SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The City of Scottsdale is looking at ways to combat the effects of the Urban Heat Island as part of its first Heat Mitigation Plan.
In partnership with ASU, the city released a study done in 2020 highlighting areas that are some of the hottest and coolest in town.
Lisa McNeilly, the Sustainability Director for the City of Scottsdale, says they've noticed temperatures rising especially after the record-setting summer of 2020.
"We wanted to get more data to make sure that we really understood where it's hotter, why it's hotter in some of those places," McNeilly said.
Some of the hot spots in Scottsdale include Scottsdale Road from Old Town to McDowell Road and the Scottsdale Airport, while the cooler areas are along the Indian Bend Wash and the Scottsdale Civic Center.
The study also highlights the goals the city has when it comes to heat mitigation, including increasing Scottsdale's tree canopy, reducing the land area of hot and dark surfaces, and improving pedestrian shade amenities.
"We hope that that the resources provided on our website really will help people better understand all of those differences in heat, also what they can do, but then also let the city have a good basis for developing a heat mitigation plan,” McNeilly said.
The city is asking residents for their input by sharing their ideas on the city's heat mitigation website.
The sustainability team for Scottsdale will present possible strategies to city council in mid-September.
