Rio Salado Update Fall 2001

The following also is provided in Spanish. Lo siguiente también es provisto en Español .

Rio Salado Standards Set Higher
Rio Salado Construction Update
Educational Fair A Success
Who Works On Rio Salado
Rio Salado Partnership Awards

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Rio Salado Standards Set Higher

In order to have complementary development in the area beyond the boundaries of the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Project, city officials have proposed creating the Rio Salado Interim Overlay District to set new standards for land surrounding the project area. City officials and business owners currently are discussing the proposed standards and are making encouraging progress in their talks.

The next step will be in late November when the City Council will vote on proposed standards. The impacted area is bounded by Maricopa Freeway to the north, 19th Avenue to the west, 32nd Street to the east and 300-feet south of Broadway Road to the south. The area covers approximately 10-square miles.

How would the standards effect development within the overlay district? Development within 500 feet of the Rio Salado habitat restoration project would require new standards. And new billboards, slaughtering of any animals, junk yards, wrecking yards and salvage yards would not be allowed in the district.

The interim overlay efforts grew out of a 25-member citizens advisory committee established to set direction for future development in the area after listening to ideas of residents and businesses. The “Beyond the Banks” committee completed their work in 1999 for the city’s Planning staff to then work with the community to develop a Rio Salado Area Plan. The overall effort was delayed while staff worked with the community on updating the city’s General Plan as required by the new Growing Smarter state law.

After work began on the Rio Salado Interim Overlay District, many individuals expressed concern that the schedule of public hearings was proceeding too quickly. So the schedule was extended to provide enough time for Planning Director David Richert to work with the business owners impacted by the interim overlay.

It is important to remember that the overlay district is an interim measure. The city’s planning staff will now start to work with the community on the Rio Salado Area Plan. The Plan will make recommendations for future land use and development standards that will be presented for City Council approval no earlier than 2003. To be involved in the public planning process or for information on the Rio Salado Area Plan, call Planner Amanda Luecker at (602) 256-5624.

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Who Works On Rio Salado

Walt Kinsler; Rio Salado Project Manager; Engineering and Architectural Services Department

Walt, 43, has been with the project for four years and worked for the Parks, Recreation & Library Department as a landscape architect before joining the project. Walt’s major responsibilities are conducting technical reviews and hiring consultants. Walt likes the fast-paced, multi-faceted details involved in the river restoration project. He has a lot of passion for the project and believes others do, as well. “The project and the people working on it definitely have more passion than I have ever seen.”

Karen Dada; Rio Salado Habitat Manager; Parks, Recreation and Library Department

“We are trying to bring Rio Salado to a more natural state,” Karen said. “There will be many opportunities for recreation and education.” Karen, 30, joined the project two years ago from the city’s Engineering and Architectural Services Department. She will set up the operational program so it is ready when the project opens to the public in 2004. She also will develop environmental education programs, oversee the operations budget and facilitate the Parks, Recreation and Library’s Department’s hiring for the project.

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Rio Salado Partnership Awards

Rio Salado would not happen without partnerships. In the picture below, Mayor Skip Rimsza stands with each of the Maricopa County Supervisors, who received a Phoenix Salado Partnership Award. The Supervisors have approved $18 million of Flood Control District funds to construct the Rio Salado low-flow channel (see related story on page 2). The low-flow project is in its second year of construction and should be completed by July 2002.

(Left to right) Supervisor Andrew Kunasek, Flood Control District chief engineer Michael Ellegood, Supervisor Fulton Brock, Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza, Supervisor Jan Brewer, Supervisor Don Stapley and Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox pose for a photo at a Supervisors meeting earlier this year. Mayor Rimsza attended the meeting to present the partnership awards.

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Visit us on the Internet

The Phoenix Rio Salado Habit Restoration Project may be viewed on the Internet. Check us out and tell others to look us up at: phoenix.gov/riosalado.

Comments, Questions and sugestion, can be forwarded to Karen Williams, the city's Rio Salado Project Coordinator at (602) 262-4717 or 2000W. Washington Street, 12 Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003 or karen.williams@phoenix.gov.

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