GET OUT THE VOTE! TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5
The City of Scottsdale is holding a Special Election on Tuesday November 5.
On the Ballot are 3 bond approval questions. Each question will approve or disapprove bonds for specific projects and improvements in the City of Scottsdale.
You can view a description of each of the projects to be built under each question at:
BOND FUNDS FOR ASHLER HILLS PARK (INCLUDING PICKLEBALL!)
Question 1 on the ballot is of particular interest to SPARC because it will include bond funds for the creation of a 17 Acre Park at Ashler Hills Drive and 74 th Way (Next to the Summit/Target shopping center).
SPARC has been working with the City of Scottsdale to obtain public input on the amenities to be offered at this park. Based on that input, it is likely this park will include pickleball courts, basketball courts, ramadas, walking trails and designated areas for future development of dog park facilities.
SPARC strongly encourages all City of Scottsdale residents to vote on all three bond approval questions on November 5.
Sevano Park Meeting results
Our open meeting was a resounding success and 251 people signed in and many of them gave input. Here are the highlights
Sevano Village Park, aka Ashler Hills Park purchased in 2002 for $2 million. Parcel of 15 acres but north end has drainage issues so probably only 6-7 acres will be developed. Preliminary plan/concept drawing: playground, basketball court, pickleball courts, grassy area, rest rooms. Comment on pickleball courts: recognize high demand, currently 19 pickleball courts in Scottsdale, closest is Thompson Peak 10 miles away, Cholla courts most recent completion. Comment on dog park: not on concept but willing to listen, high maintenance, e.g., poop bags, trash pickup, irrigation. Phase 2 at Thompson Peak to include dog park.
Explained process: 1) Planning, receiving comments, holding town meetings, etc. to assess demand, determine needs, draw up plan.2) Develop Master Plan (12-15 months) including engineering design3) Funding: Put out bond issue on ballot 4) If have funding, send out bids for contractors5) Select contractors and proceed with building.6) Probably not big enough to consider phased builds; probably just one plan.7) Wild, off-the-top-of-head/don’t-hold-me-to-it estimate: $8-10 million
Why? Park must include lighting, e.g., passive walkway lighting per police safety requirements, also 25’ tall LED downward facing lights for courts, on-demand switch or timed; parking, rest rooms.
Comment on concerns by homeowners: More traffic (tackled during planning process), homeless people coming to park (annual count of homeless, last count fewer than 70, city reaches out to help homeless get into shelters, city works with churches, doesn’t sound like it will be a problem), lights and pickleball noise of big concern to residents of Las Piedras (who want their “darkness, decompression feeling” and “quietness”) - city would tackle during planning, probably look at placing pickleball as far west as possible, close to shopping center). Recent placement of pickleball courts was 300-350’ from closest residence at Cholla Park. Whole park would probably be oriented to the west. Trash pickup daily. Scottsdale parks all have same open/close time: sunrise - 10:30 pm. The 10:30 pm closing time was not satisfactory to some Las Piedras residents. They are worried about noise. Conceptual design only shows 3 pickleball courts. Terravita resident (Diane Kester) explained what the closure of Carefree/Civana means for demand on Thompson Peak and other public courts. City should consider 8-10 pickleball courts. Some also wanted tennis courts.So, 3 camps:
Pickleball supporters
Dog park supporters
Noise/light/traffic concerned citizens