Residents opposed to the City of Mesa’s plan to buy the 72-room Grand Hotel on Main Street and Power Road and convert it to a shelter for seniors, families and domestic violence victims as part of the Off the Streets program are pressing to require a supermajority vote of the City Council if the project is to proceed.
A Council Use Permit is required for the project to go forward. Under the Mesa city code, if 20% or more of the total property owners within 150 feet of the site sign a written protest against a proposed rezoning, a supermajority approval by three-fourths of the members is required to pass the request.
With Council having seven members, a 5-2 affirmative vote would be necessary. Council voted 4-3 in May to enter into a $7.4M purchase agreement with hotel owner Sunstay Bridge LLC. The purchase is contingent upon securing the use permit.
Opponents only need approximately 10 signatures to enact the supermajority clause, since there are few properties around the site. Opposition leaders say they have the signatures in hand.
The proposal has encountered resistance since it was first announced. Residents have objected to having a temporary housing facility in their neighborhood, expressed worries about crime and claimed the facility would negatively impact home values in an already struggling area.
Community Bridges Inc., the group that operates Off the Streets, has pledged the Grand Hotel location will be staffed 24/7. The City has promised a 24-hour police presence. Supporters have also pointed out the specialized types of people who would receive services are generally low-risk for crime or other issues, which is a revision to the original proposal and was specifically designed to quell neighbor concerns.
Opposition leaders say the changes are insufficient and they remain steadfast in their efforts to derail the plan.
Council is expected to vote on the use permit in October. (Source)
