Council agrees to schedule public hearing on Old Town parking garage after petition drive
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Summary
Following petitions and public comments opposing a garage at the parking corral near the Adobe Mission, Scottsdale City Council voted to agendize a citizen petition and schedule a public hearing to reconsider the garage location.
Scottsdale City Council voted Tuesday to agendize a citizen petition and set a future public hearing to consider relocation or further review of the planned Old Town parking garage that has drawn strong public opposition.
Mayor Lisa Borowski introduced a citizens’ petition concerning the proposed garage at the parking corral (near the Old Adobe Mission). After discussion, including testimony that prior council decisions approving the garage predated several current council members and that outreach to business owners was reportedly not performed before the prior approval, Council moved to place the petition on a future agenda for a public hearing.
Councilmembers described broad community opposition and the need for additional transparency. Vice Mayor Jan De Boskus and Councilman Barry Graham both urged patience and cited prior requests for studies and outreach; Councilman Adam Quasman, who previously voted to approve the garage, seconded the motion to agendize and spoke in favor of a parking study and greater public engagement.
The motion to schedule a hearing won unanimous support. Councilmembers said they wanted to hear residents, property owners and business owners on the record before any irreversible construction began. Mayor Borowski noted the city had not performed outreach to affected business owners prior to the prior vote and that a hearing could provide those voices an opportunity to be heard.
Separately at the meeting, petitioners and several residents addressed the council during public comment, urging a public hearing and citing a petition with more than 5,000 signatures asking the council to reconsider the garage location. Citizens also requested an independent parking study for the Southeast and Southwest quadrants of Old Town before committing to a multi‑million dollar garage.
Council directed city staff to agendize the petition for future consideration; the council did not adopt any new construction decisions at this meeting and said any future actions would be scheduled for a public hearing with opportunity for public record testimony.
