I think many residents of Vistancia are less than pleased regarding the Amkor development (although the mayor of Peoria discounted this in his recent televised interview on the subject).
When discussions with the city occurred in the past about developing the area between El Mirage, Lone Mountain and the 303, it was positioned as something like Kierland Commons in Scottsdale. It sounded promising, although there were concerns raised then about how large it would be and how far it would take us from the small, rural community we all cherish.
Many of us chose to move to Vistancia to be in a master planned community away from the city, and my wife and I chose to retire here to enjoy desert life and be removed from the congested, busy city life we’ve been immersed in all our lives up to this point. Many of us were surprised to find out that the Kierland Commons concept has given away to a multi-billion dollar industrial complex, in the name of economic prosperity. This will bring revenue to the city, but it will also bring busy streets, noise and light pollution to our once peaceful community.
What the folks driving this change don’t realize is that much of the population in Vistancia do not want this change and aren’t after what it means to the bottom-line financials. This change is contrary to what many of us moved here for. The quality of life we have sought after and have become accustomed to will soon be gone. We are also hearing that the Amkor development is just the beginning. The city of Peoria is looking to get state trust land to make further commercial and manufacturing developments nearby, and an airport is also in the works in the vicinity.
It sounds like Vistancia will be at the center of an industrial complex similar to what they have in other cities off the 303 to the south, with tilt-up buildings everywhere. Vistancia was ranked as one of the top master planned communities in the state for a reason, but with all the changes planned, I think it’ll only be a memory before too long.
