An updated rendering of the proposed project at 21st Street and Turney Avenue was released prior to the Oct. 10 Planning Commission hearing (rendering courtesy of 4401 Turney Villas LLC).

A group of neighbors who have lived in the East Morningside, Cavalier Villa, Peters View and surrounding neighborhoods for many decades are coming together once again to advocate for compromise as developers seek to step up the density in their neighborhood.

A request to rezone 1.82 acres at the northeast corner of 21st Street and Turney Avenue from R-3 to R-5 zoning for a multifamily residential development, a four-story, 48-foot building that would include 75 (10 studio, 23 one-bedroom and 42 two-bedroom) market rate apartments, was presented to the Camelback East Village Planning Committee (VPC) Aug. 6. The VPC declined to recommend approval on case number Z-74-24, known as Turney Villas. The project was continued from the Sept. 5 Phoenix Planning Commission meeting to Thursday, Oct. 10.

The September continuance was made by lawyers on behalf of the owner, 4401 Turney Villas, LLC, in order to “provide additional time to engage in outreach with the community.”

A new proposal was drawn up and presented to residents and submitted to the city Oct. 3 prior to the Planning Commission meeting. The revised proposal reduced the unit count to 64 and modified the height along Turney and 21st Street from four stories to three stories. The interior of the project remained at four stories.

Both the height and density of the project were concerns expressed by the many neighbors who attended the public meetings in opposition of the project. Another major concern is the amount of traffic that the project would put into the already traffic-challenged neighborhood.

The Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 10 to recommend the revised project as presented to Phoenix City Council for approval. The recommendation included two Planning Department stipulations that require the 64-unit maximum and a three-story building height along the roadway. The decision was swiftly appealed by the neighbors, spearheaded by John Paletta, who has lived in this neighborhood for 45 years and worked to find a compromise with developers on the many projects that have been built in the neighborhood in the past four decades.

While the neighbors attempted to compel a three-quarters Council vote by way of a property owner petition, their efforts fell just short. They will have an appeal hearing, however, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, where the neighbors will once again make their case that R-5 zoning is much too dense for a project located within a neighborhood. Neighbors asked for R-3A, which would allow for much more density than currently exists on the combined parcels, all of which currently have either single-family homes or a variety of single level attached multifamily homes, but less than the developer is seeking.

At both recent meetings, the developer argued that R-5 zoning is in place immediately south and west of the proposed Turney Villas. Neighbors point out, however, that they worked long and hard with those developers in the 80s and 90s to create dense projects on much larger parcels. They were able to come to a compromise that was comfortable for neighbors – in the end, neither of these developments exceeded three stories in height – but still allowed for more density.

Kathy DeLorey and her husband have lived a block away from the proposed project site for 34 years. DeLorey was involved with the rezoning case that took place in the 90s, and she and her neighbors worked with the developers to get traffic calming installed on 22nd Street – a big concern for the mother, who had a toddler at the time. But as more and more developments are built around this neighborhood, through traffic has become a major issue for families living here. Adding significantly to that burden just feels wrong and neighbors want their concerns to be taken seriously.

In addition, rather than market-rate rental units, neighbors have asked for owned condominiums or townhouses, “for the continuity of the neighborhood,” DeLorey said.

“It’s been a learning process,” DeLory added. And she and others will continue to advocate for their neighborhood, “I don’t think they anticipated the neighborhood to push back,” she said. “And it is people that have lived here a long time that are pushing back.”

Making the argument for development that better serves existing neighborhoods can feel like an uphill battle and residents’ voices can seemingly get lost in the boisterous call for density and more housing, but while the coalition of neighbors was disappointed, they were not deterred by the Planning Commission vote and will once again make their case when the project goes before the Phoenix City Council Nov. 13.

Visit www.phoenix.gov/cityclerk/publicmeetings/notices to find information about upcoming public meetings. The staff report for this case can be found at www.phoenix.gov/pdd/planning-zoning/pzservices/pzstaff-reports.

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