Scottsdale mayor: No Desert Discovery Center without public vote

Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane weighed in on controversial plans for a Desert Discovery Center during his annual State of the City address Wednesday, saying a public vote should precede any further action once project details are released later this year.

In front of several hundred community leaders inside the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch, Lane called for unity on the issue that has sharply divided residents for years — whether to build a multimillion-dollar attraction inside the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

"Three letters (DDC) have not packed so much volatility since the invention of TNT," Lane said. "But I'm here to tell everyone it'll be OK. We're in the middle of a methodical process that is providing ample time for consideration and recalibration."

The Desert Discovery Center has evolved through multiple concepts over several years, and the Scottsdale City Council last year contracted with a non-profit group to create a concrete plan with construction details, estimated cost and potential funding sources. The project is planned next to the Gateway Trailhead along the east side of Thompson Peak Parkway about a half-mile north of Bell Road.

Scottsdale officials have long said the project can be built only with approval from the City Council, but opponents of the project have repeatedly called for a public vote. Lane has previously said he supports a City Charter amendment that would force a vote on any preserve construction over $5 million but simplified his message on Wednesday.

"At some point, the City Council will be presented with a concept, a plan and a price tag, then we the community can really decide what we want to do," Lane said. "If it is to move any further from that point, I believe a public vote is the appropriate path."

Lane also sought to soothe tensions as opponents and supporters have frequently clashed over the issue over the past year. Scottsdale activist Mark Stuart, a leading opposition voice, was booted from a City Council meeting and arrested earlier this month after city leaders said he was "campaigning" against the DDC during a public comment period.

"The DDC is the perfect subject to remind us all that very few decisions or ideas are universally loved," Lane said. "Scottsdale should be a place where we can recognize the legitimacy, the value and the honesty of different viewpoints."

MORE:  Scottsdale's proposed Desert Discovery Center: 5 big questions

Mayor defends city's growth

Lane also addressed criticism related to Scottsdale's recent growth spurt, which has brought an influx of urban development to the downtown area and Scottsdale Airpark. Development was a major issue during last year's City Council campaign, with mayoral challenger Bob Littlefield critical of the city for allowing thousands of new apartments to be built.

" 'Growth' can be a scary word; it can even be a dirty word to some," Lane said. "But look at what growth has done for us in Scottsdale, we really do grow smarter."

Lane pointed to two office centers in south Scottsdale, the Galleria Corporate Centre and SkySong, as recent examples of successful development. The SkySong property was previously home to the shuttered Los Arcos Mall, and the Galleria emerged from the shell of a failed luxury shopping center in the heart of downtown.

The influx of employees and residents into downtown has prompted traffic and parking complaints, and Lane said the city has boosted trolley service to provide more transit options. The City Council voted last year against including potential light-rail routes in Scottsdale's new Transportation Master Plan.

Scottsdale's age and growth has led to a greater strain on the city's infrastructure, an issue that leaders will have to tackle in the near future, Lane said. City officials recently identified more than $84 million in capital projects, ranging from park improvements to police equipment, many of which are unfunded.

"We have failed the last few times when asking for broad community support on a bond financing program for these important projects," Lane said. "One of our biggest remaining challenges is building that community trust so that we can once again have a well-funded capital program."