North Phoenix “City Within a City” Development Advances Despite resident Concerns
PHOENIX – A large-scale development, dubbed NorthPark, spearheaded by Pulte Group and TSMC, is moving forward at the southwest corner of I-17 and Loop 303 after receiving a unanimous recommendation for approval from the North Gateway Village Planning Committee.The project, described as a “city within a city,” is facing opposition from residents concerned about traffic, environmental impact, and strain on local resources.
Phoenix officials reported receiving 243 letters expressing opposition or concerns,alongside 68 letters of support,prior to thursday’s committee meeting. A primary concern voiced by residents centers on increased traffic congestion and safety issues on existing North Phoenix roads. “We don’t want to handle that traffic,” stated resident anne Wilsey.”We like our community, it’s quiet.”
Beyond traffic, residents raised concerns regarding the development of state trust land, potential reduction of recreational space, the project’s water usage, and its impact on the overall water supply. Jim Umlauf expressed a worry about prioritizing housing over open space, saying, “in ten years from now, we’re not going to sit back and say ‘Gee, I wish we built more homes.’ But we are going to look back and say ‘Man, I wish we saved more open space.'” Some locals advocated for relocating the project further north,beyond Loop 303.
TSMC addressed environmental concerns, with Environment Health and Safety Manager Rafael Velazquez stating the company aims to recycle up to 90 percent of its water. “We have to clean the water to ultra pure levels so we do clean it and we do recycle and reuse it,” Velazquez explained.”Becuase we go through that process of cleaning it, we don’t just want to send it down the drain.”
In a letter to the Stetson Valley HOA, TSMC further assured residents that discharged water would be free of harmful chemicals and that no such materials would be transported through residential areas. The letter emphasized modern semiconductor facilities utilize “rigorous environmental controls” to prevent contamination, contrasting with issues that led to Superfund sites decades ago.
Regarding traffic, TSMC pledged to collaborate with the city on “site design requirements which will route truck trips to the adjacent freeways and limit turning movements that would allow trucks into the area south of the Central Arizona Project canal.”
The city of Phoenix highlighted a commitment to preserving land, stating the developer will dedicate approximately 2,100 acres to the Sonoran Preserve system at no cost to the city. the proposed Planned unit Development includes guidelines to protect the preserve areas during development.
The rezoning applications are scheduled to be reviewed by the city’s planning commission on December 4th.
