By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Phoenix’s Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee has recommended the five-story, 261-unit Davis Kierland luxury apartment development for approval. This marks the third development near the Phoenix-Scottsdale border around Kierland to advance in recent months.
In June 2021, Phoenix City Council approved a rezoning request for Manor Kierland (formerly known as RD Kierland), a 360-unit, 68-feet tall development near Kierland Boulevard and Greenway Parkway. In December, it approved plans for the Scottsdale and Bell Multifamily project, which will provide 255 units in a 141-foot tower. A fourth project, the 370-unit, 70-foot Icon Kierland, is also proposed on Kierland Blvd. The Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee is scheduled to hear that proposal next month.
Officials from the City of Scottsdale have repeatedly voiced their displeasure with these projects, which are appreciably higher and denser than anything Scottsdale has been willing to approve. Scottsdale’s recently approved general plan caps “high density” developments at 25 units/acre. Projects with greater densities than 25 units/acre are termed “highest density” and are not mentioned in the plan, except in the glossary.
According to an article in Scottsdale Progress, Davis Development will be required to notify the Federal Aviation Administration before beginning construction and obtain a declaration of “no hazard,” meaning the cranes used in construction will not pose an obstacle, since the project lies in the flight path for Scottsdale Airport.
Officials from the City of Scottsdale Aviation Department also expressed concerns about noise impacts on the proposed residential development. Phoenix planning staff stipulated the developer will be required to inform prospective residents or subsequent owners about the airport and its characteristics.
Ironically, the zoning and land use representatives for Scottsdale and Bell Multifamily used Scottsdale’s development guidelines for the Scottsdale Airpark region, which called for increased heights and densities moving outward from the center, as one of the arguments that led to the project’s ultimate approval by the City of Phoenix.
Davis Kierland will offer a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Planned amenities include a club room, fitness center, two courtyards, resort-style pool and spa, among others.
