Petition pushes for early Axon rezoning vote

Article originally posted on HERE on July 17, 2025

Capping a pugnacious first half of 2025, the July 2 Scottsdale City Council meeting was another “grab the popcorn and watch the fights” event.

Typically, in order to take seven or eight weeks off but still satisfy the two-meetings-per-month requirement, Council squeezes two meetings into the first week of July, then pushes the next two meetings to the last week of August.

As such, the second meeting during the first week of July is usually perfunctory, with the minimum business being done.

As many have noted, this year is different.

The July 1 meeting was relatively short, with annual reports by boards and commissions taking up the most time.

And, though the July 2 meeting agenda appeared to be another yawner – it turned out to be riveting, with accusations of untruthfulness and rules violations.

Another one, in short, for the “Only in Scottsdale” file.

The “public comments” section of the meeting again devolved into a sandbox, with attacks on Councilman Barry Graham from Dan Ishac, Lamar Whitmer, Steve Sutton and Jason Alexander – who spiced his comment with a video compilation.

Backed by Councilman Adam Kwasman, Graham said much of the content violated rules governing public comments at council meetings.

Council guidelines note public comments are supposed to be “on non-agendized items that are within the Council’s jurisdiction” – and “advocacy for or against a candidate or ballot measure during a council meeting is not allowed pursuant to state law.”

Harsh as they were, the public comments proved a mere warm-up to the main event.

Michael Fernandez, an Old Town businessman, previously turned in petitions demanding the planned Old Town parking garage be reconsidered.

At the July 2 meeting, he submitted a Citizens for Preserving Our History petition “regarding holding the Axon referendum election on the next available date,” according to minutes of the meeting.

This threatens to further complicate a twisted, Kafka-esque trail.

After the 2024 Council approved a rezoning request that would allow upwards of 1,900 apartments on an Axon “mixed-use campus” in North Scottsdale, a group led by former Councilman Bob Littlefield submitted enough signatures to put the rezoning on the November 2026 ballot.

Even though a new state law – which takes effect in less than 90 days – allows the Axon rezoning, another law requires the referendum go to voters.

Fernandez and company submitted the petition asking the city to hold the Axon rezoning election as early as possible.

Mayor Lisa Borowsky noted Council has three options upon receipt of a petition: Direct the city manager to agendize the petition for further discussion; direct the city manager to investigate the matter and prepare a written response to the council, with a copy to the petitioner; or take no action.

After Councilwoman Solange Whitehead seconded the motion, Councilman Barry Graham made an alternate motion – to have City Manager Greg Caton respond in writing.

After Borowsky called for a vote on Graham’s motion, Graham turned and said something to Councilwoman Kathy Littlefield.

“Let the record reflect Councilman Graham is interfering with Councilwoman Littlefield’s voting,” Borowsky ruled.

Graham objected to that.

“I’d like to let the record reflect that,” Borowsky scolded, “because that’s a problem.”

In any case, Littlefield voted against Graham’s alternate motion, leading to it failing: Graham, Adam Kwasman and Jan Dubauskas voted for; Borowsky, Littlefield, Whitehead and Maryann McAllen voted against.

When Graham restated Borowsky’s motion, the mayor snapped, “We don’t need you stating comments that are inaccurate.”

After Borowsky’s original motion also failed by a 4-3 vote, Whitehead ranted, “This isn’t about if you’re for or against the parking garage, if you’re for or against Axon.

“This is about this council continuously denying the residents a voice.”

Graham jumped in with a “point of order” protest, which Borowsky upheld.

After receiving advice from Luis Santaella – appointed interim city attorney the day before, upon Sherry Scott’s sudden retirement – on the process, Whitehead made a revised motion to have Caton respond in writing.

Hers was identical to Graham’s motion.

“This is not what I think is best,” a somewhat unsatisfied Whitehead noted, “… but at least our residents have a response of some sort.”

With Borowsky the lone vote against, Whitehead’s motion passed, meaning Caton will “investigate the matter” and file a written report.

There is no authorized time line for Caton to complete the task.

Caton told the Progress he expected to provide a response to Council and the petition group in “approximately 30 days.”