SURPRISEAZ.GOV/PROGRESSMAG • WINTER 20222 surpriseaz.gov | Winter 2022 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers, Surprise City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza When: First and third Tuesday of the month•6 p.m. Work Sessions•4 p.m. Call: 623.222.1200•surpriseaz.gov/citycalendar PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers When: First and third Thursday of the month•6 p.m. Call: 623.222.3154•surpriseaz.gov/pz-commission P&Z COMMISSION MEMBERS VETERANS, DISABILITY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers When: Second Wednesday of the month•6 p.m. Meeting playbacks are available with Closed Captioning surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv Call: 623.222.3243 •TTY: 623.222.1002 PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION 623.222.2240 ARTS & CULTURAL ADVISORY COMMISSION 623.222.3243 Surprise Progress is published by the City of Surprise Marketing & Communications Department. Read it online at surpriseaz.gov/progressmag. Comments? Call 623.222.1422 or email us at communications@surpriseaz.gov. DEPUTY CITY MANAGER | MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Diane Arthur Virginia Mungovan Nichole Wiley Lorena Cano Muriel M. Sawicki PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | PHOTOGRAPHERS MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER WINTER 2022 | Volume 22 | No. 1 DISTRICT 1 Roland F. Winters Jr. DISTRICT 2 Aly Cline VICE MAYOR, DISTRICT 3 Patrick Duffy DISTRICT 4 Ken Remley DISTRICT 5 Jack Hastings DISTRICT 6 Chris Judd MAYOR Skip Hall CITY MANAGER Bob Wingenroth - 623.222.1100 Matthew Keating Ken Chapman Mitchell Rosenbaum Dennis Bash CITY COUNCIL - 623.222.1300 Dennis W. Smith Jared Holland Kevin Sartor LIVE TELEVISED MEETINGS YOU CAN WATCH ON surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv/cityofsurprise Check out the beauty and bustle of the Surprise Recreation Campus through a new live stream web camera located on top of the Surprise City Hall parking garage. surpriseaz.gov/CityCam Surprise City Center’s gone LIVE! Printed on paper with a portion of post-consumer waste. PRINTED WITH SOY INKS 7:27:41 a.m. 12:17:02 p.m. 5:32:20 p.m. Winter 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 3 UPCOMING CLASSES Xeriscape Garden takes root Planning & Preparing for Drought Work to build a Xeriscape Demonstration Garden on the Surprise City Hall campus is well underway, and it is expected to open at the end of January! WATER CONSERVATION TIPS & CLASSES The average City of Surprise residential water customer uses over 100,000 gallons per year in their household. That means the most effective water conservation tool we have is you! F u n F a c t T he garden will be a multifunc- tional space showcasing the beauty of arid landscapes, while promoting responsible and sustainable use of water. It will pro- vide the opportunity for our Water Resource Management Department to demonstrate appropriate land- scape maintenance and watering practices to residents, HOAs, com- mercial water users and other groups through both tours and self-guided materials. It will also function as a beautiful space to host events and classes with a built-in amphitheater! This project was made possible thanks to funding support from Ari- zona Department of Water Resourc- es, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and United States Forest Service. Watering by the Numbers Irrigation Maintenance & Repair Desert Landscape Design Tree Maintenance Desert Wildflowers Spring Training: Water Edition Feb 26 Mar 19 Mar 4 Mar 25 Mar 5 Mar 15-18 Master Gardener Class Youth Program The Western United States has been experiencing a drought for more than 20 years; it’s a normal occurrence in Arizona. However, the status of Colorado River supplies changed in January when the river was elevated to Tier One Drought Status – mean- ing less river water supplies for agricultural use. City supplies will not experience a reduction under Tier One. However, we want to be prepared and respon- sible. Our City Council-approved Drought Preparedness and Resiliency Plan outlines short- and long-term strate- gies for managing and sustaining our water portfolio. The plan has transitioned from stage 0 to stage 1 in conjunction with the Colo- rado River declaration. There are no water restrictions in this stage of the plan, but residents can expect to see increased water con- servation education. Plus, the City will be conducting water audits on our own use to ensure we’re being as water wise as possible. It takes all of us to make a dif- ference! Learn more at surpriseaz.gov/droughtmgmt STAGE 1 To enroll in workshops and learn more ways you can help protect this valuable resource, visit surpriseaz.gov/waterconservation4 surpriseaz.gov | Winter 2022 D 2 D D D 1 The New Year will bring a two- phased improvement project to Asante Park. Phase 1 (January thru February) will correct flooding and water pooling with a new drainage system, redirecting water around the ballfields. Nearly 800 tons of new infield mix will be installed and laser graded to slope the fields from home plate to the outfield. New dugouts with shade will also be installed. Phase 1 will require a closure of the east and west ballfields. Summer 2022 will bring the second phase of this project – additional site improvements to two multi- purpose fields south of the baseball fields. WINTERS JR.Cline ROLAND F.Aly http://d1.surpriseaz.gov D 4 REMLEYHASTINGS KENJACK As we begin a new year, it’s important to reflect back on the good work we’ve done. The Surprise Re- source Center served over 1,800 households from July 2020 through June 2021. The Center and Community Action Program provide veteran support, employment services, rental utility assistance and more. In addition, the Surprise Senior Center welcomed back over 50% of its members since COVID-19 closed its doors. Onsite, we provide over 500 hot meals and 1,000 frozen meals each month in collaboration with Area Agency on Aging and United Way. Stay tuned for expanded hours and added events in the New Year! The City’s been busy this past year finishing out the G.O. Bond projects you voted for! In December, we celebrated two fire stations built in 2021; and the Public Safety Evidence, Readiness and Training Facility is now com- plete. Turn to page 9 for details on how these projects serve the community. Another way we serve residents is by providing parks, and we recently received federal funding to help with that. Countryside Park, at Green- way Rd. and Parkview Pl., is in the later stage of design. Once built, it will bring expanded youth sports programming and open space. Page 8 has details. D 5 the council district update SCAN ME SCAN ME SCAN ME SCAN ME http://d5.surpriseaz.gov http://d2.surpriseaz.gov http://d4.surpriseaz.gov The New Year is a great time for resolutions, so let’s commit to safer driving, Surprise. My district residents have shared concerns about speeding and road-sharing. A few tips: most residen- tial areas have a 25 mph speed limit; drivers should yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk; golf carts operate as vehicles with the same rules; bicyclists should also follow the rules of the road and use hand signals when turning; pedestrians should keep their eyes/ears open and not step off the curb suddenly into the path of a vehicle. If we all do our part, we’ll cre- ate a safer Surprise! Winter 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 5 D 3 D 6 DUFFY judd PATRICK chris 2021 closed with big news for District 3 and the city! A 700,000-square-foot outdoor retail power center, called “Village at Prasada,” is coming to Loop 303 and Waddell Rd. It will fea- ture many retail, restaurant and en- tertainment options that we haven’t seen in Surprise until now! It’s a tes- tament to the growth of the city, which is now home to nearly 150,000 residents. Businesses are meeting people where they are and as we grow and expand our footprint we can look for- ward to even more opportu- nities in the future! Turn to page 6 for details on what’s coming in and when. While we had record-breaking high temperatures in December, we are shifting into cooler winter months, providing us with a lot of outdoor activities in Surprise and surround- ing areas. We can enjoy golf and tennis, fishing in Surprise Com- munity Park Lake, Spring Training and Sunday in the Park events! Our crown jewel to the west - the White Tank Mountains - offers hiking, biking and horseback rid- ing opportunities amid beautiful Sonoran Desert scenery. Did you know you can now see the White Tanks any time of day from our Surprise City Cam? Details on page 2. Head to page 18 for more events and activities. t update vice mayor SCAN ME SCAN ME http://d6.surpriseaz.gov http://d3.surpriseaz.gov H appy New Year! I hope your 2022 is starting off with much joy and happiness! I for sure am pleased with the ongoing success of our city’s economic develop- ment growth! New restaurants, shops and jobs are all good signs of a healthy and sustainable local economy. We all know why we chose to live here - it’s safe, it’s clean and we are some of the friendliest people who take care of one another. That of course makes us an attractive market for economic development, but there’s a whole lot more than that when businesses consider whether to locate in Surprise. Here are some facts that make us an attractive place for business: Follow the money: Median household income in Surprise is currently $69,076, much higher than Phoenix at $57,459 – and even higher than the metro at $63,883. We’re growing: Our population in- creased nearly 25% since 2010, with nearly 150,000 people now living in Sur- prise. Over 43% of Maricopa County’s population growth over the next 25 years will be in the West Valley. Skilled workforce equals opportunity: 28% of manufacturing workers in Mari- copa County live in the West Valley, however, only 16% of those jobs are located here. We are actively working to attract more of these employers to choose Surprise! Build it and others follow: Surprise has witnessed 3.1 million square feet of new commercial construction in the last five years. And there is more than 4 mil- lion additional square feet currently in the retail, industrial or commercial pipeline – for comparison, the square footage equivalent of roughly 100 grocery stores! For the latest eco- nomic develop- ment wins and what’s com- ing next to Surprise, see the Economic Development story on page 6 of this magazine. surpriseaz.gov/ Mayor Contact your City Council: 623.222.1300 skip HALL mayor SCAN ME Scan the code with your smart phone and type your address. surpriseaz.gov/mysurpriseaddress not sure what district you live in? find out. D 2 D5 D 4 D6 D 1 D3 NEW TO SURPRISE?6 surpriseaz.gov | Winter 2022 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The City is thrilled that a 700,000-square-foot outdoor power center has been announced next to Costco off Loop 303 and Waddell Rd. The project developer, SimonCRE, is bringing in a hybrid health care facility, stores and dining like TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Marshalls, Five Below, Ulta, PetSmart, Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade, Arby’s, Jersey Mike’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, O.H.S.O Brewery, Barrio Queen, Black Rock Coffee and a 61,000-square-foot entertainment concept with bowling and movies called FatCats. You can also expect to see a multifamily housing project with more than 500 units. At full buildout the development will cost about $500 million. The project is part of Prasada, a 3,355- acre master-planned community. It offers residential, employment, hospitality and retail options to our fast-growing city, which has increased in population by 72 percent since 2004. Prasada is being developed in partnership with RED Development, Macerich Development, WDP Partners and Suburban Land Reserve Inc. The first phase is expected to be completed by fall of 2022. WITH A Coming into 2022 Winter 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 7 sports tourism: another economic driver! Puerto Rican Pete’s Farmer Boys Habit Burger CBD Coffee Brewed Differently AAA Auto Christian Brothers Automotive Floor and Décor Pet Supplies Plus NOWOPEN Over Easy, 14345 W. Bell Rd. 360 Physical Therapy, 11340 W. Bell Rd. Ally Pediatric Therapy, 13700 N. Dysart Rd. Athletico Physical Therapy, 14071 W. Bell Rd. Just Be Youtiful Women’s Boutique, 15332 W. Bell Rd. Kona Reef Tropical Fish Store, 12301 W. Bell Rd. Pure Patio, 13710 W. Bell Rd. A to Z Polish Market, 17221 N. Litchfield Rd. Chipotle (Open now!) Dutch Bros. Jersey Mike’s Kentucky Fried Chicken Dunkin Donuts EOS Fitness Marley Park Surprise Crossing Ace Hardware Quik Trip (SW corner of Loop 303 & Bell Rd.) Just Be Youtiful Women’s Boutique 15332 W. Bell Rd. COMINGSOON OPENINGSECONDLOCATIONS KEEP AN EYE OUT! Commercial developers have closed on 81-acres on the northeast corner of Cactus Rd. and Loop 303 to build 1.1 million square feet in Class A industrial buildings, with a complementary retail component along the Cactus Rd. frontage. This will bring hundreds of jobs to Surprise! Retail stores and restaurants provide sales tax revenue to the city, and hosting sports tournaments brings more patrons to those places – and to our hotels! Check out these facts and figures on the impact of sports tourism in Surprise. On average, sports tourism events attract over 300,000 visitors to Surprise annually. Over $1.6M was brought in just through Hotel/Motel and Transient Lodging Taxes in Fiscal Year 2021. Baseball tournaments have increased Sports & Tourism Department received two awards in 2021 from Sports Destination Management for events that created an estimated $6.3M in economic impact for the community. since 2018. 90% of spending happens outside the venue.* Revenues generated through local sales tax dollars can be used for police, fire, parks, etc. *Source: Tourism Economics 300 K V i s i t o r s n n u a l l y 1.6 M F Y 2 0 2 1 90% O u t s i d e h e v e n u e 762% Partnerships with the Rangers, Royals, USTA, NCAA, Oregon State, Perfect Game, USA Baseball, OUAZ and more attract visitors from all over the nation and gain national media attention, promoting Surprise as a premier Sports Tourism destination! In 2018, we brought in 11,000 baseball visitors, compared to 97,000 in total attendance in 2021.8 surpriseaz.gov | Winter 2022 T hat means we’re already halfway through Fiscal Year 2022, and the process for building 2023’s budget is underway! While there is some behind the scenes work going on right now with departments identifying their needs for next year, the Finance Department will present the City Manager’s Recommended Budget to City Council in a series of public discussions – and we invite you to follow along! Look for the budget items on City Council agendas beginning in February 2022. Then, watch those meetings live in City Council Chambers, on the SurpriseCityGov Facebook page or on Surprise TV! You can also watch the presentations the next day on the City’s website at surpriseaz.gov/budget. Follow the Budget Building Process! Did you know the City’s budget runs on a Fiscal Year, not a calendar year? We start a new budget on July 1 each year and close it out on June 30. Council will adopt a final budget in June that will determine the priorities for the coming year...so stay tuned! THE CITY WAS GRANTED $15.5 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) FUNDS AS PART OF A FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE. CITY COUNCIL APPROVED $9.2 MILLION FOR SPECIFIC USES AT THEIR DEC. 7 MEETING, LEAVING $6.3 MILLION UNALLOCATED AT THIS TIME. Here’s what Council voted to fund so far: •Financial Assistance Program - $600,000 This includes support for residents and non-profits to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. •Utility & Rental Assistance - $500,000 Includes resident assistance and program staffing support. •Workforce Development - $50,000 Investment in resident education and industry certification scholarships. •Non-profit Support - $50,000 City Receives American Rescue Plan Act Funding COMMUNITY HEALTH INITIATIVES (PARKS) - $8.6 MILLION •Countryside Park Development This new park at Greenway Rd. and Parkview Pl. will include eight multi-purpose fields, restrooms, parking and access to non-potable water for landscaping. •Surprise Community Park Improvements Specific improvements are under consideration, pending construction costs; however, the highest priorities are a paved parking lot on the north side and additional restrooms. All ARPA funds must be committed by Dec. 31, 2024 and expended by Dec. 31, 2026. The pandemic elevated the importance of public open space, such as parks. The City had two park projects in queue last year, but due to rising construction costs, the project budgets were insufficient to move forward. ARPA funds are closing the gap. Winter 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 9 Fire Station 304, located in the city’s northern area on 163rd Ave. near Happy Valley Rd., was fully completed in January 2021. It replaced a temporary, modular fire station to better serve a high growth area of Surprise that includes the City’s planning area. Fire Station 308, on Cactus Rd. east of Litchfield Rd., went operational in September 2021 and is the first station located in our growing District 6 area. It houses a Hazardous Materials Response Team – an important component due to the station’s proximity to the city’s industrial district. At the time of print, construction was wrapping up on this bond construction project, with expected move-in by the end of January. Initially planned as two separate public safety projects, the Police Training Facility was moved from its original proposed location to the same site that was chosen for the Public Safety Evidence and Readiness Center at 134th and Foxfire drives, due to efficiencies. The site is now named the Public Safety Evidence, Readiness and Training Facility. With the completion of this project, all construction projects funded by the 2017 General Obligation (G.O.) Bond have been completed! BOND ALL projects were constructed through the voter-approved 2017 G.O. Bond Election. Surprise voters for investing in YOUR city! Public Safety Evidence, Readiness and Training Facility GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND PROJECT UPDATE On December 14, the City officially celebrated the opening of Fire Stations 304 & 308 with a ribbon cutting ceremony! G.O.Next >