HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/11/2025 Study Session Summary Minutes ,o6.,
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MARANA AZ
ESTABLISHED 1977
MARANA TOWN COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, Arizona 85653
Second Floor Conference Center, February 11, 2025, at or after 6:00 PM
Jon Post, Mayor
Roxanne Ziegler,Vice Mayor
Patrick Cavanaugh, Council Member
Patti Comerford, Council Member
Herb Kai, Council Member
John Officer, Council Member
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Post called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and directed the Deputy Town Clerk
to call the roll. All Council Members were present, constituting a quorum.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE: Led by Mayor
Post.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Council Member Cavanaugh moved to approve the agenda as presented. Council Member
Kai seconded the motion. Motion passed, 5-0.
DISCUSSION/DIRECTION/POSSIBLE ACTION
D1 Related to Housing and Development; presentation, discussion, and direction regarding
findings of recently completed housing needs assessment and possible future revisions to Marana
Town Code Title 17(Land Development)for the purpose of updating the town's regulations related
to housing and design (Matt Taylor)
Council Study Session Meeting
February 11,2025
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Planning Manager Matthew Taylor presented on this item. A copy of the presentation
slides is on file with the Town Clerk's Office. He explained the current housing and
growth trends in the State of Arizona,recent legislative requirements, the findings of the
Marana Housing Needs Assessment, and proposed suggested Marana Town Code
updates along with associated objectives and strategies.
The Marana Housing Needs Assessment found, among other things, that the Town has
sufficient land zoned for future single-family and multi-family housing needs, housing
production at its current trajectory is more than adequate to meet future demands, and
the greatest future housing demands exist within the lower (less than 60% Annual
Median Income, or AMI) and upper (more than 120% AMI) income levels. Suggested
Code changes involved revising Chapter 17-7 (Residential Design Standards), Chapter
17-8 (Multi-Family, Commercial, and Industrial Design Standards), and Chapter 17-11
(Environmental Resource Preservation, Native Plant Protection, and Landscape
Requirements).
For more information regarding the presentation, including graphs and image
comparisons of design standard in the Phoenix metro area and Marana, please see the
presentation slides. Clarifying questions were asked and answered throughout the
presentation.
Discussion ensued regarding the need for lower and higher income housing options in
Marana.
While reviewing the slides with the Council, Mr. Taylor explained that the AMI of
$89,000, which was used in the study, was the AMI for The City of Tucson and that it
does not accurately reflect the AMI for Marana. As a result, he said the data is not truly
accurate for The Town of Marana. This is because the Federal Government only
calculates and reports AMIs for major metropolitan areas. He said that because of this, it
will be difficult for Marana to achieve the affordability the Federal Government would
like it to.
Mayor Post commented that Marana has the number of houses needed to fulfill growth
and asked if other parts of Tucson were able to meet growth needs. Mr.Tayor explained
that the County, including Marana, are not reaching the needs for people with lower
incomes who are in need of affordable housing.He said that conversely,and surprisingly,
Marana is also not meeting the needs of people at the higher end of the AMI spectrum.
Discussion ensued regarding the issue of affordable housing and who is responsible for
the lack of affordable housing. Mayor Post pointed out that it is not the municipalities
that are at fault for high housing prices, but the higher prices are due to the cost of
building supplies, labor etc.
Council Study Session Meeting
February 11,2025
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Mr. Taylor suggested that there are a few ways to lower costs, including by building
smaller homes, providing different types of housing, providing incentives, etc. He
indicated that there would be more discussion about these issues during the upcoming
Council Retreat.
Vice Mayor Ziegler said that the Town should not provide incentives but should impose
building requirements. Mr. Taylor agreed and said Town Code revisions were being
considered.
Regarding the recently passed legislation, Vice Mayor Ziegler asked if there was
anything that the Town was required to do beyond the housing needs assessment study.
Deputy Town Manager Erik Montague said there are no other specific requirements at
this time. He also said that now that the Town has an idea of what its housing needs are,
it can look at options to improve housing availability. He indicated that more discussion
will take place during the Council Retreat.
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
Mayor Post asked for a motion to go into executive session on Item E2 below.
Vice Mayor Zigler so moved. Council Member Cavanaugh seconded the motion. Motion
passed, 5-0.
[An executive session on Item E2 below was held beginning at 6:48 PM and concluding at 7:24
PM.]
Once back in open session, Mayor Post asked for a motion to proceed as directed in
executive session.
Mayor Post so moved. Vice Mayor Ziegler seconded the motion. Motion passed, 5-0.
E1 Executive Session pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03 (A), Council may ask for discussion or
consideration, or consultation with designated Town representatives, or consultation for legal
advice with the Town Attorney, concerning any matter listed on this agenda for any of the reasons
listed in A.R.S. §38-431.03 (A).
E2 Executive session pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(4) & (7) for discussion or
consultation with the Town's attorneys in order to consider the Town's position and instruct its
attorneys regarding the Town's position regarding ongoing negotiations and options related to the
Master Development Lease Agreement between the Town and Pima Aviation for the lease of real
property located at the Marana Regional Airport.
Council Study Session Meeting
February 11,2025
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FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Notwithstanding the Mayor's discretion regarding the items to be placed on the agenda, if three or
more Council members request that an item be placed on the agenda, it must be placed on the
agenda for the second regular Town Council meeting after the date of the request, pursuant to
Marana Town Code Section 2-4-2(B).
Mayor Post asked for future agenda items. There were no requests for future agenda
items.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Post asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Council Member Kai moved to adjourn the meeting. Council Member Cavanaugh
seconded the motion. Motion passed. 5-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:24 PM.
CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the Town Council
Study Session meeting held on February 11, 2025. I further certify that a quorum was
present.
E1* u d/4-9 )1/1 S
Debbie Thompson, Deputy Town Clerk
MARANA AZ
ESTABLISHED 1977
Council Study Session Meeting
February 11,2025
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