Who's Trashing Tucson?
KGUN9 Helps Clean Up the Keeling Neighborhood!
You'd think camping out in the desert with the rattlesnakes and the scorpions and the mountain lions would prepare us for anything, but sometimes it's our own neighborhood that gives us the willies!
KGUN9 "Who's Trashing Tucson" series draws attention to land use and environmental code violations by a neighborhood business
Since 2003, a car dealership and repair shop at the corner of Stone and MacIver has made life miserable for nearby residents. None of the businesses are licensed and there's junk furniture, car parts and household trash all over the property. The photos below show typical conditions on the property.
Mattresses were used by squatters in a shed on the property, then discarded when the squatters "upgraded" to a small trailer parked on the property.
But for neighbors, the worst problem isn't the trash, it's the constant "boom boom boom" of car audio systems. Whenever cars are being worked on, the doors are opened wide and stereo volume is set on "stun." Even inside, with all the doors and windows shut tight, there's no escaping the constant barrage of noise and vibration. Neighbors have been calling the police about noise code violations for four years, but, as one police officer told me — and I quote — "Loud parties are the norm in the this part of town, and if you have a problem with that, you should move to the suburbs".
Finally, we assembled all our photos with excerpts from the relevant noise, land use and environmental code (and the owner's impressive rap sheet!) and sent them to Ward III Council Member Karen Uhlich, Environmental Services, the Department of Neighborhood Resources, the Tucson Police Department, the Business License Department, the Neighborhood Prosecution Team, the Arizona Corporation Commission .... and KGUN9.
Of all these agencies, the only one that responded was the Ward III Council Office and KGUN9 reporter Jennifer Waddell. The day before we were interviewed for the KGUN9 series entitled, "Who's Trashing Tucson," we finally got word that the City was taking action to clean up the problems at 2510-2520 North Stone. The property has been cited for a zoning violation as well as failure to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy. The owner has 60 days to to get a C of O, which means creating a site plan, getting permits and having an inspection. The problems with onsite storage of oil, trash and vehicles should be corrected as part of that process.
We want to express our profound thanks to George Pettit from the Ward III Office and Jennifer Waddell from KGUN9 for shedding some light on problems in a neighborhood that most City officials have written off. If the problems at Stone and MacIver are finally resolved, it will be thanks to you!
