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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Sun May 4th, 2008 07:11 am |
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Thanks SR -- maybe it's me, or my computer, or the time of night, but that website keeps blipping out. I'll try it tomorrow when it's had enough sleep.
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sometimes rational
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Posted: Sun May 4th, 2008 07:00 am |
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Mama--if you want an evaluation of your particular risk, check out http://www.floodsmart.gov Keep in mind the low-mod rating is the lowest..est. annual chance of a flood is 1%.
Last edited on Sun May 4th, 2008 07:10 am by
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Sun May 4th, 2008 02:54 am |
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Bob, I was not able to attend. I hope someone else comes on here and speaks up. I've got so many irons in the fire right now and really need assistance from others that this will affect. All I know from the McMicken Dam and the Jackrabbit Trail Corridor, the County and/or City wants to run rampant with bringing in traffic from Buckeye -- you know, the good old grid system, and run it into the proposed/supposed Prasada Mall (if ever) and who cares if it's a Walmart, and traffic will be worse than ever if the economy picks back up.
I'm very aware of the Zanjero Trails project which I don't know where it currently stands: it was supposed to be annexed into the City but I don't think that is yet completed. They have whatever type elaborate (last I knew) design to coincide with the other properties on the east side of the Beardsley which are one acre lots. It would make sense, but what doesn't make sense is mowing down the dam so people are required to buy flood insurance. I would imagine many bought in those areas knowing the dam was there and the need was not to buy flood insurance. More money spent on something that may or may not ever happen. Perhaps this is one of the many things wrong with our economy today. Anyhow, hopefully someone else has info. What I can tell you is that when you attend these meetings, you (or whoever) need to fill out the complaint forms and get them in!
Last edited on Sun May 4th, 2008 02:55 am by Mamazoyd
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rvukanovich
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Posted: Sat May 3rd, 2008 02:41 am |
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| Was anything of interest said at the April 29th meeting that made the residents happy?
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 04:55 pm |
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Interesting piece of information again...and so soon! Man, they are really pushing now to get everything in line to just take off and running ASAP. Hopefully you have all received your little blue fliers from McDOT RightRoads Program regarding the upcoming April 29th meeting. In the event you did not, here's a little FYI.
McDOT is now joining forces on the same night, same time, same place, with the FCDMC (Flood Control District of Maricopa County). As we are aware of the most recent McMicken dam meeting, the attempt was made to let us all think it was pertaining to Wittmann instead of the Surprise/McMicken dam areas, most likely due to the fact the impending developer South of Bell finally wants to get his ducks in a row. Now McDOT with the Jackrabbit Trail Corridor Study (in the event you haven't heard it's the new parkway they want to put along the base of the White Tanks to bring in more traffic from the west as they don't want to allow for the on/off ramps on the 303 as it will take away from the Prasada mall) is combining with the Flood Control District in it's own supposedly separate meeting but at the same time regarding "Loop 303 Alternative Drainage Facilities."
So let's think about this: What appears to be in the area of their planning between the two (McDOT and FCDMC) is, going from west to east, the White Tank Mountains, the impending Jackrabbit Trail Corridor, the McMicken dam area they want to mow down (they say change) along with the impending development (of Zanjero Trails), all the homes between there and the 303, and then however or whatever it is they want to do with the 303. It appears all the area inbetween the White Tanks and the 303 and even east of that could be on a roller-coaster ride. They want to mow down the McMicken dam and force homeowners to buy flood insurance of all things (how far east?) when we were told the dam was there and we didn't need flood insurance. To me it sounds our homes are in their way. And forgive me SCG, I'm not sure how this might affect you but it very possibly can, esp. your more western parts.
McDOT is 'asking' for public input -- future roadway type, alignment, number of lanes and right-of-way requirements along Jackrabbit Trail corridor to safely accommodate future traffic demand.
Day and Date: Tuesday, April 29th -- 5:00 to 7:00 pm -- anytime therein
Place: Scott L. Libby Elementary -- Sch. gym
Address: 18701 W. Thomas Road
Litchfield Park
The flier states you should be prepared to attend a Separate Public Input Meeting for the FCDMC while there.
Please be prepared to take the time for both the McDOT and the FCDMC sections; speak with reps and fill out available forms with your opinions, whatever they might be.
Thank you and hope to see you all there!
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Sat Apr 12th, 2008 02:45 am |
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LucifersLandlord wrote: Wonder where the mayor was?? Hot button issue thats going to affect a huge portion of the city when anyone refinancing or purchasing a home will be required to have flood insurance. Now did anyone here how this will affect land values??? I have heard ( just thru conversation) that this can decrease home values as much as 5-10% depending on your location to washes or creekbeds. Great point LLL! I saw no Truitt this time and saw no Shafer last time.
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LucifersLandlord
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Posted: Fri Apr 11th, 2008 10:06 pm |
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| Wonder where the mayor was?? Hot button issue thats going to affect a huge portion of the city when anyone refinancing or purchasing a home will be required to have flood insurance. Now did anyone here how this will affect land values??? I have heard ( just thru conversation) that this can decrease home values as much as 5-10% depending on your location to washes or creekbeds.
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Fri Apr 11th, 2008 08:03 pm |
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| We were almost the last people to leave, so I guess I missed who was pointed out as being from Surprise planning. Bluebug, do you recall any names or were none given? I thought that was Skip Hall I saw leaving pretty quickly.
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bluebug
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Posted: Fri Apr 11th, 2008 06:45 pm |
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| Skip Hall was there as well.
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bluebug
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Posted: Fri Apr 11th, 2008 06:37 pm |
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| There were 2 City of Surprise Staff there. The speaker pointed them out, but I think you left early.
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rvukanovich
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Posted: Fri Apr 11th, 2008 06:14 pm |
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I did not recognize any City of Surprise Officials in attendance at last Tuesday evening's McMiken Dam community meeting which was held by the Maricopa County Flood Control District. I did meet and discuss this topic with Mr. Bill Lipscomb at the meeting. Mr. Lipscomb, is running for County Supervisor for District 4 in the upcoming November election. This issue should have been of considerable interest to our city as it impacts current and future residents as it plans for development on the East and North sides of the White Tank Mountains. Planning ahead is being prepared. To wait until later may be too late. Trying to recover from a flood is a fool's task if you could have saved homes in the first place by proper and intelligent planning. (The last couple sentences is my recollection of what Mr. Lipscomb explained to me at the meeting.)
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Fri Apr 11th, 2008 02:55 pm |
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One more little note here for now, Bob V., you were also correct in that most of the people in attendance did seem to be from Wittmann. When the gentleman after the meeting was questioned by us about whether or not work was to be done there, he stammered around before answering not really, that was just what a particular area was called heading up there. Quite misleading, wouldn't you say? Chances are it kept away a number of Surprise folks, yes? Therefore, in this case, I would have to say that perhaps the people of Surprise and areas affected MIGHT make a difference if they keep on top of this; obviously the County doesn't want to give us too much to stay on top of. If people don't show up and don't voice and write in their disapprovals, this will give them the green light to go ahead -- they'll say no one was interested.
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Thu Apr 10th, 2008 05:45 pm |
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I understand what you're stating BB and it probably is the case that these meetings are a charade. I do believe, however, that if enough people put their voices together, they could possibly make a change. The problem is that mostly never happens since people choose to sit back and, as I almost always refer to it, play victim. I still maintain that they do have a choice since they do have a voice. Sadly, their choice to not act in this case will end up costing them (and us) more money with flood insurance.
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BB35
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Posted: Thu Apr 10th, 2008 04:36 pm |
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These so called "Meetings" are just a justification for whats already decided. The best hope is the financial credit crunch will kill the deal and the builders that are pushing for the cheap land will go bankrupt and forget about it. Then the taxpayers can clean up the mess...
I thought everyone knew about the flood plain they lived in... I Guess Plute covered it up... NOT surprised.... You can really see it when you fly over the area...
When a sand wash floods, stuff that isn't washed away just sinks into the sand. It is like living on an ocean beach... It doesn't work like the floods in the Midwest....
Selling land in sand washes is an old scam in Arizona...
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Thu Apr 10th, 2008 12:35 am |
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Thanks Bikerdude and Bob V. for attending! It's good to know a couple of you out there made it. Bikerdude, the guy we waited around for afterwards to speak with stated they don't know which avenue they are going yet. These are "investigative" type meetings. They are still hoping to bring in the Core of Engineers who originally built the dam, so everything is still up in the air, but he figured there'd be more meetings. Did you take one of those questionnaires to fill out and send in? I didn't notice them on our way in but I sure did on the way out. Let's face it: It will be a fight on the citizen's part as this is more for the developers than for us. I resent the flood insurance situation though since we are presently safe and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
Bob V., yep, we learned we should get flood insurance. Nice, huh?
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rvukanovich
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Posted: Wed Apr 9th, 2008 09:34 pm |
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Sorry, listening to their spiel I couldn't stay awake so I left-ed early. Was anything learned by those that stayed?
It appeared that most that were in attendance were from Wittman.
Last edited on Wed Apr 9th, 2008 09:53 pm by rvukanovich
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BikerDude
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Posted: Wed Apr 9th, 2008 07:48 pm |
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If memory serves, last year the question about flood insurance was brushed over.
This year we were told to get it.
I feel that these meetings are just fulfilling their requirements, because I still don't know what they plan to do.
And yes they definitely had a lot of people there.
http://www.fcd.maricopa.gov
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Wed Apr 9th, 2008 04:09 pm |
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Meeting was packed! Would like to hear from anyone else out there who may have attended and what their take was on it.
I felt they had far too many of their people (empl) standing around for what, I don't know. Would this be on our tax dollar? They weren't doing anything.
They did not take nearly as many questions as last year -- I don't know if more would have come up; people are probably beginning to feel this is getting shoved down their throats and they can't make a difference. The flood control district was advocating more this time for the one-on-one with someone afterwards. That's great if you could wait another 40-60 minutes since some people don't know how to ask, receive, and leave in a timely manner.
The most appalling info of the night, and most of this is from what I was told since, to me, it was horribly noisy due to an art fair also being at the center, was if, in their opinion, they thought it would be wise to purchase FLOOD insurance. The answer was yes, if the home owner wanted to feel safe. Excuse me??? We purchased where we purchased due to the dam being there, keeping us safe, and not having to put out more money. IMHO it comes down to the developer wanting to build out there on the west side of the Beardsley canal knows it will be extremely expensive to put a bridge over the Beardsley and the damn. If he can get the flood control district to restructure or knock down the dam and make basins or whatever, then the bridge won't be so costly to him. Well, I say "to him" although I have also been told he can re-file with the government and get back most of his money, so once again, this is coming from what, our taxes? It was an uncomfortable feeling watching the developer spokesman slinking out after the meeting with a huge grin on his face.
Sounds like there will be more upcoming meetings. The FCD is attempting to get the Core of Engineers, who originally put up the dam, to work with them to help absorb some costs. I say just leave it all alone -- it's doing just fine and won't cost us anything.
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Tue Apr 8th, 2008 09:06 pm |
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Thanks Bob V. -- Meeting is tonight everyone!
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rvukanovich
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Posted: Tue Apr 8th, 2008 12:40 am |
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The McMicken Dam is an earthen dam approximately 10 miles long and 34 feet high, located within the city of Surprise, in between Peoria Avenue and Happy Valley Road. The McMicken Dam Project was originally constructed to protect Luke Air Force Base and surrounding agricultural lands from flooding.
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Mon Apr 7th, 2008 04:30 pm |
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The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., April 8 at the Dysart Education Center, 15802 N. Parkview Place, Surprise.
Last meeting was quite interesting and amusing. Very good questions were presented, and at times you could see where those in charge were uncomfortable. They know, as we know, there is no need for this other than to make it easier and less costly for the developers in the long run.
Oh yes, as an addition, last year's meeting was informal at first, meeting and speaking with those in charge, then it was a-take-your-seat -and-proceed-with-the-program, so it is advised to get there early or you'll miss information.
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LucifersLandlord
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Posted: Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 05:16 pm |
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BikerDude wrote: Great!!! The Gun Range is gone and now you think it will be replaced with houses???
What will they think of next?
Wow puts getting rid of the gun range in a new perspective and who is going to line their pockets on this one. Grander's sold their soul to developer devils so here comes more roads, traffics and hopefully a few more firehouses and new train tracks. Look before you leap people there is always someone waiting for you to do their job for them and they make the profit and have the clean hands from destroying a business to get the land. That is just an opinion thru observation though.
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BikerDude
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Posted: Mon Mar 31st, 2008 05:32 pm |
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Great!!! The Gun Range is gone and now you think it will be replaced with houses???
What will they think of next?
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Sun Mar 30th, 2008 03:12 am |
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BB35 said:
I wouldn't mess with the dam.... There is a good reason why it was built in the first place....
Darn tootin there BB! No telling what will happen to the homes of us closest to that area. From what I can tell, this is pure developer greed shining through again! Please be at the meeting if at all possible with your voice of reason. Last time we had a good crowd and I hope the people haven't abandoned the ship!
Thanks for the website!
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BB35
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Posted: Sun Mar 30th, 2008 01:49 am |
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I thought SCG phase four would not be built due to the fact it sets in a giant sand wash. I guess Pulte thought otherwise...
This is not a good time to cut the dam down. Last winter seems to marking the beginning of a mini ice age.
http://www.iceagenow.com/index.htm
Underwater volcanoes are heating up the oceans and causing more water vapor in the atmosphere.
Record cold and snows and rain all over the world...
I wouldn't mess with the dam.... There is a good reason why it was built in the first place....
I have seen flash floods in the washes appear out of nowhere in clear skys (cloud burst in the far mountains)...
A native of Arizona...
Pray for global warming.....
Last edited on Sun Mar 30th, 2008 01:54 am by BB35
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Mamazoyd
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Posted: Fri Mar 28th, 2008 03:28 am |
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 McMicken Dam replacement meetings set Staff Report March 24, 2008 - 2:53PM McMicken Dam in Surprise may be in line for reconstruction and the Flood Control District of Maricopa County will be meeting with residents about this and other projects with direct effects on the Northwest Valley.
The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., April 8 at the Dysart Education Center, 15802 N. Parkview Place, Surprise.
The Flood Control District has identified the McMicken Dam project and the Wittmann Area Drainage Master Plan as its vital missions in protecting the lives and property of residents in the Northwest Valley.
The McMicken Dam Project seeks to rehabilitate or replace the 9 mile earthen dam located within the city of Surprise between Peoria Avenue and Happy Valley Road. Originally built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the mid-1950s to protect Luke Air Force Base and surrounding agricultural land from flooding, the structure now provides additional protection to thousands of homes and numerous commercial properties downstream of the dam in Surprise and Sun City Grand.
McMicken Dam is one of the oldest flood control dams operated and maintained by the Flood Control District and land subsidence and earth fissuring have been identified as two issues which directly affect the dam's long-term ability to maintain flood protection. Both issues are a threat to the dam's aging infrastructure.
The most wide-ranging project to be unveiled is the Wittmann Area Drainage Master Plan. This plan is the result of the Flood Control District's initial 2005 study of a 307-square-mile watershed extending from the Hieroglyphic Mountains on the Maricopa County/Yavapai County border south to the White Tank Mountains.
The ADMP is an example of the District's countywide watershed planning efforts to find non-structural solutions to regional flooding prior to substantial development. The District's initial study identified the types of flooding hazards, delineated floodways and floodplains, and located erosion hazard zones. The ADMP has identified five preliminary flood mitigation alternatives.
The District encourages all interested residents to attend the public meeting to learn more about the projects, talk informally with project team members and participate in shaping the future of their respective communities. The meeting will be conducted on April 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Dysart Education Center, 15802 N. Parkview Place, Surprise.
The above article from the Surprise Today says it all. I attended the first meeting last year during late summer, I believe, and it appears the County and the water district have never stopped pushing. The majority of the people attending were Surprise citizens, and in attendance were some from Surprise city planning. This is where Zanjero Trails development is supposed to spread to and they want it to be asthetically pleasing to the new homes. I heard no positives from the crowd. Do we want to have our tax dollars going to level the dam which is supposed to be a 100 year plan from my knowledge and we aren't anywhere near that? This is the White Tank Mountain Preserve area and it will be once again destroying the homes of the native wildlife -- the deer, coyotes, snakes, and all God's SW creatures. The west side doesn't have other preserve lands -- why destroy this for more houses, as if we need them?
More tax dollars + more wasted preserve lands = _________________
Be at this meeting and let your voices be heard!
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