HEADLINE NEWS
All vacation rental properties require a Scottsdale license, regardless of previous status. As the Sunday, Jan. 8, deadline approaches for short-term/vacation rental properties to get a Scottsdale license, the city is addressing a key misconception. Properties are not grandfathered in; every property offered for rent for less than 30 days must apply for and receive a Scottsdale license.
Beginning Jan. 9, short-term/vacation rental properties operating in Scottsdale without a license will be violating the law. The owner/operator will be subject to enforcement action that includes being cited with a minimum fine of $1,000 per violation.
Learn more about the city, county and state requirements for short-term/vacation rental properties, apply for a license and find neighborhood resources.
Christmas Tree Roundup runs Jan. 6-16. Scottsdale Solid Waste offers two ways to dispose of your unwanted live Christmas trees and/or wreaths. They will be made into compost and save landfill space. We don't accept artificial trees, stands, ornaments, lights or storage bags.
Option #1: Drop them at one of the following locations in the yellow bins:
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Cactus Park (Cactus and Scottsdale roads, southwest corner of the parking lot)
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Chaparral Park (Hayden and Jackrabbit roads, in the parking lot west of the soccer fields)
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Eldorado Park (77th Street and McDowell Road, in the parking lot east of the soccer fields)
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Horizon Park (North of Thompson Peak Parkway on 100th Street, near the baseball field roundabout)
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Scottsdale Ranch Park (104th Street and Via Linda, in the parking lot west of the basketball courts)
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Scottsdale Sports Complex (Bell Road and 82nd Street, in the parking lot east of the soccer fields)
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Thompson Peak Park (Thompson Peak Parkway and Hayden Road, in the northeast parking lot)
Option #2: Single-family home residents can place Christmas trees in the green waste pile, separate from your bulk trash, for collection on your scheduled Brush/Bulk service week. View the schedule.
Attend an open house to provide feedback on draft amendments to the Old Town Scottsdale Character Area Plan & Zoning Ordinance updates. Staff has drafted amendments based on input from the public, the Planning Commission and the City Council that are now available for review and feedback. Attend one of six open houses Tuesday, Jan. 10, or Thursday, Jan. 12, to learn more. Get details and register.
The city will offer additional participation opportunities as we progress through the public input and hearing processes. Continue to stay engaged by visiting the Old Town Updates webpage.
Investing in our Scottsdale: New gateway monuments. We’re ready to place the new Scottsdale gateway monuments around city boundaries to welcome both residents and visitors. Moazam Khan, of local studio MoD a+p, was selected to create the new design. View the monuments and learn more.
The Scottsdale Police Department is warning residents about a new scam involving fake parking tickets. The tickets look real, but they come with a few red flags:
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A QR code that leads to a payment site
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Only gives the option to pay online
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No offense is written on the ticket
Anyone who receives a ticket and wants to confirm its validity can call Scottsdale police at 480-312-1999. It could take up to 24 hours to get a response.
Get a head start learning about city issues, projects and activities by attending or listening in on the many public meetings we host. Here’s what’s coming up:
Detour Company Theatre is leading audiences down the Yellow Brick Road with its production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Detour Company Theatre provides theater training and performance experiences for adults with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities, providing them opportunities to develop artistry, demonstrate courage and collaboration, experience joy and participate in the sharing of musical theater with the community.
Attend one of three showings at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts: 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6; 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8. Admission is free but donations are accepted. RSVP at ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/events.
Join Scottsdale Sister Cities Association for Arts and Tarts. Join the Kingston Committee to celebrate our partnership and the Scottsdale Teen Art Exchange. The event takes place at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Appaloosa Library, 7377 E. Silverstone Drive. Jan. 11 is a Canadian holiday honoring its first prime minister Sir John A. McDonald. Enjoy an interactive viewing of student artwork along with photography by Kingston native Sandy Berg. Grab a homemade butter tart, while they last. Learn more and register.
January’s Civil War Roundtable features Terry Winschel discussing “A Celebration of the Life of Ed Bearss.” Edwin Bearss served as the National Park Service’s chief historian from 1981 to 1994. He was a sought-after battlefield tour guide, a key figure in the battlefield preservation movement, and one of the featured historians in the famous Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War. The Scottsdale Civil War Roundtable meets Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. The lecture starts at 5 p.m.; doors open at 4 p.m. for book sales and speaker meet and greet. The meeting also will be available on Zoom.
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Scottsdale ArtWalk: Scottsdale is home to more than 100 galleries, dedicated to exhibiting the finest visual art from around the world and locally. Stroll at your own pace. 7-9 p.m. Thursdays. Specialty-themed Gold Palette ArtWalks are held 6:30-9 p.m. about once a month.
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Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market: The market features more than 100 local growers and specialty food producers. It runs 8 a.m.-1 p.m. every Saturday through June at 3806 N. Brown Ave.
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Second Saturdays @SMoCA: Solve a puzzle, create art to take home and explore the museum. Noon-3 p.m.
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Find McDowell Sonoran Conservancy events.
A new year, a new you. Start the year off right with small, manageable changes to your lifestyle. Register for a fitness class or pick up a new hobby. Classes begin soon.
Take a jab at getting fit this year at Club SAR Boxing and Fitness Center. Scottsdale's Club SAR Boxing and Fitness Center is the perfect spot to meet your physical conditioning goals. Classes include Yoga, boxing, kickboxing, conditioning, spin, Tabata, Barre, rowing and weight training. Equipment includes a boxing ring, heavy bags, treadmills, bikes, stair climbers, rowers, elliptical machines, free weights, weight machines and full-court indoor basketball. Annual, three-month and one-month memberships are available at affordable prices.
Neighborhood College registration is open for spring 2023 series. We offer four tracks; register for one class or all: HOA/Condo, Scottsdale 360, Good Neighbor and History. Some presentations are offered in-person and online.
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HOA/Condo Series includes: HOA/Condo Symposium; Hot HOA and Condo Law; and Amending Your CC & Rs. The symposium is new this year and designed for those serving on their HOA board. It also is helpful to those interested in serving or needing a "refresher." Seating is limited. 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, Community Design Studio, 7506 E. Indian School Road.
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Scottsdale 360 includes: Short-Term Rentals: The long and short of it!; and Water Wise
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The Good Neighbor Series includes: Behind the Scenes: Scottsdale Volunteer Opportunities
Senior centers offer monthly educational presentations to keep the community informed about programs the city provides. There’s a new topic each month - this month’s subject is tax preparation. Attend at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Granite Reef Senior Center; or 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Via Linda Senior Center. Presentations are free; registration not required. Get details.
Start your new year with a paper cleanse. Bring your personal and/or commercial documents to the "Shred It" event from 7-10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, in the Walmart parking lot, 15355 N. Northsight Blvd. Cost is $5 per box or bag.
Make a splash and earn some cash. If you're 15 or older, now's the time to become a certified lifeguard. The StarGuard lifeguard training certifies participants in rescues, basic first aid and CPR. Once you're certified, you're eligible to apply for a lifeguard position with the city and other places that use lifeguards.
History: Watch “Behind the Business.” Some businesses stay around for more than a generation. But do you know the story behind the business? We will look at an auto parts store that became one of the longest-lasting restaurants in Old Town and an insurance agent whose office has become part of the community. Watch it now.
