We joined nearly 300 fellow citizens jammed into the Community Center Sept. 12 for Fountain Hills’ Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to weigh in on the proposed 400-apartment Daybreak project to be located at Shea and Palisades.
Paul Gilbert, one of the most powerful, high-priced zoning lobbyists in the state spoke for the developers. Only two citizens came forward to speak in favor of the project, while 235 voiced strong opposition to Daybreak. Commissioners voted 6-1 to deny the minor general plan and 7-0 to deny the rezoning. It was very clear, there was and is nothing that can be done to make Daybreak acceptable; it is the wrong project at the wrong location.
Current zoning calls for a resort-type hotel which includes privately owned condos designed to conform to the geographical setting. Daybreak, by contrast, plans to blade, bulldoze, infill and flatten the hillside and, if necessary, blast. It also has 130 units set aside as a senior independent living facility.
So now the matter goes before the mayor/council where some members, it appears, might be inclined to support Daybreak over incredible public objection and overwhelming commission denial. Daybreak’s location, for example, is surrounded by private homes and not an acceptable parcel on which to build rental units, three stories high, housing hundreds. The traffic and public safety issues alone were enough to deep six Daybreak.
Town Council will convene on Oct. 1 to vote. If you care about your property values or the direction the town is going, email Mayor Dickey (gdickey@fh.az.gov) to tell her absolutely no to Daybreak. Attend the meeting and fill out a comment card in opposition to this travesty. Fountain Hills is landlocked and all empty land should be developed to its highest, best usage to maintain citizens’ standards. Will the mayor/council listen to us?
