Following a name change, the opposition group Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy has apparently also undergone a change of heart and dropped its lawsuit against the South Pier at Tempe Town Lake development.
The project is a $1.8B master-planned community with luxury apartments, retail, restaurant and entertainment destinations planned for 12 acres on Vista Del Lago Drive. CASE, now known as “Worker Power,” had filed a lawsuit after the City of Tempe rejected the group’s attempts to place the project on the ballot as a referendum. CASE objected to the lack of on-site affordable housing and the project’s property tax break incentives.
Tempe alleged the group’s petition was improperly formatted and that the matter was administrative, rather than legislative, which exempted it from being referred to voters.
CASE filed a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court, which ruled against Tempe on the legislative versus administrative issue but against CASE on the formatting issue. Both sides appealed to the Arizona Court of Appeals, which ruled CASE’s petition was valid and confirmed the issue’s eligibility for ballot referral.
Tempe appealed that decision to the Arizona Supreme Court earlier this year.
Now, however, CASE has withdrawn its petition without explanation and requested the Arizona Supreme Court drop the case.
An attorney for CASE/Worker Power said the group decided it no longer needed to pursue the case.
South Pier at Tempe Town Lake is expected to take approximately 10 years to reach full build-out. (Source)