City of Litchfield Park
2008 General Plan Update
TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Plan Organization
This plan is a general plan for the City of Litchfield Park presented in as concise a format as possible. We have attempted to present only the information needed to effectively administer the General Plan over the next five (5) to ten (10) year cycle.
Additional information that could add meaning, historical context, or general discussion – much of which was gleaned from the previous plan – is included in the appendices of this General Plan. Page # INTRODUCTION 1 ¾ General Plan Goal 1 ¾ Urban Oasis 1 ¾ Excellent Design / Quality of Life 1 ¾ Community Pride 1 ¾ Regional Leadership 2 ¾ Discussion 3 ¾ Context 3 ¾ History 3 ¾ Statistical Profile 5
AMENDMENTS AND PROCESS 7
ELEMENTS ¾ Community Character 9 o Guiding Principle 9 o Discussion 9 o Objectives 9 ¾ Land Use 10 o Guiding Principle 10 o Discussion 10 o Objectives 10 o Land Use Map 12 ¾ Circulation 13 o Guiding Principle 13 o Discussion 13 o Objectives 14 o Circulation Map 15 ¾ Open Space 16 o Guiding Principle 16 o Discussion 16 o Objectives 16 o Open Space Map 18 ¾ Environmental 19 o Guiding Principle 19 o Discussion 19 o Objectives 19
¾ Growth Areas 21 o Guiding Principle 21 o Discussion 21 o Objectives 21 ¾ Cost of Development 22 o Guiding Principle 22 o Discussion 22 o Objectives 22 ¾ Water Resources 23 o Guiding Principle 23 o Discussion 23 o Objectives 23
ACTION SUMMARY 25
APPENDICES 33 ¾ History 33 ¾ Land use decision keys 34 ¾ Additional Discussion Information for each Element 35 ¾ Questionnaire Results 46 o 6 – Point Questionnaire o 2001 General Plan Goal / Action Recommendation Validity Status o General Public Comments o Open House Comments
INTRODUCTION
GOAL GOAL “The singular goal of this General Plan is to maintain, improve and defend the highly desirable physical and social living environment of the City of Litchfield Park”
While Litchfield Park means different things to different people, there are underlying themes that form our community’s basic backbone and must be understood and captured in narrative to provide a base from which the elements of the General Plan emerge.
URBAN OASIS URBAN OASIS Litchfield Park is a unique urban oasis providing a pleasant contrast to the typical housing developments that characterize the area’s explosive growth. It is graced with resort activities, such as specialty restaurants, spas, and golf courses. Generous green space, highlighted by mature landscapes and its signature alternating palm/orange tree motif, is the trademark of Litchfield Park. It is critical that we protect both our public and private open spaces.
EXCELLENT DESIGN / QUALITY OF LIFE EXCELLENT DESIGN Litchfield Park was the first of a dozen villages which were to / QUALITY OF LIFE comprise a new City with a population of approximately 100,000 people. As one of the first planned communities in Arizona, Litchfield Park was designed by the leading architecture and planning firm of Victor Gruen Associates and incorporated excellent design in landscaping, architecture, diversity of life-cycle oriented housing, and community/recreation planning. With The Wigwam Resort and Spa and its three golf courses as its centerpiece, the community is steeped in beauty and open space. Litchfield Park’s village plan encourages human interaction. It is a great place to raise a family; its pathway system facilitates walking to school. Its many parks provide for local sports and family activities. It is a place where you know the person next door and down the street and where the Mayor, Council Members, and City Manager are known by their first names. Because of the community’s closeness, it is a place where you feel an extra sense of security.
COMMUNITY PRIDE COMMUNITY PRIDE Litchfield Park’s inherent beauty encourages a slower paced lifestyle than found in a big city environment. The community has a regional library, which is unusual for its small size. The library is operated by Maricopa County with assistance from volunteers from the Litchfield Park Library Association.
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INTRODUCTION
Attention to property maintenance demonstrates how residents enjoy and value the distinctive nature of their city and place a high priority on the appearance of their homes. The City provides meticulous maintenance of city-owned properties, including city buildings, streets, parks and pathways.
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP REGIONAL Despite Litchfield Park’s small physical size, it is regionally LEADERSHIP competitive and a proactive leader in West Valley initiatives. Besides being the historic center of the Southwest Valley, it is also an energy center renowned for its talent-base and diverse human resources. Benchmarked against other cities, Litchfield Park ranks high in per capita income and in educational attainment. Litchfield Park’s protection of Luke Air Force Base from development encroachment, additionally, is a point of pride that helps generate strong support for the Base from surrounding communities.
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INTRODUCTION – Context
BACKGROUND BACKGROUND Much of Litchfield Park’s development was already shaped before the City incorporated. However, since its adoption, the City has seen residential growth to a point that it is currently approaching build-out with the exception of several commercial parcels. The residential zoned properties have all been platted and are awaiting the construction of new homes. The City realizes that it must look toward the revitalization of older areas to preserve its desirable life-style. This 2008 General Plan Update modifies and improves the 2001 plan in text, language, style, and map exhibits.
CONTEXT CONTEXT Litchfield Park was established in 1916 and incorporated in 1987. The City lies north of Interstate 10, and is centered on Litchfield Road and Wigwam Boulevard (See Map Below).
HISTORY HISTORY The City’s initial name was Litchfield; however, the postal bureaucrats refused to acknowledge the name and instead only accepted mail labeled Lichton since they thought there would be confusion between Litchfield and Littlefield, located in the northern part of Arizona. It wasn’t until 1926, due to the persistence of Goodyear Tire, that the final name of Litchfield Park was agreed upon.
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INTRODUCTION – Context
Litchfield Park is located within the greater Phoenix metropolis and shares boundaries with the City of Goodyear to the south, City of Avondale to the southeast, City of Phoenix to the east and property to the north within the planning area of the City of Glendale, but still under the jurisdiction of Maricopa County.
Before municipal incorporation, Litchfield Park acquired a special status as a planned community. In many respects, it was founded as an outpost of civility in a region typified as America’s “wild west” through the first half of the twentieth century.
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INTRODUCTION – Context
CITY OF LITCHFIELD PARK’S STATISTICAL INFORMATION
Native White Black Asian Population American
90.66% 1.77% 2.90% 0.40% Hispanic Other *HH Size Total 5.50% 1.50% 2.50 5,514**
*HH ‐ Household **2007 ‐ Sperling
COLP U.S. Median Age 47.80 37.60 Married 68.37% 58.89% W/ Children 22.15% Divorced 7.60% Single 31.63% 41.11%
W/ Children 5.51%
City Growth rate from '00 to 44.72% '07
Median Home Cost $414,000 2007 values ‐3.50% Renters 12.14% Owners 87.86%
Vacancy Rate 7.20% Houses and Apartments
Ŧ COLP U.S. Unemployment Rate 2.70% 4.60% Job Growth + 3.32%
Public Schools Dollars spent per student $3,819 $6,058 Teacher to student Ratio 1:17 Librarian to Student Ration 1:161 Counselor to Student Ratio 1:1,829
Median Income Household $77,875 $44,684
ŦCOLP – City of Litchfield Park
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INTRODUCTION – Context
Median Household Income Family $84,691 Male $58,942
Female $35,046
Percentages Living in Poverty Total Population 4.20%
Families 2.70%
Under 18 5.50% Over 65 1.80%
Population Comparison 1990 Growth Rate 2000 Litchfield Park 3,303 1.53% 3,810 Maricopa 2,122,101 4.48% 3,072,149 County Arizona 3,665,228 4.00% 5,130,632 2000 Growth Rate 2008 Litchfield Park 3,810 3.86% 5,514 Maricopa 3,072,149 2.67% 3,907,492 County Arizona 5,130,632 2.63% 6,500,194
ALL DATA WAS OBTAINED FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES:
Sperling (http://www.bestplaces.net/city/Litchfield_Park‐Arizona.aspx)
Arizona Department of Commerce (www.azcommerce.com)
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AMENDMENTS AND PROCESS
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS a. General Plan Amendments As set forth in State Statutes, General Plan Amendments include: 1. Revisions of land use intensity, 2. Plans for limited access roadways, and 3. Deletion of a requirement to reserve or dedicate land for public purpose.
The Land Use Development Plan depicts generalized land use types. Land uses within planned developments may be mixed, such that residential areas may include multiple different residential classifications. Furthermore, areas within the planned developments designated for retail/employment or public/institutional uses may also include residential uses at the discretion of the City Council. All planned developments must be consistent with General Plan Goals.
The following criteria shall be used to determine if a proposed amendment shall be classified as a Major General Plan Amendment, requiring a vote of at least two-thirds of the members of City Council:
• Change of Use -- redesignation of land, five (5) acres or more in area and not a part of a larger, mixed-use planned development, from a residential classification to commercial or industrial use.
• Change in Intensity -- redesignation of land from one residential use classification to another residential classification of twenty (20%) percent or greater additional density, or a change to resort residential classification.
• Change in Open Space or Golf Course designation -- redesignation of land from Open Space or Golf Course use to another land use classification.
b. Any property contained within a previously-approved master plan of development may be designated by City Council, in its discretion, as a Special Study Area.
Recommended adjustments to land use or development intensity in the Special Study Area shall be processed through
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AMENDMENTS AND PROCESS
the full Planning Commission and City Council hearings for any necessary rezoning, subdivision or site plan approval as required by the City's Codes or General Plan.
c. General Plan Consistency Effective Plan implementation is obtained through, and State law requires, zoning amendments to be in conformity with the General Plan. The Plan is a broad land use indicator. It is important to note that not every property within a designated land use area will conform with that designation. Pre-existing uses or zoning classifications encourage a mix of activities that support the main use category. Small acreage deviations from the designated classification may be justified for individual sites.
“Contribution” defines the benefits to the community and should be the principal test. Reviews of planning proposals should satisfy the following community needs: 1. The proposal will bring us closer to implementing the General Plan objectives. 2. Service or convenience uses are encouraged in or near residential areas -- where they support neighborhood livability. 3. Employment is welcomed if the proposed business benefits the local economy -- and does not create negative environmental impact.
“Conflicts” with the guiding principles and objectives raise red flags. 1. “Will the proposed use and its method of operation be a good neighbor to existing or planned development in the vicinity?” 2. “Are there likely impacts -- traffic, noise, unsightliness – that are contradictory to General Plan principles?” 3. Where potential conflicts are apparent, applicants should be required to demonstrate how General Plan compatibility would be assured.
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COMMUNITY CHARACTER
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE Litchfield Park is characterized by its unique village design to provide a quality family environment with all necessary services needed to serve its population. Its distinctive character is exemplified by its safe, desirable, well-kept, attractive setting. Citizens’ lifestyles and the community’s livability as a whole have been enhanced over the years by the availability of recreational uses, an extensive pathway system, and a curved street pattern. All of these traits and amenities characterize the uniqueness of Litchfield Park. Protection of that identity is a fundamental guiding principle of this General Plan.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION Over the years, citizen priorities, needs and desires have created a special cityscape. Litchfield Park enjoys a character that is different from its neighboring communities and owes distinctiveness in appearance and function to a well-defined vision. The City’s character is defined largely by the unique village concept upon which the Community’s design was based. The City’s vision encompasses urban growth, while preserving attributes of an independent, free- standing community.
The City’s character is defined through planning by including a variety of residential densities, recreational amenities for outdoor enjoyment and upholding the citizens’ values and desires for privacy within the community.
Expanded background information is contained within the appendices of this document.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Develop City policy that supports facilities and activities that preserve and enhance the Litchfield Park quality of life.
¾ Preserve the City’s history by identifying, protecting and documenting the rich past with programs to share with future generations the City’s unique and distinctive history.
¾ Maintain the small town, “park-like” community character through Council policies focusing on the unique character attributes of this community.
¾ Actively participate in public art programs that enhance the livability and aesthetics of community.
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LAND USE ELEMENT
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE As the City approaches build-out, land use decisions should embrace and enhance the original vision of the community. These decisions should focus on the preservation and revitalization of older neighborhoods, ensuring that new development (predominantly non- residential) complements the existing developed areas.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION The City's development pattern over the last 7 years has centered almost exclusively within residential areas. Nearly all residential areas within the City have been platted or built-out. The City has a shortfall of developed commercial and industrial property. In an effort to bolster City revenues, several commercial and industrial properties were annexed. However, the original intent of the “Village Plan” has remained intact.
The purpose of the Land Use Element is to evaluate past development trends within the city, look at the current land uses and their locations, and project where the City would like to be in the future. Evaluation of Growing Smarter legislation, economic development, public facilities, and services are also important factors to consider when projecting future development within the City.
Decisions pertaining to future development should center around existing land use patterns and provide for a compatible, balanced mix of community activities. Specific attention should be given to preserving property values, creating revenue sources, and adding higher-paying jobs to support the City’s fiscal well-being.
Expanded background information is contained within the appendices within this document.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Pursue the concept of mixed use development in the remaining undeveloped parcels within the City. This could include a residential component in the form of live-work opportunities as part of master development plans.
¾ Formulate, administer and enforce design, development and architectural standards that assure a consistent and attractive character for new and existing development.
¾ Attend to the revitalization of older areas of the City.
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LAND USE ELEMENT
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LAND USE ELEMENT
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CIRCULATION
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE The City’s small size provides a unique opportunity to free residents from dependence on another automobile in the household and to walk, bike or use an electric cart for the short trips that constitute approximately half of the trips from the typical household. For local travel, the pathway system design should be given priority in providing a convenient and safe access between home, neighborhood shopping, and public facilities.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION Geographically, Litchfield Park is small. Some 3.5 square miles in area, its center is within easy access from most of its residential areas. Even the farthest homes are less than one mile from the village center.
Litchfield Park is concerned with improved transportation efficiency for its residents and visitors. Visitors’ ease of access to the community from the metropolitan area is dependent upon the regional systems for freeways and highways. The City's internal circulation planning contributes to the local character and helps draw visitors to the City.
The City of Litchfield Park's circulation pattern is derived from concepts fostered in the early Litchfield Plan. Through traffic does not penetrate neighborhoods, but is routed along community edges to protect residential area integrity. The City has not accepted the monotonous grid pattern of streets which is characteristic of most other municipalities in the metropolitan area. The community has provided an accessible, safe, convenient alternative to automobile transportation with its system of bicycle/pedestrian pathways.
Local collector streets, those that provide for auto access to residential and other properties in the City, are largely set. The arterial roads have already been relocated to divert heavy traffic around the village center and to preserve its residential tranquility.
Strategic placement of new roadway improvements and pathway extensions are required to keep the City free from domination by automobile traffic. Circulation patterns direct vehicular flow around the community and facilitate shorter trips on foot, by bicycle or in carts.
Planned future development shall promote convenient access by these alternate modes of transportation. Street layouts should also discourage use of neighborhood streets by other than local residents.
Expanded background information is contained within the appendices within this document.
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CIRCULATION
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Continue to require internal pathway system connectivity throughout the City and require new development to interface with this system.
¾ Provide additional landscaping along pathway system to provide shade and rest-stops.
¾ Interact and work cooperatively with neighboring communities, Maricopa Association of Governments, and other public agencies in promoting carpool, park-and-ride, public transit and other multi-modal transportation opportunities.
¾ Provide for safe, protected crossings of public streets for use by pedestrians. Promote grade separated crossings of major streets (Underpass or Overpass).
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CIRCULATION
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OPEN SPACE
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE The City of Litchfield Park prides itself as an example of livability that is the envy of many cities and towns in Arizona. A primary element of that livability is the green/open space throughout the City in the form of golf courses, parks, green belts, pathways, entry monumentation and the landscaping of private properties. It is the City’s intent to provide exemplary efforts to continue providing its residents with this sense of pride and quality of life.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION State planning statutes place added emphasis on open space, particularly to encourage preservation of natural areas. Although this community does not contain large expanses of undeveloped, undisturbed land, the spirit of open space conservation is fully respected through the use and combination of park facilities, community recreation and an extensive pathway system.
An outdoor, resort atmosphere was a founding principle for Litchfield Park. The Wigwam’s ample grounds including fairways abutting residential neighborhoods reduce the overall development density. Parks, pathways and private yards add to the City’s open appearance.
Proactive planning can prevent loss of community spaciousness and overcrowding of outdoor venues or recreational facilities. A comprehensive Parks/Recreation Master Plan is needed and should focus on the objectives outlined below.
Open space excellence depends on obtaining and strategically allocating funds for maintenance and improvements. Partnerships among the City’s local schools, private businesses and user groups are recommended to acquire and maintain recreational and open space assets.
Expanded background information is contained in the appendices within this document.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Investigate and pursue additional passive and active open space opportunities.
¾ Preserve and protect the integrity of large scale open space such as the Wigwam Golf Course.
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OPEN SPACE
¾ Continue to integrate multi-purpose city-wide pathways into new development proposals. This would include providing safe crossing of public streets. Where feasible, pedestrian overpasses and underpasses of major arterial streets should be considered.
¾ For Open Space to have value, the City will continue to create, update, and enhance safe and clean recreational venues and opportunities through the City’s Capital Improvement Program, volunteer organizations, private contributions and other means. Consider establishing an open space endowment program, supported by private donations and enhanced by public matching funds, for acquisition, thus improving public open space, both natural and man-made.
¾ Pursue opportunities presented by the development of the Sun Health La Loma Campus and the offer of the Litchfield Homestead to create a community focal point for open space, demonstration gardens, community use facilities and a historic venue for the City of Litchfield Park.
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OPEN SPACE
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ENVIRONMENTAL
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE The citizens of Litchfield Park are leaders in activities designed to improve our environment. The City is an environmentally conscious community that will take the necessary actions to improve the quality of its living environment.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION Litchfield Park represents a conscious blending of natural and man- made components. Its spaciousness is planned. Vegetation and turf have been installed, as has its principal water feature, Lake Park. Horticultural displays and wildlife habitats, such as Rancho La Loma and Kiwanis Park were created specifically to assure that nature remains an integral part of the community.
Environmental impacts do not respect municipal boundaries. Nevertheless, local policy should support efforts to improve and achieve a wholesome, healthful environment. Programs to protect the City's water supply and to safeguard the security of Luke Air Force Base represent issues that should be promoted on the City's agenda.
Clean water, air and land are high priorities for maintaining the community’s healthful, outdoor lifestyle. Citizens appreciate serenity, and expect protection from negative impacts on well-being caused by non-compatible land uses, nuisances, hazardous activity and traffic congestion.
Compact and essentially landlocked by other jurisdictions’ development, Litchfield Park's General Plan should continue to follow a selective, yet strategic approach to conserving and enhancing its environment.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Sponsor and/or participate in regional and multi-jurisdictional partnerships and activities to improve the quality of our air through efforts to reduce noise, dust, vehicle emissions and the glare of artificial lighting.
¾ Continue local efforts to maximize opportunities for recycling, hazardous materials disposal, community cleanup events, enhanced property maintenance and dust control. Consider and initiate partnerships with neighboring communities as opportunities are presented.
¾ Promote monitoring of external environmental impacts on the community, such as water table contamination and air quality.
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ENVIRONMENTAL
¾ Reduce the City’s carbon footprint by encouraging the use of energy efficient technologies (i.e. lighting, air conditioning, insulation) and reduce the City's oil dependency by encouraging electric carts, bicycles, and walking as alternatives to automobile use for short local trips.
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GROWTH AREA
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE The likely City Limits of Litchfield Park have been predetermined for many years by the City’s Planning Area and annexation strip. The City should continue to consider annexations that are beneficial to the well-being of the community.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION The City anticipates strategic growth in two existing master planned sectors, intensification of central core properties and annexations in other locations. Proposed land uses require careful evaluation to assure that they not only contribute to Litchfield Park character, but also, will help to sustain the local economy.
Future neighborhoods are unlikely to become fully self-sustaining villages. Commercial development may occur at arterial road intersections for accommodating employment or shopping needs, but path connections and mixed land uses should still be planned into these sites. Moreover, each new residential enclave should in some fashion have its own activity centers in the form of parks, schools, recreational facilities and/or retail clusters.
By adhering to these land use guidelines, the City will continue to project a relaxed, casual roomy image. The community's prevailing residential density average – about four dwellings per acre -- demonstrates an economical allocation of lot sizes. Masterplanning principles contribute to the City's relative housing affordability even in competition with other nearby areas where land prices are substantially less.
Litchfield Park’s approaches for managed growth are flexible enough to allow masterplan creativity, while at the same time insisting that developing areas conform with the City’s general planning principles and traditional character. Recommendations are meant to ensure implementation of these policies.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Analyze the fiscal and physical benefits and other impacts of any future annexations.
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COST OF DEVELOPMENT
GUIDING PRINCIPLES GUIDING PRINCIPLE The City of Litchfield Park does not own or control a number of essential services, including electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater, emergency services and law enforcement. The City must identify objectives that will help developers focus on Litchfield Park’s benefits, amenities, and incentives to attract quality development. However, the City has much to offer in the way of amenities, recreational opportunities, and livability.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION Residents and businesses want assurances that local infrastructure and government services provide value to their investments, including property, infrastructure, services, etc. Value is recognized as one of the advantages in masterplanning new growth areas. Expenses associated with new infrastructure should not be borne by existing taxpayers; therefore, developers should provide site layouts and construction methods that meet and compliment City standards. However, the lower cost incurred by private water and sewer and the lack of development impact fees should serve as an incentive to private development.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Routinely initiate discussion with owners of vacant retail/commercial properties to determine development potential and timing. As these discussions take place, examine development incentive possibilities.
¾ Identify and evaluate all means of financing to recover costs for facilities and services.
¾ Work with essential service providers to help minimize fiscal impacts on the City and future developments.
¾ Identify residents who have established experience and contacts to support an economic development plan.
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WATER RESOURCES
GUIDING PRINCIPLE GUIDING PRINCIPLE Litchfield Park acknowledges the importance of using its water resources wisely in the desert environment. It also recognizes that all available water resources must be properly managed and utilized in order to sustain the quality of life they have come to enjoy. The City Council will provide guidance and leadership in the control and management of water resources within the City.
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION Municipal growth potential in Arizona is frequently limited by the availability – and cost -- of water. The Water Resources Element became an additional General Plan requirement in 2000 when the State Legislature, acting on the Growing Smarter Commission’s recommendation, adopted “Growing Smarter Plus”.
The City of Litchfield Park does not own the water system that serves homes and businesses in the community. Litchfield Park Service Company (LPSCo) is the area’s certified provider of water and wastewater services.
Citizens understand the importance of water resources to the community’s future. Sustaining the City’s well-kept appearance, as well as maintaining adequate pressure at reasonable prices, depends on cooperative stewardship among the service providers, the City and individual customers. Municipal policy should define policies and expectations for intelligent water use.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Develop water saving programs and/or requirements for private and public property that are intended to minimize water usage for landscaping but will not diminish the ambiance of Litchfield Park.
¾ Consider implementation of alternatives to use of potable water such as effluent, grey water, artificial turf and other options.
¾ Promote landscape material palettes that support water conservation measures, but continue to contribute to the ‘green’ image of Litchfield Park.
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ACTION SUMMARY
DISCUSSION DISCUSSION The General Plan’s Action Summary section establishes ways and means to achieve City/community goals. It should be viewed as the City’s guiding statement of policy.
Statutes direct the municipality to establish criteria for considering amendments to the General Plan on an annual basis. Unless and until revisions are officially confirmed, City government is committed to follow the General Plan principles.
Decisions for development, public works and local improvements, generally, are meant to be consistent with Plan principles. Development Plan designations are not a zoning map; however, the land use codes -- zoning, subdivision and related standards – are revised to serve as the City’s main tool for implementing the General Plan.
To accomplish objectives, it is essential to have a plan. For Litchfield Park, Plan implementation consists of: establishing a step-by-step Program, and regularly monitoring progress toward the community’s future living quality aspirations.
ON-GOING PLANNING PROCESS ON-GOING PLANNING Citizens and community leadership, alike, must recognize that good PROCESS plans are never finished. Adoption of a document is just the first step in an on-going process of refinement. Local government, land owners and builders are called upon to supply greater detail for specific projects so those improvements may be evaluated for their contributions to the Plan. Because the City’s approach to the future is flexible, it is open to creative solutions or innovative designs in development proposals. Litchfield Park is small and compact; therefore, the potential effects of a construction proposal need to be carefully evaluated to minimize impact on adjoining properties, make best use of local service resources and fit the desired community character.
General Plans take on new importance (as a result of stronger planning laws) in directing local government policy. Consistency between the Plan and the tools that make it work, such as development ordinances, is required. The City should adopt a strategic process to coordinate Plan implementation. Step-by-step actions identify logical progressions for accomplishing objectives. Mid- course corrections should be expected because many variables affect local growth rates.
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ACTION SUMMARY
IMPLEMENTATION PHASING IMPLEMENTATION The backbone of General Plan implementation is a step-by-step PHASING action program. With specific planning objectives in mind, this section suggests some incremental activities to mark progress from where the City is today toward where citizens want to be ten or more years from now.
The Action schedule is not intended to dictate decisions that must be carefully evaluated by elected representatives, but it does offer some probable choices that may be considered as City resources permit. a. Short-Term Actions (0-3 years) Implementation is already beginning with public works projects in preparation for future growth. Efforts that can be initiated – or completed – within a year or two of Plan adoption are specified. The City may wish to include other projects, as they are proposed, to expedite General Plan Implementation. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) updating is a logical corollary to Action Program adjustments.
b. Mid-Term Actions (4-6 years) Once early actions are in place, the City is positioned to continue key programs (such as park and open space acquisition and combining pathway connections).
c. Long-Range Planning (7+ years) Value-added public facilities, planned years earlier allow for cost-effective municipal expansion. High standards for quality engineering will help to assure that roads, drainage, parks, wet utilities, public safety and other local government functions can serve an expanded community with economy.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES ¾ Continued enforcement of property maintenance standards designed for the prevention of neighborhood decline.
¾ Emphasize City/resident partnership and programs that assist residents in maintaining their properties.
¾ Create a small, focused economic development task force who, with City Council direction, could serve as a focal point for developer contact. This task force should be comprised of resident professionals with backgrounds in land development and financing alternatives, but who have no direct financial interests in the City.
¾ Utilize City resources such as “City Line”, the website and Channel 11 as resources for distributing information regarding City sponsored programs.
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ACTION SUMMARY
CITY OF LITCHFIELD PARK - Table for Objective Implementation and Timeline
ELEMENT FOCUS TIMING IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
COMMUNITY CHARACTER Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES Term Term Term Update existing codes and adopt new codes and policies that include standards and requirements for developments to help maintain a high Develop City policy that supports facilities and activities that 1 X X X quality of life and maintain public facilities, such as parks and community preserve and enhance the Litchfield Park quality of life. centers. Develop a "Property Conditions" survey that establishes an annual conditions assessment of the community.
Evaluate the creation of a historic overlay within the City, adopt policies Preserve the City’s history by identifying, protecting and to incentivize the maintenance of historic structures and evaluate creation 2 documenting the rich past with programs to share with future X X X of an historic designation for qualified structures. Cooperate with the generations the City’s unique and distinctive history. Litchfield Park Historical Society to protect and document the rich past of the City.
Maintain the small town, “park-like” community character Adopt policies that protect open space areas, increase landscaping 3 through Council policies focusing on the unique character X X X requirements, preserve small town architecture, and enhance the original attributes of this community. Village Center.
Actively participate in public art programs that will enhance Encourage the development and maintenance of public art for all future 4 X X X the livability and aesthetics of community. (both public and private) developments.
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ACTION SUMMARY
LAND USE Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES Term Term Term
Pursue the concept of mixed use development in the Research and update existing Zoning Ordinance and City Codes to remaining undeveloped parcels within the City. This could include new land use designations, and criteria for Mixed Use and Live- 1 X include a residential component in the form of live-work Work Units (Neo-Traditional Development) as part of master opportunities as part of master development plans. development plans.
Formulate, administer and enforce design, development and Adopt design review guidelines and standards for non-residential 2 architectural standards that assure a consistent and attractive X developments to include architectural styles, materials, colors, design character for new and existing development. features and useable open space.
Research viable methods of preserving older areas of town, and create 3 Attend to the revitalization of older areas of the City. X incentives for rehabilitation and maintenance of structures and properties.
CIRCULATION Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES: Term Term Term Continue to require internal pathway system connectivity Evaluate and modify as needed pathway system requirements for public 1 throughout the City and require new development to interface X X X access, width, materials, landscaping, etc. Pursue funding resources for with this system. infrastructure improvements.
Update and modify existing landscaping standards to require additional Provide additional landscaping along pathway system to landscaping along pathway systems and at shade and rest-stops. Pursue 2 X provide shade and rest-stops. landscaping enhancement funding opportunities. Highlight programs that allow for participation for maintenance and new facilities.
Interact and work cooperatively with neighboring communities, Maricopa Association of Governments, and Seek cooperation from MAG and adjacent communities to promote/create 3 X X X other public agencies in promoting carpool, park-and-ride, carpool, park-and-ride, public transit, and other transportation systems. public transit and other transportation opportunities.
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ACTION SUMMARY
Provide enhanced signage, and potentially a change in materials at Provide for safe, protected crossings of public streets for use crosswalks to help increase visibility of crosswalks to provide for the 4 by pedestrians. Promote grade-separated crossing of major X X X safety of pedestrians. Consider participation by private development as streets. part of Development Agreement negotiations.
OPEN SPACE Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES: Term Term Term Investigate and pursue additional passive and active open 1 X X X Pursue development proposals that provide for open space enhancements. space opportunities.
Preserve and protect the integrity of large scale open space, Maintain policies which protect existing public and private open space 2 X X X such as the Wigwam Golf Course. and park areas within the community.
Continue to integrate multi-purpose city-wide pathways into Evaluate existing pathway and trail system and modify through the new development proposals. This would include providing Capital Improvement Program as needed to incorporate additional trails 3 X X X safe crossing of public streets. Pedestrian overpasses and and crossing points around the City for the convenience and safety of underpasses of major arterial streets should be considered. residents and pedestrians.
For Open Space to have value, the City will continue to create, update, and enhance safe and clean recreational Routinely evaluate recreational facilities and venues in order to determine venues and opportunities through the City’s Capital if all segments of the population are adequately served. Consider Improvement Program, volunteer organizations, private 4 X X X establishing an open space endowment program, supported by private contributions and other means. Consider establishing an open donations and enhanced by public matching funds, for acquisition, space endowment program, supported by private donations improving public open space, natural and made-man. and enhanced by public matching funds, for acquisition, thus improving public open space, both natural and made-man.
Pursue opportunities presented by the development of the Sun Health La Loma Campus and the offer of the Litchfield Conduct a financial feasibility study for the rehabilitation and on-going 5 Homestead in creating a community focal point for open X maintenance of the Litchfield Homestead (La Loma). space, demonstration gardens, community use facilities and a historic venue for the City of Litchfield Park.
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ACTION SUMMARY
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES: Term Term Term Sponsor and/or participate in regional and multi-jurisdictional Seek out opportunities to participate with neighboring communities, partnerships and activities to improve the quality of our air 1 X X X Maricopa County, and the State of Arizona in efforts, programs, and through efforts to reduce noise, dust, vehicle emissions and policies to minimize environmental impacts the glare of artificial lighting.
Continue local efforts to provide opportunities for recycling, Investigate cost effective and environmentally friendly methods of hazardous materials disposal, community cleanup events, recycling. Regularly assess effectiveness of community cleanups and 2 enhanced property maintenance and dust control. Consider X X X property maintenance efforts and measures. Be pro-active and take a and initiate partnerships with neighboring communities as leadership role with surrounding communities for these programs and opportunities are presented. measures.
Be pro-active and take a leadership role with Maricopa Association of Governments in maintaining programs for assessment of water and air Promote monitoring of external environmental impacts on the quality. Consider forming an environmental advisory committee to the 3 community such as water table contamination, air quality X X X City Council that would provide suggested measures and/or programs to impacts. accommodate the same. Actively monitor the mitigation efforts of the Phoenix-Goodyear airport plume.
o Continue construction, enhancement, and maintenance of the City's Reduce the City’s carbon footprint by encouraging the use of internal trail system. Provide for electric re-charge station and parking for energy efficient technologies, (i.e. lighting, air conditioning, electric carts and bicycles. 4 insulation) and reduce the City's oil dependency by X X encouraging electric carts, bicycles, and walking as o Adopt strategies and incentives to provide the impetus for residents alternatives to automobile use for short local trips. and developers to use energy efficient technologies, green building and encouraging partnership with APS.
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ACTION SUMMARY
GROWTH Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES Term Term Term Develop a Cost/Benefit analysis program for assessing benefits and liabilities for future annexations. This evaluation would be for fact- finding only and would not be considered the sole deciding factor for future annexations. Impacts to be considered should include: Analyze the fiscal and physical benefits and impacts of any o Typical Litchfield Park amenities (parks, pathways) 1 X X X future annexations. o Potential tax revenues o Revenue sharing based on population o Ongoing operation and maintenance costs o Would the annexation contribute to the preservation of Litchfield Park's quality of life?
COST OF DEVELOPMENT Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES: Term Term Term Routinely initiate discussion with owners of vacant Pursue pre-development meetings with owners of vacant retail/commercial properties to determine development 1 X X retail/commercial properties with discussion for land uses compatible with potential and timing. As these discussions take place, the character of Litchfield Park. examine development incentive possibilities.
Identify and evaluate all means of financing to recover costs Continue to use development agreements to affect costs of public 2 X X X for facilities and services. facilities, buildings and parks; adopt policies implementing findings.
Work with essential service providers to help minimize fiscal Research viable methods to reduce costs paid by the City for basic 3 X X X impacts on the City and future developments. essential services
Query interests from City residents to find those individuals with Identify residents who have established experience and experience and contacts to help create and move forward a community 4 X X contacts to support an economic development plan. economic plan. Create an advisory group or board that would assist in the Economic Development efforts of the City.
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ACTION SUMMARY
WATER RESOURCES Short Mid- Long
OBJECTIVES: Term Term Term Develop water saving programs and/or requirements for private and public property that are intended to minimize Research and develop viable programs to save water by diminishing usage 1 X X X water usage for landscaping, but will not diminish the while preserving the ambience of Litchfield Park. ambiance of Litchfield Park.
Consider implementation of alternatives to use of potable Research infrastructure technologies and implementation costs for effluent 2 water such as effluent, grey water, artificial turf and other X X X and grey water systems, and artificial turf options. Maintain discussions options. with LPSCo for acquisition of effluent for parks.
Adopt policy and update codes that acknowledge Arizona Department of Promote landscape material palettes that support water Water resources (Phoenix AMA) recommended species on the required 3 conservation measures, but continue to contribute to the X X X landscaping list. Use this list for public street infrastructure projects as ‘green’ image of Litchfield Park. well.
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INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
The appendix contains additional information for each element updated from the 2001 Litchfield Park General Plan, which is needed to effectively administer the General Plan over the next 5 to 10 year cycle.
Much of the following information was gleaned from the previous General Plan. While the information is historically interesting, the Planning and Zoning Commission believed that it was better to create a concise plan that focused on what currently was happening within the community. The additional information was added to the appendices as background for readers interested in a more comprehensive look at the community.
HISTORY The City of Litchfield Park was named for its founder Paul W. Litchfield. Paul Litchfield was an executive of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company located in Akron, Ohio. Due to a shortage of long staple cotton, due to World War I, he was sent to the Phoenix area to determine if there was potential to sell/grow their cotton in the valley.
His goal was to convince local farmers to plant the long-staple cotton. The locals were not interested. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company formed a subsidiary company which purchased approximately 35,000 acres of land, many for as little as $25 per acre.
Between 1917 and 1918 a cotton crop was planted and resulted in a harvest of approximately 264,000 pounds of cotton. The harvest for the following year exceeded the initial crop by more than 25 times with a total of 6,734,000 pounds of cotton.
Approximately 2,000 workers were hired to harvest and plant the fields. Workers were mainly Mexican Nationals and Native American Indians.
From its genesis in the 1910’s as a small farm community supporting the vast Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company cotton farm operation, to its present shape as a residential village, Litchfield Park has always enjoyed a unique presence in the West Valley.
The historic village design of Litchfield Park was founded in part by the natural evolution of the original design of the Goodyear Farms, the ‘company town’ of the buildings, cotton farms, and by the village master plan formulated in the mid-1960’s. The small cluster of workers’ homes built around the original communities facilities – the shops for food and personal services, the hospital, the school that then served from the first grade through high school, the community building where movies were shown and Saturday night dances held – all provided for the needs of the isolated village located a half day’s ride from the “big” city – Phoenix.
Luke Air Force Base introduced thousands of persons who trained here to the opportunities and prospects for settling here in the post-World War II era. Litchfield Park contributed its master-planned tradition by conceiving its on-going development as a series of interconnected, but largely independent, “urban villages.”
The first, Tierra Verde, modeled a community unit containing homes, churches, schools, professional offices and shops for residents’ daily needs. A very livable place, with distinctive landscaping and architecture, the village was meant to be replicated over thousands of acres.
Delays in Interstate highway construction, interim master-planning concepts, and finally, a court decision that prevented absorption of more than 12,000 acres into the City shortly after its incorporation and aggressive annexation policies of neighboring communities precluded replication of the original village theme.
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Today, well-designed structures, convenient pathways, public places, and events contribute to a sense of village that people here wish to preserve and extend to future developments.
LAND USE DECISION KEYS The General Plan is not a land use regulation document, but acts as the foundation for local zoning decisions. Decision Keys are suggested as points for consideration by property owners, City staff, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and City Council when the requests for rezoning are made. These evaluation factors are not intended to dictate official actions. The circumstances of each case will be reviewed at required public hearings. Listing common benchmarks for weighing a development’s compliance with Litchfield Park planning principles may be helpful in assuring conformance with the adopted Plan.
Appropriate review criteria for rezoning should be developed early so that proposals may be judged objectively. Typical conditions or stipulations to assure quality growth in conformance with the General Plan are listed for the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission consideration as a means to mitigate potentially negative impacts and to maintain consistency with community character.
The following guides provide a framework for applying local land use policy. As these Land Use Decision Keys are used, Staff may determine that further modifications may be needed. The City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, as well as staff, may suggest new evaluation criteria for use in assessing compatibility between development proposals and the adopted General Plan.
USES / INTENSITIES OF USE As the City grows and diversifies, a wider spectrum of land uses is anticipated. Trade-offs, such as clustering structures in a more compact configuration to allow for open space preservation, may be appropriate.
Residential Housing variety, including a range of dwelling types and sizes, can be achieved both in masterplanned communities and on infill parcels. Appearance and neighborhood compatibility are stressed. • Comparable lot sizes, or appropriate transition buffers, are expected for new housing adjacent to existing neighborhoods.
• Affordability is a factor to be considered in permitting the construction of smaller homes on compact sites. Planned residential developments may include reduced setbacks in exchange for shared, common open space, such as landscaped perimeter paths that serve as transition to lower density housing.
• Larger-scale residential developments encompassing forty acres or more are expected to include at least three different lot size ranges and a target of at least ten percent common open space.
• Open space amenities, are expected in plans for new housing developments, including proposed community pathway system connections.
Commercial In aggressively promoting economic development, Litchfield Park emphasizes selective compatible, uses for the community’s most visible and accessible opportunity areas. • Hospitality and health care services are preferred to locate in the Rancho La Loma masterplan area.
• Planned shopping centers, combining multiple business uses, are preferred over strip commercial developments. Shared access points, parking, signage and landscaping are encouraged.
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• Core revitalization proposals may incorporate mixed commercial/residential redevelopment with built-in enhancement such as joint-use parking, pedestrian amenities, transit stops, government services and tourist information.
• Masterplanned developments are expected to provide shopping and services in or near their residential areas and may include retail/hospitality nodes at appropriate locations accessible to a community-wide clientele.
• Office employment, including shared facilities for home business entrepreneurs, may be included in master planned communities’ activity cores or as transition uses between residential neighborhoods and other commercial uses with greater traffic generation.
COMMUNITY CHARACTER Citizens place highest priority on the community’s unique quality as a special place in an urban environment. The quality of life experience constitutes an overriding preference above all other civic aspirations. For that reason, this Element provides direction for other General Plan components.
Litchfield Park enjoys a character that is different from its neighboring communities. It owes distinctiveness in appearance and function to a vision created by its founder, Paul Litchfield.
Maintaining the Litchfield Park vision is, in many respects, more challenging now than what was established with the original “village” model. Urban growth impacts the City on three sides and affects the sustainability of its long-time neighbor, Luke Air Force Base. Preserving the City’s attributes as an independent, free-standing community is seen as the key municipal planning principles.
LITCHFIELD PARK IMAGE Integrating urban land uses with outdoor space is fundamental to the City’s development pattern. Interests in agriculture, recreation, outdoor enjoyment, scenery and well-maintained streetscapes all influenced the community’s continuing evolution.
a. Unique Community Identity: Prior to incorporation, Litchfield Park implemented standards and practices that proved to be effective tools in developing the City. Once the City incorporated, and various areas annexed, these tools helped augment existing developments using County requirements. Utilities for the City are privately owned and provided. Neighborhood Associations have continued to enforce covenants, conditions, and restrictions, and helped maintain streetscapes more effectively than many, if not most, Arizona municipalities.
Litchfield Elementary School, the many churches, cultural and civic organizations all provide a strong framework for community life. The Recreation Center, parks and multi-purpose pathways - - together with the Wigwam’s world class golf and other resort amenities -- contribute to a lifestyle for residents and visitors that is unlike any other in the State.
Since becoming a City in 1987, the elected and appointed leadership has continued to reinforce the Litchfield Park image.
Public involvement through City Council and citizen commissions continues to monitor proposals for developments within the community’s growth areas (predominantly commercially zoned properties).
b. Appearance: Quality City appearance receives a great deal of citizen attention. Neighborhood eyesores constitute a particular concern among homeowners. Improved code enforcement activities
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pertaining to appearance standards were advocated by a significant proportion of persons who participated in the General Plan update process.
The City’s traditional “palm and citrus” streetscape motif requires attention both in terms of continuing the image where it is appropriate, and encouraging a broader array of acceptable drought-resistant plant materials. Water conservation measures adopted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources prohibit installation of high water use vegetation on public property. Xeriscape and similar landscape approaches are encouraged on private lands.
Maintenance for both public and private properties is a paramount community character concern. City efforts to landscape public parks and rights-of-way upkeep are applauded and encouraged.
LAND USE Litchfield Park's ultimate corporate limits have become defined by neighboring jurisdiction boundaries. The municipality contains an area of slightly more than three square miles and a population of 5,514. With annexation potential, its area could increase to more than four square miles; and, at buildout, its population could be in the 15-17,000 range. Land use planning is necessary to implement the quality, variety and extent of activities required for the support of a compact, well-balanced community.
The City of Litchfield Park is predominantly residential. It is unique among neighboring municipalities for the remarkably high proportion of land devoted to recreational purposes. Because most of the open lands are associated with The Wigwam Resort and Spa and its golf courses, the City is accurately characterized as a "residential-resort" community.
As originally envisioned in the village planning concept, there would be a variety of components in the land use equation, including shopping and jobs. These functions were intended, primarily, to be accommodated in the village core area (which has only developed minimally to date).
CURRENT LAND USE Litchfield Park has a definite configuration, derived from its beginnings as a masterplanned new town. Urban sprawl is not a problem in the City; however, careful selection of land uses for infill, revitalization and annexation expansion is especially critical to achieve a positive land use equilibrium. The community is, by design, heavily oriented to residential neighborhoods surrounding the Village Center, The Wigwam Resort and Spa and its golf courses. Other types of land use – especially commercial and employment -- are minimal, requiring further development.
There is, for so compact an area, an impressive array of activity and housing types. Through the following analyses of contemporary land utilization, it is apparent that some fine tuning initiatives are necessary to extend quality housing and to enhance retail, service and professional convenience as well as revenue base diversification for the community's long term benefit. a. Residential/Resort The predominantly residential character of Litchfield Park is amplified by the intermingling of The Wigwam Resort and Spa and community open spaces. More than half of Litchfield Park's land area is devoted to homes. Many housing units are twenty to thirty years old, yet there is little evidence of neighborhood aging. Newer construction exists in The Village at Litchfield Park developments west of Litchfield Road, with occasional custom building on the original townsite's few vacant lots as well as extensive remodelings of older homes.
The community has a full range of residential types: townhouses, patio homes, garden apartments, single-family detached homes ranging from smaller, starter houses to large residences on estate-sized lots. Most are owner-occupied dwelling units, but there is a reasonable selection of affordable rental housing in well-kept condominiums, townhomes, patio homes and single-family detached homes. Developing neighborhoods west of Litchfield Road are being encouraged to emulate the village pattern, applying its concepts whenever possible. Litchfield Greens I, developed during the
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1980s, is a private community, in which the few remaining lots are being developed with custom homes. Greens I is connected (via underpass located ~800-feet south) to the pathway system, offering non-vehicular access to the original townsite for shopping, churches and public recreation areas. The Village at Litchfield Park completes the residential ring around The Wigwam Resort and Spa's West golf course. The Village at Litchfield Park has its own parks and paths, convenient to the middle school south of Indian School Road.
Existing planned community amenities are accessible to residents. Litchfield Park Recreation Center, at Old Litchfield Road and Wigwam Boulevard, is easily reached via the pathway network from all parts of the City. There is also on-street shared vehicular parking for the Library, Recreation Center, Litchfield Elementary School, shopping and services located in the heart of the community.
Residential excellence was maintained, prior to municipal incorporation, by a privately-managed master home owners' association. As a city, Litchfield Park seeks to continue these standards through carefully drafted, enforceable ordinances. Where legally defensible, City government incorporates or supports the intent of its various subdivisions' and planned developments' covenants, conditions and restrictions.
b. Commercial (Retail and Service) Litchfield Park was laid out to contain shops, services and offices in the northeast quadrant of its Village Center. The original village center served Litchfield Park residents for more than six decades. The Wigwam Resort and Spa is staging a revival of business activity here with upscale cafes and restaurants catering to residents and hotel guests. Along Wigwam Boulevard are located the City Hall administrative facilities (Including expansion and office areas), and a proposed office and retail development.
There is a continuing scarcity of commercial development in the community. Less than seven (7%) percent of the land area is dedicated to retail and service. Most residents shop in adjacent municipalities.
The largest single contributor to Litchfield Park's sales tax base is The Wigwam Resort and Spa. Facilities include restaurants, lounges, meeting rooms, a ball room and guest-related specialty shops which are available to local residents as well as resort guests. Grounds associated with the hospitality use (exclusive of recreational space) add an estimated one hundred acres to Litchfield Park's business property inventory. By including the resort, the community's proportion of commerce-related land utilization rises to 27% percent of the developed area.
Existing zoning allows for relatively small, new commercial developments such as the pool supply store, pharmacy, restaurants, other small retailers, and a dental office constructed at the southwest corner of Litchfield Road and Camelback. The active local housing market is expected to generate demand for additional commercial uses. Larger properties necessary for planned shopping plazas would be possible through specific opportunity area planning such as the northwest corner of Litchfield Road and Wigwam Boulevard, the northeast corner of Camelback and Litchfield Roads, and the southeast corners of Camelback and Dysart Roads.
c. Business (Office) Prospects for employment generating uses have increased in the West Valley. Traffic accessibility on Interstate 10 has broadened the area’s employment base and increased the appeal for business locations. Litchfield Park and its neighbors were once the center of Arizona's cotton and agriculture industry, and now also enjoy easy accessibility to urban commerce. Agribusiness is still a major contributor to the area's economy; however, farming activity has ceased in Litchfield Park and is declining in adjacent communities as urban development occurs.
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The community's workforce is well-educated and highly skilled. The majority of employed local residents commute to jobs outside Litchfield Park to downtown Phoenix, nearby communities, and Luke Air Force Base. Many own and operate businesses or hold professional and technical positions, contributing to the City's high average household income. Relatively few of the jobs available in Litchfield Park provide work for its residents. Apart from public sector employment -- schools, government -- most local opportunities are relatively low-paying sales and hospitality industry jobs.
The growing Estrella Mountain Community College Center, less than a mile south of Litchfield Park, has provided substantial employment as well as jobs skill training for the area. Through planned pathway links, employment at the college contributes to the village concept by offering jobs -- and education – that can be reached by bicycle or on foot.
There are limited industrial opportunities in Litchfield Park. The recently annexed “Monument Point” located at the southwest corner of El Mirage and Camelback Roads may provide for compatible retail, office and light industrial uses.
d. Public/Institutional Uses Civic uses, not counting streets and utilities, comprise about two percent of the incorporated municipality. There are few municipally-owned properties
Litchfield Elementary School, sited in the original village core area at the southeast corner of Litchfield and Wigwam Boulevard, serves the surrounding neighborhoods. Enrollment for 2008-09 is 207 students from Kindergarten through Grade 5. Older students attend public schools nearby in the City of Goodyear. Satellite facilities, including Palm Valley and Dreaming Summit Elementary Schools, serve four (4) Litchfield Park students. The Western Sky and Verrado Middle Schools, serve 109 total students from Litchfield Park. Students in Grades 9 through 12 attend either the Agua Fria High School in Avondale or Millennium High School, immediately adjacent to Litchfield Park’s western boundary. There are currently 215 students from Litchfield Park attending these high schools.
There are several religious institutions serving Litchfield Park. These have ample sites and, generally, are located on collector streets with convenient access for residents. In addition to their religious services, local churches house a variety of social, cultural and community outreach programs.
e. Community Facilities and Services Litchfield Park was developed with emphasis on service from private providers and Maricopa County. Since incorporation in 1987, the municipality has taken over management of various governmental functions and properties.
Municipal streets and parks represent the majority of the local government's current maintenance operations responsibility. City crews keep landscaped areas well-manicured, streets in good repair and public recreation areas safe and serviceable for community residents. A modern street sweeper and other maintenance equipment are owned and operated by the City. Although the municipality itself has limited infrastructure investments, Litchfield Park management coordinates a comprehensive array of services conducted by private or quasi-public entities to assure adequate, cost-effective response to citizens' needs. This assistance extends to promotion of high-quality programs for education, health care, art, culture and social-economic opportunities throughout the community.
Local government operates from the 4,000 square foot City Hall building which provides administrative, office, and meeting space. A law enforcement office, located in the building at 214 West Wigwam Boulevard, is manned by Maricopa County officers under a joint services agreement. Parking and storage for City maintenance vehicles is located on the site, which was
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formerly used as the management headquarters of Goodyear Farms. This property is currently undergoing redevelopment that will include improvements to the existing City Hall building, a new City Hall annex, and a new leased retail/office building to the east. A recent joint service agreement with the City of Avondale will allow the City to provide its own fire and emergency medical service response. The old Rural Metro site located at 105 West Desert Avenue will house the Public Works services yard.
Trash collection is provided by private contractors at a City-negotiated rate for the property owners.
Master developers of Litchfield Park's expansion areas are expected to install and maintain streets, paths, parks, landscaping and other urban improvements commensurate with the community's established standards. City acceptance of dedication is contingent upon inspection, phasing of transition to municipal control and, where applicable, development agreement understandings.
Drainage is also a major concern to City residents. The Maricopa Flood Control District maintains trunkline storm sewers and flood water diversion structures with the Agua Fria River east of the City serving as the major collector for runoff, transporting excess water to detention basins to the south, along Interstate 10. County-sponsored drainage engineering improvements will facilitate drainage such as the Colter Channel, north of the City, into the Agua Fria.
LITCHFIELD PARK AND VILLAGE PLANNING The concept of the village is partially based on the idea that people can live in a place where day-to-day needs can be satisfied without dependence on the automobile. Village planning today strives to recapture the historic qualities of community life. It is based on a walkable area - perhaps one or two square miles - with a village center, accessible on foot and serving most of the community’s daily needs. The variety of housing choices within this village - everything from townhouses and multifamily to large lot single family homes - invites diversity and provides for the accommodation of families to their changing life cycle needs over the years.
Some of the land use principles underlying village design are as follows:
A defined geographic area, often circumscribed by by-passing heavy-traffic arterial roads, large enough to contain a population within that can support day-to-day daily community activities
A village center, centrally located and accessible, containing convenience shopping, cafes, and community facilities such as a school, a recreation center and a public park
An array of housing that provides variety within the village and choice for its residents
High-density townhouses, multifamily and patio homes clustered around the village center providing maximum accessibility for the largest share of residents and strong support for the village center activities
Low density/large lot homes toward the village periphery for those who would trade convenient accessibility to the village center for a more spacious setting
Neighborhood parks immediately convenient to the outlying residential areas within the village to provide for activities such as team baseball and soccer—activities that cannot be accommodated in back yards
A pathway system that connects these facilities together and provides safe, convenient access for people to walk, bike or use an electric vehicle to get around the village
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Nearly all of Litchfield Park’s land use pattern has already been set. The small amount of vacant land that still exists is not likely to have much impact on the village-like character that has already been established. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge the principles of village planning that might come to bear as future projects and changes in land use and zoning might be proposed.
CIRCULATION EXISTING CIRCULATION There have been changes in conditions over the past four decades which necessitate adjustments in circulation planning. As noted, Litchfield Park has not developed (as had been originally envisioned) into an extended series of villages. Instead, the City represents one complete village (the initial Tierra Verde development) and portions of additional sub-communities added through recent and proposed annexations as well as neighborhoods developing beyond the municipality's corporate limits. Arterial roadways -- Litchfield Road, Dysart, Camelback and Indian School Roads -- are in place. They border the first "village", as intended; however, they also separate it from adjacent neighborhoods. Developing areas inside Litchfield Park as well as homes being constructed outside the municipal limits require planning for safe and convenient circulation.
In a regional context, City residents’ travel times to other metropolitan destinations have been improved by Interstate 10 and widening major streets in neighboring jurisdictions. Further reduction in travel times may occur due to I-10 widening and pending Loop 303 improvements. Sound attenuation has been by the use of rubberized asphalt.
a. Roadway System The City's street system observes the roadway hierarchy that marks transportation facilities throughout Maricopa County: arterial, collector and local roads. Planned in the 1960s, the major streets (arterials) have undergone improvements for increased capacity to direct traffic around the City's perimeter.
The collector street system disperses vehicles internally within the community; and local, residential streets are clear of unwanted, through traffic movements.
b. Arterials Arterial streets are typically set on a one (1) mile grid within Maricopa County. Dysart Road has been identified by the Maricopa Association of Governments as a “road of regional significance”. This designation recognized the increased traffic volumes along the corridor generated by Estrella Mountain Community College Center at Thomas Road and commercial development adjacent to I-10. Indian School, Litchfield, and Camelback Roads are also major arterials that have been improved to handle additional traffic and reduce flooding impediments to area transportation.
c. Collectors Litchfield Park’s successful attempt to avoid the sterile grid pattern of mile (arterial) and half-mile (collector) streets is most apparent in its curvilinear collector street layout. The extensions of Wigwam Boulevard and Old Litchfield Road become straight collectors with lesser speeds and traffic volumes as they penetrate the community.
Other collector streets in the community are Villa Nueva Drive in the developed portion of the City, and planned collector loops for The Village at Litchfield Park as well as the Rancho La Loma future development. Collectors, such as Greentree and Clearcreek in Litchfield Greens I and Bird Lane, Fairway Drive, Sagebrush, Desert and La Loma are primarily for distributing traffic within existing neighborhoods.
d. Local Streets Residential neighborhoods are well-served with roadways scaled to the dwelling unit type and density. Housing areas are generally connected with local street-to-local street circulation across
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collectors which (with the exception of the Litchfield Greens I subcommunity which does have continuous pathway linkage via underpass) permits intra-community traffic movement. Residents can travel to schools, churches, shopping without requiring the use of arterial streets.
Short cul-de-sac and “eyebrow” half circles are utilized throughout the community to create safe internal traffic patterns. These design features, together with the gentle, planned curvature of many streets and occasional planted median “boulevard treatments”, establish attractive neighborhood access without allowing automobiles to predominate the residential streetscape. e. Village Alternative: Pathways Circulation convenience is built into Litchfield Park’s development pattern. Alternatives for walking, biking and allowing short trip use for the many personal golf carts owned by local residents are emphasized both in the community’s physical layout and in its distinctive residential lifestyle.
The pathway network continues to be improved or extended as evidence of the community’s diversified approach to local transportation. The City maintains more capital investment in multi- purpose paths per capita than any other municipality in the metropolitan region or State. As a guideline, Litchfield Park has striven to maintain an effective ratio of one (1) mile of pathway for every four (4) miles of local street system. As the City develops, it emphasizes the convenience of pathway systems through comprehensive Circulation Element implementation policies.
OPEN SPACE EXISTING OUTDOOR ENJOYMENT ASSETS Maintained open space represents thirty percent of the developed community land area. The Wigwam Resort and Spa’s five hundred acres of well-manicured golf courses, tennis courts, lawns, landscaping and other recreational uses is the major contributor to the City’s spaciousness. Additional properties in both municipal and private ownership are available for public use and enjoyment.
a. Park Facilities Since the original Tierra Verde village development a quarter of a century before municipal incorporation, the Goodyear master Home Owners Association entity provided and maintained community parks. The City is now responsible for upkeep and improvements in these areas which have been dedicated to the public.
Parks, augmented by the public pathway network, constitutes slightly more than 60 acres. They include active recreation and playing fields; Turtle Park, 8.5 acres, Staggs Park, 4 acres and the Town Center park area at the Library) as well as expanses suited to leisure (Lake Park, 8.5 acres; Camelback Park, 5 acres) and passive or scenic open spaces (Kiwanis Park, 2.5 acres). Approximately eleven acres of new recreational land are dedicated to serve the developing Village at Litchfield Park sub-community.
Additionally, The Wigwam Resort and Spa maintains a five (5) acre park (Scout Park) which is open for use by Litchfield Park residents.
Currently, Litchfield Park significantly exceeds national Open Space Recreational land use guidelines with more than 15 acres per thousand residents.
Requiring open spaces in new annexation areas, as well as seeking park land and improvements is necessary to maintain or increase the City’s proportion of park and recreation land per capita. If no additional acreage is added, the City’s park and open space facilities may fall well below acceptable standards.
Ideally, reserved open space areas should be provided in increments of about one acre for every additional sixty dwelling units constructed or anticipated. As a matter of policy, Litchfield Park
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advocates that newly-developing neighborhoods outside the municipal limits contain a like proportion of useable open space to prevent overcrowding of the City’s facilities.
b. Community Recreation The City’s Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide variety of programs available to residents and visitors. Presently the community offers recreational activities that include: swim lessons, aerobics and tennis lessons. Events sponsored or assisted by the Department range from annual golf tournaments to Christmas in the Park, a pre-holiday celebration that draws over 5,000 attendees. The Recreation Center structure, with adjacent public swimming pool and tennis courts, contains meeting and game rooms, restrooms, office and storage areas. The Center is pathway accessible and shares a parking lot with a professional office building and the Florence Brinton Litchfield Memorial Library. Although the land is owned by the City, the library is owned by the Litchfield Park Library Association and operated by Maricopa County. It also has a community meeting room available for local events.
c. Pathway System Nearly eight miles of recreational pathways are in place or planned for alternate transportation modes. From the original village design to contemporary development planning, pathways are an essential -- and distinguishing -- ingredient of the community’s General Plan.
Pathways for cyclists, pedestrians or golf cart users are checklist components in all private development plans as well as local government’s coordinated planning with adjacent jurisdictions. Newly-developing areas are expected to address the necessary integration with the City’s existing pathway system. Planning cooperation with Avondale and Goodyear is intended to facilitate path connections to schools, particularly the Estrella Mountain Community College Center, and shopping-service areas, such as the Litchfield Plaza located south of Indian School Road.
ENVIRONMENTAL Litchfield Park has evolved, according to its founders’ plan, into a spacious, orderly civic environment and has adapted to its physical surroundings and climate. Urbanization requires citizens to seek solutions for mitigating the impacts of surrounding growth.
a. Land Resource Terrain in the community is generally level as a result of earlier agricultural usage. There is little undisturbed, natural area although two parks (Lake and Kiwanis) include maintained wetlands and desert vegetation. A notable exception to the flat topography is Rancho La Loma where thousands of horticultural specimens flourish on hilly ground separating the City from Luke Air Force Base.
Soil contaminants identified from past crop dusting operations were remediated at a site in the western portion of the City. No other hazardous conditions are known to exist.
b. Air Quality Airborne particulates arising from farming operations no longer constitute a significant air quality factor, although occasional over-seeding and maintenance on the Wigwam Golf Courses can create temporary dust conditions. Maricopa County encourages ordinances prohibiting open burning.
As the West Valley population expands, vehicular emissions have become an increasing air pollution problem. Litchfield Park addresses this concern on a local basis by transportation planning that avoids traffic congestion and by promoting non-automobile trips via the extensive pathway system.
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c. Water Management Supply and quality of water is not a municipal responsibility. LPSCo, a private provider, is franchised by the State to serve Litchfield Park and vicinity. The City does, however, actively encourage conservation programs. Effluent from LPSCo’s water reclamation facility is used to irrigate public and private landscaping and a number of local golf courses.
Stormwater runoff has presented localized problems over the years which have been remedied on a case-by-case basis. Recent drainage masterplan improvements undertaken by the Maricopa County Flood Control District, especially the Coulter Channel north of the City, have alleviated spot flooding occurrence. Excess stormwater now drains into the Agua Fria River bed or other managed courses for collection and retention to the south in large basins adjacent to the Interstate 10 right-of-way.
d. Natural Attributes Litchfield Park’s outdoor environment is a “maintained” one. Residential yards, public rights-of- way, the resort properties, pathways and parks require continuing upkeep attention. Even Kiwanis Park’s native desert plant materials are regularly tended.
There is wildlife here. Numerous species of birds can be observed in the City, including waterfowl at Lake Park and Wigwam Golf Courses. Small desert mammals live in the more lush habitats located on the Homestead portions of Rancho La Loma.
Scenic views of nearby mountains -- the White Tanks and Estrellas – are spectacular from the City. Areas that have not been subjected to urban development, especially to the northwest with Luke Air Force Base and Rancho La Loma, serve as breaks in metropolitan sprawl. City residents strongly support the retention of Luke’s military function, considering aircraft noise a small price for the many advantages derived from the Base as a good neighbor to Litchfield Park. And, as Rancho La Loma evolves into a masterplanned health care campus, there is a shared intent between the property owner and the community to retain much of the vegetation and habitat established three decades ago by Paul Litchfield on the Homestead portion of Rancho La Loma.
GROWTH AREA As the Village concept is adapted to contemporary development realities, the City's planning for residential areas seeks to retain the advantage of nearby amenities and easy access to the full range of community facilities. Newly developing neighborhoods, particularly those that may be added to Litchfield Park by annexation, must continue to provide housing variety, subcore convenience shopping, services, recreational facilities and pathway system connections.
CURRENT MASTER PLANS More than a square mile of additional development is planned on the City’s west side. Growth from within could occur with planned expansion and diversification at The Wigwam Resort and Spa.
a. The Village at Litchfield Park
The Village at Litchfield Park is currently in its final construction phase. Nearby schools and residential developments in the City of Goodyear are in place.
Boundary adjustments north of Millennium High School added acreage, by annexation, to the Village's projected masterplanned residential areas.
Masterplans for The Village at Litchfield Park were revised to better reflect housing variety, collector streets geared to internal circulation needs and pathway linkages to schools, parks and the community-wide pathway system. Sites along Litchfield Road, north of the Indian School intersection, are reserved for future, more intense, commercial development or multi-family residential.
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Population increase and attraction of higher income households should improve prospects for retail, service and restaurants as well as professional employment opportunities.
b. Rancho La Loma Healthcare Campus The Denny family property, annexed into Litchfield Park in the early 1990’s, introduced a new, specialized component to community living quality. Rancho La Loma is a creative community healthcare campus built by Sun Health. The Campus is intended as a masterplanned subcommunity dedicated to health care. The Homestead portion of the Campus contains historic structures and an extensive collection of mature horticulture which are being retained as focal point amenities for future, high-quality development. The use of the Campus is intended for health related services, including continuum of care living, all on a single coordinated campus. The campus reflects the overall village concept consistent with the rest of Litchfield Park.
Consideration for future hospital construction, perhaps on a regional scale, is underway. Although major institutional facilities will likely be deferred until later stages of Rancho La Loma’s evolution, the campus is already beginning to serve as a significant employment base for Litchfield Park with the planned, near-term opening of medical offices along the Camelback Road frontage.
The land restrictions placed on the Denny Family property requires all development to be health care-related. There will be a need for employee housing and commercial support elsewhere in the vicinity of Rancho La Loma.
c. Resort Expansion/Infill Development The Wigwam Resort and Spa plans to expand guest facilities. Also, village core retail space revitalization is ongoing. Goods, services and eating establishments attracting both local residents and hotel guests are potential infill improvements.
Vacant lands north and west of City Hall offer potential for future development including retail, office, multi-family residential and public assembly functions.
PLANNED PERIPHERAL DEVELOPMENTS Desired economic diversification to add sales tax or other revenues is being accommodated through recent annexations of prospective business sites.
a. Dysart and Camelback Landowners of the southeast corner of Dysart and Camelback are planning retail and related development in the City of Litchfield Park.
Masterplanned approaches for these areas allow Litchfield Park the opportunity to integrate them into transportation and pathway systems as well as to benefit from sales tax revenues. Development agreements establish mutual understanding and expectations between the City and developers.
b. Camelback and Litchfield This site of approximately eighty acres at the northeast corner, across from Rancho La Loma, has been annexed with a supporting Development Agreement. The site’s size and major arterial crossroads location offer the opportunity to provide retail commercial and office uses, to integrate multiple businesses and a mix of supporting uses, to support the development of the Rancho La Loma Healthcare Campus to the west, and to implement community economic development goals.
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COST OF DEVELOPMENT CURRENT DEVELOPMENT COST ASSESSMENT Litchfield Park has adopted a Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The process is intended to include annual updates for purposes of reconsidering project priorities as well as re-estimating their costs.
Creative financing mechanisms are available for infrastructure investment. Community Facilities District (CFD) funding is one technique for paying to meet new facilities’ demands. Accurate cost-estimating is essential to determine whether new homes will be affordable.
Municipal engineers are responsible for monitoring costs (labor, materials, and land) for infrastructure and other public facilities. These components, in current dollars, should be applied in calculating CIP estimates and order-of-magnitude capital investment required of land developers.
WATER RESOURCES LITCHFIELD PARK WATER SUPPLY Ample water was supplied for crop irrigation by both the Roosevelt Irrigation District and the Airline Canal in the vicinity of Litchfield Park. Potable water to serve domestic demand had historically been obtained by pumping groundwater.
a. Provider Resources LPSCo owns and operates Eight (8) active wells. Three additional wells are under development. None of the wells is within the Litchfield Park city limits. Current annual water production is 7.2 billion gallons for treatment and distribution to customers. The Palm Valley Water Reclamation Facility can process approximately 4.1 million gallons of water per day.
Water consumption billed to customers (allowing for leakage and unmetered deliveries) is 122 gallons per person per day on the LPSCo system or approximately 737.8 gallons per day per residential household (assuming a household size of 3.2 persons). Estimates provided to the Arizona Department of Water Resources list daily per capita consumption in Litchfield Park at 350 gallons. Higher use in the City is ascribed principally to landscaping and turf recreation areas, although the golf courses do not draw on the LPSCo system. Water used for golf course maintenance is provided under a Suncor/Wigwam contractual agreement.
b. Projected Demand The Arizona Department of Water Resources requires developers (and providers such as LPSCo) to demonstrate the availability of an assured water supply. A forecast population of 15- 17,000 persons would be expected to require the system to double its production to serve the City alone. Accordingly, LPSCo plans to add 1-2 new wells each year for the foreseeable future.
c. Water Management Litchfield Park is an active participant in water management. The City has installed low water use plant materials in public rights-of-way. Recycling measures and installation of water-efficient plumbing fixtures are encouraged.
LPSCo operates a state-of-the-art water reclamation facility south of the City, near McDowell and Litchfield Roads, which ultimately will be able to process 8.2 million gallons per day. This capacity (along with a second, future facility expansion) will be sufficient (14-15 million gallons per day at buildout) to sustain growth projections for Litchfield Park and vicinity. Treated effluent is reclaimed for landscaping irrigation, golf courses and decorative lakes.
* Information included within the Water Resources Element was verified by lPSCo representative Brian Hamrick, P.E. Senior Project Manager, Algonquin Water Services, L.L.C.
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City of Litchfield Park’s 2008 General Plan Update-Citizen Participation Plan Compiled comments from website survey
6-point Question Responses
1. What do you value most about your community? • The small town feel. Its uniqueness in a sea of cookie-cutter communities. The people that grew up here and came back. The accessibility and competence of our elected officials and city employees. • Small town, "park like" atmosphere. Feeling of being safe and being in a resort town. Responsive leaders. Town special events. • The ability to park my car when I get home and have a well shaded safe way to get around the city on foot or using a bicycle. • I love the neighbors and how this town has the "small town" atmosphere. The development of more restaurants is a nice addition to the community. • The small-town feel, lovely landscaping, special events throughout the year, the parks and new large planters naming the park. • Beauty, peace, restfulness, small size. • Small town, close nit community, beauty. • Small town America. • Historical Downtown, High level of Landscape, Sense of community, mostly family homesteads. • The small community feel in the middle of a metropolitan area. • It is a place where people care about one another, whether they live or work here, their street, their neighborhood, their parks and open spaces, their businesses. That it is a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding cities. • Unique nature of the city-small town atmosphere. All the amenities in our city - the parks, rec center, library, restaurants, drug store, etc. • The rec programs, small town feel, security, active downtown, restaraunts and entertainment downtown, vegetation and parks. • The beauty of the surroundings. But also, knowing so many people within the city. Different ages and walks of life and all from working with them through the schools, churches and community events. • The foliage and the bike paths. • The people, beautiful parks, lake and walking paths. LP still has a little bit of a small town feel to it where you can get to know your neighbors. I love being able to walk to the library and the recreation center. • Our small town values, and how friendly most of our residents are. • Beauty of the neighborhood, quiet nights, friendly people. • The proximity of the elementary school to the homes and the availability of the Rec Center and its programs and the proximity of the library. • I value the atmosphere and pride of ownership that is shown by the home owners. • The fact that it's small, quaint and uncongested as well as the beauty of the lush landscaping and palm tree-lines main roads. • Small town feeling of being able to know all your neighbors. • Small town feel & pathways. • It is small. It is well kept. It is green. Numerous parks. Good school. It is quiet. • That it has a small town feel in the middle of what is becoming a bustling semi-urban area. • The small town feeling in our little oasis. • The small town feel in the midst of this metropolis, the neighbors out walking, running and riding their bikes, the parks and pathways, the little downtown area, the beautiful Wigwam. City of Litchfield Park General Plan, 2008 46
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• It's a safe, clean, small community where several people know each other and respect their neighbors. It also is oriented to middle age to older residents and not to a young teeny bopper crowd. I live in the Greens, but feel the same about the rest of the town. Also the Wigwam...we have breakfast there every Sunday. • The mature trees, a sense of community, and identity clearly defined from the surrounding cities, and the small town atmosphere. • The people and relationships. • Small town feeling. • I enjoy the feeling of a neighborhood where adults and children can meet and feel safe whether walking, biking, or just enjoying the parks. Not having to worry about one's safety. • Small town atmosphere and beauty of the community. • The small town atmosphere and the quality of life. • Stability in a rapidly changing geographical area. It's great to have new development however; it seems to bring new problems like congestion, traffic, crime, etc. • The sense of a small close-knit community, that's safe. • Generally quiet. • Safety and the quiet neighborhoods. • The original village plan is certainly a major contributing factor to what makes Litchfield Park unique and very appealing. Much of LP's "livability" is due to this village concept. The closer the general plan remains true to this vision, in light of new growth and development, the more likely LP will retain its appeal. • Small size which contributes to community pride, good neighbor relationships. Landscaping which makes the community unique and beautiful, making it a wonderful place to live. Excellence in schools and community programs. • The quiet, small town atmosphere with the safety of all residents a primary concern. • Litchfield Park PROPER - safe, peaceful. Village - Allepo Park Greens - NOTHING - they are snobs. • Its individuality and how all ages are welcome and participate. • Feeling safe, quality of life, nice neighbors, Wigwam Resort, smallness, beautiful (love the palm/orange trees on Bird and Old Litchfield Road), well kept private and public areas, the beauty of LP church and our school, our outdoor concerts at the Wigwam, our Native American fair, and our Country Fair (renamed but I still like the old name,) our bike and walking paths, our sidewalks, the streets with the common green median area, our community is unique, our many parks, and our lake, and our library. One story homes in the "original" LP one square mile. • Clean, neat, safe, high property values. • The nostalgic, hometown feeling that my husband and I both had growing up in NJ and OR. It's clean, presentable, and offers wonderful schools and recreation for our children. • The smallness and feeling of the village. I like the fact that we don't have an HOA. • The community feel, tree lined streets, close proximity to activities. I really enjoy the feeling of safety for my kids... that they can explore the neighborhood and parks. The schools are the best! • The friendly, close-knit feeling that comes from knowing your neighbors and taking pride in your city. This is a great place to raise kids. • Our schools, community activities for children and adults, recreational areas within our community, and security and safety. • The city center including the restaurants, recreation center, library. Also value our pathways and parks. • I love my home-- I doubt that there's any other place in the valley where we could afford to have this house on this large lot ( 1/2 acre ) with 220 ft. of golf course frontage on a peaceful street in a beautiful town like this. No way! • The small town, pedestrian feel to this community. • LP is a safe, quiet, lush, family oriented community with well maintained parks. It is a small oasis in the desert. • Small Town atmosphere, little traffic.
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• The trees, the parks, the Rec Center, the wide streets and friendliness of neighbors and the beautiful resort. • It’s small with a rich history. It is close to my employment. I enjoy just taking a walk around the park and feeling secure. • The difference between it and the surrounding cookie-cutter communities. No HOA’s. No one sending me a letter complaining that my garage door was open for an hour. Privacy. • The greenery and small town feel… well-manicured lawns, friendly waves from neighbors and feel of living in an oasis. All custom homes. Relatively quiet and very safe. The bike and walking paths. • Aesthetics. • Sense of small town and community with the neighbors. I like the beautiful city landscaping, park and lake area. • Recreation opportunities (especially the rec center), quiet family environment, safe environment and ability to walk to all rec, business, and school activities.
2. What do you like least about your community? • We don't always take FULL advantage of opportunities to maintain our uniqueness/"standards". Sometimes we cater to the status quo around us. EVERY "project" has a huge impact on our small community and we ALWAYS need to be mindful of that. • No standard code enforcement or CC&R's. The decline in appearance despite code enforcement efforts. Property values have declined and people looking for towns without CC&R's come here because they don't have to follow the strict rules. I would like more police presence. • The rumors of courting big box stores to locate in our city. • Paying an additional fee for Rural Metro. • The new black street lights/inefficient new curbing near town's center and low citizen input into town matters. • Encroaching lawlessness - graffiti, drugs, destruction of property, violation of codes. • No LP provided city services like fire, police, and trash pickup. It seems like everything is contracted out somewhere. • Not enough enforcement of laws regarding people keeping their homes and yards in order. This affects the beauty of the city as a whole and adversely affects property values. • Lack of Commercial development to generate a greater tax base. Contracted Fire and Police Service. • Uneven enforcement of laws, no association to help enforce upkeep of properties. • That crime is starting to become more commonplace. That the "warehouse apts" south of the Scout Lodge continue to deteriorate and gather more and more junk and material, a real eyesore. • Not having our own police and fire department. Our entrances to our city (except Dysart) need improvements and walls need to be finished. The city seems to be partitioned off into 3 or 4 areas (Old Litchfield, Greens, and Village). • The state of the rec center (needs to be updated) and library. The tiny recycling container. • The speeders are number one. • Lack of ordinance compliance. • Lately, the lack of police patrol since we hired the Sheriff's Dept. Avondale Police Dept. did a much better job. The graffiti is getting worse, trash is being left in parks and folks are not picking up after their dogs. • The way some people are trying to expand us into a large and expensive city. Growth for the sake of growth is often counterproductive for the existing residence. • The house on Bird Lane that looks like a Taco Bell on steroids. • The length of time it is taking to up-date the Rec Center. Also the empty lot that is south of the Church at Litchfield Park...why can't something be started or constructed there? • I don't like that there is not much culture diversity in leadership or city staff. • Being from the East coast, I do not understand not having a police/fire dept of our own, yet we pay municipal taxes for what? Not sure - the schools, roads? • Small town politics with some elected officials having a predetermined agenda which they are not willing to compromise on. Their reply is to continue to do more surveys!
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• Too much govt interference with people's rights. • Speeders on Bird Lane and Old Litchfield Road. • That it sometimes seems regressive instead of progressive. • That we have to share our zip code with the surrounding area where there is crime etc. • Speeders racing down Old Litchfield Rd and the general lack of respect for the laws. • The lack of upscale shopping in the town center. I'd love to see an Apple Store there, as well as an AJ's. Having to pay Rural Metro for Fire Services is an annoyance, but not a major one. Lack of rapid transit is also a concern (although it's a general Phoenix concern as well). I would love to have a Metro system like Washington (although the Phoenix center is too diffuse). • I wish there were more young families. There is a large segment of the population that is really up in years that is disproportionate to the rest of the age groups. Since so many of the elderly citizens leave for a good 4-5 months of the hot weather, it leaves a town feeling a bit like a ghost town. • The sheriff’s department. • Unrealistic expectations of residents and several what you might call "snobbish". • Not enforcing the city codes when it comes to property, i.e. growth of weeds in empty houses, neglected pools, storing unoperatable vehicles, boats & trailers visible from streets. • The erosion of a formerly vibrant "downtown." When I moved here in 1970, the downtown was bustling. It had a full grocery store, a full drug store complete with a well-used soda fountain, a bank, a post office, and a clothing store, none of which exist today. It was a community where you could have your first grader hop on his or her bike and safely go to the store for a loaf of bread, and elderly citizens could attend to most of their shopping, doctor and dentist appointments, check out a library book, and relax at the rec center, etc. without having to drive a great distance. Friends would run into each other as they picked up their mail at the post office (no home delivery), and now I even hear rumblings about getting rid of the rec center. That is so sad. • Slowness in getting the fence completed around the city. • Infrastructure seems to be aging. Some of it is being addressed (new wall, roadways, etc.) but some of the parks could use an update and some of the paths are "aging". • The lack of commitment to maintaining infrastructure, namely the roads, perimeter fencing, and community pool I live on oro vista and our road is deplorable, not at all on par with the upscale housing on our street and basically downright unsafe for walkers and bikers. How does the leadership of this community justify 2 renovations of wigwam blvd, millions for city hall and relegate us to the equivalent of a dilapidated country road????? • No police or fire of our own recycling program not available to apt. and condo complexes. • It is not gated. • Surrounding developments have transformed Litchfield Park from an oasis in the desert to an urban area very reminiscent of southern California. Whether the vision of the original multiple village concept was lost prior to incorporation, due to strip annexation by our "sister cities", lack of foresight by previous LP City Councils, and/or a combination of factors of which the average resident is unaware, the developments surrounding LP do not at this time lend itself to a sense of community. With growth has come crime. Safety is a prime concern. • Ugly large houses built outside the ambience of the community and without regard to neighbors. We are not Scottsdale and do not want to be!!!!! • People making changes that do not need changing. • Seems like Litchfield is becoming an HOA and not a community. Hate the condos/apts over at the village. No one bothered to watch how many investors bought there. BAD mistake. • How it is beginning to look shabby and rundown. The infrastructure is falling apart. • The encroachment around us, more crime starting, private home owners that do not keep up their yards, the eye sore between the church and Wigwam parking lot. • Missing sidewalks the ghetto area near Dysart rd. / Glendale. • Nothing yet. • Fences- we never meet the neighbors or sometimes never see them because of the fences. • The townhomes to the southwest of the community. They are poorly maintained and a lot of rentals which brings in residents who don't maintain the property to the same standard as others. City of Litchfield Park General Plan, 2008 49
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• The increasing amount of traffic (specifically, cars going WAY too fast down Villa Nueva and Fairway Drive) and the traffic-related noise pollution that has resulted from expanding Indian School Road. Also, our recycling company doesn't accept glass, so is there any chance we could get a glass container drop- off bin nearby? Right now, my husband and I have to drive all our empty glass containers to Glendale just to recycle. • That residents were not open to the 90 gallon trash container. I would rather have the 90 gallon container at the street curb than place bags of trash that could be vulnerable to neighborhood cats or other animals with the ability to puncture the two or three ply bag. I am tired of the neighbor’s refuge blowing into my yard. Guess who has to pick it up? It was not the neighbor. Recently the City of Goodyear placed these types of containers for both recyclable and the regular trash pickup. Goodyear offered two sizes of containers due to so many folks that requested the smaller unit who reside within the retirement communities. Please note that this became a success within that community. Sooner or later, due to the advances in technology L.P. will be forced to upgrade their in the ground containers to a 90 or 60 gallon container because their will only be one operator on the refuge vehicle. Increased fuel prices will also cause these vehicles to drop additional workers that once performed the manual labor and the refuge vehicles will be equipped for automated pick-ups only. This will also help stop trash being blown away into neighboring yards from over field tin cans. L.P. please uniform your refuge pickups!!! Thanks • With regard to some residents...even if you don't use every facility as a whole they (the facilities) give Litchfield Park the 'community feel' which raises the housing values and creates a real town feel. If we don't have these, we are like every other development surrounding us. • The growth and attendant traffic and crime that has diminished the quality of our lives as soon as we set foot outside "The Park ". • The level of police protection. • There isn't a central downtown location for shopping. Dining is limited. There is no community clean up day. This is consciousness raising plus you had an opportunity to meet new people. • The state of Wigwam Blvd (Indian School to Neolin) which needs resurfacing. • Empty lots that owners talk about developing but it appears to just be talk. Some low income homes/apartments which attract lower class personnel. • The proliferation of traffic lights every half block, and stop signs at our roundabout. They should be yield signs. Having used roundabouts in Europe for years, I know this will fall on deaf ears in America. I'm just glad you didn't make it a traffic light. Please don't add any more traffic lights to our neighborhood roads! We have enough! Litchfield Road has turned into Bell Road and I now shop elsewhere to avoid the feeling of being a lab rat in a maze. • Neighbors that don't take care of their lawns. The slow pace of development in the downtown area. • Lack of public awareness. A % of the people I meet don't even know the name Litchfield Park. • Harassing letters from the city regarding a nuisance ordinance that was implemented after I moved in. We like to go out of town and the grass does not get cut EVERY weekend. My entire neighborhood is unhappy about this. Lawsuits are being discussed. • Lack of upkeep on rec center and lack of support for rec center from city (facilities and funding). •
3. What makes Litchfield Park "unique" when compared to other Arizona communities? • The foliage, the variety of housing including bigger lots, the history and the fact that individuals can still make an impact in the community. • The reputation of being a small, upscale resort town. With the decline in property values, I see that slipping away. • The sense of community. • The city is beautiful and a wonderful place to take a walk. The residents are always so friendly. • The "village" feel and having a resort in the middle of town. • It is an oasis in the middle of an exploding housing expansion. • The Wigwam hotel, there's nothing like this anywhere in AZ. • Size, people.
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• Small town ambiance, family orientation, great schools and friendly people. Three golf courses within the 3 mile area of our community. • The historic significance to Arizona history. • The natural beauty that surrounds you every time you step out your door, take a walk or turn off of any of the major arteries leading into the Park. Also, that when there is a problem or question that I need someone from the City to help with, it is solved or answered almost immediately - even the City Manager will call you with an answer, personally. What other city does that happen in? That we have 3 churches and 6 or more parks and miles of walkways to encourage people to get out of their cars and exercise. • The different styles of homes next to each other with parks in ear area. The cart path system. • The rec programs, small town feel, security, active downtown, restaraunts and entertainment downtown, vegetation and parks. • My kids know three generations of families and so many of the houses have a family name attached to it. Oh, you live in Mr. French's house. • The people. • It still has a small town feel and where you actually get to know your neighbors along with other people in the community. I also love the history of Litchfield Park. The Wigwam Resort is another unique asset to Litchfield Park. • We are a well established community, and a very desirable place to live for retired residence and also the young families raising children. Our property value do not change as radically as most other communities, making it a very desirable place to reside. • Unique. • Businesses, schools, libraries, rec center as being so available, (distance wise that is.) The bike paths too. And the lake...it's beautiful and the many parks so close to homes. • What makes it unique is the quality of lifestyle and homes in the neighborhood. The homes are all different, huge lots, and tooooons of greenery. • The fact it is limited in space which hopefully will help to preserve its current pristine state as an uncluttered, uncongested and beautiful little community. Retail, builders, etc cannot come in and destroy the culture of what Litchfield Park is and has been for years. • Rec center, lake, Wigwam, walking paths, parks. • The Wigwam. • Small town atmosphere-- neighbors are on city or school boards/commissions/government and in-ground trash cans. • We are a small community, and we will stay that way because we are surrounded. We also have the opportunity to build a modern and unique downtown. Many other cities have an older downtown that has to be rebuilt. • The Parks, the rec center, the Wigwam the home town feel. • It is well established therefore it has large trees, lots of green and for the most part well kept. Also, the houses are all different. It is not like the cookie cutter developments that surround us. • The small size and town center concept. Verrado seems to have tried it, but perhaps not as successfully. I don't think we want to get much bigger. • The mature stands of trees, generally well kept homes and lawns (although this is becoming less so as many homes are now unoccupied and look abandoned), and the little downtown area. Having many of the homes surrounding the golf course makes for some wonderful open space views. • We still maintain that small-town feeling. • Outside of being small and lacking the services of larger communities - nothing. • We have lived here for twenty-seven years and the friendliness of the people and pride in their neighborhood. • Nothing any more. • Small size and closeness of community. • Size obviously and community spirit. People seem to be proud to say they live in Litchfield Park. • We are a unique by our identity, geographic boundaries where people tend to know each other. • Control of urban sprawl ... e.g. ugly strip malls.
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• It has been established as an upscale community. This is not because of money but because it has always been a nice, well kept area. The inclusion of The Wigwam Resort helps keep Litchfield Park a nice area. • The village concept, a family friendly environment, and its history. • Size. Architecture. History. Potential for controlled and quality growth in commercial areas. Opportunity for a magnificent open space, historical, cultural area. Opportunity for the city to partnership with other entities in town to achieve some of the above goals. • WE have managed to stay true to the quaint village ambiance that we had 35 years ago. Children that once felt LP was boring and "small town" are now moving back to raise their families. • Wigwam. • It doesn't have tract homes all around and a feeling that no one cares how things look for the most part. The pride that is felt by most residents is exhibited in the care they take in their property. • Most of the items mentioned in #1. • Size. • Historic, old tall trees and the Wigwam Golf course makes us feel we are not living in the desert. Arts Festival and Native American Festival are one of the best. • It is very old and because of the square mile hasn't changed a lot. Except for new construction and the downtown area changes. • The close-knit community feeling. It's a slice of old-time American living in the midst of urban sprawl. • Residents take the time to get to know their neighbors and have a sense of history and privilege (in a good way!) about living in the community. Also, we're so lucky to have access to so many parks and a library within walking distance. We're lucky to have the lake and the palm trees and the music and fireworks in the summer. • L.P. is like a small town setting. I hope that county parcels that our outside of the city limits drop the Litchfield Park and zip code 85340 and adopt Maricopa county as their city location and the United States Postal Service issue these unincorporated areas their own zip code. It can be done, just last year both Avondale and Goodyear both received new zip codes for their communities north of the I-10 freeway. • A "town" within our "city". The parks, paths, restaurants, library, recreation center and business all within our community. Some may have one or another, but we have them all-which makes us unique. • Litchfield Park is not unlike other communities that have developed slowly and thoughtfully -- it is unlike those that have sprung up quickly and without careful planning. Paul Litchfield and Goodyear Tire had the means to insist upon excellence. • We know our neighbors; it is definitely a small town atmosphere. • This community is well maintained considering the age of the homes in the old area. • The ability to make your ideas and concerns known to government in the City. The “Arts in the Park” concert. • History, its small, we really can't expand/grow further than where we are now. • Small town feel, big lots, custom homes. • The greenery and oasis feel. Homes are not all the same. Small town feel. • Nothing yet. • Small area encompasses everything you need, food, doctors, shopping, etc. Nice community center with well cared for pool. • Quiet family oriented environment and ability to walk to all activities safely.
4. What unique features found in other Arizona communities do you feel might be compatible in the Litchfield Park area? • We need a greater presence of Arts (all forms). We need art-specific facilities and displays/art components throughout the city grounds and buildings. • Higher standards in building and code enforcement to keep property values high and to keep the upscale image. • Developing small downtown areas that keep people shopping in their community. • I can't think of anything. • A community amphitheatre or gathering place for youth or other productions. City of Litchfield Park General Plan, 2008 52
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• Can't think of any. • I'd like to see the downtown roundabout use Yield signs instead of stop signs. Other communities do that with great success. • We need some upscale shops, stores, and restaurants. Continued emphasis on policing and security. • None required for this small a community. • The upscale aesthetics of Verrado (the brick facade buildings), lamp posts, planters, trees without Christmas lights after January. • Can't think of any area we are lacking in compared to any other place. • I can't think of any. • Updated rec center. • Can't think of any at this time. • Lack of residence pride in some area near the lake. • A better downtown area and more restaurants/shops. Kabuto Properties doesn't seem to really care about the downtown area or the property. A better recreation center with updated equipment/classes. • We have a small town atmosphere with all of the perks of a large city. I answered #10 thru #33 (goal has been achieved) because these question are slanted toward a growth agenda. This way it can be said the survey wanted this. • Nothing. • Public transportation improved. • N/A - I like it just the way it is. Maybe I'm missing something, but we want for nothing at the moment other than continued peaceful living. • Spray park, more city sponsored park activities for citizens at no charge. • More pathways. • More library programs. • The 5th Avenue area of Scottsdale should be a model that we build upon--galleries, restaurants, etc. • Upscale shopping. • Other communities offer classes at their city facilities. For example, art classes. It would be nice to conduct short little classes that the community might be interested in. • Internet wireless capability throughout the city would be wonderful. Especially if there were more Starbucks or similar restaurants available. The current Post Office is too small for the number of people it serves. Perhaps a new one directly in Litchfield Park. • None that I know of. • A master-planned shopping and restaurant district. • Not that familiar with other small communities. • I would like to see LP finish the walls intended to surround and original LP area and then do some landscaping at the walls to enhance the beauty of LP. It would also be nice to have some sidewalks installed along Dysart and Indian School to allow people to walk to neighboring stores without having to try and cross to Goodyear and Avondale sides of the street. • A real downtown. • Shopping area in "old" downtown. Move the post office back to downtown. • A bigger central downtown development would be a real bonus. The current area is an EYESORE! • Upscale shopping and groceries. • Can't think of any. • Gated entrances. There has been increased crime in our neighborhoods over the past few years. We need to ensure that our community remains a safe area. • Verrado has the right idea. With multi-use/multi-generational facilities, the developers and residents of Verrado have created a family friendly "small town" atmosphere that is physically beautiful. The city of Surprise has really come to the fore with the development of their civic plaza. -Landing Heard Museum West, along with the spring training facility, was brilliant. These types of thinking, exploration of unique IGA and NGO opportunities, have rich potential. Estrella Mountain Community College has much to offer as well. I remember years ago, an English professor sponsored a book club (a multi-generational group) at the LP Rec Center. It was delightful while it lasted. What interface does LP have with Luke Air Force base? Is there a cadet civil air patrol program in our area?
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• Quality shopping areas like Kierland Commons in Scottsdale. Stores like Whole Foods, Clearwater Creek, and stores other than the already available and nearby chains. Quality restaurants for fine dining without noise and clutter. • Our own police force or more active block watch programs. More after school programs and evening events for teens. • Specialty boutiques, not necessarily high end, just specialty. • I'd like to see a community center for all ages, an improved rec center, and a wonderful park made out of LaLoma when the time comes. • Road landscape islands lighting limits. • Tax credits to mom/pop businesses to add to the charm of the city...no big box businesses. • The downtown restaurants with the patio dining. The quietness of the neighborhoods. • An updated rec center is imperative! The pool is too small, the offerings too slim. • Old Litchfield Park Road does have its share of temporary residents. Poor housing conditions reflect upon the town’s image and will lower our value of the community. Too many older apartment buildings that have an outdated look. I feel that these buildings should be condemned and housing to reflect today’s architecture would embrace the vision of our city's future. • Unknown. • I always admired the courthouse square of Prescott and of so many mid-western towns. With an undeveloped downtown there is an opportunity to have a central pedestrian friendly square of small shops with living quarters above. • Other communities have a better pedestrian downtown. Ours is quaint, and we enjoy it. Ours could improve by adding more businesses. • Downtown area. • The combining of a City Hall with a Recreation Center and meeting rooms. • A community center that hosts weekly/monthly get‐togethers to play cards, socialize, etc. • Tucson has a more "natural desert" look in their landscaping than much of our "fake desert" landscaping. Miles and miles of the same shrubs and trees start to look a bit canned. • High end shopping and grocery. • Higher end stores. e.g. Macys, Nordstroms... • Gated community. Litchfield should have its own police and fire department. Fine Arts Center, Little Theatre. More police patrols by community police that the people and children would get to know and trust. • More supportable and enthusiastic rec center.
5. What single land use (business, recreational or other) do you feel would add to the quality of life in Litchfield Park? Why? • We need a true retail district and city center with unique and historical art components that make us a destination in the region. Of course, this "center" should include city and related services (i.e., library) and a revitalized recreation center. We need to embrace what we have and a better infrastructure of varied retail and services will support that, so we don't lose our rec center, library and wine bar (about to) like other "spaces" that we have lost, e.g., post office , bank, art gallery, Mosaic Pizza, etc. • I don't like the idea of acquiring more land outside of the city limits. • Develop the downtown area with small business, no chains. This could be done by offering tax incentives. • Restaurants and gourmet stores. • Adding a post office or substation “downtown"--because of the neighborly feel of that and for convenience and the amphitheatre mentioned above. • AJ's, Marie Callendar, Mary Coyle Ice Cream. • I'd like to expand the downtown shopping area following a theme with pathways to walk to shops done up in a way that is unique to LP. I think this would add to the uniqueness of LP as well as generate more sales tax revenue. We would need to work with the hotel for this. No hostile land grabs. • We need some upscale shops, stores, and restaurants. Continued emphasis on policing and security.
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• New City Hall, Justice Facility, and Facilities required for Fire and Police Services. • Independent businesses--restaurants, antique shops, specialty shops. It would give people a reason to come to Litchfield Park, spend some money and have a good experience. Anyone can go to Litchfield Road and eat at TGI Fridays, Applebee’s, shop at any Target in the Valley; we should make the experience unique and exciting. • Improve the Rec Center to make it more attractive to more ages. Not only the facility, but the classes offered. Make it a real center of the town. • A specialty grocery store. We should also do more to provide a natural buffer between residential and commercial (i.e. trees). The northeast corner of Dysart & Camelback is an example. I feel sorry for those residents looking at the Bashas center, etc. • Specialty grocer. • Gathering places. I'd love to see one of those flat, squirting water play areas for kids placed at the gazebo with lots of benches for parents. It no water than benches with pillows and lights hanging from the trees. • Enhanced rec center. • A more updated recreation center with updated equipment, more classes and a little more flexible hours than they have had this past year. Closing the pool on Tuesday and Thursday's at 6:30PM is a little ridiculous as most people work during the week. Offering water aerobics’ classes at noon and not in the evening is another pet peeve. • I think we are complete as we are. We have everything we need within 15 Min. of us. Such as food, clothing, recreation facilities, restaurants of all kinds, and entertainment facilities of various kinds. • Small store such as Fresh and Easy. • A space dedicated to community use for meetings. I was hopeful that could have been included in the New City Hall, but I don't believe that was considered. Yes, the Rec Center needs a more handicap accessible entrance...Don't know what the holdup is in getting that ordered and installed. I would find it very helpful as I have had 2 joint replacements and arthritis and a more suitable entrance to the main pool would be so helpful to many of us "oldsters". • I feel we could develop more business use property to encourage high tech. companies to come to LP for better jobs. • Other than a high quality grocery, can't immediately think of anything we need in town that cannot be found closeby. The last thing we want to see are low-end franchised type stores and fast food chains. Most of the new offerings in the strip malls in Goodyear and surrounding are useless and we prefer to drive to Bell Rd or Scottsdale. Nail Salons, Dollar stores, etc are of NO VALUE. Bike trails and parks are always welcome. • Develop the corner lands that are in LP. • More pathways. The pathway system that was started here is great, but with the addition on the "other" side, seems the pathways are non-existent. You let the developers rule, and not the general plan. • Expand the REC in size and offerings. • Business, but locally-owned businesses that benefit the community instead of sending money to corporate headquarters elsewhere. I think we should focus on getting small businesses going. We should give people a reason to drive here from the East Valley just like many people go to Scottsdale to eat, shop and hang out. I can go down the street to go to TGI Friday's, but I drive all the way to Scottsdale and Stetson to go to Cowboy Ciao's. Let's get the East Valley coming west. It's a waste of time and money to try to bring in big names and give them a big tax break. Studies are showing that local business benefits the local economy more than big box and corporate businesses do. Let's jump on the opportunity and in the process we can maintain a unique atmosphere. • Upscale shopping, would draw people that appreciate good living. • More walking around businesses. We lost the Wine Bar which is a HUGE loss to our community. If we lose any more of those little downtown businesses it will drastically change what we have recently become. It is one of the things I really love about this community. I am not from Portland, OR but I may retire there because they have that benefit. They can live, work, go out to eat, shop all without having to get in their car. It would be nice to have a little of that here. • A bigger library would help as well as more shopping in the town center. • It would greatly vitalize the town to have a small energetic downtown shopping area maybe including a high end grocery store with good produce, an inviting cafe with outside seating (the current Persian
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restaurant does not fill that need ) and any addition that would complement those two anchor stores to draw people, i.e., a used book store. (All a wish list if there ever was one). • A master-planned shopping and restaurant district. • The new library and updating to some extent the recreation facilities. • I would like to see some stores in downtown LP that allow people to gather such as an ice cream fountain shoppe, small bakery without having to drive to other areas. It would be nice to have the LP Post Office back within the park or install a walk/crossing into the park as was before. • First, business, and second, recreational. • Development of the old downtown area into unique shopping area. • Obviously, the downtown business area would benefit from a nice upscale shopping, entertainment and recreational development. I realize that Litchfield doesn't own the land and has repeatedly tried to encourage development, but something needs to be done after all these years. Don't give up! • Business, to maintain a tax base to support services. • Improved library. • Churches. Where there are churches there is a less likely event of crime. • The idea of a La Loma nature center is (was?) a good idea. -Not sure whether the Maricopa County regional library concept is still viable but a combination of these two concepts could be very exciting... Does anyone affiliated with city government have grant writing skills? A bike shop (perhaps in conjunction with the Wigwam) would provide tourist trade, club/employment opportunities for adults and youth, and promote exercise in a "green" sort of way. Perhaps something like a kind of orienteering bike path, with various mild exercise stops along the way at city parks, could be considered. Wouldn't it be interesting to partner with LP schools K-12 to become involved with real civics activities in conjunction with an educational program highlighting local government and how it works as part of their curricula? • Quality shopping areas like above, perhaps mixed with quality condominiums or businesses, and mixed use communities. The acreage at Litchfield Park and Camelback should be such a place, not commercial warehousing or discount stores! • Take existing parks and add water features. Update the pool and amenities at the rec center. As it is, it is outdated and should be closed. The library also needs updating - the children's reading room is worn out and sad. • More resort style business. • LaLoma would enhance our whole community. • The area we have fought over for years. I would still like to see some unique shops--not more strip malls--I still think a mini Talaquepaque would be great. However with the economy like it is now, this is not the year to start. We can plan for after the "recession." Right now we need to maintain our beauty, parks, streets, green areas, trees, and flowers. • Quality restaurants. • The recreation center/library is very important for the children. We have a 3 and 5 year old who do sports and swimming through the rec center, and enjoy the summer reading program at the library. • Annexing land around the area for either businesses or homes would help the tax base income. • New Rec Center - bring back the families who are going to the YMCA or LifeTime. Add family focused activities which allow more interaction between generations. • I'd love to add a fenced community dog park and more running/biking trails not paved with concrete (which is terrible for your knee joints.) I do not think we should be in a rush to "fill" every empty land area with random retail developments. The commercial aspects of the city should complement the residential aspects in terms of tone and product. I think many LP residents are frustrated that we still have to drive to the East Side of Phoenix for upscale shopping, dining, etc. • The existing L.P. library is in desperate need of a larger building. Our children cannot benefit from a building as tiny as this one. Estrella Mountain Ranch In south Goodyear has a community center (The Yacht club); it would be a great idea to incorporate a community center and a new library into to same building. Of course, there is plenty of land on the northeast corner of wigwam blvd. & north Litchfield road to accommodate such a project. I, my family, and others living within the community would greatly benefit from newly developed family oriented projects because our children are the future.
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• A better recreation center. A place that has a pool facility for lessons, sport and recreation. This would include meeting rooms for multi use perhaps dance/athletic/the arts (acting, music) type lessons or classes (Adult and youth). This would give meeting rooms to HOA's, council meetings. • Mixed use. Neighborhood Commercial and single family or low density multi- family residential in the same district. Height limited to two or two and one half stories. See preceding answer. (I always admired the courthouse square of Prescott and of so many mid-western towns. With an undeveloped downtown there is an opportunity to have a central pedestrian friendly square of small shops with living quarters above). • More downtown businesses and recreation. Add more classes to parks and rec with a wider range of appeal. IE: adult rec classes, dance, tumbling, etc for the little ones, the option for adults to reserve a community room for recreation. • Town center with opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment. This environment would bring people together and give a location for gathering. Currently, everything is separated and you drive from location to location to accomplish various activities. • Free use of basketball and tennis courts. Something to occupy kids other than a fee to play. • An upgrade of the Rec Center and availability of Tennis and basketball courts to the community without having to pay for them. • A really nice eating establishment that is reasonable. Yes, we have the Wigwam but it is overpriced. Stupidly overpriced. • With the addition of Old Pueblo Pub, Blu Sushi, and the re‐opening of Park Wines, I'm happy. • Nice AJ's or similar. Nice little theater. • A Seniors Center. • Farmer's market, more craft fairs, art shows, Movie theatre, playground, etc. • Multi‐generation center (MGC)‐‐‐be the focal point and defining attribute of community. •
6. What does Litchfield Park look like in the year 2025? • Hopefully, we retain our charm and it doesn't look much different. But, the big difference should be a bustling, self-sustaining city center (downtown?) that is easily accessible to the locals and a destination for tourists--regional and otherwise. • Hopefully like Arcadia...with older homes and high values. Nice, safe and beautiful place to raise children. • A vibrant downtown area. Walking and bike paths that are not on the street that allow people to grocery shop, go to the post office, etc... without using a car. Services for seniors because we know that taking care of our community members is part of the infrastructure that is needed without worrying about it paying for itself. A vibrant downtown area that retains a small town feel. • Old homes will be rebuilt and the community will grow to be more expensive. • Hopefully, pretty much the same! I do not want it to grow! • Area south of Wigwam Blvd. has become a slum because code violations got out of hand and were not addressed. • Probably pretty much like it does now since I don't think any of my suggestions will be adopted. • Hopefully filled out with, again, the items listed in 4 and homes in vacant lots. • We must restrict home development and increase Commercial business to support City services. • A nice, upscale community with shopping, restaurants, walkways, parks, and a recreation center that is professionally managed. Homeowners and businesses that show pride in their properties. • Not too different from what it looks like today, except that the dirt lot south and southwest of the Church at the Park, has some sort of businesses and landscaping built there. The "warehouse apts" previously mentioned have been replaced or restored to their intended purpose. • About like it is now only with more commercial, new City Hall and improved recreation center. • Much the same with an updated rec center, library and more unique shopping downtown. • It could look like any other jumbled mess of yards and houses if the city doesn't maintain the "Litchfield Look". It's been easy in the past because the majority of the people have been here for a considerable
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amount of time and it was the norm. But as the houses turn over and the new people bring in their old neighborhood ways it will get harder. Our 'look' is what sets us apart. • Hopefully a bit better. • I have lived here on and off since 1977 so I have seen LP change quite a bit. Unfortunately, the way it's been going in the last few years, I see a lot more crime in this area and Litchfield not quite staying the pretty little town that it has been. • I would hope it does not change much; it is one of the most desirable places in the valley to live. After reading questions from #10 to #33 it seems slanted toward a growth project that the city is going to go forth with. Where is all of this land going to come from? Growth for the sake of growth will ruin the atmosphere of our lovely town. • New residents will replace oldies. • Not especially isolated, but nice sidewalks for kids to ride bikes on. There are some areas of the city that do not have side-walks and young kids have to ride or skate in the street. Keep improving the lighting of the city. Enforce zoning where weeds are concerned and illegal parking is going on...like between No Parking Signs. Keep the ball fields for Little League/Soccer. Bathrooms at all parks. Also continue the outdoor concerts at The Wigwam. • LP looks alot like it does today. A smaller community of less than 10,000 residents. But more diversity in leadership and on our council. • Hopefully not a whole lot different! • Same as now. • Probably Goodyear at the current rate. Would be nice if the City would spend LESS $$ on the rec center and more on the Denny property. • Hopefully the same. • The downtown area is developed with stores on the bottom floors and condos above to give it a vibrant feel. It is teeming with locally-owned restaurants and galleries. People are coming here and staying at the Wigwam because it puts them within walking distance of a vibrant downtown with great shopping, eating, and nightlife. We also have less crime in that area because studies have shown that a downtown with a mixture of residential and business experiences lower crime. • The same except the area around city hall will be developed. • Cleaner, no gophers or goat head thorn plants anymore. The south side of the park will have younger families upgrading the homes to improve the neighborhoods. And there will be more businesses in the little downtown area. • Hopefully about the same as it is now; but with the items I mentioned above. I don't think we should incorporate more land to become the size of Goodyear or Buckeye. • A town that draws people of all ages out to gathering places , improving the run down neglected home sites (not sure how this happens when no one buys them ), and continued maintenance of our treasury of trees and increasing the numbers of native plants. • Same neighborhoods, continued quality education, beautiful landscaping, intelligent government, and thriving businesses. • It will just be an enclave of much larger communities and we will just have to learn to live with that because in many respects we will have to rely on those communities. • Hopefully, still safe and CLEAN with well-kept yards, homes and safe walkways and biking throughout the Park. • I hope it will look like it did in 1970. • Small still, and well maintained with more business in old downtown. • Hopefully, it will remain an upscale albeit older community and not sink into the Arizona pattern of declining quality as people move to new areas. • Hopefully not too different, I really like this place. We are different from Goodyear in that we don't need growth on a large scale to bring about the community we desire, we are already living in it! But the leadership of this community needs to bring the infrastructure of the community up to an acceptable standard for those living here NOW. Is there a consensus in our leadership on how we need to move forward and prioritize? • Overbuilt with expensive houses like Toll Bros. • A family neighborhood. City of Litchfield Park General Plan, 2008 58
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• That, of course, depends on the quality of planning and implementation that takes place between now and 2025. Wouldn't a planned phased approach to development be prudent? That way, after each phase is completed, an assessment could be done. • Much as it is today with the addition of quality commercial space. A large open space on La Loma, possibly in conjunction with the attached La Loma Village, for the enjoyment of the community and community entities like the Historical Society, the Horticultural Society, Art Societies, Boy Scout projects, family and community gatherings, etc. • I am hoping just as it is now with updates. • At current community standards – Goodyear • It will be a vibrant community with a great LaLoma Park that will house many areas for outdoor activities. There will be some type of performing arts center, office buildings, retail businesses, and cleaned up infrastructure. And if we need a tax to do this, we will understand that this community is worth it. • As long as the Wigwam Resort can maintain its beauty and ratings, I feel that LP will remain beautiful. We need each other. I hope we do have a charming town center (how sad when the stores do not make it--I miss the wine shop, mosaics pizza, and the frame shop. I feel in 2025 those stores will be able to make it. • A clean high end community that is family friendly, safe and beautiful. • More modern small town with flourishing mom/pop businesses. • It probably will look very much the same because of the area. I hope that the middle and upper class residents stay the same. • Hopefully very similar! • I hope it will retain the small-town feel with relatively quiet streets, beautiful yards, and small, independently-owned small businesses. I hope that public school quality and civic improvement will continue to be priorities. We should not be in a hurry to "fill" empty spaces that still exist in the Park. When the right retail or development project comes along. • If the Town of Litchfield Park does not adapt and adjust, residents may flock to Goodyear to find a peace of mind and desert the once prestigous area known to west valley residents as 'the place that used to be!!!’ • It is hard to say if we take away so much...? The Library, Recreation Center etc. • I try to be optimistic and hope that people will reject fads in planning; reject the temptation to chase the tax dollar; reject the urge to try to please everyone for political reasons; will limit government and will keep clutter to a minimum. SIMPLICITY SHOULD RULE ! • I am concerned that it will look like too many other communities in the valley. Over zealous code enforcement can cause this place to lose its unique look and feel. I would hate for it to become one big HOA. It would be nice if it retained its small town, pedestrian atmosphere. Safe streets for walking, people sitting on front porches after dinner, families out for a bike ride or walk. I would like to see our little town stay pretty much like it is now. • Well maintained schools, roads and public and private spaces. Xeriscaping should be part of the landscape. • Essentially the same. Vacant land occupied and built upon or used for community purposes. Especially Wigwam’s land worth of downtown. Rec Center upgraded! • More bike paths and sidewalks where there are none; a business center downtown and a multi- generational recreation area with a pool (heated). • There has to be some advancement/change. Hopefully we can maintain most of the Mayberry look and feel. • Hopefully about the same. • I hope better than we imagine. • About the same. Maybe more people will know its name and approximate location. • The nuisance ordinance no longer exists!! If the housing market doesn't improve it probably won't be as nice as it is now.
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• Without the rec center being supported or a MGC being created, or a viable revenue structure in place (property tax, business development on the remaining parcels, etc) I see a deteriorating infrastructure‐‐ ‐‐it takes a commitment from both the citizens and the city to make it work‐‐vision!!
City of Litchfield Park’s 2008 General Plan Update-Citizen Participation Plan Compiled comments from website survey
Response to Existing Goals
1. Number on hardcopy handout. (#7) Number on on-line survey.
1. (#7) Goal: Maintain a desirable village identity. Action Recommendation: Include mixed-use activities (such as shopping, churches or schools) with neighborhood connectivity in approving future master plans and annexation sites. Central place functions can serve residential neighborhoods beyond the City boundaries, as well, encouraging open space, paths and development criteria to blend with existing Litchfield Park.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (4 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (40 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (13 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (0 responses)
2. (#8) Goal: Project an orderly, attractive, well-kept appearance. Action Recommendation: Consider property maintenance standards for prevention of neighborhood decline. In addition to code enforcement, however, emphasize voluntary efforts; neighborhood assistance programs (organized by the City or homeowners' groups) including donated materials, labor, equipment loans; and recognition programs.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (10 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (36 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (10 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
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3. (#9) Goal: Assist in educational and other institutions' planning. Action Recommendation: Partner with the Litchfield Elementary School District, local churches and community organizations to coordinate facility expansion and/or site planning. Consider joint-venture maintenance programs and shared capital improvements such as landscaping, parking or pathways.
• The goal has been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (41 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (8 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (0 responses)
4. (#10) Goal: Maintain excellence in recreation, culture and arts. Action Recommendation: Consider the articulation of City policy to support organizations that contribute to Litchfield Park living quality. Enabling programs (such as coordination of capital improvements or encouraging developer participation) would be the focus of municipal assistance rather than direct financial aid.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (3 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (44 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (8 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (2 responses)
5. (#11) Goal: Integrate guidelines for design, scale and appearance in both the natural and built environment. Action Recommendation: Formulate design guidelines and architectural standards (e.g., colors, materials, landscape) pertaining to developments other than single-family homes which reflect community appearance expectations. These principles, although not mandatory, would direct project designers to architectural and site improvement criteria deemed generally acceptable for Design Review Board evaluations. Similar assessment factors (or "trade-offs") might be explored for single family residential proposals in planned or clustered developments.
• The goal has been achieved. (9 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (36 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (7 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (3 responses)
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6. (#12) Goal: Develop neighborhoods in accord with the village concept. Action Recommendation: Promote development proposals that offer: variety in housing types, opportunities to work and shop within walking or bicycle distance, sufficient open space to accommodate their population and continuous pathway linkages to other neighborhoods. Preferably, higher density residential development would be clustered around activity centers with adequate buffering.
• The goal has been achieved. (8 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (11 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (34 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (8 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
7. (#13) Goal: Provide a wide range of housing opportunities. Action Recommendation: Consider adoption of guideline criteria to assure a mix of dwelling and lot sizes in larger planned developments. As a matter of community policy, encourage inclusionary residential areas as well as private communities.
• The goal has been achieved. (19 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (29 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (4 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (3 responses)
8. (#14) Goal: Offer public facilities and amenities that meet the traditional standards of Litchfield Park. Action Recommendation: Recreation space and pathway connections exemplify the City's expectation for new developments' integration into this unique community. Evaluations of proposed new construction or redevelopment focus on the dedication of land, improvements and/or funding for amenities which meet the goals of the General Plan as well as the needs of the planned homes and businesses.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (42 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (8 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (2 responses)
9. (#15)
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Goal: Strengthen the City's balance for economic development. Action Recommendation: Consider annexation with development agreements or zoning entitlements that include businesses which will generate municipal revenues and/or provide well-paying jobs for the local workforce with minimal disruption to existing neighborhoods. Similar encouragement applies to appropriately-located infill development.
• The goal has been achieved. (8 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (36 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (10 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
10. (#16) Goal: Encourage quality development for the City and surrounding area. Action Recommendation: The City's codes and site plan review procedures need general design performance criteria that challenge developers, their planners, architects and engineers to provide attractive, functional and lasting developments. Flexible guidelines are recommended to foster creative design solutions.
• The goal has been achieved. (3 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (44 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (9 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
11. (#17) Goal: Pursue high-quality, but economical public facilities and services. Action Recommendation: Specifications for infrastructure should reflect approved quality- engineering practices. MAG standards should be met or exceeded for all public works projects in Litchfield Park.
• The goal has been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (2 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (45 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (6 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (2 responses)
12. (#18) Goal: Maintain the hierarchical network of roads and pathways. Action Recommendation: Design streets and large parking areas in new developments for direct access to arterial roadways. Interior circulation patterns include collector streets to channel traffic from residential areas to arterials without encouraging trips through
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neighborhoods. Peripheral centers should link, via pathways, to interior systems and to protected crossings of major streets. • The goal has been achieved. (10 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (37 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (6 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (3 responses)
13. (#19) Goal: Reduce transportation costs and negative environmental impacts of vehicular emissions. Action Recommendation: Promote public transit ridership on the City's established regional bus transit routes by considering park-and-ride facilities (including bicycle racks) and enlisting support from health campus, resort or employer van pools. Facilitate multi-modal transport with local sale and/or rental of bicycles and carts; especially encouraging reduction of automobile trips for shopping or commuting to work.
• The goal has been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (10 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (35 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (9 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
14. (#20) Goal: Design circulation facilities to fit the community. New developments' integration into the City's path and street systems. Action Recommendation: Establish traffic engineering standards to coordinate with MAG criteria for major roadways; adapting interior rights-of-way with traffic calming measures and pathway connectivity. Pedestrian safety and amenities are expected features in all site plan or platting proposals.
• The goal has been achieved. (8 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (39 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (7 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (2 responses) 15. (#21) Goal: Preserve the strong role of recreation in community life. Action Recommendation: Respond to residents' and visitors' needs for recreational venues, programs and leisure activities for persons of all ages with adequate municipal funding. Encourage private citizens, organizations and businesses to contribute resources for safe, clean and well-supervised outdoor enjoyment throughout the City. • The goal has been achieved. (9 responses)
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• The goal has not been achieved. (2 response) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (38 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (10 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (3 responses)
16. (#22) Goal: Integrate multi-purpose pathways throughout the City. Action Recommendation: Coordinate path integration with proposed land uses in and adjacent to the City, including suggested, conceptual links to neighborhoods in Goodyear, Avondale and unincorporated Maricopa County. Safety crossings of arterial roads are to be considered.
• The goal has been achieved. (11 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (32 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (11 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
17. (#23) Goal: Enhance Litchfield Park's spacious, natural setting. Action Recommendation: Revisit municipal land development regulations to establish reasonable open space requirements for various types of development in the community. Allow open space credits or density bonuses as incentives for reservation of scenic lands, view corridors or open land buffers. Establish an open space endowment (supported by municipal funds, user’s fees, and private donations) for acquiring, improving and maintaining natural open space areas.
• The goal has been achieved. (7 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (1 response) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (44 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (10 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (0 responses)
18. (#24) Goal: Maintain a healthful living environment. Action Recommendation: Enforce against all types of environmental pollution, including measures to reduce noise, dust and the glare of artificial lighting to the extent that actions are within the jurisdiction of the City.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (3 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (39 responses)
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• The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (13 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (2 responses)
19. (#25) Goal: Participate in regional air quality solutions. Action Recommendation: Sponsor or assist in establishing a multi-jurisdictional organization for air resource enhancement. Specifically, the City advocates shared solutions for multi- modal transportation (including pathways and bike lanes); use of alternate fuels; abatement of polluting activities (industrial, construction, traffic congestion or residential sources); and accurate air quality monitoring.
• The goal has been achieved. (2 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (45 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (9 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
20. (#26) Goal: Celebrate the City's natural resources. Action Recommendation: Recognize achievements in environmental excellence. Consider establishing a Nature Center facility on the Homestead portion of Rancho La Loma as well as outdoor educational displays elsewhere in the City.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (8 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (37 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (10 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
21. (#27) Goal: Conserve the community water supply and quality. Action Recommendation: Strengthen code requirements pertaining to water use. Address demand-reduction measures through specific, controlling stipulations in development agreements or zoning entitlements for major projects.
• The goal has been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (40 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (9 responses)
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• The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
22. (#28) Goal: Participate more directly in local water service administration. Action Recommendation: Consider long-term commitments and partnerships, to assure adequate service pressure, affordable rates and sufficient water supply to support projected Litchfield Park growth.
• The goal has been achieved. (4 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (1 response) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (46 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (9 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (2 response)
23. (#29) Goal: Evaluate developments for their positive contribution to Litchfield Park. Action Recommendation: Prepare Zoning Ordinances or revisions with more detailed guidance, performance standards and guideline expectations for master plan projects. Planned development, mixed-use and design/site plan review provisions would be improved.
• The goal has been achieved. (4 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (41 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (10 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
24. (#30) Goal: Ascertain that the City benefits from proposed growth. Action Recommendation: Develop a simple, straightforward formula for calculating developments' potential cost-benefits. The City would provide forms for applicants' use in submitting these evaluations.
• The goal has been achieved. (5 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (44 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (7 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (0 responses)
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25. (#31) Goal: Mitigate growth impacts. Action Recommendation: Incorporate suggested standards from Environmental, Open Space and Circulation Elements into Zoning Ordinance or revisions. Performance standards for air and water quality and to protect residential privacy from noise, glare, dust and odor should be reviewed and updated as necessary. Landscaped buffers and screening require specification.
• The goal has been achieved. (4 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (6 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (42 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (9 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
26. (#32) Goal: Adopt technologies that reduce operations and maintenance expenses. Action Recommendation: Require that all proposals for municipal capital expenditure contain cost evaluations which include anticipated operations and maintenance expense and which forecast prospective return on investment. Options for alternate materials, phasing of installation, privatization of administration and similar variables are encouraged for decision- makers' information.
• The goal has been achieved. (1 response) • The goal has not been achieved. (3 responses) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (48 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (7 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (3 responses)
27. (#33) Goal: Conduct cost-benefit assessments for proposed facilities or systems investment. Action Recommendation: Consider adoption of Development Fees, with credits to developers for expenditures or public-serving improvements. Coordinate private construction schedules with CIP projects to prevent installation conflicts and encourage full utilization of new facilities.
• The goal has been achieved. (3 responses) • The goal has not been achieved. (1 response) • The goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (50 responses) • The goal has not been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (7 responses) • The goal has been achieved; the goal is still valid and should be included in the updated general plan. (1 response)
General Comments from hardcopy:
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Vision Statement • Regarding a medical center: relocation to LaLoma is a good thing.
1. (#7) Goal: Maintain a desirable village identity. Action Recommendation: Include mixed-use activities (such as shopping, churches or schools) with neighborhood connectivity in approving future master-plans and annexation sites. Central place functions can serve residential neighborhoods beyond the City boundaries, as well, encouraging open space, paths and development criteria to blend with existing Litchfield Park.
• No clothing stores, Bring back the Cotton Patch. No grocery store. • This is extremely important in newly annexed and/or developed areas. •
2. (#8) Goal: Project an orderly, attractive, well-kept appearance. Action Recommendation: Consider property maintenance standards for prevention of neighborhood decline. In addition to code enforcement, however, emphasize voluntary efforts; neighborhood assistance programs (organized by the City or homeowners' groups) including donated materials, labor, equipment loans; and recognition programs. • No volunteer efforts apparent.
3. (#9) Goal: Assist in educational and other institutions' planning. Action Recommendation: Partner with the Litchfield Elementary School District, local churches and community organizations to coordinate facility expansion and/or site planning. Consider joint-venture maintenance programs and shared capital improvements such as landscaping, parking or pathways. • YES! YES! However, I guess we have to wait and see what happens with unification.
4. (#10) Goal: Maintain excellence in recreation, culture and arts. Action Recommendation: Consider the articulation of City policy to support organizations that contribute to Litchfield Park living quality. Enabling programs (such as coordination of capital improvements or encouraging developer participation) would be the focus of municipal assistance rather than direct financial aid. • -----
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5. (#11) Goal: Integrate guidelines for design, scale and appearance in both the natural and built environment. Action Recommendation: Formulate design guidelines and architectural standards (e.g., colors, materials, landscape) pertaining to developments other than single-family homes which reflect community appearance expectations. These principles, although not mandatory, would direct project designers to architectural and site improvement criteria deemed generally acceptable for Design Review Board evaluations. Similar assessment factors (or "trade-offs") might be explored for single family residential proposals in planned or clustered developments. • Go “Green”. • Good idea-We missed this on a couple of retail/commercial areas already. Let’s have a few options available not just the tired looking stacked flagstone.
6. (#12) Goal: Develop neighborhoods in accord with the village concept. Action Recommendation: Promote development proposals that offer: variety in housing types, opportunities to work and shop within walking or bicycle distance, sufficient open space to accommodate their population and continuous pathway linkages to other neighborhoods. Preferably, higher density residential development would be clustered around activity centers with adequate buffering. • Regarding opportunities to work and shop within walking or bicycle distance: Non- existent except for Albertson’s shopping center • Regarding pathway linkages to other neighborhoods: Where is the link to the Villages or Litchfield Green? • Mixed use building.
7. (#13) Goal: Provide a wide range of housing opportunities. Action Recommendation: Consider adoption of guideline criteria to assure a mix of dwelling and lot sizes in larger planned developments. As a matter of community policy, encourage inclusionary residential areas as well as private communities. • Gated communities hurt the “Village” concept. • Private communities? Like Litchfield Greens? Not my favorite.
8. (#14) Goal: Offer public facilities and amenities that meet the traditional standards of Litchfield Park. Action Recommendation: Recreation space and pathway connections exemplify the City's expectation for new developments' integration into this unique community. Evaluations of proposed new construction or redevelopment focus on the dedication of land, improvements and/or funding for amenities which meet the goals of the General Plan as well as the needs of the planned homes and businesses. • Regarding new developments’: Gated communities hurt the “Village” concept. • We need to get going on the new Community Center!
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9. (#15) Goal: Strengthen the City's balance for economic development. Action Recommendation: Consider annexation with development agreements or zoning entitlements that include businesses which will generate municipal revenues and/or provide well-paying jobs for the local workforce with minimal disruption to existing neighborhoods. Similar encouragement applies to appropriately-located infill development. • The planned apartment/condos/assisted living behind Albertson’s on 4 acres does not do this. • Absolutely necessary that just service type jobs.
10. (#16) Goal: Encourage quality development for the City and surrounding area. Action Recommendation: The City's codes and site plan review procedures need general design performance criteria that challenge developers, their planners, architects and engineers to provide attractive, functional and lasting developments. Flexible guidelines are recommended to foster creative design solutions. • ------
11. (#17) Goal: Pursue high-quality, but economical public facilities and services. Action Recommendation: Specifications for infrastructure should reflect approved quality- engineering practices. MAG standards should be met or exceeded for all public works projects in Litchfield Park. • ------12. (#18) Goal: Maintain the hierarchical network of roads and pathways. Action Recommendation: Design streets and large parking areas in new developments for direct access to arterial roadways. Interior circulation patterns include collector streets to channel traffic from residential areas to arterials without encouraging trips through neighborhoods. Peripheral centers should link, via pathways, to interior systems and to protected crossings of major streets. • Good job.
13. (#19) Goal: Reduce transportation costs and negative environmental impacts of vehicular emissions. Action Recommendation: Promote public transit ridership on the City's established regional bus transit routes by considering park-and-ride facilities (including bicycle racks) and enlisting support from health campus, resort or employer van pools. Facilitate multi-modal transport with local sale and/or rental of bicycles and carts; especially encouraging reduction of automobile trips for shopping or commuting to work. • No place to shop without a car. • And with the elementary school parents so they all don’t drive their kids to and from school when we pay for buses.
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14. (#20) Goal: Design circulation facilities to fit the community. New developments' integration into the City's path and street systems. Action Recommendation: Establish traffic engineering standards to coordinate with MAG criteria for major roadways; adapting interior rights-of-way with traffic calming measures and pathway connectivity. Pedestrian safety and amenities are expected features in all site plan or platting proposals. • Good job.
Open Space Elements • Regarding a comprehensive Parks/Recreation Master Plan is called for: As a member of RAP Com we have been trying to work this out for nearly a year. It’s not quite clear who’s “in charge” though (or should take the lead)-us or city maintenance.
15. (#21) Goal: Preserve the strong role of recreation in community life. Action Recommendation: Respond to residents' and visitors' needs for recreational venues, programs and leisure activities for persons of all ages with adequate municipal funding. Encourage private citizens, organizations and businesses to contribute resources for safe, clean and well-supervised outdoor enjoyment throughout the City. • Yes-but with some coordination.
16. (#22) Goal: Integrate multi-purpose pathways throughout the City. Action Recommendation: Coordinate path integration with proposed land uses in and adjacent to the City, including suggested, conceptual links to neighborhoods in Goodyear, Avondale and unincorporated Maricopa County. Safety crossings of arterial roads are to be considered. • Where?
17. (#23) Goal: Enhance Litchfield Park's spacious, natural setting. Action Recommendation: Revisit municipal land development regulations to establish reasonable open space requirements for various types of development in the community. Allow open space credits or density bonuses as incentives for reservation of scenic lands, view corridors or open land buffers. Establish an open space endowment (supported by municipal funds, user’s fees, and private donations) for acquiring, improving and maintaining natural open space areas. • Regarding density bonuses: One developer was given more density for his “apartments” with no requirement for open space (except a parking lot). • Regarding open space endowment: Not until “Percent for the Arts” is enacted, please.
18. (#24) Goal: Maintain a healthful living environment.
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Action Recommendation: Enforce against all types of environmental pollution, including measures to reduce noise, dust and the glare of artificial lighting to the extent that actions are within the jurisdiction of the City. • Staying on top of the plume is important. • What happened to replacing the 60’s era street lights like those on Villa Nueva?
19. (#25) Goal: Participate in regional air quality solutions. Action Recommendation: Sponsor or assist in establishing a multi-jurisdictional organization for air resource enhancement. Specifically, the City advocates shared solutions for multi- modal transportation (including pathways and bike lanes); use of alternate fuels; abatement of polluting activities (industrial, construction, traffic congestion or residential sources); and accurate air quality monitoring. • Lots of dust from empty lots.
20. (#26) Goal: Celebrate the City's natural resources. Action Recommendation: Recognize achievements in environmental excellence. Consider establishing a Nature Center facility on the Homestead portion of Rancho La Loma as well as outdoor educational displays elsewhere in the City. • Not possible now? • Love this idea-many groups could partner.
21. (#27) Goal: Conserve the community water supply and quality. Action Recommendation: Strengthen code requirements pertaining to water use. Address demand-reduction measures through specific, controlling stipulations in development agreements or zoning entitlements for major projects. • What about the golf courses? What about no lawns for all new homes?
22. (#28) Goal: Participate more directly in local water service administration. Action Recommendation: Consider long-term commitments and partnerships, to assure adequate service pressure, affordable rates and sufficient water supply to support projected Litchfield Park growth. • ------
23. (#29) Goal: Evaluate developments for their positive contribution to Litchfield Park. Action Recommendation: Prepare Zoning Ordinances or revisions with more detailed guidance, performance standards and guideline expectations for master plan projects. Planned development, mixed-use and design/site plan review provisions would be improved. • Litchfield Park is losing its unique character because the land is sometimes worth more than the dwelling. In order to staunch this alarming trend, Litchfield Park should
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follow the lead of Paradise Valley: you can remodel but you can’t tear down. Historic Litchfield Park is disappearing at the feet of the almighty dollar. How sad. • And hopefully there’ll be a percent for the art component to future agreement to all. YES!
24. (#30) Goal: Ascertain that the City benefits from proposed growth. Action Recommendation: Develop a simple, straightforward formula for calculating developments' potential cost-benefits. The City would provide forms for applicants' use in submitting these evaluations. • ------
25. (#31) Goal: Mitigate growth impacts. Action Recommendation: Incorporate suggested standards from Environmental, Open Space and Circulation Elements into Zoning Ordinance or revisions. Performance standards for air and water quality and to protect residential privacy from noise, glare, dust and odor should be reviewed and updated as necessary. Landscaped buffers and screening require specification. • ------
26. (#32) Goal: Adopt technologies that reduce operations and maintenance expenses. Action Recommendation: Require that all proposals for municipal capital expenditure contain cost evaluations which include anticipated operations and maintenance expense and which forecast prospective return on investment. Options for alternate materials, phasing of installation, privatization of administration and similar variables are encouraged for decision- makers' information. • Make the new City Hall green.
27. (#33) Goal: Conduct cost-benefit assessments for proposed facilities or systems investment. Action Recommendation: Consider adoption of Development Fees, with credits to developers for expenditures or public-serving improvements. Coordinate private construction schedules with CIP projects to prevent installation conflicts and encourage full utilization of new facilities. • ------
City of Litchfield Park’s 2008 General Plan Update-Citizen Participation Plan Compiled comments from website survey
General Comments
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• Most of the goals have been achieved on some level, but all need to continue because they are still relevant. There needs to be more cooperation between different entities (i.e. Wigwam, school district, services, retail, non-profits, commissions, etc.) either through a centrally organized entity (that may already exist), IGA's, think tanks or whatever, so all voices can be heard and we can maximize the potential of ALL our "projects" and maintain the high standard of living that we all expect as LP residents. We also desperately need better cooperation from our city/county neighbors who are infringing on our charm by turning the areas immediately outside our boundaries into "any street" in Phoenix.
• I think one of the reasons Litchfield Park is such an outstanding place to live, is due to the efforts of Sonny Culbreth. He is tireless and works many events with little help. These events, like Christmas in the Park, Arts in the Park, The Super Bowl event, 4th of July, Fishing Tournament etc, are all part of what makes our town unique, and we owe most of that to Sonny.
• Thanks for taking the time to put this together and send it out - for residents to be able to have a voice is just another reason I love Litchfield Park.
• The recreational center complex needs a complete overhaul. It is the center of downtown and can be a city asset rather than a potential blight. The programs that are run are excellent. The meeting rooms/preschool area needs expansion and updates. Bathrooms need to be enlarged. The pool and decking only need minor touchups. Exercise equipment could be expanded and may draw more members if access to the equipment is expanded.
• Pathways in the new developments that’s a hoot. Light pollution is terrible, especially around the school. Encourage “new” blood in the commissions, by having term limits. Stale people, stale ideas. Doing away with the “volunteer” cleanup day that’s a total shame.
• To summarize, our main concern is that we develop with a village feel in mind and that we maintain a unique atmosphere. If the city is going to get involved in encouraging any business to come in, it should be small businesses. Chains aren't unique; they're in Goodyear and Avondale. Give people a reason to come here from both out of the Valley and within the Valley.
• #11 worries me. Sounds like we are trying to become an HOA police state. The goals should have had a "do not agree" option. I am very wary of any annexation and am very disappointed in the annexation of the SW corner of Camelback/El Mirage. I do not see the benefit to the residents of Litchfield Park. It will most likely take the police away from the Park even more than they are. I do not see enough attention in the Park from the Sheriff's Office. I would like to see more enforcement of the "little laws" which may cause the bigger laws to be followed. People park willy-nilly throughout the park (including blocking sidewalks), speed, etc. These laws need to be enforced. I would like to see all annexation on the voter's ballots. These are big decisions and should be voted on by the residents and businesses of the Park. I would like to see us fix our current problems before we jump into annexation. And no tax cuts for businesses. That has gone crazy in the other cities and has not created all that was promised.
• Nice survey. The places where I checked "goal has been achieved" is generally a negative vote.
• Thanks for the opportunity to have my say in which direction the city is going. We love this town!
• Some goal achieved or not achieved boxes were left empty due to my ignorance on the subject matter.
• I am not familiar with the extent the above issues may have been attained, but as indicated feel they are valid.
• It amazes me how a street can be under repair for a number of months and then is again restricted after three days of opening. Cannot something be done to coordinate that all work is construction projects be completed during the same time. As our fields continue to be filled in with business and developments, we
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seriously need to consider larger lots, wider roads to accommodate the growth and open spaces. Other than greed I cannot see why developers must build one house right next to another.
• Years of goal setting in the military and civilian industry have shown me that goals must be specific, simple, limited in number, measurable and tracked. None of the above goal setting seems to follow these concepts which are fundamental and critical to success. Great broad strategy statements, but not goals. How can you track progress and know when you have arrived?
• Thanks for letting me participate in this survey I hope your interest is genuine and appreciate all your hard work in making Litchfield park a great place to live!
• Need significant upgrade to library.
• Have the mayor and city council considered previewing the archive at ASU of the Litchfield Park Collection (located in the Architecture and Environmental Design Library) with architects and contractors before implementing new city development projects? http://www.asu.edu/lib/arch/libarchives/drawings/litchfield.html Have the mayor and city council considered offering internships to Architecture students at ASU or The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture? Not only would this provide students with a wonderful opportunity, it might also generate some new ideas.
• As a member of the Litchfield family, I have been a visitor here all of my life and have enjoyed the city through many years of development. Now I am a resident of Litchfield Park. It is now truly my home town in which I take great pride. I am particularly interested in the development of the La Loma Homestead, and would very much like to be included on any committee or entity set up to explore the issues of developing the Hill for community use.
• There are many questions in this survey that do not give you an opportunity to say "I do not want this". I was not happy with the choices given.
• This is a good survey and I think one that we should all spend some time on.
• You are not receiving many surveys filled out--perhaps this survey is really too long. Also, if someone does not feel like answering one question, you should still accept the form--this is a bit user unfriendly!
• We live in a great area of the valley. Please help clean up the nasty looking area located south of Glendale on Dysart rd.
• We moved from Goodyear to LP because of the hometown feeling. Please do not abolish the center of Litchfield Park, i.e. Rec Center and Library for other uses. More importantly, how our children grow up in this town is what we should focus on.
• I found this survey not very user friendly. For the average person, like me, the recommendation is too confusing and picking one of the three options is sort of guess work. The goal is valid but how do you know whether achieved or not. It would be helpful to have a survey with progress and what still needs to be considered.
• God Bless the Freedom of Speech.
• I have a few questions regarding this survey. Most citizens will have a hard time answering the goal/ action questions. The knowledge needed to answer some of these questions is beyond the scope of the average citizen. Since all of these questions are required fields, if one question is unanswered does that mean that the entire survey is incomplete and invalid? How many surveys will it take to improve on the Recreation center? It is a good thing for our community and I believe that it should be improved and redesigned for City of Litchfield Park General Plan, 2008 76
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today's fitness and recreation and community needs. Redesigning the entire center would create a venue that may reach a wider variety of citizen (that may not use the facility now) we would be happy to speak in regards to the Rec. center.
• Have all of these online surveys been evaluated to determine that they are actually from Litchfield Park residents? The best thing that could happen to increase the valuation of L. P. property would be for this town to have its very own zip code.
• While I tend to agree with the goals, I do not always agree with the wording of the action recommendations. Therefore at times I did not indicate that a goal should be put into the revised plans. Some wording was over the top with rules or I didn’t understand how it would be interpreted. I will err on the side of conservative in those cases. While perhaps not the best choice for me to do that, the way things were worded left no other options. #27 sounds like it COULD be interpreted as allowing the city to step in and make residents implement water conservation methods. Things such as rock yards instead of grass and trees. If our city council wants to conserve water perhaps they should drive around town in the evenings when the city sprinkler system is on and see how much of our streets are being watered instead of the grass the city owns is being watered. If water conservation is important, like you indicate, then clean up the government use of it by paying attention to the waste they are encouraging by ignoring the frequently broken and misdirected sprinkler heads. Do YOUR part, and I will do mine. That is just one example. There are others, but I won’t take up more of your time. I am opposed to increased government rules/ordinances/enforcement when they don't follow their own guidelines and when it starts to feel overbearing and overzealous. • This form is way too complicated for regular residents to understand. Couldn’t it be more simplified? • I'm concerned with the crime we read about that is all around us. I don't feel we get briefed on how bad it is here in Litchfield Park. I'm worried Litchfield Park will eventually be hit more often. Is the Law enforcement we presently have adequate to enforce the laws and keep the criminals/low lives from destroying our lives and homes?? I hope we don't get there. • I love Litchfield Park. Please keep it unique. Please don't add more traffic controls anywhere ond Ol Litchfield Rd, and especially not at the intersection of Bird Lane. and Litchfield Rd. We don't need a stop light a quarter block from the one already at Camelback and Litchfield Rd. If you're going to allow a business to open on the vacant lot south of the Church on Old Litchfield Rd, please make it family owned and not a chain restaurant or convenience store ‐ we have plenty of those in the vicinity already. Thanks for doing a great job! • I would like the city to take a stronger stand toward homeowners that do not maintain their property appearance. Substandard should not be our goal. • Thank you. • Survey was frequently confusing and not user friendly. • Many of these goals and objectives are obviously being addressed now‐‐‐‐with the limited amount of development space left within the city boundaries, opportunities to address thoroughly are also limited without encroaching on existing properties and infrastructure. Careful analysis and planning are dictated on all of the issues above. •
City of Litchfield Park’s 2008 General Plan Update-Citizen Participation Plan Compiled comments from website survey
General Plan Implementation
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A critical part of developing a functional General Plan is setting priorities and exploring funding opportunities for the implementation of public projects. A few of the projects that have been discussed at the Planning and Zoning Advisory Commission are noted below. There is also an opportunity to add one or more of your own. Please take a few minutes to provide us your thoughts. Rank Your Projects: Complete perimeter wall project:
• 1 = Accomplish in 1 - 3 years (25 Responses) • 2 = Accomplish in 3 - 5 years (19 Responses) • 3 = Accomplish in 5 - 10 years (2 Responses)
Accelerate street repaving program:
• 1 = Accomplish in 1 - 3 years (17 Responses) • 2 = Accomplish in 3 - 5 years (23 Responses) • 3 = Accomplish in 5 - 10 years (5 Responses)
Develop Multi-Generational Center OR Update the existing Recreation Center:
• 1 = Accomplish in 1 - 3 years (25 Responses) • 2 = Accomplish in 3 - 5 years (13 Responses) • 3 = Accomplish in 5 - 10 years (7 Responses)
Either of the above with a new Library:
• Yes (27 Responses) • No (19 Responses)
Provide additional Landscaping along Pathway System:
• 1 = Accomplish in 1 - 3 years (7 Responses) • 2 = Accomplish in 3 - 5 years (19 Responses) • 3 = Accomplish in 5 - 10 years (20 Responses)
Preservation of the 20-acre La Loma Homestead:
• 1 = Accomplish in 1 - 3 years (15 Responses) • 2 = Accomplish in 3 - 5 years (3 Responses) • 3 = Accomplish in 5 - 10 years (27 Responses)
Provide grade-separated crossing at major streets for Pathway System:
• 1 = Accomplish in 1 - 3 years (10 Responses) • 2 = Accomplish in 3 - 5 years (209 Responses) • 3 = Accomplish in 5 - 10 years (15 Responses)
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Others:
• Complete the CIP project on Neolin - Flooding. • Police dept. • Removal of so many traffic signs in the park, not New York. • Tear down the library and build a bigger one and use all the land on the corner. • Show, listen to the people. • Cut old palm trees down, shape all trees, and around street lights. • Remodel rec center, replace old library, build mini mall. • All new landscaping on island leading up to Litchfield by-pass from Bird Lane. • Sheriffs are a waste of money use Avondale Police. • Use Avondale to patrol at night looking for graffiti. • Cut down on vandals & parking in streets. • Increase taxes very, very high; must want to live here. • Rename city new zip code. • Streets should be repaved from scratch ASAP due to year of neglect. • Improve entrance from Litchfield Road to Wigwam Blvd. New Sign is needed. • New library needed, but putting it in the retail area would provide a much needed loss leader for downtown businesses. • An Arts district with galleries & shops, maybe a performing arts center. • Increase police protection. • Require APS streetlight maintenance replace all mercury vapor or metal halide streetlight bulbs and or ballasts with high pressure sodium to provide energy efficient uniform color lighting consistent with the lighting color of the new downtown streetlights for public right of way lighting. • Implement a GIS (geographic information system) a comprehensive citywide, city web site accessible mapping tool to include layers for zoning, HOA's, subdivision plats, utilities, horticultural public assets, i.e., trees, parks, property maintenance code violations, crime locations and statistics, individual utility layers, i.e., electric, water, sewer, gas, phone, link to GOOGLE EARTH for satellite views. A useful tool for staff and the public that can be implemented incrementally over a three to five year timeline. • Construct a combination multigenerational center, historic cultural information center and up to date public library. • Purchase Scout Park and any other park the City does not own. It is not possible for the City to ensure public park use in perpetuity when the land is privately owned. • Litchfield Park is honored to have earned the designation as a Tree City and enjoys many mature trees throughout the city on both public and private property. These trees contribute significantly to the unique mature arbor culture that enhances the desirable environment that distinguishes Litchfield Park. Trees are a very valuable resource and add significant monetary property value to our community in both the public and private settings. It is disheartening to see many trees damaged or destroyed by unskilled individuals representing themselves to be "tree trimmers". As a Tree City we have a responsibility to go the extra mile to protect property owners and this valuable community resource by requiring that those individuals or firms performing tree trimming (arbor care) services in Litchfield Park have minimal, inexpensive, arborist training. The Arizona Tree Council can help us establish guidelines and make suggestions regarding how to implement a local registry requirement for those who propose to "trim trees" on private or public property. I have witnessed mature 30+ year old trees butchered, topped, in Litchfield Park that were dead a year later as a result of unqualified tree trimmers... • Recreation Center. • Library.
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• Vacant land north of Honeysuckle. • Aside from the east portion of Wigwam Blvd roads are good. • Update the present recreation center enlarging it and providing additional exercise equipment. • Pave the alleys. • Slow traffic on Wigwam Blvd (without circles or medians). • Improve police protection. • Add new parks and rec programs even if you don’t update the facilities. • Quit wasting money on recycling literature, it is expensive to print and redundant. • It’s time to pay attention to upgrading and improving the Rec Center as both surveys have said. • Do we need to pay for having our presence on Channel 11? Who watches it? • Continued enforcement of no boats, trailers, old pick-up trucks visible to the public. • Removal of large items of garbage twice yearly. • Removal of garden waste twice yearly. • Open Library on Sunday. • Police service with neighboring city rather than the Sheriff's Dept. • Finish flood control project.
Funding: There are multiple funding methods and opportunities available to Arizona municipalities to fund public projects. The City of Litchfield Park currently uses sales tax, certain State- shared revenues and construction tax. A controversial revenue source in the City has been property tax. If you had a clear plan of specific projects that were to be funded over a definitive period of time, would you support a sunset-limited property tax?
• Yes (33 Responses) • No (13 Responses)
Additionally, would you consider or support:
Increase to sales tax for definite projects and period of time?
• Yes (39 Responses) • No (6 Responses)
Improvement Districts?
• Yes (24 Responses) • No (21 Responses)
Hospitality (B/B/B) Tax?
• Yes (34 Responses) • No (12 Responses)
Construction Bonds?
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• Yes (34 Responses) • No (12 Responses)
Combination of above?
• Yes (31 Responses) • No (14 Responses)
Comments:
• Other ways to recoupe monies. Please explore them, but not in bonding. Increase the sales tax, have a special "fire protection/police/rubbish" tax. Cut your legal fees, use a different firm. Cut back on all the grass medians, use rock. You want involvement? Open your minds to the residents of Litchfield Park, and not just "your" friends. Have term limits on commission members so you get new blood in, because you certainly do not have that. Involve the Citizens more, what happened to the volunteer clean up day? What's wrong with the different commissions actually getting out and taking charge of special projects? Example could be each commission plans their own volunteer clean-up day, or flower planting day. For the past couple of years you have had an overwhelming response of new blood to join a commission (P&Z), but that goes nowhere. NOW is the time for "term limits", we need new blood. • The Rec Center has been a topic of discussion for many years at focus groups. Although the groups have always decided that the Rec Center is important and should be refurbished immediately nothing has been done. No other City has been given a recreation center and we do not think the City appreciates the Rec Center. • Listen to the people, maintain lake better, it smells. Shape all trees; see Sonny about equipment for stretching on east side of lake, better recycling for all, not just homes. Rebuild new library on same sight, use all of the land there, remodel rec center and use more of parking lot to remodel. Needs to be replaced elsewhere. More shops and restaurants like park west on northern ave. We need to see a positive change, you narrowed Wigwam Blvd, now listen to us and give us our previous plans for the mini mall as we saw in past meetings with plans. Thank you very, very much. • Can't answer the funding questions because of lack of information. For example, we would support an increase in sales tax provided that it did not exceed the average of other cities in Maricopa County. • 1) Failure to maintain green space and permitting encroachment has likely destroyed LP. 2) Use of (ineffective) Sheriffs to save money has also permitted great deterioration. 3) Failure to implement a tax program and permitting people to live here who will not pay for the privilege is likely the final nail. • Thank you for bringing this to our attention.... • These questions have been asked time and time again and the same results come up time after time. Why do a survey if you are not willing to accept the results and move on them. I guess we will continue to do surveys until we get the results the people who designed the survey want. Typical politics as usual! • Supporting our children and providing activities for them is most important. • Many people taking this survey will not know the definition of a "grade separated crossing" and "sunset- limited" property tax. You may want to consider using more lay oriented language next time. :-) • I see the potential for Litchfield Park to become a thriving community enriching the lives of everyone who lives here. It would be nice to see more arts activities or art lofts where artists could live, work and sell their wares. • Because I served on the La Loma Project committee, I especially am interested in seeing the results of that work implemented when La Loma Homestead becomes the property of the city. I urge all council persons, including the mayor, to review the final report of that committee. A number of interested citizens devoted a lot of time and energy to make a viable plan. • A City must make difficult decisions that will provide essential services such as public safety, building safety, i.e., residential fire suppression sprinklers, potable water and wastewater services, sanitation,
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(garbage and trash pickup), comprehensive realistic recycling , (both need to be rapid rail mechanized inexpensive efficient services such as Phoenix, Glendale, Goodyear and Avondale). Manually pulling cans out of the ground and throwing garbage is inefficient and expensive. Manually throwing garbage was the norm in 1968 but was being replaced in many municipalities by the early 1970's.
These decisions cannot be made by the vocal 25% of the population. These decisions must be made by the elected representatives of all the people. Public input is important but the input can be self serving, uninformed or shortsighted from a comprehensive community perspective.
Enacting a property tax to provide baseline funding for municipal services is not a public consensus decision, it is reality. If we are to continue as a viable city we must be willing to pay for the essential services we require. Subscription essential services are a bizarre requirement in a municipal environment.
Sun City also has archaic buried trash cans, subscribe to Paradise Waste, no effective recycling, proudly proclaim no property tax, they even resist participating in school taxes, vote down school bond issues when possible, but they are not an incorporated city. They geographically feel like a city and by refusing to incorporate and establish self government force all residents of Maricopa County to subsidize some of their essential services. They receive public safety and street maintenance through the County. They defer many very expensive municipal service costs such as police and street repairs to all of us by being unincorporated.
We are incorporated and as a City must expand our capital improvement financing options to include bonds and other fiscally responsible methods.
We also must diversify our operations income stream to enhance and provide a predictable baseline for municipal revenue enabling us to competitively compensate our valued employees, continue to attract the best municipal employees and to provide additional essential services to residents, with or without the consensus of the vocal minority.
• How many times are you going to have surveys without acting on the surveys that have already been submitted? When I moved to Litchfield Park two of the drawing cards for me were the Rec Center and the Library. Why is there a constant push to do away with them? I think they are more important than a new “City Hall building". When I have visitors they are very impressed by the Rec Center and the downtown area as it exists. Very few areas have anything nearly as charming. After their last visit thank you notes from my grandchildren including the comments "Love that pool!!!" The other charms for visiting children are Turtle Park and "feeding the ducks". Maybe you planners are too sophisticated. • We moved from Goodyear to Litchfield Park 6 months ago for our kids to go the Litchfield schools and to enjoy the hometown feeling. Please do not abolish the Recreation Center or Library. It is too important for the children. • With the increase of population in the surrounding areas, I am very apprehensive about putting in a pedestrian underpass due to safety concerns. I would like to see this researched further before spending any money on the project. • As a father of two young children, I believe that a top priority should be to preserve and upgrade the Recreation Center, which has already proven to be a vital part of their development. For my family, one of the most important features that attracted us to Litchfield Park was the strong sense of a centralized community that is lacking in most other Valley cities. The recreation center is an important part of this community, especially for our children, and the city needs to keep it strong and current. • I feel that the recreation center is a good thing for our community and I believe that it should be improved and redesigned for today's fitness, recreation and community needs. Redesigning the entire center would create a venue that may reach a wider variety of citizen (i.e. a citizen that may not use the facility now and may oppose the recreation center altogether). We would be happy to speak in regards to the Rec. center. A center for multi-generational use to include fitness venue, recreation, meeting rooms etc would benefit all of us and our home values.
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• The recreational Club of Litchfield Park is an asset to our City. We should enlarge it and provide more activities. I have been in the City since 1985 and would not want the Recreation club to be reduced or limited in any way. It is the frosting on the cake as far as what is available for our City. Any improvements would be a plus and an additional attraction. • A property tax should be avoided at all costs. LP is a small community and cannot complete all of the major projects it wants given the sluggish economy. Wait for the economy to improve and in the meantime scale back projects to fit within existing revenue. Landscaping is one project to keep on track to help the esthetics of the community remain strong but other, more costly projects should be deferred. The job the city council should be to maintain services at an acceptable level and quit trying to force an agenda in a bad economic climate. The economy will improve and when revenues increase, new projects can be planned. • I can't imagine any kind of property tax that wouldn't hit the largest property owner (Kabuto) the hardest---- how could we possibly tax a private residence and not tax that resort and the downtown and the vacant land in the heart of town? We couldn't! Businesses would at least be able to pass on to visitors an increase in sales and bed taxes. • Does "new library" mean a city funded one separate from our current library setup? I don't know if we can fund a library on city funds that would equal the current county library. • While I do indeed see a need for a bit more revenue to complete some projects, I am slightly hesitant to agree to a property tax. I still see some waste in our current spending, and until that is resolved, I see no reason to increase funds. Resolve that issue, and I would vote for a limited use/time/project specific property tax. Please feel free to email me if you have questions. Thanks. • I strongly agree to stop over-seeding. Let winter be winter. Savings of water resources alone is worth the cut. • Yes, it’s time for taxes for the services we want. • We have a great community. We do not have to spend a lot of money to improve it. • It's probably too late to address the new city office building(s) project, but in my opinion it is a mistake to leave the current, although historic, LP City Hall and build new stuff around it. It may be nostalgic but it will look totally out of place. I vote to tear it down along with the West Valley View building and have a new, modern set of city offices. Photography and virtual filming can serve to preserve and display the history of LP. • Litchfield Park is a wonderful place to live. We love it here. I think it is a waste to use the space as you enter L.P. for a new city hall. This is a very small community. We already have our own library and the local school hall, which can be used for events involving the public (election meetings, etc.) Why do we need a bigger city hall? Small is beautiful, less expensive and more in keeping with the small town character of Litchfield Park. Why is it a problem to use the Goodyear facility for court related events? Local communities sharing facilities makes more sense than each city and town having their own courts, etc., whether they need them or not. The West Valley View building is to be replaced with a building incorporating a restaurant, retail shops and offices, needs to be re-thought. L.P. already has a highly successful Mexican restaurant, a cafe, and now a sushi bar. Alas, the wine bar did not survive. These are difficult days for restaurants and small businesses partly because this area is now flooded with numerous restaurants. What makes you think that a new restaurant in L.P. will make it? If it does, will it detract from the existing restaurants/cafe? I like the idea of a public plaza, nicely landscaped though. Will there be room in these new buildings for citizen meeting spaces? Dance, music, cards, playgroups, etc., would all be welcome as part of a multi-generational center. Just combine those meeting spaces in this new city hall complex to make the whole project worthwhile, and renovate the existing rec center for swimming, tennis and exercise room, etc. Regarding the questions above: I have put 'yes' for Improvement Districts but am not sure what this involves. However, I cannot send this questionnaire to you without putting a yes or a no in some of these areas. I am sure other people are in the same position as me and are just picking an answer and really don't know what it entails. • The Rec Center needs to take center stage; it is embarrassing how the facility has been allowed to deteriate. A new exercise facility needs to be put in place, as well as zero entry to the pool and a new kiddie pool. I think it would be amazing how many residents would be attracted to the facility. The Rec Center is one of the few services that creates a gathering place for residents and visitors alike. We need to move forward in establishing a property tax; LP residents need to take responsibility for their own city rather than trying to rely on an insufficient sales tax. I feel that this is the only way for the city to finance
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the fire station and bring a higher level of protection to our residents and their homes. I would like to see the Sheriff's office removed from the Park and contract with a neighboring city for police services. • Stop sending harassing letters to good citizens who like to go out of town and don't get the lawn cut every weekend!!! • I don't believe "sunset limited" property taxes can be successful‐‐‐‐by the time the sunset period arrives, additional projects usually come forward; therefore, I, for one, would support a REASONABLE full time property tax for the city‐‐‐it is up to the citizens then to elect careful and prudent public servants to handle the funds. At the outset, I would at least like to see a Parks and Recreation Special Improvement District created in the city which would cover all the parks and recreation facilities‐‐‐including the creation of a multi‐generation/library center. Please give this some consideration.
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