Our Successes

Neighborhood focus 

Protected, re-established, and negotiated new trail and path connections and easements in neighborhoods citywide; halted inappropriate development within residential neighborhoods; negotiated reduced density and improved site plans to protect existing communities; restored free admission for Scottsdale’s popular Summer Concert Series at the Railroad Park; worked with transportation staff to reduce speeds, change road designations, and restrict construction trucks along residential roads to protect both pedestrians and drivers; extended public pool hours at Chaparral pool; successfully reduced negative impacts of problem STRs; and protected trees citywide from road expansions to the City-owned TPC golf course. More information HERE.

old town

Raised the design bar and lowered heights for Old Town development projects; negotiated a historic designation for Scottsdale’s original City Hall that will include public access and privately-funded renovation; approved a new downtown park and advancing a second City park along the canal; negotiated public open space and pedestrian paths through private properties, replaced trees throughout downtown and initiated a citywide tree canopy plan; protected millions of tax dollars in development negotiations; negotiated the first project that includes workforce housing; prioritizing investments that will increase lighting, create an ‘emerald necklace’ downtown path system, and invest in streetscapes and alleys.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve 

Reinstated land acquisition and preservation on the City’s strategic plan; protecting crucial wildlife corridor; leader in the Protect Our Preserve City Charter initiative. Work in progress includes establishing a perpetual maintenance fund; invasive weed eradication; trail maintenance; and building a wildlife land bridge on Dynamite.

Protecting Seniors & vulnerable residents

When COVID struck, the City shut down its volunteer program overnight. At the same time, there was a significant spike in seniors needing food assistance without the volunteers that helped with the program. Since that time, I have volunteered at the Granite Reef Senior Center packing and distributing food and continue in that role today.  To beef up much needed funding for the Scottsdale Cares program, I ran a successful matching donation challenge raising thousands to fund social service programs. In the budgeting process, I protected dollars for social services including residents with special needs and I’ve expanded food donations as a board member of Waste Not.

protecting tax dollars

Updated contracts to favor taxpayers; protected tax dollars in development negotiations; removed infill incentive districts as a GP “Future Land Use”; secured grants to replace trees lost in the monsoons and EV charging stations; expanded public benefits when approving development; protected energy efficiency rebates at the State level; requested internal audits of City parks and facilities to ensure maximize public benefit.

citywide victories

Aligned City Hall policies and with community priorities and achieved big wins at the ballot box including a forward-looking General Plan, the Questions 1-3 Bond Package, and a host of updated ordinances and code that strengthen short term rental enforcement, expand parking requirements for development, a unanimously non-discrimination ordinance.  In progress: Old Town Character Area Plan updates, public safety ordinance updates, noise ordinance updates, expanded and improved green building codes to reduce urban heat, and a sustainability plan.

Environmental Wins

Implemented triple bottom line policies that protect health, quality of life, and our pocket books: Re-prioritized lower costs energy options including energy efficiency and solar; awarded a 1MW solar installation contract sized to power the North Corp Yard facility and future electric fleet vehicles; strengthened Preserve, open space, and NAOS language in General Plan; in progress: green waste recycling at the City’s transfer station that will generate revenue, improve air quality with fewer trips to landfill, reduce illegal dumping; reduced food waste and increased food donations as a Waste Not board member; helped establish a real-time water meter rebate that will notify residents, real-time, of water leaks. In progress: tree canopy plan, sustainability plan, and proposals to add parks on private and public land.

Photo credits: April Visiel (below), Mark Koster (Bandit, Scottsdale’s Greenbelt Eagle above)