Under sometimes withering attacks from residents, the Gilbert Town Council at its Nov. 15 meeting gave homeowners on the Western Canal some long-sought relief while delaying a decision on a light-industrial project by Morrison Ranch.
Council heard from 41 residents in four public hearings and during its “communications from citizens” period in a meeting that lasted nearly seven hours and didn’t adjourn until 1:18 a.m. It took a recess once during the meeting when residents disrupted the meeting to the point council could not conduct business.
In the end, the big winners were the residents who live between Burk Street and Lindsey Road along the Western Canal. Council voted 6-1, with Council Member Yung Koprowski dissenting, to a compromise solution to getting access to repair a sewer line that runs under the 24 homeowners’ properties.
Staff had expressed a preference for acquiring the homeowners’ easements for a fee and moving their fences back so the town had permanently unfettered access to sewer, reclaimed water and potable water lines in need of repair. Homeowners would have lost from 7 to 26 feet into their back yards under that proposal.
Instead, under a proposal moved by Council Member Kathy Tilque, only four homeowners who have manholes in their yards will have any land acquired. Residents will be expected to clear their easement property of any encumbrances, such as trees or sheds, for work crews by June 1.
It also authorized the town manager to negotiate with the 24 homeowners for a see-through fence or gate in exchange for the town paying for the easement to be cleared. Homeowners also will have the option of selling their easement land to the town outright.
Residents expressed thanks to council after their decision had been reached, ending a two-year ordeal since council first voted to acquire the property and set off a firestorm of protest.
Morrison Ranch residents were less happy that council voted unanimously to continue a case in which a developer has asked for a major General Plan amendment and a rezoning for 300 acres next to their properties to put in mostly a light industrial development called “The Ranch.”
The developer, IndiCap, requested the continuance to continue reworking the plan more to residents’ acceptance, but the residents who filled the Atlas Auditorium at the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility seemed to want an immediate decision. Council allowed a limited public comment period despite the continuance, but speakers were unhappy with the one-minute limit they were given.
The project will be revised and come back to council at its Dec. 13 meeting, the last meeting of the year.
Less but still some opposition was expressed to a proposal to change some Business Park zoning at Rivulon to accommodate a multifamily development toward the center of the project, which is mostly Business Park. The rezoning passed on a 6-1 vote with Council Member Laurin Hendrix dissenting.
One development received the blessing of its neighbors. The Lindsay 202 Industrial Business Park, located by Zanjero Park at Lindsay Road and the Loop 202-Santan Freeway, won unanimous approval and praise from council as an example of how a developer and neighbors can work out differences.
Nearby resident Tarah Gramza explained how the developer and architect LGE continuously met with the neighborhood, listened to their suggestions and incorporated their suggestions, and was willing to even keep out certain types of tenants from the development.
The town also recognized Benny Ruiz, who retired from Gilbert Fire & Rescue after 40 years, for his service to the town. Ruiz spoke passionately about how he loved serving the town and received two standing ovations from the packed crowd at the auditorium.
Tom Blodgett Senior News Editor | Gilbert @sp_blodgett
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
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