Emotions are rising after home owners in certain areas of Tempe received a flyer in the mail from the City of Phoenix,. warning about the potential of a new flight path for airplanes coming and going from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
The potential threat of a steady stream of airplanes flying over residential areas has created a whirlwind of deep concern. The flyer details about the potential of a $2.1 billion Tempe Entertainment District that is set to be located near Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive. The new district would include the new Arizona Coyotes Stadium, as well as shops and apartments and would re-energize the area with many great new business and an influx in economic revenue. However, according to the mailer, as a result planes will be flying over the proposed development nearly every minute. The flyer warns people to take action now.
The Tempe Entertainment District has been working through the process for a while, and Tempe’s mayor says he is beyond frustrated with how Phoenix and Sky Harbor Airport officials are handling this.
Sky Harbor has dug in to the battle and put up a huge fight against the proposed Tempe Entertainment District, arguing that it violates a 1994 agreement between the cities of Tempe and Phoenix that bans all residential developments underneath the Phoenix Sky Harbor International flight path.
According to the flyer, sound insulation will not be enough to make the apartments compatible with airplane noise. The warning is if the agreement is broken, the airport would be able to consider alternative and more efficient flight paths, which could ultimately create more noise for other area residents.
The Mayor Tempe issued a response to the City of Phoenix mailer:
This week, thousands of households in Tempe and across the Valley received a mailer from the City of Phoenix and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport regarding the proposed Tempe Entertainment District development at Priest Drive and Rio Salado Parkway. In the mailer, Phoenix alleges that multifamily housing in the proposed development would violate a 1994 agreement our cities signed. The mailer is significantly inaccurate. People interested in living at the proposed site would be well informed before making decisions – just like the thousands of other Tempe Town Lake-adjacent residents who already have chosen to live in an area with aircraft noise. Moreover, they do so in developments that saw no opposition from the airport when they were proposed and built.
As Mayor of Tempe, I reject this alarmist tactic. Our region is known for collaboration and responsible action. It is unprecedented for a neighboring city to stuff mailboxes with its opinion about an unapproved development project.
As Tempe said more than a year ago when issuing the Request for Proposals on this site, we take seriously our duty to act responsibly and maintain the livability of our community and we did so when issuing this Request for Proposals. While there is not yet a development agreement with the proposer, negotiations are underway and the parties properly will be addressing the issue of aircraft noise in any agreements that result. The time for public decisions is yet to come and, when it arrives, the Tempe City Council will conduct an open and transparent process with the interests of our community front and center.
This is not a game, and Tempe residents should not be used as pawns. No one should try to manipulate our community’s basic feelings of safety and security. As Mayor, I am calling out this outrageous tactic in hopes that it is not repeated – and that all interested parties can consider this important matter calmly and responsibly.
Please review Tempe’s detailed response to the Sky Harbor Aviation Director.
In short, it is Tempe’s opinion that multi-family residential development is permitted within the area proposed for the project subject to certain noise mitigation measures and land use requirements imposed by Tempe City Code.
The City of Phoenix Aviation Department released the following statement regarding the matter:
If Tempe willingly violates the intergovernmental agreement and places thousands of new residential unites right underneath that designated flight path in the high noise area, then Sky Harbor will no longer be able to defend and protect the current flight path.
Plans are underway for Mayor Woods to meet with the City of Phoenix next week to discuss the next steps.
