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We should do all we can to oppose this land grab as it is encroaching on the Table Mesa area!!
"Fast-growing Phoenix is poised to burst the Valley's seams, extending its boundaries north nearly to Yavapai County by annexing a chunk of undeveloped land the size of Tempe.
As many as 80,000 people could someday live and work along the 11-mile stretch of Interstate 17 north of the Carefree Highway. The City Council adopted a preliminary land-use blueprint Wednesday, though city planners say they don't expect to see any actual construction for another 10-15 years.
The proposal has angered Maricopa and Yavapai county officials, who accused Phoenix of moving too far north too quickly. Supervisors in both counties passed resolutions opposing the annexation, but they lack authority to block it.
"For one, I just don't want the city of Phoenix that close to me and I don't want it that close to Black Canyon City," said Yavapai County Supervisor Lorna Street.
The annexation would add 39 square miles to Phoenix, already the nation's fifth-largest city by area, and could place new strains on the region's transportation network, air quality and water supply. The draft plan adopted Wednesday does not specifically address those issues.
Neighboring Peoria, meanwhile, is preparing to annex about 14 square miles just west of the land Phoenix has claimed, creating a wide-open growth corridor that would someday stretch from I-17 west toward the White Tank Mountains and north to the county line.
Both annexation plans must first win approval from the State Selection Board, which considers any proposal that involves state trust land parcels. The three-member panel - Gov. Jane Hull, Attorney General Janet Napolitano and Treasurer Carol Springer - meets today at the capitol.
The smattering of people who live in the rugged area are watching the plan closely. Duane Loose moved 40 miles north of downtown Phoenix six years ago to escape the hustle and bustle of traffic, noise and arm-to-arm strip malls. The 43-year-old mechanical engineer, who lives adjacent to the proposed annexation, wants to stop the development of high desert land filled of saguaros, wildlife and trails.
"We're country people out here," said Loose, whose closest neighbor is a quarter of a mile away. "It's very slow, very rural. I have total peace and quiet to take my dogs hiking and hang on the back of the porch and enjoy the peacefulness."
Under the plan, Phoenix will add a 15th village, or planning area, for the estimated 65,000 to 80,000 people who will be living there within two decades. Conceptual land-use plans also call for the creation of 35,000 to 70,000 jobs by the time the area is built-out with retail businesses and industrial and public uses. About 11,100 acres will be untouched, set aside for parks, trails and open space.
Though building isn't expected there for at least 15 years, officials say it is critical to pounce on the land now so it can plan and control its development, which takes decades.
"We would rather get there first and have it go through our development processes verses letting it happen in the county and then getting it piecemeal," said Alan Stephenson, a Phoenix city planner. "(And) it takes a long time from a land-use standpoint . . . to look at transportation plans, water and sewer and open space studies."
Despite questions from surrounding cities about Phoenix's motives, officials say they're best-suited to oversee the area's growth.
"Nobody's going to be able to stop (growth)," said Rick Naimark, executive assistant to the city manager. "The Valley's going to continue to grow. The real question is who has the capacity professionally to plan it to make sure it has the quality infrastructure and that sort of thing. We're protecting it from hodge-podge development."
Phoenix first proposed annexing much of the land more than two years ago, but ran into opposition from Peoria, which had included some of the same area in its long-range plans. The two cities clashed over their competing proposals but ultimately agreed to seek a compromise.
That compromise turned out to be 75th Avenue, said Debra Stark, Peoria's planning director. Peoria agreed back off to that line and Phoenix agreed not to cross it.
"If anything I look at this as a good example of two cities coming together and actually working together in a joint planning effort, which doesn't happen that often," Stark said. She acknowledged that Peoria still envisions lower-density development along its side of the land and may preserve a wide swath near Lake Pleasant.
Maricopa County Supervisor Andy Kunasek said that he doesn't oppose most of the Phoenix annexation proposal, but he said he doesn't want to see Phoenix claim land he had hoped to preserve. He'll appear at the state board meeting today to propose a compromise by asking Phoenix to draw the line at the New River Road interchange on I-17.
In any case, both Phoenix and Peoria planners say there's still ample time to consider questions about growth and resource needs. Stark said Peoria foresees no development in the new areas for a decade or more and Phoenix officials agreed.
"They're not going to bring anyone out there to be building a week or two weeks from now," said Stephenson."
Dead Link Removed
"Fast-growing Phoenix is poised to burst the Valley's seams, extending its boundaries north nearly to Yavapai County by annexing a chunk of undeveloped land the size of Tempe.
As many as 80,000 people could someday live and work along the 11-mile stretch of Interstate 17 north of the Carefree Highway. The City Council adopted a preliminary land-use blueprint Wednesday, though city planners say they don't expect to see any actual construction for another 10-15 years.
The proposal has angered Maricopa and Yavapai county officials, who accused Phoenix of moving too far north too quickly. Supervisors in both counties passed resolutions opposing the annexation, but they lack authority to block it.
"For one, I just don't want the city of Phoenix that close to me and I don't want it that close to Black Canyon City," said Yavapai County Supervisor Lorna Street.
The annexation would add 39 square miles to Phoenix, already the nation's fifth-largest city by area, and could place new strains on the region's transportation network, air quality and water supply. The draft plan adopted Wednesday does not specifically address those issues.
Neighboring Peoria, meanwhile, is preparing to annex about 14 square miles just west of the land Phoenix has claimed, creating a wide-open growth corridor that would someday stretch from I-17 west toward the White Tank Mountains and north to the county line.
Both annexation plans must first win approval from the State Selection Board, which considers any proposal that involves state trust land parcels. The three-member panel - Gov. Jane Hull, Attorney General Janet Napolitano and Treasurer Carol Springer - meets today at the capitol.
The smattering of people who live in the rugged area are watching the plan closely. Duane Loose moved 40 miles north of downtown Phoenix six years ago to escape the hustle and bustle of traffic, noise and arm-to-arm strip malls. The 43-year-old mechanical engineer, who lives adjacent to the proposed annexation, wants to stop the development of high desert land filled of saguaros, wildlife and trails.
"We're country people out here," said Loose, whose closest neighbor is a quarter of a mile away. "It's very slow, very rural. I have total peace and quiet to take my dogs hiking and hang on the back of the porch and enjoy the peacefulness."
Under the plan, Phoenix will add a 15th village, or planning area, for the estimated 65,000 to 80,000 people who will be living there within two decades. Conceptual land-use plans also call for the creation of 35,000 to 70,000 jobs by the time the area is built-out with retail businesses and industrial and public uses. About 11,100 acres will be untouched, set aside for parks, trails and open space.
Though building isn't expected there for at least 15 years, officials say it is critical to pounce on the land now so it can plan and control its development, which takes decades.
"We would rather get there first and have it go through our development processes verses letting it happen in the county and then getting it piecemeal," said Alan Stephenson, a Phoenix city planner. "(And) it takes a long time from a land-use standpoint . . . to look at transportation plans, water and sewer and open space studies."
Despite questions from surrounding cities about Phoenix's motives, officials say they're best-suited to oversee the area's growth.
"Nobody's going to be able to stop (growth)," said Rick Naimark, executive assistant to the city manager. "The Valley's going to continue to grow. The real question is who has the capacity professionally to plan it to make sure it has the quality infrastructure and that sort of thing. We're protecting it from hodge-podge development."
Phoenix first proposed annexing much of the land more than two years ago, but ran into opposition from Peoria, which had included some of the same area in its long-range plans. The two cities clashed over their competing proposals but ultimately agreed to seek a compromise.
That compromise turned out to be 75th Avenue, said Debra Stark, Peoria's planning director. Peoria agreed back off to that line and Phoenix agreed not to cross it.
"If anything I look at this as a good example of two cities coming together and actually working together in a joint planning effort, which doesn't happen that often," Stark said. She acknowledged that Peoria still envisions lower-density development along its side of the land and may preserve a wide swath near Lake Pleasant.
Maricopa County Supervisor Andy Kunasek said that he doesn't oppose most of the Phoenix annexation proposal, but he said he doesn't want to see Phoenix claim land he had hoped to preserve. He'll appear at the state board meeting today to propose a compromise by asking Phoenix to draw the line at the New River Road interchange on I-17.
In any case, both Phoenix and Peoria planners say there's still ample time to consider questions about growth and resource needs. Stark said Peoria foresees no development in the new areas for a decade or more and Phoenix officials agreed.
"They're not going to bring anyone out there to be building a week or two weeks from now," said Stephenson."
Dead Link Removed
