Circle K developer pulls application in Goodyear following grassroots opposition

A Circle K developer withdrew a convenience store application Monday amid community backlash from Goodyear’s Pebble Creek retirement community.

The announcement came from Mayor Joe Pizzillo after a 10-minute recess before the agenda item was slated to be heard during Monday’s regular council session.

Circle K reps were in attendance observing the proceedings but went missing once the council reconvened. Pebble Creek residents showed up en mass, filling the chamber and overflow room in anticipation.

“There’s a change of plans, it has a lot to do with those sitting in the audience,” Pizzillo said. “The applicant has pulled the application.”

Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizillo informs the crowd packed with Pebble Creek residents that the application was pulled.

Michael McDaniel, Goodyear Independent

The crowd paused slightly before erupting in applause.

A trucker-friendly Circle K was slated for construction within 100 feet of the Pebble Creek retirement community recreational area in Goodyear. The proposal was met with objections and protests from the community stakeholders at planning and zoning meetings and via email.

The backlash spurred Circle K to amend its project application for a convenience store instead of a truck stop. It also lengthened the distance to 340 feet from the courts, and vacated land north and south of the store, buffering the community visibility of the store.

The proposed 44-parking-space rest stop would exclude servicing for semi-trucks but would have allowed service for diesel-powered box trucks. 

Yvonne Rodrigues, who contacted the Goodyear Independent in opposition to the project in May, said she was thankful but acknowledged the commercial land is still undeveloped.

“I am thrilled we won this battle,” she said. “I am realistic that this war is not over, but for now, it feels like a victory!”

Pebble Creek residents file out at the request of city council after they were informed the Circle K application was pulled. Michael McDaniel, Goodyear Independent

During two Pebble Creek HOA meetings, residents expressed concerns to leadership and Circle K reps over a possible increased transient presence, crime and truckers finding rest in or around the immediate area.

When the project was amended and pitched to the community June 23, residents were thankful but still resolute on not dealing with the possible crime.

Residents in those meetings 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 during the June 23 HOA pitch.

“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.

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.