Remembering John Wintersteen

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the tragic death of former Paradise Valley Police Chief John Wintersteen, a beloved figure in our community.

Chief Wintersteen dedicated his life to service, which included 30 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. As part of his extraordinary military career, he spent 20 months in Vietnam having extended his original 13-month tour; by the time he was 22 years old, he was already a commanding officer.

Following his tour, Chief Wintersteen was stationed in various locations around the United States – spending 20 years in the USMC Military Police. His last posting was as head of security for law enforcement and anti-terrorism at the Marine Corps headquarters, where he retired in 1995 as a lieutenant colonel.

After three decades of military service, Chief Wintersteen joined the Paradise Valley Police Department in June of 1995 where he served this community in the roles of Chief, Director of Public Safety, Town Marshal, and Director of Emergency Management for 14 years.

His contributions to this community didn’t end with his retirement from the force.

Through his time volunteering with the board of the Empire of Hope and as an active Rotarian – serving on the board of the Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA -- Chief Wintersteen led charitable efforts in several African countries, fighting issues of poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and medical care.

He also volunteered long hours closer to home, working with organizations in the Valley like the Creighton Community Foundation – ensuring students and their families in that school district had food and other resources to help in the fight against chronic poverty.

Most recently, Chief Wintersteen co-chaired and organized this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Paradise Valley – an event he helped start in the Town 26 years ago.

Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner said, “Our hearts are broken. John Wintersteen lived a life of true service and care for others. His positive contributions to our nation and our community are immeasurable. He will be deeply missed.”

Chief Wintersteen lived a life of dedicated service, and Paradise Valley is stronger for having had him as one of our own. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, his many friends and all who knew him.

Town Council Meeting Action Report

Proclaimed January as Speak Up, Stand Up, Save a Life Month in Paradise Valley (Speak Up, Stand Up, Save a Life is an Arizona non-profit organization that partners with school districts around the state, including SUSD, on mental health initiatives and recognizing destructive behaviors in students that could lead to death. The goal is to empower youth to speak up when they observe warning signs of depression, suicide, grief, abuse, and bullying.) for more information visit https://www.speakstandsave.com/
Authorized the expenditure of funds over $100,000 and up to the specific budgeted amount for Sentinel Technologies, Inc for IT software services
Adopted Ordinance 2023-05, the Major special Use Permit Amendment for the redevelopment of the Smoke Tree Resort with amendments to Stipulation 26 (related to the construction of a new 8-foot-tall wall on the south property line) and Stipulation 64 (related to the maintenance and replacement, if necessary, of landscaping along the south property line).
Unanimously elected Mark Stanton to serve as Vice Mayor for the calendar year 2024.

Hillside Committee Updates

The Hillside Building Committee reviews development plans for properties designated “Hillside” at Concept and Formal stages. Remodels, additions, and site improvements that are minor, are Combined reviews.

The purpose of the Concept Review is to discuss, review, and give suggestions and guidance to the Applicant regarding the proposed development including location of building pad and accessory uses; relation to Significant Natural Features; preservation of existing vegetation; Grading concepts and their adaptation to the natural hillside topography.

The purpose of the Formal Review is to review all materials and plans for compliance with the goals, purposes, and specific ordinance criteria.

The purpose of the Combined Review is limited to the review of all materials and plans for remodels, additions and site improvements that are minor for compliance with the goals, purposes, and specific ordinance criteria.

On January 10^th, 2024, The Hillside Building Committee agenda included three Combined Reviews, one Concept Review, and one Formal Review:

4564 E White Drive –Combined Review for a Solar Addition - APPROVED

This solar combined review proposes the addition of 60 new solar panels. The solar panels will be mounted on the roof of the existing single-family residence constructed in 2001. The solar panels will be divided into five separate sections and screened by parapets on the flat roof. Materials include black frames and racking systems.

4301 E Keim Drive – Combined Review for landscape and pool addition – APPROVED

This combined review is for a new negative edge pool with screen fencing installed around the pool and a new landscape area. The landscape renovations include partial driveway lighting within the allowable lumen count. Building materials include a “functional gray” stucco color, concrete with exposed aggregate, black frames, cladding accent walls, gray fascia, and brown roof finish.

4656 E Foothill Drive – Combined Review for Landscape and Pool Addition – APPROVED

The project proposes constructing a new spa and updating landscaping and hardscaping. A new, in-ground spa and water feature will be added to the existing pool and match existing materials. The driveway made of permeable pavers will be expanded as part of the project, but the lot disturbance will not change. Hardscape materials include permeable pavers and cast concrete. Lighting will be reduced to meet the allowable lumen count limit.

6019 E Foothill Drive N – Concept Review for a new Single-Family Residence – Received & Filed

The formal review proposes the construction of a new single-family home with approximately 8,950 sq ft of livable area and an attached 6-car garage on this 1.59-acre lot. The proposal includes the addition of a driveway entering from E Foothill Drive N, a pool, and retaining walls with varying heights. Materials for building, hardscape, landscaping, and lighting have not yet been submitted. Solar has not been proposed at this time but may be included during formal review.

7941 N 55^th Street – Formal Review for a New Single-Family Residence – APPROVED

This formal review proposes a new single-family residence on an undeveloped 1.014-acre lot. In addition to the 6,025 sq ft home, an attached 4-car garage and pool will be constructed. The pool will be located behind the home, enclosed by the rear courtyard wall, and the retaining walls will be used primarily for the driveway. The driveway will access the property from 55^th Street. The project was granted a variance for disturbance and cut height in May 2023. Solar is not included in the proposal.

Click the link for complete submittal information: Agenda

PVPD Communications Update

We are delighted to share a major advancement in our commitment to public safety! Our dedicated Communications team has been hard at work mastering the ropes of the cutting-edge Vesta 911, our new emergency telecommunications system.

The Vesta 911 platform is set to revolutionize our operations by seamlessly integrating various systems, empowering us to handle emergency calls with unprecedented efficiency and precision.

What does this mean for you, the community? It translates to a faster response time, improved coordination, and an overall enhancement in the services we provide. Your safety remains our top priority, and this upgrade ensures that we stay at the forefront of technology to keep Paradise Valley secure.

Our collaboration with the State of Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) 911 Office and various vendors has been pivotal in implementing this new 911 call handling system for our Communications Center. We are transitioning from Intrado Viper 911 to Motorola Vesta 911, which brings in a host of new features, including integrated text-to-911 and transcription services.

This shift is part of the broader move towards Next Generation 911 (NG911) statewide and nationwide. NG911 replaces outdated analog 911 infrastructure with a digital internet protocol (IP)-based system, offering enhanced capabilities and compatibility with various communication methods. This upgrade provides greater situational awareness to our Dispatchers and Emergency Responders, establishing a level of resiliency that was not possible with the analog system.

Paradise Valley takes pride in being the 4th Emergency Communications Center within Maricopa County to embrace NG911, following Wickenburg, Gilbert, and Scottsdale's successful migrations in 2023.

We are committed to continually advancing our capabilities to serve you better. Your safety is our mission, and we look forward to the positive impact this technological leap will bring to the Paradise Valley community.

Annual Backflow Inspection & Certification

This week, Public Works conducted our annual inspection of approximately 68 backflow preventers located throughout the Town’s right of ways and facilities. Inspections are conducted each year to ensure all equipment is working properly to protect home and public drinking water systems.

Backflow Prevention Devices are designed to ensure water that enters a private system does not flow back into the clean water supply, which may contaminate the clean water supply with chemicals, toxins, and debris. After inspections are completed, the reports are provided to the water distribution agency for certification of each device.