ULI Arizona - Technical Assistance Panels

Quick Links

Contact ULI Arizona

ULI Arizona
5090 N. 40th Street, Suite 210
Phoenix, AZ 85018
Phone: 602-449-7916
Fax: The ULI Arizona Fax Line is no
longer available, please scan and
email any documents.
Email Us

Problem with the site?

Arizona Technical Advisory Panels

Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute is a national leader in promoting best practices in all aspects of the real estate industry. Born during the Great Depression, this organization has pioneered many of the practices and techniques that have become standards in the advancement of sustainable, environmentally sensitive land use. The non-profit ULI's mission is to provide responsible leadership in the use of land in order to enhance the total environment. ULI's non-partisan research and education has made it one of the world's most respected and quoted organizations in urban planning, land use and development.

ULI's Advisory Services Program
Since 1947, on a national basis, the Urban Land Institute Advisory Services Program has been assisting communities by bringing together nationally-recognized real estate, planning, infrastructure, public sector, finance and development experts, among others, to provide unbiased pragmatic advice for addressing complex land use opportunities and challenges. Assistance varies from two-hour sessions at the ULI's Spring and Fall meetings to five-day panels that evaluate markets, draw conceptual land-use plans, recommend project phasing and detail critical path items, among a myriad of possible recommendations. While this program provides extraordinary results, some communities are not in a position to shoulder the cost and some challenges require attention more quickly than this process can accommodate.

AZTAP - Arizona Technical Advisory Panels on Real Estate Issues
To help bridge the gap between the national program and our local community - to better localize the mission of ULI - the Arizona District Council has decided to implement AZTAP. AZTAP will:

Assist communities and non-profits to address important issues related to land use and the built environment.
Make top-level professionals available to participate on ULI member panels for communities and non-profits
Provide relevant and current information about land use and ancillary issues to be used at communities' and/or non-profits' discretion.
Provide such assistance free of charge as a public service.
Provide leadership for the program in order to liaise with communities and non-profits and to manage potential conflicts of interest, etc.

The Arizona District Council is fortunate to have tremendous talent among its membership that can be offered by AZTAP. In addition, we are fortunate to have as AZTAP's inaugural chairman Terry Gilbert, former Managing Partner of Ernst & Young's Phoenix office.

Other cities have had tremendous success within the TAP format, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. We are of the opinion that this program can be very successful locally as well – we believe that the sharing of insightful, practical concepts and techniques can positively impact discussions relating to difficult planning-oriented issues (please note: AZTAP will not promote positions or agendas regarding potential land use or development - AZTAP has been conceived to aid in defining processes that will better analyze potential alternatives for interested parties to consider). In the future, AZTAP can help with issues surrounding:

Public/private partnerships
Downtown re-development and revitalization
Housing density
Affordable housing
Environmental concerns
Research parks
Mixed-use development concepts
Economic development and its relationship with real estate
and many more

The Arizona District Council is enthusiastic about the possibilities this new program has in providing objective and knowledgeable assistance to our communities and non-profit organizations.

AZTAP Manifesto

The program was instituted to afford high-level real estate executives an opportunity to help communities in Arizona with difficult development and planning issues. The AZTAP Team is a pro bono service offered by the Arizona District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to assist Arizona municipalities and non-profits in the preliminary study of unique land use planning, development and re-development issues. The District Council’s goal is to make some of the best and brightest talent in the industry available to local government.

As real estate professionals with important skill sets to offer, there is a responsibility to foster the highest quality in the development and re-development of projects within our communities. The Arizona District Council’s members wish to aid in addressing challenging planning issues such that appropriate and sustainable urban forms arise that are consistent with smart growth policies advocated nationally by ULI.

Because of the diverse talents of the group, a broad array of issues can be evaluated. Expertise can be brought to bear upon commercial retail, industrial, residential and mixed land uses in a multiplicity of urban forms. In particular, the District Council has directed the AZTAP Team to address smart growth concepts that contribute to sustainable, high quality development.

Under ideal circumstances, a AZTAP Team analysis will be focused on issues surrounding a particular site. The scope of an analysis is intended to be for the benefit of a specific site within a neighborhood or community. Analysis will typically be organized around defining site characteristics and limitations, identification and assessment of community and neighborhood goals, consideration of alternative land use strategies in the context of preliminary feasibility analysis and recommendations for next steps.

The AZTAP Team analysis is not intended to be a detailed highest and best use analysis. Rather, utilizing the input of experienced professionals that can speak to physical, market and financial viability, the analysis is intended to produce a realistic range of alternative options. In most instances, the process will not lead to strong recommendations for a highly specific project. Indeed, it is likely that an analysis will produce recommendations for further, more directed study. Moreover, going through the process will not ensure the potential success of any alternative use. The AZTAP Team will attempt to narrow choices toward the end of high quality, sustainable developments that provide long-term value to the community.

AZTAP Team analysis will be conducted by members that are hand selected for a particular requirement. The AZTAP Team will assemble individuals with the skills necessary to meet the problem at hand. Our membership includes all areas of the design, development and investment professions from both the private and public sectors. Collectively, the AZTAP Team has a broad range of skill sets to address all stages of the pre-development and development process from feasibility analysis, planning, construction and delivery of projects.

SUBMITTING YOUR PROJECT FOR CONSIDERATION. The AZTAP Committee will consider projects with unique characteristics and needs. We accept applications for panels on an on-going basis. After submission of a short application, the District Council Executive Committee will approve projects that have been identified by the AZTAP Committee as presenting the best opportunities for the AZTAP Team process to deliver quality results and add value.

To participate, please contact the ULI Arizona District Council at 602-449-7921 or email Deb Sydenham at deb.sydenham@uli.org.

AZTAP Code of Ethics

Statement of principle:

The Code of Ethics for the AZTAP has been developed for two principal purposes:

To provide rules of conduct for ULI members who serve on AZTAP Teams.
To assure Arizona communities and organizations which participate in the AZTAP that their interests are protected.

Background:

The AZTAP has been developed under the guidelines promulgated by the Urban Land Institute for District Council Technical Assistance Programs (TAPs). These guidelines state "no member of the panel has a conflict of interest, real or perceived, by serving on the panel".

ULI members chosen for AZTAP teams:

Will disclose any current or foreseeable future financial interest in any specific project, which is the subject of an AZTAP Team analysis. This guideline applies to principals, as well as, others who may benefit indirectly by providing goods, services or financing.
Will disclose any disproportionate vested interest in the outcome of specific issues, which the AZTAP Team is convened to assess. This guideline is intended to address perceived conflict of interest.
Will agree that information obtained by virtue of their participation in AZTAP will be held in confidence.
Will be approved by the Steering Committee Chairman of the Arizona District Council and the Arizona community or organization for whom the program is being conducted.

The role of AZTAP is to serve as a resource for Arizona communities and organizations in formulating their plans and strategies. The panels will strive to provide object analysis and advice and will refrain from advocating specific courses of action.