Parks board approves accepting abandoned alley at Hilaria Rodriguez Park and plans direct sale

The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board voted to accept an abandoned alley adjacent to Hilaria Rodriguez Park and to pursue a direct sale to the adjoining property owner, deviating from the department's typical disposition procedures.

"The parks and recreation department is seeking approval for the abandoned alley property south of Hilaria Rodriguez Park not to follow board policy 3.9 and that parks moves forward with a direct land sale with Rolling Eagle Investments LLC," Deputy Director Joe Diaz said during the presentation.

Diaz described the park as a pocket park at 2801 East Adams with roughly 0.83 acres of parkland and a playground. He said the alley measures 20 feet by approximately 250 feet and that the portion parks would receive is about 2,500 square feet; staff then asked the board to accept 0.13 acres in the motion. Diaz said staff had worked with neighborhood services, police and the Sky Harbor Neighborhood Association to address safety concerns; the adjoining property owner told staff they would use the strip for storage and to install a block wall for security.

The board discussed whether other buyers had expressed interest; staff said no other parties had approached them and they had been working directly with the owner to the south. Board member Rick Neymar said he supported the sale once the city obtains an appraisal; another member noted the strip's odd shape and limited recreational value.

The motion to accept the abandoned alley acreage and to deviate from Policy 3.9 passed by voice vote. Staff outlined next steps as completing the abandonment with city council action, obtaining an appraisal and returning to council for disposition approval. The board did not discuss a final price; staff said an appraisal would be obtained.