A $65 million, 369-unit apartment complex will be built north of Scottsdale Fashion Square, despite the objection by some nearby residents who fear it will create traffic problems and decrease property values.
With a 5-1 vote, the Scottsdale City Council cleared the way for Dallas-based JLB Partners to develop the nine-building complex on the 9.6-acre parcel near the southwestern corner of Scottsdale and Chaparral roads. Portales Corporate Center is to the east, Optima Camelview Village is to the south, and single-family residences are west and north of the site.
The council approved zoning stipulation modifications, amended development standards and a new development plan for the complex. Councilman Bob Littlefield dissented, while Councilwoman Lisa Borowsky recused herself because the developer is a client of her law firm.
“An empty lot is better than a bad project,” Littlefield said. “Crowding and traffic does not equal vibrancy. It’s not economic development, it’s crowding, crowding, crowding.”
John Berry, a zoning attorney representing JLB, said the developer owns the property and the financing is in place to build the complex. He also said the complex will attract older residents who earn more than $100,000 annually, and who will bring $40 million in spending power to the area.
“It’s not the Arizona State University student … who will be renting these,” he said.
Last Friday, Camelback Park Estates resident Patty Badenock submitted a legal protest seeking a supermajority 6-1 vote of the council for approval of the project. However, JLB was able to get enough residents to rescind their support for the protest and therefore eliminate it before the meeting.
“I had 40 percent of residents within 150 feet, and you only need 20 percent,” Badenock said. “Plus, I had 65 signatures from Optima Camelview Village, and quite a few other signatures beyond the 150 feet within my own neighborhood. I believe when you do a legal protest, it should be irrevocable.”
Berry said the signatures were gathered in January and February, and that since then JLB has been addressing residents’ concerns, and many have since decided to back the project.
“Even if that legal protest had been in place tonight, we would have still won because we got three-quarters of the council tonight,” he said.
The maximum building height of the complex will be 50 feet, while both Portales Corporate Center and Optima Camelview are 65 feet. The buildings along the west side of the property nearest single-family residences will be two stories.
Primary access will be off Goldwater Boulevard and secondary access off Chaparral at 70th Place.
Bhabi Shah, a homeowner west of the site, said the complex is going to attract younger tenants who want to party, and not older, more stable tenants. Chris Layman, who also lives west of the site, said traffic congestion will be a problem, and he’s worried about the long-term impact of having a rental complex in the area.
Wayne Gillis, an Optima Camelview resident, presented a petition signed by 36 residents in support of the complex.
“We embrace urban living,” he said.
Vice Mayor Linda Milhaven, who made the motion for approval, said the project is less than what the existing zoning allowed, so there’s no reason for the council to delay it.
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