Queen Creek staff outline temporary events, parking plan for town-owned downtown parcel

Jennifer Lindley, the town’s downtown development manager, told the Town Council on Feb. 18 that staff is preparing to activate a town‑owned parcel just north of Town Hall for temporary public uses and special events.

Lindley said the land is currently striped to provide roughly 400 public parking spaces and that staff has discussed hosting displaced events and a range of short‑term uses including the Queen Creek Festival, a Saturday market, Vintage and Vino, a drive‑in movie and car shows. “Space activation refers to the practice of intentionally utilizing an underused or empty space to create a new engaging experience for the community,” Lindley said.

The proposal would charge event promoters $75 an hour to use the land and require promoters to obtain the town’s special event permit and provide their own portable restrooms and any additional event infrastructure. Lindley said the town will use a land license agreement that includes blackout dates and town‑use priorities and that the effort aligns with recommendations in the recently updated town center plan to evaluate and attract events to the downtown core.

Council members asked about fees and operational costs. Lindley confirmed the hourly fee is higher than the $45 an hour charged at the community library site and said an average special event might last about four hours. Security, road closures and other event requirements are determined through the special event permit process and, depending on the event’s size, are typically paid by the promoter, Lindley said.

Council member Brown urged caution, stating, “I would be extremely cautious in any sort of activation of this space.” Brown expressed concern that temporary uses can create public expectations that the town must continue to provide the space and that staff or taxpayers could incur hidden costs. Brown asked staff to track direct town costs associated with events; staff agreed to monitor and report those expenses.

Other council members supported activation as a way to draw people to the area and boost interest in development on the parcel. Council member Benning said activating the site would “make the land more valuable and drive up interest,” and others noted nearby businesses have reported increased visits when events occur.

The presentation was for discussion only; council did not take a formal vote on the activation plan at the meeting. Staff said it will continue outreach to event promoters and local businesses and will return with more detail as plans and agreements are developed.