Scottsdale council unanimously authorizes city attorney to pursue counterclaims in lawsuit, contingent on deadlines

Scottsdale, Ariz. — On Nov. 3 the Scottsdale City Council voted unanimously to authorize the interim city attorney to file counterclaims, cross-claims and third-party claims in the litigation listed on the special-meeting agenda — "Taxpayers Against Awful Apartment Zoning Exemptions et al. v. State of Arizona, City of Scottsdale, et al." — unless stipulated deadlines are extended by the court.

The authorization, moved by Vice Mayor Adam Kwasman and seconded (second not named on the public record), directs city counsel to proceed with “prescribed claims” and requires the item to be agendized for the Nov. 17 regular meeting. Kwasman amended his original language to substitute the word “extended” for “excluded” to clarify the council’s intent.

Why it matters: the item on the special-meeting agenda referenced state legislation and local land-use documents that are central to the case, including references in the public record to Senate Bill 1543, House Bill 2721 and…