Council continues rezoning hearing for 50 Sixth Street and Shea Boulevard to March 5

The Phoenix City Council on Feb. 5 continued the public hearing on Z‑119‑24, a rezoning request for the southeast corner of 50 Sixth Street and Shea Boulevard, to March 5, 2025.

Tricia Gomes, deputy director for planning and zoning, told the council the site is 2.59 acres and that staff recommended approval of the rezoning from RE-43 to Commercial Office (CO) per a Feb. 5, 2025 memo from the Planning & Development Department director. The staff report says the site plan shows two medical office buildings with vehicular access proposed along 50 Sixth Street and Shea Boulevard. The planning commission recommended approval by a 6-2 vote and staff’s recommendation included two additional stipulations added in the director’s Feb. 5 memo: adding conceptual building renderings to stipulation 1 and a new stipulation 30 regarding signage.

During the public hearing, several nearby residents spoke both for and against the rezoning. Monica Brooks, who said she owns property eight houses south of the site, asked the council to defer action and cited concerns about the placement of the posted hearing sign and about traffic and an existing school crossing near the site. "It creates a dangerous traffic situation to an already very busy corridor," Brooks said, adding that an ingress/egress point would be close to a stoplight and a children’s school crossing less than 100 feet away.

Several neighbors voiced opposition on similar grounds; Rika Carrotinuto said she has lived on Shea Boulevard since 1989 and said the corridor is already difficult to use. "It's actually impossible... to get out onto the street," she said.

Applicant attorney Jason Morris described the site's history, explained the proposed residential-scaled design and deed restrictions to limit future uses, and said the project's access was designed to limit neighborhood cut-through traffic. "This use is taking neighborhood residents and bringing them to medical or general offices and services in their neighborhood," Morris said. He also noted the design uses the same architect as a previously approved RO project and that the applicant had agreed to residential height, signage limits and additional landscaping standards.

Councilman Waring told the meeting he had received late public contact from residents and asked for more time for neighborhood outreach and individual meetings between council staff, neighbors and the developer. He moved to continue the item to March 5. The motion and second carried and the mayor announced the continuance; the council did not adopt the rezoning at the Feb. 5 hearing.

Votes at a glance: Z-119-24 (50 Sixth Street & Shea Boulevard) — Continued to March 5, 2025.