Urban University Interface.com

“In a stunning setback for city council members Steve Kozachik and Karin Uhlich, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild on Tuesday broke a 3-3 tie at the City Council in favor of developers of a Main Gate Area property. Rothschild voted for a surprise deal on building height that gave the developers an extra 40 feet, up to 130 feet.  The off-stage deal was only announced when a developer mentioned it in remarks to the council shortly before the vote, saying the proposed 90-foot limit set for a vote, which appeared almost a sure-thing, would not provide enough financial benefits.
”I vote yes,” the mayor said….”   Read more in WUNA NEWS      The motion becomes law after 30 days unless a yes voter asks for a new vote and since it was not a super majority vote.  The focus of the motion refers to a small corner of the Main Gate Overlay called “The Discussion Area”.  What is a concern to public process is that  mayor and council are using overlays to give away new zoning along the edges of already stressed out core neighborhoods without their backing.  The urban planning of our core neighborhoods is a community process.  Predicating its results on the basis of personal gain not only subverts this process, but encourages errors in judgement and placement of new zoning.  Neighborhood leaders are calling for a core neighborhoods commission to give neighborhoods a proper voice in their planning future.  After this M&C meeting, what we see as public process does not look credible.  How do yo re-build that trust?  Here are some opposite views from two councilmen.   Read Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik’s analysis by viewing  Main Gate Development.pdf   and view Paul Cunningham’s opinion in Ward 2 viewpoint    A point to consider in determining who the motion represents  is that wards 2, 4 and 5 voted yes and wards 1, 3, and 6 voted no.  The yes vote wards do not represent core-neighborhoods and contain slightly over  1/3 of Tucson’s registered neighborhoods.  See for yourself in this map:   Tucson NHA’s.pdf    The wards that carry 2/3’s of Tucson’s 187 registered neighborhoods are within the core area and do not want a breach of public process.  An anomaly to this is that Councilman Fimbres, does represent the balance  of “core neighborhoods” and south-side barrios which are ward 5.  His vote does not.