I have noticed a disturbing trend up here in the paradise of north Peoria.
Like many, I came to north Peoria from somewhere else. I came from a state that severely mismanaged tax dollars and social policies and had a lack of public safety. It made my former home state unrecognizable, so we left and came to Vistancia in January 2018.
I have always loved the wide freeways and planned infrastructure here in the Valley, so I did not come to Peoria (one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Arizona) thinking the clock would suddenly stop, and there would be no more growth.
I have never had any reason to doubt the competency or credibility of those who make the decisions for the city that I chose to call home for the past 6.5 years. I have been able to find out anything I wanted about the growth that is happening, from information requests or from accessing elected officials and city staff. So accusations of the city “doing things in secret” or “profiting off growth” mystifies me.
Since I have been here, I have been hearing complaints about overcrowding of Liberty High School, shortage of police/fire resources, lack of a trauma level hospital, oppressive regulations for business growth, lack of decent dining and retail establishments, and others. Yet movement to explore these things is constantly met with anger, fear and entitlement from those in areas north of Happy Valley Road. The common theme is: I didn’t move here for THIS.
At a recent planning and zoning meeting, I was astonished as the audience
booed, groaned, and shouted insults as the presenter was making the case for 179 affordable housing units (not HUD/Section 8) near our largest retail/commercial section of north Peoria known as Four Corners. When public comments were allowed, one after another talked about “Not In My Back Yard” (NIMBY), characterizing apartments as the breeding ground for crime and drugs, and the renters as “riffraff.” The attitude of “I have mine, but you can’t have yours” was disheartening.
I would guess that most of those who proudly proclaim that “this is NOT the place for affordable housing” started out in apartments, and worked up to their current housing status of $1M+ estates. They seemingly feel entitled to have a wonderful community for their family, but want to deny the very workers who need an affordable place to live. I listened as fellow community members were very vocal about not wanting the “riffraff” who teach in our schools, work in our restaurants, or work in retail to live near them.
The purpose of the planning and zoning commission is to provide advice and
assistance on land use, development review and zoning issues to those who make decisions on such issues in order to enhance the quality of life for present and the future residents. Their mission is to cultivate innovative and sustainable solutions in advancing the responsible development of the city in alignment with the general plan and other goals, principles, and policies. They are not to make decisions based on the arrogance of the elite few.
The public attendance in the P&Z meeting represented a sliver of those who live
here, those who want the shopping, dining, entertainment, education, etc., but don’t want the infrastructure that supports it.
