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Tempe's beauty result
<br />of careful balances
<br />
<br />............ Tom Robeflson
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<br /> These basic qualities, compounded with
<br /> City Hall greed and tyranny, presently are
<br /> lacking in the city of Mesa.
<br /> 'The future generations of' indentured
<br /> children, mortgaged by Mcsa's massive loan
<br /> debts, enriching only the good old bo.vs,
<br /> must be averted.
<br /> Mesa must be the model city and the
<br />· envy of other cities of this state and nation,
<br />or face the risk of an east Mesa secession.
<br /> Kirby Allan
<br /> Mesa
<br />
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<br />
<br />· - The challenge to strike a balance between
<br /> monitoring and encouraging vs. over-reg-
<br /> ulating and stifling is something we all face
<br /> whether as a boss. as a parent or as a friend.
<br /> It is .probably safe to assume that in any
<br /> situation, some days we are much more "in
<br />· balance," and other days we could be
<br /> likened to a dictator (or at least exception-
<br /> ally impatienti.
<br /> In this case, cities are no different than
<br /> you or 1. They, too. face a daily struggle to
<br /> "balance.' After all, a city has broad Ice. al
<br />' aulhority to regulate aspects of city life
<br /> affecting the health, safety and w~lfare of its
<br /> residents. Cities can certainly use this broad
<br /> authority in ways thai on some days, some
<br /> citizens may believe the city is .the ultimate
<br /> savior, and on other days the same citizens
<br /> may believe the city is the ultimate dictator.
<br /> Happily for the East Valley and truly all
<br /> of Arizona. the city of Tempe strikes a
<br /> perfect balance.
<br /> In Tempe, as in many other Valley
<br /> municipalities, before a developer is granted
<br /> a building permit to construct a project, to
<br /> renovate or add on to an existing project,
<br /> they must go through a city review process
<br /> called Design Review. Tempe has had
<br /> Design Review since 1967. It is intended to
<br /> 'make Tempe a more attractive place," sa~d
<br /> Steve Vcnker, the principal planner and
<br /> manager of Design Review.
<br /> Design Review in Tempe is used to
<br /> monitor the quality of commercial, industri-
<br /> al or muhlfamily housing projects. It is not
<br /> used for single family residential homes.
<br /> Ifa project is under 1,000 square feet, the
<br /> city's planning staff will review the plans
<br /> and work tov, ard the goals in the Tempe
<br /> Design Review Ordinance. However, if the
<br /> project is more than 1,000 square feet, thc
<br /> developer must present [he plans in front of
<br /> the Design Review Board.
<br /> The Board is appointed by the City
<br /> Council and must include-at least two
<br /> professional architects, if the developer is
<br /> unhappy with the decision of the board, an
<br /> appeal to the City Council can be filed.
<br /> Generally, the board, scarf and thc
<br /> applicant reach some compromise and
<br /> decisions reach the City Council's level. As
<br /> Planning Director Randy Hurlburt said, =We.
<br /> work with what (the developers) bring to the
<br /> table. We use their elements to enhance
<br /> their project and make it fit into Tempe.'
<br /> A city imposing regulations on private
<br /> development is not something I generally
<br /> am complimentary of, however, Tempe's
<br /> process is unique.:Tempe uses a set of Il
<br /> broad criteria for deciding if the project can
<br /> be built in the city.
<br /> Thc criteria are more like suggestions for
<br /> building quality projects that might
<br /> taught in ~developer school," if such a thing
<br /> · existed. They are not, as in some cities, an
<br /> exhaustive list of specific criteria regulating
<br /> eve .r~hing fi.om where you build the garage
<br /> to what color the stucco must be.
<br /> Tempe's suggestions/criteria include using
<br /> "superior quality" materials in construction.
<br /> building in 'scale' with the site, conceal-
<br /> ment of utility lines, compatibilily with
<br /> surrounding structures, landscaping, safe
<br /> and orderly traffic circulation panerns, and
<br /> lighting that is 'architecmrally compatible.'
<br /> These criteria are broad enough that any
<br /> quality development _.r&~uld easily meet
<br /> them.' but at the same time, the ~ity can
<br /> eliminate any ~riffraff~ development from
<br /> moving in. 'l'hat is.why I say Tempe strikes
<br />
<br /> JORDAN J..RIOH
<br />Special for The Republic
<br />
<br /> a perfect balance·
<br /> Take a drive through Tempe, and pay
<br /> special attention to the new police sub-
<br /> station (a 'must see' at Warren and Hardy),
<br /> the library, the recent renovations to the
<br /> Escalante Center and the Kiwanis Wave
<br /> Pool ~ all city-funded buildings that
<br /> architecturally set the standard for what the
<br /> city expects from private developers.
<br /> Also notice the wall adjacent to the power
<br /> plant on University Drive. This pleasing.
<br /> well landscaped wall. sas a chain link fence
<br /> until the city, in conjunction with the power
<br /> plant, commi~ed to beautification.
<br /> Tempe has a requirement that any project
<br /> over 50,000 square feet incorporate public
<br /> art ~ that is why you see a lovely
<br /> Southwestern sculpture in front of a mini-
<br /> storage facility. The 'Shamrock" at Warner
<br /> and Kyrene is such a sculptural building, it
<br /> alone could pass for =public art.'
<br /> To see what Tempe might look llke
<br /> without Design Review, drive down Curry
<br /> Road or on Rural Road somh of Curry ~
<br /> one side of the street is in Tempe and the
<br /> other is a county island. The conuast is
<br /> incredible.
<br /> While dHvlng along, notice the land-
<br /> scaping provided on the sides of the streets.
<br /> In many cases, the ci~ has paid to purchase
<br /> and plant those trees, shrubs and flov,'ers.
<br /> in downtown Tempe, on the ASU
<br /> campus, observe the city-funded trees,
<br /> quaint benches, bike racks and brick
<br /> sld~'alks.
<br /> Also notice the lack of' billboards and
<br />large obtrusive signage. There v,=re once
<br />more than 300 billboards, now there are
<br />· only about two dozen le~ The city keeps
<br />strict watch over these potential problems.
<br /> "Finally, notice the =Whatabu~er" si~s.
<br /> In the late '80s, Tempe staff helped
<br /> Whataburger come up with a sign that
<br /> would be acceptable to locate within the
<br /> city (not so large and 'loud"). Whataburger
<br /> was so pleased with Tempe's redesi~
<br /> suggestions, Whataburger changed it's I~o
<br /> nationwide to the one sugeested by Tempe
<br /> (which is the one you see ~w).
<br /> We should all be so lucky to be able to
<br />manage our jobs, employees and children
<br />with such fine balance between the things
<br />we take acute interest in monitoring and thc
<br />things we allow to happen without so much
<br />· oversight, as the city of Tempe does.
<br /> I suppose =lucky' is really a poor word
<br /> choice, because it is obvious that Tempe,
<br /> with dedicated city staff llke Steve Venker
<br /> and Randy Hurlburt, has worked extremely
<br /> hard to overcome many public and prig=ce
<br /> pressures in maintaining this balance.
<br />
<br /> Cracchmlo in PhoeniC .rites on E~.n I~//O' de.'ilop~.ent
<br /> Lu'ue~. Her column appear,; tn-cry, olher.~anrday..
<br />
<br />People
<br />Sam Lo,.. · -~97.797.~
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<br />Pa,.~ BrmL~¢}-Ro=.:.-'rs 497-~951
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<br />Gi]~en Neight~ whoo~
<br />E~hc Jcrucn -:97-7939
<br />Moa OuM n-~
<br />(?lint ~,~,qUiams -19'7, .7o~0
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