state legislator to ask the attorney general to investigate an ordinance, regulation or other policy enacted by a municipality or county to determine whether it complies with state law.” But now, with complaints by legislators increasing, investigating possible violations has “proven taxing for the AG’s office.” Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2seWcSM
Snowbowl: Hopi lawsuit against snowmaking with treated effluent reinstated. “[The state Court of Appeals] said the Hopi Tribe had made sufficient allegations that tribal members were suffering a ‘special injury’ from the use of the reclaimed wastewater at Snowbowl… [and that] the tribe should be able to make their case to a judge and jury.” A Capitol Media Services/Howard Fischer report in Arizona Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2BNdrP6
[ANALYSIS] There’s no rest in the quest to be the best, but hitting .300 ain’t bad. Best Buy. Best Foods. Best Cities… Senior Reporter/Writer Phil Riske on the obsession to “be the best” and the “psychological and physical” toll this obsession can sometimes take, in Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2BNFaz9
