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home / Government
City Council: New fire station to be named after Fire Department founder
Doris Fightmaster
Thursday, February 16, 2012
During the February 7, 2012 City Council meeting, Council approved a resolution naming the new fire station in the Heritage District after longtime resident Don Pearce.
Vice Mayor Edward Farrell shared that Pearce was born and raised in Oklahoma before moving to Florence to grow cotton in 1935. He married Esta Rae in 1937; they have been married for 67 years. Don and Esta Rae moved to Maricopa in 1959, after purchasing NAPA Auto Parts at 19563 N. John Wayne Parkway. The couple raised five girls in Maricopa. Don volunteered in the community as a Rotarian, handled maintenance of the local swimming pool, and started the Fire Department, where he served as Chief for over 25 years, retiring in 2003.
Highlights mentioned by Farrell included Pearce donating a decorated Christmas tree to the school every year, planning city growth, and working with developers. Farrell said while he was the first Mayor of Maricopa as it became a City, Pearce was the original first Mayor of Maricopa.
As Pearce accepted the award, he said, “I’ve had some help along the way, but did it for the love of the people and this town.”
As emotional as this award was, the meeting also was exciting, as the City is moving forward with their projects. Other entities in town are also developing projects.
The ABACUS Program management team gave a presentation to Council, seeking direction for the Vekol Site Engineered Master Site Plan. This 140-acre potential site of a Regional Park will be built at SR 347 and Bowlin Road. It includes a multi-generation center, swim facility, and a retention lake that would also be used for watering the many soccer, baseball, and softball fields. Other items incorporated in the plan are picnic armadas, an amphitheater, skate park, dog park, and a series of trails, while offering ample parking throughout the area. Council guidance was needed regarding the entrance of the area, noting where retail and commercial development would be. The actual design of the park will be voted on at a later meeting. Council approved the contract to Architekton for construction manager at-risk design services for the multi-generation/swim facility project.
Council member Julia Gusse asked about the phasing of the projects at this site. Development Director Brent Billingsley said the order and phases that the project could possibly take 900 private residences to the north out of the flood zone, as described in the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) maps. Detailed work on the site will reduce the flood plain, also reducing funds that were set aside for that purpose.
ABACUS received a contract amendment for additional professional program/construction management and design services for the City complex and the Regional Park projects.
In the starting stages of another City project, Council approved a contract to Ernest Swiger Consulting for the completion of a business park feasibility study for the Estrella Gin Property. This project is located in the Heritage District and would include the proposed new fire station that will be named after Don Pearce.
There was one Public Hearing during the meeting. Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church planned area development is located adjacent to the Seven Ranches subdivision, south of Cowpath Road. They have requested rezoning from existing CR-3 single residence zone to a proposed mixed-use development on a 34.11-acre parcel. During the earlier work session, Council heard a presentation from Our Lady of Grace. This conceptual master plan is an open space plan, optimizing traffic, and is based on smart growth, according to the presentation. Along with a church and school, the site also incorporates several parks, residential areas, and pads for mixed use. The smart growth concept details how residents in the area will live, work, play, and enjoy civic areas and recreation and open spaces. One concept of the design has retail parking behind the stores, allowing views along the roads of storefronts. Walkways along the area would be shaded, creating pedestrian friendly zones.
Residents in the new area would have single residences and bungalows, as well as row houses for multiple residences and apartment living. Another option would allow families to live in the top floor of a business unit. Artist’s rendering of the sustainable area were beautiful. Council members Alan Marchione, Carl Diedrich, and Marvin Brown agreed that the community is, “Alive, and a smart way to grow.” Council Member Julia Gusse also agreed with the concepts and asked when the area would be started. With items still to be put in place, the answer was five to ten years.
As noted earlier, a dog park will be incorporated into the Regional Park that would be completed by the end of 2013. Community Services Director John Nixon and Project Development Expeditor Brad Hinton are working on an interim site. At an earlier meeting, Council provided direction to staff to seek additional partners, and the budget was reduced from $20,000 to $10,000, and $8,000 for maintenance. Hinton had three sites he was researching, but all fell through. Working with the Maricopa Dog Park Alliance (MDPA), a fourth site was found within the Heritage District on City owned Lexington Avenue property. This property was bought by the City to fix up the property, and solve a drainage problem, which keeps this project within budget. Partnering with MDPA, the anticipated costs are $12,355, against the budget of $17,000 ($10,000 from City and $7,000 from MDPA). The timeline for completion should be about three months, once a Conditional Use Permit is granted.
A vacancy was filled on the Parks, Recreation, and Libraries Advisory Committee as Mayor Smith appointed Joi-Ashli Gibbs to that position.
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Doris Fightmaster / CopaNews.com
Vice Mayor Edward Farrell congratulates Don Pearce.
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