| Circle K Park in South Phoenix Changes Names to “Highline Park” | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/parks-and-recreation/2710 | Parks and Recreation | | 3/29/2023 9:00:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2710/Highline-Park.jpg | | Circle K Park in South Phoenix Changes Names to “Highline Park” | <div class="ExternalClass6ACA7FFCB1BC40E288058FFBCAA99086"><html>
<p>During the Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Thursday evening, the board voted to approve a name change for Circle K Park. <br></p>
<p>The new name for the park is “Highline Park" (1346 E South Mountain Rd.) due to its proximity to the Highline Canal in South Phoenix. The name change was approved alongside the approval of the proposed master plan for the park that will include a park renovation and bring amenities such as a new playground area, new lighting, a new sport court, 9-hole Disc Golf Course, WalkPHX path and a new park restroom to the newly-named “Highline Park."</p>
<p>“We are thrilled to announce this name change for our beloved park. The new master plan will provide a wide range of enhancements that will make this park a great place for everyone in our community," said Parks and Recreation Board Chair Kelly Dalton.</p>
<p>Park renovation design and permitting is anticipated to take approximately 12 to 14 months, and park construction is anticipated to take 12 months. The Highline Park renovation process is expected to be complete in summer 2025.</p>
<p>
<strong>Background</strong>
</p>
<p>The land was initially bought in 1972 and was named Escondido Park. In 1984, the park was developed in a partnership between Parks and Recreation and Circle K, resulting in the name change of the park to Circle K Park. </p>
<p>In 1984 the park site was developed through a partnership between the Parks and Recreation Department and the Circle K Corporation. The City of Phoenix contributed $400,000 of City Bond Funds, and Circle K provided a donation of $300,000 towards the project. During the community process and development of the park, the community supported a name change of the park to Circle K Park.</p>
<p>Since 1984, the park site has seen many improvements to amenities. The playground has been replaced, the parking lots have been renovated and new ramadas have been installed. Many infrastructure items in the park need improvements or replacement, including items such as the area lighting, sports courts and park restroom. </p>
<p>Because of the needs identified, $2.48 million in Phoenix Parks and Preserve Initiative Funding was allocated for Fiscal Years 2022-24. Staff also worked with the community to develop a new master plan for the park due to the age of the original master plan.<br></p>
</html></div> | https://www.phoenix.gov/parks | News |
| City of Phoenix Aviation Department Files Legal Action Against Tempe: Planned Tempe Residential Developments Fail to Protect Sky Harbor and the Community | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/aviation/2709 | Aviation | | 3/29/2023 12:00:00 AM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2709/Airport Landscape Day.jpg | | City of Phoenix Aviation Department Files Legal Action Against Tempe: Planned Tempe Residential Developments Fail to Protect Sky Harbor and the Community | <div class="ExternalClassE8399AE506B64E82A571CD89B8B39767"><html>
<p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="background-color:window;color:windowtext;font-size:14.6667px;">A</span><span style="background-color:window;color:windowtext;font-size:14.6667px;">fter more than a year of attempts to resolve a d</span><span style="background-color:window;color:windowtext;font-size:14.6667px;">ispute with the City of Tempe over planned residential developments in a high-noise corridor directly under Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's flight path, the Phoenix Aviation Department has filed a </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.skyharbor.com/media/b3el55ws/verified-complaint-as-filed_web.pdf" style="background-color:window;"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;">formal complaint</span></a><span style="background-color:window;color:windowtext;font-size:14.6667px;"> in Maricopa County Superior Court. The City of Phoenix, which owns and operates Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, is suing Tempe for breach of contract, asking the court to rescind Tempe's recent zoning and land use changes and prohibit future residential uses in an area that the Federal Aviation Administration says is incompatible with residential development.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:14.6667px;">“The Phoenix Aviation Department does<strong style=""> not </strong>object to a sports arena, restaurants, shops, and other compatible uses related to the proposed Tempe Entertainment District," said Phoenix Director of Aviation Services, Chad Makovsky. “Today's action is about ensuring Tempe lives up to its commitments to protecting our state's largest economic engine – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the more than 57,000 employees and 44 million annual travelers who depend on the Airport, and the communities surrounding the Airport who depend on the long-standing agreement between our two cities."<br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:14.6667px;">At issue is a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.skyharbor.com/about-phx/noise-and-flight-paths/tempe-entertainment-district">1.2 square mile area of land</a> adjacent to the airport in the City of Tempe which is exposed to noise levels exceeding 65-decibel day/night level (65 DNL). The Federal Aviation Administration recently re-affirmed the boundaries of this high noise area and confirmed that it is not compatible with housing. The cities of Phoenix and Tempe formally agreed back in 1994 that Phoenix would actively defend a modified flight path that follows the Salt River bottom in order to keep departing planes away from homes, while Tempe promised not to permit the development of homes under that modified flight path in the 65 DNL.<br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:14.6667px;">Phoenix has tried numerous times over the past year to resolve disagreements with Tempe and attempt to find a path forward, avoiding litigation. Phoenix knows from experience that quality of life is diminished when residents are exposed to excessive aircraft noise. Impacted residents in these areas are expected to respond by taking actions such as filing noise complaints, lawsuits, and other initiatives to reduce or halt airport capacity and development in an attempt to obtain relief.<br></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;">“After more than a year of meetings and negotiations, we are disappointed that these efforts did not resolve the dispute." said Makovsky. “As neighboring cities that mutually benefit from Sky Harbor, which drives our region's tourism, travel, and trade economies, we felt we were very close to a reasonable resolution. We are now left with no other option than to put this in the hands of a judge to confirm the obligations Tempe agreed to in 1994. Of course, Phoenix remains open, even during this litigation, to a solution that honors the integrity of the 1994 agreement between our two cities and continues to protect the Airport and the residents who live near it."</span><br></span></p>
</html></div> | https://www.phoenix.gov/aviation | News |
| Critical Incident Briefing: March 14, 2023 – 67th Avenue and Mariposa Street | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/police/2708 | Police | | 3/28/2023 7:00:00 AM | | https://youtu.be/Y_ZDYlr8Htk | Critical Incident Briefing: March 14, 2023 – 67th Avenue and Mariposa Street | <div class="ExternalClass252BB6D79D7E4220823C0C08C0285AC2"><html>
<strong style="font-size:12pt;">WARNING: The attached video may contain strong language as well as graphic images which may be disturbing to some people. Viewer discretion is advised.</strong>
<br aria-hidden="true"><br aria-hidden="true">This incident occurred in the area of 67th Avenue and Camelback Road when Phoenix police officers were dispatched to a family fight at a nearby home. Multiple calls were made from the home requesting police. During the last call, the caller stated that her brother was armed with both a gun and knife and was threatening to hurt others at the house.<br><br>Just after officers arrived, they heard several gunshots nearby. It was learned the gunshots were from a shooting near a convenience store. The employees of this business called 911 to report the incident.<br><br>Officers converged on the convenience store and learned that a man matching the description from the family fight was the person who shot a man at the business. Employees indicated the man ran in the direction of 67th Avenue and Mariposa Street. With the assistance of the Phoenix police helicopter, a man matching the description of both incidents was seen on Mariposa Street.<br><br>The man had a handgun and was repeatedly pointing the gun to his head. Officers gave commands to the man to drop the gun. The man made a motion with the gun in the officers’ direction. That is when two officers discharged their weapons. The man then walked out of sight. Officers caught up with the man and with the assistance of a less lethal Taser deployment, the man was arrested.<br><br>The man was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. He was not injured due to the officer involved shooting. Once he was released from medical care, he was booked into jail on multiple charges stemming from the original family fight, the shooting at the convenience store and the officer involved shooting.<br><br>The man who was shot during the incident at the convenience store was treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.<br><br>The knife described by the caller regarding the family fight was located outside of the home where the original call was placed.<br><br>The firearm and magazine that the man had was recovered near the scene of the officer involved shooting.<br><br>Both officers involved in this incident are assigned to the Maryvale Estrella Mountain Precinct. One officer has 6 years of service with the department while the other has approximately three-and-a-half years of service.<br><br>Conclusions about whether the actions of the officers are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all facts are known and the investigation is complete. An internal investigation by the Professional Standard Bureau is currently underway, in addition to a criminal investigation. Once the criminal investigation is complete it will then be reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.<br aria-hidden="true"><br aria-hidden="true">Public records law required redaction of certain personal identifying information before video is released publicly. That is why you may see some parts of Body Worn Camera (BWC) blurred or covered with a black box. Redacted video is released to local media in conjunction with the release of this Critical Incident Briefing for independent review and publication. Complete, unedited versions of the BWC are released to attorneys and the courts as evidence in a criminal case.<br></html></div> | https://phoenix.gov/police | Video |
