A Roadmap to the Future: Reflections from the General Plan

Today, Downtown Phoenix is defined by familiar staples that shape the shared experience—light rail convenience, a rapidly evolving food and beverage scene, and a growing residential and student base.  

Cornerstones of didn’t appear by chance. They are the result of a carefully crafted vision developed through a planning process required by Arizona law every decade, each iteration building upon the foundation of the last.  

Community outreach defines five core values (and underlying goals) for the decade ahead, which include creating vibrant city centers, connecting people to places, strengthening the local economy, celebrating the character and housing options within neighborhoods, and fortifying Phoenix’s status as a sustainable desert city. 

Every decade, the Mayor of Phoenix appoints a leadership committee of more than a dozen community members from diverse backgrounds to articulate that framework, guided by those straightforward community desires. For two decades, PCA’s Immediate Past Chair, Mo Stein, HKS Architects Principal, has led three previous committees: 2002, 2015, and, most recently, 2025. 

Stein is the tip of the spear within the group that has always included PCA membership. 

In celebration of Phoenix History Month this March, Phoenix Community Alliance (PCA) is proud to highlight its Members who have lent their expertise to shaping the future. These individuals are key in updating PlanPHX, the City of Phoenix’s general plan—a comprehensive roadmap guiding the city's growth and development.

Kimber Lanning – “Strengthening Our Local Economy” 

As one of the foundational venues in the Evans Churchill Neighborhood, Kimber Lanning remembers when Modified Arts was one of the few signs of business in an otherwise blighted area. When she served on the PlanPHX Leadership Committee in 2015, she and the other appointees brought first-hand experience of the city they wanted to live in the following decade, a viewpoint further refined when the plan reached the public input stage. 

The Local First Arizona Founder and CEO balanced a handful of complementary perspectives on what a 24/7 active and vibrant city should look like, including almost a decade with the City’s Development Advisory Board. Her service on the board resulted in the citywide adoption of an adaptive reuse program for historic buildings that many entrepreneurs utilized to launch their small businesses. These views strongly echoed her daily work at Local First Arizona, a vital community resource for small businesses and economic development.  

Key Quote: 

“We tried to be inclusive with the wide variety of voices heard in the outreach in the communities throughout the Greater Phoenix area. We all know a big part of reactivating any city will come with its entrepreneurs,” Lanning said. “I am proud of the diversity that has moved into our Downtown business core over the last 10 years, a high percentage of BIPOC-owned businesses. 

Ryan Boyd - “Create a Network of Vibrant Cores, Centers and Corridors” 

After the PlanPHX’s Leadership Committee completed a draft of the General Plan, Ryan Boyd, a previous Board President at Urban Phoenix Project, was among a dozen industry professionals on its Planning Commission who reviewed the document.  

The impact of the voter-approved General Plan cannot be understated, with the roadmap broadly defining “what the city wants development to look like.” Earlier plans kickstarted progress on related urban planning documents, which included the Downtown Redevelopment and HistoricPHX Plans. 

When he served on the Commission, he advocated for responsibly laying the groundwork of diverse housing types and balancing those specific community needs. A mandate of their work required the group to hold one of the mandatory meetings off-site, one of which was set at a community center in North Phoenix, where Boyd grew up. A decade of living within Downtown Phoenix helped him consider options to connect these and similar suburban neighborhoods and the long-term effects not yet seen. 

Key Quote:  

“It was important from my perspective to protect the uniqueness of central Phoenix,” Boyd said, “A city is like a quilt. It is layered with many patterns made by professionals and amateurs alike. We should have more tolerance for others, which extends to land use to balance what all people need.”  

Carol Poore, Ph.D. - “Prioritizing a More Connected Phoenix” 

For the last two General Plan updates, Carol Poore, Ph.D., has served on the PlanPHX Leadership Committee. She brings decades of public service experience from roles in the public utility, higher education, and nonprofit healthcare sectors to the table. To her, a commonality amongst all of her jobs emphasized connection to vital community resources, such as accessibility to public transportation that’s conveniently near healthcare or arts and culture facilities.  

When she was first appointed in 2015, she served as President and CEO of Southwest Center—now known as Prisma Community Care—a vital resource offering prescription services, primary and mental health care, and specialized treatment for HIV/AIDS. In 2013, the organization relocated its operations Downtown to the former 12 News building, located at 1101 N Central Ave., which was in front of a light rail stop – a perfect convenience for those without access to a vehicle. As a Downtown resident, Poore has seen these accessibility gaps narrow in the decade between her two assignments because of what was articulated in both plans. 

Key Quote: 

“The value of a more connected Phoenix, people and places was achieved when the public approved light rail to extend into south central Phoenix. That magnificent project benefits our entire central city, which continues to achieve all five values stated in the Phoenix General Plans of 2015 and 2025,” Poore said. 

While reading the final General Plan published on the City of Phoenix website, one takeaway is evident: it is a document that is human-centric in focus and creation. 

To that end, the information within presents itself plainly “as a story consistently heard from the citizens of Phoenix,” according to a forward by Mayor Kate Gallego. 

Weaved throughout are case studies that various city departments and elected officials will discover while charting the next decade ahead. While the information will create differing inspirations across the city, the values throughout are consistent. 

To review the General Plan that guides the City’s vision and decision-making, click here.  

The PCA Membership Who’ve Contributed to the 2025 General Plan: Gabriel Jaramillo (Vitalyst Health Foundation), Phil Pangrazio (Ability360), Krista Shepherd (Multistudio), Billy Shields (Hansji Corporation), Ryan Boyd, Joshua Matthews (HDR), Shannon Simon (HKS)