Happy March and we apologize for interrupting your weekend. We have been told that the full Arizona House is expected early in the coming week to consider HB2191, a bill to allow residential development on property owned by religious institutions in ways that could put neighborhoods at risk and silence neighbor input.
This proposed bill will allow churches to build multi-family units with no local oversight and NO public rezoning process.
Why is this so critical to our North Central neighborhood? We have nearly 100 acres of church property in our neighborhood that is zoned single-family residential. Imagine most of that acreage being high-rise, high density development. This would decimate North Central! Think of the devastation this density would have on our streets, infrastructure, public services (police and fire response).
The bill does NOT prevent major corporations from buying units; nor does it restrict its use for short-term vacation rentals,
Unfortunately, our own LD5 House representative, Sarah Liguori is sponsoring this bill and turning a deaf ear to her constituents. We are hoping, LD5 Aaron Marquez will not follow suit.
This is a very bad bill and when recently voted on by another committee, many voted yes but with grave concerns and stated the bill needed significant amendments. This bill silences neighbors and gives developers all the control. There is a small allowance for low-income housing, but who will manage that? Who will ensure the low-income housing provision is honored? How does building profitable multi-family units fall into the realm of a church-related activity?
Please send your emails of opposition to:
Sarah Liguori sliguori@azleg.gov
Aaron Marquez amarquez@azleg.gov
If you are able, please email all the other House members. Here is the list:
https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/?body=H
Thank you and enjoy the rest of your weekend.