[a. Employee Introductions and Announcements]
[00:02:40]
HE LIKES TO SPEND TIME TRAVELING WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN AND BEING OUTDOORS.
SO PLEASE WELCOME TRAVIS TO OUR HUMBLE CITY.
IF HE COULD STEP FORWARD PLEASE.
JUSTIN GREW UP IN GLENDALE, WHICH WE DO NOT HOLD THAT AGAINST HIM.
HE RECENTLY, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.
SO YOU GOTTA REALLY PAY ATTENTION.
HE, HE, BEFORE TAKING THE JOB WITH US, HE RETIRED AS THE ARIZONA CARDINALS MASCOT.
HE SPENT NINE YEARS WITH THE CARDINALS.
UH, HE ATTENDED ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE HE, UH, PURSUED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN EXERCISE AND WELLNESS.
AND HE WAS ALSO SPARKY
IS IT 'CAUSE BEING A COLLEGE MASCOT FOR HOW LONG? UH, THAT WAS FOR FOUR YEARS, SIR.
AND THEN BIG RED FOR NINE YEARS.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A HALL OF FAME RECOMMENDATION THERE SOMEWHERE.
UM, SO, UH, LET'S GO WHERE I LEFT OFF.
HIS WIFE'S NAME IS STEPHANIE AND THEY HAVE A DAUGHTER NAMED TATUM.
AND UH, WHEN TATUM WAS BORN, HE SET A GOAL OF BEING THE BEST FATHER HE COULD BE AND SOMEONE SHE COULD LOOK UP TO AND PROUD OF AND WHICH LED HIM TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER.
UH, PLEASE REFRAIN TO ASK HIM TO DOING FLIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE'S ON THE PAYROLL NOW AND THAT WOULD, WE DON'T WANT WORKMAN COMP.
I'M JUST GUESSING THAT YOUR TIME AT THE FIREHOUSE IS GOING TO BE ENTERTAINING.
BRANDON GREW UP IN BUSHLAND, TEXAS.
HE, UH, PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS A TEACHER AND A COACH, BUT I DON'T HAVE WHERE YOU WERE A TEACHER, A COACH.
YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT LAST ONE WAS VALLEY
[00:05:01]
VISTA HIGH SCHOOL IN SURPRISE.HE HAS ALSO COACHED AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHERE.
GREENVILLE UNIVERSITY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.
ALRIGHT, UH, YOU'RE MARRIED TO KAYLEE AND YOU HAVE AN 18 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER NAMED LEY LEY.
UH, HE'S VERY EXCI EXCITED TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF AVONDALE.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE JEREMY HERE.
HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS EQUIPMENT MANAGER FOR AWA HIGH SCHOOL AND SERVED SIX YEARS IN THE MILITARY.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR.
FIREFIGHTER MA IS A THIRD GENERATION AVONDALE LU.
I GUESS THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WOULD SAY, BUT HE IS MARRIED TO HIS WIFE MARISSA AND HAS TWO, UH, BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, CHARLOTTE AND DAWSON.
BRENDAN GREW UP IN PEORIA, ARIZONA.
PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS AN EMT IN THE MEDICAL SERVICE DIVISION WITH, UH, ARIZONA FIRE AND MEDICAL AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS HAVING SPENT FIVE YEARS AS A PERSONAL TRAINER.
SO ARE YOU HANDING OUT CARDS AFTER THIS? I'M GONNA BE HONEST.
UH, CHIEF, WE GOTTA GIVE HIM A CHANCE 'CAUSE HE WAS SPEECHLESS THERE.
HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S IN GOOD SHAPE THOUGH, MAYOR.
SO WHERE'D YOU GO? WHERE'D YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL.
WHERE'D YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL IN PEORIA? UH, I ACTUALLY WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN GLENDALE MOUNTAIN RIDGE.
COME, MARINA, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.
WOULD YOU TELL ME IF I SAID IT WRONG? YES, SIR.
UM, HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS AN AUTOMOTIVE TECH AND GRADUATED FROM OLIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE HOMETOWN BOYS IN THIS GROUP.
UH, HE WENT TO AUSTRALIA MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
UM, THE VERY FIRST FIRETRUCK HE EVER SAW WAS AN AVONDALE FIRETRUCK.
AND SO, UH, HE REMEMBERS ATTENDING BILLY MOORE DAYS AND SEEING AVONDALE FIREFIGHTERS AS THE PAVEMENT.
AND HE, AND HE CAN'T GET THAT OUT OF HIS HEAD.
WHY? WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE PAVEMENT DIVERS? I DON'T KNOW.
THEY'VE GOTTA BE ON YOUTUBE SOMEWHERE.
WELL, I HAVE SEEN IT ON YOUTUBE.
NOW YOU KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN 2024 FOR BILLY MOORE DAVIS.
I THINK CHRIS BE'S IN THE BACK AND HE CAN SET IT UP.
JOHN GREW UP IN SNELLVILLE, GEORGIA AND MOVED TO ARIZONA WHEN HE WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS A PARAMEDIC AT SCOTTSDALE OSBORNE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND HAS TWO ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN PARAMEDICINE AND FIRE OPERATIONS.
IT HAS AN IDENTICAL TWIN BROTHER WHO WORKS FOR AVONDALE FIRE AND MEDICAL NAMED JOSH.
AND THIS IS WHY I MAKE 'EM PUT THEIR NAMES ON THEIR SHIRTS.
SO RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW, COUNSEL'S NOT SAYING ANYTHING, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT HR.
YOU'RE NOT PULLING OUR LEG RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE CALLED THE TWIN TOWERS.
SO, MR. MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE CITY STAFF DON'T RECOMMEND CALLING EMPLOYEES BY NICKNAMES.
WE PREFER TO USE THEIR, UH, GIVEN NAMES SO THAT WE DON'T GET IN TROUBLE BY CALLING 'EM THINGS LIKE TWIN TOWERS
SO I WON'T SHARE WITH YOU THAT, THAT A LOT OF 'EM CALL JOHN.
UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, JOHN JUST GOT MARRIED
[00:10:01]
TO HIS WIFE, KAYLEE.WHAT ON PURPOSE? ON PURPOSE, I THINK WE NEED JOHN TO SIT DOWN NOW.
AND NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL FOR YOU.
CHRISTINA LOPEZ IS THE NEW FIRE CAPTAIN.
CHRISTINA'S BEEN WITH US FOR SIX YEARS, AND AFTER I DO THE, UM, INTRODUCTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SWEARING IN AND THE PARING, UH, PENDING CEREMONY.
I REALLY THANK CHRISTINA TOO, BECAUSE WHEN SHE WROTE HERS, SHE DID EXTRA LARGE FONT, SO IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR ME TO READ.
CHRISTINA WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PHOENIX.
SHE OBTAINED HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM NAU PRIOR TO STARTING HER CAREER HERE, HERE IN AVONDALE.
IN HER SIX YEARS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SHE'S BEEN VERY BUSY AND HAS WORKED AS A MENTOR FOR THE NEW RECRUIT FIREFIGHTERS AT THE ACADEMY AND ALSO MENTORING STUDENTS AT AVONDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
KATRINA, CHRISTINA HAS COMPLETED BOTH PARAMEDIC AND TRT PROGRAMS AND SERVED AS THE SECRETARY FOR AVONDALE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
SHE ALSO VOLUNTEERS MUCH OF HER TIME GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS CHARITY.
SHE IS THE FAVORITE AUNT TO HER FOUR NIECES AND NEPHEWS THE FAVORITE.
AND, UH, LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING HER GROWTH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND TAKING ON NEW ROLES IN THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE.
CHRISTINA, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, HOW MANY AUNTS DO YOUR FOUR NIECES HAVE? OH, 2, 3, 4, 5.
YEAH, SHE'S THE BEST ONE, BUT SHE'S THE FAVORITE MAYOR.
SO, SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE YOU SWORN IN AND THEN WE'LL DO THE PENNY.
IF ALL OF YOU WANNA HAVE A SEAT, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO.
GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME.
I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.
I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA, THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, THAT I'LL BEAR TRUTH, FAITH, THAT I'LL BEAR TRUTH, FAITH, AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME.
AND DEFEND THEM AGAINST ALL ENEMIES AND DEFEND THEM AGAINST ALL ENEMIES.
AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY AND IMPARTIALLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF FIRE, CAPTAIN OF THE OFFICE OF FIRE CAPTAIN REPRESENTING THE CITY OF AVONDALE, REPRESENTING THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
HEY, CHRISTINA, WOULD YOU MIND IF COUNSEL CAME DOWN AND TOOK A PICTURE WITH YOU? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
MR. MAYOR, IF WE COULD, 'CAUSE WE'D ALSO LIKE YOU TO GET PICTURES WITH THE NEW FIREFIGHTERS.
IF WE COULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PROCLAMATIONS, THERE'LL BE A COUPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PICTURES.
BUT IF EVERYBODY, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STICK AROUND AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS TO GET PICTURES WITH COUNSEL.
[b. Proclamation - Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month]
B UH, IS A PROCLAMATION ON TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.AND THAT WILL BE, UH, READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER GLORIA SOLORIO.
WHEREAS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE IS A SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM THAT IS COMMON AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS, AGES 10 TO 24 AND IS THE MOST PREVALENT TYPE OF YOUTH VIOLENCE.
AND WHEREAS APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE ADOLESCENTS ACROSS THE US REPORT BEING A VICTIM OF PHYSICAL DATING VIOLENCE ANNUALLY.
AND WHEREAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WITNESS EXPERIENCE OR PERPETRATE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IN A DATING RELATIONSHIP ARE MORE LIKELY TO USE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE AT GREATER RISK OF SUICIDE AND ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO CARRY PATTERNS OF ABUSE INTO FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND WHEREAS 9% OF TEEN VICTIMS REPORT SEEKING HELP AFTER VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCE, AND WHEREAS BY EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT
[00:15:01]
RED FLAGS, ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE, BUILDING SKILLS FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND CHANGING ATTITUDES THAT SUPPORT VIOLENCE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT TEEN DATING VIOLENCE CAN BE PREVENTED.AND WHEREAS HALF, NEARLY HALF OF THE TEENS WHO EXPERIENCE DATING VIOLENCE REPORT THAT INCIDENTS OF ABUSE TOOK PLACE IN A SCHOOL BUILDING OR ON SCHOOL GROUNDS.
AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RAISE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE TRUSTED ADULTS IN THE LIVES OF ADOLESCENTS SO THAT THEY MAY RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF DATING VIOLENCE AND SERVE AS ALLEYS FOR, UH, PREVENTION.
AND WHEREAS THE RECOGNITION OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN FEBRUARY WILL BENEFIT YOUNG PEOPLE, THEIR FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR ETHNICITY.
AND WHEREAS EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO A SAFE AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP TO BE FREE FROM ABUSE.
NOW THEREFORE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY, 2024, TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
I URGE ALL CITIZENS TO WORK TOWARD ENDING TEEN DATING VIOLENCE BY EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS, ASSISTING VICTIMS IN ASSESSING THE INFORMATION AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THEY NEED, CREATING BETTER RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN NEED, IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION POLICIES IN SCHOOL, AND ENGAGING IN DISCUSSIONS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND PEERS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION OF A QUIET EPIDEMIC OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND MEMO, IF YOUR TEAM WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS, PLEASE.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M PATRICIA BETA YOUNG, THE NEW VICTIM ADVOCATE FOR AVONDALE PD.
THIS IS VERONICA GURAY WITH THE VICTIM ADVOCATE WITH THE SOUTHWEST FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 2ND, 2024 AS NATIONAL TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
EACH FEBRUARY, YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES NATIONWIDE, RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT TEEN DATING VIOLENCE THROUGH TEEN DATING VIOLENCE MONTH, THIS ANNUAL MONTH LONG AND EDUCATION TO STOP DATING ABUSE BEFORE IT STARTS.
DATING ABUSE IS A BIG PROBLEM AFFECTING YOUTH IN EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE NATION.
NEARLY 1.5 MILLION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NATIONWIDE EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL ABUSE FROM A DATING PARTNER IN A SINGLE YEAR.
ONE IN THREE GIRLS IN THE US IS A VICTIM OF PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND VERBAL ABUSE FROM A DATING PARTNER, A FIGURE THAT FAR EXCEEDS RATES OF OTHER TYPES OF YOUTH VIOLENCE.
ONCE IN 10, ONE IN 10 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAS BEEN PURPOSEFULLY HIT, SLAPPED, OR PHYSICALLY HURT BY A BOYFRIEND OR A GIRLFRIEND.
WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES AND LIST OF RED FLAGS TO BE AWARE OF ON AND HOW TO BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOUR YOUNG TEENS ON HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY DATING RELATIONSHIPS ON THE BACK TABLE.
IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION OR ANY QUESTIONS, VERONICA, AND OUR MY CARD IS IN THE BACK, ON THE BACK TABLE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION TO MAKE AWARENESS OF TEEN VIOLENCE TODAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STAY AS WELL, WE CAN HAVE A PHOTO WITH THE PROCLAMATION WITH COUNCIL MAX.
[c. Proclamation - Black History Month]
I'LL BE READING OUR PROCLAMATION FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH AFTER THIS VIDEO.HERE IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE, WE'RE STRENGTHENED BY OUR DIVERSITY.
OVER 50% OF OUR CITY IS MADE UP OF LATIN OR HISPANIC AMERICANS, AND 10% OF OUR CITY IS CONSIDERED BLACK AMERICANS.
WE CELEBRATE MANY GENERATIONS OF BLACKS WHO HAVE HELPED SHAPE AND STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF OUR NATION, OUR STATE, AND OUR CITY HERE IN AVONDALE BLACK HISTORICAL FIGURES WHO INSPIRED ME ARE THURGOOD MARSHALL, WHO WAS THE FIRST BLACK SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.
I, YOU KNOW, I'M A LAWYER BECAUSE OF HIS STORY AND ALSO MARTIN LUTHER KING CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT INSPIRES ME IS MY, UH, GREAT GRANDMA WILLIE B. KENNEDY THAT WAS ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
SHE'S DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FOR SAN FRANCISCO.
SHE'S THE REASON WHY I, UH, DO WHAT I DO TODAY WITH WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AVONDALE WHO'VE SERVED IN THE SERVICE.
THAT'S WHAT BLACK HISTORY MONTH MEANS TO ME, IS A SERVICE HELPING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY HERE IN THE, WHEREAS.
IN 1926, THE FIRST CELEBRATION OF NEGRO HISTORY WEEK WAS STARTED BY THE EDUCATOR AND SCHOLAR CARTER G WOODSON TO HONOR THE BIRTHDAYS
[00:20:01]
OF PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND ABOLITIONIST FREDERICK DOUGLAS.THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT BLACK HISTORY, SHARED TRADITIONS FROM BLACK CULTURE, HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND FOCUS POSITIVE ATTENTION ON AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS IN 1976, PRESIDENT GERALD FORD EXTENDED THIS CELEBRATION TO A MONTH.
AND IN 1986, CONGRESS PASSED PUBLIC LAW 99 DASH 2 44 TO DESIGNATE FEBRUARY AS NATIONAL BLACK AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.
AND WHEREAS BY CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE ARE CELEBRATING THE GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY SINCE THE 17TH CENTURY, HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SHAPE AND STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF OUR CITY, OUR STATE, OUR NATION, AND HAVE ENRICHED EVERY ASPECT OF OUR GLOBAL IDENTITY.
WHEREAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH HONORS AND AFFIRMS THE IMPORTANCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGHOUT OUR NATION BY RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES OVER THE YEARS.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY BLACK AMERICANS AMID UNDUE HARDSHIPS, SLAVERY, INEQUALITY, AND EXTREME FORMS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM AND VIOLENCE.
WHEREAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH INITIALLY BEGAN AS NEGRO HISTORY WEEK, IT IS VITAL TO CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT AND CELEBRATE THE OUTSTANDING, YET OFTEN OVERLOOKED CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE STRONG COMMUNITY OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGHOUT EACH YEAR.
AND WHEREAS 2024 BLACK HISTORY MONTH'S THEME IS AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE ARTS, AND IS CELEBRATED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES EVERY FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY THROUGH RECOGNITION OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND ALL PEOPLE OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AVONDALE RECOGNIZES THE ENRICHMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO THE WEST VALLEYS RICH HERITAGE, SEEING SUCCESS THROUGH MANY VIS, MANY IMPRESSIONS OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US AND THOSE WHO LIVE HERE NOW, WE CELEBRATE OUR CITY'S DIVERSITY, RECOGNIZING WE MUST WORK TO EXTEND THE AMERICAN DREAM TO BLACK PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AS WE MAKE LIVES BETTER FOR ALL.
NOW THEREFORE, MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY, 2024 AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN AVONDALE AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE RICH HERITAGE, IMMENSE STRENGTH AND SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT AND OUR COMMUNITY TODAY AND EVERY DAY AS WE CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM, EQUALITY FOR A MORE JUST SOCIETY.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE FOR READING THAT.
DO YOU WANNA CALL, WE'LL DO IT AFTER THE THIS LAST PROCLAMATION.
WOULD YOU MIND MAKING THAT ANNOUNCEMENT? YES.
WE, WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS HERE FROM DELTA SIGMA THETA WHO WILL JOIN US UP FRONT DURING OUR PICTURE TIME AS WELL.
[d. AZ Red Raptors Proclamation]
WOULD THE, UH, MEMBERS AND THE FAMILY AND SUPPORTERS OF THE RED RAPTORS STAND, DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT HERE YOU GO.ARE YOU READY? WHEREAS THE ARIZONA RED RAPTORS ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN 2023 AS A NON-PROFIT, 5 0 1 C3 AND PROUDLY STANDS AS AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL TRAVEL BASEBALL.
AND WHEREAS THE DEDICATED VOLUNTEER COACHING STAFF BOASTING OVER 40 YEARS OF COLLECTIVE BASEBALL EXPERTISE IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL TRAINING AND GUIDANCE TO PROMISING YOUNG ATHLETES RANGING IN AGES FROM NINE TO 11, ALL OF WHOM COMPETE TOGETHER IN THE DYNAMIC ARENA OF 11 U TOURNAMENTS.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH A COMMITMENT TO INTEGRATING ADVANCED BASEBALL FUNDAMENTALS IN THEIR PRACTICES, TRAINING SESSIONS AND COMPETITIONS, THE TEAM HAS DISPLAYED A REMARKABLE UPWARD TRAJECTORY.
AND WHEREAS SUPPORTED BY UNWAVERING PARENTAL DEDICATION, THE ARIZONA RED RAPTORS EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK, NOT ONLY ON THE FIELD, BUT ALSO AMONG THE BROADER COMMUNITY OF PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND FRIENDS IN THE STANDS.
AND WHEREAS THE COLLECTIVE TEAM OF PLAYERS, COACHES, AND SUPPORT STAFF HAVE INVESTED THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO THE PURSUIT OF VICTORY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I KENNETH WEISS, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AVONDALE, ARIZONA, WISH TO HONOR AND CONGRATULATE ALONG WITH THE ENTIRE AVONDALE CITY COUNCIL, THE ARIZONA RED RAPTORS ON THEIR RECENT CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY BY PROCLAIMING FEBRUARY, 2020, FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024, AS ARIZONA RED RAPTORS DAY IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
HEY, CHRIS, DO YOU MIND COMING UP AND SPEAKING REAL QUICK? JUST KIND OF TELL US LIKE HOW THIS ALL CAME ABOUT AND
[00:25:01]
THE FINAL VICTORY.AND THE TEAM IS WELCOME TO COME DOWN TO THE FLOOR AS WELL.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS, RIGHT,
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, I AM, UH, THE MANAGER OF THE RED RAPTORS.
UH, WE ARE AN 11 U BASEBALL TEAM, BUT OUR, OUR AGES ARE VAST BETWEEN 11 AND NINE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, WE LOVE BASEBALL.
ALL OF OUR FAMILIES COME FROM A BASEBALL FAMILY.
I WON'T TELL YOU WHERE YOU'RE, WHERE WE'RE FROM BECAUSE IT MIGHT MAKE YOU UPSET CALIFORNIA, BUT
WE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY IN ARIZONA AND WE, UH, WERE SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS, UM, BUT NEVERTHELESS, UH, BASEBALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN NUMBER ONE ON OUR MINDS.
AND, UH, I TEACH LOCALLY HERE TOO.
SO, UH, ACADEMICS AND BASEBALL IS WHAT WE KIND OF PUSH FOR, UH, THESE BOYS.
UH, MORE RECENTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF EXISTENCE, COMPETITION'S BEEN TOUGH.
YOU KNOW, TEAMS HAD EVER BEEN TOGETHER FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, THEY JUST COME TOGETHER AND, UH, GAVE US SOME, SOME REAL TOUGH WORK, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
BUT WITH THE HELP OF MY COACHING STAFF AND, UH, RE UH, RELENTLESS PRACTICE AND, UM, JUST BEING COMMITTED TO THE GAME, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO WIN OUR FIRST TOURNAMENT ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO.
UH, WE, WE BEAT, UH, ANOTHER LOCAL, UH, AVONDALE TEAM, KIND OF OUR DIVISION RIVAL, IF YOU WILL.
UM, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE TEAM, IF THAT'S COOL.
SO THIS IS MY, UH, COACH, COACH TIM.
UH, THIS IS MY, UH, SECOND FAVORITE HOBBY.
UH, BRADEN, MY SON, LANDON ANTHONY, ANTONIO, BUT HE GOES BY RENT.
UH, MAN, I'M DRAWING BLANKS RIGHT NOW.
JACOB, I'M FALLING APART UP HERE.
UH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN FOR AIDEN.
I LOOK SOUND SO BAD RIGHT NOW, COACH.
I, I, HOLD ON GUYS, YOU GOTTA GIVE SOME SLACK.
IF THEY WERE IN ALPHABETICAL, I WOULD'VE DONE BETTER, YOU KNOW,
BUT NEVERTHELESS, UH, AGAIN, I, I KNOW IT'S PROCLAMATION DAY, BUT I REALLY AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS TEAM THAT WE CAME TOGETHER, THE SUPPORT FROM THE PARENTS.
I MEAN, UH, WITHOUT YOU GUYS AND WITHOUT THIS GREAT CITY TO PLAY IN, UH, I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW IF WE COULD HAVE DONE IT.
THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR INTRODUCING YOUR TEAM TO US.
REALLY PROUD TO HAVE YOU IN AVONDALE.
DO YOU GUYS LET, LET'S DO THIS.
UM, RON PICTURES NOW? YES, SIR.
SO LET'S DO, UH, LET'S DO THE BASEBALL TEAM FIRST.
AND THEN WE'LL DO FIREFIGHTERS.
DOES THAT WORK? WE'LL DO IT ALL RIGHT DOWN HERE.
DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? WELL THEN WE, WE HAVE, UH, THE, THE, UH, TEEN AWARENESS GROUP.
AND THEN, AND THEN THE FIREFIGHTERS.
[00:39:58]
[00:39:59]
BIG SMILE.[00:40:01]
COUNCIL IS TAKING A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALLOWING THAT BREAK.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
FIVE IS CONSENT AGENDA.I'M SORRY, ITEM FOUR IS CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, CITY MANAGER, CORBIN, ANY ITEMS THAT YOU WANNA HAVE PULLED? YES, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL, UH, UH, ENF AND STAFF WILL BRING IT BACK AT A FUTURE TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO THE CONSENT AGENDA IS JUST ITEMS, UH, FOUR A THROUGH FOUR D.
CAN I GET A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I MOTION I HAVE A MOTION FROM VICE MAYOR PANETTA, A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NIELSEN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
AND MAYOR, THE SCREEN SAYS, OH, NEVERMIND.
IT SAYS APPROVE OH, OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT IT'S WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE TWO ITEMS. DO YOU WANT ME TO RESTATE THE MOTION? I GOT IT.
MOTION WITH EXCEPTION OF, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MALONE HAD TO STEP OUT QUICKLY.
I'LL MARK THAT SHE WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.
[a. Public Hearing and Resolution 1022-0224 - Sun Depot – Major General Plan Amendment – Application PL-23-0053]
[b. Public Hearing and Ordinance 2004-0224 - Sun Depot - Rezone – Application PL-23-0177]
RON.ITEMS FIVE A AND FIVE E WILL BE HEARD TOGETHER.
AND WE'LL HAVE, UH, JOSH HORTON, OUR SENIOR PLANNER OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, MAKING THE PRESENTATION.
JOSH, HOW ARE YOU DOING? GREAT.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, UH, THE TWO ITEMS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING ARE THE SUN DEPOT ENERGY STORAGE, UH, MAJOR GENERAL PLAN, AMENDMENT, AND PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT REZONE.
THESE ARE ITEMS PL 23 DASH 0 0 5 3 AND PL 23 DASH 77.
[3. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES]
WE DID SKIP OVER UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCE, BUT I DO WANT TO SHOW FOR THE RECORD THAT WE HAVE NOT RESTATED ANY RE ANY REQUEST TO SPEAK FOR THAT CATEGORY.WE DO HAVE REQUESTS TO SPEAK FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM, CORRECT.
SO THOSE WHO WOULD WISH TO SPEAK ON FIVE A AND FIVE B STAFF WILL DO THEIR PRESENTATION.
I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU'LL HAVE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THAT TIME, IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO, AS I SAID, THIS IS THE MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, ITEM AND, UH, PAD REZONE, UH, PL 23 DASH 0 0 5 3 AND PL 23 DASH 77.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THESE TWO ITEMS IS FOR COUNSEL TO REVIEW A PROPOSED MAJOR GENERAL PLAN, AMENDMENT AND REZONE, UH, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THESE TWO ITEMS. UH, THIS SITE IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 330 FEET WEST OF THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF PALM LANE AND AVONDALE BOULEVARD.
UH, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 15.92 GROSS ACRES AND ROAN X INTO THE CITY LIMITS.
UH, IT'S CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR AGRICULTURE, UH, IN TERMS OF THE SURROUNDING ZONING DISTRICTS AND LAND USES, UH, NORTH OF PALM LANE FROM WEST TO EAST.
WE HAVE CANYON BREEZE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UH, ZONE AGRICULTURAL, UH, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ZONED PALM GARDENS, UH, PAD.
AND THEN TO THE EAST, WE HAVE SOME LARGER WATTS, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES, WHICH ARE IN THE JURISDICTION OF MARICOPA COUNTY.
UH, TO THE SOUTH, WE HAVE, UH, TWO PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENTS.
ONE IS, UH, MCDOWELL VILLAS, UH, WHICH IS A PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT THAT IS A FUTURE TOWN HOME, UH, SUBDIVISION.
WE HAVE TOWN, UH, AVONDALE COMMONS, WHICH IS A MIXED USE, UH, MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, TO THE WEST.
WE HAVE TWO ELECTRICAL SUBSTATIONS IN THE JURISDICTION OF MARICOPA COUNTY, UH, WHICH ARE OWNED BY THE ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE SALT RIVER PROJECT.
UH, THESE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE SITE.
UH, THE FIRST IS LOOKING SOUTHWEST FROM PALM LANE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKGROUND, THAT'S AVONDALE COMMONS WITH THE MULTIFAMILY SECTION CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THE SECOND PHOTO IS LOOKING SOUTHEAST FROM PALM LANE.
UH, AND IN THE BACKGROUND, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE AVONDALE COMMONS WITH PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOCATED FURTHER IN THE BACKGROUND.
UH, LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM THE SUBSTATION, UH, YOU HAVE THIS VIEW HERE.
AND THEN LOOKING EAST FROM PALM LANE, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE HOMES ON THE, UH, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THERE.
AND THEN AGAIN, IN THE, IN THE BACKGROUND, YOU SEE PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
SO THE FIRST ITEM IS THE MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.
UH, THE REQUEST IS TO AMEND THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM MIXED USE TO PUBLIC CIVIC.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, THE WHITE PURPLE IS THE MIXED USE, THE LIGHT, UH, BLUE IS EDUCATION.
UH, THE ORANGE IS MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, AND THEN THE DARK PURPLE IS PUBLIC.
UH, MIXED USE IS A LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR A MIXTURE OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES.
UH, THIS CATEGORY ENCOURAGES INNOVATIVELY DESIGNED DEVELOPMENTS, UH, WHICH CREATE A CORE LIVING ENVIRONMENT, REFLECTIVE OF A VILLAGE CONCEPT, UH, WHERE
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RESIDENTS CAN LIVE, WORK, AND RECREATE WITHIN THE SAME DEVELOPMENT AND ARE CLOSE BY THE PUBLIC.CIVIC LAND USE CATEGORY PROVIDES FOR A VARIETY OF CIVIC, PUBLIC AND QUASI-PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR THE HEALTH SAFETY AND WE WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS.
UH, TYPES OF USES FOUND IN THIS CATEGORY INCLUDES CITY GOVERNMENT, FACILITIES, POLICE AND FIRE STATIONS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES, WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES, WELL SITES, SUBSTATIONS, AND OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES.
A PRIVATE BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY IS PROPOSED WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND WHILE THE USE WILL BE PRIVATELY OWNED, THE PUBLIC CIVIC DESIGNATION MOST CLOSELY FITS THIS TYPE OF FACILITY, WHICH INTENDS TO STORE, UH, SELL STORED ENERGY TO A PS AND SRP, UH, ELECTRICAL POWER GRIDS.
UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GENERAL, THE MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.
THERE'S ALSO A REQUEST TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY FROM AGRICULTURAL TO THE SUN DEPOT PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS REQUEST WILL ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE INTO THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY.
UH, THIS SPECIFIC REZONE WILL ADOPT STANDARDS AT FACILITATING THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AS PART OF THE PAD REZONE, A CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
UH, IF THE PROJECT IS APPROVED, UH, DEVELOPMENT MUST SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORM TO THE PAD NARRATIVE AS WELL AS THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN DOCUMENTS PRESENTED AND INCLUDED A STAFF REPORT.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, A MAJORITY OF THE SITE IS MADE UP OF BATTERY STORAGE WITH TWO PRIMARY INGRESS EGRESS POINTS, UH, ALONG WEST PALM LANE.
THE SITE PROPOSES AN EIGHT FOOT SCREEN WALL AROUND THE PERIMETER, UH, AROUND THE MAJORITY OF THE PERIMETER, UH, WITH CHAIN LEAK FENCING ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, THE, UH, THERE'S ALSO A, UH, PERIMETER DRIVE AISLE, UH, WHICH IS MADE OF, UH, DECOMPOSE GRANT OR GRAVEL, UM, WHICH IS ALSO A REQUESTED DEVIATION FROM THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
UH, ADDITIONAL DEVIATIONS REQUESTED IN THE PAD NARRATIVE AND IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT ARE, UH, THE ALLOWANCE OF GALVANIZED CHAIN LINK, UH, DECREASED LAND USE BUFFER PLANTINGS, DECREASED ROUTE OF WAY PLANTINGS, AND DECREASED LANDSCAPE SETBACK PLANTINGS.
UH, THERE'S NO REDUCTION IN THE SETBACK DIMENSIONS PROPOSED IN THE PAD DEVIATIONS.
UH, SO STAFF'S ANALYSIS, UH, FINDS THAT THE AMENDMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE 2030 PLAN, UH, AND THAT THE CURRENT DESIGNATION OF MIXED USE IS MORE SUITABLE FOR THE SITE AND FOR THE SURROUNDING AREA.
UH, DESPITE ITS PROXIMITY TO AN ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION, WHICH AGAIN, IS LOCATED IN, IN THE COUNTY, UH, ON A COUNTY ISLAND, THE CHANGE WOULD ALTER THE CURRENT ACCEPTABLE LAND USE PATTERN FOR THE AREA AS A MIX OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES ARE ENVISIONED FOR THE SITE.
UH, WHILE THIS PROPERTY WOULD NOT REQUIRE MORE EXPENSIVE, UH, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, IT WOULD ADVERSELY IMPACT THE SURROUNDING AREAS OR THE SURROUNDING LAND USE.
UM, A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM PROJECT WOULD BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL, EDUCATIONAL AND HOSPITAL USES IN THE VICINITY, UH, IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY CONCERNS, UH, FROM A POTENTIAL FIRE EVENT, UH, AS WELL AS AESTHETICALLY JUST BEING INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING PROJECTS.
UM, SO LOOKING MORE AT THE LAND USE RELATIONSHIPS, UH, WE'LL START FROM THE NORTH AND KIND OF WORK OUR WAY DOWN.
UM, FIRST YOU HAVE WEST POINT HIGH SCHOOL, UH, WHICH CURRENTLY ENROLLS AROUND 3000 STUDENTS AND IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE SITE.
UH, CANYON BREEZE ELEMENTARY IS A KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT ENROLLS APPROXIMATELY 620 STUDENTS AND IS LOCATED ABOUT 700 FEET FROM THE PROPOSED SITE.
UH, YOU ALSO HAVE V TOWN HOMES AT ENCANTO, UH, WHICH IS A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR 84 TOWN HOMES STYLE UNITS AND IS APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM THE, UH, FROM THE SITE TO THE SOUTH.
IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE SITE ARE THE APPROVED PROJECTS, MCDOWELL VILLAS AND AVONDALE COMMONS.
MCDOWELL VILLAS IS A 164 UNIT TOWN HOME DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS MADE UP OF 99 2 BEDROOM AND 65 3 BEDROOM TOWN HOMES.
UH, AVONDALE COMMONS IS A, UH, MIXED USE, UM, AN APPROVED MIXED USE, UH, DEVELOPMENT CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WHICH CONSISTS OF 324 MULTIFAMILY UNITS AND APPROXIMATELY 10 ACRES OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UH, BY COMPARISON, A DEVELOPMENT THAT IS REZONED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT, UH, GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION WOULD BE OF A RESIDENTIAL OR MIXED USE NATURE, UH, WHICH WE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MORE COMPATIBLE LAND USE RELATIONSHIPS TO THE SURROUNDING AREA.
UM, FURTHER TO THE SOUTHEAST IS PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, UH, THAT'S LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF AVONDALE BOULEVARD AND, UH, MCDOWELL ROAD, UH, PHOENIX CHILDREN'S SOUTHWEST CAMPUS HAS INVESTED ADDITIONAL AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION, UH, AND ADDED 164 HIGH WAGE EMPLOYEES.
UH, THE CAMPUS CURRENTLY HOUSES A 35,000 SQUARE FOOT FREESTANDING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, A 71,250 SQUARE FOOT THREE STORY MULTI-SPECIALTY CLINIC.
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EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TREATS OVER 40,000 CHILDREN ANNUALLY.UH, THIS 24 7 CARE FACILITY HAS 40 TREATMENT ROOMS, INCLUDING SIX FAST TRACK BEDS WITH ULTRASOUND, CT, FOIL, OSCOPY, AND DIGITAL RADIOLOGY.
UH, FUTURE GROWTH, I INTENDS A PHASE THREE OF THE CAMPUS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND, UH, AN EXPANDED MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING WITH A PARKING STRUCTURE.
UH, SO TO JUST SUM ALL OF THAT UP, UH, THE PROPOSED LAND USE CHANGE IS NOT COMPATIBLE IN TERMS OF LAND USE, UH, AND THE EXISTING, UH, INTENSITY OF PROPERTIES UNDER THE CITY'S JURISDICTION.
UH, SO TO BRIEFLY COVER, UH, SOME FIRE INCIDENT CONSIDERATIONS, UH, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND CANYON BREEZE ARE BOTH LOCATED ABOUT 700 FEET FROM THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, AND THEY PRESENT UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN CONSIDERING A FIRE EVENT.
UH, THERE ARE A FEW KEY POINTS FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL STATEMENT, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT.
UH, THE FIRST IS THAT THE SCALE OF THESE SYSTEMS IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO THE EFFECTS OF THEIR FAILURE, MEANING THAT THE LARGER THE SYSTEM, UH, THE MORE DANGER IT PRESENTS WERE TO FAIL, UH, IN A FIRE INCIDENT.
UM, IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE INCIDENT, THE PRACTICE IS TO TAKE A DEFENSIVE APPROACH AND PREVENT THERMAL RUNAWAY TO THE ADJACENT UNITS.
THE MINIMUM SAFE DISTANCE IN THESE CASES IS 150 FEET.
HOWEVER, NEIGHBORHOOD EVACUATIONS ARE PROBABLE DUE TO TOXIC FUMES.
UH, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ALL THAT EXISTS AT THIS POINT.
HOWEVER, UH, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE OTHER SLIDES IS EVEN CLOSER.
UH, BASED ON THE FIRE MARSHAL STATEMENTS, IMPACTS COULD SPREAD POTENTIALLY AS FAR AS THE I 10 FREEWAY BASED ON WEATHER, UH, WEATHER PATTERNS AND THE SCALE OF THE FAILURE.
UH, I 10 IS ABOUT A HALF A MILE AWAY.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, UH, WAS HELD AT CITY HALL ON JANUARY 4TH, 2024.
THERE WERE NINE ATTENDEES APART FROM THE APPLICANT'S TEAM, CITY STAFF, AND ONE PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
UH, DISCUSSION WAS PRIMARILY RELATED TO, UH, THE TOPICS ON YOUR SCREEN, UH, SAFETY MONITORING AND RESPONSE TO A FIRE, UH, IMPACT OF TRAFFIC FROM THE NEARBY HIGH SCHOOL, UH, ON THE NEARBY PROPERTIES AND TRAFFIC GENERATED FROM THIS PROJECT.
UM, THEY ALSO DISCUSSED SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO PALM LANE AND THEN, UH, ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON RESIDENTS, UH, AND POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
UM, THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE DESIGN LAYOUT AND SOME SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT, UH, BATTERIES.
AND THEN THE SECURITY OF THE SITE.
UH, ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION, UH, WAS RECEIVED BY PHOENIX CHILDREN'S PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, UH, VIA AN EMAIL SENT TO STAFF EXPRESSING CONCERNS OVER THE THREAT OF, UH, FROM A POTENTIAL FIRE EVENT AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HARMFUL CHEMICALS, UH, OR AIRBORNE, UH, CONTAMINANTS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS CONCERN FOR THE EFFECTS ON SERVICES AND THE POTENTIAL FOR EVACUATIONS, GIVEN THAT THAT SITE IS, UH, WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE FACILITY.
AS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, THE CITY NOTIFIED REQUIRED AGENCIES AND BEGAN THE 60 DAY REVIEW PROCESS.
UH, TWO COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES, ONE FROM LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, INDICATING THAT FLYING OPERATIONS WOULD NOT BE NEGATIVELY, UH, IMPACTED AND ANOTHER FROM THE ARIZONA GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY PROVIDED PRELIMINARY COMMENTS ABOUT MITIGATIVE EFFORTS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN WHERE THE APPLICANT, UH, TO BE APPROVED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AGAIN, BOTH OF THOSE LETTERS, UH, FROM THOSE AGENCIES ARE, ARE IN THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, TO DATE, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, 13, WELL, 18 COMMENTS, UH, HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ON THE AVONDALE CONNECT DIGITAL FORUM.
THREE WERE RECEIVED IN FAVOR, UH, AT THE FIRST PLANNING COMMISSION, HEARING TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AREA SPOKEN IN OPPOSITION AND ONE INDIVIDUAL, UH, EXPRESSED SUPPORT, UM, AS PART OF THE, UH, SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION TOOK ACTION AT THE FEBRUARY 24TH MEETING, UH, VOTING FORWARD TO ZERO TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF BOTH, UM, BOTH APPLICATIONS.
UH, REASONS FOR DENIAL WERE THE PROJECT'S, INTENSITY AND RELATIONSHIPS TO THE SURROUNDING USES, UH, AS WELL AS SAFETY CONCERNS.
AND, UH, PUBLIC INPUT WAS ALSO CITED.
UH, SO WITH THAT, FOR ITEM FIVE, A STAFF IS, UH, RECOMMENDING THAT THE COUNCIL MOVE TO DENY APPLICATION P 23 DASH 0 0 5 3, WHICH IS A REQUEST FOR A MAJOR AMENDMENT TO THE GENERAL PLAN 2030 LAND USE MAP, CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FROM MIXED USE TO PUBLIC CIVIC.
UH, STAFF IS ALSO RECOMMENDING FOR ITEM FIVE B THAT COUNSEL MOVE TO DENY APPLICATION PL 23 DASH 0 1 7 7, WHICH IS A REQUEST TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 15.92, UH, GROSS
[00:55:01]
ACRES FROM AGRICULTURAL TO THE SUN DEPOT PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT.UH, SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
SO LET ME GO TO PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NICOLE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU FIRST.
SO IN SOME OF THESE CASES, IF, IF THE COUNSEL DECIDES TO DENY THE APPLICATION, THE SECOND PART OF THAT APPLICATION IS NIL ON THIS CASE.
JUST FOR COUNCIL CLARIFICATION, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON FIVE A AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON FIVE B.
I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM FIVE A.
UM, I DO HAVE SOME CARDS, UH, HERE.
I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE HOLDING UP THE SIGNS, BEING RESPECTFUL FOR COUNSEL.
I REALLY DO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND MARCELO, DO YOU WANNA READ ONE OF THE CARDS AND THEN WE'LL GET TO ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE OR ONLINE? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAVE RECEIVED ONE REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM TRAVIS WRIGHT.
HE NOTED THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL, BUT WANTED HIS COMMENTS ACKNOWLEDGED.
HE IS IN FAVOR OF AGENDA ITEM FIVE.
AND HIS COMMENTS SAY, DEAR MAYOR WEISS, VICE PINEDA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS QTS WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE SUN DEPOT ENERGY CENTER.
A BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY PROPOSED BY, IN, IN, I CAN'T SAY THAT WORD, I'M SORRY, IN YES.
THE IN AVONDALE, THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA HAS ONE OF THE FASTEST RATES OF GROWTH IN THE COUNTRY WITH NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN, AND WILL NEED TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE ITS RESOURCE CAPACITY TO MEET PRO PROJECTED ENERGY DEMAND.
THE PHOENIX AREA IS ALSO ONE OF THE TOP FIVE MARKETS FOR DATA CENTER CAPACITY IN THE US.
AS AN INDU INDUSTRY LEADING PROVIDER OF DATA CENTERS SOLUTIONS, WE RELY ON RELIABLE ELECTRICITY TO RUN OUR DATA DATA CENTERS, AND WE SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL CLEAN ENERGY RESOURCES IN NAV DALE, INCLUDING THE SUN DEPOT ENERGY CENTER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS FOR ARIEL TERRY.
TELL ME IF I, DID I SAY THE FIRST NAME CORRECT? UM, ARIEL.
COME ON, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
AND CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? YES, MY NAME IS ARIELLE TERRY.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT.
UM, I'M A PROUD, UM, AVONDALE HOMEOWNER.
I'VE LIVED IN AVONDALE FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
I'VE LIVED IN THE PHOENIX AREA, UH, FOR SEVEN AND A HALF.
SO I'VE BEEN IN ARIZONA FOR 10 YEARS.
UM, I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE SUN DEPOT BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT.
UM, THERE ARE A FEW REASONS, UH, THAT I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
UM, THE FIRST IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS ONLY GETTING HOTTER HERE IN THE VALLEY.
UM, EVERY SINGLE YEAR IT GETS HOTTER AND HOTTER.
JUST LAST YEAR IN 2023, THERE ARE MORE THAN 50 DAYS OF WEATHER OVER 110 DEGREES.
THIS HOT WEATHER IS JUST GONNA INCREASE IN THE COMING YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT IS GONNA ALLOW ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, AND IT'S ALSO GONNA ALLOW US TO ENHANCE GRID RELIABILITY DURING THESE HOT SUMMER DAYS.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE MORE, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE LIVING HERE.
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA INCREASE THE DEMAND FOR, UM, ENERGY.
THE OTHER REASON I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT IS IT'S GONNA BRING $40 MILLION IN REVENUE TO AVONDALE.
THIS REVENUE CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE ROADS, SCHOOLS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LOCAL SERVICES.
I ALSO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFE PROJECT.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT, UM, FIRES AND THINGS LIKE THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A GAS STATION LOCATED IN THIS AREA, AND THERE'S THE SAME RISK FOR THE GAS STATION OF FIRES.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT.
UM, IN, IN THE ENERGY, UM, HAS ONLY HAD TWO INSTANCES OF FIRES.
UM, AND THAT'S WITH OVER 150,000 HOURS OF SERVICE.
AND THE GREAT THING IS THAT BOTH THESE WERE SELF-CONTAINED AND THEY DID NOT RESULT IN ANY ENERGY, UM, ANY INJURIES OR BROADER DAMAGE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
UM, AGAIN, I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE SUN DEPOT BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING BEFORE US.
CAN YOU TELL, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT? VOR.
ALSO, JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL, MAYOR, AND COUNCIL.
MY HOME IS LOCATED AT 1 1 6 1 7 WEST ALVARADO ROAD.
AND, UM, I, WHICH IS THE SUBDIVISION JUST TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THIS PROPOSED SITE IS IN PALM GARDENS.
I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOU TO DENY THIS CASE.
[01:00:01]
UH, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED OVER A HUNDRED LETTERS OF OPPOSITION FROM OUR NEIGHBORS.WAS THAT SUBMITTED? THANK YOU.
WE HAVE RECEIVED IT, AND IT IS INCLUDED IN WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MYSELF AND A GROUP OF MY NEIGHBORS AND ALONG WITH MY HOA, UH, ENACTED OR ACTIVATED AN OUTREACH EFFORT TO TALK TO OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR THIS SITE.
I DO WANT TO COMMEND CITY OF AVONDALE'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF.
THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ARTICULATING THE CONCERNS, WHICH VERY MUCH DO MIRROR OUR CONCERNS.
SO I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT AND GO THROUGH THEM.
I THINK THEY DID AN A GREAT JOB.
SECONDLY, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE WISDOM OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHO UNANIMOUSLY ALSO, UH, SUGGESTED TO DENY THIS CASE LAST WEEK.
WE FEEL VERY MUCH THAT OUR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN VALIDATED.
THESE ARE TWO, UH, IMPORTANT DECISION MAKING BODIES THAT SHARE IN OUR CONCERNS.
UH, AGAIN, STAFF'S REPORT ARE ARTICULATES EVERYTHING THAT WE FEEL.
WE'RE HOPING TODAY THAT YOU WILL ALSO STAND WITH US, UH, PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND KEEP US SAFE.
WE WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR WE ARE NOT ANTI-DEVELOPMENT.
WE, WE DO NOT DISAGREE THAT, UH, ENERGY STORAGE IS IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT, BUT THE SITE IS JUST NOT APPROPRIATE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT IS PLANNED, UH, IN AND AROUND THAT AREA.
IT'S JUST BETTER SUITED FOR ANOTHER AREA.
AND WE, DESPITE, I'M SURE THE DEVELOPER HAS A GREAT TRACK RECORD AND WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP THINGS SAFE, BUT I THINK IF THERE'S EVEN THE SMALLEST CHANCE THAT THIS IS GONNA HARM OUR CHILDREN, OUR PATIENTS AT THE HOSPITAL, OR OUR OUR HOMES, OUR FAMILIES, THEN WE SHOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO FIND ANOTHER LOCATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR OUTREACH TO THE NEIGHBORS, UM, AND ANYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.
BUT I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS HERE.
IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE WILL ASK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTIANA FAUL.
FEDAL, YOU SAID IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
WELL, I'M WEISS AND I ALWAYS GET, WE SEE OR WE, SO I GET IT.
WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT, MAYOR.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTIANA FAUL AND I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE SUN DEPOT ENERGY CENTER AND WHY I BELIEVE IT WILL BE A BENEFIT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I WILL START OUT BY BEING TRANSPARENT THAT I AM NOT YET A RESIDENT OF AVONDALE, BUT I HOPE TO BE VERY SOON.
UH, MY FIANCE WHO IS HERE IN SUPPORT OF ME TONIGHT, UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR OUR FIRST HOME IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE LAST TWO DECADES OF MY LIFE, I HAVE SPENT COMMUTING IN AND OUT OF AVONDALE FOR WORK, FOR PLAY, AND FOR WORSHIP.
UM, AND SO I'M ALSO A, UH, A CLEAN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE.
UH, I'VE ALSO WORKED IN CLEAN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
SO WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE ABOUT THIS SUSTAINABLE BATTERY STORE BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT, UH, I GOT REALLY EXCITED THAT IT MIGHT BE IN MY FUTURE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I DO KNOW THE RISK, BUT COMING FROM THIS BACKGROUND, I ALSO DO KNOW THAT IT CAN BE REALLY SAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE SEEING NOWADAYS TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN CHECK.
SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW AVONDALE TRULY IS GOING TO NEED CLEAN, RE RELIABLE BATTERY STORAGE TO MEET THE ENERGY DEMAND AS THE CITY DOES BOOM.
SO DURING OUR HOTTEST MONTHS, WE HAVE OUR INTENSE MONSOON SEASONS.
WE HAVE TEMPERATURES UP TO 118 DEGREES, OR EVEN JUST AT NIGHT WHEN OUR SOLAR PANELS ARE NOT PRODUCING THE POWER THAT WE NEED.
THESE BATTERY SYSTEMS CAN RESPOND TO ANY CHANGES IN DEMAND OR SUPPLY WITHIN MILLISECONDS, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO KEEP OUR LIGHTS ON IF ANY OTHER POWER SOURCES FAIL.
SO FOR BATTERY STORAGE TO BE BEST USEFUL IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT IT'S SERVING, IT NEEDS TO BE CONNECTED TO A POWER SUBSTATION.
SO WHILE DOING SOME OF MY RESEARCH, I LEARNED ABOUT THE TWO SUBSTATIONS THAT ARE HERE FOR SRP AND AP AND A PS THAT ARE LITERALLY ON PALM LANE.
THEY'RE RIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR US TO UTILIZE.
SO HAVING BATTERY STORAGE IN THIS LOCATION CAN HELP PROVIDE THE POWER THAT WE NEED WHEN OUR GRID IS STRAINED, AND IT CAN KEEP THIS LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT AT THE PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AS WELL AS THE POWER FOR ALL OF OUR HOMES AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES RUNNING MORE RELIABLY.
SO I'M NOT A PERSON WHO DOES NOT CARE, AND I DO CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.
SO OF COURSE, I WANNA ADDRESS THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BROUGHT UP, ESPECIALLY BEING SO CLOSE TO EVERYONE'S HOMES AND BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS AND SO ON.
SO I KNOW EVERYONE HERE LOVES THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU DIDN'T.
SO YOU WANNA PROTECT YOUR HOMES, YOUR FAMILIES,
[01:05:01]
YOUR SCHOOLS, AND THIS HOSPITAL FROM ANY POTENTIAL RISK.AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT I CARE FOR THE CITY TOO, BUT I WANT TO ENSURE IN MY OWN WAY THAT WE ARE PREPARING OUR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AS BEST AS WE CAN TO SUPPORT OUR VASTLY GROWING POPULATION WITH CLEAN ENERGY IN THE SAFEST WAY POSSIBLE.
SO, BECAUSE MY CLIMATE ACTIVIST AND CLEAN ENERGY HEART, UH, NEEDED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THIS PROJECT, I CONNECTED WITH INVENERGY'S TEAM AHEAD OF TIME TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOGISTICS OF THIS FACILITY.
SO I LEARNED THAT THE COMPANY'S BATTERY STORAGE TECH IS STATE-OF-THE-ART BRAND NEW, AND IT IS FOLLOWING THE BIGGEST SAFETY PROCEDURES WE CAN HAVE.
I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
I JUST DO HOPE THAT EVEN IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, YOU THINK ABOUT IT FOR THE FUTURE.
WE NEED THIS POWER, WE NEED CLEAN ENERGY, AND WE NEED IT TO BE SAFE.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU DO COME TO AVONDALE.
THE TOWN HOMES THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, WE'RE LOOKING, SO I'M PERFECT.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? SEEING NONE.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE GIVE COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY A CHANCE TO, SORRY, SORRY.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY A CHANCE TO, TO SPEAK ON THIS.
WE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT AS A COUNCIL WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE DOING A MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.
ONE IS THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE OF THE LAND.
PROBABLY THE SECOND THING IS COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THIRD, THAT COMES UP, WHICH REALLY DOESN'T COME UP A LOT, BUT IT'S SAFETY.
IT'S, IT'S HOW, HOW DO, HOW DOES OUR TEAM RESPOND TO ISSUES, MR. MAYOR? YEP.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA OFFER THE APPLICANT A TIME TO SPEAK AFTER YES, I DID.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE? IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE? NO, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY TOOK IT AT OH, I'M THEIR CHANCE.
I'M, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THAT'S WHY I WAS, COME ON UP.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
UH, WITHIN ENERGY, WHICH IS A MOUTHFUL, UH, WE ALSO WORK IN NEVADA WHERE THE MAJOR UTILITY IS ENVY ENERGY, AND LITERALLY NOBODY CAN GET IT RIGHT THERE, WHICH IS, I GUESS A, I GUESS THIS IS, THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE.
I I THINK YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THE BACK WHO GOT IT PERFECTLY RIGHT.
SO MAYBE THERE'S A CAREER FOR HER.
SO I DO WANT TO THANK, THANK THE COUNCIL HERE, THANK THE MAYOR, THANK THE VICE MAYOR, UH, THANK THE PLANE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND THANK JOSH, MICHELLE, CATHERINE, JODY.
LIKE, I KNOW IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT TO BEAT UP ON ME OVER THESE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND I, I DO APPRECIATE IT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S HUMBLING AND, UH, AND, AND, AND PROBABLY THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAPS, THIS IS A DIFFICULT PLACE TO COME TO A DECISION THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD AND LIKE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY USE OF LAND HERE.
UM, AND I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE BACKGROUND AS TO WHY WE ARE PROPOSING THIS, UH, THIS DEVELOPMENT IN THIS LOCATION.
AS WELL AS TO SAY THAT IN ENERGY IS THE LEADING, UH, ENERGY, UH, PRIVATELY HELD ENERGY COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, UH, BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE PROJECTS ALL ACROSS THE, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE'VE GOT TWO MORE COMING IN LINE, UH, THIS YEAR.
UH, WE'VE GOT A, UH, 50 MEGAWATT PROJECT THAT IS COMING IN ONLINE IN THE WEST VALLEY HERE IN YOUNGTOWN, UM, IN A COUPLE MONTHS.
WE'LL BE USING SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY HERE.
SO WE HAVE A LONG AND DEEP HISTORY OF DEVELOPING THESE PROJECTS, GETTING THEM PERMITTED, AND WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR FIRE AND SAFETY OFFICIALS, UM, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY HERE IN THE VALLEY.
SO WE'RE CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITY AND, AND WHEN WE SAY THAT THESE, THESE PROJECTS WILL BE SAFE AND THAT WE CAN QUANTIFY THESE RISKS, THAT THESE ARE NOT UNKNOWNS, UM, THAT THESE ARE KNOWN KNOWNS OF HOW THESE SYSTEMS CAN BE, BE BUILT, CAN OPERATE, CAN BE PROFITABLE, CAN SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE ALSO KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY FAIL.
LIKE, THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, A BIG, A BIG PICTURE, YOU KNOW, UNKNOWN.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU BUILD 'EM BIGGER AND THEN IT'S ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S JUST GONNA COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, BLOW UP ON YOU.
UM, BUT PULL THIS ONE BACK IN.
I THINK THE BIGGEST RISK THAT AVONDALE AND PHOENIX, THE PHOENIX AREA HAS HERE IS WITH A WIDESPREAD GRID FAILURE.
THERE WAS A STUDY THAT CAME OUT LAST YEAR THAT MODELED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY WHEN, UH, WHEN, WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE GETTING, GETTING THEIR HIGHEST, IF THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD OUTAGE DUE TO GRID FAILURE DUE TO YEARS AND YEARS OF CHRONIC UNDERINVESTMENT, DUE TO PASSING UP OPPORTUNITIES TO INJECT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO, INTO YOUR GRID TO SHORE IT UP FOR WHEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S GONNA BE JACKING UP, UH, YOUR, YOUR POWER RATES.
UM, AND THOSE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE'S, OF, UH, LIVES AT RISK AND THAT PEOPLE WILL DIE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A YOUNG AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY, BUT THERE ARE MANY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS HERE THAT IF YOU'RE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR COOLING, IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT THEY WILL QUICK, THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES WHEN IT'S 115 DEGREES OUTSIDE, 120
[01:10:01]
DEGREES OUTSIDE, THAT ARE GONNA CHOIR ATTENTION.WHEN YOU SEE ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HERE EARLIER, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO BE RESPONDING TO EVERYTHING.
YOU'RE GONNA QUICKLY OVERWHELM ALL OF THE CITY SERVICES, ALL OF THE HOSPITAL BEDS, ALL OF THE PLACES THAT DO HAVE FULL-TIME, RELIABLE POWER DUE TO THE DIESEL GEN SETS ON SITE, UM, THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE.
SO JUST ON THAT, UH, AS YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU GUYS FOLLOW THE, FOLLOW THE ENERGY NEWS CLOSELY, WHICH I'M SURE YOU DON'T, UH, A PS AND SRP, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LARGEST ENERGY, ENERGY UTILITIES HERE, BOTH SHATTERED RECORDS FOR ENERGY DEMAND, UM, LAST SUMMER, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA SHATTER IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THOSE THO THE, THAT DEMAND LEVEL WAS IN EXCESS OF THEIR PROJECTIONS.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE UTILITIES WORK A LITTLE BIT ON AN ISLAND OUT WEST.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I COULD GET INTO INSIDE BASEBALL AS AS TO HOW ENERGY UTILITIES ARE STRUCTURED, BUT THERE'S, THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY, FULLY RESILIENT AND RELIANT.
THAT PUTS 'EM ON A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER FOOTING THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEIR RESOURCES ARE ADEQUATE TO COVER SURGING DEMAND FROM COMPANIES LIKE QTS AND ALL THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE MOVING HERE.
SO THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO MEET THESE DEMANDS.
A PS BUILT THEIR SYSTEM OVER THE LAST 140 YEARS.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO NEARLY, UH, DOUBLE IT IN THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
UM, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO WATCH.
I'M NOT TOTALLY SURE HOW THEY'RE GONNA DO IT, BUT PRIVATE DEVELOPERS LIKE US AND MANY OTHERS ARE PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR THEM THAT ARE COMPETITIVE.
THEY'RE MARKET BASED, THEY UTILIZE PRIVATE FINANCING, UM, AND THEY HELP ENSURE COST STABILITY OVER THE LONG RUN.
SO SAFETY IS THE BIG, THE BIG QUESTION HERE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN, I DON'T, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA UNDERPLAY THE, UH, THE VISUAL IMPACT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THEY NOTED SOME DEVIATIONS THERE.
I THINK WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE EVERY, UH, PLANNING, COMMISSION, UH, REQUIREMENT REGARDING LANDSCAPING, WALL DESIGN, EVERYTHING.
SO, AND, AND I THINK THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE VISUAL RENDERINGS IN THE PACKET THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
JUST TOOK US A WHILE TO GET THOSE PUT TOGETHER.
BUT YOU COULD SEE WHAT THESE THINGS LOOK LIKE AT GROUND LEVEL.
IT'S A WALL, IT'S REALLY NICE.
LANDSCAPING AND TREES, SHRUBS, EVERYTHING.
SO I DON'T WANNA UNDER UNDERPLAY THAT AS TO HOW THAT'S GONNA LOOK, BUT IF YOU WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE VISUAL RENDERINGS, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL SAY THEY'RE PROBABLY FINE.
WE ALSO ARE COMMITTING TO UPGRADING PALM LANE.
UH, UH, WE ARE, WE ARE COMMITTING TO, UH, PUTTING, PUTTING, JUST DOUBLING THE SIZE OF THAT IN FRONT, IN FRONT OF OUR FRONT OF OUR, OR DOING THE HALF LANE IMPROVEMENT IN FRONT, IN FRONT OF OUR, OUR BUILDING.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE BACK WHERE WE CAN AS WELL.
BUT SAFETY IS THE BIG QUESTION.
IT'S THE EXISTENTIAL QUESTION, AND I GET THAT IT IS A DIFFICULT ONE TO DISCUSS BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO GET PEOPLE WORKED UP ABOUT THINGS.
I THINK WHEN WE'RE AT THE PLANNING BOARD, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, AT, AT, IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING VOTED DOWN, THE OTHER ITEM THAT ALSO GOT VOTED DOWN WAS JUST A PLAIN OLD BOX.
IT WAS A STORAGE FACILITY, NOT AN ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY, JUST A STORAGE FACILITY THAT GOT VOTED DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE GOT WORKED UP ABOUT THE NOTION OF WHAT MIGHT BE IN THERE AND THE UNKNOWNS THAT COULD BE COMING IN FROM OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE SAW QUESTIONS REGARDING TOXIC CONTENT THAT WAS, THAT, THAT WOULD GO INTO THESE STORAGE FACILITIES.
HOW ARE YOU MONITORING THE SECURITY? SO YOU ACTUALLY SEE THIS SAME SORT OF PLAYBOOK GETTING USED FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO ARTICULATE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE SAFETY STRATEGY, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
AND SO WHAT I WANNA TELL YOU HERE IS THAT WHEN THESE PROJECTS ARE BUILT, LIKE WE'RE NOT ABOUT TO BUILD THIS PROJECT TOMORROW, UM, THIS IS SIMPLY REQUESTING THE ZONING CHANGE, GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, SO THAT WE COULD CONSIDER THIS AT A LATER POINT.
WE WOULD WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL, WITH THE FIRE CHIEF, WITH OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT IS, IS PUT IN PLACE AND, AND DEVELOPED IN A WAY THAT HAS NO NEGATIVE COMMUNITY IMPACTS.
AND THIS IS MODELING THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS BASED ON THE SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY THAT WE WOULD DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF BUILDING.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC HAZARD MITIGATION ANALYSISES.
SO WHAT ARE, LIKE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEING PUT IN THERE? WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THE RISK PROFILE LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE, UH, HOW, HOW DO WE BUILD A SYSTEM THAT WOULD MINIMIZE OVERALL, UH, UH, FIRE RISK THERE? FAILURE MODES AND ANALYSES, LIKE, AGAIN, ANOTHER ONE OF THESE DETAILED STUDIES THAT IS LONG COMPLICATED AND IT REQUIRES A LOT OF STUDY HERE.
UH, FIRE SAFETY ASSESSMENTS AND COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENTS.
SO IF THERE IS A FIRE EVENT HERE AND THE VERY UNLIKELY EVENT OF IT.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE COMMUNITY? AND THEN HOW DO YOU DESIGN THE SYSTEM SUCH THAT EVERYTHING IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE SITE, WITHIN THOSE FOUR WALLS OF THE PROJECT? AND IT COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT THERE'S UL TESTING.
THERE'S BASICALLY LIKE A YEARS WORTH OF STUDY AND INFORMATION AND DATA THAT GETS PUT IN FRONT OF THE FIRE MARSHAL.
THE PERSON PAID TO BE THE SAFETY EXPERT FOR THE COUNTY, UH, OR FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND THE PERSON DESIGNED TO BE OB OBJECTIVE ARBITER ON THIS.
[01:15:01]
I WAS SAYING, IT'S EASY TO GET PEOPLE WORKED UP.IF YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE'S COMING UP TO YOU WITH A PETITION THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THIS BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY IS GONNA CAUSE EVACUATIONS OUT TO I 10 AND IT'S GONNA INCREASE TRAFFIC ON PALM LANE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY GONNA BE A COUPLE TRIPS A DAY.
THAT'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION.
AND IT'S A LOT OF SPECULATIVE INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH PROPERLY REPRESENTS THE ACTUAL RISKS OF THIS PROJECT, OR IS A DUTIFUL WAY TO APPROACH THIS DECISION MAKING.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH OTHER DECISIONS IS NOT THAT HARD TO GET PEOPLE WORKED UP ABOUT THIS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DECISION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL HERE SO DIFFICULT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, I THINK EVERYONE CAN AGREE, AND WE SEE THIS FROM EVERYONE, THAT THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY IS NECESSARY.
AND THAT WITHOUT RAPID DEPLOYMENT OF ADDITIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES, WHETHER CLEAN, WHETHER FOSSIL GENERATED, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN HERE THAT HAVE IMPACTS THAT GO BEYOND JUST THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A WAY FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO SAY, WE'RE TAKING A PART IN OUR ENERGY SECURITY.
WE ARE TAKING PART TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT JUST SAYING THIS IS SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROBLEM TO FIGURE OUT.
THIS IS FOR PINAL COUNTY TO FIGURE OUT, THIS IS FOR COACHEE, THIS IS FOR NAVAJO, THIS IS FOR YUMA, THIS IS FOR AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE REMOTE.
THIS IS US SAYING THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SHORE UP THE GRID TO INJECT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HERE.
AND WE CAN PROMISE YOU IT WILL BE DONE IN A WAY THAT YOUR TEAM SIGNS OFF ON AVONDALE.
EMPLOYEES SIGN OFF ON BUILDING, UH, BUILDING OFFICIALS, FIRE OFFICIALS, ENGINEERS, THEY WILL ALL BE INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND WE, AS WE WERE, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS AND LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO US, WE WERE SAYING WE WOULD AGREE TO MORE ON THIS, JUST, JUST SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY CLEAR WHAT THE PROCESS IS GONNA BE AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO ACTUALLY ISSUE BUILDING PERMITS FOR THIS.
DIRT WOULD GET MOVED AHEAD OF THAT.
AND I THINK WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THIS NEARBY AND I THINK, UH, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW THERE WAS, UH, AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN TRAINING IN YOUNGTOWN IN DECEMBER FOR A PROJECT THAT WAS VERY SIMILAR SIZE AND SCOPE, UH, FOR FIRE OFFICIALS, UH, THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY, THROUGHOUT THE WEST VALLEY WERE THERE.
UH, AND THEY, UH, THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN INCLUDED NO EVACUATIONS.
IT INCLUDED MONITORING, IT INCLUDED, UH, TRAINING, BUT THERE WAS NO EVACUATIONS WHATSOEVER.
SO I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE THINGS, SOME OF THE SCARY LANGUAGE IS HALF TRUTHS AT BEST.
AND I THINK POTENTIALLY MISLEADING AT WORST.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY EASY JUST TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROBLEM, BUT WHAT I WANT TO DO HERE IS FIND A WAY WHERE WE CAN LEAVE THIS ON THE TABLE, PUT THIS IN A, IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO WORK THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
AND WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE BUILT, YOU KNOW, IT IS DONE IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY UTILIZING BEST INFORMATION AND UTILIZING THE BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY.
SO ON THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY.
I THINK I WROTE LIKE FIVE TIMES AS MUCH OF THIS, BUT I THINK I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT OPEN FOR QUESTIONS THERE.
BUT I, I, I, AGAIN, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE GENUINE ENGAGEMENT FROM SO MANY PEOPLE ON THIS BECAUSE I, I, I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, SIR, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SPEAKING FOR US.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO KIND OF STAY IN THE FRONT ROW IN CASE COUNSEL DOES HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
RON, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT, AT THIS POINT.
UM, AGAIN, WHEN COUNSEL LOOKS AT PROJECTS LIKE THIS OR ANY PROJECT THAT COMES IN, WE LOOK AT THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE OF THE LAND COMPATIBILITY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IN SOME CASES, DOES SAFETY COME INTO IT? AND WE ALSO LOOK AT WHETHER PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DENIED IT.
HAS STAFF APPROVED OR DENIED IT? HAS THE PUBLIC COME OUT AND SPOKEN ON A SPECIFIC PROJECT? HAS OUR FIRE TEAM SPOKEN ON A PROJECT? ARE THERE MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN THE CITY WHO'VE SPOKEN ON A PROJECT? AND WE TAKE THAT INPUT.
AND I WILL TELL YOU 18 YEARS ON COUNCIL, I CAN THINK OF ONE TIME THAT I HAVE VOTED AGAINST A PLANNING AND ZONING RECOMMENDATION OR A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
I ALSO WANT TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF THIS PROJECT.
I LOOK AT THE SIERRA AUSTRALIA PROJECT THAT WE APPROVED A YEAR AGO THAT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN, IN THE STATE, AND THAT IS GETTING BUILT, UH, IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY.
AND IF I LOOK AT THE LAND THAT'S AROUND IT, EVEN THOUGH LR IS TO THE SOUTH AND VERDE TRAILS IS TO THE EAST, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER HOMES OBVIOUSLY AROUND THE AREA, IT IS FAR AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
THERE IS A HUGE BUFFER THAT'S THERE.
I LIVE AT EVANDALE BOULEVARD AND THOMAS, I'M ON PALM LANE EVERY DAY.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY OUT THERE TODAY AND WALKED THE PROPERTY.
[01:20:01]
MY CONCERNS, AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM COUNSEL ON THIS, MY CONCERNS ARE WHILE LITHIUM BATTERIES, THE, THE CASE FOR LITHIUM BATTERIES BEING SAFE, I UNDERSTAND IT IS, IT IS NOT A REGULAR ISSUE WITH LITHIUM BATTERIES THAT YOU SEE IN STORAGE FACILITIES LIKE THIS CATCHING FIRE.BUT I CAN LOOK AT THE CHANDLER FACILITY THAT WAS CLOSE TO HOMES AND CLOSE TO FREEWAYS, I THINK A YEAR AGO OR TWO YEARS AGO.
AND THAT FIRE LASTED FOR THREE DAYS AND THEY HAD TO DO EVACUATIONS NOT ONLY OF RESIDENCES, BUT OF SCHOOLS.
THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN I LOOK AT THE HOUSES THAT, THAT WILL FACE THIS FACILITY ON PALM LANE.
I ALSO THINK THERE'S NEWER TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
YOU MENTIONED SRP AND A-P-S-S-R-P AND A PS ARE USING NON LITHIUM TECHNOLOGIES IN THEIR STORES.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING A TEST CASE RIGHT NOW ON A HUGE PROJECT THAT THEY HOPE TO HAVE UP AND RUNNING IN 2025.
I THINK THERE'S PLACES FOR THESE FACILITIES AND CITIES, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WITH THE ASTRIA, THE, UH, SIERRA ASTRIA FACILITY IN SOUTHERN AVON, UH, SOUTHERN AVONDALE, SOUTH AVONDALE, I THINK THE CITY HAS SHOWN ITS COMMITMENT TO, TO ENERGY, UM, RELIABILITY IN THE GRID.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE BEST AND HIGHEST USE FOR THIS LAND.
I DON'T THINK IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT ALL.
AND I DO HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS.
SIR, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, THE AREA, THE BATTERIES ARE CONTAINED BEHIND WALLS.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, WHICH THIS CITY COUNCIL AND THIS CITY STAFF HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT SMOKE AND TOXIC CHEMICALS ARE NOT CONTAINED BEHIND WALLS.
SO WHILE I'M NOT OPPOSED TO A PROJECT LIKE THIS, I'M OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT GOING IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA, UM, IN MY 18 YEARS ON COUNCIL, THIS IS ONE OF THE TIMES WHERE I'VE SEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COME OUT ENFORCED AGAINST A PROJECT.
AND THAT USUALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN IN AVONDALE.
SO MY VOTE IS GONNA BE NO ON BOTH ITEMS, BUT I WANNA HEAR FROM COUNCIL.
TINA, DO YOU MIND IF I START WITH YOU? SURE.
UM, SO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH ONLINE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT JUST WAS RECENTLY.
SO I JUST REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR YOUR TIME, UM, FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND DOING YOUR RESEARCH.
YOU GUYS PROVIDED A LOT OF A WEALTH OF INFORMATION, UM, FOR ME.
AND ALSO I WANNA THANK THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE AS I WATCHED THAT, THAT MEETING, I JUST, IT TOOK A LOT OF PRIDE IN ME KNOWING THAT OUR RESIDENTS TOOK THE TIME TO RESEARCH AND COME UP WITH AND REALLY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS PROJECT WAS.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE OPPOSED TO IT.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, LEMME BACK UP.
AFTER RESEARCHING IT AND REALLY REALIZING THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE SURROUNDING AREA, UM, I WAS JUST VERY THANKFUL AND FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT OVER A HUNDRED RESIDENTS ARE OPPOSING THIS DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ANYBODY OPPOSE THAT MANY PEOPLE OPPOSE A DEVELOPMENT.
BUT, UM, I CAN'T, THAT I CAN REMEMBER, BUT I JUST WANTED JUST TO THANK EVERYBODY FIRST AND FOREMOST.
AND THEN I ALSO, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, IT'S NOT, UM, COMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT, UM, LAND USE.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT ALL THE DOCUMENTS, UM, FROM PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL, WHEN I LOOK AND IT TALKS ABOUT CONTAMINATED RUNOFF, TOXIC FUMES, NEIGHBORHOOD EVACUATION, IT'S CONCERNING TO ME.
IT'S, THERE'S A SCHOOL RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET WITH ELEMENTARY CHILDREN.
THERE'S A HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT IN LESS THAN A MILE AWAY.
THERE'S A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FULL OF CHILDREN IN THERE GETTING MEDICAL ATTENTION.
AND FOR THE FACT THAT THOSE PEOPLE, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, WOULD HAVE TO BE EVACUATED.
AND AGAIN, I, LIKE MAYOR SAID, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE AGAINST IT, IT'S THE LOCATION THAT REALLY, UM, CONCERNS ME.
AND SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, I I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE, OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MALONE, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT BOTH THE MAYOR AND, UM, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN CONDI HAS SAID.
WE DO HAVE, UH, SCHOOLS, THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA AND THE HOSPITAL.
THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND THE TOXINS THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CON, UH, CONDE HAS SAID, UM, WE DO NOT AS A COUNCIL OPPOSE, UH, THIS TYPE OF FACILITY.
UM, SO I WOULD SAY THAT FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, I AM ALSO A NO AS WELL.
COUNCIL MAYOR WHITE, ANY COMMENTS? YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, MAYOR, UM, THANK YOU JOSH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE HEARING BOTH THE, UM, UM, BOTH SIDES, BOTH VIEWS.
I DO BELIEVE RESIDENTS HAVE A HUGE IMPACT IN, IN WHAT WE DO HERE IN AVONDALE.
AND LIKE, YOU CAN'T MOVE YOUR HOUSE FROM WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
SO I, I KIND OF, UM, LEAN INTO HEARING THEIR COMMENTS 'CAUSE I KNOW, UM, I LIVE BEHIND THE BOULEVARD AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S COMING BEHIND MY HOUSE.
SO THAT'S A EQUAL OPPOSITE FEELING, RIGHT? SO I, I JUST WANT TO HONOR THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
UM, ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE HERE FROM OHIO
[01:25:01]
WHO ACTUALLY SAT IN A BLACKOUT BACK IN, UM, I THINK IT WAS AUGUST 14TH AND 15TH OF 2003.UM, THE REASON THAT BLACKOUT HAPPENED AND, AND IMPACTED OVER 50 MILLION PEOPLE FROM THE WHOLE NORTHEASTERN BORDER, UM, IN MASSACHUSETTS, DOWN IN NEW YORK AND CANADA, WAS 'CAUSE OF A TREE LIMB THAT BROKE OFF AND INTERRUPTED OUR ENERGY SYSTEM IN OHIO.
50 MILLION PEOPLE LOST POWER OVER, OVER MOTHER NATURE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE TRY TO, UM, MANIPULATE AND MANEUVER ENERGY IN WAYS THAT WORK BEST FOR US, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE DONE THAT, WE'VE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AND WE'VE OPENED UP SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE IN AVONDALE AND THERE'S ALSO ONE NEARBY.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING IN YOUNGTOWN.
AND SO, UM, I I BELIEVE IN HAVING ADEQUATE ENERGY RESOURCES, BUT WHEN WE SEE, LIKE THE BROWNOUTS IN CALIFORNIA, WHEN WE NOTICED, UH, THE POWER OUTAGES THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF, UM, WINTERS AGO IN TEXAS, UM, SOME OF THAT IS, IS, IS, UM, LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BUT THEN SOME OF IT'S GONNA JUST BE MOTHER NATURE, WHICH WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER.
I THINK WE HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER RESOURCES HERE IN THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
MY DAUGHTER WILL BE GOING THERE.
I WOULD HATE TO GET AN ACCU EVACUATION CALL WHERE THEY CAN'T GET SOUTH OF THE I 10 BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS SHUT OFF.
UM, I BELIEVE OUR FIRE MARSHAL, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE MAKING ANY NEW FRIENDS OUT THERE IN THESE STREETS, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT HIS WHEREWITHAL AND ABILITY TO HAVE DISCERNMENT AND PROVIDE US ADEQUATE INFORMATION INTO HOW THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS COULD AFFECT US IF WE HAVE WORSE CASE SCENARIOS, UM, THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO, TO DEVELOP THESE TYPES OF BATTERY LOCATIONS.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE OF AVONDALE IS JUST NOT HERE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE CURTIS.
I HAVE SOLAR PANELS ON THE TOP OF MY HOUSE.
I'VE LOOKED AT BATTERIES TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
AND THE STRANGE NUMBERS THAT CAME UP WHEN THEY CAME TO MY HOUSE AND TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T PUT IT IN MY GARAGE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T GUARANTEE IT.
UH, AND WHETHER WERE THE SAFETY OF IT OR THE ACTIVITY OF IT FOR EVERYTHING ABOVE 115 TO 118 DEGREES.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA GET 115 TO 118 DEGREES IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, OR YEAR OR TWO, WHATEVER, I ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY WON'T PUT 'EM IN MY GARAGE RIGHT NOW.
THEY WILL PUT 'EM IN MY HOUSE BECAUSE I'VE GOT THE AIR CONDITIONING GOING IN THERE.
SO THERE IS A HEAT EXTERNALLY THAT COMES IN THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN AWARE OF.
AND, UH, NO, NOT, I'M NOT GONNA PUT IT IN MY HOUSE, BUT, UM, THAT'S ONE THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS, UH, THE, THE UNKNOWN OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE.
THE OTHER THING IS JUST AGAIN, A PERSONAL TYPE THING.
ALL THE EXCESS SOLAR POWER THAT I PUT UP FROM MY SOLAR PANELS, I DON'T GET BACK.
IT GOES INTO THE BATTERIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND THEN THEY'LL SELL IT BACK TO ME FOR 10 TIMES MORE OR WHATEVER IT IS FROM WHAT IT IS THAT IT'S JUST, JUST A PERSONAL THING.
I AGREE THAT THE BATTERIES ARE A WONDERFUL WAY OF STORING 'EM, AND I AGREE WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL THAT THAT'S NOT THE EXACT PLACE THAT THEY NEED TO BE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, JOSH.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF SIMILARLY ECHO SIMILAR WITH THE COUNCIL.
UM, WHEN I LOOK AT THINGS THAT, UM, AS THE GENTLEMAN EXPLAINED, ALL THE POSITIVES THAT COME WITH HAVING A BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I WILL SAY FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WOULDN'T WANT IT NEAR SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SCHOOL, A HOSPITAL, A COMMUNITY, NOTHING WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, WHEN LITHIUM BATTERIES CATCH ON FIRE, THINGS SUCH AS GASES AS CARBON MONOXIDE, HYDROGEN FLUORIDE, AND HYDROGEN CHLORIDE COULD BE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
I'M NOT WILLING TO TAKE THAT GAMBLE WITH SO MANY CRITICAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE AREA, CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THE AREA.
CAN YOU IMAGINE PARENTS TRYING TO GET TO THEIR CHILDREN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO, CHILDREN AND PARENTS THAT ARE IN HOSPITAL, IN THE HOSPITAL ACROSS THE STREET HAVING TO EVACUATE.
AND IF YOUR CHILD'S HAVING A LIFE SAVING SURGERY TO HAVE TO DO THAT, IT'S A NO FOR ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID HERE.
IT'S A COMPELLING ARGUMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN.
UH, ONE IN FAVOR AND ONE NOT IN FAVOR.
AND AS A PROPONENT OF BUSINESS, I'M ALL FOR INVESTMENT.
I, I, YOU KNOW, NOTHING MORE THAN BEING ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT, UH, THE REVENUES COMING IN WILL HELP TO OFFSET COSTS AND PROVIDE SERVICES AND THINGS THAT, UH, YOU HAVE MENTIONED.
AND THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE, HEARING RESIDENTS WILL LIVE ACROSS THE STREET WHO HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH AN UNFORTUNATE, A UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT COULD HAPPEN, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GUARANTEED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN, UM, EXPRESSED TONIGHT IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, THE SAFEGUARDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO PLACE.
BUT UNITY COSTS HAS TO PREVAIL HERE IN TERMS OF, WHILE I DON'T LIVE THERE, I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS THAT DO.
[01:30:01]
THE ARGUMENT IS AS COMPELLING AS YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE AFRAID FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED UP HERE TO OCCUR, THEN I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH THAT.AND FOR THAT, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE TO DENY RESOLUTION.
A REQUEST TO AMEND THE GENERAL PLAN 2030 LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION FOR MIXED USE TO PUBLIC CIVIC.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM OUR VICE MAYOR, A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO.
MARCELLO, ARE YOU READY? THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND I DO WANNA CLARIFY THAT A YES VOTE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM WITH THAT MOTION IS A DENIAL OF THE APPLICATION PL 23 DASH 0 0 5 3, WHICH MIRRORS WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS JUST SAID.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
SEVEN ZERO THE I'M GOING TO OPEN UP, LET ME GO BACK TO UM, FIVE B.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM FIVE B.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? SEEING AND HEARING NONE, CAN I GET A MOTION ON ITEM FIVE B, PLEASE? I HAVE A MOTION MADE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SOLORIO, A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CONDI.
AGAIN, A YES VOTE TO THIS ITEM IS A DENIAL OF THE APPLICATION AND MIRRORS WHAT COUNCIL COMMENTS WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
MAYOR, I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT.
YES, I JUST WANNA SAY AT, AT SOME POINT WE HEARD A COMPARISON IN REGARDS TO, UM, GAS STATIONS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THE RECORD REFLECTS THAT THE GAS STATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE THROUGHOUT MOST COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OFF THE I 10 FREEWAY THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY.
SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE TO MANAGE ANY TYPES OF INCIDENTS THAT MAY HAPPEN WITH THOSE ENTITIES AND WE'RE VERY WELL ACCUSTOMED TO MANAGING THAT, NOT ONLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ACROSS THE I 10 THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE THE VOTES BEFORE YOU PLEASE VOTE.
[6. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS]
SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS.UM, THE ONLY THING I HAVE COMING UP HONESTLY, IS THAT WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW TO KICK OFF PROP 4 79 WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND KIND OF HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
ON FRIDAY, I SIT ON A PANEL ON PROP 4 79, WHICH IS THE FORMER PROP 400 AND WE'LL BE LAYING OUT STRATEGIES FOR THAT AND JUST KIND OF GETTING OUR FEET WET.
AND THAT VOTE IS COMING UP I THINK IN JUST SIX MONTHS.
SO, UH, YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANYTHING FROM YOU CURTIS? MAYOR, I JUST HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING TO GO INTO THE SONORA ROOM THERE WHERE THEY'VE GOT THINGS SET UP FOR VOTING.
THEY'VE GOT SIX PEOPLE IN THERE THAT ARE JUST WAITING FOR ANYBODY AND TO COME IN AND, AND BE WITH THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE TILL THE 19TH OF MARCH.
IF WE CAN ENCOURAGE OUR PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND VOTE IF THEY WANT TO COME UP HERE.
THEY'RE ALL THERE ALL DAY LONG AND JUST WANTING TO VISIT WITH SOMEBODY.
SO I THINK IT'S A THANKLESS JOB.
COUNSEL, ANYTHING ELSE? LIZ, CAN YOU JUST TELL US REAL QUICKLY WHO THE THEY PICKED FOR LD 22? YES, SORRY, DIDN'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO KNOW.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, UM, THE LD 22, 1 OF THE, UM, SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE REPRESENTATIVE LISA'S SON RESIGNED.
UH, THIS MORNING THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED DR.
UH, SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE TOLLESON UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALSO EMPLOYED BY THE RIA SCHOOL DISTRICT, I BELIEVE.
AND I THINK SHE'S GONNA BE, UM, SWORN IN EITHER LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW MORNING.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO A THANK YOU LETTER FROM HER FOR HER.
WE'RE GONNA DO A CONGRATULATORY LETTER, UH, TO HER FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND THEN I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO, UM, BEGIN TO BRIEF HER ON LEGISLATION THAT'S IMPACTING THE CITY OF AVONDALE.
ANYONE ELSE? CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION?
[7. ADJOURNMENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION]
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MALONE, A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.ANY FURTHER COMMENTS SAYING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
WE ARE ADJOURNED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.