We would like to hear a clear and unambiguous statement from EVERY candidate regarding their position on rezoning of the Shalimar Golf Course 44-acre property. Simply stated: Against Rezoning (so in favor of maintaining the current AG 1-house/acre zoning) or For Rezoning (so in favor of destroying the neighborhood). Each candidate will need to go on record. This is a Tempe voter issue. This will help guide voters in understanding how candidates respond to citizen/voter requests for support and leadership in highly impactful community issues. Candidates – keep it simple. You are with us, or you are not.

Joe Forte

I will be recusing myself from my vote on the DRC and if it came to a vote and I’m on the City Council, I would recuse myself as well. Dick Neuheisel was a dear friend and mentor to me and it would be a conflict of interest for me to vote on this.

 

Bobby Nichols

Save Shalimar Thank you all for taking the time to meet with me and have a candid conversation about Shalimar, Tempe, and my run for city council. That sort of direct discussion is increasingly rare, so I found our talk to be thoughtful, engaging, and refreshing.

After our conversation, I can confidently say that I would vote against the requested rezoning, and I would use my platform on council to ensure that your voices are heard in any decision making process.

I will never use my vote on the city council to reward bad behavior, not in the Shalimar neighborhood and not anywhere else. The owners may have a right to sell and developers may have a right to buy, but they do not have a right to rezoning, they do not have a right to throw tantrums that kill off the flora and fauna, and they do not have a right to bully their neighbors.

Like I said during our conversation, I do believe that our city is facing an affordable housing and cost-of-living crisis, and I will introduce legislation to address those crises with proven policies from similar cities around the world. But I also firmly believe that we can only solve our city’s problems by holding would-be aristocrats and corporate developers accountable for the problems that they create by placing profits over people, not by giving them free reign to build whatever they want, whenever they went, whether anybody can afford to live there or not.

The owners and developers involved in this fiasco need to be held accountable, not rewarded for bad behavior. If elected, I will make sure that happens.

 

Brooke St. George

Hello Save Shalimar and thank you for this question!

After sitting in on informational meetings with your organization and Councilmembers, hearing your comments at Council Meetings, and listening to all sides of this complicated situation, I can say that if this issue came before me while I was on the dais, I would not vote to re-zone.

That is not to say that this land will not eventually be re-developed… Whether it remains a golf course or gets developed into one house per acre as currently zoned (with the possible addition of ADU’s), the private owners have a right to sell. But I do not believe they have a right to expect re-zoning in order to get maximum dollars for the land based on their long-standing relationships with some of our current city leadership. And letting the maintenance of it go in the meantime is flat-out dangerous and sad.

I recognize the arguments for packing housing into this space – more property taxes, increased school enrollment, etc. And they are valid arguments in favor of re-zoning. But we also have a voter-approved General Plan to factor in.

Also, in this case, the community most affected by the proposed development has been loud in their opposition of it, and has been running an extremely civil and engaged campaign against the re-zoning, which I greatly respect.

I hope that answers your question, and should any of you want to reach out directly to discuss this further, please feel free to email me at brookefortempe@gmail.com.

In service,

Brooke

 

Elvis Taska

To the residents of Tempe,

I want to speak with care and respect about the proposed rezoning and development of the Shalimar neighborhood and golf course.

I understand that this is not simply about land use. it’s about people’s homes. quality of life. and the character of a community that many have built their lives around.

I also recognize that change is inevitable. Cities evolve, ownership shifts, and new projects are often proposed. But change should never mean that residents are taken advantage of or that their voices are dismissed.

Too often, I’ve seen developers press forward with little empathy for the people most directly affected by their projects. They rarely live in the neighborhoods where these changes happen, and the increased density or new frictions are too often swept under the rug.

What I can say with certainty is that I believe strongly in the importance of green spaces, shade, and heat sinks. These are not luxuries in Tempe, they are lifelines for our environment, our health, and our resilience as a city.

Legally, I know there are limits to what can be done to halt development altogether. But unchecked development is precisely what has exacerbated stressors across our city.

From traffic congestion to rising heat to the erosion of community identity, this is why thoughtful planning and true public engagement are so important.

As I learn more about Shalimar, I will continue to listen to residents and weigh carefully the potential impacts.

If I were to serve on the City Council, I would hold myself accountable to supporting zoning measures only if I believed the community was genuinely heard and protected in the process.

I welcome conversation with residents, community leaders, and decision-makers, and I will always be clear about where I stand: growth must respect people, protect livability, and preserve the character that makes Tempe Special.

I will continue listening closely to residents and weighing the impacts with care, empathy and resolve. As things currently stand, I would not be voting to rezone.

Elvis Taska

 

Arlene Chin

Hello Save Shalimar Campaign,

There is never a simple two-word answer to any issue, and it’s my belief that giving you such an answer would be disrespectful to the efforts put forward by the Save Shalimar campaign. First, we must be clear about the facts and how a zoning process in the City of Tempe works. This issue is currently not even in front of the Council. My role here has been and continues to be representing the interests of our residents. In the case of this project, the opinions of the Shalimar Neighborhood Association have been made loudly and clearly that the proposed project on the Shalimar Golf Course is currently not acceptable. Be assured, I will continue to listen to the concerns of the Shalimar community. 

Warmly,

Arlene Chin

 

Berdetta Hodge

Councilmember Hodge’s statement:

“There has not been an official vote on the Shalimar Golf Course rezoning. I will not support any project that is not supported by the community and neighborhood. As your councilmember, I will always listen to the needs and concerns of the community.”

 

Jennifer Adams

Hello, 

Please see below a statement regarding the Shalimar neighborhood from Jennifer Adams: 

“I was first elected to the Tempe City Council because of my unwavering commitment to Tempe’s neighborhoods. That has not changed. To be clear, this issue is currently not even in front of the Council. That said, I have heard the voices of the Shalimar Neighborhood Association, who have clearly stated their opposition to the current project.”

Best,

Team Adams