Call to Action for Farmland in Maricopa County's West Valley

The Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) is scheduled to auction 1,100 acres of land located in the City of Goodyear at Perryville Rd and Indian School Rd on April 21st. This land, currently a vegetable farming operation, is in the process of being rezoned by the City from Agriculture to Planned Area Development, which would allow for a mix of industrial and commercial uses to accommodate the anticipated highest bidder at the ASLD auction, a high-tech company planning to develop a corporate manufacturing center. 

If the company chooses Goodyear as the location for its corporate campus, it is highly likely that ASLD and the City will move forward with the rezoning request due to the number of well paid, highly skilled jobs and resultant economic activity that the campus will provide. Proceeds from the sale of land will also provide funding to State Land Trust beneficiaries, primarily helping to fund K-12 education. 

At this point, we do not believe that completely preventing the rezoning is possible. We are advocating that the City take the steps necessary to recommend a compromise approach that preserves a portion of the land for valuable food production. So far, local food advocates have made this request at both a neighborhood meeting as well as to the Goodyear planning and zoning commission. Now we need your help to echo the same request to Goodyear Mayor and City Council. 

We have created an email you can personalize below and send to Mayor and Council no later than Monday, March 22nd at 2pm. Mayor and Council will meet to discuss and vote on the issue at 6pm Monday evening. 

Please take a moment to voice your support for preserving some of Arizona’s important agriculture land. Arizona farmers are some of the most skilled in the country and they keep our farmer’s markets, food banks, restaurants and kitchens stocked full of healthy food. Opportunities to slow the rapid loss of viable farmland do not come about often - please support our farmers by adding your voice to this issue.

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Message to Mayor, Council and Staff 

Email Subject Line: ASLD PAD Rezoning – A Compromise, Winning Solution 

Dear Mayor Lord, Vice Mayor Stipp, and members of Council,

My name is ___________ (can add org. affiliation if appropriate) and I am a supporter of the Coalition for Farmland Preservation, a collaborative group dedicated to protecting small-medium sized farmlands growing food for consumption in Maricopa County. Local community farms feed the community, provide jobs, preserve open space, offer educational opportunities, and benefit the environment. 

I understand the State Trust Land rezoning at Perryville and Indian School Rd. presents an opportunity for a corporate employment center that both simulates the economy and provides value to Stand Land Trust beneficiaries. To provide even more value to the City of Goodyear and surrounding communities, we recommend that if the City approves the rezoning of the land to Planned Area Development then a compromise solution via an ordinance that preserves a portion of the land for ongoing food production should be adopted with it. 

The Goodyear General Plan incorporates multiple goals, objectives, policies, and actions to create a healthy community that provides residents with access to healthy food and supports small agricultural businesses. Objective CC-7-1. Policy c. specifically mentions to promote the preservation of agricultural land for food production. This rezoning is an opportunity to uphold key provisions of the Mayor, Council and resident approved General Plan and to preserve a portion of agricultural history within the City. 

The City Zoning Ordinance also lists permitted uses (Section 3.5.2) related to growing food which include partnerships to lease land to farmers, establish community gardens and implement other innovative agricultural solutions. 

Today, I recommend that the City provides explicit guidance and encouragement to the potential project developer to seek a balance of land uses that accommodates the growing of food and related agriculture on the ASLD site as they advance to the next step in the planning review and approval process. This can be accomplished by preserving a portion of the 1100 acres of land for food production. In doing so, the City will become a leader and pattern to other Maricopa County communities that continue to face the threat of farmland loss. 

Thank you for your consideration,

Name

City of Goodyear Contact Information
Mayor Georgia Lord Georgia.Lord@goodyearaz.gov
Vice Mayor Bill Stipp Bill.Stipp@goodyearaz.gov
Councilmember Joe Pizzillo Joe.Pizzillo@goodyearaz.gov
Councilmember Sheri Lauritano Sheri.Lauritano@goodyearaz.gov
Councilmember Wally Campbell Wally.Campbell@goodyearaz.gov
Councilmember Brannon Hampton Brannon.Hampton@goodyearaz.gov
Councilmember Laura Kaino Laura.Kaino@goodyearaz.gov

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