Save the Sonoran
“After five years
of watching them bulldoze the desert and pack the sardines in,
those people living in Del Webb’s 1,400-home Terravita development
will need a therapist,” says David Phelps. He’s a local carpenter
and board member of Sonoran North, a grassroots group battling the
blade in the booming communities north of Phoenix, Ariz. The group
lost its fight against Del Webb, but Sonoran North – now 1,000
members strong – is gaining ground as homeowners learn that their
once-spectacular views last only until the next group of homes go
up. Maricopa County is expected to grow from 2.4 million to 4.1
million in the next 25 years, which means that an acre of land is
developed every hour, reports the Arizona Republic. Opponents to
growth in the Sonoran are still searching for the most effective
way to shape and direct the current boom: Some say that
high-density development is the best way to preserve large tracts
of desert. But Sonoran North members say more land can be saved by
limiting development to one home per acre – density that allows
humans to coexist with the desert ecosystem. Phelps also reports
that the group just successfully lobbied for higher per-unit
development fees. For more information contact Sonoran North, Box
2901, Carefree, AZ 85377-2901
(602/488-3863).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Save the Sonoran.
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