Goodyear unanimously adopts General Plan 2035, Parks Master Plan, Strategic Plan with May voter ratification
City Council unanimously adopted General Plan 2035 (with May 2024 voter ratification), Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and FY 2025-2027 Strategic Plan after extensive community input, while residents raised concerns about airport noise from flight schools.
Goodyear Adopts Three-Pronged Long-Range Plan Suite with Unanimous Vote, Eyes May 2024 Voter Ratification
Goodyear City Council on November 14, 2023, unanimously approved three major planning documents—General Plan 2035, Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and FY 2025-2027 Strategic Plan—in a meeting that showcased the culmination of an 18-month, 23,000-input community engagement effort while surfacing a persistent quality-of-life challenge: flight school noise over residential neighborhoods.
All votes passed 7-0. The General Plan 2035 now advances to a special election on May 21, 2024, for voter ratification. The two-hour meeting also revealed internal equity concerns within the parks system and prompted council acknowledgment of a successful eight-month drug-and-homeless-encampment clearing initiative.
General Plan 2035: Vision, Strategy, and Voter Mandate
Planning Manager Steve Greta introduced the General Plan 2035 as the product of nearly two years of deliberation. Consultant Matt Kicco presented the plan's architecture: a vision statement ("Growing Good Year") underpinned by six "fundamental strategies" that became the organizing chapters of the document.
"It's been a long journey, almost two years, and a lot of work by staff, the consultant, our general plan stakeholders and our citizens. On October 18th and 25th, the planning and zoning commission held two public hearings, and at their last public hearing on the 25th, the commission did recommend that Council adopt the plan before you tonight." — Steve Greta, Planning Manager
The six strategies are: livable and connected, inclusive and diverse, healthy and sustained, resilient and safe, prosperous and innovative, and responsive and accessible. Kicco emphasized that the plan encompasses 31 goals and 230 policies—but more critically, that it emerged from a structured community outreach that went beyond traditional public meetings.
"The key component of that is getting out to the public and hearing from them. We tried to complement that General Plan committee with our community workshops, making sure that we visited multiple locations across the community in three different rounds: North Good Year, Central Good Year, South Good Year, and then mobile locations at the beginning and end of the process." — Matt Kicco, Consultant
Kicco highlighted "target workshops"—sessions held at special events, homeowner association meetings, and community gatherings—as unexpectedly high-impact. One presentation at Pebble Creek drew approximately 200 residents, far exceeding initial estimates.
Land Use and Growth Areas:
The consultant noted that state statute requires general plans to identify growth areas—not necessarily to encourage growth, but to recognize where it is occurring and ensure policy frameworks exist to manage it. Kicco identified growth pressures primarily in northern Good Year (along I-10 for economic development, near SR-30 and the Gila River for mixed-use), and south of the river in the Estancia community.
Spotlight Priorities:
Community input highlighted concern for water resources, housing diversity, quality design, the Gila River corridor, and open space. The plan introduced or refined several overlays:
- Farm Focus Overlay: Recognizes agricultural heritage, especially along the Gila River and western portions of the city, preserving opportunities for farmers to continue operations if they wish.
- Rural Transitional Development Overlay: Allows mobile and far southern areas to maintain rural character while long-term urbanization proceeds.
- Open Space and Wildlife Linkages: Ensures connectivity between the Estrella and National Monument bookends of the planning area.
- Mobility Corridors: Enhanced multimodal transportation corridors aligned with the transportation master plan under concurrent development.
Implementation and Metrics:
Kicco stressed an often-overlooked element: measurement. The plan includes an "action matrix" linking all 31 goals to required general plan elements (land use, circulation, water resources, open space), and a "metrics" framework allowing the city to report annually on goal achievement—a practice Kicco indicated is "above and beyond what other communities do."
No Speakers; Unanimous Adoption:
No members of the public requested to speak on the General Plan. Council member Brannon Hampton stated simply:
"I'd like to thank you and the committee that spent all this time putting together [this plan]. I know it's been an arduous endeavor, but a fruitful one." — Brannon Hampton council then voted 7-0 to adopt Resolution 2023-2362, adopting the General Plan 2035, and immediately thereafter voted 7-0 on Resolution 2023-2359, ordering that the plan be submitted to qualified electors on May 21, 2024.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan: Equity, Trails, and the "Too-Small" Rec Center
Parks and Recreation Director Nathan Torres presented the 2023 Parks and Recreation Master Plan as "the community's plan," not the staff's or consultant's plan. The council acknowledged committee members wearing branded t-shirts, including Chair Cherylyn Holman, Parks and Recreation Commissioner members Benita Beckles, Jerry Wilson, Chad Millet, John Cox, and Vice Chair Jose Gonzalez.
Torres emphasized that the prior 2014 master plan achieved 93% implementation—a success rate grounded in his commitment that plans "are exercised and used." The new plan emerged from an 18-month, nearly 23,000-input process incorporating inventory, benchmarking, business planning, leadership and commission meetings, and close coordination with the concurrent General Plan and transportation master plan efforts.
Community Priorities Identified:
Torres listed top resident requests: swimming pools and splash pads, trails, sports complexes, and multi-use fields. Notably, residents requested an "urban fishing lake," but Torres recommended deferring that discussion:
"We learned that a lake probably is not the right climate to have those discussions so, um, thank you for your previous feedback on that as well." — Nathan Torres, Parks and Recreation Director
The plan maintains 20 existing parks and proposes improvements to neighborhood parks, plus new facilities including completion of the Good Year Recreation Campus (40 remaining acres in Phase 2), completion of the Bullard Wash Trail from McDow south to the ballpark and eventually to the county regional park, completion of Foothills Park Phase 2 (17 acres remaining), and a feasibility study for a sports complex in the I-10 basin.
The Splash Pad Equity Controversy:
Council Member Wally Campbell raised a striking observation: central-city residents (Kayla Trails area) felt excluded. The splash pad at the Good Year Recreation Center requires a membership fee to access (it is gated); splash pads at Community Park and soon at Lolinda Park are free. Central-Goodyear residents, lacking significant CFD (Community Facilities District) funding or early developer infrastructure like other neighborhoods, feel left behind.
"You have to be a member of the GRC to use the splash pad there, you have to go through the gates and pay your fee to use the splash pad. But we have splash pads that are free at the Community Park, the Community Park, and now we're going to do it at Lolinda. So I think we've got to maybe find a way to change that for the folks that are, you know, we need to make some equality in those situations. Maybe there's not necessarily a simple solution to that, but it was a really important observation." — Council Member Wally Campbell
Torres responded that Phase 2 of the GRC will include a public, outdoor splash pad with extended hours, separate from the limited-operation aquatics facility. Wally Campbell countered:
"I cannot wait for Phase 2 for the splash pad situation. The people in the middle part of the city are feeling absolutely left out. And if it's just a matter of figuring out to open another gate from the outside and doing something on the inside that we can do in the short term, I think we owe it to the residents of the central part of the city to give them the same amenity that we have up north, that we have down south, and that we have to the east." — Council Member Wally Campbell
Torres acknowledged the need for creative solutions and offered to bring options back to council.
Recreation Center Overcrowding:
Council Member Laura Kaino remarked that the GRC, built recently, already feels "way too small." She noted that her family had been unable to reserve pool time during summer because the facility was at capacity. Torres confirmed that the center operates at over 400,000 annual visitors—a staggering volume that underscores demand for a second recreation facility, though the 10-year plan does not currently include one.
"We couldn't, um, we wanted to bring forward a responsible plan of trying to make sure that the resources needed was in line with what we could bring forward. So there's clearly a need for another, however, we'll just have to continue to operate our busy facility and enjoy our patrons as they're coming to visit." — Nathan Torres, Parks and Recreation Director
Trails and Regional Connectivity:
Council Member Benita Beckles championed the Bullard Wash Trail, noting strong community demand for safe walking and biking infrastructure off roadways. Torres noted that recent bond funding will support trail completion, and Phase 2 improvements heading south will include a trailhead and parking area.
Fishing Lake Revisited:
Council Member Laura Kaino echoed Wally Campbell earlier suggestion not to abandon the fishing lake idea, citing drought conditions and pointing to recycled-water options being explored in related Rio Grande planning. She suggested revisiting the concept in a few years if hydrological conditions improve.
"Please by all means don't just throw that away because someone said that probably someone on Council said, 'This is not the time.' It may be the time in a couple of years or three years because my grandkids have to go to Litchfield Park to fish. So why can't they fish in Goodyear?" — Council Member Laura Kaino
Unanimous Adoption:
Council Member Vicki Gillis, the final speaker, thanked Torres and his team for a thoughtful, forward-thinking plan, acknowledging that parks are "the heartbeat of our city" and that the plan respects community needs while remaining fiscally responsible. The council voted 7-0 to adopt Resolution 2023-2366, adopting the 2023 Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
FY 2025-2027 Strategic Plan: Operational Focus and Quarterly Accountability
Assistant to the City Manager Jenna Gomez presented the FY 2025-2027 Strategic Plan, which replaces the prior three-year plan (adopted May 2021, expiring June 2024). Gomez emphasized that the new plan is designed to be more "operational" and responsive to city growth, in contrast to the previous, broader-vision document.
The consultant, Mike Lecher of The Bridge Group, facilitated council and staff leadership team surveys and workshops in October. The resulting plan organizes around five focus areas (fiscal and resource management, economic vitality, safe and vibrant community, innovative and high-performing organization, and infrastructure) and rests on "We will always" statements that serve as evergreen guiding principles.
24 FY2025 Actions; Three-Year Horizon:
The plan contains 24 action items for FY2025, with additional actions outlined for FY2026 and FY2027. Gomez clarified that the stated years represent intended completion dates; work may begin prior to those fiscal years depending on project scope.
Implementation and Review:
The plan will be operationalized according to principles outlined in a separate "Operationalizing the Strategic Plan" document reviewed at the October workshop. Critically, council will receive quarterly updates on action items, and the plan will be reviewed annually at the council retreat. New items for subsequent fiscal years (e.g., FY2028) can be added at those annual reviews, though council must evaluate reprioritization to maintain a balanced portfolio.
"The strategic plan will be implemented according to the principles that were outlined in the operationalizing the Strategic plan document that was reviewed with Council when we had that workshop. Specifically, the plan and the action items themselves will help to develop the city manager's recommended budget and to prioritize staff's time and evaluate potential new projects or opportunities." — Jenna Gomez, Assistant to the City Manager
No Discussion; Unanimous Adoption:
No council members raised questions or comments. The council voted 7-0 to adopt Resolution 2023-2363, adopting the FY 2025-2027 Strategic Plan.
Airport Noise: A Persistent Neighborhood Complaint
The meeting's most contentious public comment focused on flight school operations at Goodyear Airport, located within or near Palm Valley Phase 1 residential areas.
Patricia Miller's Complaint
Patricia Miller, a resident of Palm Valley Phase 1 who works from home, testified that flight school activity has escalated dramatically since her 2018 move to the neighborhood. She reported 20–24 flights over her house between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on a recent Thursday, with aircraft flying at low altitudes (approximately 700 feet).
"I work from home and during my workday, just for example, last Thursday between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., there were 20–24 flights over my house. They are flying at a low altitude. I do not feel that they're safe, and it is very difficult for me to do my job when I'm hearing the planes. I'm on the phone with customers all day long; they can hear it in the background unless I'm putting a headset on, and it's difficult for me. I wear a hearing aid, so the headset just is a little bit more vibration for me, so I'm concerned about the noise, but I'm also concerned about the safety. These are inexperienced pilots that are flying over our homes at low altitudes." — Patricia Miller, Resident
Miller also referenced military cargo plane training exercises occurring at low altitude and questioned why the flight school expansion was not put before residents for a vote. She noted that Luke Air Force Base, while audible, operates responsibly (no seven-day-a-week flights, no 6 a.m. starts, no late-night operations past 9:30–10 p.m.).
James Gordon's Data-Driven Follow-Up
James Gordon, also a Palm Valley Phase 1 resident, returned to council after raising the issue at a prior meeting. He used humor to establish rapport—noting he shared the mayor's University of Maryland background and also attended University of Phoenix—but pivoted to serious safety and environmental concerns.
"Mr. Mayor, we've got a lot in common. I brought my hat; you also went to the University of Maryland, right? I got a couple of degrees there, and you did too. And guess what, Mr. Mayor? We are like on another item: University of Phoenix, got my graduate degree there from my last degree. And so we're just alike. Maybe I could be mayor too, right? But at least I want to talk to you and members of this Council to say that we are all alike; we all live in this town, and we should all think about what this change has done to all of us in the town of Goodyear." — James Gordon, Resident
Gordon cited 2023 general aviation accident statistics: 2,000 total accidents, 1,220 general aviation, 233 fatalities. He raised concerns about training pilots executing four-to-five-aircraft holding patterns that require overflight of residential areas and questioned whether air traffic control can safely manage such density. He also noted 100% lead-fuel pollution accumulating over the community—a problem California is beginning to phase out.
"This year in 2023, so far there have been 2,000 accidents; 1,220 are general aviation accidents, and 233 have resulted in fatalities. That ought to wake you up. That'll make you think about what are we doing. Maybe we ought to look at this topic again and see if we've looked at all the data." — James Gordon, Resident
Gordon proposed that council schedule a dedicated one-hour discussion to review all data and consider policy options, comparing it to the multi-hour parks and recreation discussion that took place the same evening.
Mayor's Response: Phoenix Owns the Airport
Mayor Joe Pizzillo acknowledged Gordon and directed residents to contact the City of Phoenix, which owns Joe Pizzillo noted that council and residents had been in communication with Phoenix but received standard responses deflecting responsibility to other parties.
"Just to let you know, would you kind of give them the information of what we've been doing? Oh, they're together, okay? Yep. Thank you. Thank you very much for listening." — Joe Pizzillo mayor's implication was that Goodyear's ability to regulate flight school operations is limited by its lack of airport ownership and the state's preemption over aviation matters.
Council Member Vicki Gillis Recognizes First Responders
In a lengthy closing statement, Council Member Vicki Gillis delivered heartfelt appreciation to the police and fire departments for an eight-month collaborative effort to clear homeless encampments and drug activity from city washes.
Vicki Gillis described how she initially approached the mayor with a platform focused on first responders. The mayor connected her with Police Chief Jimmy (surname not given), Deputy Chief Mercy, and a homeless outreach unit. Over months of ride-alongs and field work, she documented conditions: every encampment contained fentanyl, hypodermics, and drug paraphernalia. She found the scope of fentanyl infiltration surprising and troubling.
"Drugs is a game, and it changes daily. And that's what I was being made aware of. I kind of have law enforcement in my family, so I'm kind of used to that, but drugs is much more prevalent today than it ever has been before. Fentanyl is a drug that I never knew anything about. In fact, I had to call somebody and ask somebody when I was campaigning because I didn't know what it was. And when I found out what it was, it was pretty scary." — Council Member Vicki Gillis
Eight-Month Achievement:
Working with the City Manager, homeless outreach teams, DEA officers, and a city drug task force, the city plowed down all identified wash encampments, removing trees and clearing drugs. Vicki Gillis credited patrol, detectives (including those handling human trafficking), sober-living-home oversight, and the SWAT team. She also requested that council consider separating the drug unit from the SWAT team to allow specialization in a growing city.
"I'm grateful to the drug unit and SWAT unit because they're one and the same as of now. It is my hope that someday they will be separate so that we don't overwork these people and we have a separate identity, so that we have people that in a growing city, a developing city, that we will be on top of everything going on." — Council Member Vicki Gillis
Future Plans:
The city is studying conversion of some cleared wash areas into soccer fields or parks, ensuring that rehabilitated spaces do not revert to encampments. Vicki Gillis emphasized the importance of giving children safe spaces to ride bikes in the washes.
She concluded by thanking officers for "loyalty, honesty, and professionalism," as well as humor and willingness to educate her on fentanyl, trafficking, and homelessness—topics outside her prior experience.
Project Details & Resolutions
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution 2023-2362 | Adopt City of Goodyear General Plan 2035 and submit to voters per ARS 9-401.01(G). Submitted to voters for May 21, 2024 special election ratification. |
| Resolution 2023-2359 | Order General Plan 2035 submitted to qualified electors; designate May 21, 2024 as special election date; authorize city manager to execute election services agreements; designate dates for pro/con arguments. |
| Resolution 2023-2366 | Adopt 2023 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, based on nearly 23,000 community inputs, 18-month process, and Parks and Recreation Commission recommendation. Priorities: trail completion, splash pad equity and expansion, sports complex feasibility study, park improvements, and future land acquisition. |
| Resolution 2023-2363 | Adopt FY 2025–2027 Strategic Plan with 24 FY2025 action items and additional actions for FY2026–2027, organized around five focus areas (fiscal and resource management, economic vitality, safe and vibrant community, innovative and high-performing organization, infrastructure). Council to receive quarterly updates; plan to be reviewed annually at council retreat. |
Vote Breakdown
| Resolution | Outcome | Vote Count |
|---|---|---|
| Consent Agenda Items 1–7 (including retiree health plan, TPT/use tax IGA, microtransit extension, King Ranch CFA, drainage easements) | Passed | 7-0 |
| Resolution 2023-2362: General Plan 2035 Adoption | Passed | 7-0 |
| Resolution 2023-2359: General Plan 2035 Voter Submission, May 21, 2024 | Passed | 7-0 |
| Resolution 2023-2366: Parks and Recreation Master Plan | Passed | 7-0 |
| Resolution 2023-2363: FY 2025–2027 Strategic Plan | Passed | 7-0 |
| Call to Executive Session (legal consultation, litigation/settlement, TPT litigation, PFAS class action litigation) | Passed | 7-0 |
Individual votes not stated in transcript. All present: Mayor Joe Pizzillo, Vice Mayor Brannon Hampton, Council Members Wally Campbell, Laura Kaino, Vicki Gillis, Benita Beckles, Trey Terry.
Controversies & Context
Airport Noise and Regulatory Limits:
Goodyear's lack of ownership of its airport—Phoenix controls the facility—limits the city's regulatory authority. Arizona law generally preempts local aviation regulation, vesting that power in the Arizona Department of Transportation and the FAA. This structural reality explains why Joe Pizzillo directed residents to contact Phoenix, not the city council. However, residents' sense that a flight school expansion should have been subject to community vote reflects a broader expectation of notice and participation that may have been absent.
Gordon's references to 2,000 general aviation accidents in 2023 and 233 fatalities reflect national safety trends, but the linking of those statistics to training flights at 700-foot altitude over residential areas suggests residents see a collision between aviation safety best practices and neighborhood livability.
The mention of military cargo plane training exercises hints at potential defense department activity at the airport, which may involve federal permitting or operational protocols that further exceed local control.
Equity in Parks Access and Funding:
The splash pad equity issue surfaced a longer-standing tension in Goodyear: neighborhoods developed with robust CFD funding (Pebble Creek, south Goodyear) have private or semi-private amenities, while centrally located neighborhoods (Kayla Trails, Australian Vista) relied on general-fund parks. This creates a two-tier system: paid membership for premium facilities (GRC) versus free access in less-developed parks. Wally Campbell observation that central-city residents "feel absolutely left out" reflects rational fiscal history but politically unacceptable current equity. Torres's promise to explore interim solutions (opening external gates to splash pads, expanding free hours) suggests council consensus that the disparity requires remedy before Phase 2 of GRC opens.
Drug and Homelessness Coordination:
Gillis's extended remarks about homeless encampments in washes represent a shift in Goodyear's public safety narrative. The eight-month clearing operation involved the DEA, suggesting federal drug trafficking concerns, not merely local quality-of-life issues. The prevalence of fentanyl and the acknowledgment of human trafficking indicate that Goodyear is experiencing broader regional drug-market and labor-exploitation pressures typical of growth corridors in the Phoenix metro.
Voter Ratification Requirement for General Plan:
Arizona law (ARS 9-401.01(G)) requires voter approval of comprehensive revisions to a general plan adopted after January 1, 2014. Goodyear's submission of the General Plan 2035 to a May 21, 2024 special election is statutorily mandated, not optional. Passage is not assured; campaigns for and against will occur before the election.
Other Notable Items
Microtransit Service Extension: Council approved an eight-month FY2024 funding extension for the WeRide microtransit service, maintaining current service area with no expansion. Options for year-three expansion will be evaluated in the FY2025 budget via supplemental request.
King Ranch Drainage Agreement: Council consented to an assignment of a King Ranch drainage-easement agreement, continuing an existing arrangement previously approved by the King Ranch board.
Duration
- General Plan 2035 Public Hearing & Discussion: ~20 minutes
- Parks and Recreation Master Plan Presentation & Discussion: ~35 minutes
- Strategic Plan Presentation & Discussion: ~5 minutes
- Public Comment (Non-Agenda): ~10 minutes (airport noise)
- Council Member Closing Remarks (First Responders Recognition): ~15 minutes
- Total Meeting: Approximately 2 hours
Outcome & Next Steps
General Plan 2035: Advances to a special election on May 21, 2024. Voters will decide whether to ratify the plan. If approved, it becomes the controlling land-use and long-range vision document for the city through 2035. Pre-election argument periods (pro and con) will be announced; implementation actions (e.g., updating zoning code, updating development standards to align with plan policies) will proceed post-election if the plan passes.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan: Adopted and operational. Torres and his team will prioritize using the plan to guide capital project sequencing, working with Finance to bring projects forward within the 10-year timeframe or beyond, contingent on budget and resource availability. Splash pad equity solutions will be brought back to council for approval. Trail completion funding is supported by recent bonds.
Strategic Plan: Adopted and effective for FY2025. City staff will develop the city manager's budget proposal aligned with the 24 FY2025 action items and five focus areas. Council will convene quarterly to review progress and annually at the November (or December) retreat to review the full plan, add FY2028 actions, and reprioritize as needed.
Airport Noise: Residents to contact City of Phoenix airport authority directly. Goodyear Council acknowledged concern but cited lack of regulatory jurisdiction over the airport. No further action on the city's part was committed.
Next Council Meeting: November 27, 2023 (regular meeting).