Why do we plan? We plan because we want some control over our future. We plan to make inevitable change positive and not just random or reactive. We plan because we have dreams and goals for our future and our families.
Phoenix has come a long way since 1870 when the Phoenix Townsite Office purchased 320 acres from Seventh Street to Seventh Avenue and Van Buren to Jackson streets. In 1930, Phoenix adopted its first zoning ordinance; in 1951, the City Council adopted a new City Code creating a planning department; and in 1972 adopted the first Comprehensive Plan.
Arizona state law requires each city to have a General Plan, which establishes policy for the city's development. Phoenix's General Plan includes goals, policies and recommendations to guide land use, transportation systems, open space preservation, neighborhood development and preservation, employment areas and shopping, as well as locations for the development of city services.
In 1974, the Phoenix Planning Committee was charged with presenting an alternative urban form to the continued mile after mile of similar growth. As a result, hundreds of citizens met and selected the Urban Village Model as the best form for Phoenix.
Phoenix is now divided into 15 urban villages to provide opportunities for residents to live, work, shop and play within their own village. The planning committees are also the best place to start if you are interested in the rezoning process in your neighborhood. Through citizen input on land use issues, local officials are able to make more informed decisions. Committee meeting notices are posted at each zoning case site to allow residents to attend the meeting and provide early input before final decisions are made. Committees also alert city staff and elected officials, like myself, about problems before they become unmanageable.
Here's a summary of how the process works: When a rezoning request is submitted, the applicant must first present the proposal to the village planning committee in your area. The proposal will then be voted on and forwarded to the Phoenix Planning Commission for review. Both of these arenas offer opportunities for public input, and the comments and recommendations made by both groups are passed on to the City Council.
The City Council acts as the final ruling body for rezoning requests and that is why it is important that we allow the potential proposal to proceed through this citizen established process. Always, I will strongly consider the wishes of neighborhood residents in my decision.
If you have questions or comments about planning and zoning or other topics in District 2, don't hesitate to call my office or send an e-mail. You are also invited to join me at my monthly Issues & Info breakfasts and learn about topics that impact your neighborhood and family. You are always invited to take the opportunity to ask questions about issues that are important to you. The next one is 7 a.m. Nov. 21, at Jillian's at Desert Ridge. I hope to see you there.
Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely represents District 2, which encompasses most of northeast Phoenix. She can be reached at (602) 262-7445 or via e-mail at council.district.2@phoenix.gov.
