Pachyderm painting party PAGE 19
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF GILBERT) | GilbertSunNews.com
High school football near kickoff PAGE 40
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Residences, offices and hotels proposed in downtown plan
INSIDE
This Week
BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY GSN Managing Editor
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NEWS................................... Town officials confronted two neighbrohood disputes last week.
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COMMUNITY............ 23 Gilbert man seeking doughnut crown.
OPINION...................... 32
Town Council candidates post a second round of arguments for their election.
FOOD...............................48 Anyone for watermelon cake?
COMMUNITY..................19 BUSINESS...................... 24 OPINION........................ 32 SPORTS..........................40 GETOUT......................... 45 CLASSIFIED.................... 51
(Kimberly Carrillo/Staff Photographer)
Waymo Program Manager Kellye Turpen, a Gilbert resident, heads the company’s support team in Arizona, which helps passengers get accustomed to the company's autonomous vehicles.
Gilbert woman enjoys being ‘Voice of Waymo’ BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY GSN Managing Editor
W
hen commuters settle into one of Waymo’s self-driving cars there might not be a driver behind the wheel, but The Voice of Waymo is always there in case riders have questions or run into trouble during their trip. The Voice of Waymo – a tongue-in-cheek name for its support team – is just a click away for riders that need a helping hand. Gilbert resident Kellye Turpen is a program manager for that support team
see WAYMO'S page 10
ilbert’s Heritage District has transformed mightily over the past decade, going from a quaint, sleepy downtown to a legitimate nighttime destination replete with some of the Valley’s most popular dining destinations. Now, a new plan aims to transform the downtown once again by promoting the growth of commercial, multifamily, entertainment and hotel developments to complement the existing restaurants. Much of the downtown growth has been guided by the town’s Heritage District Redevelopment Plan, which the town adopted in 1991 and updated in 2001 and 2008. Town staff and local stakeholders have worked on that plan’s most recent update since 2015. The town’s Redevelopment Commission has sent its final draft to the Town Council and it will be considered for adoption on Aug. 16. Oregon-based Crandall Arambula served as a primary consultant during the plan update process after winning a contract with the town in 2017. The 150-page document lays out a plan to achieve that lofty goal that includes extensive roadways improvements and the use of both private and public monies to build community gathering spots and improve pedestrian and bike access. The plan highlights a range of key and complimentary projects that would contribute to development of the district over the next 10 years. Commercial development In an attempt to infuse more commercial businesses into the area, the plan designates two spots for private
see REDEVLOPMENT page 12
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