| How was
this site selected?
To make sure citizens were involved
in deciding where to put the new water reclamation facility, the
City of Peoria appointed a Community Working Group that included
Peoria residents and landowners, a Peoria business owner, and
representatives of the Peoria Unified School District and Peoria
Economic Development Group (which was a non-profit organization at
the start of this process). This group worked with city staff and
engineering consultants to develop the criteria for ranking
potential sites for the plant.
The group first focused on the
relative importance of site selection criteria without
consideration of the cost. The impact on residents, compatibility
with existing and future land uses and other factors then were
used to rank the different sites under consideration. This rating
system incorporated feedback from several public open houses where
the community at large was invited to review the information and
provide input, a technical steering committee, and intensive work
by the Community Working Group.
The Community Working Group looked
at the reasons for choosing one site over another, and rated the
importance of those factors. Clearly, the most important factor is
the potential impact on residents. The criteria are listed and
defined here, in order of importance.
1. Residents - Seek few
or no impacts on residents in the vicinity (odor, noise,
property devaluation, etc.)
2. Compatibility with
Existing Land Use - is a facility compatible with adjacent
land uses and zoning?
3. Compatibility with Future
Land Use - Is a facility compatible with the City's
long-range plans?
4. Visual Impacts - Is
the site screened or buffered by natural or man-made features
such as a riverbed, hill, freeway, road, open space, park,
etc.?
5. Site Preparation -
Are there significant impediments to construction, such as
existing structures, drainage hazards, or environmental
cleanup requirements?
6. Land Acquisition -
Can the land be acquired within the project schedule and
budget?
7. Recreation - Is the
site near enough vacant land to co-locate with a future
recreational facility?
Why was
this particular site chosen?
The City of Peoria has reevaluated its condemnation of 30-acres
of property upon which a new water reclamation facility was to be
built. The city had originally sought to build the reclamation
facility on a parcel owned by the Metz family and made an offer to
purchase the property for fair market value (as determined by an
independent appraiser), but they were not open to selling that
piece of property. The city had been proceeding with condemnation
to acquire the property through eminent domain, but has decided to
drop that process and shift the location of the plant to an
adjoining site originally planned for youth and adult playing
fields.
Original plans were to build the water reclamation facility on
a site (the Metz property) in the vicinity of 79th
Avenue and Butler Avenue, and purchase an additional site (located
directly to the north between the proposed reclamation plant and
the city’s Municipal Operations Center) upon which adult and
youth baseball and soccer fields and other recreational uses would
be built in the future. The reclamation plant site was selected
through the community process described above.
View Map of Original Location
On April 21, the city filed a motion in court to dismiss the
condemnation of the Metz property, which was approved by the
court. The court also granted the city immediate possession of a
40-acre adjoining parcel that will serve as the new site of the
reclamation facility. (This site, immediately
to the south of the Municipal Operations Center, was also one of
the final sites under consideration for the reclamation plant.) As
a result, the city will have to find a new parcel of land for the
future adult and youth playing fields it had originally planned to
build on this adjacent parcel.
"We conducted an open and public process to select the
site for the plant, but the Rovey family brought some concerns
about impacts to their business to light after that process had
been completed," said Peoria Mayor John Keegan. "Based
upon those concerns and the fact that we were able to find a way
to shift the plant to the northern property, we decided to take
this step in order to try to satisfy everyone involved. Throughout
this process, we have been engaged in a balancing act – trying
to balance the needs of the general public and neighborhoods with
the rights of property owners, as well as the requirements of the
adjacent Rovey Dairy operation."
Prior to today, in an effort to mitigate any potential effects
on the dairy, the city offered to let the Rovey Dairy use the
northern 40-acre parcel for dairy purposes until such time as the
playing fields are built in the future. The Roveys did not accept
this offer.
"During the site selection process we tried to involve all
known stakeholders, and we listened to the community," said
City Manager Terry Ellis. "After that process had concluded
and the site was picked we continued to listen, and based upon
conversations with the Rovey Dairy and other concerns we have
heard from the community, the city has decided to build the
reclamation facility on the site originally intended for
recreation fields."
The city has a recognized need for additional adult and youth
playing fields in the southern part of Peoria, and will
immediately begin searching for another site south of Grand Avenue
for future recreational purposes.
When will the facility be built?
The city will begin designing the plant
before proceeding to an 18-month construction phase. Currently,
the facility is expected to begin operating on or before June 30,
2009.
Need Additional Information?
Your questions and comments can be
addressed by e-mail: utilities@peoriaaz.gov
or by calling (623) 773-7286. Updates and additional questions and
answers will be posted on our Web site as information becomes
available and the facility planning progresses. |
