| Author | Post |
|---|
Lisa.Coletto.Cohen
Member
| Joined: | Thu Feb 21st, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 108 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 28th, 2008 05:26 am |
|
Council Member Elect Brown,
I share your wish for freeway frontage, but fear that Mesa will not be giving an inch on anything that has even the most remote potential to generate revenue at this point. With that in mind, I am sure Mayor Hawker's spends his nights awake in fear that Queen Creek would allow blatant disregard for the compatibility issues with the airport and would start building high density housing out there as soon as we were able!
Over the years, for the most part, Mesa has been a good friend to us. Perhaps, with the changes on both our respective councils (Mesa has had huge change), there may be some wiggle room for a scenario whereby Mesa, Queen Creek and Apache Junction might all benefit. It's time to really start looking for innovative ways to cooperate here.
Last edited on Mon Apr 28th, 2008 05:27 am by Lisa.Coletto.Cohen
|
bobthebuilder
Member
| Joined: | Sat Mar 11th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 442 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 27th, 2008 09:46 pm |
|
Maybe Queen Creek should threaten to change the plan to allow residential in the red areas unless we get more freeway down here.
|
QCVillager
Member
|
Posted: Sat Apr 26th, 2008 03:53 pm |
|
I am hoping discussions could take place going forward that would result in Town of Queen Creek having some freeway frontage on our extreme northern end of town.
As it stands now, Mesa is the entity with all the freeway frontage. The Town of Queen Creek is the only East Valley city/town with ZERO freeway frontage. This of course has directly impacted how our general plan is updated.
A more equitable situation with respect to freeway frontage would provide the opportunity for good retail and industrial mixes that could also result in private property owners in and near those overflight areas wanting to look at additional scenarios with respect to potential land swaps.
|
QCVillager
Member
|
Posted: Sat Apr 26th, 2008 03:39 pm |
|
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/114849
April 26, 2008 - 5:35AM
Don't build by airport, Mesa says
Sonu Munshi, Tribune
Mesa leaders are worried that Queen Creek might allow developers to build new homes in areas they say are too close to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker has expressed strong concern over a proposed Queen Creek general plan amendment that still would allow residential development, although less than in the old plan.
Mesa, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Gilbert and the Gila River Indian Community together share ownership of the airport and preside over its governing board.
Earlier this week, in a letter to Queen Creek Mayor Art Sanders, Hawker noted that the proposed plan still shows medium and low-density housing, which is within federal compatible noise limits, but could hinder airport operations.
Mesa's position is that no new residential uses should be approved in two earmarked airport overflight zones for the airport to "reach its potential for passenger activity and job creation."
Mesa District 6 Councilman Scott Somers also said the objective should be to keep housing out of that area.
Somers said it's a chance for Mesa and Queen Creek to avoid the situation Phoenix finds itself in, spending "tens of millions of dollars to purchase residential property on the west side."
Somers said there's political pressure to keep space for residential, but the sale of homes for short-term gains would be detrimental in the long term.
Unlike Queen Creek, Mesa has been able to completely avoid having any housing in the airport's arrival and departure routes, Hawker said, adding that the area directly in the flight path is of utmost concern to Mesa.
Instead, he suggested that Queen Creek could redesignate some of its industrial area outside the flight path as residential.
According to airport spokesman Brian Sexton, different development restrictions apply depending on how close an area is to Gateway's flight paths.
The closest area is most restrictive in terms of housing, followed by an area slightly further away in which housing is allowed but prospective buyers would have to be informed about the potential for noise. There also would be certain noise and deed restrictions in the area.
Even further away from the flight paths is a low-noise area in which Mesa does not oppose residential development, but the city doesn't want homes any closer than that.
Queen Creek is proposing to change some residential designations to light industrial within the area bordering the two noisiest zones, but some housing still would be allowed.
Queen Creek consultant Wayne Balmer, a former Mesa employee, said it's easy for Mesa to say Queen Creek should forbid housing within those areas, because Mesa doesn't have much land there that would appeal to homebuilders. Mesa would like more jobs, he said, and wants Queen Creek to likewise push for more commercial development.
But Balmer said the challenge for Queen Creek is that it's a fairly small town, and setting aside too much land for employment-related uses might not be financially viable. Plus, Mesa has natural advantages because the airport and nearby Loop 202 Santan Freeway are within its borders, he said, along with other commercial assets.
"So chances are most development would want to go to Mesa," Balmer said. "How long does Queen Creek have to wait to get economic development?"
|
Current time is 08:42 pm | |
|
|
|