Circle K pitches amended Goodyear project amid community backlash

Circle K reps proposed a project change to Pebble Creek residents Thursday regarding a Circle K, now slated to be built within 340 feet of the Goodyear retirement community’s pickleball court.

The original project was a truckstop slated to be within 100 feet of the retirement community recreational area, but according to reps presenting to the neighborhood Thursday, that project will be truncated to lessen the impact. The vacated property south and east of the project will be developed commercially by the property owner.

City of Goodyear

The new proposed 44-parking-space rest stop will exclude servicing for semi-trucks but will allow service for diesel-powered box trucks. 

Pebble Creek’s residents heard the presentation from reps in their Eagles Nest Ballroom. The concession to shrink Circle K’s footprint was met with applause initially. However, most residents still had concerns.

Residents pack the Pebble Creek ballroom to hear Circle K's amended project presentation.

Michael McDaniel, Goodyear Independent

Resident Doug Kirkpatrick said he believes the Circle K will attract would-be criminals, who could jump the residential fence to explore the resort community to steal or vandalize.

“The possibility of all those things happening because of your service station is real to us,” he said in public comments. “That first criminal that jumps over the fence and causes problems for anybody. It's going to spread throughout. We will have to put security cameras in the pickleball courts, the RV parking lot, and the golf greens. And we’ll have to have extra security in our houses and all the other amenities because somebody jumped over that fence and caused trouble.”

Another resident referenced a 2011 Arizona State University study associating Circle K with issues in heightened crime because of various factors, including issues in their layout, low employee count and a lack of security measures.

Carlos Estrada, regional operations director for Circle K, said their competitors are locally owned stores, which ultimately have the crime-fighting advantage.

“Our competitors are the mom and pops,” he said. “Smith & Wesson security is what the mom-and-pops have.”

Following the concession that the corporation was at a security disadvantage, Dave Slacks, a loss prevention executive with Circle K, said the ASU research wasn’t an actual study.

“That (study) doesn't relate to any of our locations here in Goodyear,” he said. “That opinion piece that you're talking about. It's been debunked, and I have the actual paperwork to show. Because that was an opinion piece, it wasn't an actual study.”

Slacks referenced papers from law enforcement associations, allegedly debunking ASU’s Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety’s research.

Screenshot of the Circle K presentation from Arizona State University Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety

Arizona State University Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety

Other residents said there are more desirable areas to build for the business.

“Have you done noise analysis? Do you have plans to minimize and mitigate crime and violence? Is 24-hour operation a necessity? I do appreciate what you have done in the revision,” Jackie Brown said. “But for me, I really would like you to find a different location on the other side of the 303 that is more industrial and does not impede on our quality of life.”

Her comment was met with applause. Another resident highlighted the vulnerable nature of the residents in the community and the environmental concerns they share.

“Hi, my name is Donna, I have an autoimmune disease, sir,” she said. “This autoimmune disease attacks my lungs. Nothing that I did, just is what it is. You're body fighting against itself. Consequently, with your new station, I won't be able to open my windows in the spring and fall. I'm not going to be able to sit outside of my own for any length of time because one of the triggers of that is going to be the diesel. So you have basically imprisoned me.”

Goodyear City Council is set to give the final vote on the project Monday. According to the consensus at the HOA meeting, Pebble Creek residents are expected to show up in mass Monday, June 26, to pressure a no-vote from their elected representatives.

Michael McDaniel can be reached at mmcdaniel@iniusa.org. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.