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Commission to discuss Scottsdale's downtown plan
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The Scottsdale downtown plan, which is intended to steer development for the next two decades, will be discussed at a public meeting again this week.
The Scottsdale Planning Commission's meeting, set for Wednesday, will be the first public review of the draft plan since the City Council had some unflattering words last month.
The proposed downtown plan, which is the first update of the 1984 plan, envisions an urban, mixed-use downtown that is friendly to pedestrians with increased crossings and shade. Taller and denser buildings are recommended in exchange for providing more open space. No specific height limits are identified. The plan also emphasizes a need to invest in the arts, preserve the specialty retail districts such as Old Town and keep parking free.
The plan highlights five areas where the downtown boundary could be extended beyond the current 700-acre area, which generally includes the area from Chaparral Road south to Earll Drive, and 68th Street east to Miller Road.
Council members during the Sept. 16 meeting identified a number of issues, such as whether the boundary should be extended, a void in discussing infrastructure and a lack of clarity on height and density issues, which are some of the more controversial. Overall, council members saw a plan that lacked a creative vision and did not provide enough specifics.
The downtown plan was released in July after months of meetings with residents, property owners, business owners and other interested parties.
The Planning Commission meeting starts at4 p.m. Wednesday at 7447 E. Indian School Road, Suite 105. Future Planning Commission and City Council meetings will be held, but no dates have been finalized.
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