By Philip Haldiman
Twitter: @PhilipHaldiman

After a groundswell of opposition from Northwest Valley residents, Republic Services has decided not to pursue building a 17,000 square foot waste transfer station near 115th Ave and Happy Valley Road.

Instead, the Arizona-based company will work with the community to find a new location for this infrastructure, according to a news release.

“Part of being a good neighbor means listening and responding whenever possible,” said Stephen Herring, municipal manager for Republic Services. “We appreciate the thoughtful community input and look forward to working together to still bring this needed infrastructure to the Northwest Valley.”

The opposition has been ongoing for a number of months.

As news of the proposed facility became more evident, Republic Services officials publicly said the area is in need of a transfer station in the far Northwest Valley to accommodate growth and fill an important infrastructure need that does not exist in the region, as well as keep solid waste fees low.

Area residents countered the facility would diminish home values, increase traffic, generate loud noise, as well as emit noxious odors from trash and vehicles.

Opposition organizer Vanessa Angell said the community is appreciative that Republic Services listened to concerns and understood a heavy industrial rezone was not a positive addition to the local neighborhood.

"I am extremely ecstatic that we were heard. This is proof that uniting together can produce results. I am proud to live amongst neighbors who look out for one another and appreciate all of the hard work and dedication from this community," she said.

The opposition movement gathered steam earlier this year originating with a Facebook page now with more than 4,000 followers, next with a sign campaign and even a podcast as well as other measures. 

The permitting process never got to the public comment phase, but the project proposed for a Maricopa County island garnered hundreds of opposition letters, two online petitions, as well as constituent support from Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat and Councilwoman Bridget Binsbacher, who represents the area of the proposed facility.

Transfer facilities are common throughout Maricopa County. There are 32 such facilities serving the county. The Northwest Valley is the only part of the county lacking such infrastructure, which is critical to meeting recent and anticipated growth in the area, the release said.

Recyclables and waste are transferred from collection vehicles to larger trucks for transport to recycling centers or landfills. The facilities help reduce local truck traffic by alleviating the need for collection vehicles to travel longer distances. They also enable surrounding communities, businesses and residents to save on recycling and solid waste costs. These savings can help keep rates low as well as preserve local recycling programs, many of which are struggling due to changing market conditions.

Philip Haldiman
Senior News Editor | Peoria
@PhilipHaldiman

phaldiman@iniusa.org

Meet Philip
Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.

Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.

Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater. 

Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.

Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.