MAYOR’S REPORT: January 2024

As another year ends, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and well wishes and Happy Holidays to our Council, our City Staff, and to all our Residents. 

2023 has been filled with remarkable achievements and milestones in our city. These would have not been possible without the dedicated work of our staff that continues to support the council’s vision and goals. Together we have worked at providing recreational opportunities, upgrade our infrastructure, provide housing opportunities, and continue our economic development plans for a strong and sustainable city for the future. 

We have continued our vision of our strategic action plan and expanded it with the additional allocations of state and federal funding to continue to build our foundation. As I reflect back on this year’s accomplishments, I am truly honored to be part of this journey to help elevate Globe to another level and make it a destination that people want to come and visit and possibly live. 

As we look forward to 2024, we will be launching many more projects with the assistance of federal and state funding. Although we have been working at the implementation of our plans for the past six years, there is still more work to be completed. Thank you to our city residents for your continued support and patience as we continue to work on our plan. 

MARIGOLD PROJECT: At the December 6 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, board members heard a request to increase the allowed building height from thirty-six feet to 86.5 feet from natural grade, with uninhabitable roof projections up to 115 feet. This request is for portions of the Marigold Project preliminary site plan located on Highway 60 north at the former Apache Drive-in location, by the developer Monte Dei Globe Operations, LLC. The applicant has requested the design and site plan review approval be accomplished in two separate phases – first phase is for exception to the maximum allowed height and second phase will be for the overall site design. 

The preliminary master plan provides a mixture of land uses, including single-family homes, townhomes, garden apartments, midrise apartments over commercial office, a hospitality use convention hall, a chapel, recreational facilities, and a parcel for public safety facilities. The conceptual drawings show a seven-story structure and a three-story parking garage as part of their future final plans. 

Additionally, the applicant is seeking confirmation on the proposed density of 570 total dwelling units in the Mixed-Use buildings and 129 units in the residential neighborhood design on the east.

This project is the first new horizontal mixed-use development in the City’s history and the largest planned development in Globe since the original development of the Globe townsite. The city has recorded 176 new dwelling units in the past 15 years (including Hill Street School). This project would significantly increase the available housing stock in the city by adding almost 700 new units of various housing types and prices. In total, an added population of potentially 1,400 residents is projected. 

The city adopted the Central Arizona Governments (CAG) Housing Study and Gap Analysis for the Globe-Miami area in 2022. This study provides the most recent available housing data and analysis available to Globe. It identifies a significant shortfall in housing and an even greater shortfall in the variety of housing types to meet current housing needs. The study also emphasizes housing projects are difficult due to the hilly terrain in our city. The proposed Marigold Project, if developed, would make a significant impact on the current housing shortfall in the Globe-Miami community. Monte De Globe embraced the terrain challenge as part of its interest in bringing housing opportunities to Globe and utilizing the opportunity zone designations. 

The Preliminary Design and Site Plan submittal has been reviewed by the City of Globe Public Works, Fire Department, Police Department, Building Department, and the Zoning Administrator. Based on the limited information provided and the scale of the proposed development, staff has no concerns that all City, building, fire, and zoning codes requirements will be met. It is anticipated that the full design and scope of the development will be brought back to Planning and Zoning as early as the spring of 2024 pending all permitting and other requirements are met. 

FIRST FRIDAYS: First Fridays have become a monthly signature event and continue to grow each month with more participation from downtown businesses, vendors, and cruisers. Our Economic Development team spends an enormous number of hours planning this event. This event is not only enjoyed by our local residents in the community, but by many more people who are now coming from out of town on this day to enjoy the event. Everyone is invited to participate in the downtown cruise that begins at 5:30 pm starting at the Active Adult Center. We invite the community to support the participating businesses downtown and enjoy live music, food trucks, and vendors. The next First Friday event will be held on January 5, 2024 that will include bringing back the skating rink for the kids to enjoy. Anyone wishing to set up a vendor booth during any First Friday event may do so at no cost by contacting Melissa Steele at 425-7146.